Patent Application
20240227962
This invention relates generally to bicycle carriers, and more specifically to bicycle carriers and attachment mechanisms.
Prior art bicycle carriers are usually formed as baskets attached to the front handle bars or the rear fender or rack of a bicycle. The problem arises when the bicycle is a folding bicycle, wherein the basket prevents the bicycle from folding completely and as such becomes too bulky to fit within bicycle carriers, ie, a storage container or vehicular stowage areas. Thus, a need exists for a bicycle carrier having an attachment mechanism that is easily releasably attachable and detachable to the back rack of a folding bicycle to avoid the above-mentioned problems.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of bicycle carriers and attachment mechanisms or the like in the prior art, the present invention provides a novel bicycle carrier and attachment mechanism. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a bicycle carrier and attachment mechanism utilizing either a rotating threaded connection mechanism or a sliding lock mechanism between the bicycle carrier and the back rack of a folding bicycle, such that the bicycle can be completely folded and more easily fit within storage containers or vehicular stowage areas, with all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and
The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and method(s) of use for the present invention, a bicycle carrier and attachment mechanism.
1.
The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings.
As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention relate to a bicycle carrier and attachment mechanism for folding bicycles utilizing either a rotating threaded connection mechanism or a sliding lock mechanism between the bicycle carrier and the back rack of a folding bicycle. The attachment mechanism enables a user to easily and releasably attach and detach the carrier to the back fender rack, such that the bicycle can be completely folded and more easily fit within storage containers or vehicular stowage areas.
As shown in
Referring now to the drawings
Referring now to the drawings
A third embodiment is shown in
A safety lock pin may also be incorporated to lock the bucket from turning when riding the bicycle. The safety pin prevents the rotation of the first portion 310 of the attachment mechanism 300 with respect to the second portion 320 thereof. The safety lock pin can be formed as a ¼″ bolt with a nut, or as a ¼″ quick release pin, or as a ¼″ lockable hitch pin.
The bucket 100 may be formed as a 5 gallon plastic bucket, however, it can be formed in other sizes and from other materials, such as aluminum. The attachment mechanism 100 can also be formed from other materials, including plastic and aluminum. The folding bicycle 200 may be formed as a folding electric bicycle or any other known type of folding bicycles or electric or smart bicycles.
The first portion 310 and second portion 320 of the attachment mechanism 300 may be formed from a molding process, and further may be formed with or without interdigitating threads depending on the type of attachment mechanism 300 needed or the type of attachment mechanism in use. Furthermore, the attachment mechanism 300 is adapted to be used with any shape bicycle carrier, ie, circular, square, or rectangular.
The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.
Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement, which is calculated to achieve the same purpose, may be substituted for the specific embodiment shown. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the present invention.
