Patent Application
20100320247
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to bike carriers and more particularly to a bike carrier which includes a rotatable and lockable cradle assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to U.S. Pat. No. 7,240,816, a rack 20 for supporting at least one bicycle in position includes a base. Two beams are pivotally connected with the base. At least one supporting device is attached to each of the beams in order to support one wheel of the bicycle. A post is pivotally connected with the base. A hooking device is attached to the post in order to hook the bicycle. However, hooks of the hooking device are secured to collars of the hooking device in a fixed manner. Hence, while the hooks of the hooking device hook upper tube of the bicycle, the hooks can not be rotated to fit various kinds of bicycles.
The present invention is, therefore, intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in the prior art.
The present invention is directed at providing a highly versatile bike carrier which facilitates resolving or reducing some of the problems associated with the prior art. Versatility is facilitated by providing structure which can be readily interchanged and/or repositioned for accommodating different situations faced. Further, the bike carrier includes a lock means for selectively locking the bike to the bike carrier as to prevent the bike detaching from the bike carrier while the vehicle is moving.
Other objectives, advantages, and features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
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The main mount 10 includes a first coupled end 101 secured to the rear of the vehicle and a second coupled end 102 opposite to the first coupled end 11 and coupled to the first and second cradle assemblies 20, 30. A mount member 11 is mounted on the first coupled end 101 and coupled to a holder (not shown) that is provided at the rear of the vehicle. A pin 12 is used to insert through the mount member 11 and the holder of the vehicle for securing the main mount 10 to the vehicle. A connective base 13 is provided at the second coupled end 102 and includes a channel 14 adapted to couple to the first and second cradle assemblies 20, 30 respectively.
The first cradle assembly 20 is installed to the connective base 13 at the second coupled end 102 and includes two side rails 21 pivotally installed to and extending from two ends of the channel 14 respectively. Two hold elements 22 are coupled to an end of each side rail 21 opposite to the connective base 13 via a tightening element 23 and provided at two sides of the end of the side rail 21. Two of the hold elements 22 which are located at the same side of the two side rails 21 are used to position first and rear wheels of a bike to the bike carrier. Each tightening element 23 is adjustably installed on the related slide rail 21 as to adjust position of the related hold elements 22 on the related slide rail 21. A knob 231 is disposed on each tightening element 23 and adapted to selectively fix the related tightening element 23 and the related hold elements 22 at a desired position on the related slide rail 21.
A second cradle assembly 30 includes a support means 31, a mount means 32, two adjustment means 33 and two wedged members 34. The support means 31 has a first end vertically inserted into the channel 14 at the connective base 13 and a second end extending from the first end and attached to the mount means 32 and includes a frame member 311 which consists of two flat surfaces 3111 and two arcuate surfaces 3112. A receptacle 312 is defined in the second end of the support means 31 and surrounded by the frame member 311. Two gaps 313 are respectively formed on the two arcuate surfaces 3112 in position and communicate with the receptacle 312. Two apertures 314 are formed on each of the two flat surfaces 3111 in vertical arrangement and adjacent to the second end of the support means 31.
The mount means 32 includes a mounted portion 321 mounted on the outer periphery of the second end of the support means 31 and a limited portion 322 abutted against top of the second end of the support means 31 while the mount means 32 is coupled to the support means 31. Two receiving portions 323 are longitudinally defined in the mount means 32 and communicate with the receptacle 312. Each receiving portion 323 has a circle cross-section. Two coupled portions 324 are provided at and opened to two sides of the mount means 32. In this case, the receiving portions 323 are parallel to each other and the coupled portions 324. A first hole 3241 and a second hole 3242 are formed at each of two sides of each coupled portion 324 in vertical arrangement. Two through-holes 325 are formed on a side of the mount means 32 and correspond to the apertures 314 formed on one flat surface 3111. Two fasteners 35 are used to engage the through-holes 325 and the related apertures 314 for attaching the mount means 32 to the support means 31.
Each adjustment means 33 includes a cylinder-shaped shaft 331 which has a first end inserted through one of the receiving portions 323 and a second end received in the receptacle 312 and a rack 332 coupled to the first end of the shaft 331 via a connecting element 333. The shafts 331 are able to slide with respect to the support means 31 longitudinally. In this case, each rack 332 is preferably being inverted V-shaped for hooking the bike frame as to fix the bike to the bike carrier and further has a smaller diameter inserted end (not numbered) which is inserted into the first end of the related shaft 331. The connecting elements 333 are adapted to connect the racks 332 and the shafts 331 to each other and prevent the racks 332 rotating with respect to the shafts 331. Each of shafts 331 forms a longitudinal positioning portion 334 on a side thereof opposite to the other shaft 331. A longitudinal groove 3341 is formed on the center of the positioning portion 334 and two positioning arrays 3342 are respectively longitudinally formed on two sides of the groove 3341 and parallel to one another. Two plurality of teeth (not numbered) are respectively formed on the two positioning arrays 3342.
The two wedged members 34 are respectively pivotally connected to the coupled portions 324 of the mount means 32. Each wedged member 34 includes a pressed end 341, a wedged end 342 opposite to the pressed end 341 and a pivotal portion 343 defined between the pressed and wedged ends 341, 342 and being adjacent to the wedged end 342. The pivotal portion 343 is disposed between the sides of the coupled portions 324 defines a hole (not numbered) pivotally connected to the first holes 3241 of the coupled portions 324 via one fastener 36 inserted through the hole of the pivotal portion 343 and the first holes 3241 of the coupled portions 324. The pressed end 341 is adapted to be pressed by users as to selectively engage the wedged end 342 with the positioning portion 334 of the related adjustment means 33 via the gaps 313. The wedged end 342 includes a plurality of fixed teeth 3422 formed thereon and corresponding to and engaged with teeth of the positioning arrays 3342 for fixing the related adjustment means 33 in a desired vertical position. And a sliding portion 3421 projects from the center of the fixed teeth 3422 and is selectively embedded in the groove 3341 for fixing each wedged member 34 to the related adjustment means 33 as to restrict rotatation of the related adjustment means 33 and fix the related adjustment means 33 in vertical position. An elastic element 344, which is provided between the two sides of the coupled portion 324 and inserted by the fastener 36, presses the pressed end 341 outward as to drive the wedged end 342 to engage with the positioning portion 334 of the adjustment means 33.
The lock means 40 includes a fixed member 41 and a locking member 42. In this embodiment, the fixed member 41 is approximately U-shaped and has first and second legs 411, 412 which are respectively inserted the second holes 3242 of the two coupled portions 324 and press the pressed ends 341 of the two wedged members 34 to drive the wedged members 34 to engage with the adjustment means 33. In this case, length of the first leg 411 is larger than that of the second leg 412 so that the first leg 411 extends out of the mount means 32 and coupled to the locking member 42. The locking member 42 has a lock 421 formed at an end thereof opposite to the first leg 411, hence, users can use a key or password to actuate the lock 421 for fixing the lock means 40 to the mount means 32.
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While several embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.
