BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of first and second holders in accordance with the invention disposed in the bed of a pickup with two bicycles mounted in the holders and secured to the truck by tie-downs;
FIG. 2A is a plan view of a first holder in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2B is a side view of the first holder shown in FIG. 2A;
FIG. 2C is an end view of the first holder shown in FIG. 2A;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a wheel disposed in an arcuate pocket formed in a portion of a first holder in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 4A is a plan view of a first embodiment of a second holder in accordance with the invention, showing slots formed in a plate between a pair of flanges extending from the plate;
FIG. 4B is a side view of the second holder shown in FIG. 4A;
FIG. 4C is an end view of the second holder shown in FIG. 4A;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a wheel mounted in a slot in a second embodiment of a second holder in accordance with the invention, showing chamfered upward flanges on either side of the wheel defining a slot while lacking a slot formed in the base plate;
FIG. 6 is a view like that shown in FIG. 5, showing flanges formed without chamfers;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of three wheels of three separate vehicles mounted in the slots of a second holder;
FIG. 9 is an elevational view, partly in cross-section, showing a bicycle mounted in first and second holders in accordance with the invention, the bicycle facing rearwards of a truck bed;
FIG. 10 is an elevational view, partly in cross-section, showing a bicycle mounted in first and second holders in accordance with the invention, the bicycle facing forwards of a truck bed;
FIG. 11 is an elevational view, partly in cross-section, showing a flange extending from a plate in a first holder for engaging a truck bed supporting the first holder to position the plate non-horizontally; and
FIG. 12 is an elevational view of a second embodiment of a first holder, partly in cross-section, showing flanges extending from the base plate toward the axis of a wheel disposed in the first holder.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIG. 1, a system 10 in accordance with the invention for transporting a wheeled vehicle in a generally upright position in the bed of a transportive vehicle is shown on a portion of a transportive vehicle in the form of a pickup truck 12 including a bed 14 thereof. System 10 comprises a first holder 16 and may further comprise a second holder 18. Two bicycles 20,22 are mounted in bed 14 having respective first wheels 24 disposed in first holder 16 and having respective second wheels 26 disposed in second holder 18. First and second tie-down straps 28 pass over, and preferably are attached to, or wrapped around, the respective frames of bicycles 20,22 and are attached to truck 12, for example, at integral tie-down rings 30 to constrain bicycles 20,22 both vertically and laterally of truck 12 during transportation of the bicycles.
Referring to FIGS. 2A through 2C, perspective views are shown of the top, side, and end, respectively, of first holder 16. A plate 32 has a first surface 34 facing toward the axis 36 (FIG. 1) of first wheel 24 when in use and a second surface 38 opposite first surface 34. Plate 32 has a first generally horizontal edge 40 defining a horizontal direction and has at least one elongate opening 42 defining a slot extending away from generally horizontal edge 40. Slot 42 is formed in plate 32 for receiving first wheel 24 and for engaging first wheel 24 at first and second points 44,46 along a chord 48 of first wheel 24 (see FIGS. 9 and 12). A pair of flanges 50 extend orthogonally from one of first and second surfaces 34,38 at opposite sides respectively of slot 42 for engaging first wheel 24 at a third point 52 (FIGS. 9 and 12) such that a first plane contained in the rim of first wheel 24 is generally orthogonal to a second plane contained in plate 32 (wheel is upright). Preferably, the pair of flanges 50 define the sides of an arcuate pocket 51, as shown in FIG. 3. First holder 16 is capable of holding a free-standing bike upright by virtue of contact of first wheel 24 at the three points 44,46, and 52. Cut outs 53 in plate 32 may be provided along the upper edge for hand holds. Square cutouts 54 may be provided at the upper corners for access to truck bed tie down rings 30. Hand holds 53 may also serve as mounting points for hanging first holder 16 on a wall for storage. Storage compartments 56 and other features may be incorporated in the space between wheel slots 42 in plate 32.
A positioner is required to position first holder 16 at a first angle 58 to the front wall 57 of truck bed 14 and a complementary angle 60 to floor 62 of truck bed 14 (see FIG. 11). For example, the length 64 (FIG. 2A) of first holder 16 may be such that first holder 16 fits securely between front wall 57 and wheel wells 66 (FIG. 11). For another example, to adapt for fore-aft dimension variation of other truck designs, a projection such as a plate or legs may be extended from second surface 38. In yet another and currently preferred example, a projection may be provided in the form of an angled flange 68 (FIG. 11) for engaging bed floor 62. Any of these or other positioner examples that may occur to one of ordinary skill in the art can serve to position plate 32 non-horizontally at angle 60 without requiring support from bed wall 57.
For security against theft, first holder 16 may be secured conventionally to tie-down rings 30 with a conventional bike lock or chain (not shown) strung through hand hold cut outs 53 or other feature provided for the purpose.
System 10 is capable of holding a two-wheeled vehicle in an upright position using first holder 16 alone without lateral swinging of the bicycle frame and front wheel 26 when the first wheel held by first holder 16 is a rear wheel 24 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 9, because wheel 24 is not pivotably mounted to the bicycle frame. However, when the first wheel held by first holder 16 is a front wheel 26, as shown in FIG. 10, the bicycle frame and rear wheel 24 may pivot freely on bicycle fork tube 66. Thus, a second holder 18 may be added to system 10 to assist in preventing swinging of the bicycle frame and rear wheel 24 about tube 67.
Second holder 18 is arranged in a manner similar to first holder 16, as shown in FIGS. 4A through 4C. Elongated slots 69 are provided in a base plate 70, preferably but not necessarily extending therethrough, to receive and retain one or more second wheels 26. Slots 69 are positioned to align laterally with slots 42 in first holder 16 as shown in FIG. 1. Upward-facing pairs of flanges 72 extending from plate 70 on opposite sides of slots 69 provide three point contact with second wheel 26. Further, flanges 72 conveniently guide wheels 24,26 during installation of a bike into system 10 and provide lateral support to two-wheeled vehicles during installation and transport thereof.
Second holder 18 may be mounted in the bed in an inclined (FIG. 9) or flat (FIG. 10) position. For inclined mounting, the inward-facing flange surfaces 74a of flanges 72a preferably are chamfered as shown in FIG. 5 to provide lead-in for the tires. For flat mounting (FIG. 10), flange surfaces 74b need not be chamfered and a higher flange 72b can be used to provide increased lateral support for the wheel (FIGS. 6 and 7). It is desirable to close slots 68 locally along the lower edge 76 and also the upper edge 78 to provide additional structural support to second holder 18 as shown in FIG. 4A. The closeouts 75 are adjacent to the bed surface and do not significantly impede the bike wheel as the flanges remain open. For holders intended to be mounted in the flat position, the slot closeouts may be extended the length of the slots 68 to form slot bottoms, or the slots may be omitted entirely. While not required for retention of the bike, closeouts improve holder stiffness and strength for handling. For inclined mounting of rear wheels 24, it is also desirable to provide cutouts 80 in flanges 72 to provide clearance for the bike derailleur 82 in the case where the bike is mounted facing forward of truck 12. Full support of the wheel is maintained as the wheel contacts the flanges only near the ends of the slots. Interference between the derailleur and an unmodified flange 64 is shown in FIG. 8.
Hand hold cutouts 73 are provided similar to those of front holder 18. The overall width of rear holder 20 may be reduced relative to front holder 18 to provide clearance for the rear bed post of truck 12 adjacent to tail gate 84 (FIG. 1). Anti-theft security and variations in bed dimensions can be accommodated as for first holder 16. For ease of manufacture, another first holder 16 may be substituted for second holder 18 and mounted (after rotation 1800) in a horizontal or inclined position in place of second holder 18.
Loading and operation of system 10 in accordance with the invention is very straightforward. First and second holders 16,18 are positioned in the truck bed as shown in FIG. 1. The bikes then are loaded one at a time so that the forward facing (first) wheel 24 engages the desired slot 42 in first holder 16 and the rearward facing (second) wheel 26 engages a corresponding slot 69 in second holder 18. First holder 16 as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B is capable of holding three bikes. While the system shown in the drawings is designed to accommodate three bikes, holders 16,18 may be shortened laterally to hold fewer than three bikes or widened to hold four or more bikes on full size pick up truck beds. For the case of transporting a single two-wheeled vehicle, any set of slots 42 and 69 may be used, but the center slots are preferred. In the case that two bikes are to be placed in system 10, any two sets of slots 42 and 69 may be used, but the outside slots are preferable. In the case of three bikes, all slots 42 and 69 are used. Further, it is desirable to mount the vehicles alternately facing forward and rearward to avoid interference between handlebars of adjacent vehicles as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10.
Second holder 18 may be used in an inclined or flat position. The inclined position provides superior lateral support for the bikes. The flat position accommodates a wider range of bed length and vehicle wheelbase dimensions. For the inclined position, edge 76 of the second holder 18 is raised and tail gate 84 closed as shown in FIGS. 1 and 9. Wheel engagement in the second holder 18 for inclined and flat positions is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, respectively.
System 10 includes one or more straps 28, preferably at least two, to securely restrain the bikes in position, both vertically and horizontally. Ratcheting straps formed of polymeric ribbon provide excellent restraint, but other styles can be used, such as inelastic cord or elastic bungees having metal hooks at the ends. Preferably, a forward strap is secured first, extended from one forward side tie-down ring 30, aft and over the bike seat posts and/or handlebar stems, and terminates at the other forward side tie-down ring 30. Alternatively, other truck-based stanchions obviously may be used as tie-down strap attachments. When transporting bicycles, it is preferable to engage each bike securely by wrapping the strap around each seat post and/or handle bar stem. Ratcheting straps provide excellent tension control with low operator effort. Tension from the forward strap 28 firmly presses first wheel(s) 24 into slots 42 in the first holder 16, thus providing downward and forward force to restrain the bike(s) in holder 16.
Wheel base variation between different vehicles is accommodated by fore-and-aft location of second holder 18 in the truck bed. Likewise, a rear strap 28 is installed securing the bike(s) in holder 18 to the rear side tie down rings 30 to provide downward and aft restraining forces on the bike(s). As with the front strap 24, it is preferable to securely engage each bike securely by wrapping the aft strap 28 around each seat post and/or handle bar stem. With forward and aft straps 28 properly tensioned, the bikes are well restrained in all axes thus preventing damage to the bikes, the truck, or others during sudden maneuvering of the truck or in the event of a collision. To provide protection from the elements, a tarp (not shown) can be used to cover the bikes. Since access to tie-downs 28 is unimpeded, the tarp can be securely fastened to the front and rear tie-down rings 30. Anti-theft security for the bikes can be provided with conventional bike locks or chains (not shown) secured from the bike(s) to the truck tie-down rings 30 or to holders 16,18.
Either of first and second holders 16,18 may be formed from sheet metal stock as by punching and stamping, or may be formed from a polymer by a method selected from the group consisting of blow molding, vacuum molding, and injection molding, for example.
A system in accordance with the invention provides a means to mount and transport bikes or other two wheel vehicles, such as motor cycles, motor scooters, ATV's, and even wheelchairs (which may be considered as being two-wheeled) easily, safely, and economically in the bed of a pick up truck or van. The holders are light and easy to install in the truck bed, require no modification of the truck, and also are easily stored by being hung on a wall to preserve valuable garage floor space. Bikes are easy to load into the holders and the mounting straps secure the bikes safely during evasive maneuvering of the transportive vehicle or in the event of a collision. No disassembly of the bikes is required, as in many prior art systems. Since the bikes are carried in the truck bed, they are protected in the event of a collision and are not overly-exposed to road dirt, debris, and water.
While the above exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been applied to open pickup truck beds, it should be understood that the basic principles outlined herein are applicable to other applications. For instance, the holders may be incorporated integrally into a pickup truck bed liner, thus providing the combined utility of a bed liner and a vehicle carrier. Alternatively, the first and/or second holder may be formed integrally with a seat back assembly, floor panel, tail gate, or other interior feature of a van or SUV. This arrangement can add integral vehicle transport capability and value to the interior of the transport vehicle and eliminate the need for purchase and storage of a bicycle carrier while preserving normal vehicle functionality and providing excellent protection from the elements during transport. The concepts are also applicable to the transport of wheeled vehicles other than bicycles such as motorcycles and ATV's. Moreover, while the above description references the use of the system with one or more bikes, it will be understood that the system may be used to secure other types of wheeled vehicles as well.
The embodiments described are chosen to provide an illustration of principles of the invention and its practical application to enable thereby one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Therefore, the foregoing description is to be considered exemplary, rather than limiting, and the true scope of the invention is described in the following claims.
Patent Application
20080047994
