초록 ▼

A light bag rack (10) for a bicycle includes a U-shaped frame (42) having first and second rods (48, 50) extending between a closed securing end (44) and an open mounting end (46) of the rack (10) and defining a pinch point (52) between the ends (44, 46). The rods (48, 50) are sufficiently flexible

A light bag rack (10) for a bicycle includes a U-shaped frame (42) having first and second rods (48, 50) extending between a closed securing end (44) and an open mounting end (46) of the rack (10) and defining a pinch point (52) between the ends (44, 46). The rods (48, 50) are sufficiently flexible to permit the open mounting end (46) to expand around first and second bicycle seat frame rails (16, 18) forward of a seat post (14) and to pass between the seat frame rails (16, 18) rearward of the seat post (14) so that the closed securing end (44) contacts the seat frame rails (16, 18) forward of the seat post (14) to secure the rack (10) to the seat frame rails (16, 18). A load portion (70) of the rack (10) supports a utility bag (84).

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A light bag rack (10) for a bicycle, wherein the bicycle includes a seat (12) supported on a seat post (14), the seat (12) including a first frame rail (16) and a second frame rail (18) secured to the post (14) wherein parallel portions of the first and second frame rails (16

What is claimed is: 1. A light bag rack (10) for a bicycle, wherein the bicycle includes a seat (12) supported on a seat post (14), the seat (12) including a first frame rail (16) and a second frame rail (18) secured to the post (14) wherein parallel portions of the first and second frame rails (16, 18) adjacent the seat post (14) are aligned about parallel to each other and extend in a direction parallel to a direction of travel axis of the bicycle, and wherein the parallel portions of the first and second frame rails (16, 18) define a first seat-frame distance (22) being a shortest distance between exterior edges (24, 26) of the frame rails (16, 18) forward of the seat post (14) in a direction (29) toward a front of the bicycle and the parallel portions of the first and second frame rails (16, 18) define a second seat-frame distance (32) being a shortest distance between interior edges (36, 34) of the frame rails (16, 18) rearward of the seat post (14) in a direction (30) toward a rear of the bicycle, the light bag rack (10) comprising: a. an approximately U-shaped frame (42) having a closed securing end (44), an opposed open mounting end (46), a first rod (48) and a second rod (50) extending between the closed securing end (44) and the open mounting end (46), and the first and second rods (48, 50) defining a pinch point (52) between the securing and mounting ends (44, 46); b. wherein the first and second rods (48, 50) define a first rack distance (54) being a shortest distance between interior edges (56, 58) of the first and second rods (48, 50) adjacent the securing end (44) so that the first rack distance (54) is greater than the first seat-frame distance (22); c. wherein the first and second rods (48, 50) define a second rack (60) distance being a shortest distance between exterior edges (64, 66) of the first and second rods (48, 50) at the pinch point (52) so that the second rack distance (60) is less than the second seat-frame distance (32); d. wherein the first and second rods (48, 50) of the rack (10) are sufficiently flexible so that the open mounting end (46) may expand around the exterior edges (24, 26) of the first and second seat frame rails (16, 18) forward of the seat post (14) and may compress between the first and second seat frame rails (16, 18) rearward of the seat post (14) whenever the securing end (44) of the rack (10) is positioned to contact the exterior edges (24, 26) of the first and second frame rails (16, 18) forward of the seat post (14) while the first and second rods (48, 50) adjacent the pinch point (52) of the rack (10) contact the interior edges (34, 36) of the first and second frame rails (48, 50) to secure the rack (10) to the first and second frame rails (16, 18) of the seat (12) and, e. wherein the rack (10) includes an attachment sleeve (78) dimensioned to detachably receive and secure the first and second rods (48, 50) at the open mounting end (46) of the rack (10). 2. The light bag rack (10) for a bicycle of claim 1, wherein the first and second rods (48, 50) define an upside-down V-segment (72) between the pinch point (52) and the closed securing end (44) of the rack (10), wherein a first segment (74) of the upside down V-segment (72) adjacent the pinch point (52) ascends above a load plane defined between and along the first and second rods (48, 50) in a load support portion (70) of the rods (48, 50) in a direction toward the closed securing end (44) at an angle of about between 1 and 20 degrees relative to the load plane, and wherein a second segment (76) of the upside-down V-segment (72) extends from the first segment (74) to the closed securing end (44) and descends toward the load plane at an angle of about 18 degrees relative to the first segment (74) of the upside-down V-segment (72). 3. The light bag rack (10) for a bicycle of claim 2, wherein the load support portion (70) from the pinch point (52) to the open mounting end (46) is about between 4 and 20 inches and the upside-down V-segment (72) from the pinch point (52) to the closed securing end (44) is about 3.5 inches. 4. The light bag rack (10) for a bicycle of claim 1, wherein the rack (10) also includes a resilient contact sleeve (80) encompassing the closed securing end (44) and the first and second rods (48, 40) of the rack from the closed securing end (44) to the pinch point (52). 5. The light bag rack (10) for a bicycle of claim 1, wherein the rack (10) also includes a securing strap attached to the closed securing end of the rack (10) and dimensioned to detachably engage the seat post (14) to restrict movement of the rack (10) relative to the seat post (14). 6. A light bag rack (10) for a bicycle, wherein the bicycle includes a seat (12) supported on a seat post (14), the seat (12) including a first frame rail (16) and a second frame rail (18) secured to the post (14) wherein parallel portions of the first and second frame rails (16, 18) adjacent the seat post (14) are aligned about parallel to each other and extend in a direction parallel to a direction-of-travel axis of the bicycle, and wherein the parallel portions of the first and second frame rails (16, 18) define a first seat-frame distance (22) being a shortest distance between exterior edges (24, 26) of the frame rails (16, 18) forward of the seat post (14) in a direction (28) toward a front of the bicycle and the parallel portions of the first and second frame rails (16, 18) define a second seat-frame distance (32) being a shortest distance between interior edges (36, 34) of the frame rails (16, 18) rearward of the seat post (14) in a direction (30) toward a rear of the bicycle, the light bag rack (10) comprising: a. an approximately U-shaped frame (42) having a closed securing end (44), an opposed open mounting end (46), a first rod (48) and a second rod (50) extending between the closed securing end (44) and the open mounting end (46), and the first and second rods (48, 50) defining a pinch point (52) between the securing and mounting ends (44, 46); b. wherein the first and second rods (48, 50) define a first rack distance (54) being a shortest distance between interior edges (56, 58) of the first and second rods (48, 50) adjacent the securing end (44) so that the first rack distance (54) is greater than the first seat-frame distance (22); c. wherein the first and second rods (48, 30) define a second rack (60) distance being a shortest distance between exterior edges (64, 66) of the first and second rods (48, 50) at the pinch point (52) so that the second rack distance (60) is less than the second seat frame distance (32), and so that a shortest distance between the first and second rods (48, 50) adjacent the pinch point (52) is less than a shortest distance between the first and second rods (48, 50) adjacent the closed securing end (44); d. wherein the first and second rods (48, 50) of the rack (10) are sufficiently flexible so that the open mounting end (46) may expand around the exterior edges (24, 26) of the first and second seat frame rails (16, 18) forward of the seat post (14) and may compress between the first and second seat frame rails (16, 18) rearward of the seat post (14) whenever the securing end (44) of the rack (10) is positioned to contact the exterior edges (24, 26) of the first and second frame rails (16, 18) forward of the seat post (14) while the first and second rods (48, 50) adjacent the pinch point (52) of the rack (10) contact the interior edges (34, 36) of the first and second frame rails (48, 50) to secure the rack (10) to the first and second frame rails (16, 18) of the seat (12); and, e. wherein the rack (10) includes an attachment sleeve (78) dimensioned to detachably receive and secure the first and second rods (48, 50) at the open mounting end (46) of the rack (10). 7. The light bag rack (10) for a bicycle of claim 6, wherein the first and second rods (48, 50) define an upside-down V-segment (72) between the pinch point (52) and the closed securing end (44) of the rack (10), wherein a first segment (74) of the upside-down V-segment (72) adjacent the pinch point (52) ascends above a load plane defined between and along the first and second rods (48, 50) in a load support portion (70) of the rods (48, 50) in a direction toward the closed securing end (44) at an angle of about between 1 and 20 degrees relative to the load plane, and wherein a second segment (76) of the upside-down V-segment (72) extends from the first segment (74) to the closed securing end (44) and descends toward the load plane at an angle of about 18 degrees relative to the first segment (74) of the upside-down V-segment (72). 8. The light bag rack (10) for a bicycle of claim 7, wherein the load support portion (70) from the pinch point (52) to the open mounting end (46) is about between 4 and 20 inches and the upside-down V-segment (72) from the pinch point (52) to the closed securing end (44) is about 3.5 inches. 9. The light bag rack (10) for a bicycle of claim 6, wherein the rack (10) also includes a resilient contact sleeve (80) encompassing the closed securing end (44) and the first and second rods (48, 40) of the rack from the closed securing end (44) to the pinch point (52). 10. The light bag rack (10) for a bicycle of claim 6, wherein the rack (10) also includes a securing strap attached to the closed securing end of the rack (10) and dimensioned to detachably engage the seat post (14) to restrict movement of the rack (10) relative to the seat post (14). 11. A light bag rack (10) for a bicycle, the light bag rack comprising: a. a seat (12) supported on a seat post (14), the seat (12) including a first frame rail (16) and a second frame rail (18) secured to the post (14) wherein parallel portions of the first and second frame rails (16, 19) adjacent the seat post (14) are aligned about parallel to each other and extend in a direction parallel to a direction-of-travel axis of the bicycle, and wherein the parallel portions of the first and second frame rails (16, 18) define a first seat-frame distance (22) being a shortest distance between exterior edges (24, 26) of the frame rails (16, 18) forward of the seat post (14) in a direction (28) toward a front of the bicycle and the parallel portions of the first and second frame rails (16, 18) define a second seat-frame distance (32) being a shortest distance between interior edges (36, 34) of the frame rails (16, 18) rearward of the seat post (14) in a direction (30) toward a rear of the bicycle, the light bag rack (10); b. an approximately U-shaped frame (42) having a closed securing end (44), an opposed open mounting end (46), a first rod (48) and a second rod (50) extending between the closed securing end (44) and the open mounting end (46), and the first and second rods (48, 50) defining a pinch point (52) between the securing and mounting ends (44, 46); c. wherein the first and second rods (48, 50) define a first rack distance (54) being a shortest distance between interior edges (56, 58) of the first and second rods (48, 50) adjacent the securing end (44) so that the first rack distance (54) is greater than the first seat-frame distance (22); d. wherein the first and second rods (48, 50) define a second rack (60) distance being a shortest distance between exterior edges (64, 66) of the first and second rods (48, 50) at the pinch point (52) so that the second rack distance (60) is less than the second seat frame distance (32), and so that a shortest distance between the first and second rods (48, 50) adjacent the pinch point (52) is less than a shortest distance between the first and second rods (48, 50) adjacent the closed securing end (44); e. wherein the first and second rods (48, 50) of the rack (10) are sufficiently flexible so that the open mounting end (46) may expand around the exterior edges (24, 26) of the first and second seat-frame rails (16, 18) forward of the seat post (14) and may compress between the first and second seat frame rails (16, 18) rearward of the seat post (14) whenever the securing end (44) of the rack (10) is positioned to contact the exterior edges (24, 26) of the first and second frame rails (16, 18) forward of the seat post (14) while the first and second rods (48, 50) adjacent the pinch point (52) of the rack (10) contact the interior edges (34, 36) of the first and second frame rails (48, 50) to secure the rack (10) to the first and second frame rails (16, 18) of the seat (12); and, f. wherein the rack (10) includes an attachment sleeve (78) dimensioned to detachably receive and secure the first and second rods (48, 50) at the open mounting end (46) of the rack (10). 12. The light bag rack (10) for a bicycle of claim 11, wherein the first and second rods (48, 50) define an upside-down V-segment (72) between the pinch point (52) and the closed securing end (44) of the rack (10), wherein a first segment (74) of the upside-down V-segment (72) adjacent the pinch point (52) ascends above a load plane defined between and along the first and second rods (48, 50) in a load support portion (70) of the rods (48, 50) in a direction toward the closed securing end (44) at an angle of about between 1 and 20 degrees relative to the load plane, and wherein a second segment (76) of the upside-down V-segment (72) extends from the first segment (74) to the closed securing end (44) and descends toward the load plane at an angle of about 18 degrees relative to the first segment (74) of the upside-down V-segment (72). 13. The light bag rack (10) for a bicycle of claim 12, wherein the load support portion (70) from the pinch point (52) to the open mounting end (46) is about between 4 and 20 inches and the upside-down V-segment (72) from the pinch point (52) to the closed securing end (44) is about 3.5 inches. 14. The light bag rack (10) for a bicycle of claim 13, wherein the rack (10) also includes a resilient contact sleeve (80) encompassing the closed securing end (44) and the first and second rods (48, 40) of the rack from the closed securing end (44) to the pinch point (52). 15. The light bag rack (10) for a bicycle of claim 11, wherein the rack (10) also includes a securing strap attached to the closed securing end of the rack (10) and dimensioned to detachably engage the seat post (14) to restrict movement of the rack (10) relative to the seat post (14).