A bike carrier that retains the wheels of a bike in a tray between pivoting retention arms with ratchets that hold the arms against the tires. The retention arms are quickly adjustable for different sized tires without tools. An embodiment provides a bike wheel main tray assembly pivotally mounted o
A bike carrier that retains the wheels of a bike in a tray between pivoting retention arms with ratchets that hold the arms against the tires. The retention arms are quickly adjustable for different sized tires without tools. An embodiment provides a bike wheel main tray assembly pivotally mounted on a trailer hitch drawbar at an operational horizontal position and a compact vertical position selectable via a trigger at the back of the tray assembly. The main wheel tray assembly has a tray for each wheel of a bike. The two trays pivot between a compact position for shipping and storage and an operational position that is automatically locked. An add-on tray assembly provides wheel trays for a second bike. It connects to the main tray assembly without tools, and provides a trigger at the back connected to the pivot selector of the main tray assembly.
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1. A bike carrier for a tubular trailer hitch receiver on a motor vehicle, the bike carrier comprising: a drawbar assembly comprising a drawbar for the tubular trailer hitch receiver;a main bike carrying tray assembly attached to the drawbar assembly;a horizontal upper coupling bar and a horizontal
1. A bike carrier for a tubular trailer hitch receiver on a motor vehicle, the bike carrier comprising: a drawbar assembly comprising a drawbar for the tubular trailer hitch receiver;a main bike carrying tray assembly attached to the drawbar assembly;a horizontal upper coupling bar and a horizontal lower coupling bar on a back end of the main bike carrying tray assembly;an add-on bike carrying tray assembly comprising a top front end with left and right upward facing coupling slots that slip onto the upper coupling bar of the main bike carrying tray assembly; anda bottom front end of the add-on bike carrying tray assembly comprising left and right forward facing coupling slots and left and right downward facing pivoting coupling hooks;wherein the coupling hooks each comprise a top surface with a geometry that causes them to climb over the lower coupling bar when pressed against it during a downward rotation of the add-on assembly about the upper horizontal coupling bar in the upward facing coupling slots, wherein said climbing overrides a spring force on the coupling hooks until they fall over the lower coupling bar under the spring force, thus coupling the add-on bike carrying tray assembly onto the main bike carrying tray assembly;wherein, during said downward rotation, the forward facing coupling slots slip onto the lower coupling bar;wherein the combination of the coupling hooks and slots on the add-on assembly engaging the upper and lower coupling bars of the main bike carrying tray assembly lock the add-on bike carrying tray assembly to the main bike carrying tray assembly. 2. The bike carrier of claim 1, further comprising: a coupling hook release lever extending backward from each of the coupling hooks;a handle extending between the coupling hook release levers;wherein a downward force on the handle pivots the coupling hooks upward about a pivot axis of each coupling hook, releasing the coupling hooks from the lower coupling bar on the main tray assembly. 3. The bike carrier of claim 1, wherein the drawbar assembly comprises: a horizontal crossbar attached to a back end of the drawbar;left and right vertically oriented pivot plates attached to respective left and right ends of the crossbar, each pivot plate comprising a plurality of pivot lock slots providing a plurality of pairs of opposed pivot lock slots on the pivot plates;wherein the main bike carrying tray assembly is pivotally mounted onto the pivot plates; and further comprising:a pivot lock bar on the main bike carrying tray assembly that slides into a selected pair of the pivot lock slots under force of a spring in the main bike carrying tray assembly;a main trigger bar slidably mounted in the main bike carrying tray assembly and attached to the pivot lock bar; anda main trigger attached to the main trigger bar at a back end of the main bike carrying tray assembly;wherein pulling the main trigger slides the pivot lock bar out of the selected pair of pivot lock slots, enabling the carrying rack to be pivoted upward into a compact position behind the motor vehicle, and downward into a deployed position for carrying a bike, wherein the compact and deployed positions are each lockable by a respective pair of the pivot lock slots. 4. The bike carrier of claim 3, further comprising a floating connection between the main trigger bar and the pivot lock bar that transmits linear motion from the main trigger bar to the pivot lock bar while providing at least 0.1 degree of angular play between the pivot lock bar and the trigger bar in a longitudinal vertical plane of the main trigger bar, enabling the pivot lock bar to slide in and out of each of the selectable slots without binding. 5. The bike carrier of claim 3, where the main trigger bar is attached to the pivot lock bar by a floating connection comprising screws threaded into one of the main trigger bar or the pivot lock bar and extending into holes with clearance around the screws in the respective other of the pivot lock bar or the main trigger bar. 6. The bike carrier of claim 3, further comprising; an add-on trigger bar slidably mounted in the add-on bike carrying tray assembly;an add-on trigger on the add-on trigger bar at a back end of the add-on bike carrying tray assembly;a latch on a front end of the add-on trigger bar that latches onto the main trigger when the add-on bike carrying tray assembly is coupled to the main bike carrying tray assembly;wherein operating the add-on trigger at the back end of the add-on bike carrying tray assembly operates the pivot lock bar at a front end of the main bike carrying tray assembly via the main trigger and main trigger bar. 7. The bike carrier of claim 1, wherein the main bike carrying tray assembly further comprises: first and second bike wheel carrying trays for holding respective first and second wheels of a bike;each bike wheel carrying tray pivotally mounted to the main bike carrying tray assembly for pivoting of said trays between a co-aligned laterally extending operational position and a forward position for compact shipping and storage;a wheel tray lock bar slidably mounted in the main bike carrying tray assembly and spring loaded upward to a stopping point immediately beside the bike wheel carrying trays, automatically and releasably locking said trays in the operational position. 8. The bike carrier of claim 1, further comprising: a first security spool extending laterally outward from the main bike carrying tray assembly at a back end thereof, the first security spool comprising a first security waist; anda second security spool extending laterally outward from the add-on bike carrying tray assembly at a front end thereof, the second security spool comprising a second security waist;wherein the first and second security waists are adjacent to each other when the main and add-on bike carrying tray assemblies are coupled, and the adjacent security waists retain a hasp of a lock that is not removable therefrom without unlocking it. 9. The bike carrier of claim 8, wherein the first security spool is formed as a washer or spacer for a machine screw that connects the upper or lower horizontal coupling bar of the main bike carrying tray assembly to a left or right side plate of the main bike carrying tray assembly, and the second spool is formed as a washer or spacer for a machine screw that connects a corresponding upper or lower crossing member of the add-on bike carrying tray assembly to a respective left or right side plate of the add-on bike carrying tray assembly. 10. The bike carrier of claim 1, wherein the drawbar further comprises: a manual push button that extends from a side wall of the drawbar under force of a spring in the drawbar into a hole in a side wall of the receiver, locking the drawbar in the receiver;a translation screw mounted longitudinally through the drawbar, the translation screw comprising a back end operable to turn the screw and a front end with translation threads;a threaded follower on the translation threads; anda ramp or guide in the drawbar that ramps or guides the follower against a bottom wall of the receiver when the translation screw is turned, tightening the drawbar in the receiver. 11. The bike carrier of claim 1 wherein the drawbar has a transverse section dimensioned to fit within a first size of hitch receiver tube, and further comprising: an adapter dimensioned to fit within a second larger size of hitch receiver tube, the adapter comprising a length of metal channel having an inverted U-shaped transverse section with interior dimensions that receive the drawbar;wherein the adapter is laterally asymmetric, having a thicker left or right wall comprising an adapter push button that is urged laterally outward by a spring in said thicker left or right wall. 12. A bike carrier for a tubular trailer hitch receiver on a motor vehicle, the bike carrier comprising: a drawbar assembly comprising a drawbar for the tubular trailer hitch receiver;a main bike carrying tray assembly attached to the drawbar assembly;a horizontal upper coupling bar and a horizontal lower coupling bar on a back end of the main bike carrying tray assembly;an add-on bike carrying tray assembly comprising a top front end with left and right upward facing coupling slots that slip onto the upper coupling bar of the main bike carrying tray assembly; anda bottom front end of the add-on bike carrying tray assembly comprising left and right forward facing coupling slots and a releasable spring-loaded hook mechanism that positively engages the main bike carrying tray assembly during a downward rotation of the add-on assembly about the upper horizontal coupling bar in the upward facing coupling slots wherein the forward facing coupling slots slip onto the lower coupling bar. 13. The bike carrier of claim 12, wherein the spring-loaded releasable hook mechanism comprises a downward facing pivoting coupling hook; wherein the coupling hook comprises a top surface with a geometry that causes it to climb over the lower coupling bar when pressed against it during the downward rotation of the add-on assembly about the upper horizontal coupling bar in the upward facing coupling slots, wherein said climbing overrides a spring force on the coupling hook until it falls over the lower coupling bar under the spring force, thus coupling the add-on bike carrying tray assembly onto the main bike carrying tray assembly;wherein the combination of the coupling hook and the coupling slots on the add-on assembly engaging the upper and lower coupling bars of the main bike carrying tray assembly lock the add-on bike carrying tray assembly to the main bike carrying tray assembly. 14. The bike carrier of claim 13, further comprising: a coupling hook release lever extending from the coupling hook;wherein a force on the release lever pivots the coupling hook upward about a pivot axis of the coupling hook, releasing the coupling hook from the lower coupling bar on the main tray assembly. 15. The bike carrier of claim 13, wherein the coupling hook comprises: left and right coupling hooks with respective left and right release levers interconnected by a common handle;wherein a downward force on the handle pivots the left and right coupling hooks upward about a pivot axis of the coupling hooks, releasing them from the lower coupling bar on the main tray assembly.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (20)
Warrington Bruce D. (32742 Alipaz ; #80 San Juan Capistrano CA 92675) McCaa Teddie R. (Bakersfield CA), Adjustable trailer hitch.
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