Method and system for carrying a bicycle on a vehicle
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
B60R-009/10
B60R-009/048
출원번호
US-0444619
(2017-02-28)
등록번호
US-10239465
(2019-03-26)
발명자
/ 주소
Kovarik, Joseph E.
출원인 / 주소
Kovarik, Joseph E.
대리인 / 주소
Sheridan Ross P.C.
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
12
초록
A vehicle-mounted bicycle carrier allows a bicycle to be mounted to the carrier in a ride-ready fashion, without the need to remove one of the bicycle wheels, and permits the reversible securement of both wheels simultaneously by a simple single pivotal movement of a tire retention loop.
대표청구항▼
1. A bicycle carrier for a vehicle, comprising: a pivoting wheel anchor for securing a bicycle wheel in an arched tire loop configured to accept bicycle wheels of different sizes;a tire receiving body having a bottom surface configured to be secured to the roof of a vehicle or to a roof rack connect
1. A bicycle carrier for a vehicle, comprising: a pivoting wheel anchor for securing a bicycle wheel in an arched tire loop configured to accept bicycle wheels of different sizes;a tire receiving body having a bottom surface configured to be secured to the roof of a vehicle or to a roof rack connected to a vehicle, said tire receiving body having a top surface having a tire receiving recess therein, said tire recess having a length, a bottom, opposing sides, and an opening for receiving a tire therein,a rotatable member for rotating relative to the tire receiving body from an open position, which provides tire access to operably position the tire within the tire receiving recess, to a closed position, wherein at least one arm associated with said rotatable member inhibits the tire from moving vertically out of the tire recess;wherein a first portion of the rotatable member is secured within a recess of the body, and rotates therein when the rotatable member rotates between the open position and the closed position;wherein the rotatable member includes two opposed tire retaining arms that move from an open position, wherein the tire retaining arms provide tire access for positioning the tire within the tire recess, and a closed position,wherein the tire retaining arms inhibit the tire from moving vertically out of the tire recess, wherein when said retaining arms are in said open position, said tire retaining arms providing no obstruction to a tire from entering the tire recess, said rotatable member having an axis of rotation that extends from the bottom surface towards the axle of a tire when the tire is positioned within the tire retaining recess, the axis of rotation also being perpendicular to the rotational axis of the axle when the tire is positioned within the tire retaining recess;a bar extending from and below the pivotable arch loop and to the tire receiving body, said bar being associated with the pivotable arch loop and movable when the arch loop is pivoted, said bar being moved in one of two ways: i) rotationally, such that one end of the bar causes a bevel gear to turn the rotational member to reversibly engage a tire wheel; and ii) horizontally, such that the rotational member is reversibly moved from an engaged tire wheel position to an unengaged tire wheel position. 2. A bicycle carrier for a vehicle that secures a bike with both front and back tires to the carrier, comprising: an arched tire loop configured to accept a front tire of a bike, said arched tire loop pivotally mounted on a front portion of a bicycle carrier; a front tire recess having a length, a bottom, opposing sides, and an opening for receiving a front tire therein, said front tire recess being adjacent the arched tire loop; a back tire recess having a length, a bottom, opposing sides, and an opening for receiving a back tire therein, said back tire recess associated with a rear portion of the carrier; at least one rotatable member for rotating relative to the back tire recess, said at least one rotatable member movable from an open position, which provides access to operably position a tire within the tire receiving recess, to a closed position, wherein the at least one rotatable member covers the opening of the back tire recess; wherein the at least one rotatable member includes at least two opposed tire retaining arms that move between said open position and said closed position, said at least one rotatable member having an axis of rotation that extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and from below the bottom of the recess upwards between the opposing sides; a bar extending from the arched tire loop and to the back tire recess, said bar being associated with the arched loop such that when the arched tire loop is pivoted, said bar is moved in one of two ways: i) rotationally, such that one end of the bar causes a bevel gear connected to the bar to turn the at least one rotatable member; and ii) horizontally along the longitudinal axis of the back tire recess, such that the at least one rotatable member is moved from the open position to the closed position. 3. A bicycle carrier for a vehicle that secures a bike with both front and back tires to the carrier, comprising: an arched tire loop configured to accept a front tire of a bike, said arched tire loop pivotally mounted on a front portion of a bicycle carrier; a front tire recess having a length, a bottom, opposing sides, and an opening for receiving a front tire therein, said front tire recess being adjacent the arched tire loop; a back tire recess having a length, a bottom, opposing sides, and an opening for receiving a back tire therein, said back tire recess associated with a rear portion of the carrier; a rotatable member for rotating relative to the back tire recess, said rotatable member movable from an open position, which provides access to operably position a tire within the tire receiving recess, to a closed position, wherein the rotatable member covers the opening of the back tire recess; wherein the rotatable member includes at least two opposed tire retaining arms that move between said open position and said closed position, said rotatable member having an axis of rotation that extends from the axle of a tire towards the bottom of the recess when the tire is positioned within the tire retaining recess, the axis of rotation also being perpendicular to the rotational axis of the axle when the tire is positioned within the tire retaining recess; a bar extending from the arched tire loop and to the back tire recess, said bar being associated with the arched loop such that when the arched tire loop is pivoted, said bar rotates and turns the rotatable member from the open position to the closed position. 4. The bicycle carrier as set forth in claim 1, wherein a single action of pivoting the pivoting wheel anchor spins the rotatable member to cause the bevel gear to turn the rotational member to reversibly engage a tire wheel. 5. The bicycle carrier as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a lock associated with the pivoting wheel anchor. 6. The bicycle carrier as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pivoting of the pivoting wheel anchor causes the reversible engagement and disengagement of a rear wheel of a bicycle positioned in said bicycle carrier. 7. The bicycle carrier as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an axial central support member extending such that both a front and a rear tire of a bike contact the bicycle carrier when a bicycle is positioned on the bicycle carrier. 8. The bicycle carrier as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tire retaining arms are spaced to provide tire access for positioning a tire within a tire recess when in the open position. 9. The bicycle carrier as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pivotable arch loop contacts a front tire at the same time that a rear tire of a bicycle positioned on the bicycle carrier is contacted by the tire retaining arms. 10. The bicycle carrier as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pivotable arch loop is operably associated with the bar extending from and below the pivotable arch loop such that the bar is rotated when the pivotable arch loop is pivoted. 11. The bicycle carrier as set forth in claim 1, said tire retaining arms comprise extending, curved arms configured so that upon rotation of the rotatable member, the tire retaining arms intersect between spokes on a tire wheel of a bicycle positioned on the bicycle carrier. 12. The bicycle carrier as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tire retaining arms span three spokes between the tire retaining arms when in the closed position. 13. The bicycle carrier as set forth in claim 1, said tire retaining arms intersect between the spokes on a tire wheel of a bicycle positioned on the bicycle carrier, such that the time wheel is retained and secured by the tire retaining arms entrapping the tire wheel. 14. The bicycle carrier as set forth in claim 1, wherein one of a shape and curve of the tire retaining arms is adjustable to suit a particular tire design. 15. The bicycle carrier as set forth in claim 1, wherein the opposing sides comprise flat walls. 16. The bicycle carrier as set forth in claim 1, the tire retaining arms rotate in a circular plane. 17. The bicycle carrier as set forth in claim 1, the tire retaining arms are angled at an upward angle of between about 10 to 60 degrees. 18. The bicycle carrier as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tire retaining arms are angled such that they contact a metal portion of a bike, rim when in the closed position. 19. The bicycle carrier as set forth in claim 1, wherein the tire retaining arms restrain a tire when in said closed position without exertion of side-tire compressive forces that could damage the wheel. 20. The bicycle carrier as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a resilient component selected form the group consisting of a spring and an elastomeric member, said resilient component biasing the tire retaining arms in the closed position.
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