Abstract:
There is shown a packing apparatus including a rack for easy attachment to the seat tube of a bicycle and a bag for stable installation on the rack. The rack includes a telescopic beam and a body defining a space for receiving the telescopic beam. The telescopic beam is connected to the seat tube in a detachable manner. The body supports the bag.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a packing apparatus that can be used on a bicycle.  
         [0003]     2. Related Prior Art  
         [0004]     There are various bags, sacks and packs (hereinafter called “bag” or “bags”). The bags can be carried in hands or on shoulders. A rider carries a bag in a hand or on one or two shoulders. This causes an extra burden on the rider. The rider has to adjust the position of the bag from time to time. The rider might lose balance and get hurt and/or hurt others. The rider might be distracted and get hurt and/or hurt others.  
         [0005]     If the bicycle includes a rear rack, the rider may put the bag on the rear rack. The rider may have the bag lie on the rear rack. It is however hard to put the bag on the rear rack stably since the rear rack is small in area and the center of the gravity of the bag often moves beyond the rear rack so that the bag tilts and hence falls from the rear rack. This distracts the rider and might cost the safety of the rider and others.  
         [0006]     The rider may alternatively put the bag upright on the rear rack. It is also hard to put the upright bag on the rear rack stably since the center of the gravity of the bag often moves beyond the rear rack so that the bag tilts and hence falls from the rear rack. This distracts the rider and might cost the safety of the rider and others. Moreover, the upright bag troubles the rider in mounting and dismounting from the bicycle. In addition, the seat of the bicycle is often lifted in order to better support the upright bag. This might cause discomfort for a short rider.  
         [0007]     The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.  
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
       [0008]     According to the present invention, a packing apparatus includes a rack for easy attachment to the seat tube of a bicycle and a bag for stable installation on the rack. The rack includes a telescopic beam and a body defining a space for receiving the telescopic beam. The telescopic beam is connected to the seat tube in a detachable manner. The body supports the bag.  
         [0009]     The primary advantage of the packing apparatus of the present invention is to enable a rider to carry things on the bicycle in a hand-free and carefree manner.  
         [0010]     In a specific aspect, the rack includes a body for supporting the bag and a telescopic beam for attachment to the seat tube. The telescopic beam is connected to the body.  
         [0011]     Another advantage of the packing apparatus according to this aspect of the present invention is adaptability to various bicycles because of the telescopic beam.  
         [0012]     Other advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description referring to the attached drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     The present invention will be described through illustration of four embodiments referring to the drawings.  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a packing apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the packing apparatus of  FIG. 1   
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a perspective of a rack used in the packing apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the rack shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view taken along a line A-A in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 5  but shows the rack in another position.  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the packing apparatus of  FIG. 1  to be attached to a bicycle.  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  is similar to  FIG. 7  but shows the packing apparatus attached to the bicycle.  
         [0022]      FIG. 9  is similar to  FIG. 8  but shows the packing apparatus further tied to the bicycle.  
         [0023]      FIG. 10  is a perspective of a rack according to the second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]      FIG. 11  is an exploded view of the rack shown in  FIG. 10 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 12  is a perspective of a rack according to the third embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0026]      FIG. 13  is an exploded view of the rack shown in  FIG. 12 .  
         [0027]      FIG. 14  is a side view of a packing apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present to be attached to a bicycle.  
         [0028]      FIG. 15  is similar to  FIG. 14  but shows the packing apparatus attached to the bicycle. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS  
       [0029]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown a packing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The packing apparatus includes a rack  10  and a bag  20 . The rack  10  can be attached to a bicycle  30  ( FIGS. 7 through 9 ) firmly. The bag  20  can be attached to the rack  10  firmly. Hence, the packing apparatus can be installed on the bicycle  30  firmly.  
         [0030]     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the rack  10  includes a body  11  and a telescopic beam  15  connected to the body  11 . The body  11  includes a platform  12  and a cover  13  attached to the platform  12  by means of screws (not numbered).  
         [0031]     The platform  12  includes two lower fins  120  extending opposite to each other and two upper fins  122  extending opposite to each other. The platform  12  defines a cavity (not numbered) for receiving the cover  13  and a groove  121  in the floor of the cavity.  
         [0032]     The cover  13  defines a groove  131  corresponding to the groove  121  and an aperture  132  in communication with the groove  131 . When the cover  13  is attached to the platform  11 , the grooves  131  and  121  together define a composite space for receiving the telescopic beam  15 . A switch  14  is installed in the aperture  132 .  
         [0033]     The telescopic beam  15  includes a tube  16  put in the composite space in a stationary manner and a rod  1   7  put in the space  161  of the tube  16  in a movable manner. The tube  16  defines an aperture  162  in communication with the space  161 . When the tube  16  is put in the composite space, the aperture  162  will be in communication with the aperture  132 .  
         [0034]     The rod  17  includes a quick release element  171  installed at an end and a plurality of holes  172  defined therein. When the rod  17  is put in the tube  16 , selective one of the holes  172  can be in communication with the apertures  162  and  132 . The switch  14  can be put into selective one of the holes  172  in order to retain the rod  17  in selective one of several positions relative to the tube  16 .  
         [0035]     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the switch  14  includes a lever  141  pivotally installed in the aperture  132 , a latch  143  pivotally connected to the lever  141  and put into selective one of the holes  172  from the aperture  132  through the aperture  162  and a spring  142  compressed between the lever  161  and the tube  16 .  
         [0036]     Referring to  FIG. 5 , normally, the lever  161  is lifted by means of the spring  162  so that the latch  163  is kept in selective one of the holes  172  so that the rod  17  is retained in selective one of the positions relative to the tube  16 .  
         [0037]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the lever  161  can be pushed down so that the latch  163  is moved from the holes  172  so that the rod  17  can be moved relative to the tube  16 .  
         [0038]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the bag  20  includes a first side  21  and a second side  23  opposite to the first side  21 . On the first side  21  of the bag  20  are formed two large straps  27  for holding on to a user&#39;s shoulders, two lower small straps  28  for holding on to the lower fins  120 , two upper small straps  29  for holding on to the upper fins  122  and a mudguard  22  for fending the bag  20  from mud.  
         [0039]     On the second side  23  of the bag  20  is provided a buckling device  24 . The buckling device  24  includes a first buckle  25  and a second buckle  26  for engagement with the first buckle  25 . The buckling device  24  can be any appropriate buckling device.  
         [0040]     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the bicycle  30  includes a seat tube  31  and a seat  34  installed on the seat tube  34 . To the seat  34  is attached a buckle  32  similar to the buckle  25 . The packing pack is about to be attached to the bicycle  30 .  
         [0041]     Referring to  FIG. 8 , the quick release element  171  is engaged with the seat tube  31 . The engagement is easy and quick because of the nature of the quick release element  171 .  
         [0042]     Referring to  FIG. 9 , the buckle  26  is disengaged from the buckle  25 . The buckle  26  is engaged with the buckle  32 . Thus, the packing device is attached to the seat  34 .  
         [0043]     Referring to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , there is shown a rack  10 A according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The rack  10 A is similar to the rack  10  except including a body  11 A instead of the body  11 . The body  11 A is made through merging the platform  12  with the cover  13 .  
         [0044]     Referring to  FIGS. 12 and 13 , there is shown a rack  10 B according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The rack  10 B is similar to the rack  10 A except including a body  11 B instead of the body  11 A. The body  11 B is made through merging the body  11  A with the tube  16 .  
         [0045]     The present invention has been described via the detailed illustration of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.