Abstract:
A bicycle carrier provides a rotatable beam on which are mounted foldable support arms having first wheel support means for engaging and entrapping the upper peripheral regions of the wheels of a bicycle, the beam being rotatable into a bicycle carriage mode vertically above the vehicle when the arms are in an arm deployed position and lockable in that position. Resiliently-biased detent means are associated with the support arms mountings for positively locking the arms in the deployed position in relation to the beam, simple movement against the bias effecting disengagement.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention concerns a bicycle carrier of the kind for use on a vehicle for the carriage of at least one bicycle externally thereof. In particular, the invention has reference to such a carrier for fixture to the vehicle roof for safe and secure stowage of a bicycle during transportation and provided with means for facilitating the mounting and dismounting of the bicycle in relation to the carrier and the vehicle.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Bicycle carriers are legion in terms of design and mode of use and with the burgeoning of interest in cycling as a pastime and indeed a sport for the masses, many and varied types of carriers have been proposed for all manner of vehicles. With the introduction of family vehicles capable of transporting a relatively large number of people, the need to address the practicalities of bicycle carriers has become more pressing. One of the problems attendant upon current and conventional bicycle carriers is that of being cumbersome and difficult to use by all members of the family. Additionally, given the differing designs available for bicycles manifest in varied frame shapes and configurations, problems have arisen in terms of carriers not being universally applicable for substantially all bicycles. Furthermore, versatility of application to diverse vehicle types and designs has proven to be a difficult goal to attain.  
         [0003]     For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,039 to Englander discloses a bicycle carrier which displays the shortcomings outlined above. In particular, it will be observed that the proposed structure is provided with complicated anchorages for securing the mounting legs used for supporting the bicycle in the carriage position, upright atop of the carrier and the vehicle. Furthermore, the manner of securement of the bicycle to the mounting legs is focused upon the frame of the bicycle, more especially the crossbar. Clearly for bicycles intended for female riders, such an arrangement would be inappropriate, thus yielding the carrier limited in its scope of usage.  
         [0004]     Another example of bicycle carrier is depicted and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,638,000 to Groves who essentially devised a lift for such a carrier involving the use of a rotatable shaft which upon actuation, either manually or by a motorized mechanism, causes a lift arm to be elevated or depressed in accordance with a requirement to raise or lower the arm for attachment or detachment of the bicycle. Moreover, the lift arm is provided with a supporting arrangement for the bicycle, which is adapted to engage and hold the relatively upper region of the bicycle frame, notably the handlebars and the saddle. Disadvantages of the Groves&#39; approach are at least two-fold in that a special drive array is required to actuate the lift, and the clamping of the upper region of the bicycle is upon parts that are variably located dependent upon the configuration of the bicycle.  
         [0005]     Accordingly, there is a need for an improved bicycle carrier that facilitates the placement of the bicycle on the carrier, the elevation and depression of the carrier support members, and that affords a versatility in terms of accommodating differing sizes and designs of bicycle.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide an improved bicycle carrier.  
         [0007]     An advantage of the present invention is that the carrier presents support arms for the relatively upper perimeters of the bicycle wheels, which can be placed thereon individually at ground level with a minimum of effort.  
         [0008]     Another advantage of the present invention is that the manner of supporting the wheels affords considerable versatility for accommodating a wide variety of bicycle designs for all family members.  
         [0009]     Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the support arms are readily stowable in a parked, non-use, stowed position in relatively close adjacency to the roof of the vehicle and are manually movable into a working deployed position from ground level with a minimum of effort, the arms being lockable in the parked and the deployed position. Release of the arms from the locked condition requires a simple movement. The spaced disposition of the arms is conveniently variable to cater for differing bicycle dimensions.  
         [0010]     Another advantage of the present invention is that the movement of the arms in the deployed position into a hitching mode wherein the bicycle may be mounted on the arms is effectively controlled by means of a damper thus preventing any sudden movement that might compromise safety.  
         [0011]     A still further advantage of the instant invention is that the means for clamping the wheels in position are of relatively simple construction with quick release mechanisms for ease of use.  
         [0012]     According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bicycle carrier for releasably securing a bicycle to a roof rack of a vehicle, the bicycle carrier comprising a base frame securably mountable on the roof rack, a beam extending adjacent the roof rack longitudinally of the base frame and of the vehicle and rotatable relative thereto along a beam longitudinal axis lengthwise of the vehicle, a support arm spaced apart along the beam and pivotable relative thereto at a first end thereof between a stowed position adjacent the base frame and a deployed position, detent means associated with the support arm to retain the arm in the deployed position, first wheel support means disposed at a free second end of the support arm and adapted in use to clamp an upper region of a respective wheel of the bicycle to the arm, and second wheel support means provided on the beam for securing a lower region of the respective wheel to the beam, damper means associated with the beam for damping its rotational movement.  
         [0013]     In one embodiment, the support arm is a first arm and said carrier further includes a second support arm spaced apart along the beam and pivotable relative thereto at a first end thereof, the detent means retaining the arms in the deployed position, the first wheel support means disposed at a free second end of respective the support arms and adapted in use to clamp an upper region of a respective wheel of the bicycle to the respective arm.  
         [0014]     Typically, the first and second support arms pivot toward each other in a close side-by-side substantially overlying relationship relative to one another when being folded and away in a space-apart substantially parallel relationship relative to one another when being deployed.  
         [0015]     A hinge pin is provided for the rotation of the beam and is mounted in the base frame. The beam may conveniently be provided with arm positioning means for longitudinally adjust positioning of respective the support arms therealong. The arm positioning means is typically formed with T-section slots cut in longitudinal faces of the beam and extending lengthwise thereof for interengagement with T-bolts provided to secure the support arms to the beam and to form wheel support positioning means to locate and fix the second wheel support means to said beam. In this manner, the positioning of the arms and of the second wheel support means lengthwise of the beam may be adjusted to accommodate differing dimensions as between differently designed bicycles.  
         [0016]     The detent means are advantageously resiliently biased thereby to effect a degree of automaticity when the arms are moved from the stowed position to the deployed position to lock the arms in that position. Release from this locked condition is undertaken by a simple disengagement of the detent means to allow the arms to reassume a parked condition at an appropriate time.  
         [0017]     The first wheel support means may be in the form of straps that are releasably securable to the upper peripheral region of the respective bicycle wheel, either the front wheel or the rear wheel. Conveniently they are flexible and yet of durable material and may be of proprietary design and manufacture.  
         [0018]     The second wheel support means may be in the form of arcuate cradle mounts having suitable straps for ease of attachment when the respective bicycle wheels are in the vertical or substantially vertical carriage position on the carrier atop a vehicle.  
         [0019]     The damper means may be of any convenient type, but a hydraulic cylinder may preferably be employed for the purpose.  
         [0020]     In one embodiment, the bicycle carrier includes locking means to secure the beam when in a parked position. The locking means typically comprises a hooked lever resiliently biased into engagement with a cross pin associated with the beam, and release means to effect disengagement thereof as desired.  
         [0021]     Conveniently, the locking means includes a movement limiting means for limiting the rotational movement of the beam when in a depending position for loading and unloading the bicycle therefrom.  
         [0022]     Typically, the locking means includes a locking bar associated with the damper means and the base frame, the locking bar being provided with a lock that in its locked mode secures the beam in an upright position in which the support arms are either folded into the stowed position or locked in the deployed position upstanding in relation to the beam when in use carrying the bicycle. Conveniently, when the support arms are folded into the stowed position, the lock when in its locked mode secures the beam in an upright position and the support arms in the stowed position.  
         [0023]     According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bicycle carrier for releasably securing a bicycle to a roof rack of a vehicle, the bicycle carrier comprising a base frame securably mountable on the roof rack, a beam extending adjacent the roof rack longitudinally of the base frame and of the vehicle and rotatable relative thereto along a beam longitudinal axis lengthwise of the vehicle, two support arms spaced apart along the beam and pivotable relative thereto at a respective first end thereof between a stowed position adjacent the base frame and a deployed position, detent means associated with the support arms to retain the arms in the deployed position, first bicycle support means disposed at a respective free second end of the support arms and adapted in use to clamp a respective upper region of the bicycle to the arm, and second bicycle support means provided on the beam for securing a respective lower region of the bicycle to the beam, damper means associated with the beam for damping its rotational movement.  
         [0024]     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided herein, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0025]     Further aspects and advantages of a bicycle carrier of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the description in association with the following Figures, in which similar references used in different Figures denote similar components, wherein:  
         [0026]      FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of a bicycle carrier in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention in a parked position;  
         [0027]      FIG. 1   a  is a plan view corresponding to the view shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a detail of a locking means of the carrier in one unlocking disposition with only the locking bar open and the beam in the parked position;  
         [0029]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view corresponding to that of  FIG. 2  with the locking means in a second unlocking disposition with the locking bar open and the beam slightly rotated from the parked position;  
         [0030]      FIG. 4  is a top perspective view of the carrier with the support arms thereof shown having been moved into a deployed position;  
         [0031]      FIG. 5  is a side perspective view of the carrier in a depending position beside a vehicle shown in dotted outline with a bicycle supported by the first wheel support means;  
         [0032]      FIG. 6  is a top perspective view of the carrier in an elevated working position with the support arms locked in said position and the lower regions of the wheels secured in the second wheel support means;  
         [0033]      FIGS. 7 through 10  are views of the detent means associated with the support arms in various stages of engagement and disengagement with parts exploded for the sake of clarity and explanation; and  
         [0034]      FIGS. 11 and 12  show the first wheel support means in respectively partially closed and open positions. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0035]     With reference to the annexed drawings the preferred embodiments of the present invention will be herein described for indicative purpose and by no means as of limitation.  
         [0036]     Referring to the figures, there is shown a bicycle carrier  1  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention for releasably securing a bicycle  70  to a roof rack  4  mounted on the roof  5  of a vehicle  6  (see  FIG. 5 ). The carrier  1  is typically provided with four mounts  2  for securing to transversal bars  3  of the roof rack  4 . The carrier  1  includes a base frame  8  extending longitudinally of the vehicle  6 , the base frame  8  being provided with a central hinge pin  10 , and typically two end hinge pins  10   a  collinear to central hinge pin  10 , mounted on a central bracket  27  and end brackets  28 , respectively, (see  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3 ) about which a beam  12  (or typically two half-beams as shown in the figures) is rotatable about a beam longitudinal axis  12   a  between a beam parked position when the carrier  1  is either in use carrying a bicycle  70  or not in use and stowed (see  FIGS. 1, 1   a ,  2 ,  4  and  6 ) and a beam depending position for loading and unloading the bicycle there from (see  FIGS. 5 and 7  to  10 ). An inner frame bar  9  is provided on the side of the roof  5  substantially parallel to and inwardly from the base frame  8 . A transverse truss  13  extends between the base frame  8  and the frame bar  9  and is recessed as at  15  to accommodate a typically hydraulic damper  14  the free end of the piston rod of which is pivoted to the truss  13  as at  16 . The other end of the damper  14  has its cylinder pivoted to a cross pin  17  provided in a yoke  18  secured to and mounted through the agency of a plate  19  on the relatively inner face of the beam  12  at approximately its mid point.  
         [0037]     A locking means in the form of a locking bar  20  is pivoted at  22  to the transverse truss  13  and is provided with a lock  23  including lock cylinder  24  and a key  26  activating a locking pin  25 , the locking pin  25  interengaging a pin hole  19   a  extending through plate  19  associated with beam  12 . Movement limiting means such as cables  29  or the like are provided intermediate the bar  20  and the yoke  18  to limit the rotational movement of the beam  12  in the depending position as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 7  to  10 . A locking latch  30  in the form of a hooked lever  31  is pivotally mounted on the truss  13  at  32  and is resiliently-loaded by a spring  33  into hooked engagement with the cross pin  17  when in the parked position in which the locking bar  20  abuts a top surface  18   a  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) of the yoke  18  to resist and take the load against any movement thereof to stabilize the carrier  1 , as seen in  FIGS. 1 and 6 . A release means to effect disengagement or unlatch of the hooked lever  31  from the cross pin  17  as desired is provided in the form of an operating wire  35  connected to the other end of the lever  31  and extends through the base frame  8 , terminating in an operating knob  37 .  
         [0038]     The beam  12  is typically of substantially square section and has formed in each of its faces T-section slots  40  (also preferably found on lower and inner faces of base frame  8  and frame bar  9  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 ) with which T-bolts  41  are engageable to secure different components thereto. The T-section slots  40  act as arm positioning means and second wheel support positioning means to longitudinally adjust the respective positions of two support arms  44  and two second wheel support means  60  thereon. Accordingly, some of the T-bolts  41  are provided to secure in adjustable fashion the mounting brackets  42  of the support arms  44  and the second wheel support means  60  as detailed hereinbelow. The adjustable nature of the positioning of the bolts  41  enables the brackets  42  and second support means  60  to be suitably disposed to accommodate variable spacing without compromising appropriate securement. Obviously, other types of position means such as for example pluralities of through holes extending through the beam  12  and typically equally spaced apart by approximately half an inch (½ inch or 15 mm) could be considered without departing from the scope of the present invention.  
         [0039]     Each support arm  44  is substantially parallel to the beam  12  and is of dog-leg shape as seen in plan ( FIG. 1   a ) in a stowed or parked position. In the stowed position, the two arms  44  are typically in a close side-by-side substantially overlying relationship relative to one another. Each support arm  44  is pivotally mounted within a respective mounting bracket  42  at a first end thereof about a pivot pin  45  and provided with resiliently-biased, via tension spring  43 , detent means  46  (see FIGS.  7  to  10 ) which register with steps  48  within the mounting brackets  42  just after a longitudinal translation movement of the arm  44  allowed by pin  45  engaging a through slot opening  49  of the arm  44  (see  FIGS. 8 and 10 ). The interrelationship as between the detent means  46  and the steps  48  is such that positive registration occurs upon pivotal movement of the arms about the pivot pin  45  (see  FIG. 9 ) from the stowed position into a deployed or working position substantially perpendicular to the beam  12 , namely an erect position in relation to the beam as shown in  FIG. 4 . In the deployed position, the two arms  44  are typically away and in a space-apart substantially parallel relationship relative to one another.  
         [0040]     At a free second end of each support arm  44  is a first wheel support means in the form of a releasable clamp  50  shown in greater detail in  FIGS. 11 and 12 . The clamps  50  are of a proprietary nature and essentially consist of an arm hook extension  52  freely pivotable at  54  to the free end of the respective arm  44  with a semi-rigid flexible strap  56  secured thereto which is releasably reeved through a keeper  57  to provide some springy retention effect to the hook extension  52  during loading and unloading of the bicycle wheel there from before clamping around the bicycle wheel and securable within a ratchet buckle  59 .  
         [0041]     Second wheel support means  60  are of arcuate form in the form of a cradle  61  at least in part to substantially conform the contour of a wheel  72 ,  74  and are disposed so as to accommodate and positively locate a lower and preferably inner region of a respective wheel  72 ,  74  (see  FIG. 6 ), a flexible strap  62  being provided in practice to wrap around and secure the lower region of the wheel within its respective cradle.  
         [0042]     In use the bicycle carrier  1  of the invention is installed on any roof rack  4  of the roof  5  of a vehicle  6 , for example an SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) or the like, as shown in  FIG. 5  and  FIGS. 1 and 1   a  depict the carrier in its inoperative, unused or parked position with the support arms  44  lying adjacent the roof  5  in this example in overlapped disposition. The locking bar  26  is shown in a locking condition in which the lock is engaged and the arms of the carrier may not be erected.  
         [0043]     The following procedure is adopted to deploy the carrier into a working mode and to fix a bicycle  70  thereto and elevate the same onto the roof of the vehicle: 
        1. The locking bar  20  is unlocked and pivoted from a generally horizontal position to the position shown in  FIG. 2 ;     2. The left hand arm  44  (as viewed in  FIG. 1 ) is then raised until the detent means clicks into position (see  FIGS. 4 and 7 );     3. The right hand arm  44  is raised in similar manner (see  FIG. 4 );     4. The wheel cradles  61  are unbuckled (see  FIG. 4 );     5. The knob  37  is then pulled to release the lever  31  from the cross pin  17  to allow the beam  12  to pivot-with the limitation provided by the damper in this direction toward the depending position, thereby bringing the arms  44  into a substantially horizontal position as shown in  FIG. 5  alongside the vehicle;     6. The ratchet buckles  59  are unlatched and the hook extensions  52  are swung over to leave the straps  56  in the keepers  57 , therefore exposing the support means  50  into a receiving position (see  FIGS. 11 &amp; 12 ) for wheels  72 ,  74 ;     7. The front end of the bicycle is raised such that the front wheel  72  is located in the support means  50  on the arm  44 ;     8. The rear end of the bicycle is raised such that the rear wheel  74  is located in the support means  50  on the arm  44 ;     9. The straps  56  are both removed from keepers  57 , passed over the wheel and secured tightly to ratchet buckles  59 ;     10. The bicycle  70  is now suspended at the side of the vehicle, ready to be elevated onto the roof mounting;     11. The bicycle  70  is grasped by the lowest part of its frame and is lifted with a press manoeuvre to the roof  5  of the vehicle  6  to rotate the beam  12  until the lever  31  reengages the cross pin  17  of yoke  18  to lock the bicycle to prevent any unplanned descent of the bicycle; in this direction toward the parked position the damper is typically free to retract without any damping reaction there from;     12. The locking bar  20  is then replaced into its locking position;     13. The front and rear wheels  72 ,  74  are placed into the respective cradles  61  and the straps  62  secured.        
 
         [0057]     The dismounting of the bicycle is essentially the reverse of the steps set forth above, namely: 
        1. The straps  62  are undone and the wheels are removed from their cradles  61 ;     2. The locking bar  20  is hinged out of its locking position;     3. The knob  37  is pulled outwardly to release the lever  31  against its resilient bias  33  from the cross pin  17 ;     4. The bicycle  70  carried by the support arms  44  will now descend under gravitational force in a controlled manner damped by the hydraulic damper  14 , the beam  12  pivoting about the hinge pin  10 ;     5. The straps  56  are sequentially undone and put through keepers  57 ;     6. The rear wheel  74  is removed from the support means  50  first to provide better balance and is placed on the ground;     7. The front wheel  72  is then removed from the support means  50  and is placed on the ground;     8. The bicycle  70  is moved aside;     9. The hook extensions  52  are swung over and ratcheted with straps  56  engaging the buckles  59 ;     10. The right hand support arm  44  is then pulled sufficiently to disengage the detent  46  (see  FIG. 8 ) and is pivoted (see  FIG. 9 ) toward the centre of the assembly and released during pivoting movement (see  FIG. 10 ), and a similar movement is effected on the left hand support arm and both arms are folded;     11. The arms are then pushed upwardly with the beam  12  pivoting about the hinge pin  10  until the lever  31  locks onto the cross pin  17 ;     12. The locking bar  20  is then pivoted towards the side to engage over the arms  44  to lock the same in a safe position.        
 
         [0070]     As will be appreciated from the foregoing description of the operation of the bicycle carrier of the invention, the task of mounting the bicycle to the carrier is facilitated by the damped pivoting of the support arms that are stowable when not in use. Furthermore since it is the top of each wheel that is effectively grasped by the first wheel support means in the initial mounting phase, it is relatively easy for anyone to hitch one wheel at a time onto the relevant arm and then to strap the same into a firm position. With both wheels firmly secured in this way, the user may then lift the balanced bicycle using the press manoeuvre to raise the bicycle over the vehicle until the locking lever engages the cross pin to secure the bicycle in the carriage position. Release of the bicycle from this position is safe in that the downward motion is damped.  
         [0071]     The bicycle carrier of the present invention thus allows ease of use with a much lower degree of effort required than with conventional carriers. Moreover, it is versatile in terms of its ability to accommodate velocipedes of differing shapes and dimensions with the adjustability of the support arm positioning and of the wheel cradles.  
         [0072]     It will be appreciated that whilst the bicycle carrier has been described as being manually operable, other embodiments may be provided with power assistance.  
         [0073]     It will be understood that the disposition of the bicycle carrier on the vehicle is effected such that sufficient clearance is provided as to allow the unimpeded ascent and descent of the carrier arms without fouling the side of the vehicle. A degree of overhang to accommodate the factory after market roof rack may thus be necessary for this purpose, as illustrated by the two mounts  2  closest to the base frame  8  and spaced there from with spacer trusses  13   a  (see  FIGS. 1   a ,  4  and  6 ) connected to the base frame  8  via a bottom T-section slot  40  thereof. In order to locally provide for additional attachment to the roof rack adjacent the base frame  8  especially under the weight of the carried bicycle, additional mounts  2   a  could be added, as shown in dotted lines in  FIG. 1   a.    
         [0074]     Although not illustrated in the figures, the two support arms  44  could obviously be adjustable in length, such as telescopically for example, to allow the carrier to adapt to a larger group of bicycle sizes, such as to include most kid and adult size bicycles.  
         [0075]     Although the present invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the disclosure has been made by way of example only and that the present invention is not limited to the features of the embodiments described and illustrated herein, but includes all variations and modifications within the scope and spirit of the invention as hereinafter claimed.