Abstract:
A carrier for use in carrying items externally on a vehicle is disclosed having: a rack upon which the items may be mounted which, in use, is supported by the vehicle in such a manner that the rack extends away from the vehicle and that the weight of the rack and any items carried thereon bears against the vehicle; a plurality of straps, each connected at a proximal end to the rack and having, at a distal end, a catch to enable engagement of the strap with the vehicle; wherein tension in a pair of the straps is simultaneously adjustable by means of a movable handle located on the rack, wherein motion of the handle causes retraction of each strap of the pair.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
       [0001]    This application is the National Stage of International Application No. PCT/GB2012/00564, filed Jun. 28, 2012, which claims benefit from GB Patent Application No. 1109390.3 entitled “Carrier for a Vehicle” filed on Jun. 6, 2011, all of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a carrier for use in carrying items externally on a vehicle. One example of such a carrier is a cycle carrier, by means of which bicycles may be transported using a vehicle which is unable to accommodate the cycles inside it. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    Traditionally, bicycles are carried in this manner on the roof of a vehicle within one or more racks which hold them upright. This is still a manner carrying favoured by professional cycling teams since it enables the bicycles to be carried “road ready” and therefore enables their deployment relatively rapidly. Such a carrying system, however, possess the disadvantage that the or each bicycle must be lifted on to the roof of the car and then secured in a manner which is sufficiently reliable to prevent the bicycle falling off as the car moves. These considerations are not apt to be problematic for professional cycling teams, where the bicycles are very light and the vehicles carrying them in the course of a race, travel on closed roads, and at relatively low speeds (compared to normal traffic circulation on motorways, for example). 
         [0006]    For domestic use, however, an alternative kind of carrier has evolved which attaches typically to the rear of a vehicle and provides a rack which extends away from the vehicle, rearwardly, and from which cycles may then be suspended. Typically, carriers of this kind are retained on the vehicle by means of one or more retaining straps which pull against the edge of, for example, the edge of the vehicle boot of some other surface on the vehicle. Such carriers have the advantage that no special features are required on the vehicle in order to enable them to be used on it. The corollary to this, however, is that, in order to be generically useable on a wide variety of vehicles shapes and geometries, a user will have to undertake significant set-up activity and adjustment of the carrier in order to fix it to the vehicle. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    Embodiments of the present invention provide a plurality of design aspects of a carrier for both domestic and other use, for carrying items externally on a vehicle. Typically, but not exclusively, the items are bicycles but may equally be any other kind of item which is too large to accommodate within the vehicle and which may also safely be carried on a carrier externally of it. 
         [0008]    One embodiment of the present invention provides a carrier for use in carrying items externally on a vehicle having: a rack upon which the items may be mounted which, in use, is supported by the vehicle in such a manner that the rack extends away from the vehicle and that the weight of the rack and any items carried thereon bears against the vehicle; a plurality of straps, each connected at a proximal end to the rack and having, at a distal end, a catch to enable engagement of the strap with the vehicle, each of the straps having adjustable tension; wherein the carrier further comprises, in respect of at least one of the straps, a tension indicating device adapted to display an indicium to a user indicative of the tension in the strap. 
         [0009]    Preferably, the indicium is adapted to indicate when the tension in the at least one strap is at a recommended level. In a preferred embodiment the tension-indicating device comprises an indicium-carrying surface movably mounted upon the rack. In yet a further preferred embodiment the indicium carrying surface bears against the strap such that increased tension in the strap acts to displace the indicium carrying surface. In yet a further preferred embodiment the indicium carrying surface is biased against the strap. A preferred feature of each of the foregoing embodiments provides that the indicium carrying surface is pivotally mounted on the rack. 
         [0010]    A further embodiment provides a carrier for use in carrying items externally on a vehicle having: a rack upon which the items may be mounted which, in use, is supported by the vehicle in such a manner that the rack extends away from the vehicle and that the weight of the rack and any items carried thereon bears against the vehicle; a plurality of straps, each connected at a proximal end to the rack and having, at a distal end, a catch to enable engagement of the strap with the vehicle, each of the straps having adjustable tension; wherein the carrier includes a load-bearing member mounted pivotally at a proximal end thereof on the rack, wherein pivotal adjustment of the position of the distal end of the load-bearing member relative to the rack enables variation of the angle of the rack relative the vehicle. 
         [0011]    Preferably, the proximal end of the load bearing member engages with the rack by means of mutually-engagable detents which are engagable and disengagable axially with respect to pivoting axis of the load bearing member. In a preferred embodiment the detents are biased out of mutual engagement and a release mechanism acting between the rack and the member is operable to engage the detents against the biasing action. In a further preferred embodiment the detents are provided by mutually engageable teeth on the load bearing member and rack, thereby to enable mutual engagement thereof at a plurality of relative angular displacements. A preferred feature of all of the foregoing provides a carrier further comprising a vehicle type indicator which indicates to a user ranges of relative angular displacement of the rack and the load-bearing member which are suitable for different vehicle genus upon which the carrier is to be employed. One preferred features is that the vehicle type indicator comprises a scale on one of the rack and load-bearing member and a pointer mounted for rotation with the other of the rack and load-bearing member. 
         [0012]    Aspects of the present invention are set out in the accompanying Claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a carrier according to an embodiment of the present invention: 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the carrier of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the carrier of  FIGS. 1 and 2  in a folded state; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  shows a detail of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  shows a further detail of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , related to the detail shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of a detail of the carrier of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of elements of the detail shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the detail of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0022]      FIGS. 9   a  and  b  illustrate the operation of the mechanism shown in detail in  FIG. 7 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  shows a further detail of the part illustrated  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0024]      FIGS. 11   a  and  11   b  illustrate the operation of a detail of  FIG. 6 ; and 
           [0025]      FIG. 12  shows a detail relating to the operation of the elements shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0026]    Referring now to  FIG. 1  a cycle carrier includes a rack  10  which, in the present embodiment, has a U-shaped rod  12  having two outwardly projecting limbs  14  which, when the carrier is in use and mounted on a vehicle, extend away from the vehicle. Bicycles or other items are suspended from the limbs  14  of the rack  12  and retained in mutually adjacent pairs of straps  16   a - c.  The U shaped rod  12  of the rack is mounted, on each side, at the base of each of the limbs  14  on a support frame  20  via pivots, which in the present embodiment are provided by bolts  22  (see  FIG. 2 ), which, together with releasable fastening bolts  24 , retain the tube  12  on the frames  20 . When the bolts  24  are disengaged, the tube  12  is pivotable about the pivots, thereby to enable it to be folded flat relative to the support frame  20 . 
         [0027]    In the present example, the support frame is constructed of rigid, moulded plastics material. In the illustrated embodiment, the support frames  20  and the U shaped tube  12  which is rigidly mounted on them (and thereby additionally serves to connect the frames, indirectly, to each other) together provide the rack  10  of the carrier. Typically, when the rack is properly mounted on a vehicle, the limbs will extend upwardly and horizontally from the vehicle at an angle of approximately 25° to the ground to enable suspension of items from them and yet, secure retention thereon. The correct attitude of the rack is evidenced when an attitude indicium, here having the form of a horizontal line  26  marked on the frame  20 , provides the appropriate indication; in this embodiment this is when the line  26  is approximately horizontal. 
         [0028]    The rack  10  is supported against the external surface of a vehicle upon which it is mounted by means of upper and lower supporting limbs  30 ,  32  respectively, each provided in the illustrated example by a U-shaped strut (which may typically be of steel or aluminium or any other suitably rigid, light material). The lower supporting limb  32  is pivotable on the frames  20  (to enable folding of the limb  32  flat with the frames  20 ) about pivots at the free ends of the lower limb  32  in this embodiment provided by bolts  31 . The free ends of the lower supporting limb  32  are retained, in operation, against flanges  34  in the lower part of each of the support frames  20  by bolts  36 , captive within the limb  32 , and which project into the respective frame  20 . To avoid damage to vehicle paintwork, a pair of soft, rubber feet  38  are mounted on the horizontal point of the limb  32  and, in use, bear against the surface of the vehicle in a manner which minimises any abrasion of the paintwork as a result of the consequent pressure. Typically, in use, the feet  32  of the lower supporting limb  38  bear against the rearof the vehicle, typically above the bumper on the base of the boot or hatch, though this is not an essential feature of the carrier. 
         [0029]    The upper supporting limb  30  is pivotally mounted to the rack which therefore enables adjustments of the angle at which the upper limb  30  projects away from the frames  20  and, consequently, the attitude of the limbs  14  of the rack. Suitable adjustments of the pivoting angle of the upper supporting limb  30  therefore enables the outwardly projecting limbs  14  to extend at the recommended angle of 25° to the horizontal. Referring now additionally to  FIGS. 2 ,  4  and  5  each end of the supporting limb  30  carries a circular, moulded plastic gear-toothed member  40 . The teeth of the two gear-toothed members  40  project, with reference to the pivoting axis A of the upper supporting limb  30 , axially and are adapted to engage with correspondingly-configured teeth moulded into pivot sockets  42  in each of the inner faces of the frames  20 . Thus, when the teeth on the members  40  are brought into engagement with the teeth in the pivot socket  42  the upper supporting limb  30  becomes fixed to the rack; when the gear-toothed member  40  and sockets  42  are disengaged, the angular position of the upper supporting limb  30  may be adjusted about a pivot provided by coach bolts  50  extending through operating  52  in the frames  20 . The geometry of the upper supporting limb  30  is selected such that, when the in a relaxed state (i.e. no force is applied to it) the teeth of gear members  40  are axially disengaged from the teeth of the socket  42 , thereby to enable relative rotation of the upper supporting limb  30  relative to the rack and, consequently, adjustment of the position of the supporting limb  30 . The teeth on the gear members  40  and pivot socket  42  are brought into engagement by means of the bolts  50  which project through the apertures  52  in the frame  20 . on the frame  20  to engage with a screw-threaded bore in a coarsely knurled wheel  60 . The square section at the head of the coach bolts  50  engages with corresponding detents  54  in the limbs  14  through the centre of gear-toothed members  40 , so that bolts  50  are captive against rotation within the upper limbs  30 . Rotation of the wheel  60  therefore causes the bolt  50  to bring the teeth of respective gear member  40  and socket  42  into mutual engagement against the action of the bias force acting to disengage the two sets of teeth, and thereby locks the relative angular position of the upper supporting limb  30  and the rack. In the illustrated example the disengaging biasing force, acting to cause the two sets of teeth to disengage and therefore enable adjustment, is provided by the innate geometry of the limb  30 , since its ends are formed to be slightly too close together to allow engagement of the teeth—without some additional force. Other forms of biasing force may be used (whether to bias the teeth into or out of engagement). 
         [0030]    The precise angular position of the upper supporting limb  30  relative to the rack is selected in dependence upon the type of vehicle upon which the carrier is to be used. Thus, for example, the carrier may be amounted to a conventional saloon in which the feet  38  on the upper supporting limb  30  bear against the vehicle in a substantially vertical direction, (the rear boot of a saloon being horizontal) which will mean that the upper supporting limb  30  must have a relatively large angular displacement relative to the rack. By contrast, the carrier may equally be mounted to a hatchback vehicle whereby the feet on the upper supporting limb  30  bear against the vehicle in a much more upright direction which, in order to ensure that the tube  12  of the rack then extends substantially horizontally with respect to the ground, requires that the upper supporting limb  30  has a much lower angular displacement. Referring now additionally to  FIG. 12 , a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a ‘vehicle type’ indicator  70  mounted to the inner faces of one or both of the supporting frames  20 . The indicator  70  extends around the pivoting socket  42  and includes images of different vehicles geometries and thus, the image  70   a  is that of a conventional saloon,  70   b  is of an old style hatchback vehicle with a lower angle rear window,  70   c  is of a hatchback vehicle with a much more vertically-inclined rear window, and  70   d  illustrates a vehicle with a vertical rear window. A pointer  72 , connected to the gear toothed member  40  acts to indicate vehicle type for which the current position of the upper supporting limb  30  is suitable and thereby enables a user to make a relatively coarse adjustment of the angle of the upper supporting limb  30  relative to the rack before fastening, or attempting to fasten the carrier to the vehicle at all. 
         [0031]    The carrier is retained upon the vehicle by means of six straps  84 ,  86 . Each of the straps is anchored, at its proximal end, on a support frame  20  and has, at its free distal end, a catch  82  which is designed to engage with a surface on the vehicle upon which the carrier is to be retained. Each of the support frame  20  supports three straps; two oppositely-extending vertical straps  84 , and a single horizontally extending strap  86 . Referring additionally to  FIG. 6  the vertical straps  84  extend from located within the central part of support frame  20 , and then upwardly and downwardly within the support frame  20  along channels  90  whereupon they then project out of the support frame  20  via apertures  92 . In the present example both vertical straps are formed from a single web of material which is wound once around the anchoring sleeve  88  and stitched together where the two ends meet an anchoring sleeve  88 . Thereafter, the straps are further stitched together at a point a little above that. Subsequently, the two elements of the web are then free to extend in their mutually opposing upward and downward directions within the channel  90  passing over guide rollers (not shown) as they do so. The anchoring sleeve  88  is mounted within the support frame, eccentrically upon a central shaft  100  which extends coaxially with the engaging bolt  50 . The shaft  100  may be rotated by a wheel handle  102  which extends annularly around the knurled wheel  60 . Rotation of the wheel handle  102  therefore results in an eccentric rotation of the anchoring sleeve  88  which, in turn causes it to execute an arcuate displacement. 
         [0032]    As is shown clearly in  FIGS. 9   a  and  b,  this arcuate displacement results in a net translational, diametric displacement of the anchoring sleeve  88  illustrated in the transition from the position shown in  FIG. 9   a  to the position shown in  FIG. 9   b . This diametric displacement causes a retraction of the straps  84  by a distance equal to the displacement and thus tightening of the straps  84 . An initial coarse adjustment of the straps can be performed by engaging the catches with suitable surfaces on the vehicle and then reducing their effective length using the traditional buckles  110  at their distal ends. Subsequently, the wheel handle  102  can then be rotated to cause the translational displacement of the anchoring sleeve  88  and consequent tightening of the straps. 
         [0033]    Referring again to  FIG. 5  and additionally to  FIG. 10 , the horizontal strap  86  is anchored at its proximal end to a mounting plate  112  is contained to more linearly within guides  108  and which extends through an ob-round aperture  114  in the outer side wall of the frame  20 . A cam plate  116  depends downwardly from the mounting plate  112  and into a helical groove  120  located around the outside circumference of the handle wheel  102 . The cam plate  114  is retained in position within the groove  116  by the action of the guides  108 . The surface of the groove  120  within the circumference of the wheel handle  102  acts as a cam to displace the cam plate  114  and thereby the mounting plate  112  in an axial direction along the guides  108  upon rotation of the handle wheel  102 . This therefore causes retraction of the mounting plate  112  into the ob-round recess  114  and consequently, a tightening of the horizontal strap  86 . Rotation of the wheel handle  102  in addition to causing a translational displacement of the mounting cylinder  88  and consequent tightening of the vertical straps  84 , therefore additionally causes a translational displacement by virtue of the action of the cam provided by groove  120  upon the mounting plate  112  to cause tightening of the horizontal strap  86 . Thus a coarse adjustment of the horizontal strap  86  followed by rotation of the handle wheel  102  will then create a final tightening of that strap to secure the carrier upon the vehicle. 
         [0034]    Traditionally, users have shown themselves to be poor judges of the appropriate levels of tension which should be applied in order to ensure that the carrier is safely retained upon a vehicle. A further embodiment of the present invention provides an indicium of the tension within the straps. Referring again to  FIG. 7 , each of the vertical straps  84  passes under a loop member  130  within a tension indicating device  132 . The tension indicating device is pivotally mounted with respect to the frame support  20  a pivot point  134  and is biased by a compression spring  135  in a downward direction so that the loop  120  applies a downward force upon the respective strap  84 . Thus, as the tension in the strap increases, the free pivoting end  136  of the tension indicator is urged upward (see  FIGS. 10   a  and  b ) against the action of the biasing spring  135 . It follows that the extent of upward pivotal displacement of the tension indicator about pivot point  134  is a measure of the tension within the straps  84 . The free pivoting end  136  of the indicator carries a surface  140  upon which a chromatic indicium is located having, at least, a green area at the bottom, an amber area at the middle and a red area at the top. The indicium surface  140  is located in register with a corresponding window  142  in the support frame  20  (see  FIG. 7 ) so that, when the wheel handle  102  is tightened causing full tightening of the vertical straps  84 , the extent of the tension in the straps when tightened is demonstrated pivoting displacement of the free end  136  which, in turn, is shown by the colour of the indicium surface lying in register within the window. Where the colour is green this indicates high upwards pivoting displacement of the tension indicator about pivot point  130  and, accordingly, a safe tension for retaining the carrier upon the vehicle; by contrast if the colour is red or amber this indicates a degree of pivoting displacement (and therefore tension within the strap) which is insufficient in order safely to retain the carrier on the vehicle. 
         [0035]    Any further modification, the wheel handle is connection to a mounting cylinder which is concentrically mounted with the shaft of the wheel handle, and the straps are fixedly mounted to that shaft in such a manner that rotation of the wheel handle (possibly via intermediate gears, as appropriate) causes the straps to wrap around the mounting cylinder and thereby increase the tension within the straps. Suitably, a ratchet and pull arrangement may be provided in order to prevent unwanted counter rotation as a result of tension within the strap, which can then be release by a suitable detent release. 
         [0036]    In yet a further modification a sucker  150  is provided on the upper supporting limb  30  of the carrier in order temporarily to locate the carrier upon the vehicle (though this would necessitate that the carrier is not carrying any items at the time) thereby to enable more precise adjustment of the angular displacement of the upper support member relative to the wrack and also of the various strap lengths using the manual buckles. The various modifications described herein are not necessarily limited to association with the embodiments in connection with which they were first described and each modification may suitably find appropriate application with each embodiment. 
         [0037]    In yet a further modification, shown in  FIG. 13 , the strap  86  is also connected to the anchoring sleeve  88  and extends initially therefrom parallel with the straps  84  (which, in this modification both extend, together with the strap  86 , initially in the same direction before one is routed back upon itself). Thereafter, the strap passes out of the support frame  20  through an aperture  94  and via an angled guide surface  96  which enables the strap  86  to change direction and so extend horizontally so that it may engage the vehicle at a suitable point to provide lateral stability. 
         [0038]    In yet a further modification, the upwardly extending strap is simply a fixed, non-retractable strap which, in operation, is preferably engaged initially with the weight of the rack then being carried by both such straps. The horizontal straps  86  and downwardly extending straps  84  are tightened by actuation; in the illustrated example of  FIG. 13 , for example, rotation of the wheel handle  102  to cause displacement of the anchoring sleeve  88 .