Abstract:
Methods and systems whereby a wheeled vehicle becomes secured on a trailer bed when the wheeled vehicle rolls over one or more wheel positioners coupled to the surface of the trailer bed. The wheel positioner comprises a ramp and a seat.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/482,088, filed Jun. 24, 2003, and titled METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SECURING WHEELED VEHICLES. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates generally to methods and systems for securing wheeled vehicles to a transporting surface. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and systems whereby a wheeled vehicle becomes secured on a trailer bed when the wheeled vehicle rolls over an attachment coupled to the surface of the trailer bed.  
           [0004]    2. Background Information  
           [0005]    Wheeled vehicles are often transported by being placed on a trailer bed that is attached to a truck or other automobile. For example, outdoor enthusiasts frequently transport their recreational wheeled vehicles on a trailer bed. Such recreational vehicles may include all-terrain vehicles (“ATVs”), motorcycles, snowmobiles, and the like. People who desire to transport their recreational vehicles are often hindered, however, because the process of transporting these wheeled vehicles is cumbersome. Not only does it typically take several steps to secure the wheeled vehicles to the trailer bed, but many securing methods also fail to prevent the wheeled vehicles from rolling while being transported on the trailer bed.  
           [0006]    A system for securing wheeled vehicles to trailer beds that is simply constructed, simple to operate, and quick to employ would therefore be an extremely valuable invention. Not only would this be valuable to outdoor enthusiasts who desire to transport recreational vehicles; this would also be valuable in the multitude of situations in which wheeled vehicles are transported upon trailer beds.  
         SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention can generally be characterized as a system whereby a wheeled vehicle becomes secured onto a trailer bed when the wheeled vehicle rolls over one or more wheel positioners coupled to the surface of the trailer bed. The wheel positioner basically comprises a ramp and a seat, the ramp preferably being biased by a biasing device.  
           [0008]    Accordingly, it is an object of some embodiments of the present invention to provide methods and systems for securing a wheeled vehicle to a transporting surface by rolling the vehicle over a pivotable ramp and into a cradle.  
           [0009]    It is another object of some embodiments of the present invention to provide methods and systems for securing an ATV to a trailer bed via a ramp-cradle device that is fixed to the surface of the trailer bed.  
           [0010]    It is a further object of some embodiments of the present invention to provide a simple and convenient way to position and secure a wheeled vehicle to a transporting surface.  
           [0011]    It is yet another object of some embodiments of the present invention to provide methods and systems for securing a wheeled vehicle to a transporting surface by rolling the vehicle onto a biased ramp that flips up as it is being rolled over and flips back to its original position after the vehicle has finished rolling over it. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    Various objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the accompanying drawings when considered in conjunction with the following description and appended claims. Although the drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are thus not to be deemed as limiting the scope of the invention, the accompanying drawings help explain the invention in added detail.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an ATV about to be secured by wheel positioners in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention wherein an ATV is being secured by wheel positioners.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3A is an enlarged perspective view of one embodiment of the wheel positioners of the present invention; FIG. 3B is a similar view of another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a perspective of wheel positioners coupled to a coupling device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of an adjustable bar in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0018]    The following detailed description, in conjunction with the claims and accompanying drawings (hereby expressly incorporated as part of this detailed description), sets forth specific numbers, materials, and configurations in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. A purpose of this detailed description being to describe the invention so as to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the present invention, the following description sets forth various specific examples, also referred to as “embodiments,” of the present invention. While the invention is described in conjunction with specific embodiments, it will be understood, because the embodiments are set forth for explanatory purposes only, that this description is not intended to limit the invention to these particular embodiments. Indeed, it is emphasized that the present invention can be embodied or performed in a variety of ways. The detailed description is merely representative of particular embodiments of the present invention.  
         [0019]    Reference will now be made in detail to several embodiments of the invention. The various embodiments will be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like elements are designated by like numeric or alphanumeric characters throughout.  
         [0020]    Shown in FIG. 1 is an ATV or other wheeled vehicle  10 , a trailer bed  12  for transporting the wheeled vehicle  10 , an automobile or truck  14  for pulling the trailer bed  12 , and one or more wheel positioners  16  that are designed to be coupled to the surface of the trailer bed  12  via a coupling device  17 . The wheel positioners  16  each basically comprise a ramp  18  and a cradle or seat  20 .  
         [0021]    The wheeled vehicle  10  may comprise any type of wheeled vehicle that can be transported on a moving surface. As previously mentioned, the wheeled vehicle  10  may comprise an ATV. Other examples of wheeled vehicles  10  include motorcycles, snowmobiles, and recreational vehicles having any number of wheels. Some embodiments of the present invention may be configured to work with wheeled vehicles  10  comprising heavy machinery such as backhoes, forklifts, tractors, etc.  
         [0022]    The trailer bed  12  comprises a surface upon which the wheeled vehicle  10  rests while being transported. Trailer bed  12  may have any type of surface, whether it be smooth, ridged, curvy, or have a combination of any of these characteristics. For example, the trailer bed  12  may be a typical flatbed trailer. In some embodiments of the present invention, the trailer bed  12  may also have sides  21  (see FIG. 2) perpendicular to the trailer bed surface, the sides  21  surrounding or partially surrounding the transporting surface of the trailer bed  12 . In one embodiment of the present invention, sides  21  are made of metal or other suitable sturdy materials so that coupling device  17  can be bolted thereon, as described further in conjunction with FIG. 4.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 depicts the wheeled vehicle  10  in the process of being moved into position on the trailer bed  12 . At this stage, as can be seen in the drawing, the ramps  18  on the wheel positioners  16  are in a position that allows wheels  22  on one side of the wheeled vehicle  10  to access and roll up the ramps  18 . In particular, each ramp  18  has a first end  18   a  and a second end  18   b , the first end  18   a  at this stage being pointed downwards towards the surface of the trailer bed  12  in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 shows the wheeled vehicle  10  in a position on the trailer bed  12  such that the wheeled vehicle  10  is ready for transport. In order to reach this position, the wheels  22  on the wheeled vehicle  10  are caused to roll over the ramps  18 —whether this is accomplished by pushing or pulling the vehicle  10 , by driving the wheeled vehicle  10  forward onto the ramps  18 , or by some other means. In the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the ramps  18  are pivotably biased so that when the wheels  22  roll over the ramps  18 , the weight of the wheels  22  cause each ramp to flip up or pivot around an axis  19  (see FIG. 3A) so that the first end of the ramp  18   a  travels upwards, and the second end of the ramp  18   b  travels downwards towards the surface of the trailer bed  12  (the biasing device will be discussed hereafter). As soon as the wheels  22  of the wheeled vehicle  10  have rolled over the ramps  18 , the wheels  22  fall into the cradles or seats  20  of the wheel positioners  16 , and, with respect to the ramps  18  of the preferred embodiments, the ramps  18  flip back to their original positions so that the wheels  22  cannot roll backwards down the ramps  18 . A conventional tie-down (not shown) may be used to further secure the wheeled vehicle  10 .  
         [0025]    After the wheeled vehicle  10  has been transported by the automobile  14  to the place desired, a person can release each of the ramps  18  from the position shown in FIG. 2 by releasing a biasing device or spring  24  on each of the ramps  18 . Biasing device  24  is what causes the ramps  18  to flip or rotate back to their original positions after the wheels  22  have rolled over them and into their respective seats  20 . As can been seen in FIG. 3A, one embodiment of the biasing device  24  comprises a spring that may be placed by hand over the axis  19  (into the position shown in stippled lines) in order to allow a person to flip the ramps  18  up so that end  18   b  points downwards towards the trailer bed  12 , thereby allowing the wheeled vehicle  10  to be driven or otherwise moved backwards over the ramps  18  and off of the trailer bed  12 . In some embodiments, the biasing device  24  can be activated by a simple lock pin (not shown) placed, for example, at axis  19 . However, any sort of appropriate biasing device  24  may be used in the present invention.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 3B illustrates another embodiment of the present invention wherein the seat  20  further includes parts that are specially designed to grip a motorcycle wheel. For example, v-shaped cradle  32 , combined with wheel rest  34  are shaped to grip a motorcycle wheel so as to help prevent the motorcycle from wobbling while being transported. One advantage of these motorcycle grips is the ability to accommodate various sizes of wheels. Another advantage is that the wheel needn&#39;t be positioned exactly in the seat  20  because the v-shaped cradle  32  automatically guides the wheel.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 4 shows a coupling device  17  for coupling the wheel positioners  16  to the trailer bed  12 . In this embodiment, the coupling device  17  comprises a first bar  17   a  and a second bar  17   b  wherein the second bar  17   b  is adjustable so as to be able to accommodate different widths of wheeled vehicles  10 . The coupling device  17  may be bolted to sides  21  of the trailer bed  12  by bolts or other standard fixing devices. Alternatively, the coupling device  17  may be attached elsewhere on the trailer bed  12 . Moreover, coupling device  17  may be designed to be sold separately from the trailer bed  12  or as an integral piece of the trailer bed  12 .  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 4 shows two wheel positioners  16  coupled to the coupling device  17 . In the preferred embodiments, the wheel positioners  16  are slidable along the coupling device  17  so as to adjust for varying sizes of wheeled vehicles  10 . Fixing device  26  is a screw, bolt, or other similar device that allows a person to fix the wheeled positioners  16  at desired positions along the coupling device  17 . It should be noted that some embodiments of the present invention contemplate coupling the wheel positioners  16  directly to the trailer bed  12  by a much simpler coupling device  17  comprising bolts or other simple fixing devices.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 5 shows an adjustable bar  23  (see also FIG. 3A) in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. This particular adjustable bar  23  has niches  28  that allow the wheel positioners  16  to adjust for varying wheel diameters. An extention (not shown) on the wheel positioners  16 , for example, can be inserted into any of the niches  28  to effect this adjustment. Any means of adjusting for varying wheel diameters, however, may be incorporated into the wheel positioners  16  of the present invention. Note that the embodiment in FIG. 3B uses pins  30  to provide adjustability.  
         [0030]    In some systems of the present invention, only one wheel positioner  16  is attached to the trailer bed  12 . This system might be appropriate for loading motorcycles on a trailer bed, for example. In some systems of the present invention, multiple wheel positioners  16  can be used to, for example, set two wheeled vehicles  10  or ATVs side-by-side on a trailer bed  12 . Also, some embodiments may comprise ramps  18  that are not pivotable but that remain stationery. Also, in the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the ramps  18  preferably comprise GRIP STRUT™ (manufactured by GS Metals, Corp. of Illinois) or similar material. However, the ramps  18  can be made of any material strong enough to withstand the weight of the wheeled vehicles  12 .  
         [0031]    Thus, the present invention comprises an inventive and simple means for securing wheeled vehicles  10  to a surface  12  for transportation. Once a wheeled vehicle  10  is placed in the wheel positioners  12  of the present invention, the wheel positioners  10  help prevent the wheeled vehicle  10  from rolling backwards or from sliding sideways on the trailer bed  12  while being transported.  
         [0032]    It is underscored that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments herein should be deemed only as illustrative.