Abstract:
A tire support stand includes a connecting arm and a telescopic arm, both connected to a securing bracket. The telescopic arm is pivotally connected to the securing bracket, while the connecting arm is firmly affixed to the securing bracket. The telescopic arm includes a sleeve member and an extendable arm which extends in and out of the sleeve member. The tire support stand has two configurations: (1) an upright configuration in which the connecting arm is mounted in a tripod; and (2) an L-shaped configuration in which the connecting arm is mounted to a trailer hitch receiver. In the upright configuration, a spindle platform is mounted on top of the connecting arm for receiving a tire. In the L-shaped configuration, the telescopic arm is rotated to a position perpendicular to the connecting arm and the spindle platform is mounted on top of the telescopic arm for receiving a tire.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/471,695 (filed Apr. 5, 2011). The entire content of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/471,695 is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Changing a tire on a vehicle such as, but not limited to, a motorcycle can be a laborious, time consuming process. This is why many people elect to have their tires changed at a professional mechanic&#39;s shop. However in many cases people may change the tire themselves, either voluntarily, or due to circumstances beyond their control. For those who choose to change their own tires it is convenient to set up a tire changing station in a garage or some other suitable location. However, if a motorcycle rider has a flat tire away from home, the tire must either be repaired and/or changed on the spot, or the bike must be transported back to a tire changing station. There is therefore a need for a portable tire changing station that can be safely set up away from home. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 1,206,802 which describes a foldable tire carrier that may be folded to occupy small space when not in use. The &#39;802 tire carrier may be arranged to hold one tire, or it may be extended laterally to be adapted to hold two tires arranged side by side. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,449 describes a portable wheel dolly comprised of a shaft, a first support frame and a second support frame held in spaced, parallel relationship in an operating configuration and in end-to-end relationship in a stored configuration. The first and second support frames have inclined face plates to support one or more tires in an upright position. The shaft slides through slip sleeves at the midpoint of the first and second support frames and engages nut to hold the dolly in the operating configuration. The shaft slides through sleeves and engages a nut to hold the first and second support frames in the stored configuration. 
         [0006]    U.S. Patent Publication Number 20090071915 describes a tire support stand to support an array of tires in substantially upright positions for convenient display or processing. The stand includes a T-shaped base. A post extends upwardly and angularly from the base. Tire tread-engaging members are disposed on the base. A tire-engaging member is disposed at the upper end of the post. Brace support members are attached to the base and post to ensure stability. A handle is provided on the post to enhance portability. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,863,488 describes a foldable dolly for moving and positioning a vehicle tire assembly is formed with a rectangular base member mounted on a plurality of casters. Two wings are hinged to opposite ends of the rectangular member and have adjustable positioning members having one end attached to the base member and the other end attached to one of the wings. A plurality of bearings at least one bearing being mounted on each wing and one on the rectangular base member allow rotation of the tire assembly on the dolly and easy withdrawal of the dolly when the tire is mounted on a vehicle. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 1,864,234 describes a stand for supporting a tire casing in upright display position. More specifically, the &#39;234 tire stand works by cradling a tire casing between pivoted stand sections or jaws. 
         [0009]    None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    A tire support stand includes a connecting arm and a telescopic, both of which are connected to a securing bracket. The connecting arm is firmly affixed to the securing bracket, while the telescopic arm is pivotally connected to the securing bracket. The telescopic arm includes a sleeve member and an extendable arm that extends in and out of the sleeve member. 
         [0011]    The connecting arm may be attached to a trailer hitch receiver or a tripod. In the tripod or “upright” configuration, the connecting arm is in a vertical orientation with the telescopic arm folded to a position adjacent the connecting arm. In this position, the extendable arm is generally not extended from the sleeve member of the telescopic arm. The spindle platform is mounted at the top of the connecting arm for receiving a tire. A tire can be placed on top of the spindle platform for repair and/or changing. 
         [0012]    In the trailer hitch or “L-shaped” configuration, the connecting arm is in a horizontal orientation, while the telescopic arm is rotated to an open vertical position, perpendicular to the connecting arm, thus forming an L-shape. A securing pin is used to tighten the telescopic arm in place and keep it from moving. The spindle platform is mounted at the top of the extendable arm for receiving a tire. In this configuration, the extendable arm is height adjustable to allow easy access to a tire. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a folded tire support stand disconnected from a tripod, according to the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an open tire support stand disconnected from the tripod. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an open tire support stand disconnected from the tripod. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a folded tire support stand disconnected from the tripod. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is an environmental, perspective view of a tire support stand according to the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a folded tire support stand disconnected from the tripod. 
           [0019]      FIG. 7  is an environmental, perspective view of a tire support stand according to the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 8  is an environmental, perspective view of an open tire support stand disconnected from the tripod. 
           [0021]      FIG. 9  is an environmental, perspective view of the tire support stand connected to a trailer hitch. 
           [0022]      FIG. 10  is an environmental, perspective view of the tire support stand connected to a trailer hitch. 
           [0023]      FIG. 11  is an environmental, perspective view of the tire support stand connected to a trailer hitch. 
       
    
    
       [0024]    Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0025]    The present invention is directed to a tire changing station. More specifically, the invention is a portable motorcycle tire support stand. The tire support stand of the present invention is denoted generally by the numeric label “ 100 ”. 
         [0026]    The description and Figures presented herein demonstrate that the present invention may be practiced or implemented in a variety of embodiments. The discussion of these embodiments amounts to a complete written description that enables those of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention. While several embodiments are expressly disclosed herein, it should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the specifically disclosed embodiments. Indeed, the structures, features, operations or functions of the described may be reorganized or reconfigured to create one or more structural or functional equivalent embodiments of the invention that are not specifically discussed herein, but nevertheless fall within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0027]    Further, for purposes of description herein, while the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof are used herein to assist the reader, it should be understood that the invention may assume various orientations and step sequences, except where expressly specified to the contrary. U.S. patent numbers mentioned in this disclosure together with U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,010 are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
         [0028]    Referring to the Figures in general, the tire support stand  100  of the present invention comprises a support stand which can be any suitable support such as, not limited to, a tripod stand  700 . The support stand is detachable; for example, the tripod stand  700  can be detached or separated as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0029]    The support stand  100  also includes a connecting arm  200 . The connecting arm may be a hollow drawbar of rectangular cross section, having a front wall  210 , rear wall  220 , top wall  230  and bottom wall  240 . The connecting arm has first and second opposite ends,  260  and  270  respectively, either of which is dimensioned to fit inside a trailer hitch receiver  800 , or a slot  720  in tripod stand  700 . The first opposite end  260  of the connecting arm is open, whereas the second opposite end  270  may be open or closed. Each opposite end of the connecting arm has two opposite side aligned through-holes  250 , one on each opposite front and rear wall of the connecting arm. The through-holes  250  on the second opposite end  270  of the connecting arm can align with holes  810  in the trailer hitch receiver. A securing pin  600  can then be inserted through the aligned holes to secure the connecting arm  200  to the vehicle trailer hitch  800 . Each securing pin  600  is preferably threaded and includes a handle for screwing the pin into a complementary threaded nut, receiver, or threaded bore. A threaded receiver, nut and/or washer can be coaxially coupled to the threaded pin to tighten and secure the connecting arm to the trailer hitch. When the connecting arm  200  is secured to the trailer hitch  800 , the connecting arm is in a horizontal orientation, parallel to the ground. 
         [0030]    The connecting arm  200  is attached to a securing bracket  400 . The securing bracket  400  defines a sleeve having a floor  410 , front wall  420  and rear wall  430 , and a partial left wall  440 . In a preferred embodiment, the connecting arm  200  is inside the securing bracket  400 , attached to the floor of the bracket  410  through welding, fastening, bonding or some other appropriate means. The securing bracket  400  includes two aligned top opposite side through-bores  470 , one on each front and rear wall of the securing bracket  400 . Two bottom opposite side through-bores,  480  are similarly disposed, one on each front and rear wall of the securing bracket. The connecting arm  200  is preferably attached to the securing bracket  400  such that the through-holes  250  of the first end  260  of the connecting arm align with the bottom opposite side through-bores  480  of the securing bracket. When aligned in this manner, the through-holes of the connecting arm  250  and the corresponding bottom opposite side through-bores  480  of the securing bracket will accommodate a securing pin  600 . The through bores of the present invention are preferably threaded and are adapted to coaxially engage with a threaded securing pin. In other words, a threaded pin can be threaded into the through-bore on the front wall of the securing bracket, pass through the aligned through holes of the connecting arm and thread into the opposite side through-bore on the rear wall of the securing bracket to secure and tighten the connecting arm to the securing bracket. 
         [0031]    A telescopic arm  300  is pivotally attached to the inside of the securing bracket  400 . The telescopic arm includes a sleeve member  310  that may take the form of a drawbar of rectangular cross section. The sleeve member defines a front wall  312 , rear wall  314 , top wall  316  and bottom wall  318 . In addition, the sleeve member  310  has first and second opposite ends,  320  and  330  respectively, each opposite end having two opposite side aligned through-holes  336 , one on each of the front and rear walls of the sleeve member. The first opposite end of the sleeve member  320  is inside the bracket, such that the first opposite end through-holes  336  of the sleeve member align with the top opposite side through-bores  470  of the securing bracket  400 . A securing pin  600  can be inserted through the aligned opposite side through-bores  470  and through-holes  336 , pivotally connecting the sleeve member  310  to the securing bracket. In a preferred embodiment, the securing pin is threaded to coaxially engage with the opposite side through-bores to secure and tighten the sleeve member  310  to the securing bracket  400 . 
         [0032]    In addition, the second opposite end of the sleeve member has a through-bore  340  on the front wall and an aligned through hole  346  on the opposite rear wall of the sleeve member dimensioned to receive a securing pin  600 . The securing pin is used to secure the sleeve member  310  to an extendable arm  350 , discussed in more detail below. 
         [0033]    An extendable arm  350  extends in and out of sleeve member  310  and together they form the telescopic arm  300 . The extendable arm  350  may take the form of a draw bar of rectangular cross section with a front wall  352 , rear wall  354 , top wall  356  and bottom wall  358 . The extendable arm has first and second opposite ends,  360  and  370  respectively, and two opposite side aligned through-holes  380 , one on each front and rear wall of the extendable arm. The second opposite end  370  of the extendable arm is open, whereas the first opposite end  360  may be open or closed. The through holes are located at strategically placed positions along the extendable arm  350 , so that the through-holes  380  of the extendable arm selectively align with the threaded bore of the sleeve member  340 . A securing pin  600  may be inserted to attach the extendable arm to the sleeve member at any position in which the through-holes of the extendable arm and the through-bore of the sleeve member are in alignment. In a preferred embodiment, the securing pin is threaded to coaxially engage with the through-bore which is also preferably threaded. A threaded receiver, through-bore, nut and/or washer on the other side of the rear wall of the sleeve member may be coaxially coupled to the threaded pin to secure and tighten the extendable arm to the sleeve member. 
         [0034]    The telescopic arm  300  is pivotally connected to the top of the securing bracket  400 . The telescopic arm pivots about an axis that passes through the center of the top opposite side through-bores  470  of the securing bracket and rotates in a plane perpendicular to the pivot axis. Furthermore, the telescopic arm  300  is able to pivot from a position adjacent to the connecting arm  200  to a position roughly perpendicular to the connecting arm, also known as the “open” position. The partial left wall of the securing bracket  440  prevents the telescopic arm from rotating more than about ninety degrees relative to the connecting arm. 
         [0035]    A spindle platform  500  to support a tire is optionally mounted on either the second opposite end  370  of the extendable arm of the telescopic arm, or the first opposite end  260  of the connecting arm  200 . The spindle platform includes a rectangular base  510 , a circular platform with rectangular notch  570 , and a central rod  580  extending from the center of the circular platform. The rectangular base  510  has a front wall  520 , rear wall  530 , left wall  540  and right wall  550 . The base  510  is dimensioned to fit into second opposite end of the extendable arm  370  or the first opposite end  260  of the connecting arm  200 . The base  510  preferably includes two oppositely aligned through-holes  560 , one on each opposite wall of the base. The opposite side through-holes  560  of the base align with the through-holes  380  of the second opposite end  370  of the extendable arm  350  when the spindle platform  500  is mounted therein. Alternatively, the opposite side through-holes  560  of the spindle platform base align with the through-holes  250  of the first opposite end  260  of the connecting arm and the opposite side bottom through-bores  480  of the securing bracket when the spindle platform is mounted therein. A securing pin  600  is inserted through the aligned through-holes and/or through-bores to secure the spindle platform to either the extendable arm  350  or the connecting arm  200 . In a preferred embodiment, a threaded receiver, through-bore, nut and/or washer coaxially couples to the threaded pin to secure and tighten the spindle platform base to either the extendable arm or the connecting arm. 
         [0036]    In a preferred embodiment, the rectangular notch  590  in the circular platform  570  of the spindle platform  500  is dimensioned to accommodate part of the connecting arm as shown in  FIG. 1 . In other words, when the tire support stand is folded, the rectangular notch  590  in the circular platform  570  enables the telescopic arm  300  to lie parallel to the connecting arm by providing a groove for the connecting arm to slide into. 
         [0037]    The connecting arm of the tire support stand may be mounted in either a vehicle trailer hitch  800  or the tripod stand  700 . The tripod stand includes a slot  720  at its apex dimensioned to receive the second opposite end of the connecting arm  270 . If mounted in the tripod stand  700  the tire support stand  100  is in a vertical orientation, perpendicular to the ground. The telescopic arm  300  is in a folded position, adjacent to the connecting arm  200 , while the spindle platform  500  is mounted at the top of the connecting arm so that a tire  900  can be placed over the central rod  580  of the spindle platform for repair or changing. More specifically, the base of the spindle platform  510  is inserted into the opening of the first opposite end  260  of the connecting member. 
         [0038]    If mounted in a trailer hitch receiver  800 , the tire support stand  100  is folded out to form an L-shape. More specifically, the connecting arm  200  is in a horizontal orientation, parallel to the ground, and the telescopic arm  300  is rotated up to a position perpendicular to the connecting arm. The spindle platform  500  is mounted at the top of the now vertical telescopic arm. More specifically, the base  510  of the spindle platform is inserted into the second opposite end  370  of the extendable arm of the telescopic arm. A tire  900  can then be placed over the central rod  580  of the spindle platform  500 . 
         [0039]    In actual use, the connecting arm  200  of the tire support stand can be inserted into either a trailer hitch receiver or a tripod stand. If the connecting arm  200  is mounted to a hitch receiver  800 , the telescopic arm  300  is folded out, i.e. rotated up to a vertical position, perpendicular to the connecting arm. The spindle platform  500  is then mounted in the top opening of the telescopic arm, or more specifically the opening in the second opposite end  370  of the extendable arm. A tire can then be placed over the central rod  580  of the spindle platform for repair or changing. If the connecting arm  200  is mounted to the tripod stand  700 , the telescopic arm  300  is folded to a position adjacent to the connecting arm  200 . In this position, the extendable arm  350  can be retracted into the sleeve member  310 . The spindle platform  500  is mounted at the top open end of the connecting arm, i.e. the first opposite end  260  of the connecting arm. A tire can then similarly be placed over the spindle portion of the spindle platform for repair or changing. 
         [0040]    It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.