Vehicle-mounted bike rack

A vehicle-mounted bike rack may include a first rack arm having a post extending from a first end and an opening formed in a second end of the first rack arm. The bike rack may also include a second rack arm having a slot formed in a first end and on opening formed in a second end of the second rack arm, and a cross bar extending substantially perpendicularly with the first and the second rack arms, and wherein the cross bar is received in the openings of the first and second rack arms, such that each of the first rack arm and second rack arm are pivotable about the cross bar. The first and second rack arms may be configured to engage with and secure to at least one of a tail gate post and a tail gate latch of a vehicle.

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND

1. The Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to bike racks.

More particularly, it concerns bike racks that can be mounted to a vehicle to transport bikes while minimizing potential damage to the vehicle during transport.

2. Description of Related Art

It is common practice in the field of vehicle-mounted bike racks to have trailer hitch mounted bike racks which come in a variety of configurations and can carry a single bike or a plurality of bikes. There are also roof racks which can stow and secure bikes to the roof of a vehicle.

There is also a trend of hanging bikes over the tailgate of a truck, such that the front tire overhangs the tailgate, thus securing, relatively speaking, the bike within the truck. Often bike pads can also be used to limit the damage that can be done to the tailgate or bike frame due to rubbing between the two during transport. However, in recent years, the dimensions and contours of tailgates has changes and increased, such that traditions bike frames can no longer hang over these types of tailgates, necessitating a new, convenient bike rack compatible with trucks or similar vehicles.

Despite the advantages of known bike rack systems, improvements are still being sought. The prior art is characterized by several disadvantages that are addressed by the present disclosure. The present disclosure minimizes, and in some aspects eliminates, the above-mentioned failures, and other problems, by utilizing the methods and structural features described herein.

The features and advantages of the present disclosure will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the present disclosure without undue experimentation. The features and advantages of the present disclosure may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base, or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present disclosure as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before the present apparatus and methods for providing a vehicle-mounted bike rack disclosed and described, it is to be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the particular configurations, process steps, and materials disclosed herein as such configurations, process steps, and materials may vary somewhat. It is also to be understood that the terminology employed herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting since the scope of the present disclosure will be limited only by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

The publications and other reference materials referred to herein to describe the background of the disclosure, and to provide additional detail regarding its practice, are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties, with the following exception: In the event that any portion of said reference materials is inconsistent with this application, this application supersedes said reference materials. The reference materials discussed herein are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as a suggestion or admission that the inventors are not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior disclosure, or to distinguish the present disclosure from the subject matter disclosed in the reference materials.

It must be noted that, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Moreover, as used herein, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” “characterized by,” and grammatical equivalents thereof are inclusive or open-ended terms that do not exclude additional, unrecited elements or method steps.

The following inventive embodiments are related to a vehicle-mounted bike rack.

Referring now toFIGS. 1-4, there is shown an embodiment of the invention, in the form of a vehicle-mounted bike rack assembly100including, a first pair of rack arms102(arm102aand arm102b) and a second pair of rack arms104(arm104aand arm104b), wherein first rack arms102aand104amay be identical or substantially identical in construction and second rack arms102band104bmay be identical or substantially identical in construction. Each pair of rack arms102and104are pivotally connected to one another via a pivot joint106and108, respectively, which may include respective openings in respective ends of the first rack arms102aand104aand second rack arms102band104b. Each pivot joint106and108may also include a bearing or collar106aand108a, such as a set screw collar, for example, however, alternative pivot joints or engagements conventional in the art, may also be used.

The bike rack assembly100may also include a first crossbar110which can extend substantially horizontally, and substantially perpendicularly, between the first rack arms102aand104aand the second rack arms102band104b. The first crossbar110can be received by the collars106aand108a, or openings, allowing the crossbar to slide into connection with the pivot joints106and108and enable the crossbar110to freely rotate with respect to the pair of rack arms102and104. The crossbar110can also be configured to receive and include a crossbar pad110aaround an exterior surface of the crossbar110. The cross bar pad110a, or a foam pad for example, can provide a cushioned mounting surface for a bike frame, preventing unwanted scratches or damage to the bike frame.

The cross bar110may include first and second terminal ends, each of the terminal ends of the crossbar110extend through the corresponding collars106aand108a, such that the terminal ends are exposed beyond each of the pairs of rack arms102and104. A cap111can be releasably attached to each of the terminal ends of the crossbar110, holding the crossbar110in place, relative to the pair of rack arms102and104, and against translation. Additionally, set screws, or other desired fasteners, may be received by the respective collars106aand108aand engage with the cross bar110to prevent translation with respect to the rack arms102and104.

The crossbar110can have a 1″ diameter, or another desired diameter, and can have a length to span 67″ plus or minus 3″, or more or less, which may be typical or conventional span of a truck or vehicle tailgate, although the crossbar110can also be configured to have alternative lengths, if desired.

The bike rack assembly100also includes a second cross bar112, or stabilizer bar, which can extend substantially horizontally, and substantially perpendicularly, between first rack arms102aand104a. The stabilizer bar112can be received by collars114formed in corresponding openings in the first rack arms102aand104a, or bearings or set screw collars, for example, allowing the stabilizer bar112to slide into connection with the collars114and enable the crossbar to freely rotate with respect to the rack arms102aand104a, thus providing a stabilizing support for each of the pair of rack arms102and104. The stabilizer bar112can be 1″ or ½″ in diameter, or another desired diameter.

Each of the rack arms102aand104amay also include a post116, or striker, which extends from an end of the corresponding rack arm102aand104a, such that the post116can be received and locked into place within a standard or conventional tailgate latch202, typically located in a tailgate200, as shown inFIG. 6. By engaging the posts116with the latch202of the tailgate200, the bike rack assembly100can be held in position and secure bikes during transport. Additionally, many vehicles include a tailgate lock, which could also be used to lock and secure the bike rack assembly into place.

Each of the rack arms102band104balso includes a slot118, or channel, which extends at an angle on an end portion of the corresponding second rack arms102band104b. The slots118are formed and configured to receive a conventional tailgate lock post204, as shown inFIG. 7such that rack arms102band104bcan pivot around such lock posts204, but are translationally fixed into position relative tailgate. By engaging the slots118with the lock posts204of the tailgate, the bike rack assembly100can be held in position and secure bikes during transport.

Each rack arm102a,102b,104aand104b, can be 3″ wide and have a length of 24″, although alternative widths and lengths can be used if desired to accommodate different tail gate dimensions and different sized bikes.

The crossbar110can be hollow and can include a lock cable120which can be secured within the crossbar110in a first or retracted position, or on an end of the crossbar110and then extend out of one end of the crossbar110in an extended or second position. After a bike, or bikes, is placed on the crossbar110for transport, the cable120can be looped through the bike frame and secured back on one of the first rack arms102a, by inserting a terminal end of the lock cable120into a locking mechanism121, which may secure the lock cable through use of a key. Alternatively, the locking mechanism121may be a conventional locking mechanism such as a pad lock, which can be secured to the rack arm102avia hole in the corresponding rack arm102a.

In another embodiment, as shown inFIG. 5, a second rack arm302bmay include a rack latch350. The rack latch350may be pivotally secured to the rack arm302b, such that the latch350may be moved from an engaged, or locked, position to a disengaged, or unlocked position. In the engaged position, the latch350partially surrounds the cross bar112such that the corresponding rack arms302aand302bare locked in a position together, in a substantially collapsed position, for storage or the like. The latch350may then be moved into a disengaged position, where it pivots about a pin351to disengage from cross bar112and enable the rack arms302aand302bto pivot independently from one another, especially during use of the rack100. Rack arms302aand302bmay also be interchangeable with corresponding rack arms102a,102b104aand104bin the earlier disclosed embodiment.

Each of the rack arms102and104, the crossbar110and the stabilizer bar112, may be made of metal, plastic or other desired material which can make it light weight and durable. Additionally, due to the pivots106and108the bike rack assembly100can be fully collapsed when not in use.