Bicycle pannier

A bicycle pannier is securably fastened to the luggage rack of a bicycle. The pannier includes a container open at the top end thereof and a lid hinged to the container and adapted to sealably enclose the top end of the container. The lid and the container each include complimentary oblique passages permitting a locking ring to be inserted therethrough for locking the pannier to the bicycle. The complimentary passages also serve as a handle for manually transporting the pannier.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention concerns a bicycle pannier, and, more particularly, to such a 
bicycle pannier adapted to be fastened to a luggage rack with a lockable 
lid. 
The object of the invention is to make a theft-proof bicycle pannier. 
In accordance with the invention, provision is made that the lid, for 
locking, has an eye of such a kind that it, or another eye protruding 
through it, can be locked simultaneously with a wheel of the bicycle by a 
locking ring. 
Thus the pannier is not only locked, but also cannot be removed from the 
bicycle. 
Preferably the remaining part of the pannier also has an eye which can be 
locked by a locking ring or by another eye which can be locked by a 
locking ring. 
This improves the security against theft considerably. It also allows the 
pannier to be fastened very simply, e.g. to be hung on the luggage rack, 
so that it can also be easily removed and taken with one for shopping or 
the like. Absent the last eye it is necessary to have a safe fastening of 
the remaining part of the pannier to the bicycle in order to exclude the 
possibility that the interior of the pannier, through loosening of the 
fastening and removal of the remaining part of the pannier; remains 
accessible from the lid. 
The eye on the remaining part of the pannier can be the above-mentioned 
further eye which locks the eye of the lid, or the other way round, but it 
can also be, in principle, an eye like that of the lid, which, together 
with the eye of the lid, is locked by a locking ring. 
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the invention the eye of 
thelid and/or the eye of the remaining part of the pannier are formed as 
integral parts of the lid or remaining parts of the pannier. 
This solution facilitates handling and is pleasing in shape. 
As a rule, the eye of the lid and, if there is one, the eye of the 
remaining part of the pannier will be fitted on the upper, inner edge of 
the pannier. 
Preferably thereby the lid can be swung up about a pivot axis located deep 
on the outside of the pannier, so that its swing-path, when it is opened 
up only goes a short way upwards and luggage extending from the luggage 
carrier to the pannier needs only to be lifted a little and the opening of 
the pannier is then largely to the side. 
The lid can be so designed that when it is closed it forms a continuation 
of the luggage carrier and when it is opened it stands off approximately 
horizontally and thus facilitates unloading. 
As an advantageous development of the invention, it is further suggested 
that the lid externally overlap, the remaining part of the pannier. 
The overlap holds the pannier closed, even with the play which is 
unavoidable and even with a tightly fitting locking ring. Additionally it 
renders it waterproof. 
Finally, a particularly advantageous development of the invention consists 
in that the eye or eyes are so dimensionally that they can be gripped by 
hand as a carrying handle. The pannier can then all the more easily and 
more comfortably be carried even when full and heavily packed. For 
example, it can be taken to one's room. The fitting mentioned of the eyes 
on the upper, inner edge thereby permits the two panniers to be grasped by 
hand. 
The usual locking rings for bicycles are of a size suitable for use with 
two panniers in accordance with the invention. One can also, however, draw 
a chain through and lock it with a padlock, which would adapt exactly to 
all size relationships, even in the case of a single pannier. 
A firm, rigid, rain proof and secured design in the manner of a suitcase 
constitutes the preferred embodiment of the subject invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The two bicycle panniers 1 consist of a container 3 closable by a flap lid 
2 which hangs by two hooks 4 on a luggage rack 5 of a bicycle and further 
is clamped fast below by a clamping device 6 on the supports of the 
luggage rack or on the frame of the bicycle. 
Both parts of the bicycle pannier, the container and its lid are e.g. 
moulded from polypropylene. 
The lid 2 forms the cover and an upper section of the outer side wall, as 
well as the corresponding triangular section of the front and back side 
walls of the pannier. It is hinged on the outer side wall of the container 
by hinges 7 and overlaps the container all the way round on the outside. 
This overlap appears in the section shown above at 8 and below at 9. 
In the container 3 as well as in its lid 2 a passage 10 or 11 is formed in 
such a way that the container or lid wall at such passage is angled 
inwardly. The inward angle of the container is obliquely upwards, that of 
the lid is directed obliquely downwards; their ends interlock, whereby 
here, too, the lid, with regard to the interior of the pannier, forms the 
outer part of the overlap. This overlap 12 lies in the same oblique plane 
as the above mentioned overlap 8, 9. 
The cross-section of the oblique passage 10,11 has, as can best be seen 
from FIG. 3, a longitudinally rectangular cross-section of such a size 
that it can be grasped with the hand, as is shown in FIG. 4. Thereby the 
walls of the container 3 and of its lid 2 form a hand-grip 13 along the 
edge of the pannier of an approximately oval cross-section which is 
suitable for this. 
In order to close the bicycle panniers 1 and to lock them on to the bicycle 
and simultaneously to lock up the bicycle, an extra bicycle lock 14, as 
shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is passed under the rim 15 of the back wheel and 
through the passage 10, 11 of the two panniers 1 and laid over the luggage 
rack 5 and locked. 
For the rest, the lid 2 is in each case held closed by two elasticated 
straps 16 which go round the pannier on the outside and are rivetted to 
the wall of the container 3 at 17 together with butt straps 18 on which 
the hooks 4 are hinged and, after they have been laid loose over the lid 
2, they are fastened with hooks 19 rivetted to their ends by rings 20 to 
the hinges 7. 
The lid 2 when it is closed lies in the carrying plane of the luggage rack 
and, when it is open, as is shown by the dotted line in FIG. 2, can serve 
as a deposit for surplus. 
For the sake of completeness, a mudguard 21 and spokes 22 of a bicycle 
wheel are illustrated.