Abstract:
A rack that can be installed on the rear of a vehicle to carry sporting gears like bicycles, skis, sailboards or the like. The rack has an adjustable handle that hooks on the hatchback of a vehicle and two wheels on its lower part that will rest against the bumper. The wheels make it possible to use the rack as a trolley. The rack is easy to fasten to sedan types of car using the hitch and an adapter.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
         [0001]    1. Field of Invention  
           [0002]    This invention belongs to the family of racks that can be installed on a vehicle, particularly racks that can accommodate sporting gear as bicycles or skis.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0004]    Many racks for the transport of sporting gears exist. A review of the prior art has revealed the following patents:  
           [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,176, Biondo, Jan. 14 th  1997 is a rack fixed to the rear of a car. The upper part of the rack is fixed on the hatchback of the car and the bottom rests against the license plate.  
           [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,118,018, Baldeck, Jun. 2 nd  1992 is a bicycle rack that that can be installed on the front or rear bumper of a car. It comprises a series of straps to keep bicycles in place, the weight of it being supported by the bumper.  
           [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,728,244, Stokkendal Mar. 1 st  1988, shows a combination roof rack-trolley.  
           [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,078,708, Mayer, Mar. 14 th  1978 shows a ski rack comprising cross bars that are generally vertical and can also be used as a ladder.  
           [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,879, Luck, Jun. 29 th  1982 shows a bicycle rack that comprises uprights and a cross bar. The upper part of this rack is attached on the hatchback of a car by straps and hooks secure its lower part against the bumper.  
         OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES  
         [0010]    The first objective of the present invention is to provide a rack that is installed on the rear of a vehicle, to transport sporting gears like skis, snowboards, sailboards, bicycles or the like. A rack that can also be used as a trolley to facilitate the transport of items to or from the vehicle. This rack comprises wheels that rest on the car, preventing scratches that could be caused by the metal part of the rack.  
           [0011]    Another objective is to provide a mobile rack that comprises a central part to support sporting gear, an upper part that can grip the hinge of a hatchback and a lower part from which protrude the wheels that will rest against the bumper of a vehicule.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    The present invention will be further understood from the following description with reference to the drawings in which:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a perspective of the rack on a hatchback—in dotted line.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a front view of the rack of FIG. 1.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a section view according to line  3 - 3  of FIG. 2.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a section view according to line  4 - 4  of FIG. 3.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is an enlargement of the part shown by arrow  5  of FIG. 3.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is an another alternative of the Mobilrack.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7A is a side view of the rack of FIG. 6, installed on a vehicle.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 7B is an enlargement of the part shown by arrow  7 B of FIG. 7A.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIGS. 8A, B, C, D show additional parts and their assembly to the rack.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 9 show the fastening of the rack on a vehicle.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 10A is an exploded view of the rack of FIG. 6.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 10B shows the fastening of the rack on a vehicle.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0025]    The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 where the same characterizing elements are identified by the same numbers.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 1 shows a rack  20  installed on the rear of a vehicle  21 , shown in dotted line. This rack  20  comprises a rectangular frame  22 , wheels  24  and a handle  26  that ends with a hook  28 . The frame  22  is made of metal and comprises an upper bar  30 , a lower bar  32  and two uprights  34  and  36 . A metallic arm  38  is fixed on each end of the lower bar  32 . These arms  38  have a perforation  40 —FIG. 3—to accommodate a shaft  42 . A wheel  24  is installed at each end of the shaft  42 , on the outer side of the arms  38 . When installed on the vehicle  21 , the wheels  24  rest against the bumper  43  of the vehicle  21  to prevent the contact of the frame  22  with the vehicle  21 . The shaft  42  usually is 5 to 30 cm of the bumper to obtain a proportion of 12% of the height. A vertical median bar  44  is fixed on both upper and lower bars  30  and  32 . A pair of plates  50  are fixed to the median bar  44 . The plates  50  receive the handle  26  and have fixing holes  46  to adjust the length of the handle  26 . Various additional parts may be added to the frame  22  to attach sporting gears. For example, two tubes  48  may be installed on the upper part of each of the uprights  34  and  36  to fasten a bicycle.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 2 shows the rack  20  used as a trolley. This drawing also shows another example of additional part, horizontal detachable bars  52  that are used to transport skis. The detachable bars  52  are placed on the upper and lower parts of the uprights  34  and  36 . The bars  52  or any additional part are adjusted by means of a series of holes  54  located along the upright  34  and  36 . The location of the wheels  24  and of the handle  26  make it possible to unhook the rack  20  from the vehicle and put it on the ground to use it as a trolley.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 3 also shows the rack  20  without the vehicle. The handle  26  is shown as a bent metallic tube. The plates  50  fix the handle  26  on the frame  22  at the required length by means of the holes  46 . The handle  26  projects out of the frame  22  at an angle of 95° to 105°. One also notes the arm  38 , at the bottom of the upright  36 , which comprises a perforation  40  to accommodate the shaft  42  of the wheels  24 .  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 4 shows the farther end of the handle  26  with the hook  28 . The hook comprises a small metallic tube  56  that slides into the handle  26  and a small L-shaped plate  58  that will grip on the hatchback of a vehicle. The tube of the handle  26  is square  60  while the small tube  56  is round  62 .  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 5 shows the hook  28 . A series of holes  64  are present to adjust the length of the hook  28 . A pad  66  is placed under the small plate  58  to protect the paint of the vehicle.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 6 shows another alternative of construction of the rack  20 . In this alternative, the arms  38 —FIG. 1—are replaced with reversed U-shaped tubes  68  that are fixed on the lower part of the uprights  34  and  36  on one end. The other end of the tubes  68  accommodates the shaft  42 . There is a reinforcement bar  70  that is fixed on both parts of the handle to reinforce it. Instead of the L-shaped small plate  28 —FIG. 5—this alternative has a claw  72  that is folded under the small tube  56 . A series of holes  74  are present along the median bar  44  and allow to relocate the plates  50  on the median bar  44 . One also sees straps  76  and fastener  78  on the frame  22 .  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 7A shows the rack  20  installed on a vehicle  21 . A strap  80  goes from the claw  72  to the hinge of the hatchback of the vehicle  21 . An adapter  82  fixes the lower part of the rack  20  to the vehicle  21 .  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 7B shows the adapter  82  that has a lower part  82 , L-shaped, that is bolted on the hitch  86  of the vehicle. The other end of the lower part  82  stands upright and links with the middle of a curved cross bar  88 . At each end of the cross bar  88  is a vertical rod  89  that slides in the upright  34  and  36  of the frame  22 .  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 8A shows the assembly of the horizontal bars  52  on the frame  22 . The horizontal bar  52  is placed against the frame at the desired location. A small restraining plate  90  is placed on the other side of the vertical bar at each of the fastening locations of the frame, that is the uprights  34  and  36  and the median bar  44 . Screws  92  join the plate  90  and the horizontal bar  52 , holding it in place on the frame  22 .  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 8B shows an additional part that can be fixed to the frame to transport bicycle. This bicycle support  94  is made of two L-shaped tubes  96  connected by a cross bar  98 . It also comprises a locking bar  100  and support shoes  102 .  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 8C is an exploded view of the bicycle support  94 . The tubes  96  have holes  104  to allow screwing the support  94  to the horizontal bars  52 . The locking bar  100  slides in a slot  106  cut into the cross bar  98 . The shoe  102  slides in the tube and a detachable end  108  is inserted in the end of the tubes  96 .  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 8D shows the assembly of the bicycle support  94  to the horizontal bars  52 . The tubes  96  are screwed on the horizontal bars  52 , on each side of the median bar  44 .  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 9 shows a detail of the fastening of the rack  20  to a van-like vehicle. The uprights  34  and  36  are slid on the rods  89  of the adapter  82 . The fasteners  76  are hooked on the hitch  86 , under the bumper.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 10A is an exploded view detailing all the parts of the rack  20 .  
         [0040]    [0040]FIG. 10B shows a detail of the fastening of the rack  20  to a car with a hatchback. The wheels  24  rest on the bumper  43 . The straps  76  are hooked under the hatchback of the vehicle.  
         [0041]    Other embodiments are possible and limited only by the scope of the appended claims:  
                                                     PARTS LIST                                    20   rack   72   claw           21   vehicle   74   hole           22   frame   76   strap           24   wheel   78   fastener           26   handle   80   strap           28   hook   82   adapter           30   upper bar   84   lower part           32   lower bar   86   hitch           34   upright   88   cross bar           36   upright   89   rod           38   arm   90   restraining plate           40   perforation   92   screw           42   shaft   94   bicycle support           43   bumper   96   tube           44   median bar   98   cross bar           46   hole   100   locking bar           48   tube   102   support shoe           50   plate   104   holes           52   detachable bar   106   slot           54   hole   108   detachable ending           56   small tube           58   small plate           60   square tube           62   round tube           64   hole           66   pad           68   U-shaped tube           70   reinforcement bar