Abstract:
A method and arrangement for securing a wheel to a load bar of a load carrier attached to a carrying vehicle includes a mounting assembly secured to a load bar of the load carrier. A wheel support assembly is pivotally connected to the mounting assembly such that the wheel assembly can be raised and lowered as needed. The wheel support assembly includes a pair of support bars configured for receiving a wheel therebetween. The support bars maintain a substantial parallel relationship with respect to one another and each includes an angled slot for receiving opposite ends of an axle of a wheel therein. Pivoting of the wheel assembly may be arrested by means of a gripping assembly.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The present application is a continuation application of U.S. Application No. Ser. No. 11/159,131 filed Jun. 23, 2005 which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 60/522,056 filed Aug. 7, 2004 and 60/582,383 filed June  23 ,  2004 . Said applications are expressly incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for securing articles to a vehicle load carrier, and more specifically, to an apparatus for retaining bicycle components, to vehicle load carriers.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Vehicle mounted sports equipment racks are known for carrying equipment such as bicycles, skis, surfboards, canoes, kayaks, etc., and their associated equipment. Suitable vehicle mounting points for sports equipment racks typically include the rearward side or the roof of a vehicle.  
         [0004]     For sports such as bicycling, there can be need to transport more than one bicycle, or bicycle components such as extra wheels. Rack structures that support bicycles and their related components are available and known devices have assemblies for securing entire bicycles, bicycle frames or wheels to the load bars of roof racks.  
         [0005]     Wheel supports for securing a single wheel upon a roof rack are known and may be referred to as wheel supports or wheel forks. Known devices of this type typically have U-shaped brackets having a base in the form of a U attached to a load bar of a load carrier with the two arms of the U-shaped assembly extending vertically above the load carrier. The terminal ends of the two arms, opposite the attached base of the U, each typically include straight shallow slots for receiving an end of an axle of a bicycle wheel. Typically, after disposing the ends of a wheel axle in the shallow slots, the wheel is then secured upon the wheel holder by tightening the wheel nuts or quick release axle clamps. However, due to vibration during operation of a vehicle, it is possible for the wheel nuts or axle clamps to gradually release, which can cause the wheel to become loose from its support during transport. A loose wheel may not only result loss or damage to the wheel or transporting vehicle, but can present a serious safety hazard as the wheel may become separated from the roof rack during transport.  
         [0006]     In view of the above, there is a need to address these and other deficiencies of known devices.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention provides an apparatus, also referred to as a sports equipment rack, for securely attaching a wheel, such as a spare bicycle wheel, to a vehicle-top load carrier As described herein, the present invention addresses the deficiencies as described above with respect to known wheel supports.  
         [0008]     An apparatus according to the present invention is configured to securely fasten a wheel to a vehicle sports equipment rack. The apparatus broadly includes a mounting plate for a wheel support that is generally U-shaped. The mounting plate includes a hinged portion. First and second elongate support bars extend parallelly outward from the hinged portion and provide serve as supports for a wheel. The terminal ends of the wheel support bars, opposite the hinged portion, comprise slots for receiving the ends of an axle of a wheel therein. Each slot is angled and is preferably sized to be slightly greater than the axle diameter of a wheel that will be mounted in the wheel support for transporting. When not in use, the wheel support may be rotated about the hinged portion for substantially flat storage proximate the roof of the vehicle. In preparation for loading a wheel, rotation of the wheel support about the hinge portion can place it at a desired orientation, which is typically close to vertical. The wheel support includes a gripper assembly, which applies a frictional force to set and maintain the required angle and restrict rotational movement of the wheel support.  
         [0009]     One benefit and distinguishing feature of the present invention when compared to existing wheel supports is that the angled slot effectively retains a wheel even if the axle clamps or wheel nuts are released inadvertently. An angled slot according to the present invention impedes movement of the wheel axle in the slot to thereby reduce the incidence of separation of a wheel from the roof rack during transportation.  
         [0010]     More particularly, the present invention provides an article for securing an object to a load carrier attached to a vehicle. The article comprises (includes, but is not limited to) at least a first support bar having a side surface, a proximate end and a distal end having a first angled slot formed therein to open to the side surface, the angled slot is configured to receive the object therein to secure the object to the load carrier.  
         [0011]     The present invention includes an apparatus for securing a wheel to a vehicle load carrier having a load bar. The apparatus includes a mounting plate held against the load carrier. A wheel support is coupled to the mounting plate by a pivoting connection that includes a shaft. The wheel support comprises a first support bar having a side surface, a proximate end and a distal end having a first angled slot formed therein open to the side surface, the angled slot is dimensioned for mounting the wheel to the load carrier. The wheel support further includes a second support bar substantially parallel to the first support bar. The second support bar has a side surface, a proximate end and a distal end having a second angled slot formed therein open to the side surface, the second angled slot is dimensioned in common with the first angled slot. Also, the wheel support comprises a sleeve including an open channel, a first end joined to the proximate end of the first support bar, and a second end joined to the proximate end of the second support bar. The shaft of the pivoting connection, received in the open channel of the sleeve, provides the pivoting connection to allow rotation of the wheel support relative to the mounting plate. The wheel support includes a gripper to interact with the pivoting connection to restrict rotation of the wheel support so that the wheel support extends outwardly of the surface of the vehicle for inserting axle ends of the wheel into the first angled slot and the second angled slot to suspend the wheel between the first support bar and the second support bar.  
         [0012]     A method for securing a wheel to a load carrier having a load bar attached to the surface of a vehicle comprises providing an apparatus including a mounting plate held against the load carrier and having a wheel support coupled to the mounting plate by a pivoting connection. The apparatus includes a wheel support comprising a first support bar having a side surface, a proximate end and a distal end having a first angled slot formed therein open to the side surface. The angled slot is dimensioned for mounting the wheel to the load carrier. A second support bar, substantially parallel to the first support bar, has a side surface, a proximate end and a distal end having a second angled slot formed therein open to the side surface, the second angled slot is dimensioned in common with the first angled slot. The wheel support also includes a sleeve having an open channel, a first end joined to the proximate end of the first support bar, and a second end joined to the proximate end of the second support bar. The shaft of the pivoting connection is received in the open channel thereby allowing rotation of the wheel support relative to the mounting plate. Activating a gripper interacting with the pivoting connection restricts rotation of the wheel support so that the wheel support extends outwardly of the surface of the vehicle. Inserting axle ends of a wheel into the first angled slot and the second angled slot suspends the wheel between the first support bar and the second support bar. Tightening axle clamps secures the wheel to the wheel support and to the load carrier. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     The invention will now be described in greater detail in the following, by way of example only and with reference to the attached drawings, in which:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a side elevational view showing a support according to the present invention for retaining a wheel upon a vehicle load carrier;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a wheel support according to the present invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a side elevational view of a wheel support according to the present invention, which illustrates the wheel support in a substantially lowered position;  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of a wheel support according to the present invention, which illustrates the wheel support in a substantially raised position; and  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a side elevational view showing use of wheel support slots to receive the axle of a wheel to secure a wheel to a vehicle load carrier.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0019]     As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of particular components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention.  
         [0020]     Referring to the figures, wherein like numbers refer to like parts throughout the several views,  FIG. 1  is a side elevational view illustrating wheel  10  secured to roof mounted apparatus  12 , also referred to herein as a sports equipment rack, attached to vehicle  14 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  illustrates an assembly according to the present invention for securely fastening of wheel  10  to sports equipment rack  12  of vehicle  14 . The assembly includes mounting plate  20  and wheel support  22  that has pivoting connection  24  to mounting plate  20 .  
         [0022]     Wheel support  22  according to the present invention is a generally U-shaped structure and included sleeve  26 , having first support bar  28  attached to one end, and second support bar  30  attached to the other. First support bar  28  and second support bar  30  extend outwardly of sleeve  26  and maintain substantial parallel relationship to each other.  
         [0023]     Sleeve  26  is configured to rotate about a shaft (not shown) secured between projections  32 ,  34 . Projections  32 ,  34  are secured to mounting plate  20  so that the support bars  28 ,  30  may pivot about the mounting plate  20 . This configuration provides a hinged connection between wheel support  22  and mounting plate  20 . Gripper  36  abuts the outside surface of one of projections  32 ,  34  and has a threaded connection to an end of the shaft. Rotation of gripper  36  tightens sleeve  26  between projections  32 ,  34  to thereby restrict movement of sleeve  26 , which arrests rotational movement of wheel support  22  with respect to mounting plate  20 . Pad  38 , attached to the outside of sleeve  26  between support bars  28 ,  30  provides a layer of frictional material to cushion the surface of the tire of a bicycle wheel inserted in wheel support  22 . When the surface of the tire contacts friction pad  38 , wheel  10  becomes substantially immobilized and does not rotate about its axle during transport.  
         [0024]     The ends of support bars  28 ,  30 , opposite the ends connected to sleeve  26 , each have an angled slot formed therein. First angled slot  40 , formed at the end of first support bar  28 , is substantially identical to second angled slot  42 , formed at the end of second support bar  30 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , angled slots  40 ,  42  each open to identical sides of support bars  28 ,  30  to provide first entry  44  of first angled slot  40  and second entry  46  of second angled slot  42 . It should be appreciated that the slots  40 ,  42  are referred to as angled because they are usually offset from horizontal and vertical when in a use position such as shown in  FIG. 2 , but they may be oriented parallel to a longitudinal axis of the containing support bar which is exemplified in the several figures.  
         [0025]      FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate rotation of wheel support  22  relative to mounting plate  20 . As indicated above, gripper  36  may be rotated towards projection  34 , as indicated by arrow A, to tighten or relax pivoting connection  24  to set wheel support  22  at a desired angle. Pivoting connection  24  conveniently allows wheel support  22  to be disposed towards the roof of carrying vehicle  14 , when not in use, and disposed above the roof of vehicle  14 , and substantially perpendicular therewith, when needed.  
         [0026]      FIG. 4  illustrates rotational movement of wheel support  22 , from the substantially horizontal position shown in  FIG. 3 , to the substantially vertically position illustrated in phantom in  FIG. 4 , along the path referenced by arrow B. To vertically position wheel support  22  as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , gripper  36  is actuated to release pivoting connection  24 , for example by turning gripper  36  in a counter-clockwise direction. Thereafter, after wheel support  22  has been rotated to a substantially vertical position, gripper  36  may be turned in an opposite, clockwise direction, to retain wheel support  22  in its vertical position.  
         [0027]      FIG. 5  is a side elevational view illustrating positioning of wheel  10  between support bars  28 ,  30  of wheel support  22  so that opposite ends of wheel axle  50  may be aligned with entry portions  44 ,  46  of first angled slot  40  and second angled slot  42  formed in first support bar  28  and second support bar  30 , respectively. A method of attaching wheel  10  to wheel support  22  includes inserting wheel  10  between support bars  28 ,  30 , in the direction of arrow C until opposing ends of wheel axle  50  each engage and reside in one of entries  44 ,  46  of angled slots  40 ,  42 . Further movement of the axle ends in the direction of angled slots  40 ,  42  causes wheel  10  to drop downward as the axle ends follow the straight portion of each slot  40 ,  42 . Wheel  10  is, thus, caused to drop down into slots  40 ,  42  until tire  52  rests upon friction pad  38 , attached to sleeve portion  26  of wheel support  22 . The slots  40 ,  42  have a length which allows wheels of different sizes to be accommodated by the wheel support  22 . With tire  52  seated against friction pad  38 , axle clamps  54  may be actuated to secure wheel  10  in slots  40 ,  42 . The friction pad  38  acts to prevent the wheel  10  from rotating by providing a friction surface in contact with the tire  52 . As noted above, the adjustment of the slots  40 ,  42  act in conjunction with the friction pad  38  to accommodate wheels and tires of different dimensions.  
         [0028]     The use of angled slots  40 ,  42  effectively retains wheel  10  within wheel support even in the event axle clamps  54  inadvertently release. Comparison with conventional wheel supports reveals that angled slots  40 ,  42  according to the present invention are longer and are more capable of retaining wheels  10  within wheel supports. Additionally, angled entries  44 ,  46  which are hooked at the ends of support bars  28 ,  30 , tend to impede the movement of axle  50  as it approaches the open end of angled slots  40 ,  42 . Consequently, it is believed that the use of longer slots  40 ,  42  combined with angled entries  44 ,  46 , substantially reduce the possibility of wheel  10  separation during transport.  
         [0029]     It is preferred, during transportation of sports cycles and related equipment, to protect the cycles and a vehicle from damage, such as dents and scratches. For this reason, materials selected to fabricate an apparatus according to the present invention include those having structural rigidity to support secured items combined with cushioning characteristics that will reduce the possibility of appearance marring damage. Suitable materials include metals and relatively rigid rubbers and plastics. As needed, these materials may be provided with softer covers for added protection over components that could have sharp projections.  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  illustrates clamp  60  securing mounting plate  20  to load bar  58  of an apparatus such as a sports equipment rack. Load bar  58  is secured between mounting plate  20  and clamp  60  by inserting fasteners, e.g., bolts  62  through each of several throughbores  64  in mounting plate  20  and through openings  66  at each end of clamp  60 . The application of nut  68  to each of bolts  62  passing through opposing openings  66  in each clamp  60  provides connection assembly  70  connecting clamp  60  to mounting plate  20 . Tightening nuts  68  to bolts  62  increases the gripping force between each clamp  60  and mounting plate  20  to firmly attach wheel support  22  to load bar  58 . Preferably, mounting plate  20  includes four holes  64  requiring two clamps  60  and two connection assemblies  70  for firm attachment to load bar  58 . Connection assemblies  70  according to the present invention may be used to attach wheel supports  22  to load bars that may vary in cross sectional appearance, e.g., load bars comprising arcuate, circular and oval cross sections, etc., or combinations thereof.  
         [0031]     A wheel support according to the present invention and an apparatus securing wheels to a load carrier of a transporting vehicle and related components have been described herein. These and other variations, which will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, are within the intended scope of this invention as claimed below. As previously stated, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various forms.