Abstract:
A stand for a bicycle having a wheel, which stand holds the bicycle in an upright position of use on a horizontal surface. The stand comprises a trough having an upwardly open receptacle which is dimensioned and configured to receive the wheel in close cooperation therewith. One or more feet may be manually coupled to the trough to project laterally therefrom to steady the trough on the horizontal surface. The feet may slide fit to the trough, fasten by threaded fasteners, or may fold for stowage within the trough and swing out into a deployed position. The trough may include a storage compartment for bicycle tools and repair materials.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of the filing date under 35 USC 120 of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 13/324,292, filed Dec. 13, 2011, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to stands for supporting bicycles in an upright position on a flat horizontal surface. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Bicycles must frequently be transported from one location to another, and when not in use, appropriately supported so that they do not lie on the horizontal surface, or fall down. Also, it may be desirable to support a bicycle in an upright position of use without requiring hand grip, as may for example be necessary for repair and maintenance work. 
         [0004]    Bicycles are frequently provided with so-called kick stands, which typically comprise a prop leg which is mounted on the bicycle and can be swung between a stowed position and a deployed position. Racks have been proposed for supporting groups of bicycles en masse in public places. While these devices generally serve their purposes, it is desirable to better support bicycles, which may be quite expensive. Because an owner of a bicycle cannot depend on a suitable bicycle stand or rack being available when and where the owner may want, it is desirable to provide a suitable stand or support which is portable, compact, and which securely holds a bicycle. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention provides a secure, compact stand for bicycles which supports the bicycle in the upright position. The stand rests directly on a suitable flat horizontal surface, such as the ground or the floor of a building. The stand may be ganged to support a group of bicycles. 
         [0006]    The novel stand comprises a trough configured to receive the wheel of a bicycle in close cooperation therewith. Preferably, the trough is configured to receive a wheel having an inflated tire installed thereon, although the trough may be configured to receive a wheel in the absence of a tire if desired. For brevity, the present invention will refer to wheels of bicycles with the understanding that the wheel may or may not have a tire installed thereon. The trough is provided with feet to assure that the bicycle be retained therein and oppose spontaneous tumbling of the bicycle from the supported position. The feet may be manually detachable and installed. 
         [0007]    According to one implementation of the invention, a trough may be provided in a size accommodating a relatively large tire. Adapting liners may be provided which may be manually inserted into and removed from the receptacle of the trough, which adapating liners may have the effect of reducing the receptacle so as to cooperate closely with a wheel of dimensions less than that of the large tire. 
         [0008]    It is an object of the invention to provide a self-supporting stand for holding a bicycle in an upright position. 
         [0009]    Another object of the invention is that the stand be compact for stowage and transport. 
         [0010]    It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof by apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable, and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes. 
         [0011]    These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    Various objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1A  is a side view of a bicycle wheel held within a stand according to at least one aspect of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 1B  is an enlarged perspective view showing the stand of  FIG. 1  in cross section. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the stand of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a component of the stand of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the component of  FIG. 3 , showing an early stage of folding for stowage. 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the component of  FIG. 4 , showing a final stage of folding for stowage. 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the stand of  FIG. 2 , with the component shown fully folded and in a stowage position. 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged side detail view of the right side of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is an end view of the right side of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of another stand for a bicycle, according to at least one further aspect of the invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  is a perspective detail view of part of another stand for a bicycle, according to at least one further aspect of the invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of an optional adapting liner. 
           [0025]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention with a plurality of troughs. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]    Referring first to  FIG. 1A , according to at least one aspect of the invention, a stand  100  is shown supported on a horizontal surface  2 , for the purpose of holding a first wheel  4  mounted on a bicycle (not shown in its entirety) in an upright position when the bicycle is not in use. It should be noted at this point that orientational terms such as upright refer to the subject drawing as viewed by an observer. The drawing figures depict their subject matter in orientations of normal use, which could obviously change with changes in posture and position of a user or a bicycle. Therefore, orientational terms must be understood to provide semantic basis for purposes of description, and do not limit the invention or its component parts in any particular way. 
         [0027]    The nature of the stand  100  is better understood when examining  FIG. 2 . The stand  100  is seen to comprise a trough  102  defining a primary receptacle  104 . The primary receptacle  104  is upwardly open, and is preferably dimensioned and configured to receive the wheel  4  by lowering the wheel  4  into the primary receptacle  104  from above when the stand  100  is in the position of use depicted in  FIG. 1A . 
         [0028]    The stand comprises a plurality of stabilizing feet  106 ,  108  each of which is manually movable to a stowed position and a deployed position relative to the trough  102 . The deployed position is illustrated in  FIGS. 1A and 2 . In the deployed position, each stabilizing foot  106  or  108  is fixed to and projects laterally from the trough  102  in a direction generally parallel to the axle  6  of the first wheel  4 , as shown in  FIGS. 1A and 2 . 
         [0029]    In the implementation of  FIG. 2 , the feet  106 ,  108  are each part of two folding foot assemblies represented by the folding foot assembly  110 , which enable each foot  106  or  108  to fold into and be stowed within the primary receptacle  104  of the trough  102 . 
         [0030]    The nature of the folding foot assembly  110  is explained with reference to  FIGS. 3-6 .  FIG. 2  shows the folding foot assemblies in the deployed position, wherein the feet  106 ,  108  project laterally from the trough  102  so as to stabilize the stand  100  against spontaneous tumbling or falling of bicycles from the position they would assume with a wheel supported as seen in  FIG. 1A . The folding foot assembly  110  may comprise two feet  106 ,  112  held together by a hinge  114 . The larges faces  116 ,  118  of the respective feet  106 ,  112  are held facing one another in close proximity in the stowed position depicted in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , and to fold open to occupy a common plane, as seen in  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 4  depicts an intermediate stage of folding, wherein the feet  106 ,  112  pivot about the axis  120  of the hinge  114 . The folding foot assembly  110  further comprises an axle  122  pivotally mounted to the trough  102 . The axle  122  is disposed to pivot about its pivot axis  124  between the stowed position shown in  FIG. 6 , wherein the feet  106 ,  112  are contained at least partially within the primary receptacle  104  of the trough  102 , and the deployed position of  FIGS. 2 and 3 , wherein the feet  106 ,  112  are external to the trough  102 . 
         [0031]    In summary, the feet  106 ,  112  may be moved from the stowed position seen in  FIG. 6  to the deployed position of  FIGS. 2 and 3  in the following way. First, the feet  106 ,  112  may be swung downwardly from their position partially occupying the receptacle  104 , as seen in  FIG. 6 , by pivoting the feet  106 ,  112  about the axis  124  of the axle  122 . Pivoting motion is indicated in  FIG. 2  by an arrow  130 . Once free of constraint due to the outer walls  126 ,  128  of the trough  102 , the feet  106 ,  112  may be swung out of the parallel position seen in  FIG. 5  to a spread position seen in  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 4  shows an intermediate position of pivot, with each foot  106  or  112  being pivoted as indicated by respective arrows  132 ,  134 . Once the feet  106 ,  112  are fully spread apart as seen in  FIG. 3 , they may be simultaneously pivoted upwardly about the axis  124  until their respective large faces  116 ,  118  contact the bottom of the trough  102 , as seen in  FIG. 2 . The stand  100  is now stabilized. 
         [0032]    Any stand according to the present invention may comprise a storage compartment  136 , which for purposes of illustration may be formed in the trough  102  of the stand  100 . That portion of the trough  102  to the right of the bottom of the receptacle  104  may be hollow to define the storage compartment  136 . The storage compartment  136  may open to the exterior of the trough  102  without communicating with the receptacle  104 , and thus provides a storage space which avoids intruding upon the primary receptacle  104  of the trough  102 . The storage compartment is also seen in  FIG. 1B . 
         [0033]    Referring also to  FIG. 8 , the storage compartment  136  may comprise an openable closure  138 , which openable closure may take the form of a flexible web  140  which removably engages the trough  102 . The trough  102  may comprise a hook  142  disposed on the trough  102  in a location wherein the openable closure  138  may engage and be retained to the hook. Engagement is seen in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0034]    The trough  102  may be provided with a plurality of snap fasteners  144 ,  146  on the sides thereof, as seen in  FIG. 7 , to engage and retain the openable closure  138 . The web  140  may be drawn tightly over the end of the trough  102  so that it slightly overlaps the sides of the trough  102 . Complementing snap fasteners  148 ,  150  may be snap fit to the snap fasteners  144 ,  146  when appropriately overlying the same. The snap fasteners  144 ,  146 ,  148 ,  150  are shown on one side of the trough  102 . A similar arrangement (not shown) may be provided in mirror image orientation on the opposing side of the trough  102  if desired. 
         [0035]      FIG. 9  shows an alternative to the folding feet  106 ,  112  of  FIGS. 1A and 2 . In  FIG. 9 , a stand  200  may comprise a trough  202  defining a primary receptacle  104 . The primary receptacle  204  is upwardly open, and is preferably dimensioned and configured to receive the wheel  4  by lowering the wheel  4  into the primary receptacle  204  from above when the stand  200  is in a the position of use such as that depicted in  FIG. 1A . The stand  200  may have feet  206 ,  208  each secured to the trough  202  by a threaded fastener arrangement disposed to hold the stabilizing feet  206 ,  208  in a deployed position such as that shown in  FIGS. 1A and 2 . The threaded fastener arrangement may include threaded fasteners such as wing nuts  210 ,  212 . The foot  208  may be similarly provided as the foot  206 . Preferably, the trough  202  is provided with threaded holes (not shown) corresponding to the threading of the shafts of the wing nuts  210 ,  212 . Also, the feet  206 ,  208  may bear preformed holes (not shown) to pass the shafts of the wing nuts  210 ,  212 . The wing nuts  210 , 212  may be manually tightened and loosened for installation and removal of the feet  206 ,  208 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 10  shows a further alternative to the folding feet  106 ,  112  of  FIGS. 1A and 2 . In  FIG. 10 , a stand  300  (not shown in its entirety) may comprise a trough  302  defining a primary receptacle  304 . The primary receptacle  304  is upwardly open, and is preferably dimensioned and configured to receive the wheel  4  by lowering the wheel  4  into the primary receptacle  304  from above when the stand  300  is in the position of use such as that depicted in  FIG. 1A . The stand  300  may have a channel  310  which is dimensioned and configured to receive a foot  306  by slide fit as the foot  306  is moved into the deployed position. Of course, the foot  306  is configured and dimensioned to be received in close fit by the channel  310 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 11  shows an optional feature of the invention. A stand  400  may comprise a trough  402  defining a primary receptacle  404 . The primary receptacle  404  is upwardly open, and is preferably dimensioned and configured to receive the wheel  4  by lowering the wheel  4  into the primary receptacle  404  from above when the stand  400  is in the position of use such as that depicted in  FIG. 1A . The stand  400  may have feet (not shown) of any suitable type, such as those shown and described herein. The salient feature of the stand  400  is not feet, but rather an adapting liner  406  which is dimensioned and configured to be received in close cooperation within the primary receptacle  404  of the trough  400 . The adapting liner  406  in turn comprises a secondary receptacle  408  of dimensions smaller than those of the primary receptacle  404  of the trough  402 . The secondary receptacle  408  is dimensioned and configured to receive a second wheel (not shown) in close cooperation therewith. The second wheel may be generally similar to the first wheel  4  of  FIG. 1A , but is of tire width less than that of the first wheel  4 . This feature enables the stand  400  to accommodate wheels such as the wheel  4  of different nominal widths and purposes. Thus the stand  400 , or any stand provided with a feature comparable to the adapting liner  406 , may be used interchangeably with racing bicycles, road bicycles, and mountain bicycles, for example, by utilizing an appropriate adapting liner such as the adapting liner  406 . 
         [0038]    The adapting liner  406  may be of external dimensions and configuration so as to be tightly and closely received within the receptacle  404  (this option is not shown). As an alternative, the external dimensions and configuration of the adapting liner  406  may be sufficiently smaller than the corresponding surface of the receptacle  404  so that a gap exists between the two. In the case of such an occurrence, the stand  400  may be provided with at least one, and if desired a plurality of adapters  410 ,  412 ,  414 ,  416  each which is dimensioned and configured to fill such a gap. 
         [0039]      FIG. 12  shows a stand  500  for a plurality of bicycles (not shown). Each of the bicycles has at least one first wheel mounted thereon, such as the wheel  4  of  FIG. 1B . The stand  500  comprising a plurality of troughs such as troughs  502 A,  502 B,  502 C. Each trough  502 A,  502 B,  502 C has a respective primary receptacle  504 A,  504 B, or  504 C. which is dimensioned and configured to receive one wheel of one bicycle in close cooperation therewith. The stand  500  comprises a base  506  disposed to connect the troughs  502 A,  502 B,  502 C together in a deployed position such as that seen in  FIG. 1A , such that the primary receptacles  504 A,  504 B,  504 C of the troughs  502 A,  502 B,  502 C all open upwardly when the troughs  502 A,  502 B,  502 C are placed on a horizontal surface such as the horizontal surface  2 . The troughs  502 A,  502 B,  502 C are stabilized against spontaneous tumbling of bicycles supported by placing one first wheel of each bicycle in one primary receptacle  504 A,  504 B,  504 C of their respective troughs  502 A,  502 B,  502 C. The base  506  may comprise a closed loop of tubes which engages channels  508 A,  508 B,  508 C formed in the bottom surfaces of the troughs  502 A,  502 B,  502 C. Engagement of the channels  508 A,  508 B,  508 C may be frictional, or alternatively, may comprise a threaded fastener (not shown) or other fastener for reinforcing securement of the troughs  502 A,  502 B,  502 C. Preferably, connection using friction or a fastener enables manual attachment to and removal of the base  506  from the troughs  502 A,  502 B,  502 C. As seen, the base  506  may connect the troughs  502 A,  502 B,  502 C together such that the troughs  502 A,  502 B,  502 C are disposed abreast of and parallel to one another. Connection may rely upon a threaded fastener arrangement similar to that seen in  FIG. 9  for example. 
         [0040]    While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to the disclosed arrangements, but is intended to cover various arrangements which are included within the spirit and scope of the broadest possible interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all modifications and equivalent arrangements which are possible