Abstract:
A holding unit for articles to be carried on an all terrain vehicle, or the like, comprising a mounting base adapted to be secured to various surfaces and components of the vehicle and extending downwardly from a support arm adjustably positioned and securely fixed and at least one article holder having stacked cradles to receive articles to be held in a stacked arrangement.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to holders for articles and is primarily intended for use on all-terrain (ATV) vehicles including, but not limited to, off-highway wheeled vehicles, bicycles and motorcycles and off-highway tracked vehicles, such as snowmobiles. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Objects of the Invention 
     Principal objects of the present invention are to provide a holder for articles having a base assembly that is readily mounted on and secured to a flat body; a carrying rack surface; or to tubular members, such as are commonly found as handle bars and/or carrying racks on all-terrain vehicles. It is also an object to provide an article holder that is readily secured to the base assembly and a base assembly that is easily mounted to tubular members of different sizes and shapes. 
     Other objects are to provide an article holder that can be structurally arranged to support a number of articles in a stacked arrangement and multiple stacked articles in side-by-side arrangements. 
     Still other objects are to provide an article holder usable in aligned pairs to hold articles in both stacked and side-by-side relationships. 
     Other objects are to provide an article holder that when used in pairs will securely hold elongate articles having varying sizes and shapes. Further objects are to provide an article holder that will cushion a secured article and will allow for quick, easy retrieval of the article from the article holder. 
     FEATURES OF THE INVENTION 
     A support arm is adjustably connected to a mounting base and can be readily positioned to allow for positioning of one or more article holders in a “best” position to hold articles on an all terrain vehicle (ATV). Each article holder is positioned on the support arm and includes stacked cradles that will receive and hold different sizes and types of articles in a stacked relationship. 
     Each article holder has a bottom cradle to securely hold articles having a small cross-sectional area and an upper cradle that will receive larger articles and will securely hold articles having larger cross-sectional configurations and with both the bottom cradle and the upper cradle securely gripping articles placed therein and securely holding them until such articles are retrieved by a user. 
     More than one multiple cradle article holder can be mounted on the support arm to allow articles to be held in a side-by-side relationship. It will become apparent that more than two stacked cradles can be formed as part of a single article holder. 
     Each article holder has an interior skeleton construction that is formed to have arms that will extend upwardly and outwardly from a bottom connecting yoke The skeleton is made from a strong durable, but somewhat flexible plastic material that includes thicker, less resilient lower arm portions and thinner more flexible upper arm portions, terminating in outwardly extending enlarged upper ends. 
     A resilient, softer plastic type outer coating is formed over the arms and yoke of the skeleton. The outer coating serves to better grip articles placed in the article holder and to cushion the articles during travel of the vehicle to which the article holder is secured. 
     The outer coating, inside the arms, also is formed to provide walls for the stacked cradles of the article holder. The walls include closed, large air cells with opposed article engaging inner surfaces at each side of each stacked cradle. A detent at the top of each inner surface flexes to allow insertion of an article into the cradle and then holds the article from being removed from the cradle until a sufficient lifting force is applied by a user to again allow the detent to flex and the article to be removed. 
     Parallel, spaced apart rows of ribs may be formed on the upper, inner surfaces of the cradle to better engage and frictionally hold inserted articles Additional spaced rows of ribs or flexible fingers may also be provided on the walls of the air cells remote from the inner surfaces of the cradles at each side of each stacked cradle to provide a further biasing force that better holds the inner surface of the cradle against a large article that is placed in the cradle and that expands the cradle to near full size. 
     Smaller interior lower air cells may be provided within the larger air cells to provide additional cushioning effect for articles placed in the stacked cradles. 
     Additional objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following drawings and detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE INVENTION 
       In the Drawings 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a pair of holder units of the invention mounted on a rack located on a hood of an all terrain vehicle (ATV), shown fragmentarily, and with the article holders of the units securing a long gun in a soft case; 
         FIG. 2 , a similar view, but showing an archery bow, and with limbs, of the bow secured in article holders; 
         FIG. 3 , a view like that of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , but showing a bow secured in lower receiving cradles and a long gun in a soft case secured in upper receiving cradles of the article holders; 
         FIG. 4 , an exploded perspective view of the embodiment of holder unit shown in  FIGS. 1-3 ;  5 - 9 , and  11 ; 
         FIG. 5 , a front perspective view of a single holder unit of the invention; 
         FIG. 6 , a similar view taken from beneath; 
         FIG. 7 , a top plan view; 
         FIG. 8 , a side elevation view; 
         FIG. 9 , a vertical section, taken on the line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 10A , a vertical section taken on the line  10 A- 10 A of  FIG. 7  and showing the mounting base arranged to fit on a smaller diameter cylindrical member; 
         FIG. 10B , a view like that of  FIG. 10A  but showing the mounting base arranged to fit on a larger diameter cylindrical member; 
         FIG. 11 , a perspective view showing a pair of holder units of the invention mounted on a motorcycle handlebar; 
         FIG. 12 , a front elevation view of another embodiment of holder unit; 
         FIG. 13 , a side elevation view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 12 ; 
         FIG. 14 , a top plan view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 12 ; 
         FIG. 15 , an enlarged vertical section taken on the line  15 - 15  of  FIG. 13 ; and 
         FIG. 16 , an exploded perspective view showing a pair of holder units with article holders mounted side-by-side on a mounting base and with a typical resilient band to be used with each article holder. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring Now to the Drawings 
     In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a holding unit for articles to be carried on an ATV, or the like, is shown generally at  20 . The holding unit includes a mounting base, shown generally at  22 ; a support arm, shown generally at  24 ; a clamping assembly, shown generally at  26 ; and an article holder, shown generally at  28 . 
     Mounting base  22  comprises a platform  30  with a hole  32  through the platform at each of four corners thereof. A raised rack  34  is formed across the top of platform  30  between pairs of holes  32 . Parallel rows of teeth  36  extend across the rack  34 . 
     A slot  40  is formed lengthwise through the rack and teeth  36 . A bore hole  42  is formed through the raised rack  34  and slot  40  slot and a nut  44  is embedded in the rack to receive a shank  46  of a bolt  48  that is inserted through the bore hole to be threaded into a nut  44 . 
     Before being passed through bore hole  42  the bolt shank  46  is passed through a slot  50  formed longitudinally through the elongate support arm  24 . The support arm  24  has a top surface  52  with an article holder receiver  54  formed in one end of the arm  24  A bottom surface  56  of the arm  24  has parallel rows of teeth  58  that will mesh with the teeth  36  of rack  34 . The article holder receiver  54  is generally bowl shaped and has a central hole  60  extending through the bottom  62  thereof. A ring of teeth  64  surround the hole  60  at the bottom of the bowl, inside the receiver  54 . 
     An insert member  70  projects downwardly from the center of a yoke  72  that connects the bottom of a pair of article holder arms  74  and  76 . The insert member  70  is shaped to conform to the interior shape of the receiver  54  and has a ring of teeth  78  that mesh with teeth  64  when the insert member  70  is positioned in the receiver  54 . Insert member  70  may be removed from receiver  54  and turned to change the relationship of the insert member to the arm  24 . A bolt  80  has a head  82  embedded in the insert member and a shank  84  of the bolt is inserted through hole  60 . A nut  86  is threaded onto the shank  84  to secure the article holder  28  to the support arm  24 . 
     Yoke  72  is integral with and connects the bottom end  88  and  90  of outwardly flared and upwardly extending skeleton arms  92  and  94 , respectively. The yoke  72  and arms  92  and  94  all form a skeleton  100  made of a hard, but somewhat resilient, plastic, or the like. The skeleton arms  92  and  94  are made thicker and less resilient at lower ends  102  and  104  where they connect to yoke  72 . The arms  92  and  94  are less thick intermediate their lengths and therefore are more resilient in the intermediate lengths than in their lower ends. Arms  92  and  94  are thinner and therefore most resilient at their upper ends. At their top ends, arms  92  and  94  respectively, are formed to have loops  96  and  98  that are cantilevered in opposite directions from the arms. 
     A resilient, softer plastic, or the like, outer coating, shown generally at  110  is formed over the arms  92  and  94  and yoke  72 . The outer coating provides for better gripping and cushioning of articles placed in stacked cradles  112  and  114  of the article holder  28 . The outer coating  110  inside the walls is also formed to provide walls for the stacked cradles  112  and  114  of the article holder  28 . The walls include closed large air cells  116  with opposed article engaging inner surfaces  118  at opposite sides of each stacked cradle  112  and  114 . Opposed detents  120  at the top of each inner surface  118  flex to allow insertion of articles into the cradles  112  and  114 . The detents close against and over inserted articles and secure the articles until they are forcefully removed by a user. 
     Parallel spaced rows of ribs  122  on the upper, inner surfaces  124  of the cradles additionally engage and frictionally secure inserted articles in the stacked cradles  112  and  114 . Other spaced rows ribs  126  and/or flexible fingers  128  project from the walls  130  of the large air cells  116  that are remote from the inner surfaces  124  of the cradles. The ribs  126  and/or flexible fingers  128  provide a further biasing force to hold the inner surface  124  of a cradle against large articles inserted into the cradle that expand the cradle until the other spaced ribs and fingers are contacted by the inner surface of the cradle. 
     Smaller interior cells  132  in lower portions of the large air cells  116  provide additional cushioning for articles fully inserted to the depths of the cradles and provide a lifting force to facilitate article removal by a user. 
     Outer coating  110  also has formed, down-turned hooks  140  spaced along the exterior surfaces of the article holder arms. The hooks allow one or more resilient band  142 , having pull tab  144  thereon ( FIG. 16 ) to be placed with one end under a hook  140  on one article holder arm  74  or  76  and to be stretched over the article holder arms and any article positioned in such arms and then beneath a hook on the other article holder arm  74  or  76 . Separate resilient bands  142  can be used for separate articles secured in the stacked cradles of an article holder  28 . 
     Eyelets  146  are formed integral with and project from the yoke  72 , with one eyelet provided at the base of each article holder arm  74  and  76 . Conventional resilient cords having hooks on the opposite ends thereof (not shown), can, like the resilient bands  142 , be used to securely hold articles in the stacked cradles  112  and  114 . While such cords can be used in a variety of ways it is most common to place one end hook through one eyelet  146  at the bottom of one article holder arm  74  or  76 , stretch the cord over an article resting in a stacked cradle  112  or  114  and to insert the hook at the other end of the cord through the other eyelet  146  at the bottom of the other article holding arm  74  or  76 , 
     A pair of holding units  20  are generally used to secure elongate articles to an ATV  150 , or the like. Each holding unit may be secured to the vehicle  150  by inserting bolts  152  downwardly through the holes  32  of mounting base  22  and through holes (not shown) in a platform surface of the vehicle (not shown) to have securement nuts (not shown) threaded thereon to hold the mounting base in position. More often, as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , a V-notch  154  in the bottom of the mounting base  22  is positioned on a tubular member  156  of a carrier rack  158  mounted on the vehicle  150 . The bolts  152  are then positioned to straddle a tubular member  154  of a rack  156  mounted on the vehicle. Two bolts  152  are positioned at each side of the tubular member. A clamping plate  158  has a V-notch  160  on one surface and the V-notch  160  is positioned beneath and against the tubular member  154 . Bolts  152  are inserted through holes  162  in the clamping plate and nuts  164  are threaded onto the ends of the bolts to secure the holding unit  20  to the rack  156 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a long gun (not shown) inside a soft gun case  170  to be carried on the ATV  150  is inserted downwardly into the uppermost stacked cradles  114  of the spaced apart holder units  20  that are secured to the rack  156 . The soft gun case  170  is too large to be pushed down into the lower cradle  112  but is securely held in the upper stacked cradle  114  in the manner previously described. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the limbs  174  of an archery compound bow  176  are turned to allow them to be pushed downwardly through the upper cradles of the spaced apart holding units  20  and into the lower cradles  112  to be securely held in the manner previously described. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the limbs  174  of the bow  176  are positioned and held in the lower cradles  112  of the holder units  20  and the soft gun case  170  and its contents are positioned and held in the upper cradles  114  of the holding units  20 . 
     Each hole  32  through corners of the platform  30  of the mounting base  22  includes a counter bore  180  having a diameter just large enough to allow a head  182  of a bolt  152  to pass through and an upwardly projecting wall  184  encircling the counter bore. A shelf  186  is provided at the top of each counter bore. A flat washer  188 , having a diameter just large enough to allow the shank of the bolt  152  to pass through, rests on each shelf  184  and prevents the bolt head  192  from entering the counter bore  180 . When the holder units are attached to a relatively larger tubing member the flat washers  188  are not used and the inserted bolt heads  182  rest at the tops of bores  32  and the bolt shanks will extend through the holes in the clamping bracket to have nuts threaded thereon. If, however the holder unit  20  is to be secured to a tubing member of relatively smaller diameter, the flat washers are positioned on the shelves  184  and the same length bolt shanks are inserted through the holes in the flat washers and the bore holes  32  to have nuts threaded thereon. The same mounting base  22  is adaptable for use with racks on ATVs and the like, having different sizes of tubing, merely by using, or not using, the flat washers  188 . The same bolts can be used for sacrament of the mounting base  22  to tubing members of different sizes and excess bolt lengths that project to be unsightly and dangerous are avoided. 
     In the embodiment of the holding unit, shown generally at  200  in  FIGS. 11-15 , the article holder  28  is the same as previously described. In this embodiment, the mounting base  202  is intended to be clamped to a tubular member, such as a handlebar  204  of an ATV, or the like, shown fragmentarily at  206  ( FIG. 11 ). Mounting base  202  includes a support arm  208 ; a clamping assembly, shown generally at  210 ; and the article holder  28  which has stacked article receiving and holding cradles  112  and  114 , as previously described. 
     Clamping assembly  210  comprises a U-bolt  212  with legs  214  and  216  that are inserted through spaced apart holes  218  and  220  at a lower end  222  of the support arm  208 . The legs straddle a V-notch  224  in the bottom end of the support arm  208  and a handlebar extending between the support arm  208  and the web  226  of the U-bolt  212 . A nut  228  is threaded onto the end of each leg  214  and  216 . The upper end  230  of support arm  208  has a threaded bore  232  formed therein. The threaded end of bolt  80  extends from insert member  70  through a washer  234  having a ring of teeth  236  formed around the periphery of an upper face thereof. A hand turned nut  238  is threaded onto the threaded upper end of support arm  108 . Nut  238  is turned to press the teeth  236  of washer  234  tightly into engagement with the ring of teeth  78  and to prevent undesired rotation of the article holder  28 . Release of the nut  238  of each of a pair of spaced apart holding units to remove pressure on the washers  234  will allow the article holders of the holding units to be rotated so that articles can be positioned and retained in the stacked cradles of the article holders. The nuts  238  are turned to move the washers  234  against the teeth  236  and to lock the article holders  28  in place. 
     A holder unit  20  may also have a pair of article holders  28  mounted on a support bar  24 , as shown in  FIG. 16 . In this embodiment the mounting base  22  extends downwardly from beneath the center area of the support bar  24 . One article holder  28  is mounted to one end of support bar  24  in the manner heretofore described and the other article holder  28  is similarly mounted to the opposite end of the support bar. Two spaced apart holder units  20 , each having a pair of article holders mounted thereon can secure four articles in a top and bottom and front and back arrangement. 
     If desired, decorative tabs  240  may be inserted into open ends of the loops  96  and  98  not covered by the soft plastic coating  110 . 
     Although preferred embodiments of our invention have been herein described, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is by way of example and that variations are possible without departing from the subject matter coming within the scope of the following claims, which subject matter we regard as our invention.