Abstract:
A carrier comprised of a holding member and an article support member. The holding member includes a tubing with a plurality of grooves lengthwise down the tubing. The article support member is coupled to the holding member. The article support member includes a tray and a collar. The collar is coupled to the tray and interlocks with the holding member in a plurality of angular orientations. The collar enables the tray to be rotatably adjusted with a slope in accordance with a selected angular orientation of the plurality of angular orientations. An integral locking mechanism allows an article to be locked to the carrier.

Description:
This is a continuation of a U.S. patent application (Application No. 09/209,928) filed Dec. 9, 1998, which has matured into U.S. Pat. No. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of bicycle carriers. In particular, the present invention relates to a carrier including one or more adjustable article support members to secure bicycles during transport and to protect against theft. 
     2. General Background 
     For many years, a substantial majority of bicycle frames have been manufactured with a generally horizontal top tube, which is connected to the seat tube and the head tube of the frame. In light of these features, rear-mounted bicycle carriers have been designed to hold the top tube of a bicycle frame during transport. For example, both U.S. Pat. No. 4,646,414 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,195 disclose standard rear-mounted bicycle carriers, each employing a pair of horizontal, hook-like arms to support the top tube of a bicycle frame. In addition, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,529,231 and 5,647,521 disclose a rear-mounted bicycle carrier having a horizontal support member upon which V-shaped frame holders are permanently affixed. A single clamping mechanism, when fastened, is used to secure all of the bicycles placed on the V-shaped frame holders. The clamping mechanism is incapable of securing individual bicycles. 
     It is evident, however, that these rear-mounted bicycle carriers are unable to easily accommodate bicycles with sloped top tubes, which are usually found in ladies&#39; bicycles and in an increasing number of mountain and racing bicycles. Normally, bicycles having sloped top tubes (generally referred to herein as “sloped tube bicycles”) rest in an awkward, unstable position when transported by conventional rear-mounted bicycle carriers. This awkward position can cause damage to the bicycle or cause the bicycle to become partially or completely dislodged from the carrier during transit. 
     In addition, conventional rear-mounted bicycle carriers are designed so that the spatial distance between bicycle frames placed on the carrier is constant and non-modifiable. This is problematic when bicycles are upgraded with components that increase the width of the bicycle. For example, a bicycle with front-fork shock absorbers would require more spacing between neighboring bicycles than a conventional bicycle. If the additional spacing cannot be provided, some of the bicycles being transported can become damaged. Hence, it is desirable to provide a self-locking carrier that allows the spacing between neighboring bicycles placed on the carrier to be adjusted. 
     SUMMARY 
     Briefly, the present invention relates to a carrier comprising a holding member and an article support member. The holding member includes a tubing with a plurality of grooves length-wise down the tubing. The article support member is coupled to the holding member. The article support member includes a tray and a collar. The collar is coupled to the tray and interlocks with the holding member in a plurality of angular orientations. In one embodiment, the interlocking is accomplished by a pivotal release clamp having a protrusion complementary to the groove. The collar enables the tray to be rotatably adjusted with a slope of a selected angular orientation. Also, placed within the interior of the tubing is an integral locking mechanism to ensure that the article cannot be unknowingly removed from the carrier. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a prospective view of an embodiment of a self-locking carrier including adjustable, article support members. 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of column and holding members of the carrier of FIG. 1 inclusive of a locking mechanism and article support members. 
     FIG. 3 is a top-down view of an illustrative embodiment of the locking mechanism of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is one of the cables associated with the prospective view of an illustrative embodiment of a locking mechanism of the carrier. 
     FIG. 5 is a front view of an illustrative embodiment of an article support member mounted on the holding member of FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 6 is a prospective view of one illustrative embodiment of an article support member of FIGS. 2 and 5 before attachment of the collar fastening mechanism. 
     FIG. 7 is a prospective view of the illustrative embodiment of the article support member of FIG. 6 after attachment of the collar fastening mechanism. 
     FIG. 8 is a prospective view of the article support member of FIG. 7 when placed in a locked state. 
     FIG. 9 is a prospective view of the article support member of FIG. 7 when placed in an unlocked state. 
     FIG. 10 is a prospective view of a second embodiment of the locking mechanism. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Herein, an embodiment of a carrier comprising one or more adjustable article support members is shown. Each article support member is designed to accommodate articles with different structures such as, for example, any type of bicycle including sloped tube bicycles of varying tube diameters, skis, wheelchairs and the like. While numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention, it is apparent to one of reasonable skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In fact, to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention, well known features may not be described herein. 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, a perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of a carrier  100  comprising a plurality of article support members  200  is shown. Carrier  100  comprises a base member  110 , a column member  120  and a holding member  130 . In particular, base member  110  is capable of being securely attached to a hitch receiver of a vehicle through a fold-down receiver footing  140 . Of course, it is contemplated that carrier  100  may be attached to a bumper or chassis of a vehicle in lieu of the hitch receiver. Also, instead of being attached to a vehicle, carrier  100  may be used as a stationary locking apparatus. 
     As further shown in both FIGS. 1 and 2, column member  130  includes a cylindrical tube having a first end  121  coupled to base member  110  and a second end  122  coupled to holding member  130 . In particular, at the first end  121 , column member  120  is pivotally coupled to base member  110 . This allows column member  120  to be rotated downward for loading and unloading of articles and to remain generally perpendicular to base member  110  during transport. Column member  120  is coupled to holding member  130  at second end  122  as shown in more detail in FIG.  2 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 2, one embodiment of holding member  130  includes a cylindrical tube having an outer surface  131  featuring a plurality of orientation grooves  150  lengthwise across the tube. For this embodiment, orientation grooves  150  are immediately adjacent to each other and placed around a circumference of outer surface  131  (e.g., each groove occupies about one-twentieth of the circumference of holding member  130 ). This allows a spacing distance (X) between article support members  200  to be adjustable. It is contemplated, however, that grooves  150  may be separated from each other by non-grooved or protruding portions separated by a common distance or by varying distances. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, in this embodiment, an integral, locking mechanism  170  is implemented within carrier  100 . As shown, locking mechanism  170  includes a plurality of single cable lock at end of collar cables  171  and  172  situated within the cylindrical tubing of holding member  130  and optimally column member  120 . These cables  171  and  172  are made of metal, a hardened plastic or any other material that is difficult to break. Optionally, to avoid wearing cables  171  and  172 , an optional plastic sheath  179  is placed over each cable  171  and  172 . 
     Cables  171  and  172  are prevented from being completely removed and disconnected from carrier  100  by (i) providing a channel  173  through which cables  171  and  172  can be pulled therethrough, and (ii) securely attaching a clamp  174  at one end  175  and  176  of cables  171  and  172 , respectively. Channel  173  is created, for example, by placing of a pre-manufactured insert  180  within the cylindrical tubing of holding member  130 , placing one or more rivets through holding member  130  at one or more selected locations (not shown) and the like. By sizing clamp  174  to be greater in size than channel  173 , cables  171  and  172  can only be partially removed from holding member  130 , not completely removed. 
     The opposite ends  177  and  178  of cables  171  and  172  are adapted with a cable lock holder (e.g., plastic eyed hooks) so that a lock  180  may be removably coupled to both cables  171  and  172 . Herein, lock  180  includes a combination or key lock capable of coupling together cables  171  and  172  when secured, although other types of locks may be used. It is contemplated that lock  180  may include a pad lock when loops are placed at ends  177  and  178  of cables  171  and  172  as shown in FIG.  4 . In a locked state, cables  171  and  172  are securely coupled to lock  180 . In an unlocked state, cables  171  and  172  may be separated so that one or more of cables  171  and  172  can be wound around the article nearest a far end  132  of holding member  130 . 
     It is contemplated that another embodiment of locking mechanism  170  includes a single cable  190  placed with the cylindrical tubing of the holding member  130  and optionally column member  120  as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. Similarly, at the end of cable  190 , a clamp or other element (not shown) may be used to prevent cable  190  from being completely removed from the tubing of holding member  130 . To lock an article, cable  190  would be partially removed from the tubing of holding member  130  and wrapped either around a portion of the article, or perhaps placed through an aperture of the article. Cable  190  would be attached to article support member  200 . Of course, this would require article support member  200  to include a locking device  195  to receive and secure cable  190 . It is contemplated that the type of locking device  195  includes a tubular lock requiring a key for placement in a locked and unlocked state, although any other type of locking device may be used. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 5-7, an illustrative embodiment of article support member  200  is shown. Article support member  200  comprises a collar  300 , a tray  400 , a collar fastening mechanism  500  and an article anti-sway mechanism  600 . In one embodiment, article support member  200  is substantially made of a hardened plastic. This allows collar  300  and tray  400  to be molded together as a single structure. Instead of hardened plastic, it is contemplated that article support member  200  may be substantially made of metal in which collar  300  and tray  400  are molded together either as a single structure or attached together through adhesive, welding or any other type of fastening technique. 
     As shown in FIG. 5, an embodiment of collar  300  comprises a curved collar portion  310  and a curved release clamp  350  placed between a pair of circumferential collar portions  315  and  316  having an inner diameter slightly greater than an outer diameter of the holding member  130 . In particular, curved collar portion  310  includes an end  320  having an aperture  330  for collar fastening mechanism  500  (see FIG.  6 ). In this embodiment, curved collar portion  310  is permanently positioned while release clamp  350  is pivotal about a hinge  390 . Release clamp  350  includes a stationary first segment  360  and a pivotal second segment  370  having an end  375  with an aperture  376  for collar fastening mechanism  500  (see FIG.  6 ). Thus, when placed in a closed state, release clamp  350  is positioned so that aperture  330  is generally aligned with aperture  376 . 
     In addition, an inner surface  380  of second segment  370  is configured to generally interlock with outer surface  160  of holding member  130  while the remaining inner surface of collar  300  is held on holding member  130  by applied pressure. For example, in this embodiment, second segment  370  of release clamp  350  includes one or more protrusions  377  complementary with the orientation grooves  150  of holding member  130  of FIGS. 1 and 2. Of course, protrusions  377  can possess any geometric shape so long as it is complementary and adaptive to generally interlock with grooves  150 . As a result, once article support member  200  is placed on holding member  130  and rotated as need to accommodate different types and structures of the articles, release clamp  350  is placed in a closed position to present article support member  200  from further unwanted rotation. Herein, when in a closed state, a diameter (ID) of inner surface  380  of collar  300  is measured to be slightly greater than the diameter of holding member  130  of FIG. 2 taken from its outer surface  160 . 
     Referring to FIG. 6, tray  400  is placed along curved collar portion  310  and stationary  360  segment of release clamp  350  through buttress portions  410  and  420 , respectively. These buttress portions  410  and  420  provide a stable structure to support an article. Tray  400  further includes a generally concave channel  430  which features a plurality of extensions  440  at its ends to prevent the article (not shown) from swaying and/or becoming dislodged during transport. It is contemplated that tray  400  may be configured in a half-rectangular shape to hold skis or in any different shape to hold the article(s). To further prevent swaying of the article during transport, a material (e.g., Kraton) having an acceptable coefficient of friction may be placed on channel  430  and/or one or more of extensions  440 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 7, fastening mechanisms of article support member  200  include (i) collar fastening mechanism  500  joining collar portion  310  and release clamp  350  (see FIG.  5 ), and (ii) article anti-sway mechanism  600 . An example of collar fastening mechanism  500  includes a quick release lever  510  which, when inserted through apertures  330  and  376  (see FIG. 5) and placed in a locked state provides positive fastening (e.g., pressure and interlocked protrusion(s)/groove(s)) of collar  300  on to holding member  130 . When placed in an unlocked state, article support member  200  can be rotated and moved laterally along holding member  130 . 
     Referring still to FIG. 7, an example of article anti-sway mechanism  600  includes a cap  610  which conforms with the curvature of channel  430  and is designed to rest over a portion of an article to prevent the article from being dislodged from channel  430 . Cap  610  is secured by inserting fastening straps  620  (e.g., VELCRO® hook and loop fastener straps, canvas straps, etc.) through strap inserts  630  placed on a top surface of cap  610 . 
     Thus, as shown in FIG. 8, in a locked state, cap  610  is positioned over an article resting in channel  430 . Straps  620  are inserted through inserts  630  and fastened to ensure that cap  610  maintains the article (placed in tray  400 ) from becoming dislodged. In an unlocked state, as shown in FIG. 9, straps  620  are loosened so cap  610  does not rest above the channel to allow the article  700  (e.g., a top-tube of a sloped-tube bicycle) from being removed from the channel of tray  400 . 
     The present invention described herein may be designed in many different architectures and using many different components. While the present invention has been described in terms of various embodiments, other embodiments may come to mind to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The invention should, therefore, be measure in terms of the claims which follow.