Patent Publication Number: US-2011049208-A1

Title: Coupling Device for Connecting Bicycle Rack to Hitch Ball

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to a coupling device for securely connecting a bicycle rack to a hitch ball on a vehicle. 
     2. Description of Related Arts 
     A conventional coupling device for connecting a bicycle rack to a hitch ball includes a frame in which a recess is defined and the hitch ball is accommodated in the recess. A pressing member is connected to the top of the frame and extends through the frame so as to fix the hitch ball. Nevertheless, the hitch ball shakes within the recess of the frame and applies a significant force to the pressing member which is easily deformed and damaged. Once the pressing member cannot fix the hitch ball, the bicycle rack may be separated from the hitch ball and causes serious accident on the road. 
     The present invention intends to provide a coupling device which includes a spherical recess to accommodate the hitch ball and the pivotal frame can be pushed toward the hitch ball by moving a push plate so as to further secure the hitch ball. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     An objective of the present invention is to provide a coupling device, which securely clamps the hitch ball so as to avoid separation of the bicycle rack and the hitch ball. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide a coupling device which includes a push plate with an inclined surface to which the limiting member is in contact therewith, when moving the push plate, the limiting member together with the pivotal frame are pushed toward the hitch ball to further clamp the hitch ball. 
     Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide a coupling device wherein a lock member is provided to be located beneath the two blocks to prevent the blocks and the pivotal frame from being pivoted. 
     Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objectives, the present invention provides a coupling device for connecting a bicycle rack to a hitch ball, wherein the coupling device comprises a casing, wherein the casing has a first recess, a first side panel, and a second side panel, wherein the first and second side panels are connected to two sides of the casing. A connection frame is connected between the first and second side panels, so as to be connected with the bicycle rack. Two respective first holes are defined in the first and second side panels respectively and a pivot extends through the first holes of the first side panel, wherein a pivotal frame is provided between the side panels. The pivotal frame includes a second recess which is cooperated with the first recess in the casing to form a spherical recess to receive the hitch ball. Two blocks are located on two sides of the pivotal frame, wherein each two sides have a first pivot hole and a second pivot hole. A first pin extends through the first pivot holes of the two blocks and the two pivot lugs of the pivotal frame. 
     A limiting member is located between the two blocks, wherein a second pin is extended through the two second pivot holes and the limiting member. A lever is connected between the two blocks. By operation the lever, the pivotal frame is pivoted to open the spherical recess so that the hitch ball can be inserted into the spherical recess or removed from the spherical recess. The pivotal frame can be pushed to further clamp the hitch ball by adjusting the push plate. 
     The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
     These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a coupling device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the coupling device according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is another exploded view of the coupling device according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is another perspective view of part the coupling device according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a partially cross sectional view of the coupling device according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is another partially cross sectional view of the coupling device according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the lever being pivotally connected to the pivotal frame and to open the spherical recess of the coupling device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is still another partially cross sectional view of the coupling device according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the lever being pivotally moved back to original position to clamp the hitch ball in the spherical recess of the coupling device. 
         FIG. 8  shows that the hitch ball is clamped between the first and second recess of the casing and the pivotal frame according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  shows that the push plate is moved to push the pivotal frame to move toward the hitch ball according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  shows that the lock member is connected to the second side panel of the coupling device of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  shows that the latch of the lock member is rotated by using a key to connect the lock member to the second side panel according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12A  shows the bicycle rack is connected to the clamping device of the present invention according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12B  shows another bicycle rack is connected to the clamping device of the present invention according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  shows another embodiment of the clamping device of the present invention according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  is another partially cross sectional view to show the clamping device of the present invention in  FIG. 13 . 
         FIG. 15  shows that the lever of the clamping device of the present invention in  FIG. 13  is pivoted. 
         FIG. 16  shows a bicycle rack is connected with the clamping device of the present invention in  FIG. 13 . 
         FIG. 17  shows a perspective view of the clamping device of the present invention in  FIG. 13 , which is connected with the bicycle rack. 
         FIG. 18  shows that the bicycle rack connected to the clamping device of the present invention in  FIG. 13  is in its folded status. 
         FIG. 19  shows that the bicycle rack connected to the clamping device of the present invention in  FIG. 13  is tilted. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , the coupling device for connecting a bicycle rack  50  to a hitch ball  40  of the present invention comprises a coupling unit  10  which comprises a casing  11 , a first recess  110  provided at a front end of the casing  11 , a bottom plate  111   a  extended from a rear end toward the front end of the casing  11 , and a through hole  111 A provided at the bottom plate  111   a . A first side panel  12  and a second side panel  13  are provided for connecting to two sides of the casing  11 . Two respective first holes  121 ,  131  are provided at a first side panel  12  and a second side panel  12  respectively. The second side panel  12  further comprise a pivot  121 A extended through the first hole  121  of the first side panel  12 , wherein distal end of the pivot  121 A has two flat surfaces  121   a  engaged with the other first hole  131  at the second side panel  13 . Each of the first and second side panels  12 ,  13  further has a fourth hole  124 / 134  and a connection frame  14  extending through the fourth holes  124 ,  134  of the first and second side panels  12 ,  13 . The connection frame  14  is connected to the bicycle rack  50  as shown in  FIG. 12A . 
     A pivotal unit  20  has a pivotal frame  21 , a plurality of blocks  22 , which is preferably embodied as two blocks  22 , a limiting member  23  and a lever  24 , wherein the pivotal frame  21  comprises a second recess  210 , which is cooperated with the first recess  110  of the casing  11  to form a spherical recess, so as to clamp the hitch ball  40  in the spherical recess. The pivotal frame  21  further comprises two first pivotal connecting portion  211  extendedly provided at a top of the pivotal frame  21  and two second pivotal connecting portion  212  extendedly provided at a rear side of the pivotal frame  21 . The pivot  121 A is extended through the two first pivotal connecting portions  211  to pivotally connect the pivotal frame  21  to the casing  11 . The two blocks  22  are located at two sides of the pivotal frame  21  and each of the blocks has a first pivot hole  220  and a second pivot hole  221 . A first pin  220 A is further provided, which is extended through the first pivot holes  220  of the two blocks  22  and the second pivotal connecting portions  212  of the pivotal frame  21 . The limiting member  23  is located between the two blocks  22  and a second pin  221 A, which is extended through the two second pivot holes  221  and the limiting member  23 . Each of the two blocks  22  further has a connection part  222 , wherein two ends of the connection frame  14  are engaged with the connection parts  222  of the first and second blocks  22 . 
     The first side panel  12  has an engaging hole  120  and the a torsion spring  120 A connected to the engaging hole  120  via a bolt. A first leg of the torsion spring  120 A is contacting against an inner side of the casing  11  and a second leg of the torsion spring  120 A is contacting an inner side of the front end of the pivotal frame  21 . 
     Each of the first and second side panels  12 ,  13  has a second hole  122 / 132  and a third hole  123 / 133 . A lock member  30  has a lock shank  31  and a latch  32  extending. The lock shank  31  is extended through the second hole  132  of the second side panel  13 , and the latch  32  is engaged with the third hole  133  at the second side panel  13 . A key  33  having a shape geometrically matching the shape of an inserting hole at the lock shank  31  as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11  may further optionally provided for rotating the latch  32  to lock the lock member  30  at the second side panel  13 , so as to fix the lock shank  31  at desired position. A distal end of the lock shank  31  is engaged with the second hole  122  of the first side panel  12 . The lock shank  31  is in contact with undersides of the two blocks  22 . The user can use a key  33  to rotate the latch to securely connect the lock member  30  to the second side panel  13 . It is worth mentioning that the key  33  is provided as an example for actuating the lock member  30  to engage and disengage with the coupling unit  10 . The lock member  30  may be fixedly locked via a code locker, electrical sensor, or any other mechanical or electrical methods to secure the lock member  30  with the coupling unit  10 . 
     A push plate  111   a  is located on the bottom board  111  by extending a shank on the push plate  111   a  through the through hole  111 A. The push plate  111   a  includes an inclined surface which pushes the limiting member  23 . 
     It is noted that the lock member  30  can also be connected to the first side panel  12 , wherein the lock shank  31  is extended through the second hole  122  of the first side panel  12  and the latch  32  is engaged with the third hole  123  in the first side panel  12 . A distal end of the lock shank  31  is engaged with the second hole  132  of the second side panel  13 . The lock shank  31  is in contact with undersides of the two blocks  22 . A restriction member  15  is connected to the front end of the casing  11  and includes two side arms, which are located on two sides of the casing  11 . 
     A fixing member  16  is extended through a top of the casing  11  and located between the first and second side panels  12 ,  13 . The fixing member  16  is provided to fix a transverse bar  51  of the bicycle rack  50 , as shown in  FIG. 12B . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , when pivoting the lever  24  downwardly, the pivotal frame  21  is pivoted away from the front end of the casing  11 , so as to open the spherical recess. Thus, the hitch ball  40  can be easily inserted into the spherical recess or removed from the spherical recess. The lever  24  is then pivoted back to its original position to clamp the hitch ball  40  in the spherical recess as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . 
       FIG. 9  shows that the push plate  111   a  is able to be moved upwardly by rotating the knob connecting with the shank of the push plate  111   a , so that the inclined surface of the push plate  111   a  is moved to push the limiting member  23  together with the pivotal frame  21  toward the hitch ball  40 , which is then further securely clamped. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 12A and 12B , the fixing member  16  is cooperated with a U-shaped member  510  which is hooked to the transverse bar  51  of the bicycle rack  50  and the fixing member  16  securely connected to the U-shaped member  510  and the transverse bar  51 . The two ends of the connection frame  14  are connected to the two side rails of the bicycle rack  50 . 
       FIGS. 13 to 16  show another embodiment of the clamping device of the present invention, wherein the first and second side panels  12 ,  13  do not have the fourth holes  124 ,  134  and another type of the fixing member  17  is located between the first and second side panels  12 ,  13 . The fixing member  17  includes two sidewalls. The connection frame  14  is pivotably connected between the two side walls of the fixing member  17  in the coupling unit  10  by extending a bolt  182  through the hole  172  at the two side walls of the fixing member  17 . Each of the two sidewalls further includes a positioning hole  171  and one pin  181  extended through the positioning hole  171  and a pinhole  142  ( FIG. 19 ) in the lower end of the connection frame  14  to position the connection frame  14 . The two positioning holes  171  are located on a substantially horizontal direction, as shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17 . 
       FIGS. 18 to 19  show that the bicycle rack  50  is able to be folded parallely to the connection frame  14  as shown in  FIG. 18  by removing a pin from another pinhole  142  ( FIG. 18 ) located at a top end of the connection frame  14  and the pivotal part of the bicycle rack  50 , so as to reduce the space at the rear end of the vehicle, which is not shown in Figs. The  FIG. 19  shows that the connection frame  14  can be tilted relatively to the rear end of the vehicle to allow the hatch door of the vehicle to be opened by removing the pin  181  from the positioning hole  171 , as shown in  FIG. 19 . 
     The present invention provides a firm and stable clamping force to the hitch ball  40  whose reaction force can be shared by the casing  11  and the pivotal frame  21 , so that the connection between the hitch ball  40  and the coupling device is stable. 
     While we have shown and described the embodiments in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting. 
     It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. The embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.