Patent Publication Number: US-2023159122-A1

Title: Storage assembly for a cargo bicycle

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Electric bicycles, or e-bikes, are a popular method of transportation for use by individual riders, families, commercial enterprises and fleets, and so on. Unlike traditional bikes, an e-bike provides assisted modes of travel to a rider, including a peddle assist mode that utilizes power from a motor to assist the rider in pedaling and/or a throttle mode where the motor, when engaged, powers the e-bike without any pedaling from the rider. 
     Certain electric bicycles, such as cargo bicycles, provide riders with racks and other accessories that facilitate the hauling of cargo and the carrying of children. For example, a cargo bicycle, either electric or conventional, can include a rear rack mounted behind the seat of the bicycle, which supports additional seating (e.g., child seats), and the attachment of cargo, support pads, boxes, baskets, panniers, and so on. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments of the present technology will be described and explained through the use of the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG.  1    is a diagram of a storage assembly for a cargo bike, such as an electric cargo bike. 
         FIGS.  2 A- 2 B  are diagrams illustrating a hard case pannier attached to a rear rack of a cargo bike. 
         FIG.  3    is a diagram illustrating a mounting bracket that attaches the hard case pannier to the rear rack of the cargo bike. 
         FIGS.  4 A- 4 E  are diagrams illustrating the hard case pannier fixed to the mounting bracket. 
         FIGS.  5 A- 5 B  are diagrams illustrating a rear box mounted to the rear rack of a cargo bike. 
         FIGS.  6 A- 6 B  are diagrams illustrating multiple brackets attached to the rear rack of a cargo bike. 
     
    
    
     In the drawings, some components are not drawn to scale, and some components and/or operations can be separated into different blocks or combined into a single block for discussion of some of the implementations of the present technology. Moreover, while the technology is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specific implementations have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are described in detail below. The intention, however, is not to limit the technology to the particular implementations described. On the contrary, the technology is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the technology as defined by the appended claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Overview 
     A storage assembly, including hard cases and associated mounting brackets, for a bicycle, such as an electric cargo bicycle, is described. The storage assembly, in some embodiments, includes hard case panniers, rear boxes, and/or other hard case storage apparatus. Further, the storage assembly can include mounting brackets, such as brackets configured to mount various hard cases to a rear rack of the cargo bicycle. 
     For example, the mounting brackets can include openings or other holes that are placed or disposed in areas of the brackets that facilitate the flexible and/or interchangeable mounting of cases (e.g., panniers) at different positions on the rear rack (such as in a forward position and/or rear position), on different sides of the rear rack, and in combination with other cases (e.g., a rear box) mounted to a top area of the rear rack. 
     Thus, the storage assembly, in some embodiments, provides mounting brackets that enable various mounting or attachment configurations of hard cases to the rear rack of the bicycle, among other benefits. 
     While described herein with respect to an electric bicycle or a cargo bicycle, in some embodiments, aspects of the cases and brackets described herein can be configured or utilized with other bicycles or cycles, electric scooters or other wheeled micro-mobility vehicles, mopeds, or vehicles having suitable storage racks, and so on. 
     Various embodiments will now be described. The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding and an enabling description of these embodiments. One skilled in the art will understand, however, that these embodiments may be practiced without many of these details. Additionally, some well-known structures or functions may not be shown or described in detail, so as to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the relevant description of the various embodiments. The terminology used in the description presented below is intended to be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even though it is being used in conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific embodiments. 
     Examples of the Storage Assembly 
     As described herein, the storage assembly can include multiple different hard cases and associated brackets that combine to provide storage to a cargo bicycle, such as an electric cargo bicycle. Details regarding a suitable cargo bicycle can be found in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/872,059, filed on May 11, 2020, entitled “Frame for an Electric Cargo Bicycle”, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
       FIG.  1    is a diagram of a storage assembly  100  for a cargo bike or bicycle, such as an electric cargo bike or e-bike. The storage assembly  100  is mounted, fixed, and/or attached to a rear rack  105  of a bicycle. The rear rack  105  can include a top surface or deck, side areas or sections, and has multiple bars via which objects, such as cases and brackets, can attach to the rear rack  105 . 
     The storage assembly  100 , in some embodiments, includes hard case panniers  110 ,  120 , which are fixed proximate to the side areas of the rear rack  105  via mounting brackets  140 ,  150 . Further, the storage assembly  100  can include a rear box  130 , which attaches to the top surface or deck of the rear rack  105  via a bracket  160 . 
     The storage assembly  100  can provide a variety of configurations of cases mounted to the rear rack  105 . As depicted in  FIG.  1   , the assembly  100  can include two hard case panniers  110 ,  120  disposed proximate to the side areas of the rear rack  105  and a rear box  130  (e.g., a cooler, storage box, and so on) attached to the top of the rear rack  150 . Other configurations can include (1) the two hard case panniers  110 ,  120 ; (2) the rear box  130 ; (3) one pannier  110  or  120  and the rear box  130 ; (4) one pannier  110  or  120 ; and so on. 
     The storage assembly  100 , as described herein, provides mounting brackets that facilitate the mounting or attachment of the hard cases, such as the panniers  110 ,  120 , to the rear rack  105 .  FIGS.  2 A- 2 B  are diagrams  200  illustrating a hard case pannier attached to a rear rack of a cargo bike. 
     The hard case pannier  110  is fixed to the mounting brackets  140  (or, bracket), which is attached to the rear rack  105 . The mounting bracket  140 , in some cases, provides for three points of attachment of the pannier  110  to the rear rack  105 . First, the mounting bracket  140  attaches to a top surface or portion of the rear rack via bolts or screws  220  (e.g., M5 screws), which provides two points of attachment. Also, the hard case pannier  110  attaches to a side bar of the rear rack  105  via a clamp  210  or other similar mechanism, which provides the third point of attachment. 
     As described herein, the mounting bracket  140 ,  150  is configured to fix, attached, or secure the hard case panniers  110 ,  120  to the rear rack  105  of the bicycle at different mounting positions or on either side of the rear rack  105 .  FIG.  3    is a diagram illustrating the mounting bracket  140 , which attaches the hard case pannier  110  to the rear rack  105  of the cargo bike. 
     The mounting bracket  140 , in some embodiments, includes a pannier attachment portion  310 , which includes three (or more) pannier mounting openings  315  configured to receive bolts that attach a hard case pannier (e.g., pannier  110 ) to the pannier attachment portion  310  of the bracket  140 . As depicted in  FIG.  3   , the pannier mounting openings  315  are disposed at a similar height within an upper area of the pannier attachment portion  310  and facilitate the hard case pannier  110  attaching to the pannier attachment portion  310  using two of the three or more pannier mounting openings  315 . Further, the openings  315  can include or have a keyhole type shape or other similar shape that facilitates the entry of bolts through the openings and the attachment of the bracket  140  to the pannier  110 . 
     For example, the bracket  140  can facilitate the hard case pannier  110  attaching to the pannier attachment portion  310  via a center opening and a front opening of the three or more pannier mounting openings  315 , to position the hard case pannier closer to a rider of the bicycle (e.g., towards a front of the rear rack  105  in a forward mount position). 
     As another example, the bracket  140  can facilitate the hard case pannier attaching to the pannier attachment portion  310  via a center opening and a rear opening of the three or more pannier mounting openings  315 , to position the hard case pannier towards a rear of the bicycle (e.g., away from a rider of the bicycle in a rear mount position). 
     Further, as described herein, the mounting bracket  140  can attach panniers to either side of the rear rack  105 . For example, the hard case pannier attaches to the pannier attachment portion  310  via the center opening and a first opening of the three or more pannier mounting openings  315  when the hard case pannier is fixed to a left side of the bicycle in a forward mount position, and attaches to the pannier attachment portion  310  via a center opening and a second, different, opening of the three or more pannier mounting openings  315  when the hard case pannier is fixed to a right side of the bicycle in the forward mount position. 
     Further, the pannier attachment portion  310  includes one or more lower attachment openings  330 , such as a threaded opening or hole having a threaded insert, which facilitate or receive a threaded knob or thumb screw used to secure the pannier to the bracket  140 . The knob is screwed into the opening  330  within the pannier (e.g., within an internal area of the pannier  110 ), and thus only accessible by opening the lid, providing theft-resistance, as one would need interior access to the pannier  110  in order to remove the pannier from the bracket  140 . 
     The pannier attachment portion  310  also includes one or more through holes  340  that facilitate a clamp (e.g., clamp  210 ) of the hard case pannier to extend through the bracket  140  and secure the hard case pannier to a bar of the rear rack  105 , as well as the attachment of bumpers (described herein) that assist in preventing movement between the rack  140  and the pannier  110 . Thus, the pannier attachment portion  310  includes various openings, holes, or other elements that facilitate the attachment and arrangement of panniers and other similar hard cases and storage articles (e.g., soft panniers) to the rear rack  105  of the bicycle. 
     The mounting bracket  140 , in some embodiments, also includes a rack attachment portion  320 , which is disposed perpendicularly to the pannier attachment portion  310  and includes multiple rack mounting openings  322 ,  324  that are configured to receive bolts that attach the bracket to the rear rack  105  of a bicycle. 
     The rack attachment portion  320  includes two attachment flanges  325 , each of the attachment flanges having the multiple rack mounting openings  322 ,  324  configured to receive the bolts that attach the bracket  140  to the rear rack  105  of the bicycle. Depending on the size or geometry of the rear rack  105 , the bracket can be mounted via the openings  324  or the openings  322 . 
     In some cases, the rack attachment portion is disposed in a two-dimensional plane parallel and proximate to a top portion or surface of the rear rack  105 , where the pannier attachment portion  310  is disposed in a two-dimensional plane parallel and proximate to a side portion of the rear rack  105 . As shown in  FIG.  3   , the mounting bracket  140  is a single piece construction (e.g., plastic, metal) that bends to form the two portions of the bracket  140 . 
     Thus, as described herein, the mounting bracket  140  (and, similarly, bracket  150 ) facilitates the attachment (and subsequent removal) of the hard case panniers  110 ,  120 ) to the rear rack  105  of a cargo bicycle.  FIGS.  4 A- 4 D  are diagrams  400  depicting the hard case pannier  110  fixed or attached to the mounting bracket  140 . 
     The pannier  110  is removably fixed to the mounting bracket  140  via bolts, posts, or studs  430  that secure the pannier  110  to the mounting bracket  140  via the pannier mounting openings  315 . The bolts  430  can include a mushroom head style geometry, which, when fixed within the openings  315 , securely fix the pannier  110  to the bracket  140 . 
     The hard case pannier  110  also includes latches  415  and a hinge  460  that enable the pannier to be opened and closed, and a lock  410  or locking mechanism that secures the pannier  110  and any contents stored inside the pannier  110 . In some cases, the hinge  460  is a hinge assembly having multiple hinges, such as two hinges, one at each end of the pannier  110 , that form the hinge  460 . 
     Further, the pannier  110  is fixed to the bracket  140  via the thumb screws  470 , which secure the pannier  110  to the bracket  140  via the threaded openings  330 . Thus, when the pannier  110  is locked, the thumb screws  470  are inaccessible, and the pannier  110  cannot be removed (or, easily removed) from the bracket  140 . However, when opened, the rider can utilize the thumb screws  470  to remove the pannier  110  from the mounting bracket  140  (without removing the bracket from the rear rack  105 ). 
     The mounting bracket  140  also facilitates the extension of the clamp  210  from the pannier  110  to the rear rack  105 , which assists in fixing the pannier  110  to the rear rack  105 . The mounting bracket  140 , as described herein, includes openings or holes  340  which allow the clamp to pass through the bracket  140 . The clamp can be opened and closed around a bar of the rear rack  105  via an associated thumb screw  450 . 
       FIG.  4 E  is a diagram  475  depicting an alternative mounting bracket  480  that facilitates the inclusion of bumpers  490  between the bracket and the pannier. The bumpers  490  can be disposed or placed at or within various holes  340  or attachment points on the bracket. For example, the bumpers, which can be elastomeric bumpers, can include two upper bumpers and two lower bumpers. However, the pannier can be attached or placed on the bracket  480  using fewer or more bumpers located at any of the openings  340  of the bracket that facilitate their placement or attachment. 
     In some cases, using both the bumpers  490  and certain mounting posts  430  (e.g., mushroom head style posts), enables a more secure attachment of the pannier  110  to a bracket. For example, the two upper bumpers can provide interference to an outer wall of the pannier  110 , which pulls the pannier  110  against the mounting bracket. 
     Thus, the storage assembly  100  enables the pannier  110  to be securely attached to the mounting bracket  140 , but also removable by a user without tools or other additional accessories. Further, the mounting bracket  140  facilitates the mounting and removal of the pannier  110  to/from the rear rack  105  at different locations or areas, among other benefits. 
     For example, the assembly  100  facilitates a method of attaching a pannier to a rear rack of a cargo bicycle. The method can include attaching the pannier to a mounting bracket via thumb screws accessible via an internal area of the pannier, fixing the mounting bracket to a top surface of the rear rack of the cargo bicycle, extending a clamp of the pannier through an opening of the mounting bracket, and attaching the pannier to a side bar of the rear rack via the clamp extended through the opening of the mounting bracket. 
     In some embodiments, the storage assembly also includes a rear box or rear storage cases, such as a cooler, storage container, hard case box, and so on.  FIGS.  5 A- 5 B  are diagrams  500  illustrating the rear box  130  mounted to the rear rack  105  of a cargo bike. 
     The rear box  130 , or rear storage box, includes a top portion or lid  510  and a main portion or housing  520  configured to securely store cargo for a user of the bicycle. The rear box  130  can include a lock  525  or locking mechanism that locks the lid  510  to the housing  520 , and a latch  527  that facilities the opening and closing of the lid  510 . 
     The mounting bracket  160 , such as a box mounting bracket, mounts, attaches, or fixes the rear storage box  130  to a top surface of the rear rack  105  of the cargo bicycle. For example, screws or bolts  530  can fix the mounting bracket  160  to the rear rack, and other bolts or screws (e.g., thumb screws)  560  can fix the rear box  130  to the bracket  160 . The bracket  160  can have a shape that provides a gap  550  between the bracket  160  and the rack  105 , which allows the box to be stored in a rear position (e.g., as shown in  FIG.  5 B ) or a forward position (e.g., closer to the rider) on the rear rack  105 . 
     As described herein, in some embodiments, the storage assembly  100  includes the rear box  160  and one (or both) of the hard case panniers  110 ,  120 . For example, the assembly  100  can include the rear storage box  130 , the box mounting bracket  160 , which is configured to mount the rear storage box  130  to a top surface of the rear rack  105  of the cargo bicycle, the hard case pannier  110 , and the pannier mounting bracket  140 , which is configured to mount the hard case pannier  110  to a side of the rear rack  105  of the cargo bicycle. 
       FIGS.  6 A- 6 B  are diagrams  600  illustrating multiple brackets attached to the rear rack of a cargo bike. The pannier mounting brackets  140 ,  150  attach to the top surface of the rear rack  105  and are placed or disposed on top of the box mounting bracket  160 , which is attached to the top surface of the rear rack  105 . Thus, the box mounting bracket  160  is configured to mount the rear storage box  130  to the top surface of the rear rack  105 , and the pannier mounting bracket is configured to mount the hard case pannier  110  to a side of the rear rack  105  of the cargo bicycle by also attaching to the top surface of the rear rack  105  of the cargo bicycle. 
     Such a configuration enables the rear rack  105  to facilitate attachment of some or all the hard cases of the storage assembly  100  described herein in various configurations or assemblies, among other benefits. 
     CONCLUSION 
     Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense, as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of “including, but not limited to.” As used herein, the terms “connected,” “coupled,” or any variant thereof, means any connection or coupling, either direct or indirect, between two or more elements; the coupling of connection between the elements can be physical, logical, or a combination thereof. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below,” and words of similar import, when used in this application, shall refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. Where the context permits, words in the above Detailed Description using the singular or plural number may also include the plural or singular number respectively. The word “or”, in reference to a list of two or more items, covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, and any combination of the items in the list. 
     The above detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the teachings to the precise form disclosed above. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the disclosure are described above for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible within the scope of the disclosure, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize. 
     The teachings of the disclosure provided herein can be applied to other systems, not necessarily the system described above. The elements and acts of the various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. 
     Any patents and applications and other references noted above, including any that may be listed in accompanying filing papers, are incorporated herein by reference. Aspects of the disclosure can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions, and concepts of the various references described above to provide yet further embodiments of the disclosure. 
     These and other changes can be made to the disclosure in light of the above Detailed Description. While the above description describes certain embodiments of the disclosure, and describes the best mode contemplated, no matter how detailed the above appears in text, the teachings can be practiced in many ways. Details of the electric bike and bike frame may vary considerably in its implementation details, while still being encompassed by the subject matter disclosed herein. As noted above, particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspects of the disclosure should not be taken to imply that the terminology is being redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics, features, or aspects of the disclosure with which that terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limit the disclosure to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Description section explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope of the disclosure encompasses not only the disclosed embodiments, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or implementing the disclosure under the claims. 
     From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific embodiments have been described herein for purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the embodiments. Accordingly, the embodiments are not limited except as by the appended claims.