Abstract:
A roof-mounted bicycle rack assembly for a motor vehicle includes a deployable bicycle carrier slidably attached to an underside of a roof panel of the motor vehicle. The bicycle carrier includes at least one bicycle support configured to deploy from and retract into a cooperating holder disposed on the roof panel underside. The bicycle support may include at least one tube or rail and the cooperating holder may include at least one sleeve or track configured to receive at least a portion of the at least one tube or rail therein.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates generally to accessory racks for motor vehicles, and more particularly to an integrated bicycle carrier system for a motor vehicle. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Conventionally, when a motor vehicle user desires to transport one or more bicycles her options are to place the bicycles in the vehicle interior, or to provide a suitable third-party bicycle carrier. Placing the bicycle in the vehicle interior risks soiling and/or damage to the vehicle and possibly the bicycle. In turn, because of space considerations the only way to place a bicycle in a vehicle interior space such as a cargo area is to at least partially disassemble the bicycle, for example by removing of one or both bicycle tires. This is inconvenient to the user. 
         [0003]    A variety of suitable bicycle carrier or racks are available, including roof-mounted carriers, rear hatch or trunk-mounted carriers, vacuum-mounted carriers, and hitch-mounted carriers. Each is substantially effective for its intended purpose. However, roof-mounted and hitch-mounted carriers require that the vehicle be originally equipped or retrofitted with roof rails or a hitch box to which the carrier may be attached. Moreover, bicycles attached to roof-mounted carriers may create problems in areas where height restrictions apply, such as low tunnels, parking garages, etc. Rear hatch or trunk-mounted carriers and vacuum-mounted carriers must typically be removed when a bicycle is not being transported, and so risk damage to the vehicle paint and body parts. Therefore, a need is identified for a bicycle carrier for a vehicle that lacks these disadvantages. 
         [0004]    To solve these and other problems, the present disclosure relates to a bicycle carrier assembly for a motor vehicle. Advantageously, the described carrier is integrated into and hidden within a roof structure of the vehicle when not deployed. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    In accordance with the purposes and benefits described herein, in one aspect a roof-mounted bicycle rack assembly for a motor vehicle is described, comprising a bicycle carrier slidably attached to an underside of a roof panel of the motor vehicle. The deployable bicycle carrier comprises at least one bicycle support configured to deploy from and retract into a cooperating holder disposed on the roof panel underside. The assembly further includes a pivoting panel for hiding the slidably attached bicycle carrier when disposed in a retracted configuration. 
         [0006]    In embodiments, the bicycle support comprises at least one tube or rail and the cooperating holder comprises at least one sleeve or track configured to receive at least a portion of the at least one tube or rail therein. At least one stop may be provided, configured to prevent further sliding translation of the at least one bicycle support towards the deployed configuration or the retracted configuration. 
         [0007]    In another aspect, a motor vehicle is provided having a body including a roof panel and a rear pivoting closure panel, and a deployable bicycle carrier as described above. A pivoting panel may be provided disposed at a top portion of the rear pivoting closure panel, the pivoting panel being configured to translate between an open configuration and a closed configuration for hiding the deployable bicycle carrier when retracted. In embodiments at least one motor may be provided, configured to deploy and retract the at least one bicycle support, and to translate the pivoting panel between and open and a closed configuration. 
         [0008]    In the following description, there are shown and described embodiments of the disclosed integrated bicycle carrier assembly for a motor vehicle. As it should be realized, the assembly is capable of other, different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the devices and methods as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the disclosed integrated bicycle carrier assembly for a motor vehicle, and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof. In the drawing: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  depicts a rear perspective view of an integrated bicycle carrier assembly for a motor vehicle according to the present disclosure in a retracted configuration; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2A  depicts a rear view of an embodiment of the integrated bicycle carrier assembly of  FIG. 1  in a retracted configuration; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2B  depicts a side view of an alternative embodiment of the integrated bicycle carrier assembly of  FIG. 2A  in a retracted configuration; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2C  depicts a rear view of another alternative embodiment of the integrated bicycle carrier assembly of  FIG. 1  in a retracted configuration; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  depicts a side view of the integrated bicycle carrier assembly of  FIG. 2A  slidably translating into a deployed configuration; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  depicts an alternative arrangement for deployment/retraction of an integrated bicycle carrier assembly according to the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
       [0016]    Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the disclosed integrated bicycle carrier assembly for a motor vehicle, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    Preliminarily, the disclosed integrated bicycle carrier assembly is described herein primarily in an embodiment associated with a motor vehicle including a rear cargo area having a closure provided by a rear liftgate, such as a sport-utility vehicle (SUV), a cross-over utility vehicle (CUV), and the like. However, it will be appreciated that the assembly is readily integrated into a roof panel of any suitable motor vehicle, and so the disclosure should not be taken as limiting in this respect. 
         [0018]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , there is depicted a rear portion of a vehicle  100  including a closure provided by a liftgate  102 . At a top portion of the liftgate  102 , a pivoting panel  104  hides the disclosed bicycle carrier assembly  106  (not shown in this view). With reference to  FIG. 2A , the bicycle carrier assembly  106  is disposed, when in a retracted configuration, in a cavity  108  (not shown in this view) defined by an underside of the vehicle roof panel  110  and a roof liner  112 . The pivoting panel  104 , when pivoted to a closed configuration as shown in  FIG. 1 , obscures the bicycle carrier assembly  106  from view. A locking/latching assembly  114  may be included to secure pivoting panel  104  in the closed configuration. A number of suitable locking/latching assemblies are known such as simple catches, push-pull locks, push-push locks, and others. Use of any such suitable locking/latching assembly  114  is contemplated. In alternative embodiments as will be described below, the entire system is motorized, and a user-actuated locking/latching assembly  114  is unnecessary. 
         [0019]    The bicycle carrier assembly  106  includes at least one deployable bicycle support  105  configured to deploy from and retract into at least one cooperating holder  107  disposed on the roof panel  110  underside. In an embodiment the bicycle carrier assembly  106  comprises a pair of sleeves  116  attached to the underside of the vehicle roof panel  110 . A pair of cooperating tubes  118  are slidably held by the sleeves  116  whereby the tubes may be deployed and retracted as will be described. 
         [0020]    In one alternative embodiment (see  FIG. 2B ), the cooperating tubes  118  are slidably held by a plurality of aligned holders  120  disposed in the cavity  108  for deployment and retraction (see arrow) through pivoting panel  104 . 
         [0021]    With reference to  FIG. 2C , in another alternative embodiment the bicycle carrier assembly  106  comprises a pair of tracks  122  attached to an underside of the vehicle roof panel  110 . A pair of cooperating rails  124  are slidably held by the tracks  122  whereby the rails  124  may be deployed and retracted. 
         [0022]    Tubes  118 /rails  124  may simply slidably translate respectively along sleeves  116 /tracks  122 . This is depicted in  FIG. 3  showing tubes  118  slidably deploying from sleeves  116 . Particular materials may be selected for fabrication of tubes  118 , sleeves  116 , rails  124 , and/or tracks  122  which, by their inherent lubricity, provide a smooth sliding action between the cooperating tubes/sleeves and/or tracks/rails. 
         [0023]    In alternative embodiments, the slidable translation may be effected by cooperating rollers, bearings, etc. associated with the sleeves  116  and/or the tracks  122  to ensure/improve smooth operation during deployment/retraction of the assembly  106 . As one non-limiting example, roller bearings may be operatively associated with the sleeves  116  and/or the tracks  122 , aligned to a sliding translation axis of the tubes  118  and/or rails  124 , to reduce friction. Such mechanisms are well known to the skilled artisan, for example in the cabinetry and/or drawer slide arts, and do not require detailed description herein. 
         [0024]    As is also known, stops and/or hold-in mechanisms  126  may be included, configured to retain the tubes  118 /rails  124  in a deployed configuration and/or a retracted configuration as desired, and/or to prevent inadvertent full removal of the tubes  118 /rails  124  from THE sleeves  116 /tracks  122 . As one non-limiting example, a mechanical lock may be provided comprising a removable pin positioned in a perpendicular orientation to a displacement axis of tubes  118 /rails  124 , which impedes sliding translation of the tubes  118 /rails  124  beyond a desired point. Such mechanisms are also well known to the skilled artisan in the cabinetry and/or drawer slide arts, and do not require detailed description herein. 
         [0025]    It is contemplated to provide any of the above-described embodiments configured for manual deployment of the integrated bicycle carrier assembly  106 . As will be appreciated, this can be achieved by the simple expedient of opening pivoting panel  104 , grasping a portion of the carrier assembly  106 , and pulling to deploy the assembly. The assembly  106  would then be restored to the retracted configuration by the reverse process. 
         [0026]    In an alternative embodiment (see  FIG. 4 ), control of the opening and closing of pivoting panel  104  and deployment/retraction of the integrated bicycle carrier assembly  106  may be placed under control of one or more motors  126 . In turn, motors  126  may be under the control of a controller  128 , such as the vehicle basic control module (BCM). A switch  130  may be provided for actuation of the motor(s)  126 , disposed on one or more of the vehicle liftgate  102 , on a vehicle instrument panel (not shown), on a key fob (not shown), on a smart key (not shown), or elsewhere. In this embodiment, the motors  126  which actuate deployment/retraction of the bicycle supports  105  may supplement or even replace the stops/hold-in mechanisms  126  to prevent deployment/retraction of the supports  105  beyond a desired point. As will be appreciated, any number of suitable motors for opening/closing pivoting panel  104 , and for deploying/retracting the at least one bicycle support, are known in the art and contemplated for use herein. These include without intending any limitation rotating electric drive motors, linear actuators, and others. 
         [0027]    Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, in accordance with the configuration, weight, and number of bicycles intended to be carried on the deployed bicycle carrier assembly  106 , one, two, three, or more bicycle supports  105  and cooperating holders  107  may be included. In turn, one or more bicycle cradles  132  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) and associated straps (not shown) may be included on bicycle supports  105  for holding one or more bicycles (not shown). All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.