Patent ID: 7854359

Claim:
A quick connection and release assembly for a bicycle rack onto a bumper system of a vehicle comprising: a bracket mountable on the bumper system; and a bicycle rack releasably connectable to the bracket and configured to be at least one of installed to and uninstalled from the bracket without the use of a tool, the bicycle rack moveable relative to the bracket between a working position extending generally forwardly of the bumper system and a stowed position extending generally vertically upwardly from the bumper system, said bracket having a rear planar wall having through apertures for receiving bolts to mount to the bumper system, said bracket further having a pair of side walls extending from distal ends of the rear planar wall and a latch plate extending from a center portion of the rear planar wall, said side walls having releasably mounting means for the bicycle rack, wherein the bicycle rack has a pair of end plates spaced from each other at a distance to correspond to the pair of side walls, wherein the releasably mounting means includes a through aperture coaxially formed in each side wall and pegs extending from each of the end plates, said pegs configured for disposition through the through apertures, wherein each peg extends from its respective end plate in the same direction, wherein the bicycle rack has a rod extending between and connecting each end plate, wherein a latch pin extends from the rod, said latch pin cooperating with the latch plate for securing the bicycle rack in one of the working position and the stowed position, wherein the latch plate has an exposed edge defining a pair of angularly spaced notches interconnected by an arcuate earn surface for eoacting with the pin on the bicycle rake for maintaining the rack in one of the working position and the stowed position, and wherein the tab on the peg is only aligned with the cut out when the pin is aligned on the arcuate cam surface.