Patent ID: 7341417

Claim:
A carrier for securing a personal transporter to a vehicle, wherein the personal transporter includes a platform, a pair of wheels located one on either side of the platform, and a stem extending upwardly from the platform, wherein the wheels of the personal transporter are engageable with a support surface to provide movement of the personal transporter thereon, comprising: a base adapted to be secured to the vehicle; a transporter support including a stem engagement section and a platform support section, wherein the transporter support is movably mounted to the base for movement between a loading position and a transport position, wherein the transporter support in the loading position is oriented such that the stem engagement section is positioned to receive and engage the stem of the personal transporter and the platform support section is positioned to receive and engage the platform of the personal transporter while the wheels of the personal transporter are in engagement with the support surface, and wherein the transporter support in the transport position is oriented such that the wheels of the personal transporter are elevated above the support surface; wherein the stem engagement section includes a stem receiver configured to receive the stem while the wheels of the personal transporter are in engagement with the support surface as the platform is advanced into engagement with the platform support section; wherein the platform support section is configured to underlie the platform and defines a central area, and includes a pair of laterally spaced apart support areas located one on either side of the central area so as to be on opposite sides of the stem of the transporter when the transporter platform is positioned on the platform support section; a first flexible strap arrangement interconnected with the platform support section and engageable about the platform, wherein the first flexible strap arrangement includes a pair of laterally spaced apart straps interconnected with the laterally spaced apart areas of the platform support section so as to be located one on either side of the center of the platform support section; and a second flexible strap arrangement interconnected with the stem support section and engageable about the stem at a location above the platform for maintaining the stem in engagement with the stem receiver at a location above the platform; wherein the first strap arrangement is configured to secure the platform to the platform support section, and the second strap arrangement is configured to secure the stem to the stem support section, without the use of any separate engagement structure carried by the personal transporter.