1 AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT 'Carrier and Parts Therefor" The following stateme t is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 2 CA R AND PARTS THEREFOR 5 Field of the Invention The invention relates tc a tow bar mountable bike carrier and/or parts therefor such as a bracket for mounting on a tow bar and/or a cradle suitable for holding and securing 10 a bike frame therein. Background A conventional bike c 'er may be mounted on the tow bar of a vehicle in order to 15 transport one or more icycles with the vehicle. However, various problems may be associated with the con entional carrier. For example, the bike arrier's mounting bracket may shift around on the tow bar as the car vibrates, there y causing the entire bike carrier to shift. Furthermore, the 20 process required to secure the bike on the carrier may be slow or inefficient, or the means by which the bi ces are secured may be at risk of failing, particularly as they become less effective o ker time. Thus it may be advan ageous to provide a bike carrier or a part therefor which is 25 improved, or one which limits, reduces, overcomes or substantially ameliorates at least one of the aforesaid requirements or disadvantages, or provides an other advantage or advantage which may become evident upon further reading of this specification. 30 Summary of the Inve tdon In a first apparatus asp ct, the invention provides a cradle comprising, 3 a channel member adapted to receive a bike frame, a hook-loop fa tener adapted to wrap over and fasten the bike frame in the channel member, and securing means for wrapping over and securing the fastening site of the hook 5 loop fastener. The securing means m y comprise, a flexible member attached to the hook-loop fastener or channel member, the flexible member being adapted to wrap over the fastening site, and 10 locking means or locking the flexible member in position once wrapped over the fastening site. The locking means ma comprise, a locking memi er projecting from the hook-loop fastener or channel member, 15 and an opening in the flexible member for receiving the locking member, wherein the flexible member is locked in position by passing the locking member through the opening in he flexible member. 20 In another form, the loc king means comprises a buckle. The flexible member nay be elasticised. The flexible member may be attached proximate an end of the hook-loop fastener. It may comprise several openings for receiving the locking member. The openings may be formed by loops. The flexible 25 member may be adapted to wind around the hook-loop fastener and channel member. The flexible member may comprise an elastic band. A pull ring may be present at one end of the flexible member. In another form, the securing means comprises two flexible members. 30 The locking member may comprise a button. The button may project from the hook loop fastener.
4 The term hook-loop stener is intended to include variants of this type of fastener such as hook-hook fas enters, or sliding engaging fasteners which have islands with undercut edges that align and slide together into an interlocked position. The hook-loop fastener ma be a VelcroTM fastener. It may comprise a strap. The strap 5 may be attached to th channel member. The strap may be adapted to wind around the bike frame and ch el member. There may be a rigid loop attached to one end of the strap or to the c annel member. The rigid loop may be adapted to receive the other end of the strap t terethrough. The strap may be passed through and back over the rigid loop so that t e strap may be doubled back over itself. Winding the strap 10 back over the rigid loc p may provide greater friction against loosening of the strap than if the strap was ju t wound in one direction. It may also aid the user in pulling the strap tighter. In another form, the book-loop fastener comprises two straps. Each strap may be 15 adapted to wrap over he bike in the channel member. One strap may comprise a hooked surface of the Book-loop fastener and the other strap may comprise a looped surface of the hook-loo fastener. The channel member may be U-shaped with a flat base. One or more pads may line 20 the channel member. The base of the channel member may have one or more apertures for receiving screws. The channel member may be attached to a bike carrier by passing screws through the apertures. In a second apparatus aspect, the invention provides a bracket for a tow bar with a 25 tow ball, the bracket co uprising, a plate comprising an aperture for receiving a screwable stem of the tow ball therethrough, whereby he plate may be secured on the tow bar, and blocking means for preventing rotation of the mounted plate about the stem of the tow ball. 30 The blocking means m y comprise a pair of stops adapted to extend down from the plate adjacent opposite sides of the tow bar.
5 The plate may compri e a tow bar contacting portion. The bracket may comprise a pair of depressed portico ns on opposite sides of the tow bar contacting portion. Each stop may compri e a substantially straight ridge in the plate. The ridges may 5 extend down from opposite sides of the tow bar contacting portion to respective depressed portions. The bracket may co praise attachment means for attaching the bracket to a bike carrier. The attachme t means may comprise a pair of flanges proximate opposite io ends of the plate. The flanges may be attached substantially perpendicularly to the plate. Each flange ma comprise an open slot for receiving a hook from above. Each flange may comprise an aperture for receiving a pin. The pin may be intended to be passed through the aperture in the flange and an aperture in a frame of the bike carrier. 15 In a third apparatus aspect, the invention provides a bike carrier with a cradle in accordance with any one of the forms herein disclosed. There may be more than one cradle. For example, i one form there are three cradles and in another form there are four cradles. 20 In a fourth apparatus pect, the invention provides a bike carrier with a bracket for a tow bar in accordance vith any one of the forms herein disclosed. In a fifth apparatus as et, the invention provides a bike carrier comprising, 25 a carrier frame, attachment mea s for attaching the carrier frame to a tow bar, and a cradle disposed on the frame. The attachment means may comprise a bracket for a tow bar with a tow ball. 30 6 Brief Description of tie Drawings In order that the invent on may be more fully understood there will now be described, by way of example on y, preferred embodiments and other elements of the invention 5 with reference to the accompanying drawings where: Figure 1 is a per pective axonometric view of a bike carrier with a bracket and one of the cradle shown exploded; 10 Figure 2 is a magnified axonometric view of one of the cradles in Figure 1 with the respective str ps partially and completely unwound; Figure 3 is a magnified axonometric view of one of the cradles in Figure 1 shown mounted g top the carrier frame; 15 Figure 4 is magn fled axonometric view of one of the cradles in Figure 1 shown exploded from thD carrier frame; Figure 5 is an ax nometric view showing part of the underside of the exploded 20 cradle of Figure 4,; and Figure 6 is an axonometric view of the bike carrier of Figure 1 with the cradles and bracket show a assembled therewith. 25 Description of Examp tes of the Invention and the Preferred Embodiment The various elements identified by numerals in the drawings are listed in the following integer list. 30 Integer List 2 bike can ier 4 carrier fame 7 6 cradle 8 tow bar racket 10 channel member 12 securing belt 5 14 pad 16 Velcro Etrap 18 elastic and 20 metal loop 22 hook se tion 10 24 loop section 26 button 28 metal cl ps 30 elastic loop 32 pull ring 15 36 channel bracket 38 screws 40 aperture in base of channel member 42 threaded hole 44 arrow i dicating direction of winding 20 46 arrow ir dicating direction of winding 48 plate 50 flange 52 raised p rtion 54 ridge 25 56 depress d portion 58 aperture for tow ball 60 open so 62 pin aperure 64 leg 30 66 top bar 68 holding straps 70 hook 72 pin aper ure 8 74 D-clip Referring to Figure 1, here is shown a bike carrier, generally designated 2. The bike carrier comprises a carter frame 4, three cradles 6 mounted atop the carrier frame 4, 5 and a tow bar bracket 8 connected toward the bottom of the carrier frame 4. It is envisaged that other enbodiments of the invention may have more or less than three cradles. For example, an alternative bike carrier has four cradles so that four bikes may be held securely o the carrier frame, 10 Figure 2 shows each o the cradles 6 comprising a channel member 10 and a pair of securing belts 12. In this Figure, the securing belt on the reader's left is partially unwound and the securing belt on the reader's right is completely unwound so that the belt 12 hangs belov the channel 10. 15 The channel member 10 is a U shaped metal section with a flat base. It is designed to receive bike frames of various shapes and sizes, although it is envisaged that frames and parts of other app tus may also be placed in the channel. A pair of U-shaped rubber pads 14 lines the inner surface and top of the channel member 10 at respective ends thereof The pads 14 serve to protect the contacting surfaces of the bike frame 20 and channel member 10 from wear and tear caused by movement of the bike frame in the channel member 1 Each securing belt 12 c omprises a Velcro fM strap 16 and an elastic band 18 which is connected to the Velcn) strap 16 end to end. The Velcro strap is also attached near its 25 other end to the bottoan surface of the channel member 10. This other end has a rectangular metal loop 20 through which the belt 12 may be threaded. The Velcro strap 16 his a hook section 22 and a loop section 24 to which the hook section may be fastene t A button 26 is affixed to the hook section 22, 30 The elastic band 18 is fnned by an endless loop of cord which is bound together by a series of metal clips, ereby producing a series of small elastic loops 30 between sections of the cord. A metal pull ring 32 is connected to the free end of the cord.
9 In Figure 3, both of th-. securing belts 12 are wound around the channel member 10 and locked in position. 5 As shown in Figure 4, he channel member 10 is mounted on a channel bracket 36 by a pair of screws 38. The screws pass through respective apertures 40 (see Figure 5) in the base of the change member 10 and into respective threaded holes 42 defined by the channel bracket 36. 10 The bike frame may be secured in the cradle by undertaking the following steps: " Completely unvrap both securing belts 12; * Place the bike f -ame into the mouth of the channel member 10; " Pull the securing belt 12 around the channel member 10 and bike frame in the direction of arr w 44 (see Figure 2), and thread the securing belt through the 15 metal loop so that part of the securing belt 12 hangs freely below the channel member 10 (as shownn by the securing belt to the reader's left in Figure 2); " Wind the secu ing belt 12 in the reverse direction as indicated by arrow 46 (see Figure 2) back over the metal loop 10 and loop section 24 of the securing belt 12, and wir d the securing belt 12 around the channel member 10 and bike 20 frame; In doing this the hook section 22 of the securing belt 12 should fasten to the loop sec on 24; " Continue to wind the elastic band 18 of the securing belt 12 around the fastened Velcro strap 16, pulling tightly (the pull ring 32 may be used); and * Pass the button 26 projecting from the Velcro strap 16 through the adjacent 25 elastic loop 30 thereby locking the elastic band 18 in a tightly wrapped position around the Velcro strap 16. Referring again to Figure 1, the bracket 8 consists of a plate 48 with a pair of flanges 50 welded perpendicul aly to respective ends of the plate 48. The plate has a central, 30 flat and raised tow bar contacting portion 52, a pair of ridges 54 which extend down from opposite sides of e raised portion 52, and a pair of flat depressed portions 56 which extend from res ective ridges to respective ends of the plate 48. The raised 10 portion 52 of the plate 48 defines an aperture 58 for receiving a screwable stem of a tow ball therethrough. Each flange 50 defines an open slot 60 and a pin aperture 62. The bracket 8 may be ounted on a tow bar with a tow ball by: 5 . Unscrewing the tow ball; " Placing the raise ed portion 52 of the plate 48 onto the ball mount of the tow bar; " Aligning the r ised portion 52 on the ball mount so that the ridges 54 projecting dowa from the raised portion 52 are running alongside opposite 10 edges of the b mount; " Aligning the apertures in the plate 48 and the ball mount; " Passing the threaded stem of the tow ball through the aligned apertures; and " Screwing a nut onto the threaded stem so that the bracket 8 is secured on the tow bar. 15 With the bracket sec ed in this manner, the ridges 54 should block rotational movement of the brack t about the stein of the tow ball. Although it is envisaged that various types of bike carriers and frames may be used, 20 the carrier frame shown in Figures 1 and 6 is of a conventional type, having a pair of forked legs 64 which te to form a top bar 66. Three cradles 6 are mounted on the top bar 66 so that th-ee bikes may be transported on the carrier 2. In another embodiment, the carrie has an inverted L-shaped frame formed by a single bar. 25 A pair of holding strap 68 (shown cut-off) with a buckle (not shown) is attached to the frame 4. The holding straps 68 may be tied around and through parts of the bike frames or bike wheels which hang down below the top bar 66 when the bikes are secured in the cradles 6 30 Towards the bottom of each leg 64 is an inwardly projecting hook 70 and a pin aperture 72. The carrier frame 4 may be mounted on the bracket 8 by urging the 11 hooks 70 into respect e open slots 60 and passing a pair of D-clip pins 74 into respective pin aperture 62, 72 and then clipping the pins 74. Whilst the above desc 'ption includes the preferred embodiments of the invention, it 5 is to be understood th t many variations, alterations, modifications and/or additions may be introduced i to the constructions and arrangements of parts previously described without dep ing from the essential features or the spirit or ambit of the invention. 10 It will be also underst od that where the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "co prising", are used in this specification, unless the context requires otherwise suc use is intended to imply the inclusion of a stated feature or features but is not to b taken as excluding the presence of other feature or features. 15 The reference to any p or art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general know edge in Australia. 20 Dated this 7 th day of May 2009 STANFRED METAL RODUCTS PTY. LIMITED By their patent attorney Morcom Pernat