AU2010203069A1 - Demountable Carrier - Google Patents

Description

1 AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT "Demountable Carrier" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 2 DEMOUNTABLE CARRIER 5 Field of the Invention The invention relates to a demountable carrier. It relates particularly but not exclusively to a demountable carrier for fitting on the tow bar of vehicles which may be suitable for holding articles such as bikes, skis, snowboards or golf bags. 10 Background Carriers for bicycles which can be mounted on the tow bars of vehicles are well known. 15 Generally speaking, they comprise an upright support which can be fitted to the tow bar of a vehicle attached to a horizontally extending support assembly having cradles for receiving the frames of one or more bikes. 20 Whilst such carriers have gained quite general acceptance, in use, they suffer from a number of disadvantages. Generally speaking, because they are bulky, they may be difficult to store when not in use. Even in the unassembled state, because of their bulkiness, the packaging in 25 which they are sold may also need to be bulky taking up excess space in shops and warehouses. This bulkiness, also introduces extra costs in terms of the volume they occupy on transport vehicles. Apart from the problems associated with bulkiness, they tend to be configured so that 30 they are suitable for a single purpose type use. For example, they may only be constructed so that they can hold bicycles.

3 Thus, there is a need for a carrier construction which can perform the functions of known bike carrier constructions but which can also be readily reduced in size to reduce bulkiness and adapted to fit a range of purposes. 5 Summary of the Invention The invention provides in one aspect a demountable carrier comprising, attachment means for securing the demountable carrier to a support such as tow bar for a vehicle, 10 upright support means joined to the attachment means proximate a lower end of the upright support means, and cradle means for securing and holding an article joined to the upright support means proximate an upper end of the upright means, wherein, at least one of the joins between the upright support means and the 15 cradle means or attachment means comprises a demountable joint having a male member receivable in a socket. The attachment means may comprise a transversely extending plate or similar device which may be secured to the tongue of a tow bar. Opposite ends of the attachment 20 means may be provided with socket members. The socket members may be configured so as to receive two upright support means. Both the upright support means and socket means may have a square or rectangular configuration which allows the upright members to be telescoped into the socket 25 members to hold them. A bolt or pin passed through them may be used to lock them in place. In another approach the upright supports may have a round cross section to fit into co-operating round socket means. Alternatively, the transverse member may be joined to opposed upright male members 30 adapted to fit within sockets provided by each of the upright members.

4 The upper ends of the upright members may be configured so that they may be joined together to form a socket. A channel member may be attached to each upright member for this purpose. This socket may be adapted to receive a male member forming part of a cradle assembly. 5 The cradle assembly may be arranged to extend horizontally from the upright members. It may have a plurality of individual cradles for holding a plurality of articles such a bicycles, skis, snowboards, etc. 10 In another configuration, the attachment assembly may comprise a tongue for fitting on the tongue of a tow bar. It may have a single socket or male member for fitting with a corresponding socket or male member comprising part of a single upright support. This single upright support may similarly be connected via a male/female socket joined to a cradle assembly. A pin or bolt may be used to secure the 15 male/female socket joins so that they are locked together. It will be appreciated that having demountable male/female socket joins between the three major components of the carrier, namely the attachment assembly, upright supports and cradle assembly allows the carrier to be readily demounted, reduced in 20 bulk and packaged in relatively small volume packaging. It is also possible to substitute different components for different purposes. For example different cradle assemblies may be used depending upon the use required for the carrier. Thus the same basic construction can be used for carrying a range of articles such as bikes, skis, etc. 25 Preferred aspects of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Brief Description of the Drawings 30 Figure 1 is a perspective axonometric view of a demountable carrier according to the invention; 5 Figure 2 is an exploded axonometric view of the carrier of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective axonometric view of an alternative cradle assembly for 5 use with the invention; Figure 4 is an axonometric view of the cradle of Figure 3 having an extra cradle element; 10 Figure 5 is a partially exploded axonometric view of an alternative form of carrier construction according to the invention; and Figure 6 is a magnified axonometric view of the bottom region of the carrier of Figure 5. 15 Description of Examples of the Invention and the Preferred Embodiment The various elements identified by numerals in the drawings are listed in the following Integer List. 20 Integer List 2 Demountable carrier 4 Attachment assembly 25 6 Upright support 8 Cradle assembly 10 Raised portion 12 Mounting plate 14 Lower portion 30 16 Hole 18 Socket 20 Base plate 6 22 Hole 24 Hole 26 Pin 28 Clip 5 30 Holding strap 32 Loop 34 Channel member 36 Intermediate member 38 Bolt 10 40 Nut 42 Socket member 44 Bolt 46 Nut 48 Support member 15 49 Buttress element 50 Cradle 52 Straps 54 Cradle assembly 56 Upper cradle member 20 58 Lower cradle member 59 Bolt 60 Clamping zone 62 Support member 64 Connector element 25 66 Additional cradle unit 68 Upright member 70 Attachment assembly 72 Tongue 74 Hole 30 76 Socket 78 Pin 80 Hole 7 82 Hole 84 Clip Referring to Figures 1 and 2 there is shown a demountable carrier generally 5 designated 2. The carrier comprises three main components, namely, an attachment assembly 4 for attachment to a support such as the tongue of a tow bar fitted to a vehicle, a pair of upright supports 6 and a cradle assembly 8. The attachment assembly comprises a transverse member in the form of a mounting 10 plate 12. The central portion of the mounting plate is provided with a raised portion 10 between two lower portions 14. The raised portion is adapted to sit over the tongue of a vehicle tow bar. The raised portion is suitably dimensioned so that its edges snugly abut the sides of 15 the tow bar tongue when the attachment assembly is secured to the tongue so as to prevent rotation of the mounting plate with respect to the tongue. A hole 16 is provided in the centre of the raised portion to facilitate securement of the carrier by means of a bolt, tow ball or similar to the tongue of the tow bar. 20 Opposite ends of the mounting plate are provided with sockets 18 of square cross section. The steel sockets and mounting plate may be welded together by conventional steel welding processes. 25 The bottom of each of the sockets is provided with a base plate for purposes to become apparent, Each of the sockets includes holes 22 provided on opposed sides of the socket. 30 The holes 22 are arranged to align with the holes 24 provided on each of the upright supports 6. Thus, when the lower ends of the upright supports 6 are pushed home into the sockets 18 in the manner of a male member fitting into a female member, the 8 base plates 20 serve to align the holes 22 and 24 when the bottom of the respective upright supports 6 abut the base plates. A pin 26 held in place by a clip 28 may then secure each socket and upright support 5 together easily and securely. Each of the upright supports may be optionally supplied with a loop 32 to which a holding strap 30 may be secured. The holding strap may be used to wrap around articles such as bicycles which are being supported by the carrier. 10 Each upright support is provided with a channel member 34 at its upper end. The two channel members 34 form a socket for the intermediate member 36 when the intermediate member is sandwiched between the two channel members and upright 15 supports. A bolt 38 and nut 40 act to rigidly secure the intermediate member 36 in place so that its upper end can be fitted into the socket member 42 provided on the cradle assembly 8. Bolt 44 and nut 46 secure the top of the intermediate member 36 within the socket 20 member 42 to rigidly hold the cradle assembly in place preferably at a generally horizontal configuration. The cradle assembly comprises a support member 48 which may be box section steel similar to the steel forming the upright supports 6. 25 The support member 48 may be joined to the socket member 42 by welding and may be reinforced by way of the buttress element 49 welded therebetween to lend strength and rigidity to the cradle assembly. 30 A plurality of generally channel shaped cradles 50 may be mounted on the support member by conventional means such as screws, and straps 52 provided on opposed 9 sides of the cradles may be used to tie down articles such as the frames of bikes which have been rested in the cradles. In the foregoing description relating to Figures 1 and 2, it should be appreciated that 5 the positions of the male and female components relating to the sockets may be reversed. Thus for example, the sockets 18 may be replaced with spigots which fit within sockets provided at the bottom of the upright members 6. Similarly, the channel members 34 forming the socket at the upper part of the upright 10 members may be left out completely so that the tops of the bike supports 6 when joined form a rectangular spigot which may fit into a rectangular socket in place of the square socket 42 shown in the drawing on the cradle assembly. Referring to Figures 3 and 4, there are shown alternative cradle assemblies 54 which 15 may be used in place the combination of cradle assembly 8 and intermediate member 36 shown in Figures 1 and 2. In this instance, the cradle assembly includes upper and lower cradle members 56 and 58 which may be secured together by the bolts 59, 20 The frames of bikes may be held in the clamping zones 60 defined between the upper and lower cradle members. A significant difference between the cradle assembly of Figures 1 and 2 and that 25 shown in Figures 3 and 4 is that the support member 62 is formed with a downwardly directed connector element 64 welded to the support member. This connector element 64 replaces the intermediate member 36 found in the preceding drawings and functions in a similar fashion. 30 One or more additional cradle units 66 may be added as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 4.

10 Referring to Figures 5 and 6, there is shown another alternative construction for performance of the invention. In this construction, the upright member 68 may be telescoped into the socket 76 of 5 the attachment assembly which in turn can be attached via the tongue 72 to the tongue of a vehicle tow bar via a bolt passed through the hole 74. A pin 78 passing through the hole 80 provided in the socket and the hole 82 provided in the upright member 68 secures the upright member to the attachment assembly and a clip 84 holds the pin in place in the manner illustrated. 10 The cradle assembly 8 is constructed in identical fashion with the cradle assembly shown in relation to Figures 1 and 2, the socket of the cradle assembly 42 fitting directly onto the top of the upright member 68 to be secured by the bolt 38, 15 Whilst the above description includes the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that many variations, alterations, modifications and/or additions may be introduced into the constructions and arrangements of parts previously described without departing from the essential features or the spirit or ambit of the invention. 20 It will be also understood that where the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", are used in this specification, unless the context requires otherwise such use is intended to imply the inclusion of a stated feature or features but is not to be taken as excluding the presence of other feature or features. 25 The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

Claims (10)

1. A demountable carrier comprising, attachment means for securing the demountable carrier to a support such as a 5 two bar for a vehicle, upright support means joined to the attachment means proximate a lower end of the upright support means, and cradle means for securing and holding an article joined to the upright support means proximate an upper end of the upright means, 10 wherein, at least one of the joins between the upright support means and the cradle means or attachment means comprises a demountable joint having a male member receivable in a socket.

2. The demountable carrier according to claim I wherein the attachment means 15 comprise a plate extending laterally from the upright support means and constructed for fitting directly onto a tongue of a two bar.

3. The demountable carrier according to claim I or claim 2 wherein the join between the upright support means and cradle means as well as the join between the 20 upright support means and attachment means each comprise a male member receivable in a socket.

4. The demountable carrier according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the upright support means comprise a pair of spaced upright supports and the 25 attachment means comprise a plate extending between the spaced upright supports.

5. The demountable carrier according to claim 4 wherein the plate comprises a centrally raised portion shaped to fit snugly over a tongue of a tow bar. 30

6. The demountable carrier according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the cradle means comprise at least one elongate cradle support member extending 12 laterally from the upright support means and a socket member holding a male member.

7. The demountable member according to claim 6 wherein the upright support 5 means comprise a pair of channel shaped members which jointly define a socket for receiving the male member.

8. The demountable carrier according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein a plurality of channel shaped cradle members are mounted on the cradle support member. 10

9. The demountable carrier according to claim 8 wherein each channel shaped cradle member comprises a tie down strap.

10. The demountable carrier accordingly to claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore 15 described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings. 20 Dated this 20th day of July 2010 Stanfred Metal Products Pty Ltd by their patent attorneys Morcom Pernat