FR3123302A1 - bicycle rack with folding side panels - Google Patents

Abstract

Front luggage rack device with cheeks that can be rotated through 180°, capable of receiving large flat loads once deployed horizontally, while serving as side bag attachments in the folded position, characterized by a first package-carrying element consisting of a tubular assembly in the presence of two lateral tubes (a) which receive an anchoring system (b) from the lateral cheeks (c) which are themselves tubular. Figure for the abstract [Fig. 1] [Fig. 1]

Description

bicycle rack with folding side panels

The invention relates to a front luggage rack having cheeks that can be rotated through 180° on each of the lateral sides, capable of receiving large flat loads once deployed horizontally, while acting as side pannier attachments in the folded position, in such a way so as to respond to all front loading situations encountered in urban and travel use.

• la première famille technologique est celle des portes paquets avant. Ils répondent aux besoins des cyclo touristes partant à la journée, et pour lesquels le seul bagage supérieur suffit. Ces dispositifs se caractérisent par leur légèreté, en raison que seule la sole du porte bagage est utilisée pour le plus couramment recevoir une sacoche qui repose sur la dite sole. Dans ces conditions, et aux fins de définir ce type de porte bagages, il est également utilisé le terme de porte paquet. Cette technologie est utilisée dans le domaine du cyclotourisme sportif longue distance, situant une pratique intermédiaire à la pratique cyclo-sportive (s’affranchissant de porte bagage tant en raison d’une pratique sportive limitée dans le temps, que d’une volonté de chasser du vélo tout poids superflu) et à une autre pratique qu’est le vélo de voyage (transport de plus lourdes charges, avec des trajets journaliers moins longs que le cyclotourisme sportif).
• une deuxième famille, très proche de la première décrite, consiste à doter l’avant du vélo d’un porte paquet plus large adapté à d’autres fonctions désignées utilitaires employées dans un environnement urbain : soit pour offrir un plateau large pour recevoir un cageot par exemple, soit encore pour recevoir un panier. Cette seconde famille de porte bagage avant permet de transporter des objets plus importants, mais présente un inconvénient en usage cyclotouriste qui est l’encombrement. C’est pour cette raison qu’elle est employée principalement sur des vélos à usage urbain.
• une troisième famille consiste à doter la fourche avant du vélo, d’un système de support apte à recevoir des sacoches latérales. Dans ce cas la structure de porte bagage est avant tout latérale, et supporte des charges latérales par l’intermédiaire de sacoches spécifiquement adaptées à cet usage (dites sacoches latérales).
• Il est également utile de rappeler des dispositifs qui mixent ces trois types de technologies, ce qui produit des portes bagages de tailles importantes et très robustes, mais plutôt destinés à des vélos de voyage devant supporter de lourdes charges de bagages jusque 50 kg.

State of knowledge in the field of front luggage racks : we will distinguish three technological families, each meeting specific needs:

• the first technological family is that of the front package doors. They meet the needs of cyclo tourists leaving for the day, and for whom the only superior luggage is sufficient. These devices are characterized by their lightness, because only the sole of the luggage rack is used most commonly to receive a bag which rests on said sole. Under these conditions, and for the purpose of defining this type of luggage carrier, the term package carrier is also used. This technology is used in the field of long-distance sports cycling, placing an intermediate practice in the practice of cyclo-sports (freeing itself from luggage racks both because of a sports practice limited in time, and a desire to hunt superfluous weight cycling) and to another practice, which is travel cycling (carrying heavier loads, with shorter daily journeys than sports cycling).
• a second family, very close to the first described, consists in providing the front of the bike with a wider package rack suitable for other designated utility functions used in an urban environment: either to provide a wide tray to receive a crate for example, or even to receive a basket. This second family of front luggage carriers makes it possible to transport larger objects, but has a drawback in tourist use, which is the size. It is for this reason that it is mainly used on bicycles for urban use.
• a third family consists of providing the front fork of the bicycle with a support system capable of receiving side panniers. In this case, the luggage rack structure is above all lateral, and supports lateral loads via saddlebags specifically adapted for this use (known as side saddlebags).
• It is also useful to recall devices that mix these three types of technologies, which produce luggage racks of large sizes and very robust, but rather intended for travel bikes having to support heavy loads of luggage up to 50 kg.

For a cyclist who uses his bike for several purposes: sports, urban use, travel; no known device makes it possible to satisfy all of these needs, in that the luggage rack technology used will be: either light but will not allow the transport of many objects, or still large and will limit the sporting desires of the user for reasons of weight and wind resistance of the installed device. Under these conditions, the bicycle is never perfectly adapted to the sum of the uses it encounters.

So that no known device makes it possible to solve the three combined functions of bag holder – tray holder and side pannier holder according to a principle of adapting the shape of the luggage rack according to the needs; it is therefore to meet this requirement that the present invention is intended.

Presentation of the invention : the invention relates to a bicycle front luggage rack having side panels that can be rotated through 180° on each of the lateral sides, capable of receiving large flat loads once deployed horizontally, while acting as fasteners side panniers in the folded position, in such a way as to respond to all front loading situations encountered in urban use and travel, while the side panels in the folded position allow cycle touring use without the constraints of bulk and wind resistance.

The device ( ) of luggage rack is characterized by:
- a first rack element consisting of a tubular assembly in the presence of two side tubes (a) placed longitudinally to the bicycle, perfectly linear tubes (a) which receive an inking system (b) of the side cheeks (c ) itself tubular,
- this inking system (b) has two inking pads (b') remote from each other and fixed to each side tube (a), each pad (b') receiving at the opposite end from its attachment to the side tube (a) a pivot connection (d),
- each pivot link (d) of the inking system receives the upper tube (c') of the side plate (c) which crosses it, and a fixing system (e) holding the upper tube (c') in the position desired, according to the principle that the rotation of the upper tube (c') in the pivot connection (d) determines the angle of positioning of the flange (c) with regard to the package carrier.

More particularly to the dimension of the side cheeks (c), these can have a span of up to 200 mm, so that once in the low position at 90° from the rack, they can act as a pannier holder. It should be remembered for this purpose that the installation of side bags is carried out by means of hooks placed at the top of the bags which are placed on the side tube of the luggage rack, while the bag is retained in its lower part. by different means of mechanical tensioning: spring resting on the lower part of the bag holder, another adjustable hook coming to be placed on the same lower part of the bag holder. In the conditions of application of the device with side cheeks placed at the bottom at 90° to the luggage carrier, the side cheeks act as a pannier holder, and the same conditions for attaching the panniers are established to ensure their fixings.

More particularly to the position of the inking studs (b') on the rack and in such a way as to ensure perfect linearity of the sole produced by the rack and its side cheeks placed in a horizontal position, according to the level of positioning of the studs anchor (b') on the side tubes (a):
- if the anchoring pads (b') are placed at the same height level as the side tubes (a), the pivot link (d) is at the same height level as the upper tube (c') of the cheek lateral which crosses it; under these conditions, the assurance of a perfectly flat position of the sole consisting of the package rack and the side panels (c) positioned horizontally, is established by the upper tubes (c') of the perfectly linear side panels (c),
- if the anchoring pads (b') are placed in a position below the side tubes (a), the upper tubes (c') of the side cheeks (c) should be lowered in level ( ) corresponding to the difference in level observed between the side tubes (a) acting as the sole of the rack, and that of the pivot connection (d). In order to ensure a perfectly flat position of the sole of the rack and the side panels (c) positioned horizontally, it is then essential that the upper tubes (c') of the side panels are placed lower than the other parts of the tubes (c'') composing the side cheek (c).

device with cheeks folded in a 90° position from below,
device with cheeks folded in a horizontal position, here according to the principle of inking pads (b') are placed in a position below the side tubes (a)

Glossary :
(a) Carrier side tubes
(b) Inking system
(b') Inking pads
(c) Side cheeks
(c') Upper side cheek tubes
(c'') Other parts of tubes making up the side panel
(d) Pivot link

Claims (1)

Front luggage rack device having cheeks that can be rotated through 180° on each of the lateral sides, capable of receiving large flat loads once deployed horizontally, while acting as side pannier attachments in the folded position, characterized by:
- a first rack element consisting of a tubular assembly in the presence of two side tubes (a) placed longitudinally to the bicycle, perfectly linear tubes (a) which receive an inking system (b) of the side cheeks (c ) itself tubular,
- this inking system (b) has two inking pads (b') remote from each other and fixed to each side tube (a), each pad (b') receiving at the opposite end from its attachment to the side tube (a) a pivot connection (d),
- each pivot link (d) of the inking system receives the upper tube (c') of the side plate (c) which crosses it, and a fixing system (e) holding the upper tube (c') in the position desired, according to the principle that the rotation of the upper tube (c') in the pivot connection (d) determines the angle of positioning of the flange (c) with regard to the package carrier.