WO1992019470A1

WO1992019470A1 - Cycle rack

Info

Publication number: WO1992019470A1
Application number: PCT/DK1992/000139
Authority: WO
Inventors: Erik Schmidt
Original assignee: Erik Schmidt Autotilbehør Aps
Priority date: 1991-04-30
Filing date: 1992-04-30
Publication date: 1992-11-12
Also published as: DK79291D0; AU1688492A; NO933929L; DE9209442U1; DK168848B1; DE69217363T2; DE9208291U1; SE9202397L; NO933929D0; US5388736A; SE9202397D0; US5588574A; EP0583311A1; ATE148663T1; CA2102125A1; EP0583311B1; DK79291A; DK168848C; NO180575C; NO180575B

Abstract

A cycle rack comprises a set of branches (2, 3) arranged in V-shape connected to each other at the acute angle range of the V-shape there comprising a connecting and spacing providing intermediate link means (7) and gripping and holding means (8A, 8B) able to grip around and hold the rack onto a holding means, such as a ball (1) of a towing hitch located at the rear of an automobile. To achieve a squeezing gripping onto the ball by the gripping and holding means a per se known type of toggle joint means (4, 5) is comprised connecting the branches. To achieve a fitting holding unto balls (1) having differing dimensions as well as achieving further foldability of the rack the said spacing providing and connecting link means (7) comprises at least one in lesser degree reshapeable i.e. through such shape changing means as elasticity or readjustment reshapeable, connecting link means (7A, 7B, 73, 74) and/or the cycle rack has at least one of the branches of the V-shape (2, 3) arranged at least one protruding carrying arm (2A, 3A) for carrying bicycles and/or skies or lengthy objects, which carrying arm (2A, 3A), able to be swung away, is mounted pivotally around at least one pivot axis (21, 31) onto the said branch (2, 3).

Description

CYCLE RACK

The present invention relates to a rack for carrying objects as bicycles and/or skees, which rack comprises a set of branches being arranged in V-shape and connected to each other at the acute angle range of the V-shape there comprising a connecting and spacing providing intermediate link means and at this means the rack further comprises mutually pivotable and between the branches of the V-shape arranged gripping and holding means able to grip around and hold the rack unto a per se known kind of means able to carry the rack like the ball on a towing hitch at the back of an automobile to which purpose the rack between the branches of the V-shape, to achieve a sqeezing gripping produced by the said gripping and holding means, comprises a per se known type of toggle joint means connecting them, and which toggle joint means preferably comprises, at at least one side of the toggle joint, two parallel connecting link means.

Such a type of rack of prior art is illustrated in the present specification in Fig. 1 of the attached drawing, whereby in the lower portion of FIG. 1 a ball 1 of a towing hitch of an automobile is shown. On the upperportions of the branches 3 and 4 of the above the ball 1 illustrated V-shaped rack of prior art two protruding arms 2A and 3A for the carrying of a bicycle, respectively for sidewards supporting of skees, are shown. Skees may have their lower ends supported by a, per se known but in the drawing not shown, basket shaped supporting means.

By this type of rack the drawback has been found that it of practical reasons may be necessary to manufacturs and market more than just one size of the rack. The reason is not to be found to be caused by various sizes of bicycles or skees, but is caused by the sizes of the ball hitch. The dimensions of the bail comply with a world wide accepted one-size-standard which includes a lesser and ne cessary maximum dimensional tolerance being large enough to cover manufactural uncertainties when manufacturing the ball. Nevertheless, though the ball size standard is world wide accepted, unfortunately the tolerance is not being sufficiently strictly kept everywhere, and hereto has to be added a certain wear down of the ball also has to be taken into account. Accordingly, in practice two sizes of the aforementioned gripping and holding means mostly have to be manufactured by the rack producer to ensure that the rack is sitting fittingly on the ball of such a towing hitch. On the other hand, it would be an advantage if it was possible to achieve that it from the outside visibly was possible to distinguish, and not having first by trials to find out, if some present rack is able to fit unto a given ball of a ball hitch. The dimensional differences are to small to be easily distinguishable. It is furthermore wanted to provide an optional embodiment of the rack making it possible that the rack, can attain such a shape that it occupies a smaller space when packed in a package or into a box for transportational purposes.

This and further purposes are according to the invention being attained, and this without the rack having to be disassembled for occupying a smaller space when having to be packed, in that said spacing providing and connecting link means comprises at least one in lesser degree reshapeable, i.e. through such shape changing means as elasticity or readjustment reshapeable, connecting link means, and/or in that at least one of the branches of the V-shape of the rack mounted to it carries at least one carrying arm which arm is arranged mounted pivotable, and thus able to be swung away, around at least one pivot axis for carrying bicycles or skees unto the said branch of the V-shape.

A spacing providing and connecting link which thus is reshapeable through readjustment, mechanically regarded. is an embodiment which is able through this means to assure a force of tension between the gripping and holding means, as in particular the carrying ball of the bail hitch, having a value which exhibits a suitably small tolerance. On the other hand, it may be advantageous that only two values of the force of tension are attainable through the reshape-ability, i.e. that only two tension providing readjustment positions selectively are attainable by means of the reshapeability, so that only these two values of the force of tension, through the selection of them, in practice are attainable and thus together cover a tensional range enabling the rack to be seated fittingly on any of the in practice found slightly different dimensioned balls of the ball hitches. A rack which through per se known mechanical means for the attaining of two longitudinal sizes as the said reshapeable, connecting link means comprises an into two longitudinal sizes changeable and thus readjustable and reshapeable spacing providing and connecting fishplate linkage may thus be advantageous. This can through the invention as a mechanically simple solution also be achieved in that the reshapeable spacing providing and connecting link means is provided as a connecting link means which comprises per se known adjusting screw means. Another embodiment according to the invention which is able to cover the same tensional range without any necessary carrying out of adjusting actions is according to the invention provided by having the reshapeable link means embodied as at least one waveshaped elastic connecting link means. This embodiment may for instance be provided therethrough, that the connecting link means comprises two parallel ribbon or rod shaped connecting link means of which one or both are wave shaped. Experience shows that this solution according to the invention provides a well functioning adaptation to the in practice found differing ball dimensions. As an alternati ve a rack exhibiting a combination of the mentioned embodiments may be used, this may be advantageous if a rack to be used as well for transportion of bicycles and skees is going to be used at expected much differing dimensions of bails of ball hitches.

To obtain easy packing of the rack or packing away of racks as for transportation to a sales dealer or for laying the rack on stock, when it for some time has not to be used, the number of single items of which such a rack for carrying of bicycles and/or skees consists may be further reduced than earlier attainable by means of the aforementioned swinging away possibility of the at least one carrying arm mounted unto the in V-shape arranged branches. For packing or transporting at once of more racks they additionally, besides having the carrying arms swung away, may be so positioned that they are arranged in parallel besides each other with the flat sides of the V- shape turned against each other and with each second of the racks having the direction of its V-shape of the branches opposingly oriented. A very tight stocking arrangement for the racks is attained in this way.

A further developed embodiment according to the invention comprises an annular or eyelet means to be connected to the single of the said carrying arms namely therethrough, that a lengthy carrying means is arranged at at least one side of the carrying arm and runs substantially longitudinally along side the carrying arm, and whereby this said lengthy carrying means at at least one side comprises at least one annular or eyelet gripping means for the gripping of a mounting means for bicycles, skees and the like. In a further development this lengthy carrying means is mountable on and dismounteable from the carrying arm by means of, preferably at least in part, into or around the carrying means gripping holding means. An embodiment hereof can be a U-shaped comprising a closing or locking means able to close the access to the aperture of the U-shape. The lengthy means can according to a further development according to the invention at the range close to the end of the carrying arm being closest to the branches of the V-shape furthermore comprise at least one branch gripping means able to grip and hold the branch which carries the carrying arm when this is swung down respectively of the lengthy means when swung down respectively while occupying the operational position in which it is able to carry bicycles, skees and other objects to be carried by the rack. Through this arrangement the safeguarding option becomes included that the pivotally arranged carrying arm becomes safeguarded against an unwanted swinging upward when occupying the operational position.

Embodiments according to the invention are described in further detail as follows under reference to the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of a rack according to prior art technique being described in the ingress including a ball 1 of a towing bail hitch whereupon the illustrated rack can be fittingly seated and carried,

FIG. 2 also in the perspective illustrates a reshapeable readjustable connecting link means, but embodied according to the invention, FIG. 3 shows in the perspective another embodiment of a reshapeable readjustable connecting link- means according to the invention being arranged on a rack shown in FIG. 4,

FIG. 4 shows the connecting link means according to

FIG. 3 arranged on a rack,

FIG.s 5 and 6 illustrates an embodiment according to the invention of a reshapeable elastic connecting link means, FIG.s 7 and 8 also in the perspective illustrates carrying arms according to the invention shown as well as occupying a ready-to-carry position as occupying a swung-away position, FIG. 9 illustrates an auxiliary carrying and locking means to be mounted on the carrying arms to provide auxiliary holding means for the holding of extended objects like skees to the carrying arms of the rack and for locking the carrying arms when they are swung-down to occupy ready-to-carry positions, and

FIG. 10 shows the auxiliary means according to FIG. 9 mounted on a carrying arm, here the carrying arm 3A of the rack.

Elements having the same or substantially same function carry in the FIG.s of the drawings the same reference numeral.

In FIG. 1 of the drawings an embodiment of a rack of the prior art technique as described in the ingress is illustrated. In the FIG.s 2 through 10 embodiments of a rack according to the invention are illustrated.

The illustrated rack of prior art technique comprises in V-shape oblique running branches 2 and 3 which at their upper ends carry protruding carrying arms 2A and 3A determined to carry at least one bicycle, skee or other lengthy object to be carried by the rack. At the range of the acute angle of the V-shape the carrying branches 2 and 3 are connected by means of parallel running spacing between the branches 2 and 3 providing and the branches 2 and 3 connecting link means which permit a mutual swinging or pivoting of the branches 2 and 3, and which connecting link means in the drawings carry the reference numerals 7A and 7B. Below the spacing providing and connecting link means 7A, 7B two gripping and holding means 8A and 8B are mounted at the carrying branches 2 and 3. When opening the lower ends of the carrying branches 2 and 3 in direction away from each other the two gripping and holding means 8A and 8B are being moved away from each other so that they easily can be put in position at diametrically opposite sides of a shown ball 1 which belongs to a towing hitch located at the rear of an automobile for towing a trailer or caravan behind the automobile. By tensioned closing of the lower ends of the carrying branches 2 and 3 the gripping and holding means can be brought to be seated fittingiy on the bail 1 and safely to hold the rack in position thereupon. It is also known according to prior art technique to arrange an upwards open basketshaped means at the location in vicinity of the arms 7A and 7B below the carrying arms 2A and 3A for the supporting of the lower ends of the skees while at a higher level the objects are sidewardly supported within the rack against the carrying arms 2A and 3A. A rack for carrying bicycles can thus easily be equipped so it also is able to carry skees.

The carrying branches 2 and 3 are mutually held in position by means of a toggle joint means 4, 5 which comprises two parallel link arms which in stretched and tensioned position of the toggle joint means near the middle of this toggle joint means are able to be kept locked by means of a locking and holding mechanism 6 of per se known type. After relocking of this holding mechanism the toggle joint means can be opened by upwards moving of the middle portion at 6 of the toggle joint means during which moving completely stretched condition of the toggle joint means is being passed. Herethrough the upper ends of the arms 4 and 5 are pulled towards each other, and the mid range 6 is pulled upwards. 41 and 51 designate bearings for the pivotal movement.

To provide a better adapted tensioning force of the gripping and holding means 8A and 8B against the sides of different balls 1 which exhibit somewhat differing dimen sions of the balls it is advantageous to use embodiments according to the invention having the lower portions of the rack embodied as shown in FIG.s 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 of the drawings.

According to FIG. 2 an embodiment is shown whereby the known connecting link means 7A, 7B are substituted by a srew means 75 exhibiting a thread gripping into a for instance manually rotary readjustment button 76 or into a threaded hole in a clamping means 73, whereby the readjustment button 7ό at the opposite side in relation to the screw means 75 is undisplaceably rotary beared into another clamping means 74. The clamping means are suitably bearing connected with the lower ends 27, 37 of the carrying branches 2 and 3 at bearings 71, 72. By means of the button 76 it is possible to readjust the spacing between the carrying branches 27 and 37 provided by the connecting link means as earlier described.

In FIG. 3 another embodiment of a reshapeable connecting link means is shown and in FIG. 4 and this means is shown mounted within a rack. In this embodiment the connecting link means comprises as that according to FIG. 2 a screw means 75 comprising a with this means fixed connected readjustment button 76 and a thread which grips into a threaded hole in a clamping means 73 and further is pressing against another clamping means 74. The two clamping means 73 and 74 comprise through holes for bearing pins 71 and 72 serving to hold the clamping means in position in relation to the carrying branches 2 and 3 as illustrated in FIG. 4. As in particular visible in FIG. 3, the through holes for the bearing pins are shaped as oblong holes in concern of the holes which in FIG. 3 are being visible as located most far to the left in concern of the clamping means 73 and which in FIG. 4 are being visible as located most far to the right in concern of the clamping means 74. By readjusting the screw means the spacing between the bearing pins 71 and 72 is adaptable with a maximum size of variability being given by the size of the oblong holes in longitudinal direction. A suitably strong spring means or other known kind of a rotation counteracting means can be arranged as indicated to influence upon the screw means or adjusting knob 76 as indicated at the screw means 75 so that the force influences which are exerted between the bearing pins 71 and 72 do not result in a changing of an acquired screw means readjustment position.

Another kind of embodiment is shown in FIG.s 5 and 6 whereby either one connecting link means 7A or both the connecting link means 7A, 7B are substituted by a waveshaped accordingly ribbon shaped designated and to the purpose elastic resilient means. The length and the elasticity of this ribbon shaped means is adapted in such a manner that a suitable tensioning force exerted by tine elements 8A and 8B against the ball 1 is achieved.

In FIG.s 7 and 8 of the drawings an embodiment according to the invention for the carrying arms 2A, 3A is illustrated in the perspective, whereby these arms are arranged mounted to a clamp shaped means 3B which on opposite sides are griping the carrying branches 2 and 3 and are pivotable around pivotbearings at 21 and 31. According to FIG. 7 the carrying arms 2A, 3A are occupying positions suitable for carrying bicycles or skees, according to FIG. 8 the carrying arms 2A, 3A occupy swung-away positions.

A further development according to the invention is shown in FIG.s 9 and 10, whereby an auxiliary carrying and locking means to be mounted as required according to circumstances on the carrying arm 3A of the rack is shown. A corresponding auxiliary carrying and locking means for the carrying arm 2A is contemplated to be mirror symmetric shaped. The auxiliary carrying and locking means is provided with annular, eyelet or otherwise suitably shaped holding means 30, of which four annular shaped holding means 30 are shown in FIG. 9, whereby the mutual spacing between these single means for instance correspond to the width of a skee making it possible to use them for supporting skees and thus are being mounted unto a length of flat iron ribbon 39. The eyelet means can be used to receive the fastening hooks which are well known as being located an the ends of binding girdels or similar lengthy means being used for the binding together of skees or other lengthy objects. The flat iron ribbon 39 is here, as a possible choice by way of example, in relation to the carrving arm 3A shown fastened to the most remote side, as viewed in FIG.s 9 and 10.

This lengthy carrying means, i.e. the flat iron ribbon member 39, is arranged able to be mounted on, respectively able to be dismantled from, the carrying arm, i n this case the carrying arm 3A, by means of preferably a lockable engaging into or wholy or in part through gripping around clamping means which thus are able to engage into or wholy or in part grip around complementary means or surface configurations provided on the carrying arm, in this case on the carrying arm 3A. A means hereto can be an in part inverted U-shaped holding means, here shown embodied as two such holding means 33, 34. whereby a closing means able to close the aperture of the U-shape is comprised, in the shown embodiment being shown as two such means 37 and 33 shaped as flat iron members. To secure the holding these holding means 33. 34 are connected to angle means 35, 36, which in the shown embodiment are shwon as two separate members being connected to the holding means 33 , 34 . As an alternative such members could be provider mater ially as members being provided through bending of portions of the holding means 31 and 34.

The angl es or angular profiles 35 and 36 serve together with pins 371 and 381 to provide bearings for ro tary clamping or flat iron means 37 and 38. These flat iron members 37 and 38 can thus be rotated outwards to occupy the positions shown in dotted lines in FIG. 9, in which positions the complete auxiliary carrying and locking means can be lifted away from and mounted on the carrying arms, here indicated as 3A. At the end of the flat iron ribbon 39 shown as most near in FIG.s 9 and 10 an angled projection or other as bending arranged means 32 is located. When mounting the auxiliary carrying and locking means on the carrying arm this projection is turned away, namely by keeping the flat iron ribbon 39, as viewer; in FIG.s 9 and 10, somewhat links rotated about an axis running substantially longitudinal with the longitudinal orientation of the flat iron ribbon 39 whereby the projection 32 can pass at the right hand side of the branch 3 shown in FIG. 10 and abut against the branch 3. Herethrough, the carrying arm 3A is going to be kept in the shown position and a swinging upwards of it can not take place. After being mount to occupy the position shown in FIG. 10 for instance a padlock can be inserted through the through holes 370 and 380 to prevent theft, or alternatively a suitable locking wire car, be inserted through the holes 370 and 380 and in this way also yield a certain protection against theft of the objects being held in position by means of the auxiliary carrying and locking means.

Skees or other lengthy objects to be carried by the rack can at the lower end of the rac k as described above be supported by a suitable basket means mounted there. Such a basket means can internally or externally be provided with holding means as 30 shown in the drawings.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. A rack for carrying objects as bicycles and/or skees, which rack comprises a set of branches (2, 3) being arranged in V-shape and connected to each other at the acute angle range of the V-shape there comprising a connecting and spacing providing intermediate link means (7) and at this means the rack further comprises mutually pivotable and between the branches of the V-shape arranged gripping and holding means (8A, 8B) able to grip around and hold the rack unto a per se known kind of means able to carry the rack like the ball (1) on a towing hitch at the back of an automobile to which purpose the rack between the branches (2, 3) of the V-shape, to achieve a sqeezing gripping produced by the said gripping and holding means, comprises a per se known type of toggle joint means connecting them, and which toggle joint means preferably comprises, at at least one side of the toggle joint, two parallel connecting link means (4, 5) c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t , said spacing providiπg and connecting link means comprises at least one in lesser degree reshapeable, i.e. through such shape changing means as elasticity or readjustment reshapeable, connecting link means (7A; 7B; 7A, 7B; 73, 74), and/or in that at least one of the branches (2; 3; 2, 3) of the V- shape of the rack mounted to it carries at least one carrying arm (2A; 3A; 2A, 3A) which arm is arranged mounted pivotable, and thus able to be swung away, around at least one pivot axis (21, 31) for carrying bicycles or skees unto the said branch of the V-shape.

2. A rack according to claim 1 c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t , the reshapeable link means is embodied as at least one waveshaped elastic connecting link means (7A, 7B, (Fig. 5, 6)).

3. A rack according to claim 1 or 2 c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t , the reshapeable spacing providing and connecting link means is provided as a connecting link means which comprises per se known adjusting screw means (75, 76).

4. A rack according to claim 1, 2 or 3 c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t , said at least one protruding carrying arm (2A; 3A; 2A, 3A) for the carrying of cycles or skees through in per se known pivotal means is thus pivotally mounted that said at least one protruding carrying arm is permitted to be swung away along a pivotal path being so long, that said at least one protruding carrying arm (2A; 3A; 2A, 3A) in swung-away-position is occupying a position on the opposite side of the branch (2; 3; 2, 3) of the V-shape unto which it (2A, 3A) is pivotally mounted.

5. A rack according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t , it comprises an annular or eyelet means (30) to be connected to the single said carrying arms (2A; 3A; 2A, 3A) namely therethrough, that a lengthy carrying means (39) is arranged at at least one side of the carrying arm (2A; 3A; 2A, 3A) and runs substantially longitudinally along side the carrying arm (2A; 3A; 2A, 3A), and whereby this said lengthy carrying means (39) at at least one side of the carrying of the arms (2A; 3A; 2A, 3A) comprises at least one annular or eyelet gripping means (30) for the gripping of a mounting means for bicycles, skees and the like.

6. A rack according to claim 5 c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t , the lengthy carrying means (39) is mountable on and dismounteable from the carrying arm (2A; 3A; 2A, 3A) by means of, preferably at least in part, engaging into or wholy or in part around the carrying means gripping holding means able to engage into or grip around complementary means on the carrying arm,such as an in part inverted U-shaped holding means (33; 34; 33, 34) comprising a closing or locking means (37; 33; 37, 33) able to close the access to the aperture of the U-shape.

7. A rack according to claim 6 or 7 c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t , the lengthy carrying means (39) at the range of carrying arm (2A; 3A; 2A, 3A) being closest to the branches (2; 3; 2, 3) of the V-shape comprises a branch gripping means (32) able to grip and hold the said branch (2; 3; 2, 3) which carries the carrying arm (2A; 3A; 2A, 3A) when this is swung down respectively of the lengthy means when swung down respectively while occupying the operational position in which it is able to carry bicycles, skees and other objects to be carried by the rack.

AMENDED CLAIMS

[received by the International Bureau on 24 August 1992

(24.08.92); original claims 1-7 replaced by

amended claims 1-8 (3 pages)]

1. A rack for carrying objects having some extension, like that of bicycles, skees or similar extending objects or similar extending parts belonging to some personal or sport equipment, which rack comprises a set of branches (2, 3) being arranged in V-shape and connected to each other at the acute angle range of the V-shape there comprising a connecting and spacing providing intermediate link means (7) and at this means the rack further comprises mutually pivotable and between the branches of the V- shape arranged gripping and holding means (8A, 8B) able to grip around and hold the rack unto a per se known kind of means able to carry the rack like the ball (1) on a towing hitch at the back of an automobile to which purpose the rack between the branches of the V-shape (2, 3), to achieve a sqeezing gripping produced by the said gripping and holding means, comprises a per se known type of toggle joint means connecting them, and which toggle joint means preferably comprises, at at least one side of the toggle joint, two parallel connecting link means (4, 5) c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t , said spacing providing and connecting link means (7) comprises at least one in lesser degree reshapeable, i.e. through such shape changing means as elasticity or readjustment reshapeable, connecting link means (7A; 7B; 7A, 7B; 73, 74), and/or in that at least one of the branches of the V-shape (2; 3; 2, 3) of the rack, by having at least one of the said protruding carrying arms arranged pivotable around at least one pivot axis (21, 31), has this carrying arm (2A; 3A; 2A, 3A) for carrying bicycles or skees pivotably mounted unto the said branch which supports this arm.

6. A rack according to claim 5 c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t , the lengthy carrying means

(39) is mountable on and dismounteable from the carrying arm (2A; 3A; 2A, 3A) by means of at least in part around the carrying means (2A; 3A; 2A, 3A) gripping holding means.

7. A rack according to claim 6 c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t , said gripping holding means is a U-shaped holding means (33; 34; 33, 34) which further may comprise a the opening of the U-shape closing, and possibly also through locking means closing, means (37; 33; 37, 38).

S. A rack according to claim 5, 6 or 7 c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n t h a t , it comprises at least one branch gripping means (32) able to grip the branch (2; 3; 2, 3) carrying the carrying arm (2A; 3A; 2A, 3A), when this arm (2A; 3A; 2A, 3A) is swung to occupy the position in which it (2A; 3A; 2A, 3A) is able to carry bicycles, skees and other objects to be carried by the rack, and to keep the carrying arm (2A; 3A; 2A, 3A) held unto the carrying branch (2; 3; 2, 3) in this position.