WO2002008019A1

WO2002008019A1 - A bicycle carrier for motor vehicle roof

Info

Publication number: WO2002008019A1
Application number: PCT/EP2001/007865
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ugo Baravalle
Original assignee: Fapa S.P.A.
Priority date: 2000-07-21
Filing date: 2001-07-09
Publication date: 2002-01-31
Also published as: ITTO20000723A0; IT1320550B1; ITTO20000723A1

Abstract

The bicycle carrier comprises a frame (14) with an end articulated to a base (12). At the end of the frame (14) a head (22) is provided which carries a gripping clamp (26) formed by a pair of gripping jaws (28, 30) having spring means to return them to a spread apart position. The closure of the clamp (26) is produced when a bicycle part (D) is applied to a bottoms area of the clamp. A rode (50) is mounted along the frame (14) an has a lateral pressure arm (54) at its end which corresponds to the clamp (26). The rod (50) is slideable between an extended position and a plurality of withdrawn positions in which the pressure arm (54) clamps the bicycle part (D) between itself and the clamp (26). The frame (14) and the rod (50) are provided with releasable mutual blocking means to selectively retain the rod (50) in the withdrawn positions which correspond to the clamping of the bicycle part (D).

Description

A bicycle carrier for motor vehicle roof

The present invention relates to a bicycle carrier for motor vehicle roof according to the preamble of claim 1.

A bicycle carrier of this kind is known from document DE-A- 199 27 429.

A bicycle carrier according to this .document comprises a gripping clamp having a clamp operating member associated thereto, which in practice consists .of a slider which is slideably mounted along a stanchion of the frame and which, when it is slid against a counteracting spring force, spreads the jaws of the clamp apart by means of a draw rod contained in the stanchion.

The slider has a series of notches each of ' which corresponds to an angular position of the two jaws of the clamp.

A lever is pivoted on the stanchion and has a cam portion to operate the slider against the counteracting spring force .

The lever is also^' provided with teeth or ribs which are selectively engaged in the notches of the slider in order to retain the slider in position along the stanchion when the corresponding portion of the lever is applied against the slider.

The lever is also equipped with a lock that blocks it against the slider in order to prevent the sliding of the latter as an antitheft device.

In order to spread the clamp apart and allow the insertion, between its jaws, of the tube of the frame or other part of a bicycle, the user, after the lock has been unlocked if necessary, moves the lever away from the slider and makes the latter slide, against the counteracting spring force, in the direction which corresponds to the spreading apart of the jaws.

Once the tube of the frame or other part of the bicycle has been inserted between the spread apart jaws, the user releases the lever, whereupon the slider, under the thrust of the counteracting spring, slides in the opposite direction until a position in which the jaws grip the tube or other bicycle part.

Then, the user brings the lever back against the slider and the teeth or ribs of the lever engage the notches of the slider and block the latter in position.

The user can then block the lever, by means of the lock, in the position in which it is applied against the slider, thus making sure that the clamp will not be opened fraudulently.

The bicycle carrier according to document DE-A-199 27 429 does not lend itself to the gripping of . bicycle parts having a cross-section larger than the cross-section which can be embraced by the jaws of the clamp, since in this case, during the transport, the bicycle could escape from the grip of the clamp. This problem is increasingly felt with the increase of the spread of frames constituted by stocky tubes such as those of the mountain bikes.

The object of the invention is to provide a bicycle carrier which is not only simpler to operate, but is adapted to retain, between the jaws of its clamp, frame tubes or other parts of a bicycle even if the jaws, when closed, would not be able by themselves to embrace such parts.

According to the invention this object is attained by means of a bicycle carrier as claimed.

In a bicycle carrier according to the invention the jaws of the clamp, in a rest condition, are always spread apart and adapted to receive frame tubes or other bicycle parts having a- cross-section included in a wide range ^' of cross- sections .

The clamping of the jaws around the tube or other part takes place thanks to the pressure exerted by the tube or other part on the bottom area of the clamp and against the force of the spring return means of the jaws.

After the tube or other part has been clamped between the jaws, another clamping takes place between the pressure arm and the bottom area of the clamp, whereby the tube or other part is firmly retained on both its sides as well as from the top and the bottom.

In this manner the retention of the frame tube or other part of the bicycle is guaranteed also in the vertical direction and in the case of tubes or other parts having a cross-section exceeding in height, also by far, the height or length of the jaws.

As different from the bicycle carrier according to document DE-A-199 27 429, in which the bicycle part is locked on three points (on its sides and at the bottom) in a bicycle carrier according to the invention the bicycle part is clamped on four points (also from the top) .

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear from the reading of the detailed description which follows, reference being made to the attached drawings, which show a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of not limiting example.

In the drawings :

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bicycle carrier according to the invention in a condition in which it retains a bicycle on the roof of a motor vehicle, shown in dash-and-dot lines,

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the bicycle carrier, according to the arrow II of Figure 1, in a rest condition and on the point to receive a frame tube, shown by a dotted circle,

Figures 3a and 3b show in a larger scale and partially in section an upper part and a lower part, respectively, of the bicycle carrier in the same condition as in Figure 2, Figures 4a and 4b are representations similar to those of Figures 3a and 3b, respectively, in a condition in which a frame tube is gripped, the tube being still shown by a dotted circle in Figure 4a,

Figure 5 is a side view of a detail, according to the arrow V of Figure 3b, >

Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9 are cross-sectional views taken according to the lines VI-VI, VII-VII, VIII-VIII and IX-IX of Figure 4b, respectively, and

Figures 10, 11 and 12 are partial schematic front views which show the clamping conditions of three frame tubes of different cross-sections.

Referring now to Figure 1, on the roof of a motor car there are mounted two crossbars Bl and B2 of a usual type on which there is mounted in its turn a longitudinal rail C in the form of a channel to receive the two wheels of a bicycle .

An inclined lower tube of the frame of the bicycle, indicated D, is intended to be retained by a bicycle carrier according to the invention, generally indicated 10.

Referring now to Figure 2, as well as to Figure 1, the bicycle carrier includes a substantially U-shaped base 12 of sheet metal or the like.

The base 12 is fixed in a manner not shown to the crossbar Bl .

A frame 14 of elongated shape is articulated to the base

12.

The frame 14 is constituted, in the embodiment shown, by a pair of tubular stanchions 16, 18 which are spaced from each other in a direction transverse to the direction of travel of the vehicle.

Each of the stanchions 16, 18 is articulated, at one of its ends, to the base 12 by means of aligned pivot pins 20; the other ends of the two stanchions 16, 18 are rigidly connected to each other by a head 22 and clamps 24.

Thanks to its articulation by means of the pivot pins 20, the frame 14 can pivot according to the double arrow Fl of Figure 1 between a rest position (not shown) , in which it lays on the rail C, and several raised positions with various inclinations, one of which is shown in Figure 1.

The' head 22 carries a gripping clamp 26 formed by a pair of jaws 28, 30 with respective gripping arms 32, 34 which have concave surfaces facing each other.

The two jaws 28, 30 are pivoted in the head 22 by means of respective pivot pins 36 so as to be able to rotate in a plane transverse to the direction of travel to tighten themselves around the tube D as in Figure 4a and to spread apart as in Figures 2 and 3a, in order to clamp the tube D or other bicycle part and release that part, respectively. The gripping arms 32, 34 have a metal core covered with a relatively soft plastics material.

A sector gear 38, 40, which will be discussed below, is part of the metal core of each of the jaws 28, 30, respectively.

Referring to Figures 3a and 4a, the jaws 28, 30 have spring return means associated thereto by which the jaws are biased to the spread apart position of Figures 2 and 3a.

In the embodiment shown these spring means are constituted by a helical extension spring 42 which connects to each other respective appendages 44, 46 located on the side of the fulcrums 36 opposite to that of the gripping arms 32, 34.

The jaws 28, 30 are shaped and fulcrumed to delimit a bottom area 48 of the clamp 26 such that, when a part of a bicycle, such as the tube D, is pressed on this bottom area, the jaws 26, 30 rotate according to the arrows F2 of Figure 3a, against the force of the spring 42, coming closer to each other until they grip the tube D or other part, as shown in Figure 4a.

A sliding rod 50 is arranged in the stanchion 18 and defines a space 52 (Figure 6) between itself and the stanchion 18.

At an end which corresponds to the clamp 26, the rod 50 is provided with a lateral pressure arm 54 constituted by a flattened metal core 56 which is covered by a sheath 58 of a relatively soft plastics material.

The rod 50 is slideable between an extended position (Figures 2, 3a and 3b) and a plurality of withdrawn positions, one of which is shown in Figures 4a and 4b. Other withdrawn positions are shown in Figures 10 to 12, which will be discussed below.

In the extended position, the pressure arm 54 is located beyond the clamp 26 in order to allow the placement of the tube D or other bicycle part on the bottom area 48 of the clamp and its removal from the clamp.

In the withdrawn positions, such as those of Figures 4a, 4b and 10 to 12, the pressure arm 54 grips the bicycle part between itself and the bottom area 48 of the clamp 26.

In the embodiment shown, the bottom area 48 is substantially defined by the jaw 30 only, and the metal parts 38, 40, as already said, are constituted by sector gears in mesh with each other and centred around the fulcrums 36.

Therefore, a pressure exerted on the bottom area 48 defined by the jaw 30 produces a rotation of both jaws according to the arrows F2 of Figure 3a in order to tighten the clamp 26.

Referring to Figures 3b and 4b, the sliding rod 50, at its end near to the base 12, is provided with a cylindrical end body 60 with a portion 62 of smaller diameter which is inserted in the rod as a stopper, and a portion 64 of larger diameter which is guided in the stanchion 18 and defines a first annular shoulder 66 turned towards the head 22 and located in the space 52.

The clamp 24 of the head 22, on the right in Figures 3a and 4a, has a transverse wall 68 with a guiding hole 70 through which the rod 50 extends.

The edge of the hole 70 defines a second annular shoulder 72 which faces the first shoulder 66.

A helical compression spring 74 is contained in the space 52 and is in abutment with the said annular shoulders 66, 72 as a spring means to return the rod 50 to the withdrawn positions .

The stanchion 18 has a longitudinal slit 75 which, towards the head 22, includes a circumferential slit branch 76 which extends at least substantially through 90 ° , for the purpose which will be clarified below.

The end body 60 of the rod 50_. is provided with a diametrical pin 78, also shown in Figure 7, which extends through the slit 75.

A sliding sleeve 80, for example of die-cast light alloy, is arranged around the stanchion 18, as also shown in Figures 2 and 5 to 9.

The sleeve 80 is secured to the rod 50 by the pin 78 and, as will be seen below,¹ may be used among the other things as a handgrip. A toothed rack 82, also shown in Figures 2 and 6 to 9, extends along a section of the stanchion 18 of the frame 14 which is far from the head 22.

The sleeve 80 (Figures 2, 3b, 4b and 5 to 9) has a longitudinal hollow rib 84 with an inner channel which is open to the toothed rack 82.

A pawl 88, shaped like a first class lever, is fulcrumed around a tangent pivot pin 86 (Figures 3b, 4b and 8) within the rib 84 and is therefore adapted to move together with the sleeve 80 and the rod 50.

A first arm 90 of the pawl 88 has at least one tooth, and preferably two teeth 92, which are adapted to engage the toothed rack 82; a second arm 94 of the pawl 88 has a manual button 96 which is accessibile on the outside of the sleeve 80, as is also shown in Figure 5.

Spring means are provided in the hollow rib 84 of the sleeve 80, by which the pawl 88 is urged to the position of engagement of its teeth 92 with the toothed rack 82.

Preferably, as shown in Figures 3b and 4b, the said spring means are constituted by a helical compression spring 98 which is interposed between the first arm 90 of the pawl 88 and a bottom wall of the channel of the rib 84.

Also preferably, the toothed rack 82 and the pawl 88 are sawtoothed and are oriented in such a manner as to prevent the rod 50 from returning to the extended position of Figures 2, 3a and 3b when their teeth are in mesh with each other.

The reason for this arrangement will be clarified below.

Although in Figures 3b and 4b blocking means have been shown which comprise a toothed rack member 82 fastened to the frame 14 and a pawl member 88 moveable with the rod 50, according to an alternative there can be provided, according to the invention, blocking means with a toothed rack member fastened to the sliding rod and a pawl member carried by the frame.

Still referring to Figures 3a and 3b, as well as to Figures 5 and 9, the sleeve 80 is equipped with an antitheft keylock 100 which is contained in a boss 102 of the rib 84.

The keylock 100 is located in correspondence with the first arm 90 of the pawl 88.

The revolving barrel of the keylock 100 has a wedge 104 which, when the keylock is closed, as in Figure 4b, prevents the pawl 88 from disengaging itself from the toothed rack 82 in order to prevent the rod 50 from being returned fraudulently to the extended position of Figures 2, 3a and 3b by an ill-intentioned person attempting to take possession of the bicycle.

The operation of the bicycle rack will now be described with particular reference to Figures 3b, 3b and 4a, 4b. In order to secure a bicycle to the bicycle carrier in the arrangement of Figure 1, the user brings, against the force of the spring 74, the rod 50 to the extended position and turns the pressure arm 58 through substantially 90°, as shown in 54a in Figure 3a. This rotation is allowed by the circumferential slit branch 76, in which the pin 78 can slide (Figure 3b) .

In these conditions, the space above the clamp 26 is free from obstacles and the user can place at the same time the two wheels of the bicycle in the channel C and the tube D over the clamp 26.

Subsequently, if the frame 14 has not yet been raised enough, the user raises the frame further by rotating it around its pivot pins 20 until the tube D is brought against the bottom area 48 of the clamp 26, whereupon the clamp clasps the tube.

Then, the user rotates the rod 50 so as to bring the pressure foot 54 back to the position of Figures 2 and 3a in which the arm extends over the clamp 26, using the sleeve 80 like a handgrip for this operation, whereupon the spring 74 brings back the rod 50 according to the arrow F3 of Figures 4a and 4b until the pressure foot 54 comes to press the tube D from above.

It should be noted that in these conditions the keylock 100 is open, that is its wedge 104 does not interfere with the pawl 88, as in Figure 3b.

The following step consists of applying, through the rod 50 and its pressure arm 54, a further force according to the arrow F3 of Figures 4a and 4b, -still taking advantage of the sleeve 80 as a handgrip.

With this operation the condition of Figures 4a and 4b is reached, in which the tube D is caught on the one hand between the flanks of the jaws 32, 34 and, on the other hand, between the bottom area 48 and the pressure foot 54.

During the descent of the rod 50 and its sleeve according to the arrow F3, the teeth 92 of the pawl 88 slide along the toothed rack 82, engaging the latter with jerks, tooth after tooth, until the rod 50 reaches a withdrawn position which corresponds to a secure grip of the tube D.

In these conditions the^' rod 50 and its sleeve 80 continue to be locked, until when the blocking means constituted by the pawl 88 and the toothed rack 82 are not released by a manual pressure on the button 96.

In order to guarantee the blocking against the theft of the bicycle, the user then closes the keylock 100 in the manner shown in Figure 4b, in which the wedge 104 interferes with the first arm 90 of the pawl 88 and prevents the disengagement of the pawl from the toothed rack 82.

The operation of removal of the bicycle from the bicycle carrier takes place with a reverse sequence, that is by opening the keylock 100, pressing^' the button 96 and raising back the rod and its pressure foot 58 to the extended position 50 by means of the sleeve 80, as in Figures 2, 3a and 3b. In order to facilitate the removal of the bicycle, the user can finally turn the pressure foot 54 to the position shown in dotted lines at 54a in Figure 3a.

The grasping of a tube, or other bicycle part of small cross-section, such as the tube D of Figures 2 and 4a, is not the only possibility offered by the bicycle carrier according to the invention.

As an example, in Figure 10 the jaws 28 and the pressure foot 54 are grasping a tube DI of larger cross-section which hardly could be retained only by the jaws 28 and 30.

In this connection, in Figures 11 and 12 a tube D2 and a tube D3 of large cross-section, the second having even an oval cross-section, could not be grasped at all between the jaws 28 and 30, which in this case act as side containment cheeks, while what securely retains the tube D2 or D3 in the clamp 26 is the pressure foot 54 which, in addition, through the tube D2 or D3 itself, keeps the jaws 28, 30 in their clamping position, thanks to the pressure exerted on the bottom area 48.

The clamping described can be obtained for all the withdrawn positions of the rod 50 in which the teeth 92 of the pawl 88 are facing the toothed rack 82 and can engage the latter.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A bicycle carrier for motor vehicle roof, of the type comprising a base (12) adapted to be fixed to the roof, a frame (14) of elongated shape one end of which is articulated to the base around a transverse axis with respect to the direction of travel of the vehicle so as to be able to occupy a laid down position and several raised positions with various inclinations, a head (22) located at the end of the frame which is far from the base, and a gripping clamp (26) formed by a pair of jaws (28, 30) with gripping arms (32, 34) having concave surfaces facing each other, which jaws are fulcrumed to the head so as to be able to rotate in a plane transverse to the direction of travel in order to tighten themselves around a part of a bicycle (D, Dl, D2, D3) and to spread apart to receive such part and release it, respectively, characterized in that

- the jaws (28, 30) have return spring means associated thereto (42) to return them to the spread apart position;

- the jaws (28, 30) are shaped and fulcrumed in such a manner as to delimit a bottom area (48) of the clamp (26) which is such that, when a bicycle part (D, Dl, D2, D3) is pressed on the bottom area, the jaws rotate against the force of their spring means (42) and come closer to each other until they clamp the said part from the sides;

- a rod (50) is mounted (50) along the frame which, at an end corresponding to the clamp (26) , has a lateral pressure arm (54) which is slideable between an extended position in which the pressure arm is located beyond the clamp to allow the placement of the bicycle part in the clamp and its removal from the clamp, and a plurality of withdrawn positions in which the pressure arm clamps the bicycle part between itself and the bottom area of the clamp; and - the frame (14) and the sliding rod (50) are provided with mutual blocking means (82, 88) which are adapted to be released to selectively retain the rod in the withdrawn positions which correspond to the clamping of a bicycle part between the pressure arm (54) and the bottom area (48) of the clamp.

2. A bicycle carrier according to. claim 1, characterized in that the mutual blocking means comprise a toothed rack member (82) which extends in the direction of the rod (50) and a pawl member (88) cooperating with the toothed rack member and adapted to be disengaged from the latter, one of the members being carried by the sliding rod (50) and the other member being carried by the frame (14) .

3. A bicycle carrier according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the mutual blocking means (86, 88) have an antitheft keylock (100) associated thereto to prevent their disengagement.

4. A bicycle carrier according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises return spring means (74) to return the sliding rod (50) to the withdrawn positions.

5. A bicycle carrier according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sliding rod (50) and the frame (14) are provided with cooperating guide means (75,^' 76, 78) which are adapted to allow the rod (50) and its pressure arm (54) to rotate, only when the rod is in the extended position, to an angular position (54a) in which the pressure arm (54) does not face the clamp (26), and are adapted to allow the rod (50) only to slide, with the pressure arm (54) parallel to the jaws (28, 30) of the clamp, in all the withdrawn positions of the rod.

6. A bicycle carrier according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said bottom area (48) is defined by one of the jaws (34), and the two jaws (32, 34) have gear sectors (38, 40) in mesh with each other and centred- around their fulcrums (36) .

7. A bicycle carrier according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the 'return spring means of the jaws (28, 30) are constituted by an extension helical spring (42) which interconnects respective appendages (44, 46) of the jaws located on the side of their fulcrums (36) opposite to that of the gripping arms (32, 34).

8. A bicycle carrier according to claim 1, characterized in that:

- the frame (14) is constituted by a pair of tubular stanchions (16, 18) spaced from each other in a direction transverse to the travel direction, each of which has an end articulated to the base (12) by means of aligned pivot pins (20), and whose other ends are rigidly interconnected by the head (22) ;

- the sliding rod (50) is contained in one of the tubular stanchions (18) and defines a space (52) between itself and the stanchion;

- the rod (50), at its end near to the base (12), is provided with an end body (60) which is guided in the stanchion (18) and defines a first annular shoulder (66) which faces the head (22) and is located in said space ( 52 ) ;

- the head (22) has a transverse wall (68) with a guide hole (70) through which the rod (50) extends and whose edge defines a second annular shoulder (72) facing the first shoulder;

- return spring means are provided to return the rod (50) towards the withdrawn positions, which consist of a compression helical spring (74) which is contained in said space (52) and is in abutment with the said annular shoulders (66, 72);

- the stanchion (18) which contains the rod (50) has a longitudinal slit (75) which, towards the head (22) , includes a circumferential slit branch (76) which extends at least substantially through 90°;

- the end body (60) of the rod (50) is provided with a diametrical pin (78) which extends through the slit (75) of the stanchion (18) ;

- a sliding sleeve (80) is provided, which contains the rod (50), is fastened to the rod (50) by the said pin (78) and may be used as a handgrip;

- a toothed rack (82) extends along a section, distant from the head (22), of the stanchion (18) which contains the rod (50),

- the sleeve (80) has a hollow longitudinal rib (84) with an inner channel which faces the toothed rack (82) and which extends along the stanchion (18);

- a pawl (88) is fulcrumed in the channel of the rib (84) of the sleeve (80) on a tangential pivot pin (86) , the pawl being shaped like a first class lever having a first arm

(90) which has at least one tooth^' (92) adapted to engage the toothed rack (82) , and a second arm (94) which has a manual button (96) accessible on the outside of the sleeve; and

- spring means (98) are provided in the channel of the rib (84) , which urge the pawl (88) to a position of. engagement of its tooth or its teeth (92) with the toothed rack (82);

- the arrangement being such that the pawl (88) faces the toothed rack (82) in all the withdrawn positions of the rod

(50) and that, when the rod (50) is in the extended position, the diametrical pin (78) can turn in the circumferential slit branch (76) to allow the rod (50) and its pressure arm (54) to rotate to an angular position in which the pressure arm (54) does not face clamp (26).

9. A bicycle carrier according to claim 8, characterized in that the spring means which urge the pawl (88) are constituted by a helical compression spring (98) arranged between the first arm (90) of the pawl and a bottom wall of the channel of the rib (84).

10. A bicycle carrier according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the toothed rack (82) and the pawl (88) are sawtoothed and are oriented in such a manner to prevent the rod (50) from returning to the extended position when the teeth are engaged.

11.. A bicycle carrier according to any of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that the sleeve (80) is equipped with a keylock (100) located in correspondence with the first arm (90) of the pawl (88) and whose revolving barrel carries a wedge (104) which, when the keylock is closed, prevents the disengagement of the pawl (88) from the toothed rack (82).