WO2004108479A1

WO2004108479A1 - Bicycle carrier

Info

Publication number: WO2004108479A1
Application number: PCT/CZ2004/000032
Authority: WO
Inventors: Karel Hrsel
Original assignee: Straus, Jaroslav
Priority date: 2003-06-11
Filing date: 2004-06-10
Publication date: 2004-12-16
Also published as: WO2004108479A8; CZ13902U1

Abstract

The invention concerns the bicycle carrier fitted with elements for attachment to the roof rack cross rails or to the car roof. The carrier consists of two separate assemblies (A, B), where one is fitted with a hinged pin (3), which has at least in one cross direction the dimension corresponding to the bicycle's seat frame tube diameter (8), and the second one consists of two supporting surfaces (13) with holding pieces (11) for bicycle's handlebars (16).

Description

Bicycle carrier

Technical field

[0001] Technical solution concerns the bicycle carrier fitted with elements for attachment onto the roof rack cross rails or to the car roof.

Background art

[0002] The currently most popular type of a bicycle carrier, which is attached to the roof rack cross rail, grips the bicycle's lower frame pipe, where the front and rear wheel is fixed in the supporting grip. The main disadvantages of this solution are for one thing the relatively big size and thus also the big weight of the whole carrier and the resulting rather complicated manipulation with the whole assembly carrier/s - cross rails in the case that we do not want to remove the carrier after each use from the roof rack cross rails, which is not good when demanding a sufficiently firm connection between the carrier and the roof rack cross rails. The above stated solution is far from being optimal as well from the aspect of the bicycle stability when driving a car. Another smaller disadvantage is the possibility of damaging the paint on the bicycle's lower frame pipe, which we usually cannot avoid upon more frequent use.

[0003] The second group is the carriers, where bicycles are attached by front fork after removing the front wheel. The main disadvantage of these carriers is this removal, which is not very easy, and especially the necessity of transporting the rather big and in many times dirty front wheel inside the vehicle.

[0004] Another group, which is not too popular, is the carriers, where the bicycle is attached to the roof rack cross rails by handlebars and the seat. This type of carriers is nevertheless rather complicated due to the necessity of attaching seats of various shapes and sizes and even the handlebar latchets are rather robust because they have to substitute the not very firm attachment of the saddle to the roof rack cross rail.

Disclosure of the Invention

[0005] The above stated disadvantages are largely remedied by a bicycle carrier fitted with elements for attachment onto the roof rack cross rails or to the car roof based on this technical solution. Its principle lies in the fact that it comprises of two separate assemblies, where one has a hinged pin, with at least one cross dimension corresponding with the diameter of the bicycle's seat frame, and the latter comprises of two supporting surfaces with clamping devices for handlebars.

[0006] Supporting surfaces have the advantage of being fitted with at least one longitudinal opening for positioning and fixation of holding pieces. The holding pieces in the advantageous version are provided with screws and nuts.

[0007] The hinged pin may be provided with arresting component and its upper loose part may be divided longitudinally into two parts, which are mutually connected by at least one screw radially. At least one residual stud is inserted with advantage between the two parts of the hinged pin.

[0008] The bicycle carrier according tot his technical solution is easily storable, lightweight and its fitting to the car is easy, while its solidity and firmness of the bicycle fixation is comparable or even higher compared with the known carriers. Two separate assemblies allow easier manipulation with bicycle carrier upon its attaching and with regard to its size they are easier to store and their air resistance is lower when left on the car. At the same time their weight is much lower compared to the common carriers. The hinged pin in one assembly serves for fixing the bicycle's seat bar, after removing the seat. Since at least in one cross direction the pin has the dimension corresponding to the bicycle's seat frame tube internal diameter, bicycle's attachment to the carrier is sufficiently solid. The second assembly comprises of two supporting surfaces with holding pieces for handlebars, which can be adjusted according to the bicycle dimensions. The holding piece can be moved longitudinally along the supporting surfaces in their longitudinal opening. Since the holding pieces are fitted with screws and nuts, the manipulation with them is easy, while the connection is sufficiently firm.

[0009] Since the hinged pin is fitted with an arresting device, it is possible to adjust it immediately based on the bicycle type, i.e. according to the shape and angle of the bicycle frame tubes. The upper loose part is longitudinally divided into two parts, which are mutually connected radially by at least one screw. By setting their mutual distance you can adjust the required diameter of the pin, while one or more residual studs may be inserted between the two parts of the hinged pin for better firmness.

[0010] The advantages of the described bicycle carrier thus lie especially in the fact that the firm attachment of the bicycle in the spot of the bicycle's seat frame rod allows a rather subtle construction of the two remaining holding parts, while not even the part with the pin requires too robust construction. This results in the very small size and thus also the low weight of the while set, which allows a very easy manipulation with cross rails - moreover, the carrier does not interconnect these cross rails. Furthermore, the whole fixation of the bicycle is considerably stable because the attachment is very firm in all three points. With regard to the above stated we may assume that the bicycle carrier has a longer lifetime according to this technical solution compared to the common bicycle carriers, while the overall design of this carrier looks more aesthetical.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0011] The technical solution will be described in detail on the actual example of the version using the enclosed drawings, where Fig. 1 depicts the carrier pursuant to this technical solution schematically in axonometric view. Fig. 2 depicts the sketch of the first assembly with the pin for the seat frame tube. Fig. 3 depicts the sketch of the second assembly for attachment of the bicycle's handlebars and Fig. 4 depicts in sketch the ending of the pin in the first assembly.

Mode(s) for carrying out the invention

[0012] The bicycle carrier is fitted with elements for attachment to the roof rack cross rails 20 or to the car roof. It comprises of two separate assemblies A, B, of which the first assembly A is fitted with hinged pin 3, which has a crosswise dimension corresponding to the internal diameter of the bicycle's seat frame tube 8. The second assembly B comprises of two supporting surfaces 13 with holding pieces H for bicycle's handlebars 16. The supporting surfaces 13 are fitted with a non depicted longitudinal opening for adjustment of the holding pieces 11 in longitudinal direction of the supporting surface 13 and a their fixation. The holding pieces H are provided with screws 12 and nuts 14. The hinged pin 3 is provided with the arresting piece 5 and its upper loose part is longitudinally divided into two parts 31, which are mutually connected by the screw 33 radially. Residual stud 32 is inserted between two parts, 3_1 of the hinged pin.

[0013] The first assembly A of the bicycle carrier ensures firm connection between the seat frame tube 8 with the roof rack cross rail 20. The first assembly A comprises of the pin 3, quick-clamp arresting piece 5 and screws 6 together with nuts 7. The pin 3 is fixated by the arresting piece 5 to the first assembly A in the required position, while it is possible to adjust sufficiently the angle between the longitudinal axis of the pin 3 and the longitudinal axis of the first assembly A, and the shift of the pin 3 with regard to the first assembly A in the direction of this axis, which is delimited by oval openings in the first assembly A.

[0014] The layout of the first assembly A is visible in Fig. 2, where the seat frame tube 8 is outlined, which is slid on the pin 3 and fixated by the quick-clamp screw 9, which is usually part of this tube 8. The whole assembly A is attached in evident manner to the roof rack cross rail 20 using parts 4 together with the screws 6 and nuts 7.

[0015] The second assembly B of the bicycle carrier serves for attaching the handlebars 16 to the second roof rack cross rail 20. The second assembly B comprises of the holding piece H, screw 12, supporting surface 13, and the above stated part 4, manually tightenable, i.e. without any tool, the nut 14 and screws 17. The whole second assembly B is visible in Fig. 3, which shows the handlebars 16 in addition to the already stated parts, while the other parts of the bicycle are not shown for better view. The screws 17 together with the part 4 fixate in apparent way the whole second assembly B to the roof rack cross piece 20.

[0016] Longitudinal opening shaped as elongated U on the supporting surface 13 allows both the easy use without need for unscrewing fully the nut 14, holding piece H to the supporting surface 13 and handlebars 16 and also fixation of the handlebars 16 on the supporting surface 13 in different positions in the direction of the supporting surface 13 longitudinal axis and thus also the car longitudinal axis. The swing attachment of the screw 12 to the holding piece H allows stable fixation of handlebars 16 in various diameters.

[0017] The problem with various diameters of the seat frame tubes 8 or set posts can be solved e.g. by using reduction pieces with corresponding diameters fitted on the upper part of the pin 3. This solution is not shown here. Alternatively, this problem can be solved by arranging the upper part of the pin 3 as depicted in Fig. 4 in sectional view. The upper part of the pin 3 in this layout is divided in axis plane into two halves, scilicet in the length corresponding to the slid-on in the seat frame tube 8 so that one half 31 can be moved radially and its required position is delimited by the residual stud 32 and the radial screw 33 with the nut 34- [0018] In this way it is easy to set various commonly used diameters of the bicycle seat frame tubes 8 using a low number of the residual studs 32 of suitable sizes, which means their thickness, and using their combinations.

[0019] The stated car bicycle carrier is attached to the standard roof rack cross rail 20 in three contact points, that is both by inserting and fixating the pin 3 of the first assembly A to the seat frame tube 8 and then by gripping the bicycle handlebars 16 using two second assemblies B.

Industrial applicability

[0020] The bicycle carrier based on this technical solution will be used upon transporting bicycles on cars.

Claims

1. The bicycle carrier fitted with elements for attachment to the roof rack cross rails or to the car roof, characterized in that it comprises of two separate assemblies (A, B) where one is fitted with a hinged pin (3), which has at least in one cross direction the dimension corresponding to the bicycle's seat frame tube internal diameter (8), and the second assembly comprises of two separate supporting surfaces (13) with holding pieces (11) for handlebars (16).

2. The carrier under claim 1 , characterized in that the supporting surfaces (13) are fitted with at least one longitudinal opening for adjusting and attaching the holding pieces (11).

3. The carrier under claim 3, characterized in that the holding pieces (11 ) are fitted with screws (12) with nuts (14).

4. The carrier under any of the above stated claims characterized in that the hinged pin (3) is fitted with arresting element (5) and its upper loose part is longitudinally divided into two parts (31), which are mutually connected by at least one screw (33) radially.

5. The carrier under claim 4 characterized in that there is at least one residual stud (32) inserted between the two parts (31) of the hinged pin (3).