GB2511602A

GB2511602A - Folding device for bicycle carry device

Info

Publication number: GB2511602A
Application number: GB201321661A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chiu-Kuei Wang
Original assignee: King Rack Industrial Co Ltd
Current assignee: King Rack Industrial Co Ltd
Priority date: 2013-01-09
Filing date: 2013-12-09
Publication date: 2014-09-10
Also published as: FR3000718A1; TWM452895U; GB201321661D0; DE102014000271A1; NL1040540A; NL1040540B1

Abstract

A bicycle carrier has a base 11 on to which are pivotably mounted support arms 201, 202 for carrying the bicycle. When not in the use the support arms 201, 202 can be folded and packed away. The pivoting hinge mechanism 30 for collapsing the carrier comprises a connection unit of two plates 31 through which pivot pins 28 are passed, a cover 50 with stop pins 54 engaging slots 26 in the arms 201, 202 to hold the arms in the unfolded position, and rotatable control members 40 which control the position of control pins 43. The control pins 43 selectively engage with a groove 25 as a protrusion in the end face of the support arms 201, 202. The shaft 44 of the control pin 43 has a longitudinal recess in its side so that as it is rotated by the control member 40 it engages or releases the end face 23 of the arms.

Description

FOLDING DEVICE FOR BICYCLE CARRY DEVICE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Fields of the invention

The present invention relates to a bicycle carry device, and more particularly, to a folding device for folding support rods of the bicycle carry device upward.

2. Descriptions of Related Art

In order to meet the needs of outdoor activities with bicycles, the conventional bicycle carry devices are designed to be connected at the rear end or top of a vehicle and the bicycles are secured to the bicycle carry device so as to be transported with the vehicle to the destinations. The conventional bicycle carry devices comprise a base with at least one support rod on which the bicycles are supported. The support rod extends horizontally and the bicycles are supported along the horizontal support rod.

When the bicycles are removed from the support rod, the support rod occupies space and needs to be folded upward.

The present invention intends to provide a folding device for folding the support rods of the bicycle carry device upward to reduce the space occupied by the support rods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a bicycle carry device and comprises a base and at least one support unit which is perpendicularly connected to the base. Each support unit has two support rods, and the two support rods are pivotably connected to the base by a connection unit. Each support rod has a free end and a connection end which has a protrusion on an end face thereof The connection unit has two plates, two control members located corresponding to the two support rods, and a cover. The two plates are respectively fixed to the base and mounted to outside and inside of the connection ends of the support rods. Each plate has two though holes which are located corresponding to the two respective protrusions. The connection ends of the two support rods are pivotably connected between the two plates so as to be pivoted horizontally and vertically. Each control member has a control pin extending through the first end thereof The control pin extends through the through hole and the protrusion corresponding thereto. A mounting portion is formed on the second end of each control member. The control pin is activated to be connected to or separated from the protrusion by rotating the control member. When the mounting portion is connected to the base, the control pin is connected to the protrusion. When the mounting portion is separated from the base, the control pin is separated from the protrusion so that the support rods is pivoted upward. The cover is connected on two respective tops of the two connection ends of the support rods. The cover is connected to the plates to support the support rods in horizontal direction.

Preferably, the connection end of each of the support rods has a block connected to the top thereof and the block has a top slot. The two plates each have a first fixing hole located corresponding to the top slot.

The cover has two lugs extending therefrom which are located corresponding to the top slots. The cover has two second fixing holes which are located corresponding to the first fixing holes and the lugs. The cover covers up the two top slots of the two support rods. Two stop pins extend though the first fixing holes, the second fixing holes and the lugs so as to connect the plates and the cover. The stop pins are engaged with the top slots to press the connection ends.

The advantages of the present invention are that the two plates are fixed to the base and the two support rods are pivotably connected between the two plates, so that the two support rods are pivotable relative to the plates. The end face of each support rod has a protrusion and the control pins are engaged with the protrusions to extend the two support rods in horizontal direction so as to support bicycles thereon. When the control pins are disengaged from the protrusions, the two support rods are pivoted upward to save the space in horizontal direction.

The operation is easy by rotating the control members to change the relationship between the protrusions and the control pills to allow the support rods to be pivotable.

When the two support rods are pivoted to the horizontal direction, the mounting portions of the control members are engaged with the base, and the control pins are engaged with the protrusions to position the support rods.

The coimection end of each support rod has a top slot. The plates and the cover are connected to each other by stop pins which are engaged with the top slots and compress the connection ends to secure the two support rods in the horizontal direction.

The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective view to show the bicycle cany device of the present mvention; Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the support uiut and the bicycle carry device of the present invention; Fig. 3 is all exploded view of the folding device and a portion of the bicycle carry device of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a perspective view to show the control pin of the folding device of the present invention; Fig. 4A is another perspective view to show the control pin of the folding device of the present invention; Fig. 5 is a plan view to show the folding device of the present invention wherein the front plate is removed; Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view to show the folding device of the present invention wherein the front plate is removed; Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view to show the control member extending through the protrusion; Fig. 8 shows that the support rods extending horizontally when the support unit is secured by the connection unit; Fig. 9 shows that the control member is pivoted to allow the support rod to be pivotable; Fig. 10 shows that the support rod is pivoted upward; Fig. 11 shows the other support rod is pivoted upward; Fig. 12 shows the other control member is pivoted to allow the support rod to be pivotable, and Fig. 13 shows both of the support rods are pivoted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to Figs. Ito 2, the bicycle carry device 10 of the present invention comprises a base ii and a support unit 20 which is perpendicularly connected to the base 11. The support unit 20 has two support rods 201, 202 which have securing strips 22 so as to secure the front and rear wheels of the bicycles. The two support rods 201, 202 are pivotably connected to the base 11 by a connection unit 30. The two support rods 201, 202 are pivotable about the connection unit 30.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the two support rods 201, 202 are symmetrical to each other in shape and specification. Each support rod 1/202 has a free end and a connection end 23 which has a protrusion 25 on an end face 24 thereof Each protrusion 25 has a horizontal slot. The connection end 23 of each of the support rods 201, 202 has a block 261 connected to the top thereof and the block 261 has a top slot 26. The connection end 23 of each of the support rods 201, 202 has a first pivotal hole 27 defined therethrough.

The connection unit 30 has two plates 31, two control members 40 located corresponding to the two support rods 201, 202, and a cover 50. The two plates 3 1 respectively fixed to the base 11 and mounted to outside and inside of the connection ends 23 of the support rods 201, 202. Each plate 31 has a notch 311 with which the base 11 is engaged. The base 11 is welded to the notches 311 of the plates 31. Two through holes 32 are located corresponding to the two respective protrusions 25, and the notch 311 is located between the two though holes 32. The connection ends 23 of the two support rods 20 1, 202 are pivotably connected between the two plates 3 1 so as to be pivoted horizontally and vertically. The plates 3 1 each have two second pivotal holes 33, two pins 28 respectively extend through the aligned first and second pivotal holes 27, 33 so that the support rods 201, 202 are pivotable about the two pins 28. The two plates 31 each have a first fixing hole 34 located corresponding to the top slot 26.

Each control member 40 has a control pin 43 extending through the first end thereof The control pin 43 extends through the through hole 32 and an engaging hole 41 defined in the protrusion 25 corresponding thereto.

A mounting portion 42 is formed on the second end of each control member 40. The mounting portion 42 has a stop slot 421 defined in an underside thereof which faces the base 11 and is mounted to the base 11 to as to position the support rods 201, 202 in horizontal direction. The control pin 43 has a head 431 and a threaded end 432 respectively on two ends thereof A recess 45 is defined axially and radially in the control pin 43 and located between the head 431 and the threaded end 432. The portion with the recess 45 of the control pin 43 is a semi-circular cylindrical shaft 44, and the protrusion 25 is shaped to be engaged with the recess 45. As shown in Figs. 3 and 7, the control members 40 are located outside of the plates 31 so that the control pin 43 is inserted into the engaging hole 41 of the protrusion 25, and the shaft 44 is rotatable and movable relative to the protrusion 25. The head 341 is engaged with the engaging hole 41 so that the control member 40 and the control pin 43 are co-rotatable. The threaded end 432 of the control pin 43 extends through the through holes 32 of the plates 31 and is connected with a nut.

Figs. 4 and 4A show the other control pin 46 which has a first section and a second section 461 which is bent perpendicularly from the first section. A recess 45 is defmed axially and radially in the first section of the control pin 46. As shown in Figs. 4, 4A and 3, the shaft 44 is inserted into the engaging ho'e 41 of the control member 40, rnd the second section 461 contacts outside of the plate 31.

The cover 50 is connected on two respective tops of the two connection ends 23 of the support rods 201, 202, and the cover 50 is connected to the plates 31 to support the support rods 201, 202 in horizontal direction. As shown in Figs. 3 and 8, the cover 50 has two lugs 51 extending therefrom which are located corresponding to the top slots 26. The cover 50 has two second fixing holes 52 which are located corresponding to the first fixing holes 34 and the lugs 51. The cover 50 covers up the two top slots 26 of the two support rods 201, 202. Two stop pins 54 extend through the first fixing holes 34, the second fixing holes 52 and the lugs 51 so as to connect the plates 31 and the cover 50. The stop pins 54 are engaged with the top slots 26 to press the connection ends 23 so as to restrict the support rods 201, 202 from pivoting upward. The two control members 40 are located on outsides of the two plates 31 as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. The mounting portions 42 of the two control members 40 are located in opposite directions.

The two control members 40 respective control the two support rods 201, 202. The two stop slots 421 of the two control members 40 are engaged with the top of the base 11 to maintain the status shown in Figs. 3 and 8.

The shafts 44 of the control pins 43, 46 are engaged with the protrusions 25 of the two support rods 201, 202 so that the two support rods 201, 202 are maintained in the horizontal direction. When the two support rods 201, 202 are maintained in the horizontal direction, the bicycles are supported on the support rods 201, 202.

As shown in Figs. 8 to 10, when the bicycles are removed from the support rods 201, 202, the mounting portions 42 of the control members are pivoted to remove the slop slots 321 from the base 11, the shafts 44 are pivoted to remove from the protrusions 25. The support rods 201, 202 are then pivoted about the pins 28 to move the connection ends 23 downward. The top slots 26 are then removed from the stop pins 54. As shown in Fig. 13, the connection ends 23 of the support rods 201, 202 are moved downward, ann the other ends of the support rods 201, 202 are pivoted upward, such that the two support rods 201, 202 are pivoted upward and located on two sides of the base 11. The securing strips 22 are connected to each other to maintain the upright support rods 201, 202. By this way, the space in the horizontal direction occupied by the support rods 201, 202 is reduced.

While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED iS: 1. A bicycle carry device comprising: a base and at least one support unit which is perpendicularly connected to the base, each support unit having two support rods, the two support rods pivotably connected to the base by a connection unit 30; each support rod having a free end and a connection end which has a protrusion on an end face thereof the coimection unit haviiig two plates, two coiltrol members located corresponding to the two support rods, and a cover, the two plates respectively fixed to the base and mounted to outside and inside of the connection ends of the support rods, each plate having two through holes which are ocated corresponding to the two respective protrusions, the connection ends of the two support rods pivotably connected between the two plates so as to be pivoted horizontally and vertically; each control member having a control pin extending through a first end thereof, the control pin extending through the through hole and the protrusion corresponding thereto, a mounting portion formed on a second end of each control member, the control pin being activated to be connected to or separated from the protrusion by rotating the control member, when the mounting portion is coirnected to the base, the control pin is connected to the protrusion, when the mounting portion is separated from the base, the control pin is separated from the protrusion so that the support rods is pivoted upward, and the cover connected on two respective tops of the two connection ends of the support rods, the cover connected to the plates to support the support rods in horizontal direction.
2. The bicycle carry device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two support rods are symmetrical to each other, each protrusion has a horizontal slot, the control pin has a head and a threaded end respectively on two ends thereof, a recess is defined axially and radially in the control pin and the protrusion is shaped to be engaged with the recess.
3. The bicycle carry device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two support rods are symmetrical to each other, each protrusion has a horizontal slot, the control pin has a first section and a second section which is bent perpendicularly from the first section, a recess is defined axially and radially in the first section of the control pin.
4. The bicycle carry device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection end of each of the support rods has a block connected to a top thereof and the block has a top slot, the two plates each have a first fixing hole located corresponding to the top slot, the cover has two lugs extending therefrom which are located corresponding to the top slots, the cover has two second fixing holes which are located corresponding to the first fixing holes and the lugs, the cover covers up the two top slots of the two support rods, two stop pins extend though the first fixing holes, the second fixing holes and the lugs so as to connect the plates and the cover, the stop pins are engaged with the top slots to press the connection ends.
5. The bicycle carry device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection end of each of the support rods has a first pivotal hole defined therethrough, the plates each have two second pivotal holes, two pins respectively extend though the aligned first and second pivotal holes so that the support rods are pivotable about the two pins.
6. A bicycle carry device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.