Package and article carriers – Vehicle attached – Carrier associated with vehicle roof or trunk lid
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-09
2001-10-02
Mancene, Gene (Department: 3727)
Package and article carriers
Vehicle attached
Carrier associated with vehicle roof or trunk lid
C224S323000, C224S570000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296162
ABSTRACT:
RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
This patent application claims priority to Swedish patent application No. 9812180-1 filed Jun. 18, 1998. The full disclosure of said application in its entirety is hereby expressly incorporated by reference into the present application.
DESCRIPTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a cycle carrier which includes a gripping device for engagement with and positionally fixing retention of a portion of a cycle, and an operating device for maneuvering the gripping device between a closed position and an open position.
2. Background of the Invention
An infinite number of types and versions of cycle carriers for the transport of cycles on vehicles are previously known in the art. One type of such a cycle carrier is intended for placing on a load carrier or roof rack on a vehicle roof and includes a channel-shaped rail disposed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and in which the wheels of the cycle rest. The rail is secured on a pair of conventional load carrier struts by means of brackets. From the rail, or one of these brackets, a pivotal arm or yoke extends upwards which, in its upper end, has a gripping device for engagement with and positionally fixing retention of a portion of the frame of the cycle. The arm is arranged to be pivotal about a horizontal axis which is transverse in relation to the direction of travel of the vehicle, for which reason its upper end may be raised and lowered along an arc of a circle.
Cycle frames may vary considerably in appearance and also vary greatly in the dimensions of the frame tubes which make up the frame. As regards the adaptation of the position of the gripping device to a suitable engagement portion of the frame, this may be catered for by the above-mentioned pivotal action of the arm. The case is more serious for the gripping device, since this must be capable of cooperating with and fixedly retaining frame tubes which, in their slimmest version, may have circular cross sections with a diameter of the order of magnitude of 20-25 mm. However, the frame tubes may also have an oval or otherwise shaped cross section, with transverse dimensions of as much as 6-8 cm. Major problems have hitherto been encountered as regards the design of the gripping device which must be capable of cooperating with a broad spectrum of different dimensions and designs of the frame tubing.
WO 90/02669 discloses a cycle carrier of the above-considered type. In this cycle carrier, the gripping device is designed as a pair of tongs or scissors with reciprocally movable gripping jaws with recesses for enclosing the frame tube. In order, as far as is possible, to make the gripping device flexible as regards the dimensions and shape of the gripped frame tubes, the gripping device has slidable auxiliary jaws by means of which the shape and size of the gripping recess of the gripping jaws may be varied.
This construction functions well in certain contexts, but always requires an adjustment of the gripping device to suit the cycle frame in question. Thus, there is a risk that the user, out of carelessness or ignorance, makes no adjustment—or an incorrect adjustment—for which reason the cycle runs the risk of coming loose.
DE-AI-3217319 discloses a similar fundamental solution which also has a very limited field of use as regards different dimensions and shapes of the gripped frame tube of the cycle.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The present invention in its several disclosed embodiments alleviates the drawbacks described above with respect to conventionally designed cycle carriers and incorporates several additionally beneficial features. One object of the present invention is to provide a cycle carrier that may be used together with cycles that have greatly varying dimensions and shapes of the portion of the cycle which is to be gripped by the carrier. The present invention further has as an object to provide a cycle carrier which is self-adjusting in response to the dimensions and shape of the portion of the cycle to be gripped. Further, the present invention has as an object to provide a cycle carrier which is simple and convenient to operate and which is reliable in function.
The objects forming the basis of the present invention will be attained if the cycle carrier disclosed by way of introduction is characterized in that the gripping device is openable against a spring pretensioning, which, on release, is disposed to transfer the gripping device to an abutment position against a portion of the cycle inserted in the open gripping device, the abutment position being dependent upon the thickness of the gripped portion; and that the operating device includes means for transferring the gripping device to a clamping position where the gripped portion is positionally fixedly clamped in the gripping device regardless of where the abutment position was located.
In at least one embodiment, the present invention takes the form of a gripping arrangement to be implemented in a cycle carrier for positionally fixing a cycle for transport or storage. The gripping arrangement includes a gripping device that is disposed on a distal end of a pivot arm. The pivot arm is arranged to pivot between a stored position and a cycle gripping position. Usually, the cycle gripping position will be a raised orientation compared to a laid-down stored position, but the gripping position for a particular carrier will ultimately be determined by the configuration of the overall carrier and the vehicle or other object to which the carrier is mounted. The gripping device can assume what has been referred to herein as a cycle member abutting configuration which connotes an orientation in which the gripping device is just beginning to press upon a portion of a cycle, but typically before any substantial gripping pressure has been applied. Moreover, the gripping device is pretensioned toward this cycle member abutting configuration; exemplarily, by a spring or otherwise urging device. An operating member is provided that is disposed on the pivot arm and operationally interconnected with the gripping device. The operating member is arranged to move the gripping device against the pretension force to an open configuration and to also move the gripping device from the abutting configuration to a gripping configuration in which substantial gripping pressure is applied upon the cycle portion.
The beneficial effects described above apply generally to the exemplary devices and mechanisms disclosed herein of the cycle carrier assemblies. The specific structures through which these benefits are delivered will be described in detail hereinbelow.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2316995 (1943-04-01), Smith
patent: 4629104 (1986-12-01), Jacquet
patent: 5417398 (1995-05-01), Schilling
patent: 5762248 (1998-06-01), Englander et al.
patent: 3217319 (1982-05-01), None
patent: 2460873 (1980-02-01), None
patent: 9002669 (1990-03-01), None
patent: 9507197 (1995-03-01), None
patent: 9631367 (1996-10-01), None
Arvidsson Andreas
Englander Curt
Eriksson Bjorn
Brevard Maerena N.
Industi AB Thule
Kilpatrick & Stockton LLP
Mancene Gene
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