# US 11,027,663 B2 · Vehicle-mounted bike rack

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- Number: US 11,027,663 B2
- Document ID: US11027663B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/450,819
- Filed: 2019-06-24
- Published: 2020-02-13
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2018-06-22
- Applicants: Sean Himle
- Inventors: Sean Himle
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11027663B2

## CPC

- B60R 9/10: for cycles
- B60R 9/06: at vehicle front or rear {(rear luggage compartments within vehicle extensible externally of the vehicle body B60R5/041)}
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A vehicle-mounted bike rack may include a first rack arm having a post extending from a first end and an opening formed in a second end of the first rack arm. The bike rack may also include a second rack arm having a slot formed in a first end and on opening formed in a second end of the second rack arm, and a cross bar extending substantially perpendicularly with the first and the second rack arms, and wherein the cross bar is received in the openings of the first and second rack arms, such that each of the first rack arm and second rack arm are pivotable about the cross bar. The first and second rack arms may be configured to engage with and secure to at least one of a tail gate post and a tail gate latch of a vehicle.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle-mounted bike rack, comprising:
a first rack arm having a post extending from a first end and an opening formed in a second end of the first rack arm;
a second rack arm having a slot formed in a first end and an opening formed in a second end of the second rack arm;
a cross bar extending substantially perpendicularly with the first and the second rack arms, and wherein the cross bar is received in the openings of the first and second rack arms, such that each of the first rack arm and second rack arm are pivotable about the cross bar;
wherein the first and second rack arms are configured to engage with and secure to at least one of a tail gate post and a tail gate latch of a vehicle;
wherein each of the first rack arm and the second rack arm includes a second opening formed in the first end; and
a second cross bar extending substantially perpendicularly from the first rack arm, wherein the second cross bar is received in the second opening of the first rack arm.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The bike rack of claim 1, further comprising:
a lock cable fixed to the first cross bar.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The bike rack of claim 2, wherein the first cross bar is substantially hollow, forming an interior cavity, and wherein the lock cable is received in the interior cavity in a first position.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The bike rack of claim 3, further comprising:
a locking mechanism fixed to the second rack arm, wherein the locking mechanism is configured to receive a terminal end of the lock cable and secure the lock cable in a locked position.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The bike rack of claim 1, further comprising:
a cross bar pad received over an outer surface of the cross bar.

### Claim 6

A vehicle-mounted bike rack, comprising:
a pair of first rack arms, each having a post extending from a first end, a first opening formed in a second end of each of the pair of first rack arms, and a second opening formed in the first end of each of the pair of first rack arms;
a pair of second rack arms, each having a slot formed in a first end and an opening formed in a second end of each of the second rack arms;
a first cross bar extending substantially perpendicularly between each of the pair of first and second rack arms, and wherein the cross bar is received in the first openings of each of the first and second rack arms, such that each of the first rack arms and second rack arms are pivotable about the first cross bar; and
a second cross bar extending substantially perpendicularly between each of the pair of first rack arms, wherein the second cross bar is received in the second openings of each of the pair of first rack arms,
wherein each of the pairs of first and second rack arms are configured to engage with and secure to at least one of a tail gate post and a tail gate latch of a vehicle.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The bike rack of claim 6, further comprising:
a lock cable fixed to the first cross bar.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The bike rack of claim 7, wherein the first cross bar is substantially hollow, forming an interior cavity, and wherein the lock cable is received in the interior cavity in a first position.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The bike rack of claim 8, further comprising:
a locking mechanism fixed to at least one of the pair of second rack arms, wherein the locking mechanism is configured to receive a terminal end of the lock cable and securing the lock cable in a locked position.

### Claim 10 (depends on 6)

The bike rack of claim 6, further comprising:
a cross bar pad received over an outer surface of the first cross bar.

### Claim 11

A vehicle-mounted bike rack, comprising:
a pair of first rack arms, each having a post extending from a first end, a first opening formed in a second end of each of the pair of first rack arms,
a pair of second rack arms, each having a slot formed in a first end and an opening formed in a second end of each of the second rack arms;
a first cross bar extending substantially perpendicularly between each of the pair of first and the second rack arms, and wherein the cross bar is received in the first openings of each of the first and second rack arms, such that each of the first rack arms and second rack arms are pivotable about the cross bar; and
wherein each of the pairs of first and second rack arms are configured to engage with and secure to at least one of a tail gate post and a tail gate latch of a vehicle.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The bike rack of claim 11, wherein each of the pair of first rack arms includes a second opening formed in the first end of each of the pair of first rack arms.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The bike rack of claim 12, further comprising:
a second cross bar extending substantially perpendicularly between each of the pair of first rack arms, wherein the second cross bar is received in the second openings of each of the pair of first rack arms.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The bike rack of claim 11, further comprising:
a lock cable fixed to the first cross bar.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The bike rack of claim 14, wherein the first cross bar is substantially hollow, forming an interior cavity, and wherein the lock cable is received in the interior cavity in a first position.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The bike rack of claim 15, further comprising:
a locking mechanism first fixed to at least one of the pair of second rack arms, wherein the locking mechanism is configured to receive a terminal end of the lock cable and securing the lock cable in a locked position.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The bike rack of claim 11, further comprising:
a cross bar pad received over an outer surface of the first cross bar.