US 4,301,956 AGranted

Retractable bicycle carrier for vehicles

OwnerGriffith L. Hoernerinventor

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Abstract

A bicycle carrier is carried on the underside of a trunk lid in a manner such that it does not interfere with the closing of the lid, but when the lid is rotated into its open position, the bicycle carrier can be extended beyond the periphery of the lid to provide support for bicycles carried transversely thereof in a generally vertical position to the rear of the lid. With the supported bicycles removed from the carrier, it can be retracted into its concealed resting position on the underside of the lid so that the latter can be freely closed. The retractable carrier can be used in conjunction with both forwardly and rearwardly opening trunk lids. In brief, the bicycle carrier comprises a pair of assemblies affixed to the underside of a trunk lid adjacent to one edge thereof remote from its hinge axis. Each assembly comprises a bracket defining a bore extending therethrough which partially slidably receives a bicycle carrying member which can be extended over the forementioned trunk lid edge for suspending bicycles therefrom when the trunk lid is open and which is particularly shaped to provide a substantially horizontal bicycle-supporting platform when so extended.

Claims26

Dependent claims

For use with a vehicle closure, a bicycle carrier comprising a pair of carrier assemblies mountable on the inner surface of said vehicle closure a spaced distance apart adjacent to an edge of said closure distal from its hinge axis, each said carrier assembly comprising:

a bracket comprising
a housing defining, together with said closure when mounted thereon, a longitudinal bore, and
mounting means attached to said housing for mounting said housing to said closure;
and
a bicycle-supporting member carried partially within said bore for movement therealong from a stowed position against said inner surface of said closure to an extended position for carrying bicycles thereon rearwardly of said closure, said bicycle-supporting member integrally comprising
(a) a leg section slidably receivable by said bore for extendable/retractable movement along said bore from, and to, said stowed position, respectively, and for rotational movement of at least about 90 degrees about its longitudinal axis when said bicycle-supporting member is in said extended position,
(b) a bicycle-supporting arm extending from a first end of said leg section and disposed at an angle relative thereto to provide, when said bicycle-supporting member is at its said extended position and said leg section has been rotated about 90 degrees about its said longitudinal axis from said stowed position, a substantially horizontal platform for suspending bicycles therefrom, and
(c) a keeper extending from said bicycle-supporting arm distal from said leg section at an angle sufficient to retain said bicycles on said bicycle-supporting arm;
said leg section being partially housed within said bore when said bicycle-supporting member is in both said stowed position and said extended position.

6 more elements

In combination with a vehicle closure pivotable about an axis adjacent to a first edge thereof for closing an opening in said vehicle, a bicycle carrier for suspending bicycles therefrom transversely of said vehicle and rearwardly of said closure, said bicycle carrier comprising:

bicycle support means carried in a concealed stowed position on the underside of said closure adjacent to a second edge thereof remote from said first edge thereof, said bicycle support means being extendable beyond said second edge of said closure from said stowed position to an extended position for supporting bicycles therefrom when said closure is open.

In combination with a vehicle trunk lid which is pivotable about an axis adjacent to a first edge thereof for closing an opening in a deck of said vehicle, a bicycle carrier mounted to the undersurface of said trunk lid for carrying bicycles transversely of said vehicle rearwardly of said trunk lid, said bicycle carrier comprising a pair of carrier assemblies disposed a spaced distance apart adjacent to a second edge of said closure remote from said first edge, each said carrier assembly comprising:

a bracket mounted to said undersurface of said trunk lid and defining, in combination with said trunk lid, a longitudinal bore extending therethrough;
and
a bicycle-supporting member carried partially within said bore for movement therealong from a stowed position against said undersurface of said trunk lid to an extended position for carrying bicycles thereon rearwardly of said closure, said bicycle-supporting member integrally comprising
(a) a leg section slidably receivable by said bore for translational reciprocal movement therealong and for rotational movement of at least about 90 degrees about its longitudinal axis when said bicycle-supporting member is in said extended position,
(b) a bicycle-supporting arm projecting from a first end of said leg section and disposed at an angle relative thereto to provide a substantially horizontal platform for suspending bicycles therefrom when said bicycle-supporting member has been rotated about 90 degrees about said longitudinal axis of said leg section in said extended position relative to said stowed position, and
(c) a keeper projecting from said bicycle-supporting arm distal from said leg section at an angle sufficient to retain bicycles on said bicycle-supporting arm,
said bicycle supporting member being movable from said stowed position to said extended position in a plane substantially parallel to said undersurface of said trunk lid and being rotatable in said extended position about 90 degrees with respect to said plane to rotate said bicycle-supporting arm into bicycle-carrying position.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.