Space-saving bicycle parking structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11370501-B2
Application number	US-202017066811-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2020
Priority date	Apr 2, 2015
Publication date	Jun 28, 2022
Grant date	Jun 28, 2022

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a bicycle parking structure comprising a plurality of bicycle hangers supported by a crossbar assembly. Each bicycle hanger is configured to support a bicycle in a substantially vertical position. The bicycle hangers are spaced apart from one another along the length of the crossbar assembly. Each of the bicycle hangers may be secured to the crossbar assembly so that the bicycle hanger is fixed at a desired position or unsecured from the crossbar assembly so that the position of the bicycle hanger along the length of the crossbar assembly may be adjusted. In this manner, the distance between adjacent bicycles need not be fixed and the bicycle parking structure can be adapted for a particular space. The bicycle parking structure is designed to provide for a space-efficient, high-volume parking of bicycles.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A bicycle parking structure comprising
a plurality of bicycle hangers, each bicycle hanger being configured to support a bicycle in a substantially vertical position, such that a front wheel of the bicycle is located substantially vertically above a rear wheel of the bicycle; and
a crossbar assembly, the crossbar assembly supporting the plurality of bicycle hangers in a spaced apart relationship along a length of the crossbar assembly;
wherein each of the bicycle hangers may be secured to the crossbar assembly or unsecured from the crossbar assembly, the unsecured bicycle hanger being movable to a different position along the length of the crossbar assembly without being removed from the crossbar assembly;
wherein each bicycle hanger comprises
a body providing a surface to which a bicycle frame can be locked using a conventional U-lock,
an arm configured to pass through a front wheel of a bicycle so that an underside of the front wheel rim rests on top of the arm, and
a mounting component;

wherein the body comprises an upper region that extends outward from the mounting component, a front region that extends downward and outward from the upper region, and a lower region that extends from the front region back to the mounting component, and
wherein the arm projects from the side of the body at the upper region.

2. The bicycle parking structure of claim 1 , wherein each of the bicycle hangers may be secured at substantially any location along the length of the crossbar assembly.

3. The bicycle parking structure of claim 1 , wherein the crossbar assembly comprises a first crossbar and a second crossbar, the first and second crossbars being vertically spaced from one another.

4. The bicycle parking structure of claim 3 , in which each bicycle hanger is configured to be mounted to the crossbar assembly at one of two or more different heights.

5. The bicycle parking structure of claim 4 , wherein the heights of the bicycle hangers are staggered along the length of the crossbar assembly.

6. The bicycle parking structure of claim 5 , wherein a distance between adjacent bicycle hangers is between twelve inches and twenty-four inches.

7. The bicycle parking structure of claim 6 , wherein the distance between adjacent bicycle hangers is between fourteen inches and twenty-two inches.

8. The bicycle parking structure of claim 1 , wherein each of the bicycle hangers is secured to the crossbar assembly by one or more fasteners.

9. The bicycle parking structure of claim 8 , wherein the one or more fasteners are selected from bolts, screws, rivets, and clips.

10. The bicycle parking structure of claim 1 , further comprising a first leg configured for supporting a first end of the crossbar assembly and a second leg configured for supporting a second end of the crossbar assembly.

11. The bicycle parking structure according to claim 10 , further comprising a tire stop spanning between the first and second legs and positioned at a height that is configured to align with a rear tire of a bicycle supported in the substantially vertical position.

12. The bicycle parking structure according to claim 10 , wherein the second leg is also configured to support the first end of an additional crossbar assembly.

13. The bicycle parking structure of claim 1 , further comprising a first wall bracket configured for mounting a first end of the crossbar assembly to a wall and a second wall bracket configured for mounting a second end of the crossbar assembly to the wall.

14. The bicycle parking structure of claim 13 , in which the second wall bracket is also configured to mount the first end of an additional crossbar assembly to the wall.

15. The bicycle parking structure of claim 1 , in which at least the body of the bicycle hanger is made of squared steel tubing.

16. The bicycle parking structure of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the body is angled toward a first end or a second end of the crossbar assembly, such that at least the portion of the body forms an angle other than 90° with respect to a longitudinal axis of the crossbar assembly.

17. A bicycle parking structure comprising
a plurality of bicycle hangers, each bicycle hanger being configured to support a bicycle in a substantially vertical position, such that a front wheel of the bicycle is located substantially vertically above a rear wheel of the bicycle; and
a crossbar assembly comprising a first crossbar and a second crossbar, the first and second crossbars being vertically spaced from one another, the crossbar assembly supporting the plurality of bicycle hangers in a spaced apart relationship along a length of the crossbar assembly;
wherein each of the bicycle hangers may be secured to the crossbar assembly or unsecured from the crossbar assembly, the unsecured bicycle hanger being movable to a different position along the length of the crossbar assembly without being removed from the crossbar assembly;
wherein each bicycle hanger comprises
a body providing a surface to which a bicycle frame can be locked using a conventional U-lock,
an arm configured to pass through a front wheel of a bicycle so that an underside of the front wheel rim rests on top of the arm, and
a mounting component;

wherein the body comprises an upper region that extends outward from the mounting component, a front region that extends downward and outward from the upper region, and a lower region that extends from the front region back to the mounting component; and
wherein each of the bicycle hangers may be secured at substantially any location along the length of the crossbar assembly.

18. The bicycle parking structure of claim 16 , wherein at least the portion of the body angled toward the first end or the second end of the crossbar assembly forms an angle between about 45° and about 75° with the longitudinal axis of the crossbar assembly.

19. The bicycle parking structure of claim 17 , wherein the heights of the bicycle hangers are staggered along the length of the crossbar assembly.

20. The bicycle parking structure of claim 17 , further comprising a first leg configured for supporting a first end of the crossbar assembly and a second leg configured for supporting a second end of the crossbar assembly.

21. The bicycle parking structure according to claim 20 , wherein the second leg is also configured to support the first end of an additional crossbar assembly.

22. The bicycle parking structure of claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of the body is angled toward a first end or a second end of the crossbar assembly, such that at least the portion of the body forms an angle other than 90° with respect to a longitudinal axis of the crossbar assembly.

23. The bicycle parking structure of claim 22 , wherein at least the portion of the body angled toward the first end or the second end of the crossbar assembly forms an angle between about 45° and about 75° with the longitudinal axis of the crossbar assembly.

Assignees

• Everlast Climbing Ind Inc

Inventors

• Greenblatt Joel
• Lageson Andrew Kennedy

Classifications

• B62H3/12

  Hanging-up devices · CPC title

• B62H3/02 Primary

  involving means for gripping the cycle by the handlebars or by the upper part of the frame · CPC title