Vertical bicycle rack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12420719-B2
Application number	US-202217866184-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2022
Priority date	Jul 15, 2021
Publication date	Sep 23, 2025
Grant date	Sep 23, 2025

Abstract

A vertical bicycle rack is disclosed, including a horizontal beam and a plurality of support stations mounted to the horizontal beam. Each station is configured to support a bicycle in a vertical position and including a pair of cradles. Each cradle is configured to receive a handlebar of the supported bicycle and includes a strap to secure the received handlebar. A lower one of the pair of cradles includes a bumper to contact a frame component of the supported bicycle.

First claim

We claim:

1. A vertical bicycle rack, comprising
a horizontal beam,
a plurality of support stations mounted to the horizontal beam, each station configured to support a bicycle in a vertical position, and including a pair of cradles,
wherein each cradle is configured to receive a handlebar of the supported bicycle and includes a strap to secure the received handlebar, and a lower one of the pair of cradles includes a bumper to contact a frame component of the supported bicycle.

2. A bicycle rack, comprising:
a hitch mount device,
a mast structure having a proximal portion connected to the hitch mount device, and a distal portion extending upward from the proximal portion,
an upper beam structure connected horizontally to the distal portion of the mast structure, and
a first handlebar holding station mounted on the upper beam structure, including:
an upper cradle and a lower cradle, at opposing ends of a central beam portion, each cradle configured to support one handlebar of a pair of handlebars of a bicycle,
wherein the lower cradle includes a rest portion configured to support a frame component of the bicycle.

3. The bicycle rack of claim 2 , wherein the central beam portion has a primary beam axis and is fastened to the upper beam structure with the primary beam axis at an oblique angle relative to the upper beam structure.

4. The bicycle rack of claim 3 , wherein the angle of the primary beam axis relative to the upper beam structure is between approximately 30 and 60 degrees.

5. The bicycle rack of claim 3 , wherein each of the upper and lower cradles is oriented to support a received handlebar approximately parallel the primary beam axis of the central beam portion.

6. The bicycle rack of claim 2 , wherein each of the upper cradle and the lower cradle includes a channel portion to receive a handlebar.

7. The bicycle rack of claim 6 , wherein each channel portion includes planar first and second inner side surfaces, the first and second inner side surfaces being at an oblique relative angle and joined by a curved lower surface of the channel portion.

8. The bicycle rack of claim 2 , wherein:
the upper and lower cradles are at opposing ends of the central beam portion along a primary beam axis,
each of the upper cradle and the lower cradle includes a channel portion configured to receive a handlebar,
the rest portion of the lower cradle is spaced from the channel portion of the lower cradle along the primary beam axis.

9. The bicycle rack of claim 8 , wherein the supported frame component is a stem of the bicycle and the rest portion is positioned to center the stem between the channel portions of the upper and lower cradles.

10. The bicycle rack of claim 2 , wherein each of the upper and lower cradles includes a strap to secure a supported handlebar.

11. The bicycle rack of claim 10 , wherein the strap of the upper cradle is on an outer side of the upper cradle, and the strap of the lower cradle is on an inner side of the lower cradle.

12. The bicycle rack of claim 2 , wherein the central beam portion of the first handlebar holding station is fastenable at a plurality of positions on the upper beam structure.

13. The bicycle rack of claim 12 , further including a plurality of handlebar holding stations, each station being fastenable at the plurality of positions on the upper beam structure.

14. The bicycle rack of claim 2 , wherein the first handlebar holding station has a first distance between the upper cradle and the rest portion of the lower cradle, and further comprising a second handlebar holding station, including:
an upper cradle and a lower cradle, at opposing ends of a central beam portion, each cradle configured to support one of two handlebars of a bicycle,
wherein the lower cradle includes a flat rest portion configured to support a fork crown of a bicycle, and a second distance between the upper cradle and the rest portion of the lower cradle is greater than the first distance.

15. The bicycle rack of claim 2 , further comprising:
a lower beam structure connected horizontally to the proximal portion of the mast structure, and
a first wheel binding device mounted on the lower beam structure, configured to secure a rear wheel of a bicycle while handlebars of the bicycle are supported by the first handlebar holding station.

16. A bicycle rack, comprising:
a mast,
a crossbeam mounted to the mast, and
a plurality of handlebar support stations, each station being selectively mountable at a plurality of locations along the crossbeam, wherein each station includes:
a first cradle
a second cradle,
a first strap securing device mounted adjacent the first cradle, for securing a first handlebar portion in the first cradle, and
a second strap securing device mounted adjacent the second cradle, for securing a second handlebar portion in the second cradle,
wherein an upper side of the second cradle has a stem spacer surface for supporting and positioning a bicycle stem between the cradles.

17. The bicycle rack of claim 16 , wherein each cradle has an upper side and a lower side, each strap securing device being located on the upper side of the adjacent cradle.

18. The bicycle rack of claim 16 , wherein the first cradle is elevated relative to the second cradle.

19. The bicycle rack of claim 16 , wherein each strap securing device includes a ratcheting catch and a release lever.

Assignees

• Yakima Products Inc

Inventors

• Mcfadden Scott A
• Turner Kirk William
• Burkley Joseph P
• Willems Brandon Michael

Classifications

• B60R9/06 Primary

  at vehicle front or rear {(rear luggage compartments within vehicle extensible externally of the vehicle body B60R5/041)} · CPC title

• B60R9/10 Primary

  for cycles · CPC title