Bicycle rack

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12545345-B2
Application number	US-202418955313-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 21, 2024
Priority date	Feb 8, 2024
Publication date	Feb 10, 2026
Grant date	Feb 10, 2026

Abstract

This application relates to a bicycle rack. The bicycle rack includes a column, a wheel fixing mechanism including a first locking member, a second locking member, and a locking assembly. The wheel fixing mechanism also includes a base and a wheel holder mounted on the base. The locking assembly has a first locking position that engages with the first locking member, and a second locking position that engages with the second locking member. When the locking assembly is in the first locking position, the first locking member contacts the wheel holder, causing the wheel holder to be in a clamping state. When the locking assembly is in the second locking position, the first locking member is separated from the locking assembly, placing the wheel holder in a released state, while the locking assembly engages with the second locking member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A bicycle rack, comprising:
a column; a wheel fixing mechanism comprising a base, a wheel holder mounted on the base, and a first locking member, wherein the base is movably arranged on the column for movement in a linear direction, and wherein the wheel holder is configured to provide a clamping state for securing a wheel of a bicycle and a released state for unclamping the wheel; a second locking member positioned on the column at a position along a movement path of the base; and a locking assembly mounted on the base and having a first locking position that engages with the first locking member and a second locking position that engages with the second locking member, wherein: in the first locking position, the first locking member contacts the wheel holder, causing the wheel holder to be in the clamping state, and in the second locking position, the first locking member is separated from the locking assembly, causing the wheel holder to be in the released state, while the locking assembly engages with the second locking member.

2 . The bicycle rack as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the locking assembly comprises a locking element that is rotatably arranged on the base, the locking element allowing the locking assembly to transition between the first locking position and the second locking position.

3 . The bicycle rack as claimed in claim 2 , wherein:
the locking element comprises a first hook on a side facing the first locking member and a second hook on an opposite side of the locking element, in the first locking position, the first hook engages with the first locking member, while the second hook is disengaged from the second locking member, and in the second locking position, the second hook engages with the second locking member, while the first hook is disengaged from the first locking member.

4 . The bicycle rack as claimed in claim 3 , wherein:
the first locking member comprises a cylindrical first lock pin, and the first hook is configured to engage with the first lock pin, and the second locking member comprises a cylindrical second lock pin, and the second hook is configured to engage with the second lock pin.

5 . The bicycle rack as claimed in claim 3 , wherein at least one of:
the first hook includes a first slope and a first hook portion, the first slope configured to engage with an end of the first locking member that is adjacent to the second locking member to provide a force that causes the locking element to rotate toward a side of the first locking member, and the first hook portion abuts an end of the first locking member that is near the second locking member, thereby maintaining the locking assembly in the first locking position; or the second hook includes a second slope and a second hook portion, and the second slope is configured to engage with the second locking member to provide a force that causes the locking element to rotate toward a side of the second locking member, and the second hook portion abuts an end of the second locking member, thereby maintaining the locking assembly in the second locking position.

6 . The bicycle rack as claimed in claim 5 , wherein:
the locking element comprises a first locking plate segment and a second locking plate segment, which are spaced apart, the first locking plate segment comprises a third hook portion, the second locking plate segment comprises a fourth hook portion, when the third hook portion engages with an end of the first locking member that is near the second locking member, the fourth hook portion is disengaged from the second locking member, and when the third hook portion is disengaged from the end of the first locking member that is near the second locking member, the fourth hook portion engages with the second locking member.

7 . The bicycle rack as claimed in claim 6 , wherein:
the first locking plate segment further comprises a first stop portion, the third hook portion and the first stop portion are located at opposite ends of the first locking plate segment, and the second locking plate segment also comprises a second stop portion, with the fourth hook portion and the second stop portion located at opposite ends of the second locking plate segment, when the first stop portion abuts the second locking member, the locking assembly switches from the second locking position to the first locking position, and when the second stop portion abuts the end of the first locking member that is near the second locking member, the locking assembly switches from the first locking position to the second locking position.

8 . The bicycle rack as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the wheel fixing mechanism further comprises a wheel pressing plate rotatably mounted on the base, wherein the wheel pressing plate is positioned on a side of the first locking member that faces away from the base, and the wheel pressing plate is configured to apply external force to press the first locking member toward the base, thereby placing the locking assembly in the first locking position, and an end of the wheel pressing plate that is farther from the locking assembly is comprises a stop block, the stop block having:
a stop position where the stop block engages with the column, and a disengaged position, where the stop block is separated from the column.

9 . The bicycle rack as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the wheel holder comprises a first clamping jaw and a second clamping jaw, which are positioned oppositely on the base, wherein both the first clamping jaw and the second clamping jaw can rotate toward or away from each other, and each of the first clamping jaw and the second clamping jaw has a protrusion at an end facing the base, and when the locking assembly is in the first locking position, the first locking member abuts the protrusions, causing the wheel holder to be in the clamping state.

10 . The bicycle rack as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the wheel holder further comprises two mounting bases and two first elastic members, and both mounting bases are installed on the base, and the first clamping jaw is rotatably mounted on one of the mounting bases and the second clamping jaw is rotatably mounted on the other mounting base, and the two first elastic members correspond to the two mounting bases one-to-one, and each first elastic member enables the associated clamping jaw to have a tendency to move in a direction away from the other clamping jaw.

11 . The bicycle rack as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the base is provided with a channel at an end facing the second locking member, and the locking assembly is located at one end of the channel and the other end of the channel has an opening that faces the second locking member, and the second locking member enters the channel through this opening.

12 . The bicycle rack as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the bicycle rack further includes an elastic member connected on one end to a top of the column and on the other end is connected to the base, wherein the elastic member provides a force that pulls the base along the column in a direction towards the top of the column.

13 . A bicycle rack, comprising:
a column; a wheel fixing mechanism that comprises a base, a wheel holder mounted on the base, and a first locking member, wherein the base is movably arranged on the column in a linear or vertical direction, and the wheel holder is transitionable between a clamping state for securing the wheel and a released state for unclamping the wheel; a second locking member positioned toward one end the column along a movement path of the base; and a locking assembly, wherein the locking asse

Assignees

• Ningbo Tuotuo River Design Company

Inventors

• Wang Zhi Min
• Tang Jun

Classifications

• B62H3/12 Primary

  Hanging-up devices · CPC title

• B62H3/08 Primary

  involving recesses or channelled rails for embracing the bottom part of a wheel · CPC title