Shock absorbing securement device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9551392-B2
Application number	US-201514747737-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2015
Priority date	Jul 15, 2011
Publication date	Jan 24, 2017
Grant date	Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

A shock absorbing cradle for supporting a bicycle on an arm of a bicycle carrier. The cradle includes an arm receiving base having a bicycle carrier arm engaging surface and a floating carriage releasably coupled to the arm receiving base. The floating carriage includes an upper portion having a bicycle engaging surface and a resilient member disposed between the upper portion and the arm receiving base.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A shock absorbing cradle for supporting a bicycle on an arm of a bicycle carrier, the cradle comprising:
an arm receiving base having a bicycle carrier arm engaging surface configured to engage an arm of the bicycle carrier; and
a floating carriage releasably coupled to the arm receiving base, the floating carriage comprising:
an upper portion having a bicycle engaging surface configured to engage a portion of the bicycle;
a resilient member disposed between the upper portion and the arm receiving base; and
a first extension member configured to be inserted into a first slot receiver of the arm receiving base to couple the floating carriage to the arm receiving base,
wherein the first extension member translates within the first slot receiver of the arm receiving base as the carriage moves relative to the arm receiving base.

2. The shock absorbing cradle of claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the first extension member comprises a barbed insert configured to be stab-inserted into the first slot receiver.

3. The shock absorbing cradle of claim 2 , wherein the barbed insert is configured to engage within the first slot receiver to allow the first extension member to slide within the first slot receiver while retaining the floating carriage from being decoupled from the arm receiving base.

4. The shock absorbing cradle of claim 1 , wherein the floating carriage further comprises a second extension member configured to be inserted into a second slot receiver of the arm receiving base.

5. The shock absorbing cradle of claim 1 , wherein the first extension member extends from the upper portion of the floating carriage.

6. A shock absorbing securement device for securing a bicycle to a bicycle carrier, the securement device comprising:
an arm receiving base having a bicycle carrier arm engaging surface configured to engage an arm of the bicycle carrier; and
a floating carriage releasably coupled to the arm receiving base in a bicycle transporting orientation,
wherein a plurality of flexible ribs extend from the floating carriage and contact the arm receiving base in the bicycle transporting orientation, and
wherein the plurality of flexible ribs define a plurality of voidspaces between the floating carriage and the arm receiving base.

7. The shock absorbing securement device of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of flexible ribs are configured to absorb shock exerted by the carrier on the bicycle by being compressed or deflected.

8. The shock absorbing securement device of claim 6 , wherein at least one flexible rib is longer than one other flexible rib.

9. The shock absorbing securement device of claim 6 , wherein the flexible ribs extend in a generally downward direction from the floating carriage in the bicycle transporting orientation.

10. The shock absorbing securement device of claim 6 , wherein the floating carriage comprises an upper portion and an intermediate member.

11. The shock absorbing securement device of claim 10 , wherein the at least one flexible rib extends from the intermediate member.

12. A bicycle carrier, comprising:
a shock absorbing cradle for supporting a bicycle, the cradle comprising:
an arm receiving base having a bicycle carrier arm engaging surface; and
a floating carriage releasably coupled to the arm receiving base, the floating carriage comprising:
an upper portion comprising:
a bicycle engaging surface; and
a lower surface having at least one protrusion; and
an intermediate member having at least one slot through the intermediate member,
wherein the protrusion of the upper portion extends through the slot of the intermediate member to releasably couple the upper portion with the intermediate member.

13. The bicycle carrier of claim 12 , wherein the upper portion comprises a plurality of protrusions and the intermediate member comprises a plurality of slots, and wherein each protrusion engages a respective slot.

14. The bicycle carrier of claim 12 , wherein the floating carriage further comprises a first extension member configured to releasably couple the floating carriage to the arm receiving base.

15. The bicycle carrier of claim 14 , wherein the first extension member translates within a first slot receiver of the arm receiving base as the carriage moves relative to the arm receiving base.

16. The bicycle carrier of claim 14 , wherein a distal end of the first extension member comprises a barbed insert configured to be stab-inserted into a first slot receiver of the arm receiving base to allow the extension member to slide within the slot receiver while retaining the floating carriage from being decoupled from the arm receiving base.

17. The bicycle carrier of claim 14 , wherein the floating carriage further comprises a second extension member configured to be inserted into a second slot receiver of the arm receiving base.

18. The bicycle carrier of claim 14 , wherein the first extension member extends from the upper portion of the floating carriage.

19. The bicycle carrier of claim 12 , wherein the bicycle engaging surface is configured to engage a top tube of a bicycle.

Assignees

• Thule Sweden Ab

Inventors

• Bogoslofski Kevin
• Makris Timothy
• Weaver Gregor
• Laverack John
• Prescott Keith

Classifications

• B60R9/10

  for cycles · CPC title

• F16F1/3732 Primary

  having an annular or the like shape, e.g. grommet-type resilient mountings · CPC title

• B62H3/02 Primary

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

• F16F1/373

  characterised by having a particular shape {(F16F9/58 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• Y10S224/924

  Vehicle attached carrier for bicycle or motorcycle · CPC title