Bicycle rack for tailgate including main door and secondary door

Abstract

The present invention relates to a bicycle rack for a tailgate including a primary door and a secondary door. A bicycle rack for a vehicle with a tailgate includes a primary door, a secondary door, and a hinge connecting the secondary door to the primary door. The secondary door includes a body and a load stop configured to pivot relative to the body. The bicycle rack includes a load stop bracket and a bracket. The load stop bracket is configured to be placed on the load stop when the load stop is in a vertical position so that the load stop bracket extends above the top surface of the load stop and is disposed on the front and rear sides of the load stop. The bracket is attached to the load stop bracket, which is configured to extend into a hole in the hinge when the load stop bracket is placed on the load stop, and is configured to be disposed on opposite sides of a tire on a bicycle.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The information provided in this section is for the purpose of generally presenting the context of the present disclosure. The work of the presently named inventors within the scope described in this section, as well as aspects of this specification that may not otherwise be identified as prior art at the time of filing, are neither explicitly nor implicitly admitted as prior art against the present disclosure.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a bicycle rack for a tailgate including a primary door and a secondary door. Background Art

[0003] Bicycle racks for pickup trucks are typically mounted to the pickup truck's trailer hitch, or to the pickup truck's cargo bed near the bed of the pickup truck. Hitch-mounted bicycle racks prevent the hitch from being used for other purposes, such as towing a trailer. Bed-mounted bicycle racks typically require the removal of the bicycle's front tire and front wheel so that the bicycle's front fork can be secured in the bicycle rack. Additionally, if the bicycle's front tire and front wheel are not removed before attempting to place the bicycle in the pickup truck's cargo bed, the bicycle may not fit into the cargo bed if the length of the bicycle is greater than the length of the cargo bed. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present disclosure describes a bicycle rack for a vehicle with a tailgate, the tailgate comprising a primary door, a secondary door, and a hinge connecting the secondary door to the primary door so that the secondary door can pivot between a vertical position and a horizontal position. The secondary door comprises a body and a load stop configured to pivot between a vertical position and a horizontal position relative to the body. In one example, the bicycle rack comprises a load stop bracket and a pair of brackets attached to the load stop bracket. The load stop bracket is configured to be placed onto the load stop when the load stop is in a vertical position so that the load stop bracket extends above the top surface of the load stop and is disposed on the front and rear sides of the load stop. The brackets are configured to extend into a pair of holes in the hinge when the load stop bracket is placed onto the load stop. The brackets are also configured to be disposed on opposite sides of a tire on a bicycle.

[0005] In one aspect, the load stop bracket includes a pair of front vertical bars configured to be positioned on a front side of the load stop, a rear vertical bar configured to be positioned on a rear side of the load stop, and a horizontal bar connecting the rear vertical bars to the front vertical bars and configured to extend above a top surface of the load stop.

[0006] In one aspect, the load stop bracket further includes a cross bar interconnecting the upper ends of the front vertical bars.

[0007] In one aspect, the front vertical bar is configured to be positioned on opposite sides of the tire.

[0008] In one aspect, the horizontal bar is formed by the bracket.

[0009] In one aspect, the bicycle rack further comprises a spring loaded mechanism configured to bias one of the front vertical bars toward the other of the front vertical bars and thereby apply a clamping force to the tire.

[0010] In one aspect, the spring-loaded mechanism comprises a pin and a spring. The pin extends through one of the front vertical rods and into the other front vertical rod. The spring is disposed around the axis of the pin and captured between the head of the pin and the surface of the one front vertical rod facing away from the other front vertical rod.

[0011] In one aspect, each of the brackets includes a flexible chord and a fastener configured to be inserted into one of the holes in the hinge.

[0012] In one aspect, the flexible chord has a length that is less than the distance between where the flexible chord is attached to the load stop bracket and the one hole in the hinge into which the fastener is configured to be inserted, so that the flexible chord is in tension when the bicycle rack is installed.

[0013] In one aspect, each of the brackets comprises a rigid tube having a curved end configured to be inserted into one of the holes in the hinge.

[0014] In one aspect, the bracket is formed from a single rigid tube having a pair of curved ends configured to be inserted into the holes in the hinge.

[0015] In one aspect, the rigid tube forms the stents and U-shaped sections connecting the stents to each other.

[0016] In one aspect, the load stop bracket includes a pivot pin about which the load stop bracket is foldable.

[0017] In another example, the bicycle parking rack includes a load stop bracket and a pair of brackets attached to the load stop bracket. The load stop bracket includes a pair of front vertical rods, a cross bar connecting the upper ends of the front vertical rods to each other, a rear vertical rod, and a horizontal rod connecting the rear vertical rod to the front vertical rods. The load stop bracket is configured to be placed on the load stop when the load stop is in a vertical position so that the horizontal rod extends above the top surface of the load stop, the front vertical rod is disposed on the front side of the load stop, and the rear vertical rod is disposed on the rear side of the load stop. The bracket is configured to extend into a pair of holes in the hinge when the load stop bracket is placed on the load stop. The bracket is also configured to be placed on opposite sides of a tire on a bicycle.

[0018] In one aspect, each of the brackets includes a flexible chord and a fastener configured to be inserted into one of the holes in the hinge.

[0019] In one aspect, the brackets are rigid and each of the brackets has a curved end configured to be inserted into one of the holes in the hinge.

[0020] In one aspect, the rear vertical rod is T-shaped, and the rear vertical rod has a first rectangular section and a second rectangular section, the first rectangular section has a first length extending vertically, and the second rectangular section is attached to the lower end of the first rectangular section and has a second length, the second length extends horizontally and is smaller than the first length.

[0021] In another example, the bicycle parking rack includes a pair of front vertical rods, a rear vertical rod and a rigid rod. The rigid rod includes a U-shaped section and a pair of brackets protruding from opposite ends of the U-shaped section. The rigid rod connects the rear vertical rod to the front vertical rod to form a load stop bracket. The load stop bracket is configured to be placed on the load stop when the load stop is in a vertical position so that the U-shaped section extends above the top surface of the load stop, the front vertical rod is disposed on the front side of the load stop, and the rear vertical rod is disposed on the rear side of the load stop. The bracket is configured to extend into a pair of holes in the hinge when the load stop bracket is placed on the load stop. The bracket is also configured to be placed on opposite sides of a tire on a bicycle.

[0022] In one aspect, the rigid rod is hollow and each of the brackets has a curved end configured to be inserted into one of the holes in the hinge.

[0023] In one aspect, the front vertical bar is configured to be positioned on opposite sides of the tire.

[0024] According to the present invention, it at least includes the following technical solutions:

[0025] 1. A bicycle rack for a vehicle with a tailgate, the tailgate comprising a main door, a secondary door and a hinge connecting the secondary door to the main door so that the secondary door can pivot between a vertical position and a horizontal position, the secondary door comprising a body and a load stop configured to pivot relative to the body between the vertical position and the horizontal position, the bicycle rack comprising:

[0026] a load stop bracket configured to be placed onto the load stop when the load stop is in the vertical position such that the load stop bracket extends above a top surface of the load stop and is disposed on front and rear sides of the load stop; and

[0027] A pair of brackets are attached to the load stop bracket and are configured to extend into a pair of holes in the hinge when the load stop bracket is placed onto the load stop and are configured to rest on opposite sides of a tire on a bicycle.

[0028] 2. A bicycle parking rack according to technical solution 1, wherein the load stop bracket includes: a pair of front vertical rods configured to be placed on the front side of the load stop, a rear vertical rod configured to be placed on the rear side of the load stop, and a horizontal rod connecting the rear vertical rod to the front vertical rod and configured to extend above the top surface of the load stop.

[0029] 3. The bicycle parking rack according to technical solution 2, wherein the load stop bracket further includes a crossbar that connects the upper ends of the front vertical rods to each other.

[0030] 4. A bicycle parking rack according to technical solution 2, wherein the front vertical rod is configured to be placed on the opposite side of the tire.

[0031] 5. A bicycle parking rack according to technical solution 2, wherein the horizontal rod is formed by the bracket.

[0032] 6. The bicycle parking rack according to technical solution 2 further includes a spring-loaded mechanism, which is configured to bias one of the front vertical rods toward the other of the front vertical rods and thereby apply a clamping force to the tire.

[0033] 7. A bicycle parking rack according to technical solution 6, wherein the spring loading mechanism includes a pin and a spring, the pin extending through one of the front vertical rods and entering into the other front vertical rod, the spring being arranged around the axis of the pin and captured between the head of the pin and the surface of the one front vertical rod facing away from the other front vertical rod.

[0034] 8. A bicycle parking rack according to technical solution 1, wherein each of the brackets includes a flexible chord and a fastener, and the fastener is configured to be inserted into one of the holes in the hinge.

[0035] 9. A bicycle parking rack according to technical solution 8, wherein the flexible chord has a length that is less than the distance between the position where the flexible chord is attached to the load stop bracket and the one hole in the hinge into which the fastener is configured to be inserted, so that the flexible chord is in a tensioned state when the bicycle parking rack is installed.

[0036] 10. A bicycle parking rack according to technical solution 1, wherein each of the brackets comprises a rigid tube having a curved end, and the curved end is configured to be inserted into one of the holes in the hinge.

[0037] 11. A bicycle parking rack according to technical solution 1, wherein the bracket is formed by a single rigid tube having a pair of curved ends, and the curved ends are configured to be inserted into the holes in the hinge.

[0038] 12. A bicycle parking rack according to technical solution 11, wherein the rigid tube forms the bracket and a U-shaped section that connects the brackets to each other.

[0039] 13. The bicycle parking rack according to technical solution 1, wherein the load stop bracket includes a pivot pin and the load stop bracket is foldable around the pivot pin.

[0040] 14. A bicycle rack for a vehicle with a tailgate, the tailgate comprising a main door, a secondary door, and a hinge connecting the secondary door to the main door so that the secondary door can pivot between a vertical position and a horizontal position, the secondary door comprising a body and a load stop configured to pivot relative to the body between the vertical position and the horizontal position, the bicycle rack comprising:

[0041] a load stop bracket including a pair of front vertical bars, a cross bar interconnecting upper ends of the front vertical bars, a rear vertical bar, and a horizontal bar connecting the rear vertical bar to the front vertical bars, wherein the load stop bracket is configured to be placed onto the load stop when the load stop is in the vertical position such that the horizontal bar extends above a top surface of the load stop, the front vertical bars are disposed on a front side of the load stop, and the rear vertical bar is disposed on a rear side of the load stop; and

[0042] A pair of brackets are attached to the load stop bracket and are configured to extend into a pair of holes in the hinge when the load stop bracket is placed onto the load stop and are configured to rest on opposite sides of a tire on a bicycle.

[0043] 15. A bicycle parking rack according to technical solution 14, wherein each of the brackets includes a flexible chord and a fastener, and the fastener is configured to be inserted into one of the holes in the hinge.

[0044] 16. A bicycle parking rack according to technical solution 14, wherein the bracket is rigid and each of the brackets has a bent end, and the bent end is configured to be inserted into one of the holes in the hinge.

[0045] 17. A bicycle parking rack according to technical solution 14, wherein the rear vertical rod is T-shaped, and the rear vertical rod has a first rectangular section and a second rectangular section, the first rectangular section has a first length extending vertically, and the second rectangular section is attached to the lower end of the first rectangular section and has a second length, the second length extends horizontally and is smaller than the first length.

[0046] 18. A bicycle rack for a vehicle with a tailgate, the tailgate comprising a main door, a secondary door, and a hinge connecting the secondary door to the main door so that the secondary door can pivot between a vertical position and a horizontal position, the secondary door comprising a body and a load stop configured to pivot relative to the body between the vertical position and the horizontal position, the bicycle rack comprising:

[0047] a pair of front vertical bars;

[0048] rear vertical rod; and

[0049] a rigid bar including a U-shaped section and a pair of brackets projecting from opposite ends of the U-shaped section, the rigid bar connecting the rear vertical bar to the front vertical bar to form a load stop bracket, wherein:

[0050] the load stop bracket being configured to be placed onto the load stop when the load stop is in the vertical position such that the U-shaped section extends above a top surface of the load stop, the front vertical rod is disposed on a front side of the load stop, and the rear vertical rod is disposed on a rear side of the load stop;

[0051] The bracket is configured to extend into a pair of holes in the hinge when the load stop bracket is placed onto the load stop; and

[0052] The brackets are configured to be positioned on opposite sides of a tire on a bicycle.

[0053] 19. A bicycle parking rack according to technical solution 18, wherein the rigid rod is hollow and each of the brackets has a bent end, which is configured to be inserted into one of the holes in the hinge.

[0054] 20. A bicycle parking rack according to technical solution 18, wherein the front vertical rod is configured to be placed on the opposite side of the tire.

[0055] Further areas of applicability of the present disclosure will become apparent from the detailed description, claims and drawings.The detailed description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0056] The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:

[0057] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tailgate including a primary door and a secondary door, an example of a bicycle rack according to the present disclosure, and a bicycle placed in the bicycle rack;

[0058] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 an enlarged view of a portion of;

[0059] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 Another perspective view of the tailgate, bike rack and bicycle;

[0060] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 a side view of a tailgate, a bicycle rack and a bicycle, the front wheel of the bicycle being secured to the bicycle rack and the bicycle rack being secured to the tailgate by means of clamps or straps;

[0061] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of the bicycle rack itself;

[0062] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 A front view of a bicycle rack of , modified to include a spring loaded mechanism for applying a clamping force to a tire in the bicycle rack;

[0063] Figure 7 Yes Figure 1 The secondary gate is connected to Figure 1 A perspective view of the secondary door hinge of the primary door;

[0064] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 A side view of a bicycle rack of , which is modified to include a pivot pin about which the bicycle rack is foldable;

[0065] Fig. 9 is folded around one of the pivot pins Figure 8 A side view of a bicycle rack;

[0066] Fig.10 yes Figure 1 A perspective view of a tailgate and a bicycle, wherein the bicycle is placed in another example of a bicycle parking rack according to the present disclosure;

[0067] Fig.11 yes Fig.10 an enlarged view of a portion of;

[0068] Fig.12 yes Fig.10 Another perspective view of the tailgate and bicycle rack of FIG. 1 ; and

[0069] Fig.13 yes Fig.10 A perspective view of the bicycle rack itself.

[0070] Among the drawings, reference numerals may be repeated to identify similar and / or identical elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0071] A bicycle rack according to the present disclosure secures the front tire of a bicycle to a tailgate of a cargo compartment while the bicycle is upright and the rear tire of the bicycle rests on the floor of the cargo compartment of a vehicle near the compartment of the vehicle. The tailgate includes a primary door and a secondary door. The primary door is pivotable between a vertical position and a horizontal position relative to the cargo compartment. The secondary door is pivotable between a vertical position and a horizontal position relative to the primary door. The secondary door includes an accessory compartment and a load stop pivotable between a vertical position and a horizontal position relative to the accessory compartment.

[0072] The bicycle rack is mounted on the tailgate when the primary door is in its vertical position, the secondary door is in its horizontal position and the load stop is in its vertical position. In this configuration, the secondary door extends the length of the cargo compartment to accommodate a load that is longer than a normal cargo compartment, and the load stop acts as a stop to prevent the load in the cargo compartment from moving backward out of the cargo compartment. The bicycle rack includes a load stop bracket and a pair of brackets. To install the bicycle rack, the load stop bracket is placed on the load stop and the brackets are inserted into the holes in the hinges that pivotally connect the secondary door to the primary door. When installed, the load stop bracket locks the load stop in its vertical position.

[0073] By placing the front tire of the bicycle between the brackets of the bicycle parking rack and on the top surface of the accessory compartment, the bicycle is installed in the bicycle parking rack. In one example, the bicycle parking rack includes a spring-loaded mechanism that applies a clamping force to the front tire so that the front tire remains in the bicycle parking rack. Additionally or alternatively, a clamp or a strip can be used to fix the front tire to the bicycle parking rack and / or the load stop bracket to the load stop. When the bicycle is installed in the bicycle parking rack, the bicycle parking rack prevents the movement of the bicycle along the front and rear and vertical directions. Since the bicycle parking rack is attached to the tailgate, rather than the trailer hook of the vehicle, the bicycle parking rack enables the trailer hook to be used to tow the trailer, while the bicycle parking rack is used to fix the bicycle to the vehicle. In addition, since the bicycle is upright, the bicycle parking rack enables the use of a cargo compartment. Although the present disclosure describes placing and securing the front tire and front wheel of a bicycle in a cycle rack, the rear tire and rear wheel of a bicycle may be placed and secured to the cycle rack in the same manner and in lieu of the front tire and front wheel.

[0074] Reference now Figures 1 to 3 , Figure 5 and Figure 7 , showing a tailgate 10, a bicycle rack 12 and a bicycle 14. The tailgate 10 includes a main door 16, a secondary door 18 and a pair of secondary door hinges 20 that pivotally connect the secondary door 18 to the main door 16. The main door hinges (not shown) pivotally connect the main door 16 to a body member of a vehicle, such as a pickup truck bed. The main door 16 can be pivotally connected around the main door hinges. Figures 1 to 3 2 and a horizontal position. By rotating the main door 16 in a downward direction 22, the main door 16 is adjusted from its vertical position to its horizontal position. By rotating the main door 16 in an upward direction opposite to the downward direction 22, the main door 16 is adjusted from its vertical position to its horizontal position. When the tailgate 10 is attached to the pickup truck bed and the main door 16 is in its vertical position, the tailgate 10 encloses at least a portion of the rear end of the pickup truck bed.

[0075] The primary door 16 has a front side or surface 24, a rear side or surface 26, a top side or surface 28, a bottom side or surface 30, a left side or surface 32, and a right side or surface 34. In addition, the primary door 16 has a recessed upper surface 36 that is recessed relative to the top surface 28 to accommodate the secondary door 18. The vertical distance between the recessed upper surface 36 and the top surface 28 is approximately equal to the height of the secondary door 18.

[0076] The secondary door 18 can be arranged around the secondary door hinge 20. Figures 1 to 3 38. The secondary door 18 is adjusted from its horizontal position to its vertical position by rotating the secondary door 18 in an upward direction 38. The secondary door 18 is adjusted from its vertical position to its horizontal position by rotating the primary door 16 in a downward direction opposite to the upward direction 38.

[0077] The secondary door 18 includes an accessory compartment 40, a load stop 42, and a load stop hinge 44 that pivotally connects the load stop 42 to the accessory compartment 40. The load stop 42 can be pivotally connected to the load stop hinge 44. Figures 1 to 3 The load stop 42 is pivoted between a vertical position and a horizontal position as shown in FIG. By rotating the load stop 42 in a downward direction 46, the load stop 42 is adjusted from its vertical position to its horizontal position. By rotating the load stop 42 in an upward direction opposite to the downward direction 46, the load stop 42 is adjusted from its horizontal position to its vertical position.

[0078] When the door 18 Figures 1 to 3 , the accessory compartment 40 has a top side or surface 48, a bottom side or surface 50, and a rear side or surface 52. When the secondary door 18 is rotated in the upward direction 38 from its horizontal position to its vertical position, the rear surface 52 of the accessory compartment 40 becomes the top surface of the secondary door 18. Additionally, when the secondary door 18 is in its vertical position, the top surface of the secondary door 18 is flush with the top surface 28 of the primary door 16.

[0079] When the load stopper 42 is Figures 1 to 3 , the load stop 42 has a front side or front surface 54, a rear side or rear surface 56, and a top side or top surface 58 when in its vertical position as shown in FIG. When the load stop 42 is rotated in the downward direction 46 from its vertical position to its horizontal position while the secondary door 18 is in its horizontal position, the rear surface 56 of the load stop 42 becomes the top surface of the secondary door 18. If the secondary door 18 is then rotated in the upward direction 38 from its horizontal position to its vertical position, the rear surface 56 of the load stop 42 becomes the front surface of the secondary door 18. In addition, the front surface of the secondary door 18 is flush with the front surface 24 of the primary door 16.

[0080] The tailgate 10 can be arranged in many different configurations for many different purposes, some of which are described below in the context of the tailgate 10 being attached to the rear end of a pickup truck bed. In one example, the primary door 16 can be adjusted to its horizontal position and the secondary door 18 can be adjusted to its vertical position to provide access for a person to retrieve items from the pickup truck bed. Additionally, when the primary door 16 is in its horizontal position and the secondary door 18 is in its vertical position, the load stop 42 can be adjusted to its vertical position to act as a step for a person to enter the pickup truck bed.

[0081] In another example, the primary and secondary doors 16 and 18 can be adjusted to their vertical positions, and the load stop 42 can be adjusted to its horizontal position to serve as a work surface for a person standing behind the pickup truck bed. Figures 1 to 3 In the example shown in , the secondary door 16 is adjusted to its horizontal position to increase the length of the cargo area in the pickup bed. In addition, the load stopper 42 is adjusted to its vertical position to prevent the load (such as bicycle 14) in the pickup bed from moving backward out of the pickup bed.

[0082] The bicycle 14 includes a frame 60, a front wheel 62, a rear wheel 64, a front tire 66, a rear tire 68, pedals 70, a handlebar 72, and a seat 74. In the example shown, the bicycle 14 is a road bicycle. However, the bicycle rack 12 can be used to secure many different types of bicycles to a vehicle. For example, the bicycle rack 12 can be used to secure a mountain bike to a vehicle.

[0083] The bicycle rack 12 includes a load stop bracket 76 and a pair of brackets 78. The load stop bracket 76 includes a pair of front vertical bars 80, a cross bar 82, a rear vertical bar 84, and a horizontal bar 86. Each front vertical bar 80 has an upper end 88 and a lower end 90. The cross bar 82 interconnects the upper ends 88 of the front vertical bars 80. The horizontal bar 86 connects the rear vertical bar 84 to the front vertical bars 80. The horizontal bar 86 is attached to the front vertical bars 80 at a position between the upper end 88 and the lower end 90 of the front vertical bars 80.

[0084] like Figure 3 and Figure 5 As best shown in FIG. 1 , the rear vertical bar 84 is T-shaped and includes a first rectangular section 92 and a second rectangular section 94. The first rectangular section 92 has a length that extends vertically, and the second rectangular section 94 has a length that extends horizontally. The length of the second rectangular section 94 is greater than the length of the first rectangular section 92. The first rectangular section 92 has an upper end 96 that is attached to the horizontal bar 86 and a lower end 98 that is attached to the second rectangular section 94 at the midpoint of its length.

[0085] like Figure 7As best shown in FIG. 1 , each secondary door hinge 20 has a pair of reference holes 100 that are used to locate the secondary door hinge 20 relative to the primary door 16 during assembly. As discussed below, the reference holes 100 are also used to secure the bicycle rack 12 to the tailgate 10. Each bracket 78 can be or include a solid rigid rod, a hollow rigid rod or tube, or a flexible chord. Figure 5 As best shown in FIG. 1 , each bracket 78 has an upper end 102 and a lower end 104. The upper end 102 of each bracket 78 is attached to one of the front vertical bars 80 at the midpoint of the height of the front vertical bars 80. The lower end 104 of each bracket 78 can be inserted into one of the reference holes 100 in the secondary door hinge 20 to secure the bicycle rack 12 to the tailgate 10.

[0086] In one example, each bracket 78 is a rigid rod or tube made of metal or plastic and is Figure 5 As shown in FIG. 1 , the lower end 104 of each bracket 78 is bent or bent to prevent the lower end 104 from falling out of the reference hole 100 into which the lower end 104 is inserted. In another example, each bracket 78 includes a flexible chord 106 and a fastener 108 (e.g., a hook) attached to the flexible chord 106 and disposed at the lower end 104 of the bracket 78. Each fastener 108 can be inserted into one of the reference holes 100 to secure the bicycle parking rack 12 to the tailgate 10.

[0087] The flexible chord 106 may have a first length when the flexible chord 106 is in a relaxed state (e.g., when the bicycle rack 12 is not mounted on the tailgate 10), and may have a second length when the flexible chord 106 secures the bicycle rack 12 to the tailgate 10. The second length may be equal to the distance between the locations where the flexible chord 106 is attached to the load stop bracket 76. This distance may be greater than the first length so that when the bicycle rack 12 is mounted on the tailgate 10, the flexible chord 106 is in a tensioned state.

[0088] To install the bicycle rack 12, the load stop bracket 76 is placed onto the load stop 42 when the primary door 16 is in its vertical position, the secondary door 18 is in its horizontal position, and the load stop 42 is in its vertical position. In turn, the horizontal rod 86 extends over the top surface 58 of the load stop 42, the front vertical rod 80 is seated on the front side 54 of the load stop 42, and the rear vertical rod 84 is seated on the rear side 56 of the load stop 42. In addition, when the load stop bracket 76 is placed onto the load stop 42, the lower end 104 of the bracket 78 or the fastener 108 is inserted into the reference hole 100 in the secondary door hinge 20. When the bicycle rack 132 is installed, the bicycle rack 132 locks the load stop 42 in its vertical position. The front tire 66 of the bicycle 14 can then be placed in the bicycle rack 12 so that the front vertical bar 80 and the bracket 78 are positioned on opposite sides of the front tire 66, such as Figures 1 to 3 as shown in .

[0089] Reference now Figure 4 , the load stop bracket 76 may be secured to the load stop 42 using a first clamp or strap 110, and the front wheel 62 and front tire 66 may be secured to the load stop bracket 76 using a second clamp or strap 112. The path of the first strap 110 may be arranged in a loop that extends between the front vertical bars 80, along the length of the rear vertical bars 84, between the load stop bracket 76 and the accessory compartment 40, and along the front surface 54 of the load stop 42. The path of the second strap 112 may be arranged in a loop that extends through the front wheel 62 and around the front side of the load stop bracket 76 and the front tire 66. The first and second straps 110 and 112 may be flexible and placed in tension to ensure that the load stop bracket 76 is securely secured to the load stop 42, and the front wheel 62 and front tire 66 are securely secured to the load stop bracket 76.

[0090] Reference now Figure 6, the bicycle parking rack 12 can include a pair of spring-loaded mechanisms 114 that enable one front vertical rod 80 to move relative to the other front vertical rod 80 in a lateral direction 116 to accommodate different bicycle tire sizes and types. For example, when a bicycle with a narrow tire (such as a road bicycle) is installed in the bicycle parking rack 12, the spring-loaded mechanism 114 causes one front vertical rod 80 to move toward the other front vertical rod 80. Conversely, when a bicycle with a wide tire (such as a mountain bike) is installed in the bicycle parking rack 12, the spring-loaded mechanism 114 allows one front vertical rod 80 to move away from the other front vertical rod 80. In addition, the spring-loaded mechanism 114 applies a clamping force in a lateral direction 116 to the bicycle tire placed in the bicycle parking rack 12. Further, the front vertical rods 80 are interconnected by the spring-loaded mechanism 114, rather than the crossbar 82.

[0091] Each spring loading mechanism 114 includes a pin 118 and a spring 120. Each pin 118 includes a head 122 and a shaft 124. Each pin 118 extends completely through one front vertical rod 80 and partially into the other front vertical rod 80. Each spring 120 is disposed around the shaft 124 of one of the pins 118 and is captured between the head 122 of the pin 118 and the surface of one front vertical rod 80 facing away from the other front vertical rod 80.

[0092] Reference now Figure 8 and Fig. 9 , the bicycle rack 12 may include one or more pivot pins 126 that enable the bicycle rack 12 to be folded into a compact unit when not in use. Two of the pivot pins 118 pivotally connect the upper half 128 of the front vertical bar 80 to the lower half 130 of the front vertical bar 80. The upper half 128 of the front vertical bar 80 may be pivoted about these pivot pins 126. Figure 8 The expanded position shown in Fig. 9 The other of the pivot pins 126 pivotally connects the rear vertical rod 84 to the crossbar 82 .

[0093] Reference now Figures 10 to 13 , a bicycle rack 132 can be used to replace the bicycle rack 12 to fix the bicycle 14 to the tailgate 10. The bicycle rack 132 includes a pair of front vertical rods 134, a rear vertical rod 136, and a rigid rod 138. Each front vertical rod 134 has an upper end 140 and a lower end 142. The rigid rod 138 can be a solid rod or a hollow rod (e.g., a tube) and has a curved opposite end 144 ( Fig.13). The rigid bar 138 forms or includes a U-shaped section 146 and a pair of brackets 148 protruding from opposite ends 150 of the U-shaped section 146. The U-shaped section 146 and / or the brackets 148 form a horizontal bar that connects the rear vertical bar 136 to the front vertical bar 134. The front vertical bar 134, the rear vertical bar 136, and the U-shaped section 146 form a load stop bracket 152.

[0094] To install the bicycle rack 132, the load stop bracket 152 is placed onto the load stop 42 when the primary door 16 is in its vertical position, the secondary door 18 is in its horizontal position, and the load stop 42 is in its vertical position. Thus, the U-shaped section 146 extends over the top surface 58 of the load stop 42, the front vertical rod 134 is positioned on the front side 54 of the load stop 42, and the rear vertical rod 136 is positioned on the rear side 56 of the load stop 42. In addition, when the load stop bracket 152 is placed onto the load stop 42, the bent end 144 of the bracket 148 is inserted into the reference hole 100 in the secondary door hinge 20. When the bicycle rack 132 is installed, the bicycle rack 132 locks the load stop 42 in its vertical position. The front tire 66 of the bicycle 14 can then be placed in the bicycle rack 132 so that the front vertical rod 134 and the bracket 148 are positioned on opposite sides of the front tire 66, such as Fig.10 as shown in .

[0095] The foregoing description is merely illustrative in nature and is in no way intended to limit the present disclosure, its application or use. The broad teachings of the present disclosure can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, although the present disclosure includes specific examples, the true scope of the present disclosure should not be so limited, because other modifications will become clear when studying the drawings, the specification and the following claims. It should be understood that one or more steps within the method can be performed in different orders (or simultaneously) without changing the principles of the present disclosure. In addition, although each of the embodiments described above is described as having certain features, any one or more of those features described with respect to any embodiment of the present disclosure can be implemented and / or combined with the features of any one of the other embodiments, even if the combination is not explicitly described. In other words, the described embodiments are not mutually exclusive, and the permutation of one or more embodiments with each other remains within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0096] Various terms (including "connected", "engaged", "coupled", "adjacent", "immediately adjacent", "on top of", "above", "below", and "positioned") are used to describe the spatial and functional relationships between elements (e.g., modules, circuit elements, semiconductor layers, etc.). Unless explicitly described as "directly", when describing the relationship between a first and a second element in the above disclosure, the relationship can be a direct relationship in which there are no other intermediate elements between the first and second elements, but can also be an indirect relationship in which there are one or more intermediate elements (either spatially or functionally) between the first and second elements. As used herein, the phrase at least one of A, B, and C should be interpreted as meaning a logical (A or B or C) using a non-exclusive logical "OR", and should not be interpreted as meaning "at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C".

Claims

1. A bicycle rack for a vehicle with a tailgate, the tailgate comprising a main door, a secondary door and a hinge connecting the secondary door to the main door so that the secondary door can pivot between a vertical position and a horizontal position, the secondary door comprising a body and a load stop configured to pivot relative to the body between the vertical position and the horizontal position, the bicycle rack comprising: a load stop bracket configured to be placed onto the load stop when the load stop is in the vertical position such that the load stop bracket extends above a top surface of the load stop and is disposed on a front side and a rear side of the load stop; as well as A pair of brackets are attached to the load stop bracket and are configured to extend into a pair of holes in the hinge when the load stop bracket is placed onto the load stop and are configured to rest on opposite sides of a tire on a bicycle.

2. The bicycle rack according to claim 1, wherein: The load stop bracket includes: a pair of front vertical bars configured to be positioned on the front side of the load stop, a rear vertical bar configured to be positioned on the rear side of the load stop, and a horizontal bar connecting the rear vertical bars to the front vertical bars and configured to extend above the top surface of the load stop.

3. The bicycle rack according to claim 2, wherein: The load stop bracket further includes a cross bar interconnecting the upper ends of the front vertical bars.

4. The bicycle rack according to claim 2, wherein: The front vertical bar is configured to be positioned on opposite sides of the tire.

5. The bicycle rack according to claim 2, wherein: The horizontal bar is formed by the bracket.

6. The bicycle rack of claim 2, further comprising a spring loaded mechanism configured to bias one of the front vertical bars toward the other of the front vertical bars and thereby apply a clamping force to the tire.

7. The bicycle rack according to claim 6, wherein: The spring-loaded mechanism includes a pin and a spring, wherein the pin extends through one of the front vertical rods and into the other front vertical rod, and the spring is arranged around the axis of the pin and is captured between the head of the pin and the surface of the one front vertical rod facing away from the other front vertical rod.

8. The bicycle rack according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the brackets includes a flexible chord and a fastener configured to be inserted into one of the holes in the hinge.

9. The bicycle rack according to claim 8, wherein: The flexible chord has a length that is less than a distance between where the flexible chord is attached to the load stop bracket and the one hole in the hinge into which the fastener is configured to be inserted, such that the flexible chord is in tension when the bicycle rack is installed.

10. The bicycle rack according to claim 1, wherein: Each of the brackets comprises a rigid tube having a curved end configured to be inserted into one of the holes in the hinge.

11. The bicycle rack according to claim 1, wherein: The bracket is formed from a single rigid tube having a pair of curved ends configured to be inserted into the aperture in the hinge.

12. The bicycle rack according to claim 11, wherein: The rigid tube forms the brackets and U-shaped sections connecting the brackets to each other.

13. The bicycle rack according to claim 1, wherein: The load stop bracket includes a pivot pin about which the load stop bracket is foldable.

14. A bicycle rack for a vehicle with a tailgate, the tailgate comprising a main door, a secondary door and a hinge connecting the secondary door to the main door so that the secondary door can pivot between a vertical position and a horizontal position, the secondary door comprising a body and a load stop configured to pivot relative to the body between the vertical position and the horizontal position, the bicycle rack comprising: a load stop bracket including a pair of front vertical bars, a cross bar interconnecting upper ends of the front vertical bars, a rear vertical bar, and a horizontal bar connecting the rear vertical bar to the front vertical bars, wherein the load stop bracket is configured to be placed onto the load stop when the load stop is in the vertical position such that the horizontal bar extends above a top surface of the load stop, the front vertical bar is disposed on a front side of the load stop, and the rear vertical bar is disposed on a rear side of the load stop; as well as A pair of brackets are attached to the load stop bracket and are configured to extend into a pair of holes in the hinge when the load stop bracket is placed onto the load stop and are configured to rest on opposite sides of a tire on a bicycle.

15. The bicycle rack according to claim 14, wherein: Each of the brackets includes a flexible chord and a fastener configured to be inserted into one of the holes in the hinge.

16. The bicycle rack according to claim 14, wherein: The brackets are rigid and each of the brackets has a curved end configured to be inserted into one of the holes in the hinge.

17. The bicycle rack according to claim 14, wherein: The rear vertical rod is T-shaped, and has a first rectangular section and a second rectangular section, the first rectangular section has a first length extending vertically, and the second rectangular section is attached to the lower end of the first rectangular section and has a second length, the second length extends horizontally and is smaller than the first length.

18. A bicycle rack for a vehicle with a tailgate, the tailgate comprising a main door, a secondary door and a hinge connecting the secondary door to the main door so that the secondary door can pivot between a vertical position and a horizontal position, the secondary door comprising a body and a load stop configured to pivot relative to the body between the vertical position and the horizontal position, the bicycle rack comprising: a pair of front vertical bars; rear vertical bar; as well as a rigid bar including a U-shaped section and a pair of brackets projecting from opposite ends of the U-shaped section, the rigid bar connecting the rear vertical bar to the front vertical bar to form a load stop bracket, wherein: the load stop bracket being configured to be placed onto the load stop when the load stop is in the vertical position such that the U-shaped section extends above a top surface of the load stop, the front vertical rod is disposed on a front side of the load stop, and the rear vertical rod is disposed on a rear side of the load stop; The bracket is configured to extend into a pair of holes in the hinge when the load stop bracket is placed onto the load stop; and The brackets are configured to be positioned on opposite sides of a tire on a bicycle.

19. The bicycle rack according to claim 18, wherein: The rigid rod is hollow and each of the brackets has a curved end configured to be inserted into one of the holes in the hinge.

20. The bicycle rack according to claim 18, wherein: The front vertical bar is configured to be positioned on opposite sides of the tire.

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