Rotatable bicycle front fork mounting for a vehicle

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a rotatable bicycle front fork mount for a vehicle. A rotatable bicycle front fork mounting frame includes: a base configured to be mounted on a vehicle floor; and a vertical extension column, wherein the vertical extension column extends from the base; and a connecting rod coupled to the post and configured to be releasably coupled to a front fork arm on a bicycle; and the rotatable assembly allows the mounting frame to rotate relative to the vehicle floor so as to adjust the angle of the connecting rod.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to a bicycle mount, and more particularly to a bicycle mount for use on a vehicle, such as a pickup truck. Background Art

[0002] Motor vehicles are often configured to carry one or more bicycles. In a pickup truck, the bicycles can be stowed in the truck's cargo bed. However, smaller pickup trucks often have less space, which makes it more difficult to store one or more bicycles. It would be desirable to provide a bicycle mount for a motor vehicle, such as for a small pickup truck, that can easily accommodate the mounting and stowage of a bicycle. Summary of the invention

[0003] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a rotatable bicycle fork mount includes: a base configured to be mounted on a vehicle floor; a vertically extending post extending from the base; a connecting rod coupled to the post and configured to releasably couple to a front fork arm on a bicycle; and a rotatable assembly that allows the mount to rotate relative to the vehicle floor to adjust the angle of the connecting rod.

[0004] Embodiments of the first aspect of the present disclosure may include any one or a combination of the following features:

[0005] - the connecting rod comprises a tube;

[0006] - the tube comprises a cylindrical opening configured to be connected to the front fork arm of the bicycle;

[0007] - the tube includes a fastener removably extending into the cylindrical opening;

[0008] - the fastener comprises a bolt;

[0009] - the rotatable assembly comprises one or more slots formed in the base, the one or more slots allowing the base to rotate relative to the vehicle floor;

[0010] - the rotatable bicycle front fork mount includes one or more floor mounting fasteners for fastening the base to the vehicle floor via one or more slots;

[0011] - one or more slots include arcuate slots;

[0012] - the vehicle floor comprises a pickup truck bed; and

[0013] - The rotatable bicycle front fork mount comprises one or more spacers configured to adapt the length of the connecting rod to the front fork arm on the bicycle.

[0014] According to a second aspect of the invention, a vehicle includes a cargo box, the cargo box including a floor, upright walls and a tailgate; and a rotatable bicycle front fork mount, the rotatable bicycle front fork mount including a base, the base being configured to be mounted on the vehicle floor; a vertically extending column extending from the base; a connecting rod coupled to the column and configured to releasably couple to a front fork arm on a bicycle; and a rotatable assembly allowing the rotatable bicycle front fork mount to rotate relative to the vehicle floor to adjust the angle of the connector tube.

[0015] Embodiments of the second aspect of the present disclosure may include any one or a combination of the following features:

[0016] - the connecting rod comprises a tube;

[0017] - the tube comprises a cylindrical opening configured to be connected to the front fork arm of the bicycle;

[0018] - the vehicle further comprising a fastener removably extending into the cylindrical opening;

[0019] - the fastener comprises a bolt;

[0020] - the rotatable assembly comprises one or more slots formed in the base, the one or more slots allowing the base to rotate relative to the vehicle floor;

[0021] - the vehicle further comprising one or more floor mounting fasteners for fastening the base to the vehicle floor via one or more slots;

[0022] - one or more slots include arcuate slots;

[0023] - the vehicle comprises a pickup truck having the cargo box defining the vehicle floor; and

[0024] - The vehicle further comprises one or more spacers configured to adapt the length of the connecting rod to the front fork arm on the bicycle.

[0025] These and other features, advantages and objectives of the present disclosure will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by referring to the following description, claims and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] In the attached picture:

[0027] Figure 1 is a top view of a pickup truck motor vehicle having a bicycle mounted in a cargo bed using a rotatable bicycle fork mount according to one embodiment;

[0028] Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the rear portion of a pickup truck motor vehicle showing a bicycle mounted in the bed of the truck using a rotatable bicycle fork mount connected to the bicycle;

[0029] Figure 2A yes Figure 2 An enlarged view of section IIA is shown, further illustrating the rotatable bicycle front fork mounting bracket;

[0030] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a rotatable bicycle front fork mount disposed proximate a front fork arm on a bicycle;

[0031] Figure 4A is a top view of a rotatable bicycle front fork mount shown in a first position;

[0032] Figure 4B is a top view of a rotatable bicycle fork mount shown in a rotated second position;

[0033] Figure 4C is a top view of a rotatable bicycle front fork mount shown in a further rotated third position;

[0034] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of a rotatable bicycle front fork mount and a connected front fork arm of a bicycle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are shown in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numerals will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or similar parts. In the drawings, the depicted structural elements are not drawn to scale, and certain parts are enlarged relative to other parts for the purpose of emphasis and understanding.

[0036] As required, detailed embodiments of the present disclosure are disclosed herein; however, it should be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the present disclosure, which may be implemented in various and alternative forms. The drawings are not necessarily detailed designs; some schematic diagrams may be enlarged or minimized to show functional overviews. Therefore, the specific structural details and functional details disclosed herein should not be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to adopt the present disclosure in different ways.

[0037] For the purpose of description herein, the terms "upper", "lower", "right", "left", "rear", "front", "vertical", "horizontal" and their derivatives shall refer to the following: Figure 1 The concepts of orientation in the drawings are presented in detail. However, it should be understood that the concepts can assume various alternative orientations unless expressly indicated to the contrary. It should also be understood that the specific devices and processes shown in the drawings and described in the following specification are merely exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Therefore, unless the claims expressly state otherwise, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics related to the embodiments disclosed herein should not be considered limiting.

[0038] The present illustrated embodiments reside primarily in a combination of method steps and apparatus components associated with a rotatable bicycle front fork mount for a vehicle. Accordingly, apparatus components and method steps have been represented, where appropriate, by conventional symbols in the drawings, and only those specific details relevant to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure are shown so as not to obscure the present disclosure with details that would be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. Moreover, like reference numerals in the specification and drawings represent like elements.

[0039] As used herein, the term "and / or" when used with a list of two or more items means that any one of the listed items may be employed alone, or any combination of two or more of the listed items may be employed. For example, if a composition is described as containing components A, B, and / or C, the composition may contain: A only; B only; C only; a combination of A and B; a combination of A and C; a combination of B and C; or a combination of A, B, and C.

[0040] In this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, etc. are used singly to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action, without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms "comprises," "comprising," or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus comprising a series of elements may include not only those elements, but may also include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element preceded by "comprising ..." does not, in the absence of further constraints, preclude the presence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus comprising the element.

[0041] As used herein, the term "about" means that the amount, size, formula, parameter and other quantity and characteristics are not exact, nor need to be exact, but may be approximate and / or larger or smaller as needed to reflect tolerances, conversion factors, rounding, measurement errors, etc. and other factors known to those skilled in the art. When the term "about" is used to describe the endpoints of a value or range, the disclosure should be understood to include the specific value or endpoint mentioned. Whether or not the endpoints of a numerical value or range in this specification are described as "about", the endpoints of the numerical value or range are intended to include two embodiments: one modified by "about" and one not modified by "about". It should also be understood that the endpoints of each of the ranges are significant in relation to the other endpoint and independently of the other endpoint.

[0042] As used herein, the terms "substantially," "substantially," and variations thereof are intended to indicate that the feature being described is equal to or approximately equal to a value or description. For example, a "substantially planar" surface is intended to indicate a planar or approximately planar surface. Additionally, "substantially" is intended to mean that two values ​​are equal or approximately equal. In some embodiments, "substantially" may indicate that values ​​are within about 10% of each other, such as within about 5% of each other, or within about 2% of each other.

[0043] Unless expressly indicated to the contrary, as used herein, the terms "the," "a," or "an" mean "at least one" and should not be limited to "only one." Thus, for example, reference to "a component" includes embodiments having two or more such components unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0044] refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , generally showing a wheeled automobile or motor vehicle 10 in the form of a pickup truck having a plurality of wheel and tire assemblies 12 and a body 14. The body 14 includes a compartment 16 in a central region that defines a compartment interior that may include a vehicle occupant accommodation space for accommodating a driver and passengers of the vehicle and vehicle controls. The motor vehicle 10 shown and described herein is a pickup truck that includes a cargo compartment 18 disposed at a rear region of the motor vehicle 10. The cargo compartment 18 is generally defined by a plurality of upright walls that may include a left side wall 22 and a right side wall 24 and a front wall 28 proximate the rear end of the compartment 16. In addition, the cargo compartment 18 may be defined by a tailgate 26 at the rear end of the motor vehicle 10. The tailgate 26 may be locked in a closed upright position defining the rear wall of the cargo compartment 18, or pivoted downward to a horizontal open position exposing the rear end of the cargo compartment 18. The cargo compartment 18 has a floor 20 that is generally flat and may include ribs and other components. The cargo bed 18 may include one or more tie downs 32 , which may include loops for securing objects in the cargo bed 18 of the motor vehicle 10 .

[0045] A rotatable bicycle front fork mount 30 is assembled to the floor 20 of the cargo bed 18 of the motor vehicle 10 and is shown positioned generally in a forward side position near a corner of the cargo bed 18, as shown in FIG. Figure 1 and Figure 2 18. However, it should be understood that the rotatable bicycle fork mount 30 can be located at other locations within the cargo bed 18. The rotatable bicycle fork mount 30 is configured to be removably connected to a bicycle 50 to mount and support the bicycle positioned within the cargo bed 18 of the motor vehicle 10. The rotatable bicycle fork mount 30 may be particularly useful for smaller cargo beds 18, such as more commonly found on smaller pickup trucks, whereby the rotatable bicycle fork mount 30 can be rotated to better position and support the bicycle 50 within the cargo bed 18. In the example shown, the bicycle 50 is connected to the rotatable bicycle fork mount 30 at the forks 54 and 56, which can be rotated to a desired rotational position so that the rear end of the bicycle can be stabilized by the cargo bed wall 24 and the tailgate 26 according to one example.

[0046] The rotatable bicycle fork mount 30 is generally configured to be connected to the front fork arms 54 and 56 on the front end of the frame 60 of the bicycle 50. The front fork arms 54 and 56 are configured to be connected to the front wheel and tire assembly 52 when the bicycle 50 is fully assembled. Before the bicycle 50 is connected to the rotatable bicycle fork mount 30, the front wheel and tire assembly 52 of the bicycle 50 is removed from the front fork arms 54 and 56, which is generally achieved by loosening and unscrewing the fastener bolts extending through the central axis of the front wheel and tire assembly 52. ​​The front tire and wheel assembly 52 can be transported separately on the motor vehicle 10. With the front tire and wheel assembly removed, the bicycle is supported by the rotatable bicycle fork mount 30 on the front end and by the rear tire and wheel assembly 58 on the rear end.

[0047] like Figure 2A and Figure 3 As shown, the rotatable bicycle front fork mount 30 has a base 32 that is configured to be mounted via Figure 5The mounting holes 91 and 93 shown are mounted to the top surface of the vehicle floor 20. The base 32 has the shape of a flat disk with a first arcuate slot 34 and a second arcuate slot 36 located on opposite sides. According to one embodiment, each of the first arcuate slot 34 and the second arcuate slot 36 has an arcuate shape extending approximately ninety degrees (90°), which allows the base 32 to rotate within a rotation angle of approximately zero to ninety degrees (0-90°). The base 32 is fixed in a desired angular orientation via a first fastener 90 and a second fastener 92, which are fastened to frictionally engage the base 32 to the floor 20. The first fastener 90 and the second fastener 92 may include threaded fasteners, such as bolts or screws, which can be assembled to the vehicle floor 20 via threaded openings 91 and 93 and can be loosened or removed to allow the base 32 to rotate to any desired angular position.

[0048] The rotatable bicycle front fork mount 30 also includes a vertical extension column 38 extending upward from the top of the base 32 and approximately centered on the base 32. The vertical extension column 38 can be fixedly connected to the base 32 or formed integrally therewith. A connecting rod 40 is coupled to the top end of the vertical extension column 38, and the connecting rod extends approximately horizontally or orthogonally to the vertical extension column 38. Therefore, the connecting rod 40 and the vertical extension column 38 form a T-shaped support structure that can rotate around a vertical axis between available angular positions as the base 32 rotates. The connecting rod 40 can be fixedly connected to the vertical extension column 38 or formed integrally therewith. The base 32, the vertical extension column 38, and the connecting rod 40 can be made of a rigid material (such as a metal, for example, steel or aluminum), which can be formed as a casting or a stamped product.

[0049] According to one example, the connecting rod 40 can be a connecting tube having a hollow cylindrical opening 42 extending through its length. The length of the connecting rod 40 can be sized and can be adjusted in length with a first replaceable end cap 44 and a second replaceable end cap 46, which are used as spacers to match the distance between the front forks 54 and 56 on the bicycle 50 to be installed thereon. That is, if the bicycle 50 has a shorter distance between the front forks 54 and 56, the replaceable end caps 44 and 46 can be eliminated, or a shorter version of the replaceable end caps 44 and 46 can be utilized. If the distance between the front forks 54 and 56 is larger on a larger bicycle with larger wheels or wider wheels (such as a fat tire bicycle), an extended length replaceable end cap 44 and 46 can be employed.

[0050] To assemble the bicycle onto the rotatable bicycle fork mount 30, the front wheel and tire assembly 52 of the bicycle 50 is removed from the frame 60 of the bicycle 50, and the fork arms 54 and 56 are connected to the opposite ends of the connecting rod 40 on the rotatable bicycle fork mount 30. This can be achieved by aligning the fork arms 54 and 56 to the connecting rod 40 so that the openings 62 and 64 in the respective fork arms 54 and 56 are aligned with the cylindrical opening 42 of the connecting rod 40. With the fork arms 54 and 56 aligned with the connecting rod 40, a threaded fastener such as a bolt 70 can be inserted through the cylindrical opening 42 and the openings 62 and 64 in the respective fork arms 54 and 56. The fastener bolt 70 has a shaft 72 and threads 78 at one end that can engage threads 82 formed in the opening 62 of the fork arm 54 or formed in a nut that can be positioned to engage the outer end of the fork arm 54. Thus, threaded bolt 70 extends through openings 62 , 64 , and 42 , engaging threads 82 , which may be tightened in place by rotating head 74 with, for example, a wrench or lever.

[0051] refer to FIG. 4A to FIG. 4C , the rotatable bicycle front fork mount 30 is shown in three different angular positions. Figure 4A As shown, the rotatable bicycle front fork mount 30 is oriented at the zero position. By loosening the first fastener 90 and the second fastener 92 and rotating the base 32, the rotatable bicycle front fork mount 30 can be rotated to a forty-five degree (45°) position, such as Figure 4B By further rotating the base ninety degrees (90°) relative to the zero degree (0°) position, the front fork mount 30 can be oriented in Figure 4C . Once the desired angular position is achieved, the first fastener 90 and the second fastener 92 can be tightened down to fixedly hold the rotatable bicycle fork mount 30 in the desired orientation. It should be understood that by rotating the rotatable bicycle fork mount to the desired angular orientation, the effective length of the bicycle 50 within the cargo box 20 of the motor vehicle 10 can be changed to accommodate cargo boxes of different lengths and bicycles of different sizes. For example, in a longer cargo box or for a longer bicycle, the rotatable bicycle fork mount 30 can be oriented at zero degrees (0°), while for a shorter cargo box or a shorter bicycle, the rotatable bicycle mount 30 can be rotated 90 degrees (90°) to allow the bicycle to fit tightly within the cargo box 20 of the motor vehicle 10.

[0052] It should be understood that the rotatable bicycle mount 30 can be assembled as original equipment to the floor 20 of the cargo bed 18 of the motor vehicle 10. It should also be understood that the rotatable bicycle fork mount 30 can be assembled to the floor 20 of the vehicle cargo bed 18 as an aftermarket item. For example, the rotatable bicycle fork mount 30 can be a replacement item that replaces, for example, the tie 32, whereby the tie can be unscrewed and removed and the rotatable bicycle fork mount 30 assembled to the same mounting hole.

[0053] Thus, the rotatable bicycle fork mount 30 advantageously provides an adjustable bicycle mount that is particularly useful in the cargo bed of a pickup truck. Adjustment of the rotatable bicycle fork mount 30 allows for stable mounting of bicycles having an effective length that may vary due to rotation of the rotatable base.

[0054] It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made to the aforementioned structures without departing from the concepts of the present disclosure, and it will be further understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the appended claims unless the claims explicitly state otherwise by their language.

[0055] According to the present invention, a rotatable bicycle front fork mounting frame is provided, which has: a base, which is configured to be mounted on a vehicle floor; a vertically extending column, which extends from the base; a connecting rod, which is coupled to the column and is configured to be releasably coupled to a front fork arm on a bicycle; and a rotatable assembly, which allows the mounting frame to be rotated relative to the vehicle floor to adjust the angle of the connecting rod.

[0056] According to an embodiment, the connecting rod comprises a tube.

[0057] According to an embodiment, the tube comprises a cylindrical opening configured to be connected to the front fork arm of the bicycle.

[0058] According to an embodiment, the invention also features a fastener that removably extends into the cylindrical opening.

[0059] According to an embodiment, the fastener comprises a bolt.

[0060] According to an embodiment, the rotatable assembly comprises one or more slots formed in the base, the one or more slots allowing the base to rotate relative to the vehicle floor.

[0061] According to an embodiment, the invention also features one or more floor mounting fasteners for fastening the base to the vehicle floor via one or more slots.

[0062] According to an embodiment, the one or more slots comprise arc-shaped slots.

[0063] According to an embodiment, the vehicle floor comprises a pickup truck bed.

[0064] According to an embodiment, the invention also features one or more spacers configured to adapt the length of the connecting rod to the front fork arm on the bicycle.

[0065] According to the present invention, a vehicle is provided, which has: a cargo box, the cargo box including a floor, upright walls and a tailgate; and a rotatable bicycle front fork mounting frame, the rotatable bicycle front fork mounting frame including: a base, the base is configured to be mounted on the vehicle floor; a vertical extension column, the vertical extension column extending from the base; a connecting rod, the connecting rod is connected to the column and is configured to be releasably connected to a front fork arm on a bicycle; and a rotatable assembly, the rotatable assembly allows the rotatable bicycle front fork mounting frame to rotate relative to the vehicle floor to adjust the angle of the connector tube.

[0066] According to an embodiment, the connecting rod comprises a tube.

[0067] According to an embodiment, the tube comprises a cylindrical opening configured to be connected to the front fork arm of the bicycle.

[0068] According to an embodiment, the invention also features a fastener that removably extends into the cylindrical opening.

[0069] According to an embodiment, the fastener comprises a bolt.

[0070] According to an embodiment, the rotatable assembly comprises one or more slots formed in the base, the one or more slots allowing the base to rotate relative to the vehicle floor.

[0071] According to an embodiment, the invention also features one or more floor mounting fasteners for fastening the base to the floor via one or more slots.

[0072] According to an embodiment, the one or more slots comprise arcuate slots.

[0073] According to an embodiment, the vehicle comprises a pickup truck having the cargo box defining the vehicle floor.

[0074] According to an embodiment, the invention also features one or more spacers configured to adapt the length of the connecting rod to the front fork arm on the bicycle.

Claims

1. A rotatable bicycle front fork mounting frame, comprising: a base configured to be mounted on a vehicle floor; a vertically extending column extending from the base; a connecting rod coupled to the post and configured to releasably couple to a front fork arm on a bicycle; as well as A rotatable assembly allows the mounting bracket to be rotated relative to the vehicle floor to adjust the angle of the connecting rod.

2. The rotatable bicycle front fork mount according to claim 1, wherein the connecting rod comprises a tube.

3. The rotatable bicycle front fork mount of claim 2, wherein the tube includes a cylindrical opening configured to be connected to the front fork arm of the bicycle.

4. The rotatable bicycle front fork mount of claim 3, further comprising a fastener removably extending into the cylindrical opening.

5. The rotatable bicycle front fork mount of claim 4, wherein the fastener comprises a bolt.

6. The rotatable bicycle front fork mount of claim 1, wherein the rotatable assembly includes one or more slots formed in the base, the one or more slots allowing the base to rotate relative to the vehicle floor.

7. The rotatable bicycle front fork mount of claim 6, further comprising one or more floor mounting fasteners for fastening the base to the vehicle floor via the one or more slots.

8. The rotatable bicycle front fork mount according to claim 6, wherein the one or more slots comprise arcuate slots.

9. A rotatable bicycle front fork mount according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the vehicle floor comprises a pickup truck bed.

10. The rotatable bicycle front fork mount of claim 1, further comprising one or more spacers configured to adapt the length of the connecting rod to the front fork arm on the bicycle.

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