Rear carrier system for a motor vehicle

Abstract

Such a rear carrier system with a base frame which is designed for approximately vertical mounting on a rear area of the motor vehicle, and with a support structure which can be mounted on the base frame and which is designed to receive a front or rear wheel of at least one bicycle, is known. According to the invention, the support structure is assigned a guide kinematics by means of which the support structure is arranged so as to be movable along the base frame between two end positions, and a lifting spring device is provided which is coupled to the guide kinematics in order to exert a supporting lifting spring force during a lifting movement of the support structure in the lifting direction upwards. Use for passenger cars

Description

The invention relates to a rear carrier system for a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1.Such a rear carrier system for a motor vehicle is known from DE 90 13 591 U1. There is disclosed a bicycle load carrier attachable to a rear wall of a fob or a motorhome. The known cargo carrier has a base frame which is fastened vertically to a rear of the trailer or the motorhome. A support structure has two mutually parallel guide rails on which a bicycle can be placed. This supporting structure is arranged so as to be movable in a stroke manner relative to the base frame by means of a guide kinematic system which has a four-joint mechanism and a stroke spring device.WO 2023 / 144010 A1 discloses a lifting system for a bicycle in which an actuating lever interacts indirectly with a lifting spring in order to assist a lifting of the bicycle with a release of the lifting force of the lifting spring. The actuating lever is arranged pivotably relative to a base which can be mounted fixedly on the vehicle.A further rear carrier system is known from DE 10 2021 208 200 A1. The rear carrier system is provided for mounting on a vertical rear wall of a motor vehicle and serves to hold at least one bicycle on the motor vehicle oriented in the vertical direction. The rear carrier system has a base frame which is fastened on the rear side to the rear wall of the motor vehicle. On the base frame, a bracket arrangement is provided which is mounted pivotably relative to the base frame between a receiving position and a resting position. In the receiving position, the bow arrangement receives a front wheel or a rear wheel of the bicycle, so that the bicycle is held suspended from this bow arrangement. In this case, the bicycle must be lifted manually by an operator until the front wheel can be hooked into the bracket arrangement. Subsequently, the bicycle can be fixed to the rear carrier system by tension belts both in the area of the front wheel and in the area of the rear wheel. The rear carrier system has a guide rail for the rear wheel, which guide rail ensures that the rear part of the bicycle cannot oscillate back and forth with the rear wheel during transport when the bicycle is suspended in the region of the bow arrangement via the front wheel.The object of the invention is to provide a rear carrier system of the type mentioned at the beginning which enables simple and ergonomically favorable loading and unloading and transporting of at least one bicycle.This object is achieved by the features of claim 1. Because the supporting structure--viewed in the vehicle-mounted state--is mounted so as to be movable in a stroke in the vertical direction of the vehicle, it is possible in a simple manner for an operator to remove a bicycle from the supporting structure in a lower loading and unloading position or to fasten it to the supporting structure. The lifting spring device assists a transfer of the supporting structure with the mounted bicycle from the loading and unloading position upwards in the direction of the transport position, so that an operator may need to exert a small amount of force in order to lift the bicycle fastened to the supporting structure from the loading and unloading position into the transport position. This is particularly advantageous in heavy bicycles such as e-bikes. Depending on the level of the supporting lifting spring force of the lifting spring device, the supporting structure can be lifted into the transport position almost independently or by an additional lifting force exerted by the operator together with the bicycle. Depending on the configuration of the supporting structure, two or more bicycles can also be mounted. The guide kinematics can be designed for linear guidance of the supporting structure in the vertical direction or also for swivel-stroke guidance in the vertical direction. It is also possible to design the guide arrangement for guiding along a curved path substantially in the vertical direction.According to the invention, the lifting spring device is assigned a clamping device which has a clamping lever which is arranged pivotably on the supporting structure and interacts with the lifting spring device in such a way that the lifting spring device is tensioned or relaxed as a function of a pivoting movement of the clamping lever. The clamping of the lifting spring device by means of a separate clamping lever enables large clamping forces depending on a length of a lever arm of the clamping lever. In the tensioned position of the tensioning lever, the tensioning lever is locked in order to fix the tension of the lifting spring device.According to the invention, the tensioning lever is formed by a bow arrangement for receiving a front or rear wheel of the at least one bicycle, wherein the lifting spring device is relaxed in a folded-down rest position of the bow arrangement and tensioned in a folded-up functional position of the bow arrangement. The bracket arrangement is part of the supporting structure and is mounted pivotably on the supporting structure. In the folded-up functional position, the bow arrangement is locked, so that the tension of the lifting spring device is maintained in the folded-up functional position of the bow arrangement. The bow arrangement is preferably configured basket-shaped, so that in particular a front wheel of the bicycle can be suspended into the bow arrangement from above and fixed in the bow arrangement. In the folded-down rest position of the bow arrangement, the lifting spring device is thus passive, so that the supporting structure can be moved up and down without lifting force support. Activation of the lifting spring force support is effected in a simple manner by folding out the yoke arrangement into the functional position, whereby the desired lifting spring force support is present.In one embodiment of the invention, the guide kinematics is designed as a four-bar linkage mechanism, and the lifting spring device is extended between the base frame and the supporting structure in such a way that the lifting spring device is set passively in the transport position. In this case, in particular corresponding spring forces of the lifting spring device are effective parallel to the base frame. The configuration of the guide kinematics as a four-joint mechanism results in a combined pivoting-stroke guide being produced for the supporting structure. Because spring forces are effective parallel to the base frame in the transport position, the support structure is held in the transport position almost force-free relative to the base frame, i.e. the lifting spring device is set passive. As soon as the supporting structure is deflected, the effective spring forces increase.In a further embodiment of the invention, the yoke arrangement has, adjacent to a pivot axis of the yoke arrangement on the supporting structure, an engagement point for the lifting spring device, which, in the rest position of the yoke arrangement, is at least largely aligned with a pivot point of an upper coupling link of the four-bar linkage mechanism on the base frame. As a result, in the rest position of the yoke arrangement, the lifting spring device is oriented relative to the four-bar linkage mechanism such that no or almost no spring forces are transmitted to corresponding coupling links of the four-bar linkage mechanism. This results in a securing of the bracket arrangement in the rest position relative to the supporting structure and relative to the base frame. The four-bar mechanism itself is also held securely in the folded transport position by the alignment of the engagement point in the rest position of the bow arrangement.In a further embodiment of the invention, the engagement point is provided on an adapter extension firmly connected to the bracket arrangement, and an opposite bearing point of the lifting spring device is articulated on the base frame. This results in an extension of the lifting spring device between the engagement point of the adapter extension and the bearing point of the base frame. The adapter extension can be produced as a separate component and fastened to the bow arrangement, so that it is possible to retrofit a known rear carrier system with the guide kinematics and the lifting spring device.In a further embodiment of the invention, the lifting spring device is formed by at least one helical tension spring. Advantageously, at least two helical tension springs acting parallel to one another are provided. The tensile forces of the helical tension springs are matched to the lifting force to be applied. Depending on the design of the at least one helical tension spring, a virtually force-free lifting of heavy bicycles by an operator is also possible.Further advantages and features of the invention are evident from the claims. A preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention is described below and illustrated with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a preferred embodiment of a rear carrier system according to the invention in a transport position with the bow arrangement folded into a rest position, FIG. 2 shows the rear carrier system according to FIG. 1 with the bow arrangement folded out into a functional position, FIG. 3 shows the rear support system according to FIGS. 1 and 2 with the support structure lowered into a loading and unloading position, FIG. 4 shows the rear carrier system according to FIG. 3 with the bow arrangement folded down, FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view of the rear carrier system according to FIGS. 1 to 4 in the transport position according to FIG. 1, FIG. 6 is a side view of the rear carrier system according to FIGS. 1 to 5 in the transport position according to FIG. 2, and FIG. 7 is a schematic, enlarged, exploded perspective view of a guide kinematics for a supporting structure of the rear carrier system according to FIGS. 1 to 6.A rear carrier system 1 according to FIGS. 1 to 7 is provided for holding and transporting a bicycle in the region of a rear wall of a motor vehicle. A carrier frame H is fixedly mounted on the rear wall of the motor vehicle, which is not shown, and is configured in the form of a ladder. The carrier frame H has a plurality of cross bars which, in the vehicle-mounted state, extend in the vehicle transverse direction. The carrier frame H itself is at least largely aligned on the rear wall in a vertical plane which is spanned by a vehicle vertical direction and by the vehicle transverse direction.The rear support system 1 for supporting a bicycle on the support frame H and thus on the rear wall of the motor vehicle has a base frame 2 which is designed as a dimensionally rigid metal construction. The base frame 2 is provided with a frame-like base plate and two longitudinal webs which are angled at right angles on opposite longitudinal sides and are configured in one piece with the base plate. The base frame 2 is oriented with its longitudinal extension in the vertical direction and is fastened to two transverse bars of the carrier frame H spaced apart from one another in the vertical direction.The base frame 2 carries, by means of a four-bar mechanism described in more detail below, a supporting structure 3 which is designed as a U-beam with two longitudinal beams spaced apart parallel to one another and a cross beam which fixedly connects the two longitudinal beams to one another at their upper end sides. In the region of the cross member, a bracket arrangement 4 is mounted on the supporting structure 3 such that it can be pivoted about a pivot axis extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle between a functional position (see FIGS. 2 and 3 ) and a rest position folded onto the longitudinal profiles of the supporting structure 3 (see FIGS. 1, 5 ). In the functional position, the bracket arrangement 4 protrudes rearward at an acute angle to the supporting structure 3, as can be seen in particular in FIG. 6. In this functional position, the yoke arrangement 4 is locked by a support arm 5, which is supported on the yoke arrangement 4 on the one hand and on the support structure 3 on the other hand via articulated support points. In the region of the supporting structure 3, the supporting arm 5 can be released by manually releasing a fastening element, which is not designated in any more detail, so that the bracket arrangement 4 can be folded parallel onto the supporting structure 3 (see in particular FIG. 1 ). The bow arrangement 4 is configured basket-like, so that in the functional position a front wheel or a rear wheel of a bicycle can be inserted from above and held in the bow arrangement 4.The supporting structure 3 is displaceable relative to the base frame 2 by means of the four-bar linkage mechanism already mentioned above between a loading and unloading position (FIGS. 3 and 4 ) and a transport position (see FIGS. 1, 2, 5, 6 ). The four-bar linkage mechanism has two coupling links 8, 9, which are pivotably articulated on the base frame 2 at a distance from one another in the vertical direction, as can be seen from FIG. 7. For this purpose, corresponding bores are provided in the longitudinal webs of the base frame 2, which define pivot axes extending in the transverse direction of the vehicle both for the lower coupling link 8 and for the upper coupling link 9-referred to the state of the base frame 2 mounted on the rear side of the motor vehicle. Both the lower coupling link 8 and the upper coupling link 9 are connected to one another in an articulated manner at their articulation points opposite the articulation points on the base frame 2 via two adapter profiles 11. The two adapter profiles 11 are fastened to the longitudinal profiles of the supporting structure 3.As can be seen from FIGS. 3 and 4, for the loading and unloading position of the supporting structure 3, the two coupling links 8 and 9 are pivoted downward with respect to the base frame 2, wherein the lower coupling link 8 extends the base frame 2 nearly flush downward and the upper coupling link 9 is aligned at an acute angle obliquely rearward and downward relative to its articulation point on the base frame 2. In the embodiment shown, the lower end faces of the longitudinal profiles of the supporting structure 3 in the loading and unloading position are supported on a transverse bar of the carrier frame H below the base frame 2, as a result of which a downward pivoting movement of the four-bar mechanism is limited. Alternatively, the articulation points on the base frame 2 can be provided with end stops which limit the corresponding pivot mobility of the two coupling links 8 and 9.If a bicycle is now suspended in the hanger arrangement 4 starting from the loading and unloading position according to FIG. 3, an operator must then manually lift the bicycle fastened to the supporting structure 3 in the region of the hanger arrangement 4, as a result of which both the upper coupling link 9 and the lower coupling link 8 necessarily pivot upwards. The upper transport position is reached when the lower coupling link 8 is pivoted in by almost 180° parallel to the base frame 2. For this purpose, the longitudinal webs of the base frame 2 have recesses which make it possible for the articulation points of the lower coupling link 8 carrying the adapter profiles to enter. In the transport position, the lower coupling link 8 is thus inserted between the longitudinal webs of the base frame 2, wherein the coupling link 8 is aligned with the base frame 2. The upper coupling link 9 is pivoted upwards to such an extent that it projects upwards as a continuation of the base frame 2, i.e. as an extension of the base frame 2. In the transport position, the coupling link 9 is also aligned with the longitudinal webs of the base frame 2.In order to make it easier for an operator to lift the bicycle together with the supporting structure 3 and the bow arrangement 4 from the loading and unloading position in the direction of the transport position, the rear carrier system 1 additionally has a lifting spring device. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the lifting spring device is formed by two mutually parallel helical tension springs 7 which engage on a bearing block 10 in the region of the base frame 2 and on a respective adapter extension 6 of the bracket arrangement 4 in the region of the supporting structure 3. The two adapter extensions 6 are fastened to the bracket arrangement 4 at a small distance from a pivot axis of the bracket arrangement 4 on the supporting structure 3. Both adapter extensions 6 extend from the bracket arrangement 4 forwards in the direction of the base frame 2, wherein both adapter extensions 6 flank the longitudinal webs of the base frame 2 on the outside in the rest position of the bracket arrangement 4. Both adapter extensions 6 have a bore or differently configured receptacle, which form an engagement point S 2 for the respective helical tension spring 7 of the lifting spring device. The engagement point S 2 is spaced apart from the pivot axis of the bracket arrangement 4 in such a way that, when the bracket arrangement 4 is pivoted in in the direction of the rest position, the engagement point S 2- viewed in the vehicle transverse direction, is at least largely aligned with the upper articulation point S 1 of the upper coupling link 9 on the connecting carriers 11. The helical tension springs 7 are designed in such a way that the helical tension springs 7 are tensioned between their suspension point on the bearing block 10 and the upper engagement point S 2 on the adapter extensions 6 in the functional position of the bracket arrangement 4. In this case, the helical tension springs of the lifting spring device 7 are tensioned to a greater extent in the loading and unloading position than in the upper transport position of the supporting structure 3. In the folded-down rest position of the bow arrangement 4, the lifting spring device 7 is passive, since a line of tensile force, which extends between the upper engagement point S 2 and the lower engagement point on the bearing block 10, is aligned on the one hand with the articulation point S 1 of the upper coupling link 9 and on the other hand is aligned at least largely in alignment with the longitudinal profiles of the base frame 2. The tensile load in the loading and unloading position, as can be gathered from FIGS. 3 and 4, assists a lifting of the supporting structure 3, since the helical tension springs 7 of the lifting spring device in this loading and unloading position are tensioned obliquely downwards and backwards starting from the bearing block 10 of the base frame 2. As soon as an apex of the upper coupling link 9 is exceeded by the helical tension springs 7 during a pivoting movement upwards, the helical tension springs 7 necessarily pull the upper coupling link 9 in the direction of the upper transport position.A tension of the lifting spring device and thus of the helical tension springs 7 can take place in the loading and unloading position (see FIG. 4 ) in that the yoke arrangement 4 is pivoted out rearward from its folded-down rest position by the operator and this pivoted-out functional position is locked by the fixing of the support arm 5 on the support structure 3. A nearly force-free lifting of the bicycle caught in the yoke arrangement 4 is now possible.For the upper transport position, a securing mechanism can additionally be provided, which secures the supporting structure 3 relative to the base frame 2 and thus relative to the carrier frame H during a driving operation of the motor vehicle.Lowering of the supporting structure 3, including the bicycle, from the transport position in the direction of the loading and unloading position takes place in the reverse manner, optionally after releasing the safety against driving operation, by the operator pulling the bicycle downward, whereby the bow arrangement 4 necessarily displaces the supporting structure 3 downward. The two coupling links 8 and 9 are now pivoted downward in the opposite manner to the lifting movement upward until the loading and unloading position (FIG. 3 ) is reached. After the bicycle has been unloaded by lifting the front wheel out of the bow arrangement 4, the bow arrangement 4 can be folded down onto the supporting structure 3.

Claims

Rear support system (1) for a motor vehicle for transporting at least one bicycle, having a base frame (2) which is designed for approximately vertical mounting on a rear region of the motor vehicle, and having a supporting structure (3) which can be mounted on the base frame (2) and is designed for receiving a front wheel or rear wheel of the at least one bicycle, wherein the supporting structure (3) is assigned a guide kinematics, by means of which the supporting structure (3) - with respect to an operating state mounted on the base frame (2) - is arranged such that it can be moved in a stroke manner along the base frame (2) between two end positions, namely a loading and unloading position and a transport position, and wherein a stroke spring device (7) is provided which is coupled to the guide kinematics, In order to exert a supporting lifting spring force upwards during a lifting movement of the supporting structure (3) in the lifting direction, characterized in that the lifting spring device (7) is assigned a clamping device which has a clamping lever which is arranged pivotably on the supporting structure (3) and interacts with the lifting spring device (7) in such a way that, depending on a pivoting movement of the clamping lever, the lifting spring device (7) is tensioned or relaxed, and in that the clamping lever is formed by a bow arrangement (4) for receiving a front or rear wheel of the at least one bicycle, wherein the lifting spring device (7) is relaxed in a folded-down rest position of the bow arrangement (4) and is tensioned in a folded-up functional position of the bow arrangement (4).Rear support system (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the guide kinematics is designed as a four-bar linkage mechanism, and in that the lifting spring device (7) extends between the base frame (2) and the supporting structure (3) in such a way that the lifting spring device is set passively in the transport position.Rear support system (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the bow arrangement (4) has, adjacent to a pivot axis of the bow arrangement on the supporting structure (3), an engagement point (S 2) for the lifting spring device (7) which, in the rest position of the bow arrangement (4), is at least largely aligned with a pivot point (S 1) of an upper coupling link (9) of the four-bar linkage mechanism.Rear support system (1) according to claim 3, characterised in that the engagement point (S 2) is provided on an adapter extension (6) firmly connected to the bow arrangement (4), and in that an opposite bearing point of the lifting spring device is provided on the base frame (2).Rear support system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lifting spring device is formed by at least one helical tension spring (7).Rear support system (1) according to Claim 5, characterized in that at least two helical tension springs (7) which act parallel to one another are provided.

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