Adjustable Bicycle Carrier Hub Assembly with Rotating Limb Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bicycle carriers for vehicles lack efficient and user-friendly mechanisms for adjusting the position of support arms and foot members to accommodate different vehicle profiles and configurations, leading to difficulties in securely mounting and carrying bicycles.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable bicycle carrier with a hub assembly and release mechanism that allows limb members to be locked and unlocked, enabling them to be rotated to various angular positions, using a locking sleeve and release sleeve system with a helical slot and pin configuration to facilitate easy adjustment and secure locking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If existing bicycle carriers use fixed support arm positions, then manufacturing is simpler, but adaptability to different vehicle profiles is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The support arms are made dynamically adjustable through a locking mechanism that allows rotation between fixed angular positions. The arms can be locked at multiple discrete angles to accommodate different vehicle profiles, transforming a static structure into a dynamically adaptable one while maintaining structural integrity through positive locking.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment mechanism is segmented into discrete angular positions with corresponding locking points. The support arms can be positioned at specific angular intervals (e.g., 0°, 45°, 90°, 135°) and locked at each position, breaking down the continuous adjustment problem into manageable discrete segments that are easier to manufacture and lock reliably.
2Ease of operation
If existing bicycle carriers lack an efficient release mechanism, then structural simplicity is maintained, but ease of operation for adjusting support arms is poor
Solution Approach 1:
A release mechanism acts as an intermediary between the user and the locking system. The release mechanism (comprising a release arm, cam, and spring) mediates the force applied by the user to disengage the locking portions from the toothed portion, making it easier to adjust the support arms without requiring excessive force directly on the locking portions themselves.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism incorporates a spring-loaded cam that automatically engages the locking portions with the toothed portion when the support arm is rotated to a locked position. The spring provides automatic engagement force, reducing the need for manual intervention to maintain the locked state, while the cam geometry ensures positive locking without requiring complex adjustment procedures.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the frame configuration changes between collapsed and use positions, then adaptability is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is designed with dynamic configurability, allowing it to transition between collapsed and use positions while maintaining a consistent geometric relationship. The hub assembly serves as a fixed reference point around which support arms rotate, ensuring that the frame's overall configuration remains predictable and manufacturable even as individual components move.
Solution Approach 2:
The hub assembly serves multiple functions: it acts as a fixed mounting point for the support arms, a reference frame for angular measurements, and a structural connection between the left and right frame portions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple specialized components, simplifying manufacturing while providing the necessary configurability.
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustable bicycle carrier may include a frame and a hub assembly. One or more limb members may be rotatably attached to the hub assembly. Each limb member may be selectively locked in position by a rotatable release mechanism having an axially-translating lock portion. The frame may define a continuous, closed perimeter. The hub assembly may be connected across the frame between upper and lower end portions of the frame.