Bicycle Carrier Three-Point Support System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bicycle carriers fail to securely and efficiently transport bicycles by not adequately stabilizing them during transit, leading to swaying and requiring complex installation processes.
Innovation Solution
A bicycle carrier apparatus that supports three key points of a bicycle – the crank axle housing, crank arm, and down tube – using a combination of clamps, pivots, and rotatable connectors, ensuring stability and ease of use by accommodating various bike configurations and positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing bicycle carriers clamp or strap the bicycle, then the bicycle can be transported, but the bicycle sways during transit and the installation is complex
Solution Approach 1:
The bicycle carrier divides the bicycle into three support zones: the crank axle housing area, the crank arm area, and the down tube area. Each zone has a dedicated connector (crank axle housing support, crank arm connector, and down tube connector respectively), allowing independent attachment points that collectively stabilize the bicycle without requiring complex overall installation procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a bicycle support beam as an intermediary component that connects to the motor vehicle and provides mounting points for the three connectors. This intermediary structure simplifies the installation process by centralizing the attachment mechanism while maintaining reliable bicycle stabilization through the three-point support system
2Reliability
If the bicycle carrier is made rigid to prevent swaying, then stability is improved, but the carrier becomes heavy and bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The crank arm connector incorporates a pivot member that allows the connector to rotate and move along a horizontal slot, enabling dynamic adjustment to accommodate various crank arm positions and angles. This dynamic capability provides stable bicycle support while using lightweight, movable components rather than heavy rigid structures
Solution Approach 2:
The connectors are designed with adjustable parameters - the crank arm clamp can be horizontally positioned and angularly rotated, and the down tube connector can be positioned in a vertical slot. These parameter changes allow a single lightweight connector design to adapt to different bicycle configurations, eliminating the need for multiple heavy fixed-configuration components
3Adaptability or versatility
If the bicycle carrier supports multiple positions, then versatility is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each connector is designed with multi-functionality: the crank arm connector can both rotate about the pivot member and move along the horizontal slot; the down tube connector can move along the vertical slot. These universal movement capabilities allow the same connector design to accommodate various bicycle geometries and positions without requiring complex specialized mechanisms for each configuration
Solution Approach 2:
The connectors utilize nested movement possibilities where rotation and translation are combined within compact structures. The pivot member enables rotation while the horizontal slot enables translation, creating a nested degree-of-freedom system that achieves high adaptability within a compact, simple mechanism
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and method for connecting a bicycle to a motor vehicle includes a crank axle support which supports the crank axle of the bicycle, a crank arm connector which connects to the crank arm of the bicycle, and a down tube connector which connects to the down tube of the bicycle. The crank arm connector and the down tube connector are adjustable to accommodate different style and size bicycles. The apparatus can be placed in in-use, lowered, and storage positions.