Angular Bicycle Support Rack With Multi-Position Rear Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional bicycle support racks are cumbersome, take up significant storage space when not in use, and can obstruct vehicle access due to their rearward extension, posing a collision hazard when unnoticed and obstructing trunk or hatch access.
Innovation Solution
An angularly adjustable bicycle support rack that can be folded to a right angle configuration when not in use, reduced in size for storage, and tilted downward to clear vehicle access when in use, featuring a first rod with an adjustment mechanism and multiple stops to allow for various positional adjustments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the support rack extends rearwardly to support multiple bicycles, then the bicycle carrying capacity is improved, but the collision hazard to pedestrians and obstruction of vehicle access increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support rack employs angular adjustability with multiple fixed positions (horizontal, downward, upward) that allow the rack to dynamically change its orientation. This enables the rack to extend rearwardly when needed for bicycle support, then tilt downward or upward when not in use to clear pedestrian pathways and vehicle access areas, resolving the contradiction between carrying capacity and collision hazard
Solution Approach 2:
The rack changes its spatial parameter (angular orientation) between different operating states. By adjusting the angle of the support arm relative to the vehicle body, the rack can maintain sufficient rearward extension for bicycle support while periodically changing to a tilted position that eliminates collision hazards and allows vehicle trunk/hatch access
2Ease of operation
If the support rack is made easily removable from the vehicle, then the ease of operation is improved, but the storage difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support rack incorporates a telescopic mechanism that allows the rack to dynamically change its length. When removed from the vehicle, the rack can be collapsed to a compact size for easy storage, while maintaining full extension capability when attached and in use, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of removal and storage difficulty
3Reliability
If the support rack supports bicycles directly behind the vehicle, then the bicycle support function is improved, but the obstruction of trunk and hatch access worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The support rack can be tilted downward from its horizontal position to create clearance between the bicycles and the vehicle's rear opening. This dynamic angular adjustment allows bicycles to be supported on the rack while the tilted position provides sufficient space to open and access the trunk or hatch without removing the rack or bicycles
Data Source
AI summary
And angularly adjustable object support rack or bicycle support rack for a vehicle is constructed with a first rod and a second rod connected by an adjustment structure that enables the first rod and the second rod to be adjusted to a folded over configuration that occupies less space when storing the bicycle rack. The adjustment structure also enables the first rod and second rod to be adjusted to a right angle orientation that reduces the extent the support rack extends from the rear of a vehicle to which it is attached. The adjustment structure enables the first rod and second rod to be adjusted to where the second rod is aligned with the first rod for attaching bicycles on the support rack. The adjustment structure further enables the second rod to be adjusted to a downward tilted orientation providing clearance between the vehicle and the attached support rack.