Hinged Vehicle Support Frame for Bicycle Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle support frames for carrying bicycles and motorcycles are bulky, prevent rear door opening, and lack quick and secure attachment methods for heavy loads, often requiring vehicle modifications and re-homologation.
Innovation Solution
A support frame with L-shaped brackets and a hinged channel system that allows rotation for door access, quick coupling, and secure attachment to the vehicle body using minimal invasive brackets, enabling easy loading and unloading of bicycles and motorcycles without altering the vehicle's safety or aesthetics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a support frame is fixedly mounted to the vehicle chassis, then load distribution and stability are improved, but the frame becomes bulky and prevents rear door opening
Solution Approach 1:
The support frame is divided into a fixed base portion mounted to the chassis and a movable, removable support portion that can be detached. This segmentation allows the stable base to remain while the bulky support structure can be removed when not in use, solving both the stability and bulkiness problems.
Solution Approach 2:
The support frame incorporates movable elements that allow it to adapt between a stable mounted state for load distribution and a removed or collapsed state to prevent door opening interference. The dynamic configuration enables the frame to change its spatial occupation based on operational needs.
2Ease of operation
If a quick fastening system is used, then ease of attachment is improved, but the maximum load capacity is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The quick fastening system uses pre-positioned coupling elements and alignment features that guide the support frame into the correct position before final securing. This preliminary action allows rapid attachment while maintaining proper load path alignment, enabling both speed and strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening system combines multiple functions into a single integrated mechanism that simultaneously provides quick release capability, secure load-bearing connection, and alignment guidance. This merging allows the system to achieve both quick operation and high load capacity through a unified design.
3Adaptability or versatility
If modifications are made to the motor vehicle body, then coupling capability is improved, but vehicle re-homologation is required
Solution Approach 1:
The support frame uses universal mounting brackets and coupling interfaces that can be attached to various vehicle types without permanent modifications. The standardized coupling mechanism provides adaptability across different vehicle platforms while avoiding the complexity of vehicle-specific modifications and re-homologation procedures.
Data Source
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AI summary
A support frame (1) is elongated along an axis (8), has a support surface (12,15) parallel to said axis (8) for carrying a load, in particular for the transport of bicycles and motorcycle, and is provided with two attachment members (20) arranged at the opposite side ends of the frame (1) and configured to be releasably coupled to a body of a vehicle (2); at least one hinge (21) is provided to one of the two side ends to allow a rotation of the support frame (1) relative to the body about a substantially vertical hinge axis (22) when the attachment member (20) at the opposite side end is released from the body.