Bicycle rack

• US 7,055,700 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2003
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Colony Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Colony Incorporated
• Inventors: West, Kent G.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOVOSAD, JENNIFER ELEANORE
• Application Number:
  US10/615,447
• Publication Number:
  US 20040124159A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 211/19, 211/20, 211/22, 211/23, 211/24, 211/87.01, 224/324
• US Class Current: 211/19
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 3/04 involving forked supports of brackets for holding a wheel B62H3/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A rack for holding a bicycle by either its front or back wheel in an upright position on a floor. The rack includes a bracket which is adapted to be fitted on an elongate support frame. A rotatable lower brace extends outwardly from the bracket and includes spaced-apart arms which terminate in a downwardly extending lip. An upper brace extends generally upwardly from the bracket and includes spaced-apart arms. A bicycle is held on the rack by rolling the bicycle wheel directly into the lip of the lower brace and into and between the arms of the upper and lower braces respectively. A plurality of racks can be slidingly fitted onto a single support frame for holding a plurality of bicycles in spaced-apart relationship.

Claims

1. A bicycle rack adapted to be fitted on an elongate support frame for holding a bicycle by its wheel in an upright position on a bicycle support surface, the rack comprising:

a bracket adapted to be fitted on the elongate support frame;

a brace including a lower brace member coupled to and extending outwardly from said bracket and an upper brace member coupled to and extending upwardly from said bracket;

said upper brace member defining an opening for receiving a first portion of the bicycle wheel;

said lower brace member defining an opening for receiving a second portion of the bicycle wheel; and

wherein said lower brace member includes a pair of spaced-apart arms terminating in a downwardly extending generally U-shaped lip including a closed end adapted to abut the bicycle support surface and being adapted such that a bicycle wheel can be rolled over said closed end of said lip and between said arms.

2. A bicycle rack adapted to be fitted on an elongate support frame for holding a bicycle by its wheel in an upright position on a bicycle support surface, the rack comprising:

a bracket adapted to be fitted on the elongate support frame;

a brace including a lower brace member coupled to and extending outwardly from said bracket and an upper brace member coupled to and extending upwardly from said bracket;

said upper brace member defining an opening for receiving a first portion of the bicycle wheel;

said lower brace member defining an opening for receiving second portion of the bicycle wheel; and

wherein said upper brace member includes a pair of spaced-apart arms.

3. The bicycle rack of claim 2 wherein said upper brace member includes a proximal portion where said arms are bent inwardly at an acute angle relative to said bracket and a distal portion unitary with said proximal portion where said arms are bent outwardly at an obtuse angle relative to said proximal portion.

4. A bicycle rack adapted to be fitted on an elongate support frame for holding a bicycle by its wheel in an upright position on a bicycle support surface, the rack comprising:

a bracket adapted to be fitted on the elongate support frame;

a brace including a lower brace member coupled to and extending outwardly from said bracket and terminiating in a lip, and an upper brace m extending upwardly from said bracket, said brace being adapted such that the wheel of the bicycle can be rolled along the bicycle support surface directly into said lower brace member for holding the bicycle in an upright position on the bicycle support surface; and

wherein said upper brace member includes a pair of spaced-apart arms coupled to and extending generally upwardly from said bracket, said upper brace member including a proximal portion where said arms are bent inwardly at an acute angle relative to said support frame and a distal portion unitary with said proximal portion where said arms are bent downwardly at an acute angle relative to said proximal portion, said arms terminating in a generally U-shaped lip which abuts the lip of said lower brace member, the bicycle wheel being rolled through the lips of said upper and lower brace members and between said arms of said upper brace member.

5. The bicycle rack of claim 4 further comprising a fastener extending through said bracket and into the support frame, releasably securing said bicycle rack to the support frame.

6. A rack for holding a bicycle by its front or back wheel in an upright position on a floor and adapted to be fitted on an elongate support frame seated on the floor, the rack comprising:

a hollow sleeve adapted to be fitted on the elongate support frame seated on the floor, said sleeve including a top face and an outer face;

a lower brace including a pair of spaced-apart arms including proximal ends coupled to and extending generally outwardly from said sleeve in spaced relation to the floor and terminating in a downwardly extending lip including a closed end adapted to abut the floor, the lower brace being rotatable along a horizontal plane relative to the bracket; and

an upper brace including a pair of spaced-apart arms in alignment with the pair of arms respectively of said lower brace, said arms of said upper brace including proximal ends coupled to the outer face of said sleeve and extending generally upwardly from said sleeve and terminating in a closed end

such that the front or back wheel of the bicycle can be rolled along the floor directly through said lip of said lower brace and received between said arms of said lower brace and said upper brace respectively for holding the bicycle in an upright position relative to the floor.

7. The rack of claim 6 wherein said upper brace includes a proximal portion where said arms extend inwardly at an acute angle relative to said sleeve and a unitary distal portion where said arms of said upper brace extend outwardly at an obtuse angle relative to said proximal portion.

8. The rack of claim 6 wherein said sleeve is rectangularly shaped.

9. The rack of claim 6 wherein the lower brace member is rotatable along a horizontal plane relative to the bracket.

10. A bicycle rack adapted to be fitted on an elongate support frame for holding a bicycle by its wheel in an upright position on a bicycle support surface, the rack comprising:

a bracket adapted to be fitted on the elongate support frame;

a brace including a lower brace member coupled to and extending outwardly from said bracket and an upper brace member coupled to and extending upwardly from said bracket;

said upper brace member defining an opening for receiving a first portion of the bicycle wheel;

said lower brace member defining an opening for receiving a second portion of the bicycle wheel; and

wherein;

the bicycle wheel has a center; and

said upper brace member comprises a first part extending toward the center of the bicycle wheel and a second part extending away from the center of the bicycle wheel, with the first and the second parts cooperating to define an opening for receiving the first portion of the bicycle wheel.