Configurable mounting bracket

• US 8,186,636 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2007
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey D Carnevali
• Inventors: Carnevali, Jeffrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOOD, KIMBERLY T
• Application Number:
  US11/811,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20070241248A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,814 Days
• Field of Search: 248/219.4, 248/181.1, 248/226.11, 248/274.1, 248/230.2, 248/228.2, 248/231.31, 248/231.61, 248/228.5, 248/230.5, 224/413, 224/419, 224/420, 224/448, 224/456, 224/461
• US Class Current: 248/226.11
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 1/00 Supports or stands forming part of or attached to cycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 11/00 Supporting arrangements specially adapted for fastening specific devices to cycles, e.g. supports for attaching maps

Abstract

A multiply configurable bracket formed of a substantially rigid elongated body having a groove oriented crosswise of the elongated body and formed partway therethrough, and a pair of fastener clearance passages formed through the body straddling the groove and oriented crosswise of both the elongated body and the groove. A first part-spherical ball mount is coupled to one end of the elongated body and is aligned substantially along a longitudinal axis thereof. A second part-spherical ball mount is coupled to the body opposite from the groove and oriented substantially crosswise to the longitudinal axis thereof. Both the first and second part-spherical ball mounts are formed of a resiliently deformable material with a substantially smooth outer surface.

Claims

1. A handlebar mounting bracket, comprising:

a substantially rigid saddle mount body comprising spaced apart opposing first and second surfaces and first and second spaced apart shoulder portions formed adjacent to opposing first and second ends of the body along a first axis thereof with a pair of spaced apart apertures extending there through, the first surface further comprising a recessed clamping surface portion formed therein substantially between the shoulder portions and the pair of apertures extending

there through and oriented substantially crosswise of the first axis of the body;

a substantially U-shaped rod formed with first and second partially threaded leg portions projected from opposite ends of an arcuate throat portion, the partially threaded leg portions being sized pass through the apertures of the saddle mount body and further being spaced apart a distance corresponding to a spacing between the apertures;

a substantially rigid anvil comprising an arcuate groove shaped to substantially corresponding to the arcuate throat portion of the U-shaped rod and sized to nest therewith, the groove terminating in a clamping surface sized to fit between the first and second leg portions of the rod, and wherein the clamping surface further comprises a pair of oppositely inclined arched flats forming therebetween an included angle;

a part-spherical ball mount projected from the second surface of the saddle mount body substantially opposite from the recessed clamping surface portion formed in the first surface thereof; and

means for securing the partially threaded leg portions of the U-bolt relative to the saddle mount body.

2. The bracket of claim 1 wherein the pair of apertures of the saddle mount body each further comprises an oblong slot oriented substantially along the longitudinal axis of the body.

3. The bracket of claim 2 wherein the recessed surface portion formed in the first surface of the saddle mount body further comprises an arched recess formed of first and second relatively inclined arched surfaces.

4. The bracket of claim 3 wherein the first surface of the saddle mount body further comprises first and second substantially coplanar surfaces adjacent to opposing first and second ends of the body spaced apart on opposite sides of the recessed surface portion.

5. The bracket of claim 2 wherein the recessed surface portion formed in the first surface of the saddle mount body further comprises an arcuate recess.

6. The bracket of claim 2 wherein the clamping surface of the anvil further comprises an arched recess formed of first and second relatively inclined arched surfaces.

7. The bracket of claim 6 wherein the clamping surface of the anvil further comprises first and second substantially coplanar surfaces spaced apart on opposite sides of the arched recess.

8. The bracket of claim 7 wherein the anvil further comprises a pair of arcuate shoulder portions formed on opposite sides of the arcuate groove and terminating in the first and second substantially coplanar surfaces thereof.

9. A handlebar mounting bracket, comprising:

a substantially rigid saddle mount formed of an elongated body comprising substantially opposing and spaced apart opposing first and second surfaces with first and second spaced apart shoulder portions formed adjacent to opposing first and second ends of the elongated body, the first surface further comprising a recessed clamping surface portion formed substantially crosswise of a longitudinal axis of the elongated body and positioned substantially symmetrically between the spaced apart shoulder portions, and each of the shoulder portions further comprising an oblong aperture extending there through between the opposing first and second surfaces and having a major axis thereof substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the elongated body;

a part-spherical ball mount projected from the second surface of the saddle mount body substantially opposite from the recessed clamping surface portion thereof;

a U-bolt having first and second substantially straight and parallel partially threaded leg portions each being sized pass through the aperture in a respective one of the first and second shoulder portions of the saddle mount body and further being spaced apart a distance corresponding to a spacing between the apertures and interconnected by a substantially semi-circular throat portion;

a substantially rigid anvil comprising an external arcuate groove substantially corresponding to the semi-circular throat portion of the U-bolt and sized to nest therewith, the external arcuate groove terminating in a clamping surface sized to fit between the first and second leg portions of the rod and further comprising a pair of oppositely inclined arched flats forming therebetween an included angle; and

first and second nuts having female threads matched to male threads formed on the partially threaded leg portions of the U-bolt.

10. The bracket of claim 9 wherein the first surface of the saddle mount body further comprises first and second substantially coplanar surfaces adjacent to opposing first and second ends of the body spaced apart on opposite sides of the recessed clamping surface portion.

11. The bracket of claim 10 wherein the recessed clamping surface portion of the saddle mount body further comprises an arched recess.

12. The bracket of claim 11 wherein the arched recess of the saddle mount body further comprises first and second substantially planar surfaces being inclined relative to the respective first and second substantially coplanar surfaces of the first surface of the saddle mount body, the first and second inclined surfaces further forming an included angle there between.

13. The bracket of claim 10 wherein the recessed clamping surface portion of the saddle mount body further comprises an arcuate groove.

14. The bracket of claim 9 wherein the anvil further comprises a pair of substantially half-round shoulder portions formed on opposite sides of the external arcuate groove and terminating in the clamping surface and forming a pair of spaced apart substantially coplanar termination surfaces each having a portion thereof being substantially contiguous with a respective opposite end of the external arcuate groove;

and

the clamping surface of the anvil further comprises a recessed clamping surface portion formed substantially symmetrically between the spaced apart termination surfaces and oriented substantially crosswise to the external arcuate groove.

15. The bracket of claim 14 wherein the recessed clamping surface portion of the anvil further comprises an arched recess.

16. The bracket of claim 15 wherein the arched recess of the anvil further comprises first and second substantially planar surfaces being inclined relative to the respective first and second substantially coplanar surfaces of the clamping surface of the anvil, the first and second inclined surfaces further forming an included angle there between.

17. The bracket of claim 14 wherein the arched recess of the anvil further comprises an internal arcuate recess.

18. A handlebar mounting bracket, comprising:

a substantially rigid saddle mount formed of an oblong body having spaced apart opposing first and second surfaces with first and second spaced apart shoulder portions formed adjacent to opposing first and second ends of the elongated body, the first surface further comprising a clamping surface portion recessed thereinto substantially crosswise of a longitudinal axis of the elongated body and positioned substantially symmetrically between the spaced apart shoulder portions and first and second substantially coplanar surfaces adjacent to the opposing first and second ends of the body and being spaced apart on opposite sides of the recessed clamping surface portion, the second surface being formed with a boss projected therefrom substantially symmetrically positioned between the spaced apart shoulder portions, and each of the shoulder portions further comprising a respective an oblong aperture extending there through between the opposing first and second surfaces and having a major axis thereof substantially oriented along and aligned with the longitudinal axis of the elongated body;

a part-spherical ball mount projected from the boss on the second surface of the saddle mount body, the part-spherical ball mount being formed of a resiliently deformable material with a substantially smooth outer surface;

a substantially rigid anvil comprising a substantially semi-circular external arcuate groove having a diameter substantially corresponding to a spacing between the apertures in the saddle mount body, the external arcuate groove being formed between a pair of substantially half-round shoulder portions and terminating in a pair of first and second spaced apart substantially coplanar termination surfaces each having a portion thereof being substantially contiguous with a respective opposite first and second end of the external arcuate groove, and a clamping surface portion formed between the termination surfaces and being recessed relative thereto and oriented substantially crosswise of external arcuate groove;

a substantially rigid U-bolt having a semi-circular throat portion formed to nest with the semi-circular external arcuate groove of the anvil, and a pair of substantially straight and parallel at least partially threaded leg portions projected from the throat portion, the leg portions being spaced apart a distance corresponding to a spacing between the apertures in the saddle mount body and each being sized pass through the aperture in a respective one of the first and second shoulder portions thereof the; and

first and second nuts having female threads matched to male threads formed on the leg portions of the U-bolt.

19. The bracket of claim 18 wherein the recessed clamping surface portion of the anvil further comprises an arched recess formed of first and second substantially planar surfaces inclined relative to the respective first and second substantially coplanar termination surfaces of the anvil and further forming an included angle there between.

20. The bracket of claim 19 wherein the recessed clamping surface portion of the anvil further comprises an arcuate groove.