U.S. patent application number 11/428399 was filed with the patent office on 2008-01-03 for bicycle rack.
Invention is credited to Ming-Sung Chiu.
Application Number | 20080000848 11/428399 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38875492 |
Filed Date | 2008-01-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080000848 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chiu; Ming-Sung |
January 3, 2008 |
Bicycle Rack
Abstract
A bicycle rack is provided, which is portable and space saving,
and easy for assembling and disassembling. The bicycle rack
includes a plurality of tubular members and a plurality of
connecting members. The tubular members are shaped in straight,
L-shaped and U-shaped tubes. The ends of the tubular member are
provided with elastic button clips. The connecting members are
shaped in L-shaped, T-shaped, three-headed and four-headed tubes,
wherein each end of the connecting members is provided with a
plurality of apertures corresponding to the elastic button clips.
The elastic button clip of the tubular member is coupled with the
aperture of the connecting member, thereby providing the bicycle
rack with a plurality of interlaced holding spaces for
bicycles.
Inventors: |
Chiu; Ming-Sung; (Ba-De
City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WPAT, PC;INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ATTORNEYS
2030 MAIN STREET, SUITE 1300
IRVINE
CA
92614
US
|
Family ID: |
38875492 |
Appl. No.: |
11/428399 |
Filed: |
July 2, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
211/21 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62H 3/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
211/21 |
International
Class: |
A47F 7/00 20060101
A47F007/00 |
Claims
1. A bicycle rack, comprising: a plurality of tubular members
shaped in straight, L-shaped and U-shaped tubes, and provided with
elastic button clips at the ends thereof; and a plurality of
connecting members shaped in L-shaped, T-shaped, three-headed and
four-headed tubes, and provided with a plurality of apertures
corresponding to the elastic button clips at the ends of the
tubular members; wherein the elastic button clip of the tubular
member is coupled with the connecting member through the aperture
to provide the bicycle rack with a plurality of interlaced holding
spaces that holds a front wheel of a bicycle.
2. The bicycle rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tubular
member is provided with at least two through holes; an outer
surface of the U-shaped elastic button clip is provided with a push
button and a buckle jut corresponding to the through holes of the
tubular member; the push button and the buckle jut protrude through
the through holes and out of the surface of the tubular member as
the tubular member connects with the elastic button clip; pressing
or releasing the push button makes the buckle jut be contracted
under the surface or protruded out of the surface of the tubular
member respectively; and the aperture of the connecting member is
corresponding to the push button.
3. The bicycle rack as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bicycle rack
is provided with seven holding spaces.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to a bicycle rack,
and more particular to a bicycle rack having a plurality of holding
spaces formed by the assembly of a plurality of tubular members and
a plurality of connecting members.
[0003] 2. The Prior Arts
[0004] Although bicycles are not the principal means of
transportation, they do not consume petroleum fuels and do not
produce air pollution. Riding bicycles to replace motor vehicles
for a short commute can reduce air pollution. Meanwhile, riding a
bicycle is a very good exercise to improve health, and suitable for
the urban people. Thus bicycle riding have become a popular sport
in recent years.
[0005] There are many advantages for bicycle riding, such as
producing no air pollutant, a good transportation means for a short
distance, and an excellent exercise to improve health. However,
urban bicycle riders have to solve problems with bicycle parking.
Although outdoor parking does not occupy limited indoor space, it
does have the following problems: First of all, owing to the lack
of planned bicycle parking, bicycles are frequently stolen.
Secondly, if there is no canopy provided for these bicycles, these
bicycles can be easily damaged by long-term exposure to sun and
rain. If the bicycles are parked in the corridor or staircase
inside an apartment building, it would block the passageway and
escaping route in an emergency situation for other residents, all
of which violate building safety code. Thus, indoor bicycle parking
is a better choice.
[0006] Compared to outdoor parking, indoor parking is better but it
still raises a problem. The problem that needs to be solved is that
indoor bicycle parking takes up precious space, especially when
there is more than one bicycle to park. Further concerns with
indoor bicycle parking includes the need to hold bicycles in
relatively stabilized position, and the need to avoid toppling of
the parked bicycle which can injure people.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Some of the problems the present invention attempts to solve
are to decrease the space occupied by bicycles as the bicycles are
parked indoor, and to improve the stability of bicycle parking so
as to avoid bicycles from toppling and causing injuries.
[0008] According to the present invention, the bicycle rack
comprises a plurality of tubular members and a plurality of
connecting members. The tubular members are shaped in straight,
L-shaped or U-shaped tubes, wherein each tubular member
accommodates elastic button clips at its ends. The connecting
members comprise L-shaped connecting members, T-shaped connecting
members, three-headed connecting members or four-headed connecting
members, wherein each connecting member is provided with a
plurality of apertures at the ends thereof, and the apertures are
corresponding to the elastic button clip. The elastic button clip
of the tubular member is coupled with the aperture of the
connecting member. Thus the tubular members and the connecting
members provide the bicycle rack with a plurality of interlaced
holding spaces that holds front wheels of the bicycles.
[0009] A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a
bicycle rack whose structure comprises a plurality of tubular
members and a plurality of connecting members. The tubular members
and connecting members are easy to assemble and disassemble and can
be used anywhere.
[0010] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a
bicycle rack, which provides a plurality of interlaced holding
spaces. Each holding space provides a space to hold a front wheel
of a bicycle. Therefore the bicycle rack provides the interlaced
parking space for bicycles so that the space occupied is
minimized.
[0011] A further objective of the present invention is to provide a
bicycle rack with improved safety and holds a bicycle firmly so as
to avoid the injury caused by toppling of the bicycle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in
the art by reading the following detailed description of a
preferred embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached
drawings, in which:
[0013] FIG. 1 shows a bicycle rack according to an embodiment of
the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the bicycle rack according to
the embodiment of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of tubular members
and a connecting member according to the embodiment of the present
invention;
[0016] FIG. 4A shows a sectional view of the assembled tubular
members and the connecting member which are shown in FIG. 3;
[0017] FIG. 4B shows how the tubular members and the connecting
member, which are shown in FIG. 3, are assembled; and
[0018] FIG. 5 shows the bicycle rack and a bicycle held thereon
according to the embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a bicycle rack 1 according to a
preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a plurality
of tubular members 10 and a plurality of connecting members 20.
[0020] Referring to FIG. 3, each end of the tubular member 10 is
provided with an elastic button clip 11. The elastic button clip 11
is secured inside the hollow part of the tubular member 10. The
elastic button clip 11 is approximately U-shaped, and provides a
protruding push button 12 and a protruding buckle jut 13. Each end
of tubular member 10 provides at least two through holes 14
corresponding to the push button 12 and the buckle jut 13. The push
button 12 and the buckle jut 13 are fitted into the through holes
14 of the tubular member 10 and projected out of the outer surface
of the tubular member 10. Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, press the
push button 12 and insert the elastic button clip 11 into the
tubular member 10. When the elastic button clip 11 is inserted to
an appropriate place, the push button 12 and the buckle jut will
protrude through the through holes 14 and out of the surface of the
tubular member 10. Therefore, the tubular member 10 and the elastic
button clip 11 are connected together. The tubular members 10
comprise straight tubular members 101, L-shaped tubular members 102
and U-shaped tubular members 103 according to the preferred
embodiment.
[0021] The connecting member 20 is provided with a plurality of
apertures 21 at the ends thereof. The aperture 21 is corresponding
to the push button 12 of the elastic button clip 11. Press the push
button 12 and insert the tubular member 10 into the connecting
member 20. When the tubular member 10 is inserted into an
appropriate place, the push button will protrude through the
aperture 21 and out of the surface of the connecting member 20.
Therefore, the tubular member 10 and the connecting member 20 are
connected together. The connecting members 20 comprise L-shaped
connecting members 201, T-shaped connecting members 202,
three-headed connecting members 203 and four-headed connecting
members 204 according to the preferred embodiment.
[0022] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 5, the bicycle rack 1 assembled
provides a plurality of interlaced holding spaces 30. The bicycle
rack 1 includes seven holding spaces 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 306,
and 307, and each holding space 30 can hold a front wheel 21 of a
bicycle 2 according to the preferred embodiment.
[0023] Contemplated bicycle rack 1 is relatively easy to
disassemble when it is not in use. Pressing the push button 12
relieves the holding between the push button 12 and the aperture
21. Thus the connecting member 20 is disassembled from the tubular
member 10. In a similar way, pressing the push button 12 relieves
the holding between the push button 12, the buckle jut 13 and the
through holes 14. Thus the elastic button clip 11 is disassembled
from the tubular member 10. Therefore, one can disassemble the
tubular members 10 and the connecting members 20 one by one.
[0024] Although the present invention has been described with
reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it is apparent to
those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and
changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present
invention which is intended to be defined by the appended
claims.
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