Bicycle carrier
A bicycle carrier having coupling means for mounting to a vehicle, a hinge shaft which, at a distance from the geometric centre of gravity of the coupling means, is connected to the coupling means; a bicycle support which can hinge around the hinge shaft between, on the one hand, a load position whereby a free end of the bicycle support faces towards the ground and, on the other hand, a transport position whereby the aforementioned free end of the bicycle support faces away from the ground; whereby the bicycle carrier is provided with locking means for locking the rotation of the bicycle support in the transport position.
1 . A bicycle carrier, comprising coupling means for mounting to a vehicle, wherein the bicycle carrier is further provided with:
a hinge shaft which, at a distance from a geometric center of gravity of the coupling means, is connected to the coupling means;
a bicycle support which can hinge around the hinge shaft between, on one hand, a load position whereby a free end of the bicycle support faces towards the ground and, on the other hand, a transport position whereby the free end of the bicycle support is spaced apart from the ground;
whereby the bicycle carrier is provided with a locking means for locking a rotation of the bicycle support in the transport position and whereby a hingeable connection of the bicycle support with the hinge shaft is located on a first side at the distance from a virtual vertical plane that extends parallel to the hinge shaft and through the geometric center of gravity of the coupling means, and the free end of the bicycle support which in the load position faces towards the ground is located on a second side of the virtual vertical plane through the geometric center of gravity of the coupling means.
2 . The bicycle carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the hinge shaft is provided on or is part of a frame that is connected to the coupling means, whereby the bicycle support comprises one or more rails that are hingeably applied in the frame and can hinge around the hinge shaft between the load position and the transport position.
3 . The bicycle carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the hinge shaft is connected to the coupling means by an arm and whereby the bicycle support comprises a load-bearing structure that can hinge around the hinge shaft between the load position and the transport position.
4 . The bicycle carrier according to claim 3 , wherein a position where the arm is connected to the coupling means may be shifted in a longitudinal direction of the arm.
5 . The bicycle carrier according to claim 3 , wherein the arm is provided with a stop such that a rotation of the load-bearing structure in the load position and/or the transport position is limited.
6 . The bicycle carrier according to claim 3 , wherein the bicycle support comprises one or more rails that are hingeably applied in the arm and can hinge around the hinge shaft between the load position and the transport position, wherein the rails are provided with one or more carriages which are telescopically retractable or extendable in a longitudinal direction of the rails.
7 . The bicycle carrier according to claim 6 , wherein the arm is executed in two parts, whereby a first part is connected to the coupling means and is connected to the load-bearing structure and a second part is provided with the extendable or telescopic carriages, wherein the first part and second part in the transport position are connected to each other, snapped into each other or slid into each other and in this way act as the locking means for locking a rotation and supporting the load-bearing structure in the transport position and whereby the first part and the second part are not connected to each other in the load position such that the load-bearing structure can rotate relative to the first part of the arm.
8 . The bicycle carrier according to claim 3 , wherein the locking means lock a rotation of the bicycle support relative to the arm in the transport position.
9 . The bicycle carrier according to claim 3 , wherein the arm is hingeably connected to the coupling means between the transport position and a compact position whereby the bicycle support is tilted in a direction of the coupling means.
10 . The bicycle carrier according to claim 9 , wherein the locking means lock a rotation of the arm relative to the coupling means in the compact position.
11 . The bicycle carrier according to claim 9 , wherein the locking means is a removable or collapsible rod which is or may be connected to the arm and which supports the bicycle support in the transport position and whereby the rod is removed or collapsed and does not support the bicycle support in the compact position or the load position.
12 . The bicycle carrier according to claim 3 , wherein a spring or a gas spring is provided between the bicycle support and the arm which helps a user when hinging the bicycle support between the load position and the transport position.
13 . The bicycle carrier according to claim 1 , the distance D is greater than fifteen centimetres.
14 . The bicycle carrier according to claim 1 , wherein an incline of a plane formed by the bicycle support in the load position is less than 60° relative to a horizontal.
15 . The bicycle carrier according to claim 1 , wherein the coupling means of the bicycle carrier are provided with a trailer hitch for coupling with a towbar of the vehicle or that the coupling means are provided with a tube frame provided to that end or means for attaching against a tube frame on a front or rear wall of the vehicle.
16 . A bicycle carrier configured to be mounted to a vehicle, the bicycle carrier comprising:
a tube frame configured to be mounted to the vehicle;
an arm coupled to the tube frame;
a hinge shaft connected to the tube frame by the arm, the hinge shaft is spaced apart a distance from a geometric center of gravity of the tube frame;
a bicycle support hingedly connected to the hinge shaft for rotation between a load position and a transport position, in the load position a free end of the bicycle support faces towards the ground and in the transport position the free end of the bicycle support is spaced apart from the ground; and
a locking rod connected to the arm, the locking rod moveable between a first position and a second positon, in the first position the locking rod is configured to support the bicycle support in the transport position to inhibit movement of the bicycle support from the transport position towards the load position, and in the second position the locking rod no longer supports the bicycle support in the transport position to permit movement of the bicycle support from the transport position towards the load position,
wherein a hingeable connection of the bicycle support with the hinge shaft is located on a first side at the distance from a virtual vertical plane that extends parallel to the hinge shaft and through the geometric center of gravity of the tube frame, and the free end of the bicycle support is located on a second side of the virtual vertical plane through the geometric center of gravity of the tube frame.