Axle guard for packaging a bicycle
A method of packaging a bicycle having at least one wheel axle with exposed ends in a shipping carton. The method includes attaching a guard over at least one of the exposed ends of the axle by sliding the axle through a slotted opening in the guard and using the guard to tighten a fastener to positively secure the guard on the axle. A distal surface of the guard is aligned with a side of the carton and the bicycle is placed into the carton with the distal guard surface adjacent to a side of the carton.
1. A protective guard for use in shipping a bicycle having at least one wheel with an axle for attaching the wheel to a frame, the protective guard comprising:
a shield portion having a proximal surface and a distal surface;
a cap projecting from the proximal surface of the shield portion, the cap including a slotted opening slidable over the axle in a lateral direction and a locking wall; and
a fastener configured to be attached to an end of the axle, wherein the locking wall is configured to engage the fastener when the slotted opening slides over the axle in the lateral direction, and wherein the locking wall is configured to cause the fastener to move with the cap to positively secure the protective guard on the axle.
2. The protective guard of claim 1 , wherein the distal surface of the shield is configured to extend axially beyond the axle when the protective guard is positively secured to the axle.
3. The protective guard of claim 1 , wherein the cap is mountable on the axle between the fastener and a wheel hub.
4. The protective guard of claim 3 , wherein the cap is clamped between the fastener and wheel hub when the protective guard is positively secured to the axle.
5. The protective guard of claim 1 , wherein the cap is configured to tighten or loosen the fastener when the shield is rotated.
6. The protective guard of claim 1 , wherein the locking wall is configured to cause the fastener to rotate with the cap to tighten the fastener on the axle.
7. The protective guard of claim 6 , wherein the locking wall is inside the cap and the cap is configured to enclose the axle end and fastener when the locking wall engages the fastener.
8. A combination for protecting a carton enclosing the bicycle during shipment, the combination comprising:
the carton;
the bicycle disposed in the carton, wherein the axle of the at least one wheel includes at least one exposed end; and
the protective guard of claim 1 mounted on the at least one exposed end of the axle by the fastener wherein the distal surface of the protective guard extends between the at least one exposed end and a side of the carton when the protective guard is mounted on the axle.
9. The combination of claim 8 , wherein the distal surface of the protective guard is planar.
10. The combination of claim 9 , wherein the planar distal surface extends perpendicular to an axis of the axle.
11. The combination of claim 8 , wherein the protective guard is clamped between the fastener and a hub of the wheel.
12. The combination of claim 8 , wherein the at least one wheel has two exposed axle ends and the protective guard is mounted on each of the two axle ends.
13. The combination of claim 8 , wherein the protective guard includes the cap having an inner area, and the fastener and the at least one exposed end of the axle are located within the inner area of the cap when the protective guard is positively secured to the axle.
14. A method of packaging in a shipping carton the bicycle having the at least one wheel with a hub and the axle with exposed ends, the method comprising:
attaching the protective guard of claim 1 over at least one of the exposed ends of the axle by sliding the axle through the slotted opening in the protective guard;
using the protective guard to tighten the fastener to positively secure the protective guard on the axle;
aligning the distal surface of the protective guard with a side of the carton; and
placing the bicycle into the carton with the distal surface of the protective guard adjacent to an inner surface of the carton.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of attaching the protective guard to the axle end further comprises sliding the axle through the slotted opening until the axle reaches an end of the opening.
16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising the step of inserting the axle through the slotted opening in the cap until the axle reaches an end of the opening.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the attaching step further comprises sliding the protective guard over the fastener and locking the fastener inside the protective guard.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of using the protective guard to tighten the fastener further comprises rotating the protective guard to move the fastener closer to the wheel hub.
19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the step of positively securing the protective guard on the axle further comprises using the protective guard to rotate the fastener in the direction of the wheel hub to clamp the protective guard to the axle.
20. The protective guard of claim 1 , wherein the cap further includes an annular side wall extending between the proximal surface of the shield and the top of the cap, the side wall having an opening in the lateral direction forming a portion of the slotted opening.
21. The protective guard of claim 20 , wherein the opening has a width greater than a diameter of the axle.