Method and fastening means or device for clamping of a support rail at a load carrying tube of a bicycle carrier of a vehicle

Abstract

A method and device for clamping a support rail ( 5 ) at a load carrying tube ( 7 ) of a bicycle carrier ( 17 ) of a vehicle using a fastening device. The fastening device ( 1 ) is arranged initially slidably along the support rail ( 5 ) and along the load carrying tube ( 7 ). The support rail ( 5 ) is displaceable along the load carrying tube ( 7 ) and transverse to the load carrying tube ( 7 ) to a desired position. A clamping device or fastener ( 12 ) of the fastening means ( 1 ) is operated to an essential simultaneously contact against the supporting rail and against the load carrying tube ( 7 ) to fasten these relative to each other.

1 . A fastening device for clamping a support rail to a load carrying tube that is attached to a vehicle, said fastening device comprising:
 a body having a substantially flat upper surface and an elongate guiding portion extending along said body and configured to slidably connect with the support rail;   a shackle hingedly attaching to said body with a recess formed between said body and shackle, said recess shaped to receive said carrying tube;   a fastener extending between said shackle and body for tightening said shackle and body together; and   said fastening device having a non-tightened configuration wherein the support rail is freely moveable along said guiding portion and the carrying tube is freely moveable in said recess, and a tightened configuration wherein the support rail is frictionally fixed in place along said guiding portion and the carrying tube is frictionally fixed in said recess.   
   
   
       2 . The fastening device according to  claim 1 , wherein in said tightened configuration, said shackle is urged against said body such that the load carrying tube in said recess is firmly clamped between said shackle and a lower surface of said body. 
   
   
       3 . The fastening device according to  claim 2 , wherein said shackle extends substantially around said load carrying tube. 
   
   
       4 . The fastening device according to  claim 2 , wherein said shackle and said body have aligned apertures for receiving a longitudinal axle of said fastener. 
   
   
       5 . The fastening device according to  claim 4 , wherein in said tightened configuration, said fastener is tightened such that a force acts upon said body causing elastic deformation of said body and thereby frictionally fixing the support rail in place along said guiding portion. 
   
   
       6 . The fastening device according to  claim 5 , wherein said guiding portion receives the support rail, and in the tightened configuration during deformation of said body the support rail is firmly wedged between an upper surface of said guiding portion thereby fixing the support rail in place along said guiding portion. 
   
   
       7 . The fastening according to  claim 6 , wherein said fastener is positioned on a side of said body opposite said hinged attachment of said shackle to said body, wherein in said tightened configuration said force of said fastener being tightened acts between said fastener and said hinged attachment causing elastic deformation of said body. 
   
   
       8 . The fastening device according to  claim 1 , wherein said fastening device further comprises a wedge shaped device which extends through an opening in said upper surface of said body. 
   
   
       9 . The fastening device according to  claim 8 , wherein in said tightened configuration said wedge shaped device is simultaneously urged against both said support rail through said opening in said upper surface of said body and the load carrying tube thereby frictionally fixing the support rail in place along said guiding portion and frictionally fixing the load carrying tube in said recess. 
   
   
       10 . The fastening device according to  claim 9  wherein in said tightened configuration, the load carrying tube is frictionally fixed between said shackle and a lower surface of said wedge shaped device and the support rail is frictionally fixed between said guiding portion and an upper surface of said wedge shaped device. 
   
   
       11 . A fastening device for clamping a support rail to a load carrying tube that is attached to a vehicle, said fastening device comprising:
 a body having a substantially flat upper surface and an elongate guiding portion extending along said body and configured to slidably connect with the support rail;   a shackle adapted for hingedly attaching to said body with a recess formed between said body and shackle, said recess shaped to receive said carrying tube and allow reciprocating movement of said carrying tube therein;   an elongate fastener extending between said shackle and body for tightening said shackle to said body, and   said elongate fastener having a tightened configuration in which said shackle is urged against said body such that the load carrying tube in said recess is firmly clamped between said shackle and a lower surface of said body thereby preventing reciprocating movement of the carrying tube in said recess.   
   
   
       12 . The fastening device according to  claim 11 , wherein said shackle and said body have aligned apertures for receiving said elongate fastener. 
   
   
       13 . The fastening device according to  claim 12 , wherein in said tightened configuration said fastener is tightened such that a force acts upon said body causing elastic deformation of said body and thereby preventing reciprocating movement of the support rail along said guiding portion. 
   
   
       14 . The fastening device according to  claim 13 , wherein said guiding portion receives the support rail and in the tightened configuration during deformation of said body the support rail is firmly wedged between an upper surface of said guiding portion thereby preventing reciprocating movement of the support rail along said guiding portion. 
   
   
       15 . The fastening device according to  claim 14 , wherein said elongate fastener is positioned on a side of said body opposite said hinged attachment of said shackle to said body, wherein in said tightened configuration a force of said fastener being tightened acts between said fastener and said hinged attachment causing elastic deformation of said body. 
   
   
       16 . The fastening device for clamping a support rail to a load carrying tube that is attached to a vehicle, said fastening device comprising:
 a body having a substantially flat upper surface and an elongate guiding portion extending along said body and configured to slidably connect with the support rail;   a shackle hingedly attaching to said body with a recess formed between said body and shackle, said recess shaped to receive said carrying tube and allow reciprocating movement of said carrying tube therein;   a wedge shaped device which extends through an opening in said upper surface of said body; and   said fastening device having a tightened configuration wherein said wedge shaped device is simultaneously urged against the support rail through said opening in said upper surface of said body and urged said load carrying tube thereby preventing reciprocation of the support rail along said guiding portion and preventing reciprocation of said load carrying tube in said recess.   
   
   
       17 . A clamping device according to  claim 16 , a fastener extending within said fastening device adapted for tightening said wedge shaped device to said tightened configuration. 
   
   
       18 . A clamping device according to  claim 16  wherein in said tightened configuration, said load carrying tube is urged between said shackle and a lower surface of said wedge shaped device and the support rail is urged between said guiding portion and an upper surface of said wedge shaped device. 
   
   
       19 . Method for clamping a support rail ( 5 ) at a load carrying tube ( 7 ) of a bicycle carrier ( 17 ) of a vehicle with a fastening means ( 1 ) comprising arranging the fastening means ( 1 ) initially slidably along the support rail ( 5 ) and along the load carrying tube ( 7 ), wherein the support rail ( 5 ) is displaceable along the load carrying tube ( 7 ) and transverse to the load carrying tube ( 7 ) to a desired position, and operating a clamping means ( 12 ) of the fastening means ( 1 ) to substantially simultaneously contact against the supporting rail and against the load carrying tube ( 7 ) to fasten these relative each other. 
   
   
       20 . Method according to  claim 19 , further comprising at least one additional support rail ( 5 ), said support rail carriers ( 5 ) being arranged on the load carrying tube ( 7 ) displaced in the longitudinal direction relative to each other. 
   
   
       21 . Fastening means ( 1 ) for clamping a support rail ( 5 ) at a load carrying tube ( 7 ), comprising a shackle ( 8 ) adapted to extend essentially around the load carrying tube ( 7 ), and a clamping means ( 12 ), configured to clamp the load carrying tube ( 7 ) between the shackle ( 8 ) and the clamping means ( 12 ), said fastening means ( 1 ) having at least one support rail ( 5 ) adapted guiding ( 4 ) integrated with the fastening means ( 1 ), wherein the support rail ( 5 ) is clamped between the clamping means ( 12 ) and the guiding ( 4 ) when said clamping means ( 12 ) is tightened. 
   
   
       22 . Fastening means ( 1 ) according to  claim 21 , the guiding ( 4 ) extends along at least an elongated upper edge of the shackle ( 8 ) and the clamping means ( 12 ) comprises a wedge shaped device ( 21 ), which by means of a bolt ( 22 ) is engaged with the support rail ( 5 ) and the load carrying tube ( 7 ) when the clamping means ( 12 ) is tightened such that the load carrying tube ( 7 ) is clamped between the shackle ( 8 ) and a lower surface ( 23 ) of the wedge shaped device ( 21 ) and the support rail ( 5 ) is clamped between the guiding ( 4 ) and an upper surface ( 24 ) of the wedge shaped device ( 21 ), whereby the support rail ( 5 ) and the load carrying tube ( 7 ) are fixed to each other. 
   
   
       23 . Fastening means ( 1 ) according  claim 22 , wherein the guiding ( 4 ) comprises two L-shaped guiding rails ( 4   a ,  4   b ), adapted for insertion into corresponding L-shaped recesses ( 6   a ,  6   b ) in the support rail ( 5 ). 
   
   
       24 . Fastening means ( 1 ) according  claim 23 , wherein the fastening means ( 1 ) comprises an elongated body ( 2 ), said body having at one end ( 10 ) being turnably attached at the shackle ( 8 ) by a hinge ( 9 ), and said body has at an opposite end ( 11 ) said clamping means ( 12 ), which is configured to bring the shackle ( 8 ) in direction against the body ( 2 ) and firmly clamp the load carrying tube ( 7 ) between the shackle ( 8 ) and a lower surface ( 3   b ) of the body ( 2 ), and wherein an upper surface ( 3   a ) of the body ( 2 ) has said elongated guiding ( 4 ) which is integrated with the body ( 2 ), and that the body ( 2 ), at least partly, is elastic deformable, wherein when the clamping means ( 12 ) is tightened, the body ( 2 ) is deformed such that the support rail ( 5 ) becomes fixed at the guide ( 4 ). 
   
   
       25 . Fastening means ( 1 ) according to  claim 24 , wherein the guiding ( 4 ) comprises two T-shaped guiding rails ( 4   a ,  4   b ), which are shaped to be received by two corresponding C-shaped recesses ( 6   a ,  6   b ) in the support rail ( 5 ). 
   
   
       26 . Fastening means ( 1 ) according to  claim 25 , wherein when the clamping means is tightened, the upper surface ( 3   a ) of the body ( 2 ) is at least partly in contact with the support rail ( 5 ) and said support rail becomes firmly wedged to the fastening means ( 1 ), between the upper surface ( 3   a ) and the guiding rails ( 4 ). 
   
   
       27 . Fastening means ( 1 ) according to  claim 25 , wherein when the clamping means is tightened, the respective guiding rail ( 4   a ,  4   b ) abut against the boundary wall of respective recess ( 6   a ,  6   b ) in the support rail ( 5 ) and said guiding rail becomes firmly wedged to the fastening means ( 1 ). 
   
   
       28 . Fastening means according to  claim 24 , wherein the body ( 2 ) is located above the load carrying tube ( 7 ) and abuts the load carrying tube ( 7 ) essentially perpendicularly.