Bicycle Carrier and Method for Serially Loading Bicycles Thereon

Abstract

Bicycle carriers and corresponding methods for loading bicycles and/or other wheeled vehicles onto such carriers are provided. In one embodiment, a bicycle carrier includes a support member (e.g., vertical or generally vertical support member), a hitch member, an elongate upper member, and an elongate lower member. The elongate upper member has an elongate body and a free distal end configured for receipt, serially one after another, of a plurality of wheels of a corresponding plurality of bicycles. For each bicycle, adjacent spokes of a bicycle wheel are positioned about the free distal end of the elongate member and the bicycle is moved backward along the elongate body towards the support member. The elongate body is configured to support the weight of the bicycles via contact with the rims of the bicycle wheels. The carrier is configured such that the bicycles hang generally vertically from the elongate body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bicycle carrier comprising:
 a support member;   a hitch member extending from said support member;   an elongate upper member extending from said support member, said elongate upper member having an elongate body and a free distal end configured for receipt, serially one after another, of a plurality of wheels of a corresponding plurality of bicycles by positioning adjacent wheel spokes of a first wheel of each bicycle about said free distal end and moving each bicycle backward along said elongate body towards said support member, said elongate body being configured to support a weight of said bicycles via contact with rims of said plurality of bicycle wheels and cause a remainder of said bicycles to hang below said elongate body; and   an elongate lower member extending from said support member and positioned generally below said elongate upper member, said elongate lower member being configured to contact and stabilize said bicycles hanging from said elongate body of said upper member.   
     
     
         2 . The bicycle carrier of  claim 1 , wherein said elongate upper member extends from said support member at an upward angle of about 5 degrees to about 30 degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The bicycle carrier of  claim 1 , wherein said elongate upper member has a thickness that is less than its length and height along an entire span of said elongate upper member and said free distal end, said length being a distance that said elongate upper member extends from said support member, said height being a distance spanned by said elongate upper member in a direction generally parallel to said support member, and said thickness being a distance spanned by said elongate upper member in a direction generally perpendicular to said support member. 
     
     
         4 . The bicycle carrier of  claim 3 , wherein said elongate upper member has a thickness of less than or equal to about ½ inch along said entire span of said elongate upper member and said free distal end, and a height of less than or equal to about 4 inches along said entire span of said elongate upper member and said free distal end. 
     
     
         5 . The bicycle carrier of  claim 1 , wherein said elongate lower member extends generally perpendicularly from said support member. 
     
     
         6 . The bicycle carrier of  claim 1 , wherein said hitch member extends from said support member in a first direction and said elongate upper member and said elongate lower member extend from said support member in a second direction opposite to said first direction. 
     
     
         7 . The bicycle carrier of  claim 1 , wherein said elongate lower member extends from said support member directly below and with no lateral offset relative to said elongate upper member. 
     
     
         8 . The bicycle carrier of  claim 1 , wherein said elongate lower member is attachable to, and detachable from, said support member and said support member is configured with a plurality of locations at which said elongate lower member can be attached to said support member. 
     
     
         9 . The bicycle carrier of  claim 1 , wherein said body of said elongate upper member comprises at least one spacer configured to separate the rim of a first bicycle of said plurality of bicycles from the rim of a second bicycle of said plurality of bicycles. 
     
     
         10 . The bicycle carrier of  claim 1 , wherein said elongate lower member comprises at least one spacer configured to separate a first bicycle of said plurality of bicycles hanging from said elongate upper member from a second bicycle of said plurality of bicycles hanging from said elongate upper member. 
     
     
         11 . The bicycle carrier of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said body of said elongate upper member and said elongate lower member comprises a soft durometer surface material positioned to prevent damage to said bicycles. 
     
     
         12 . The bicycle carrier of  claim 1 , wherein said soft durometer material is selected from the group or materials consisting of rubber, silicon, urethane, and foam. 
     
     
         13 . The bicycle carrier of  claim 1 , further comprising a strap, cord, or a bar configured to extend from said free distal end of said elongate upper member to said support member to further secure said bicycles to said bicycle carrier. 
     
     
         14 . The bicycle carrier of  claim 1 , wherein said support member includes a hinged connection along its length to allow said support member to be collapsed when not in use. 
     
     
         15 . A method for loading bicycles or other wheeled vehicles onto a carrier, comprising:
 serially loading a plurality of wheeled vehicles onto said carrier one after another by:
 positioning a wheel of a first vehicle about a free distal end of an elongate member; 
 moving said first vehicle backward along an elongate body of said elongate member towards a support member attached to said elongate member causing a rim of said wheel to contact said elongate body and a remainder of said first vehicle to hang below said elongate body; 
 positioning a wheel of a second vehicle about said free distal end of said elongate member; and 
 moving said second vehicle backward along said elongate body of said elongate member towards said first vehicle causing a rim of said wheel of said second vehicle to contact said elongate body and a remainder of said second vehicle to hang below said elongate body. 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising securing a strap, cord, or bar from said free distal end of said elongate upper member to said support member to further secure said vehicles to said carrier. 
     
     
         17 . A bicycle carrier comprising:
 a central support member;   a hitch member extending from said central support member;   a first side support member connected to said central support member, said first side support member being laterally offset from said central support member to a first side;   a second side support member connected to said central support member, said second side support member being laterally offset from said central support member to a second side opposite said first side; and   first and second elongate members extending from said first side support member and said second side support member, respectively, each of said elongate members having an elongate body and a free distal end configured for receipt, serially one after another, of a plurality of bicycle wheels of a corresponding plurality of bicycles by positioning adjacent wheel spokes of a wheel of each bicycle about said free distal end and moving each bicycle backward along said elongate body, said elongate body being configured to support a weight of said bicycles via contact with rims of said plurality of bicycle wheels;   wherein said first elongate member is configured for receipt of first wheels of said plurality of bicycles and said second elongate member is configured for receipt of second wheels of said plurality of bicycles.   
     
     
         18 . The bicycle carrier of  claim 17 , wherein:
 said hitch member is generally perpendicular to said central support member;   said first side support member is generally parallel to said central support member;   said second side support member is generally parallel to said central support member; and   said elongate members are positioned at generally equal heights along said first and second side support members such that said bicycles are received generally horizontally by said bicycle carrier.   
     
     
         19 . A bicycle carrier comprising:
 a central support member;   a hitch member extending from said central support member;   a first side support member connected to said central support member, said first side support member being laterally offset from said central support member to a first side;   a second side support member connected to said central support member, said second side support member being laterally offset from said central support member to a second side opposite said first side; and   first, second, and third elongate members extending from said central support member, said first side support member, and said second side support member, respectively, each of said elongate members having an elongate body and a free distal end configured for receipt, serially one after another, of a plurality of wheels of a corresponding plurality of vehicles by positioning adjacent wheel spokes of a wheel of each vehicle about said free distal end and moving each vehicle backward along said elongate body, said elongate body being configured to support a weight of said vehicles via contact with rims of said plurality of bicycle wheels;   wherein said first elongate member extending from said central support member is configured to cause said vehicles received by said first elongate member to hang generally vertically below said elongate body of said first elongate support member; and   wherein said second and third elongate members extending from said first and second side support members, respectively, are configured to cause said vehicles received cooperatively by said second and third elongate members to hang generally horizontally from said second and third elongate members.   
     
     
         20 . The bicycle carrier of  claim 19 , further comprising an elongate lower member extending from said central support member and positioned generally below said first elongate member, said elongate lower member being configured to contact and stabilize said vehicles hanging from said body of said first elongate member.