Bicycle Support and Packaging Structure and a Bicycle Packaging Method

Abstract

A bicycle support and packaging structure includes a support or carrier structure adapted to carry roller wheels, a handlebar adapter arrangement fixedly or demountably connectable to the support or carrier structure and adapted to be releasably connectable to a fork tube of a bicycle front fork. Also included is a saddle holder fixedly or demountably connectable to the support or carrier structure and adapted to securably and releasably receive a saddle of a bicycle in an upside down position. Also included are mounting elements enabling the handlebar adapter arrangement and the saddle holder to be adjustably connectable or connected to the support or carrier structure such that the distance between the saddle holder and the handlebar adapter arrangement is adjustable to allow for mounting of bicycles or bicycle frames of different sizes or dimensions.

1 .- 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A transportation support and packaging structure, comprising:
 a support or carrier structure adapted to carry roller wheels;   a handlebar adapter arrangement ( 20 ; 20 A) fixedly or demountably connected to the support or carrier structure, the handlebar adapter arrangement being adapted to be connected to a bicycle in place of a handlebar and to be releasably connected to a fork tube of a bicycle front fork;   a saddle holder fixedly or demountably connected to the support or carrier structure, the saddle holder being adapted to securably and releasably receive a saddle of the bicycle in an upside down position; and   mounting elements enabling the handlebar adapter arrangement and the saddle holder to be adjustably connected to the support or carrier structure such that the distance between the saddle holder and the handlebar adapter arrangement is adjustable for mounting bicycles or bicycle frames of different sizes.   
     
     
         20 . The transportation support and packaging structure of  claim 19 , wherein the support or carrier structure comprises a support frame structure comprising two longitudinal support frame elements adapted to be arranged in parallel, and the mounting elements are fixedly or demountably connected to the longitudinal support frame elements and disposed substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal support frame elements. 
     
     
         21 . The transportation support and packaging structure of  claim 20 , wherein the mounting elements comprise a saddle holder connector distance element to which the saddle holder is fixedly or demountably connected, and a handlebar adapter distance element, comprising a handlebar adapter arrangement, or to which a handlebar adapter arrangement is fixedly or demountably connected, and the saddle holder connector and handlebar adapter distance element comprise profile elements made of aluminum, carbon fiber, steel, or plastic. 
     
     
         22 . The transportation support and packaging structure of  claim 19 , wherein the saddle holder comprises a saddle receiving member for reception of a saddle on a bicycle frame and a fastener for securing the saddle to the saddle receiving member. 
     
     
         23 . The transportation support and packaging structure of  claim 21 , wherein the handlebar adapter arrangement comprises a handlebar adapter holder element or a handlebar adapter receiving element and a handlebar adapter connecting arrangement; the handlebar adapter connecting arrangement is adapted to connect to the fork tube of the bicycle front fork; the handlebar adapter holder element or the handlebar adapter receiving element comprises an opening or a recess for receiving the handlebar adapter connecting arrangement when connected to the fork tube of the bicycle front fork. 
     
     
         24 . The transportation support and packaging structure of  claim 23 , wherein the handlebar adapter holder element comprises a slot through a wall thereof into the opening or recess, and a through-hole that crosses the slot. 
     
     
         25 . The transportation support and packaging structure of  claim 24 , wherein the handlebar adapter distance element forms the handlebar adapter receiving element formed by an upper plate and a lower plate that includes the slot, the slot being elongate and extending lengthwise in the handlebar distance element; the upper plate comprises a hole or an opening adapted to receive the handlebar adapter connecting the handlebar adapter connecting arrangement; the handlebar adapter connecting arrangement comprises a circumferential groove; a number of through holes cross side walls of the handlebar adapter distance element for fasteners for tightening the slot and the hole or opening around the handlebar adapter connecting arrangement; and a peripheral edge of the hole or opening enters a circumferential groove in an outer surface of the handlebar adapter connecting arrangement, thereby clamping the handlebar adapter connecting arrangement. 
     
     
         26 . The transportation support and packaging structure of  claim 23 , wherein the handlebar adapter connecting arrangement comprises a cylindrical connector element having a diameter slightly exceeding that of the fork tube of the bicycle front fork and a height exceeding the height of the fork tube and a washer that receives a screw screwed onto the cylindrical connector element and engaged with a corresponding thread in the fork tube of the bicycle front fork. 
     
     
         27 . The transportation support and packaging structure of  claim 26 , wherein the handlebar adapter connecting arrangement further comprises a lower end washer disposed at an end of the handlebar adapter connecting arrangement opposite to an end where the washer is disposed for connection to a fork tube of a dual crown fork. 
     
     
         28 . The transportation support and packaging structure of  claim 20 , wherein each longitudinal support frame element comprises at least one interconnected longitudinal element or frame section, and a plurality of through holes for connection of the saddle holder connector distance element and the handlebar adapter distance element such that a distance between the saddle holder connector distance element and the handlebar adapter distance element is selected. 
     
     
         29 . The transportation support and packaging structure of  claim 28 , wherein the longitudinal support frame element comprises a number of interconnected frame sections, two outer frame sections comprising two interconnected L-beams connected in such that a leg of one L-beam is disposed on a leg of the other L-beam to form a bottom section, and other legs or walls of the respective L-beams form a wall section, an inner and an outer wall section extending in parallel so that a U-shaped beam is formed, and an intermediate section comprising a U-beam or two interconnected L-beams with legs of a similar or longer length as the legs of the L-beams of the outer frame sections or legs which is mounted such as to surround the outer frame sections in an overlapping region at respective inner ends of the outer frame sections that face each other; and outer walls of the U-shaped beam sections, or the legs of the L-beams, form outer walls facing away from the mounting elements or the bicycle frame in a mounted state of the structure and are disposed on the outside of a protective arrangement adapted to surround the bicycle frame in the mounted state of the structure; and inner walls of the U-shaped beam sections or the legs of the L-beams form inner walls facing the mounting elements or the bicycle frame in the mounted state of the structure and are disposed on the inside of the protective arrangement. 
     
     
         30 . The transportation support and packaging structure of  claim 20 , further comprising a demountable cover frame structure, comprising a number of releasably interconnectable tubular elements adapted to form, in a mounted state, first and second frame sections that are disposed in parallel, a number of interconnecting elements for releasable interconnection of the first and second frame sections, and a covering arrangement adapted to surround, in the mounted state, the frame structure; wherein the tubular elements comprise straight tubular elements and bent tubular elements forming first and second corner elements; and to form each of the first and second frame sections, a number of straight tubular elements, a first bent tubular element, and a second bent tubular element are interconnected. 
     
     
         31 . The transportation support and packaging structure of  claim 30 , wherein some of the tubular elements are connected to interconnecting elements by first connector elements and are adapted for reception of an interconnecting element and pivotally connected to a tubular element; and some other tubular elements are connected to interconnecting elements by second connector elements and are adapted for reception of a pivotally connected interconnecting element such that in the mounted state of the frame structure, the interconnecting elements are releasably connected between corresponding tubular elements of the first and second frame sections; and the tubular elements of the cover frame structure are made of aluminum, plastic, carbon fiber, or steel. 
     
     
         32 . The transportation support and packaging structure of  claim 31 , further comprising lower profile elements; wherein straight tubular elements of the first and second cover frame section form a number of legs arranged substantially vertically in the mounted state of the transportation support and packaging structure, lower ends of the legs being free and adapted to rest on or adjacent the longitudinal support frame elements or the lower profile elements and be supported at least partly thereby. 
     
     
         33 . The transportation support and packaging structure of  claim 30 , further comprising a protective arrangement, comprising a bag adapted in size and dimension to a demounted bicycle frame and with an opening that enables the bag to be pulled over the bicycle frame, the protective arrangement being made of foamed polypropylene or polyethylene, felt fabric, or non-woven fabric. 
     
     
         34 . The transportation support and packaging structure of  claim 19 , further comprising a portable bag having dimensions of about 20-40 centimeters by 30-40 centimeters by 35-50 centimeters and adapted for carrying all elements of the transportation support and packaging structure in a demounted state. 
     
     
         35 . The transportation support and packaging structure of  claim 19 , further comprising a cover that is shaped to surround the frame structure in a mounted state and that includes a front cover portion, a rear cover portion, an edge portion extending between first and second frame sections, a bottom portion, and at least one zip fastener for closing and opening the cover, the at least one zip fastener extending substantially all along an edge; wherein inner sides of the front cover portion and of the rear cover portion have pockets or pouches adapted for reception of a bicycle wheel; the pockets or pouches have zip fasteners or hook-and-loop straps; and the cover also includes at least one pull handle, and a plurality of channels or straps adapted for reception of the tubular elements for mounting the cover to the frame structure. 
     
     
         36 . A method of packaging a bicycle for transportation, comprising the steps of:
 demounting a handlebar and a handlebar stem from a frame of a bicycle, and the bicycle's wheels and pedals; and   connecting the frame to a transportation support and packaging structure that has a support or carrier structure adapted to carry roller wheels and a handlebar adapter arrangement fixedly or demountably connected to the support or carrier structure, and a saddle holder by:
 connecting a handlebar adapter connecting arrangement of the handlebar adapter arrangement to a fork tube of a bicycle front fork; 
 securing the handlebar adapter connecting arrangement to the fork tube of the front fork with a screw that cooperates with an internal thread of the fork tube of the front fork; and 
 turning the bicycle frame upside down and placing the bicycle's saddle on the saddle holder and connecting the handlebar adapter connecting arrangement to the handlebar adapter arrangement while adjusting a distance between the saddle receiving member and the handlebar adapter arrangement to the bicycle frame size with mounting elements that enable the handlebar adapter arrangement and the saddle holder to adjustably connect to the support or carrier structure.