The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 06, 2004
Filed:
Apr. 09, 2002
Clint D. Kolda, Cottage Grove, WI (US);
Graber Products, Inc., Madison, WI (US);
Abstract
A fork mount or clamping assembly for securement to the prongs of a bicycle fork, such as is incorporated into a bicycle carrier. The clamping assembly includes a pair of inner clamping surfaces, and an axial skewer member extends outwardly from the inner clamping surfaces for receiving the fork prongs. A fixed front clamping member is engaged with one end of the skewer and is located outwardly of one of the inner clamping surfaces. A movable second clamping member is located outwardly of the other inner clamping surface. An adjustable position actuator arrangement is engaged with the skewer outwardly of the second outer clamping member, and is operable to selectively move the outer clamping members toward and away from each other. The actuator arrangement includes a threaded sleeve engaged with threads formed at one end of the skewer member, in combination with a pivotable cam-type actuator member which is pivotably mounted to the sleeve. The actuator member defines a cam surface that interacts with the second outer clamping member so as to selectively move the outer clamping members toward and away from each other upon pivoting movement of the actuator member. The threaded connection between the sleeve and the skewer member is located within a recess defined by the second outer clamping member, and the first outer clamping member includes an engagement tab received within a slot in the fork prong so as to prevent rotation of the skewer. In this manner, the actuator arrangement can be rotated relative to the skewer so as to adjust its axial position, to accommodate fork prongs of varying thickness. A spring is located between the sleeve and the outer clamping member, to enable the outer clamping member to act as a cam follower, and the spring functions to urge the outer clamping members away from each other.