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For full features; Go to My bike rack project: need your input!
It's an improvement upon an existing product: the bike rack. This would be
an add-on to the standard bike rack, aiding people who are short/weak and
have trouble lifting a bike onto their roof. The Pro-E drawing doesn't show
how it works so I drew up a crappy sketch:
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m255/giant016/001.jpg
There's a bar that swings down from the bike rack, and the bike's fork
bolts into it. At this point the bike is perpendicular to the car. You can
then slide the bike/bar up to the roof rack. It then pivots and locks so
that the bike ends up parallel with the car.
Here's the link to the survey, it's only 8 questions.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?s...2fQWnneQ_3d_3d
Thanks a bunch guys.
giant016
.
.
If I'm not mistaken on your idea, BMW already makes something very
similar.
BMW Bicycle Lift
(http://accessories.bmwusa.com/ItemView.aspx?modelId=434&categoryId=79&prod
uctCategoryId=&menuId=3&subItemId=0&productId=74)
.
.
BavarianWheels
That's not the full link.
The idea looks good though.
chris_knows
Everything has been done before. It's depressing doing patent searches.
Patent infringement wouldn't be a problem at all, but I think I see what
you're saying. Unfortunately this project isn't very open-ended. Plus the
professor won't let us use pneumatics or motors. The only REALLY good
design we had for a new rack without pneumatics or motors was pretty much
already patented to the T.
I also realized that I missed a hinge in the drawing. Should be one in the
bar about 1-2feet from the actual rack. That way it folds there and you
can rest the weight on the edge or the rack and slide it up. It still has
the problem of needing to reach too high though.
giant016
