Adapter system for attaching panniers or containers to luggage carriers

Abstract

An adapter system for attaching panniers or containers to luggage carriers, in particular for attaching panniers or containers to the top of a luggage carrier, has releasable fixing elements for engaging between respective structs and respective struts of the luggage carrier. The positions of the fixing elements is adjustable and are arrangeable on respective struts and/or cross members or plates or frames of the adapter system, wherein at least one strut and/or cross member and/or plate is designed with a plurality of retaining elements protruding from its surface facing the luggage carrier.

Claims

1. An adapter system, for attaching a pannier to a luggage carrier, comprising: an adaptor central cross member fixed to a surface side of said pannier; a plurality of adaptor struts extending from said adaptor central cross member; at least one adaptor releasable fixing element adjustably slidably arranged on one of said plurality of adaptor struts; a plurality of adaptor retaining elements projecting from at least one of said adaptor central cross member and said plurality of adaptor struts and toward said luggage carrier; said luggage carrier having a plurality of luggage struts spaced by at least one luggage cross-strut; said at least one adaptor fixing element (having a fixing receiving profile for releasably engaging with a luggage carrier fixing profile on least one of said plurality of luggage struts or said at least one luggage cross-strut; said fixing receiving profile of said at least one adaptor fixing element being spring biased into a releasable engagement with said at least one luggage carrier fixing profile; and said luggage carrier having a respective plurality of luggage retaining element recesses shaped to receive respective ones of said plurality of adaptor retaining elements.

2. The adaptor system, according to claim 1, wherein: said plurality of adaptor retaining elements are at least partially elastic.

3. The adaptor system, according to claim 2, wherein: said plurality of adaptor retaining elements further comprise a friction-increasing material.

4. The adaptor system, according to claim 3, further comprising: at least one reversibly compressible element in said luggage retaining element recess of said luggage carrier operative to act upon at least one respective adaptor retaining element.

5. The adaptor system, according to claim 4, wherein: at least one of said plurality of retaining elements projecting from said cross member or at least one of said reversible compressive element in said luggage carrier being one of an elastomeric material, a foam material, or a rubber material.

6. The adaptor system, according to claim 5, wherein: said at least one adaptor fixing element is fixable to said one of said plurality of adaptor struts after a sliding adjustment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following, the invention is described in more detail by way of example with reference to drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an adapter system for attaching panniers or containers to luggage carriers

(3) FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an adapter system arranged on a bicycle basket

(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an adapter system arranged on a bicycle basket above a luggage carrier.

(5) FIG. 4 shows a rear view of a luggage carrier and an adapter system.

(6) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of an adapter system with a bicycle basket arranged thereon, attached to a luggage carrier.

(7) FIG. 6 shows a bottom view of the adapter system with a pannier, attached to a luggage carrier.

(8) FIG. 7 shows another bottom view of the adapter system with a pannier attached to a luggage carrier.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(9) FIGS. 1 to 5 show an adapter system 1 for attaching panniers 10 or containers to luggage carriers 21, in particular for attaching panniers or containers to the top of a luggage carrier with releasable fixing elements 20 for engaging around and/or on and/or in struts 22, 23 of a luggage carrier. The pannier or the container is preferably permanently connected to the adapter system, but in some designs can also be designed so that it can be separated from the pannier by means of screw connections.

(10) In the exemplary design shown, the adapter system has two struts 3 with a connecting central cross member 2, with releasable fixing elements 20 being arranged on the struts 3 in the area of each end, by means of which the adapter system shown in this design can be attached to or around the longitudinal struts 22 of a luggage carrier 21. The fixing elements are preferably designed to be displaceable at least along the struts 3, as a result of which the adapter system can be easily adapted to different luggage carrier geometries. The same applies to the position of the two struts 3, which can be designed to be displaceable in the central cross member in order to be able to adapt to luggage carriers of different widths. As can be clearly seen in FIG. 1, the adapter system between the two struts 3 is formed with a base plate or housing 2 which is at least partially hollowed-out and is provided with openings for protruding retaining means 4, which are formed like knobs. The retaining means 4 protruding from the housing 2 are preferably designed in the interior of the housing in such a configuration as to generate a counterforce. This can be accomplished by individual spring elements for each individual retaining means, by a common plate which is acted upon by spring force and which simultaneously acts on all retaining means or by an elastic plate or a foam plate or the like.

(11) By placing the adapter system on a luggage carrier, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 5, some of the retaining means 4 are pressed, for example, onto the struts 22, 23 of the luggage carrier 21, wherein other retaining means extend again in front of or behind a cross member 23 of the luggage carrier, in this case. The adapter system is attached and fixed to the luggage carrier by means of the fixing elements 20, wherein a slippage is further prevented by the contact of the retaining means 4 with the struts of the luggage carrier. In addition, retaining means that are not resting on the struts of the luggage carrier and thus protrude in front of a cross strut 23 of the luggage carrier also block a slipping movement of the adapter system in a specific direction. This can be clearly seen in FIG. 7, where a retaining means 4 is extended in front of a cross member 23 of the luggage carrier 21 and thus effectively prevents the adapter system from slipping along the top of the luggage carrier.

(12) Having described preferred designs of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it should be noted that the invention is not limited to the precise design thereof and various changes and modifications can be made therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.