US 12,330,595 B1
Hitch-mounted lift rack for bicycles or other equipment
Christopher Fortune, Madison, WI (US); Erik Eagleman, Madison, WI (US); Michael Hammond, Monona, WI (US); and Kyle Neuser, Madison, WI (US)
Assigned to Saris Equipment, LLC, Edison, NJ (US)
Filed by Saris Equipment, LLC, Edison, NJ (US)
Filed on Dec. 15, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/122,614.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/949,736, filed on Dec. 18, 2019.
Int. Cl. B60R 9/06 (2006.01); B60R 9/10 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 9/06 (2013.01) [B60R 9/10 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An equipment carrier for transporting an item of equipment on a vehicle having a hitch receiver at the rear of the vehicle, comprising:
a hitch receiver engagement portion that includes a hitch receiver engagement member configured to be received in the hitch receiver;
an equipment support portion interconnected with the hitch receiver portion via a pivot connection, wherein the equipment support portion includes a mast defining an upper end and a lower end; an extension member that is movable relative to the mast between a lowered position, a raised position located above the lowered position, and a tilt actuation position located above the raised position; a drive arrangement interposed between the mast and the extension member for selectively moving the extension member between the lowered and raised positions; and an equipment support arrangement carried by the extension member, wherein the equipment support arrangement is movable via the drive arrangement between a lowered position, a raised position and a tilt position upon movement of the extension member between the lowered, raised and tilt actuation positions, respectively; and
a tilt actuator arrangement interposed between the extension member and the hitch receiver engagement portion, wherein the tilt actuator arrangement is configured to pivot the equipment support portion about the pivot connection relative to the hitch receiver engagement portion from an upright position to the tilt position in response to movement of the extension member to the tilt actuation position, wherein in the tilt position the equipment support portion is tilted in a direction away from the rear of the vehicle.