US 12,065,106 B2
Wheel holder and load carrier attachment devices for a vehicle
Klara Rosenqvist, Jönköping (SE); Simon Stråth, Jönköping (SE); Anders Nilvius, Värnamo (SE); Andreas Arvidsson, Sävsjö (SE); and Hannes Olaison, Falun (SE)
Assigned to Thule Sweden AB, Hillerstorp (SE)
Filed by Thule Sweden AB, Hillerstorp (SE)
Filed on Dec. 14, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/121,136.
Claims priority of application No. 19218426 (EP), filed on Dec. 20, 2019; and application No. 20182007 (EP), filed on Jun. 24, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0188186 A1, Jun. 24, 2021
Int. Cl. B60R 9/10 (2006.01); B62H 3/04 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 9/10 (2013.01) [B62H 3/04 (2013.01)] 26 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A wheel holder for a vehicle for attaching a wheel of a bicycle to a rooftop of a vehicle, the wheel holder comprising:
a docking device comprising a load connecting portion and a wheel holding member,
wherein the load connecting portion is configured to be attached to a cross bar of a vehicle,
wherein the wheel holding member is separate from a frame of the bicycle and configured to releasably attach to the load connecting portion to allow attachment of the wheel to the wheel holding member at a location remote from the load connecting portion, and
wherein, by moving the wheel holding member towards the load connecting portion in a vertical downward direction, the docking device is brought into a holding state in which it holds the wheel holding member against gravity without further securement.