State of the art Load carriers of the type described above are already known. However, the disadvantage of these known load carriers is that the width of the side frames relative to the carrier body is such that the side frames overlap when folded inward and cannot be folded compactly, with the result that the load carrier is bulky for storage purposes when not in use. To overcome this problem, it has been proposed that the width of the side frames should be reduced so that they do not overlap when folded inward. In certain cases, however, the result has been that the space available on the side frames for the wheels of the loaded bicycle is insufficient. It has also been proposed that the carrier body should be made wider relative to the side frames; however, this, on the other hand, has prevented certain bicycles from being loaded due to the resultant increased distance between the side frames.

In US 4,875, 608, the problem has been solved by making the depth of the side frames less than that of the carrier body, which permits at least one of the side frames, when folded inward, to be folded into the carrier body, affording a relatively compact folding arrangement. The disadvantage of this design, however, is that the carrier body must, in terms of depth, be over-dimensioned relative to that required to transport a given number of bicycles, resulting in unnecessary material usage and making the carrier body unstable.

Problems There exists, therefore, a need for a foldable bicycle carrier in which the side frames are of such width relative to the carrier body that the wheels of a

bicycle loaded on it are afforded sufficient room on the side frames and in which the width of the carrier body is not such that the distance between the side frames is excessive, and in which the side frames can be folded inward without overlapping and the carrier body does not require to be over- dimensioned.

Solution The present invention affords a solution to the above problems in the form of a load carrier of the type described in the introduction, which is characterised in that the folding device for at least one of the side frames incorporates a hinged arrangement, in which the hinge pin is offset with respect to the side of the carrier body facing the side frame.

The present invention is further characterised in that the said offset is between 1-10 centimetres.

The present invention is more further characterised in that the hinged arrangement comprises a pivot pin attached to the carrier body and a pivot plate attached to the side frame, which pivot plate is provided with an elongated hole whose longitudinal direction is lateral with respect to the longitudinal direction of the hinge pin, enabling the side frame to be moved sideways relative to the carrier body when the side frames are folded into a position in which they are located over the carrier body.

Finally the present invention is characterised in that the elongated hole in the pivot plate is between 1-10 centimetres in length.

Brief description of figures The invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the appended figures, of which: Fig. 1 is a general view of a load carrier in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a general view in which one of the side frames is folded inward; Fig. 3 is a general view in which both of the side frames are folded inward; Fig. 4 is a detail view of a folding device in a position in which the side frame is extended;

Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to that shown in Fig. 4 in which the side frame is shown being folded inward; Fig. 6 is a view in which the side frame has been folded further inward compared with Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a view in which the side frame has been folded fully inward and moved sideways on the support frame; Fig. 8 is a detail view of a hinged arrangement incorporated in the invention, with the side frame in the extended position; Fig. 9 is a view corresponding to Fig. 8 in which the side frame is in the folded position.

Preferred embodiment Fig. 1 shows a load carrier 1 incorporating a carrier frame 2, a coupling device 3 for mounting the load carrier on a vehicle (not shown in the figure) and a support arch 4. The support arch 4 is provided with retaining arms designed for attachment to parts of the frames of the bicycles (not shown) loaded on the carrier to secure them in the loaded position. The carrier frame 2 incorporates a carrier body 6 and a first side frame 7 and a second side frame 8. In Fig. 1, the side frames are shown in the extended position, forming a loading surface 9 together with the carrier body. The side frames 7 and 8 respectively are connected to the carrier body 6 by folding devices 10 and 11 respectively.

Although the figures show two folding devices 10 and two folding device 11, it will be clear to one skilled in the art that the folding devices may be one or more in number, depending on how they are positioned on the carrier frame parts.

In Fig. 2, the first side frame 7 is folded inward about the folding device 10 and in Fig. 3 the second side frame 8 is also folded inward about the folding device 11 and as shown the side frames 7 and 8 do not overlap and the load carrier 2 is folded compactly.

The folding devices incorporated in the present invention will hereinafter be described in greater detail with reference to Figs. 4-9.

Fig. 8-9 show a folding device 11 which incorporates a hinged arrangement 12.

Although the figures show the folding device 11, it will be clear to one skilled in the art that the description is equally applicable to the folding device 10, which is a mirror image of the folding device 11. The figures disclose schematically the carrier body 6 and side frame 8 and as is shown the side frame 8 is connected to the carrier body by the hinged arrangement 12. The side of the carrier body facing the side frame 8 is designated 13 and the hinge

pin of the hinged arrangement is designated 14. The hinge pin is offset by a distance B from the side 13. As will be clear to one skilled in the art, this location of the hinge pin causes the side frame 8, when folded, to be sideways displaced relative to the carrier body 6 in the direction indicated by the arrow H in Fig. 3 in the same manner as though the side frame were moved sideways on the carrier body as will be described bellow in connection with figures 4-7.

The sideways displacement of the side frame creates sufficient space on the carrier body 6 to permit the side frames to be folded without overlapping. The invention functions well if one side frame is connected to the carrier body by a hinged arrangement of the type described above but the offset B can be made shorter if both side frames, rather than only one, are provided with the said hinged arrangement. It has also been shown that the invention works best when the offset B is between 1 and 10 centimetres.

Fig. 4-7 discloses in detail an alternative folding device and the disclosed device is the folding device 10 but it will be clear to the one skilled in the art that the description is equally applicable to the folding device 11 which is a mirror image of the folding device 10. The folding device 10 incorporates a hinge pin 15 attached to the carrier body 6. The hinge pin consists of a U- shaped pin attached to the carrier body 6 in known manner by means of fasteners 16. The side frame 7 is provided with a hinge plate 17, which in the embodiment shown, consists of a U-shaped metal plate attached to the side frame 7 in known manner. The hinge plate is provided with an elongated hole 18 enclosing the hinge pin 15. The longitudinal direction of the elongated hole is indicated by the double arrow L and the longitudinal direction of the hinge pin by the double arrow T (see Fig. 6). The longitudinal part of the hinge pin is shown placed over the carrier body 6 but it is clear to the one skilled in the art that the said part may be placed offset to the carrier body in the same way as the hinge pin 14, described above with reference to fig. 8-9.

The function of the folding devices disclosed in fig 4-7 will be described below in greater detail with reference to Figs. 1-7. In the deployed position, the carrier body 6 and side frames 7 and 8 comprise a carrier frame 2 (Fig. 1).

When the side frame 7 is folded inward, the frame is turned clockwise and the hinge plate 17 is pivoted about the hinge pin 15 in the manner illustrated in Figs. 4-7. In the position in which the side frame is located at the end of the folding phase, the side frame can be moved sideways on the carrier body in the direction indicated by the arrow V in Fig. 2, the elongated hole 18 permitting the hinge plate 17 to move relative to the hinge pin 15. The side

frame 8 is then folded in corresponding manner in the counterclockwise direction into the position shown in Fig. 3 and the side frame 8 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow H in Fig. 3. The sideways movement of the side frames creates sufficient space on the carrier body 6 to permit the side frames to be folded without overlapping. Although both of the folding devices 10 and 11 are shown in the figures with elongated holes, it will be clear to one skilled in the art that only one of the folding devices 10 or 11 need to be provided with an elongated hole. In such case, however, the elongated hole must be made longer and tests have shown that the invention works best if each of the respective elongated holes is between 1 and 10 centimetres in length.