Event rack/stand

Abstract

A portable and expandable multi-functioning event rack is adapted for use as a bicycle rack, an information displaying apparatus, or as a structure to cordon off an area. The event rack includes support stands with attachment members that removably receive connecting members in a horizontal orientation such that bicycles may be parked on and locked to the connecting members. The connecting members are adapted to connect to adjacent connecting members such that a variously configurable event rack may be created. The support stands are also adapted to receive a mounted member, such as a banner display for the displaying of information or a cover assembly to shelter items from inclement weather.

1 . A portable event rack stand assembly comprising: 
 a first support stand having a first frame and a first attachment member attached to said first frame;    a second support stand having a second frame and a second attachment member attached to said second frame; and    a connecting member having first and second connecting member ends;    wherein said connecting member is removably received by said first and second attachment members.    
   
   
       2 . The portable stand assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said first and second attachment members comprise first and second stand sleeves.  
   
   
       3 . The portable stand assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said frames are generally triangular, each of said frames having a base member and two side members, said side members angularly converging upwards from said base member and intersecting, said stand sleeves being attached to said frames where said side members intersect.  
   
   
       4 . The portable stand assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said first stand sleeve is normal to a plane defined by said first frame, and wherein said second stand sleeve is normal to a plane defined by said second frame.  
   
   
       5 . The portable stand assembly of  claim 4 , wherein said first connecting member end is located proximate said first stand sleeve of said first support stand and said second connecting member end is located proximate said second stand sleeve of said second support stand.  
   
   
       6 . The portable stand assembly of  claim 5 , further including a lock hole on said first connecting member end and a lock hole on said second connecting member end, each said lock hole being adapted to receive a lock such that removal of said connecting member from said stand sleeves is prohibited.  
   
   
       7 . The portable stand assembly of  claim 2 , further including a cable having first and second cable ends, and wherein said connecting member is hollow, said cable being adapted to pass through said hollow connecting member such that said first cable end extends out of said first connecting member end and said second cable end extends out of said second connecting member end, said cable ends each being adapted to receive a lock such that said connecting member is inhibited from being removed from said stand sleeves.  
   
   
       8 . The portable stand assembly of  claim 1 , including a stabilizing foot located on each of said frames.  
   
   
       9 . The portable stand assembly of  claim 1 , further including a mounting post extending substantially vertically upwards from each said frame, said mounting post being adapted to receive a mounted member.  
   
   
       10 . The portable stand assembly of  claim 9 , wherein each said mounting post includes a stop.  
   
   
       11 . The portable stand assembly of  claim 9 , wherein each said mounting post includes a posthole adapted to receive a pin.  
   
   
       12 . The portable stand assembly of  claim 2 , wherein said frames are made of solid metallic material and said stand sleeves are made of hollow metallic material, and wherein said frames and said stand sleeves are coated with a polymeric material.  
   
   
       13 . The portable stand assembly of  claim 1 , further including at least one locking ring, said at least one locking ring being slidably disposed around said connecting member between said first and second attachment members.  
   
   
       14 . A portable event rack stand assembly comprising: 
 a first support stand having a first frame and a first attachment member attached to said first frame, said first frame including a first mounting post;    a second support stand having a second frame and a second attachment member attached to said second frame, said second frame including a second mounting post; and    a mounted member;    wherein said mounted member is adapted to be received by at least one of said first and second attachment members.    
   
   
       15 . The portable stand assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said first and second attachment members comprise first and second stand sleeves.  
   
   
       16 . The portable stand assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said mounted member is a banner display having first and second legs, wherein said first leg is adapted to be received by said first mounting post and said second leg is adapted to be received by said second mounting post, and wherein said first and second legs are adapted to support a banner.  
   
   
       17 . The portable stand assembly of  claim 16 , including a stop on each of said first and second mounting posts, wherein said first and second legs are supported on said stops.  
   
   
       18 . The portable stand assembly of  claim 16 , wherein said first and second mounting posts each include a posthole and said first and second legs each include a mounting hole, said postholes being adapted to align with said mounting holes when said first and second legs are received by said first and second mounting posts, and wherein said mounting holes and said postholes are adapted to receive a pin.  
   
   
       19 . The portable stand assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said mounted member is a cover assembly, said cover assembly including: 
 first and second vertical cover members attached to and extending upwardly from said first and second mounting posts;    a horizontal cover member extending between and supported by said first and second vertical cover members; and    a tarpaulin;    wherein said tarpaulin is disposed over said horizontal cover member such that said tarpaulin substantially covers the area bounded by said first and second support stands.    
   
   
       20 . The portable stand assembly of  claim 14 , wherein each of said first and second frames is made of solid metallic material and each of said stand sleeves is made of hollow metallic material, and wherein said frames and said stand sleeves are each coated with a polymeric material.  
   
   
       21 . The portable stand assembly of  claim 15 , further including a connecting member, said connecting member being adapted to be received by said first and second stand sleeves.  
   
   
       22 . An expandable event rack system comprising: 
 a plurality of connecting members, said connecting members having first and second connecting ends, wherein said first connecting end of one of said connecting members is adapted to connect to said second connecting end of an adjacent one of said connecting members; and    a plurality of support stands, each of said support stands having an attachment member adapted to removably receive said connecting members;    wherein a rack is formed when said attachment members of said support stands receive said connecting members and said connecting members are each connected to an adjacent other one of said connecting members at said connecting ends.    
   
   
       23 . The expandable event rack of  claim 22 , wherein said attachment member of each said support stand is a stand sleeve.  
   
   
       24 . The expandable event rack of  claim 23 , wherein said rack includes a first rack free end and a second rack free end distal to said first rack free end, said first rack free end being located at the said first connecting end of a said connecting member that is not connected to another said connecting member, and said second rack free end being located at the said second connecting end of a distal said connecting member that is not connected to another said connecting member.  
   
   
       25 . The expandable event rack system of  claim 24 , wherein said connecting members are rectilinear forming a linear rack.  
   
   
       26 . The expandable event rack of  claim 25 , including: 
 a first said linear rack placed in substantially parallel alignment to a second said linear rack, said first and second linear racks having substantially equal length;    a third said linear rack placed in substantially perpendicular alignment to said first and second linear racks such that said first and second linear racks form substantially right angles with said third linear rack; and    a first and a second corner assembly, said first corner assembly adapted to connect said second rack free end of said first linear rack to said first rack free end of said third linear rack and said second corner assembly adapted to connect said first rack free end of said second linear rack to said second rack free end of said third linear rack;    wherein said first, second, and third linear racks form a corral.    
   
   
       27 . The expandable event rack of  claim 26 , further including: 
 a third and a fourth corner assembly, said third corner assembly being attached to said first rack free end of said first linear rack and said fourth corner assembly being attached to said second rack free end of said second linear rack;    an entrance side number of connecting members, said entrance side number of connecting members being equal to at least one less than the number of connecting members of said third linear rack; and    an entrance side number of support stands, said entrance side number of support stands being equal to two more than the number of said entrance side number of connecting members;    wherein said entrance side number of support stands and said entrance side number of connecting members are disposed between said third and fourth corner assemblies to form an entrance to said corral.    
   
   
       28 . The expandable event rack of  claim 26 , further including: 
 a fourth linear rack; and    a third and a fourth corner assembly;    wherein said fourth linear rack is disposed between said first and second linear racks, and wherein said third corner assembly is adapted to connect said first rack free end of said first linear rack to said second rack free end of said fourth linear rack, and wherein said fourth corner assembly is adapted to connect said second rack free end of said second linear rack to said first rack free end of said fourth linear rack.    
   
   
       29 . The expandable event rack of  claim 22 , including at least one coupler, said at least one coupler being adapted to connect said first connecting end of one of said connecting members to said second connecting end of an adjacent one of said connecting members.  
   
   
       30 . The expandable event rack of  claim 22 , wherein each said frame includes a mounting post extending substantially vertically upwards from said frames.  
   
   
       31 . The expandable event rack of  claim 22 , further including at least one locking ring, said at least one locking ring being slidably disposed around at least one of said connecting members.  
   
   
       32 . The expandable event rack of  claim 24 , further including a cable having first and second cable ends, and wherein said connecting members are hollow, said cable being adapted to pass through said hollow connecting members such that said first cable end extends out of said first rack free end and said second cable end extends out of said second rack free end, said cable ends being adapted to receive a lock such that said connecting members are inhibited from being removed from said stand sleeves.  
   
   
       33 . A bicycle parking and information display support stand for use with others comprising: 
 a frame adapted to be placed on a support surface; and    an attachment member attached to said frame;    wherein said attachment member defines an axis substantially parallel to the support surface.    
   
   
       34 . The stand of  claim 33 , wherein said attachment member is a stand sleeve.  
   
   
       35 . The stand of  claim 33 , including a stabilizing foot located on said frame and adapted to stabilize said stand on the support surface.  
   
   
       36 . The stand of  claim 33 , wherein said frame is generally triangular and includes a base member and two side members, said side members angularly converging upwards from said base member, said adjacent member being fixedly secured to said frame where said side members intersect.  
   
   
       37 . The stand of  claim 33 , including a mounting post extending substantially vertically upwards from said frame.  
   
   
       38 . The stand of  claim 37 , wherein said mounting post includes a stop.  
   
   
       39 . The stand of  claim 37 , wherein said mounting post includes a posthole adapted to receive a pin.  
   
   
       40 . The stand of  claim 37 , including a mounted member, wherein said mounted member is adapted to be received by said mounting post.  
   
   
       41 . The stand of  claim 34 , wherein said stand sleeve has a first sleeve end and a second sleeve end, said first and second sleeve ends extending in opposite directions away from said frame.  
   
   
       42 . The stand of  claim 34 , wherein said frame is made of solid metallic material and said stand sleeve is made of hollow metallic material, and wherein said frame and said stand sleeve are coated with a polymeric material.  
   
   
       43 . An expandable event rack comprising: 
 a plurality of connecting members, said connecting members having first and second connecting ends, wherein said first connecting end of one of said connecting members is adapted to connect to said second connecting end of an adjacent one of said connecting members; and    a plurality of support stands, each said support stand having an attachment member adapted to removably receive said connecting members;    wherein said connecting members and said support stands are adapted to form a corral when said attachment members of said support stands receive said connecting members and said connecting members are each connected to an adjacent one of said connecting members at said connecting ends, said corral having a first corral end and a second corral end, wherein said first corral end is the said first connecting end of a said connecting member that is not connected to an adjacent said connecting member, and wherein said second corral end is the said second connecting end of a said connecting member that is not connected to an adjacent said connecting member.    
   
   
       44 . The expandable event rack of  claim 43 , wherein said attachment member of each said support stand is a stand sleeve.  
   
   
       45 . The expandable event rack of  claim 43 , wherein said connecting members and said support stands form a totally enclosed corral such that said first corral end and said second corral end are connected by at least one said connecting member.  
   
   
       46 . The expandable even rack of  claim 43 , further including a first linear rack, a second linear rack, a third linear rack, a fourth linear rack, and four corner assemblies, wherein each said linear rack comprises a plurality of rectilinear connecting members supported by a plurality of support stands, said linear racks being connected by said corner assemblies and said first and second corral ends being located on said fourth linear rack, and wherein said first and second corral ends define an opening.  
   
   
       47 . The expandable event rack of  claim 43 , further including a cable having first and second cable ends, and wherein said connecting members and said attachment members are hollow, said cable being adapted to pass through said hollow connecting members and said hollow attachment members such that said first cable end extends out of said first corral end and said second cable end extends out of said second corral end, said cable ends being adapted to receive a lock such that said corral is inhibited from being disassembled.  
   
   
       48 . The expandable event rack of  claim 43 , further including at least one locking ring, said at least one locking ring being slidably disposed around at least one of said connecting members.  
   
   
       49 . A portable event rack stand assembly comprising: 
 a first support stand having a first frame and a first attachment member attached to said first frame, said first frame including a first mounting post;    a second support stand having a second frame and a second attachment member attached to said second frame, said second frame including a second mounting post; and    a connecting member having first and second connecting member ends;    wherein said first and second attachment members are adapted to removably receive said ends of said connecting member, and wherein said mounting posts are each adapted to receive a mounted member.    
   
   
       50 . The portable event rack stand assembly of  claim 49 , wherein said first and second attachment members comprise first and second stand sleeves.  
   
   
       51 . The portable event rack stand assembly of  claim 49 , wherein said mounted member is a standalone banner display, said standalone banner display having first and second legs, wherein said first leg is adapted to be received by said first mounting post and said second leg is adapted to be received by said second mounting post, and wherein said first and second legs are adapted to support a banner.  
   
   
       52 . The portable event rack stand assembly of  claim 49 , wherein said mounted member is a cover assembly, said cover assembly including: 
 first and second vertical cover members attached to and extending upwardly from said first and second mounting posts;    a horizontal cover member extending between and supported by said first and second vertical cover members; and    a tarpaulin;    wherein said tarpaulin is disposed over said horizontal cover member such that said tarpaulin substantially covers the area bounded by said first and second support stands.    
   
   
       53 . The portable event rack stand assembly of  claim 49 , wherein said connecting member includes first and second ends, said first and second ends having first and second lock holes, wherein each of said lock holes is adapted to receive a lock.  
   
   
       54 . The portable event rack stand assembly of  claim 49 , further including a cable having first and second cable ends, and wherein said connecting member and said attachment members are hollow, said cable being adapted to pass through said hollow connecting member and said hollow attachment members such that said first cable end extends out of said first connecting member end and said second cable end extends out of said second connecting member end, said cable ends being adapted to receive a lock such that said connecting member is inhibited from being removed from said stand sleeves.  
   
   
       55 . The portable event rack stand assembly of  claim 49 , further including at least one locking ring, said at least one locking ring being slidably disposed around said connecting member.