Vehicle article carrier for supporting articles adjacent a liftgate of a vehicle

055 664

DESCRIPTION

Car roof rack to support items on your tailgate.

Object of the invention

This invention relates generally to vehicle roof rack systems and, particularly, to a multi-position vehicle roof rack system having a load bearing structure capable of being secured on a rear hatch of a vehicle.

Background of the invention

Vehicle roof racks are used in a wide variety of vehicles to support loads and other miscellaneous items on top of an exterior surface of the body, such as a roof portion, of a vehicle. Typically, such systems include a pair of side rails or slats that are fixedly secured to the roof portion of the vehicle. Usually, a pair of cross bars are secured to the side rails or slats to extend transversely between them. The loads were then placed on the crossbars and secured by fastening through belay straps or suitable taut spring cords so that the loads are securely attached to the roof rack while the vehicle is in use.

A drawback with any conventional vehicle roof rack system is the occasional difficulty in lifting loads and other items to be transported onto the roof portion of the vehicle. This is particularly so if the vehicle is a sport utility vehicle or minivan, in which case its roof is often at a height that is higher than what many individuals can easily reach when attempting to lift loads onto the roof rack. . Removing loads from the vehicle roof rack can often be just as difficult depending, of course, on the specific loads, their dimensions and their weight.

Some attempts have been made to overcome this problem by providing a vehicle roof rack having some form of movable load bearing structure that can be arranged in a temporary position where loads can be easily loaded onto it. Such systems, for example, are illustrated in US Patents No.^you 5,649,655; 5,505,579 and 5,417,358.

The systems illustrated in the aforementioned patents typically suffer from one or more drawbacks. Such systems are often complex to manufacture and therefore expensive. With some such devices, they cannot be left in a "lowered" position, but rather must be kept in a retracted position on top of the vehicle roof. Some do not allow, either, convenient opening of the rear door of a vehicle, when the load bearing portion is in its lowered position.

Yet another drawback with such pre-existing roof rack systems, as described above, is the inability to remove the load bearing portion of the system when not needed. It would also be advantageous to be able to crush the removed load bearing portion into a compact arrangement that could be stored in a canvas bag or other such utensil and then stored in a garage, or even in the vehicle from which it was removed.

Consequently, there is a need in the relevant art to provide a vehicle roof rack having a load bearing structure that can be secured on the rear door of a vehicle, thus allowing loads to be secured to it without a user has to be up on a ladder or other utensil, as with usual roof-mounted roof rack systems.

Furthermore, there is a need in the relevant art to provide a vehicle roof rack in which a load bearing structure is used to support loads adjacent to a rear tailgate of a vehicle, and which also allows the tailgate to be raised. and lowered without interference from the roof rack, and also does not add an appreciable amount of weight to the tailgate. Still, there is a need in the relevant art to provide a vehicle roof rack that has a load-bearing structure that is mounted on a rear door of a vehicle, and in which the load-bearing structure can be quickly and rapidly disassembled. easily from the vehicle when the load-bearing structure is not needed, and can also be squashed into a compact storage arrangement.

Explanation of the invention

According to the principles of the present invention, a roof rack is envisaged to hold loads and other items adjacent to a rear door of a vehicle, such as a sports utility vehicle, a caravan vehicle, or a mini van, having an advantageous construction. The roof rack includes a tailgate hitch that can be attached to the vehicle's tailgate and a bumper hitch that can be attached to the vehicle's bumper. A first link bar is pivotally connected to the roof support structure of the motor vehicle and a second link bar is pivotally coupled to the first link bar. A locking assembly is coupled to the second link bar and can be actuated in a closed position to couple the second link bar to the bumper hitch. In an open position, the locking assembly releases the bumper latch in response to contact from the tailgate latch to allow quick and convenient lifting of the tailgate without the need to first unhook the roof rack from the bumper.

TO^í Additional areas of the field of application of the present invention will be apparent from the detailed description provided below. It is to be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Brief description of the drawings

The present invention will be fully understood from the detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which:

055 664 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rear portion of a vehicle illustrating a first embodiment of an articulating, multi-position roof rack apparatus in accordance with the present invention secured to the exterior surface of the vehicle body, with the device in a first position or lowered;

Fig. 2 is a view of the apparatus and vehicle shown in fig. 1 with the apparatus arranged in an intermediate position about to be pushed onto a roof portion of the vehicle;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus of fig. 1 showing the apparatus in a second position in which one of its load bearing structures is arranged on the roof portion of the vehicle;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one of the hitch mounts secured to a support beam in the rear bumper of the vehicle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the free end of the load bearing structure secured to the latch mount, taken in accordance with section line 5-5 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of the latch assembly of FIG. 5 with the lower locking assembly of the load bearing structure disengaged from it and ready to be lifted away from the bumper;

FIG. 6a is a fragmentary cross-sectional side view of the latch lever of FIG. 5 being applied in the latch assembly, while the latch lever is pushed into the latch assembly;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the torque bar assembly of the load bearing structure illustrating one of the lower locking assemblies at one end of the torque bar assembly;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the torque bar assembly shown in FIG. 7 taken in accordance with section line 8-8 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the torque bar assembly taken according to section line 9-9 in FIG. 8;

theFig. 10 is a plan view of the rear portion of one of the side rails also showing the hinge assembly and a small portion of the load bearing structure;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the hinge assembly and the rear end portion of one of the side rails;

Fig. 11a is a plan view of an end portion of the hinge assembly illustrating the pair of rollers that are used to allow rolling movement of the hinge assembly along its associated side rail;

FIG. 12 is a side view of the hinge assembly when the load bearing structure is disposed in the lowered position shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a side view of the hinge assembly as the load bearing structure is moved to the intermediate position shown in FIG. two;

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional side view of the link assembly taken along section line 14-14 in FIG. 10, when the load bearing structure is in the lowered position of FIG. 1;

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional side view of the hinge assembly of FIG. 14 with the load bearing structure raised in the intermediate position of FIG. two;

FIG. 16 is a partial cross-sectional view of the side rail taken in accordance with section line 16-16 in FIG. eleven;

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional side view of the upper locking assembly of one of the rear supports, taken in accordance with section line 17-17 in FIG. 3;

Fig. 18 is a perspective view of an alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 19 is a perspective view of the roof rack of fig. 18 with its load bearing structure in a lowered position;

Fig. 20 is a perspective view of another alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 21 is a perspective view of the roof rack of fig. 20 with its load bearing structure in the lowered position;

Fig. 22 is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the roof rack of the present invention;

Fig. 23 is a side view of the roof rack shown in fig. 22 but with the rear door of the vehicle in the open position;

FIG. 23A is a cross-sectional end view taken along section line 23A-23A in FIG. 22;

Fig. 24 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the main support members showing one of the cross bars secured thereto in a storage arrangement when the roof rack is not in use and is removed from the vehicle;

Fig. 25 is an exploded perspective view of the components comprising the upper pivot assembly;

Fig. 26 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the pivot assembly;

FIG. 27 is an end view of one of the brackets showing a portion of one of the upper linkage linkage bars pivotally coupled thereto;

Fig. 28 is an exploded perspective view of one of the anchor mounts fixedly attached to the tailgate;

FIG. 29 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of the lower pivot assembly engaged with the anchor assembly;

FIG. 30 is a perspective view of a rear portion of a vehicle illustrating yet another embodiment of an articulating, multi-position roof rack apparatus in accordance with the present invention secured to the exterior surface of the vehicle body with the apparatus in a first position or lowered;

FIG. 31 is a cross-sectional side view of the apparatus of FIG. 30, with portions

055 664 removed for clarity;

Fig. 32 is an enlarged perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the pivot assembly;

Fig. 33 is an enlarged perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the lock engagement between a cross member and a main support member, with portions removed for clarity;

Fig. 34 is an enlarged perspective view, with hidden portions, of the end of an alternative embodiment of the cross member;

Fig. 35 is a cross-sectional side view of the alternative embodiment of the cross member;

Fig. 36 is a cross-sectional side view of the alternative embodiment of the pivot assembly, taken along the line of cut

35-35 of fig. 32;

FIG. 37 is a cross-sectional side view of an alternate embodiment of the upper link assembly;

FIG. 38 is an enlarged perspective view of the alternate embodiment of the upper link assembly;

Fig. 39 is a cross-sectional side view of an alternative embodiment of the lower locking assembly;

Fig. 40 is an enlarged perspective view of the alternative embodiment of the lower locking assembly;

Fig. 41 is an enlarged perspective view of the anchor assembly;

FIG. 42 is an enlarged perspective view of a rear portion of a vehicle illustrating yet another embodiment of an articulating, multi-position roof rack apparatus in accordance with the present invention secured to the exterior surface of the vehicle body with the apparatus in a first position or lowered;

Fig. 43 is an enlarged, exploded perspective view of a lower locking assembly in accordance with the principles of the present invention, with portions removed for clarity;

Fig. 44 is a side view of the lower locking assembly in a closed or latched position;

FIG. 45 is a side view of the lower locking assembly as a rear port latch first engages a release latch;

Fig. 46 is a side view of the lower locking assembly as the rear port hitch disengages a hook member from a bumper hitch; and Fig. 47 is a side view of the lower locking assembly as the rear door and rear door hitch automaotically lift the lower locking assembly from the bumper hitch.

Detailed description of the preferred embodiments

The following description of the preferred embodiments is merely illustrative in nature and is not, in any way, intended to limit the invention, its application or uses.

Referring to fig. 1, a multi-position articulating vehicle roof rack apparatus 10 is shown in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus 10 is shown secured to a roof portion 12a of a motor vehicle 12. Although the motor vehicle 12 is illustrated as a sport utility vehicle (SUV), it was appreciated that the apparatus 10 could be used with mini vans, caravan vehicles, and a wide variety of other vehicles, and was therefore not limited to. use with a particular type of vehicle.

The apparatus 10 includes a pair of side rails 14 which are adapted to be fixedly secured to the roof portion 12a of the vehicle 12. Each side rail 14 includes a rear bracket 16 and a front bracket 17 that support a main portion 14a of the side rail. 14 above roof portion 12a. Each of the main portions 14a of each side rail 14 comprises C-channels.

A pair of link mechanisms 18 are engaged with the side rails 14 in order to be movable along each of the side rails 14. The link mechanisms 18 are pivotally secured to a load bearing structure 20. The load bearing structure 20 includes a frame comprised of side members 22, a transversely extending upper frame member 24, and a driver bar assembly 26. At least one crossbar 25, and most preferably a pair of crossbars 25, are disposed on the load bearing structure 20 to extend between the side members 22. The crossbars 25 may be fixedly secured to the side members 22 or to mounts. clamping device, or other means may be employed to allow adjustable positioning of the cross bars 25 along the side members 22. Belay straps, such as taut spring cords, can be used to secure loads on the cross bars 25.

A lower or free end 28 of the load bearing structure 20 includes a pair of lower lock mounts 30. These lower lock mounts 30 are each intended to engage with a corresponding pair of catch mounts 32 disposed within a rear bumper 34 of the vehicle 12.

With reference to figs. 1-3, the apparatus 10 can be secured in a first position or lowered arranged on a tailgate 12b, as shown in FIG. 1. In this position, loads can be carried on the load-bearing structure 20 by the use of suitable tension straps or spring cords or similar components, which secure the loads to the cross bars 25. In FIG. 2, the load bearing structure 20 is shown after it has been raised to an intermediate position. This is accomplished by a user actuating the actuator bar assembly 26 to release the lower lock assemblies 30 from the latch assemblies 32, and then lifting them upward over the free end 28 of the load bearing structure 20. Fig. 3 shows load bearing structure 20 after it has been slid down

055 664 front onto the roof portion 12a of the vehicle 12. In this position, the lower lock mounts 30 can be locked to a corresponding pair of upper lock mounts 36 associated with the two rear brackets 16.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, one of the latch assemblies 32 is shown. The latch assembly 32 includes a main body portion 38 and a latch door 40 pivotally secured by a pivot pin 42 to the main body portion 38. The latch gate 40 includes a lower end 44 that was loaded by a spring 46 secured to a transversely extending pin 50. Thus, the latch door 40 was constantly loaded to the closed position shown in FIG. 4. A base portion 52 allows the main body portion 38 to be secured to a frame structural member 54 disposed within the bumper 34. The portion The base 52 is preferably secured to the structural member 54 by a plurality of threaded fastening members 58 which extend through openings 52a in the base portion 52. An upper wall 56 of the main body portion 38 sits generally flush with an upper outer surface of the bumper 34 to present an aesthetically pleasing appearance whether or not the load bearing structure 20 is in the lowered position shown in FIG. 1.

Referring now to Figs. 7-9, the driver bar assembly 26 is described. Referring specifically to Figs. 7 and 8, the actuator bar assembly 26 includes a centrally disposed member 60 that can be manually gripped and rotated. The rotatable member 60 was disposed on a first sleeve portion 62 and supported by a pair of support rings 64 which are also disposed on the first sleeve 62.

The first sleeve 62 extends fully to each opposite end 66 of the actuator bar assembly 26 and was secured by at least one clamping member 68 within an end cap portion 70. A free rotating sleeve 72 was provided on each side of the rotatable sleeve 60 between one of the supports 64 and one of the end cap portions 70. The free-rotating sleeve 72 rotates freely while being grasped when the free end 28 of the load-bearing structure 20 is raised from the lowered position of FIG. 1 to the intermediate position of FIG. two.

With further reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, the rotatable sleeve 60 is secured to a torque rod 76 through a threaded member 74 which extends into a threaded hole 76a in the torque rod 76. A spacer sleeve 78 (also shown in Fig. Fig. 7) also receives the member 74 threaded through it. The first sleeve 62 includes a slot 80 that extends over an arc slightly greater than 90 degrees. Slot 80 allows rotatable sleeve 60 and threaded member 74 to be rotated without interference from first sleeve 62. Thus, when rotatable sleeve 60 is rotated, this rotary motion is transmitted to torque bar 76 .

With specific reference to FIG. 7, each opposite end of the torque bar 76 includes a crescent-shaped protrusion 82 that forms a camming surface 82a. The cam surface 82a is used to control the locking and unlocking of its associated lower locking assembly 30, which will be described in a moment. It was also appreciated that the actuator bar assembly 26 allows an unlocking action to be taken to release the two lower lock assemblies 30, simultaneously from their respective latch assemblies 32, simply by a short twisting movement of the sleeve 60 which can rotate. Thus, the unlocking of the actuator bar assembly 26 from the lower lock assemblies 32 can be accomplished with only one hand of a user and with a simple, short, and convenient rotary movement of the sleeve 60 that can rotate.

Referring now to Figs. 5-7, the construction and operation of one of the pairs of lower lock assemblies 30 are described. Each lower lock assembly 30 includes a latch lever 84 having an upper end 86 and a lower end 88. The latch lever 84 is pivotally mounted through a pivot pin 90 that extends through an opening 92 in the lever 84 and, also, through a main body portion 94 that partially encloses the latch lever 84.

With specific reference to FIG. 5, a spring 96 is disposed against an inner surface 22a of a tubular portion 22b of the side member 22, and extends through an opening 100 in the main body portion 94 to a notch 98 formed in the latch lever 84. The spring 96 biases lower end 88 of latch lever 84 upward to a closed or latched position, shown in FIG. 5.

With reference to figs. 5, 6 and 7, when the rotatable sleeve 60 is grasped with one hand and rotated, the cam surface 82a of the projection 82 rotates to push the upper end 86 of the latch lever 84 into pivotal position around the locking pin. pivot 90. As latch lever 84 rotates, its lower end 88 is pulled away from upper wall 56 of latch assembly 32 (FIG. 6). This allows a lip portion 102 of latch lever 84 to be removed from a notch 104 formed in a lower surface of upper wall 56. While the rotatable sleeve 60 is held in the rotated position, the user lifts the end. free 28 from load bearing structure 20 up and away from hitch mount 32.

When the free end 28 of the load bearing structure 20 is lowered to engage in engagement with the latch mounts 32, no rotational movement of the rotatable sleeve 60 is required for proper engagement of the lower lock mounts 30 to occur. As the lower end 88 of each latch lever 88 contacts its respective latch door 40, an edge portion 94a of the main body portion 94 engages the latch door 40 and pushes this component down to the position shown in the figures. figs. 5 and 6. Ha5

055 664 with reference to FIG. 6a, further downward motion of load bearing structure 22 causes lip portion 102 to engage an inner edge 106 of top wall 56. The further downward motion causes lip 102 to ride over inner edge 106 before springing to applied to notch 104 (FIG. 5).

Referring now to Figs. 10-15, the construction and operation of the link mechanisms 18 are described. With initial reference to FIGS. 10, 11 and 11a, each linkage mechanism 18 includes a pair of rollers 110 that are pivotally secured through axes 112 within interruptions 119a of a support bar 119. Support bar 119 is sized to be able to fit within a C-channel 14b of side rail 14 and through a C-channel 116a (fig. 11) in rear bracket 16. During assembly, the locking mechanism Link 18 is inserted through C-channel 116a in rear bracket 16, and a stop member 114 is secured to support bar 119 via threaded member 116. Stop member 114 prevents hinge mechanism 18 from being withdrawn beyond a predetermined point on its respective side rail 14.

With further reference to FIGS. 11 and 14, the support bar 119 includes a slot 120 formed therein into which a locking bar 122 is disposed. The locking bar 122 is pivotally mounted in a central opening 123 by a pivot pin 126 extending through support bar 18. An elongated and linear slot 124 is also formed in support bar 18. This slot 124 further includes a relief portion 124a to allow clearance for a cam blade 128. The slot 124 can vary in length, but in a preferred shape it is between about 152.4-228.6 millimeters.

With reference to figs. 14 and 15, a threaded member 132 extends through an opening 134 in a first end 136 of locking bar 122. Threaded member 132 captures a loading member 138 within opening 134. Loading member 138 serves to provide a constant loading force that tends to bias first end 136 of locking bar 122 upward into the position shown in FIG. fifteen.

With reference to figs. 10 and 14, the upper armazoan member 24 'includes a shaft portion 24a at each of its ends. The shaft portions 24a each have one of the cam lobes 128 attached to them at their outermost ends. Thus, the shaft portions 24a pivotally support the load bearing structure 20 from the link mechanisms 18. Importantly, the shaft portions 24a are also capable of sliding within the elongated slots 124 when the load bearing structure 20 is moved from the intermediate position of FIG. 2 to the position shown in fig. 3.

Referring now to Figs. 12, 13, 14 and 15, when the load bearing structure 20 is in the lowered position shown in FIG. 1, the side members 22 are arranged in the position shown in FIG. 12. In this position, cam blade 128 is engaged in relief portion 124a, as illustrated in FIG. 14. This allows the cam lobe 128 to lift a second end 140 of the locking bar 122, causing the first end 136 to protrude out of the support bar 119. The first end 136 abuts a notch 142 formed in the rear support 16, which prevents hinge mechanism 18 from inadvertently moving toward and into support member 16 when load bearing structure 20 is in the lowered position of FIG. 1. Thus, when in the lowered position shown in fig. 1, the load bearing structure 20 is fixedly arranged. Its upper end 20a cannot be pulled out away from the upper brackets 16 due to the abutting engagement of the stop members 114 with their respective brackets 16. The support application of the first end 136 of each locking bar 122 with the notch 142 of each support 16 prevents the upper end 20a from being pushed towards the side rails 14. Consequently, the loads supported on the transverse bars 25 of the structure Load bearing 20 can be supported just as safely with frame 20 in the lowered position as when frame 20 is arranged on roof portion 12a of vehicle 12.

When the load bearing structure 20 is raised to the intermediate position shown in FIG. 2, the cam blade 128 rotates in accordance with rotational movement of the upper frame member 24 (FIG. 1) to the position shown in FIG. 13. This rotation of cam lobe 128 allows spring 138 to bias first end 136 of locking bar 122 upward to the position shown in FIG. fifteen. In this position, locking bar 122 is now able to clear notch 142. Consequently, the entire linkage mechanism 18 can be pushed forward (ie, to the right in the drawings of Figs. 12-15 ) through the C-channels 16a in each of the rear brackets 16.

This unlocking action is also achieved automatically by simply lifting the free end 28 of the load bearing structure 20 to the intermediate position shown in FIG. two.

Once the individual has raised the load bearing structure 20 to the position shown in FIG. 2, the entire load bearing structure can be pushed forward until the structure 20 is located on the roof portion 12a of the vehicle 12. During the initial 152.4228.6 millimeters of forward travel, the axle portions 24a slide forward within the elongated slots 124 before contacting the leading ends 124b of the slots 124. These 152.4-228.6 millimeters of "offset" provide the necessary distance to position the pivot axis defined by the axle portions 24a sufficiently behind the vehicle 12 so that it does not interfere with the pivoting movement of the vehicle 12 down. the load bearing structure 20.

Another important advantage of the articulation mechanisms 18 is that they effectively allow

055 664 the upper frame member 24 is positioned rearward of the pivot axis of the tailgate 12b of the vehicle 12, so that the load bearing structure 20 can be lifted with the tailgate 12b without first having to position the frame. 20 on the roof portion 12a of the vehicle 12. Thus, access to the rear of the vehicle 12 can be easily gained once the load bearing structure 20 and the tailgate 12b are both in the raised position.

Referring now to Figs. 11 and 17, the securing of one of the lower locking assemblies 30 to one of the upper locking assemblies 36 (also shown in FIG. 3) would be described. Each of the upper locking assemblies 36 comprises a housing 146 that is integrally formed with an associated one of the rear supports 16. Within the housing 146 is a vertical frame 148 and a transversely extending latch member 150. When the load bearing structure 20 is to be secured on the roof portion 12a of the vehicle 12, it is pushed into position on the roof portion 12a, so that the lower locking assembly 30 is overhead, but slightly toward the top. ahead of the vertical frame 148. The locking assembly 30 can then be lowered into an interior area of ​​the housing 146. As the lower locking assembly 30 is lowered into the interior area of ​​the housing 146, the lip portion 102 of the latch lever 84 contacts an upper edge 150a of the latch member 150 which extends transversely and pivots slightly against the loading force. of spring 96, in order to free edge 150a.

The lip portion 102 is then hooked under the latch structure 150. In the position shown in FIG. 17, the lower locking assembly 30 is secured against movement.

Unlocking of the inner lock assembly 30 is accomplished by a user grasping and rotating the rotatable sleeve 60, causing the latch lever 84 to pivot counterclockwise in the drawing of FIG. 17. While holding the rotatable sleeve 60 in its rotated position against the biasing force of the spring 96, the user can then push the entire load bearing structure 20 forward only slightly before lifting the free end 28 of the structure 20. and then move the same away from the vehicle 12 to the position shown in FIG. 2. Consequently, disengagement of the load bearing structure 20 from the position shown in FIG. 3 can be achieved by the user merely grasping the rotatable sleeve 60 and, from a single position behind the vehicle 12, articulating the actuator bar assembly 26 to free the upper locking assembly 36. Thus, there is no need for the user to separately unlock each of the lower lock assemblies 30. This adds significantly to the convenience and ease of using the apparatus 10.

From the foregoing description, it would be appreciated that the apparatus 10 of the present invention provides a hinged roof rack assembly that allows loads to be carried either in a generally horizontal position on the rear tailgate of a vehicle, or on top. of the vehicle, depending on the user's preference. The apparatus 10 of the present invention significantly facilitates the way in which the loads can be loaded, since they do not have to be placed directly on the top of the vehicle 12 but rather on the cross bars 25 while the support structure 20 of loads is arranged on the tailgate 12b. In this regard, it will be appreciated that one or both of the cross bars 25 could include perpendicularly extending portions that serve to temporarily support loads that are located on the cross bars 25 when the load bearing structure 20 is in the lowered position. shown in fig. 1. Apparatus 10 can also be locked and unlocked from the position shown in FIGS. 1-3 with a single, single movement of the rotatable sleeve 26, thus serving to significantly improve the ease with which the load bearing structure 20 can be moved between its various positions.

Referring now to Figs. 18 and 19, an alternative embodiment 200 of the articulating, multi-position vehicle roof rack apparatus is illustrated. Apparatus 200 includes a load bearing structure 202 comprising a pair of cross bars 204 and a pair of side members 206 (only one being visible). With apparatus 200, however, a pair of rear supports 208 and a pair of front supports 210 are used to support load bearing structure 202 above the outer surface 12a of the vehicle body 12. Each rear support 208 includes a suitable latch structure that can be actuated by opening and closing a pivot lever 209 to engage a suitably shaped cavity 212 (fig. 19) on a portion 214 of the outer surface of the vehicle body 12. The front brackets 210 each include a latching structure thereon that can be locked and unlocked via a liftable locking lever 216 ( shown in dotted lines in the raised position in fig. 19).

When the apparatus 200 is in the position shown in FIG. 18, the load bearing structure 202 is disposed on the roof portion 12a of the vehicle 12. The internal locking structure within the front supports 210 secures them to usual slats 218 which are fixedly secured to the roof portion 12a of the vehicle 12, and each including channels that hold portions of the front supports 210 captive to the slats 218. This construction for the slats and the interaction of the front brackets 210 with the slats 218 to allow sliding movement of the front brackets 210 along the slats 218 is well known in the art. Patents of the assignee of the present application that describe constructions suitable for the locking assembly of the front bracket 210, which could be used with little or no modifications, are the patents of

055 664

U.S. Nos. 4,899,917; 4,972,983; 4,982,886; 5,385,285 and 5,579,970, which are all incorporated herein by reference. In fig. 19, the load bearing structure 202 is shown disposed on the tailgate 12b of the vehicle 12. The rear supports 208 can be locked in one of a plurality of positions defined by cavities 212.

Referring now to Figs. 20 and 21, a multi-position and articulating vehicle roof rack 300 is shown in accordance with yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention. Apparatus 300 is similar to apparatus 200 and includes a load bearing structure 302 comprised of a pair of cross bars 304 and a pair of side members 306 (only one being visible). The load bearing structure 302 is supported atop the roof portion 12a of the vehicle 12 by a pair of rear supports 308 and a pair of front supports 310 (only one of each support 308 and 310 being visible). The front supports 310 are arranged on conventional slats 312, so that the front supports 310 can be slidably moved along the slats. The slats 312 are fixedly secured to the roof portion 12a of the vehicle 12. Each slat 312 further includes a latch assembly 314 to which one of the rear brackets 308 may be releasably secured.

To move the load bearing structure 302 from the position shown in FIG. 20 to the position shown in FIG. 21, the user first disengages the front brackets 310 by pulling out lever portions 316 of each of the front brackets 310. This unlocks each front bracket 310 from its associated cleat 312 and allows the front bracket 310 to be slid along from its associated 312 list. Each rear bracket 308 is also disengaged from its associated latch mount 314 by lifting a latch lever 318. The crossbar 304 extending between the rear brackets 308 can then be lifted out of the latch mounts 314, and the entire Load bearing structure 302 pulled rearward to extend over the tailgate 12b. The rear brackets 308 are then hooked to suitable latching structures formed in the rear port 12b at areas 322. The front brackets 310 are then hooked closing the levers 316, which causes them to lock onto the slats 312 in the position shown in the figure. fig. 21. If desired, notches 324 (one of which is shown in FIG. 20) could be formed on the slats 312 to define a specific position in which the front supports 312 must be placed before they can be locked to the slats 312.

The apparatus 300 also provides a coupling member 326 associated with each front bracket 310 that provides two pivot points 328 and 330. These two points of rotation are needed since the point of rotation around which the tailgate 12b rotates was laterally offset from the point of rotation of the load bearing structure 302. This allows the load bearing structure 302 to be easily articulated, along with the rear port 12b, while it is being raised, and without the need to first unlock the front supports 310 or the rear supports 308. Thus, the apparatus 10 can be raised simultaneously from the position shown in fig. twenty-one to an intermediate position, in which the load bearing structure 302 extends generally horizontally out of the roof portion 12a, such as in FIG. 2, before being pushed into position on the roof portion 12a, without any locking action occurring on the coupling member 326.

Referring to fig. 22, an articulating vehicle roof rack 400 is shown in accordance with another alternative embodiment of the present invention. Roof rack 400 differs from previous embodiments in that it is not capable of being positioned on top of vehicle roof 402, but can be quickly and easily removed from vehicle 402 when not needed. Furthermore, the construction of the roof rack 400 is such that it is capable of being placed in a compact arrangement, once removed, so that it can be conveniently stored within an area such as a garage, or even within an area of ​​storage. charging of the vehicle itself.

With further reference to FIG. 22, a pair of brackets 404 are fixedly secured to a roof portion 406 of a vehicle 402. A load-bearing structure 410 having a pair of upper linkage coupling bars 412 is pivotally attached to the brackets at its first ends. 414. Second ends 416 are attached to a first or upper pair of pivot mounts 418. Pivot assemblies 418 are also attached to first ends 420 of a pair of main support members 422. These support members 422 are illustrated as tubular members that curve slightly, but it was appreciated that they could just as easily comprise shapes of different cross section. The main support members 422 are preferably made of aluminum to provide very light weight, but still structurally strong members.

The main support members 422 are attached at their second ends 424 to a second pair of pivot mounts 426. The second pair of pivot mounts 426, in turn, is each releasably engageable with a pair of anchor mounts 428. Each of the anchor assemblies 428 is fixedly secured to a tailgate 408 of the vehicle 402. The load bearing structure 410 is also located on the tailgate 408, when in use. Since the load bearing structure 410 is very light, the presence of the structure 410 adds very little additional weight to the tailgate 408 when it is being lifted by a user. Thus, for the user, the effort required to lift the tailgate is almost the same as whether or not the load bearing structure 410 is attached to the vehicle 402. FIG. 23 shows roof rack 400 with rear door 408 in its raised position.

Load bearing structure 410 preferably also includes at least one, and more

055 664 preferably a pair, of cross bars 430 supported on main support members 422. Each of the cross bars 430 includes a mounting arm 432 at each of its opposite ends, which are secured to a respective one of the main support members 422 at a predetermined position by a manually applicable clamping member 434. This coupling is shown in greater detail in fig. 23A. The manually applicable clamping member 434 has an enlarged portion 434a that can be grasped manually and a partially threaded portion 434b. Partially threaded portion 434b is threadedly engaged with a threaded hole 434c within each mounting arm 432. A bulging rivet 435 is preferably included, as well, to allow cross bar 430 to be attached parallel to support member 422 as roof rack 400 is removed from vehicle 402. This feature will be described in more detail in a moment.

An additional feature of the load bearing structure 410 is that the cross bars 430 can be secured to the main support members 422, as illustrated in FIG. 24, when frame 410 is removed from vehicle 402 for storage. This is accomplished by the bulge rivet fastener 435 shown in FIG. 23A which is included at a predetermined point along the length of each crossbar 430 to allow the spaced crossbar 430 to be reattached through the clamping member 434, yet positioned parallel to it. This also requires forming a hole at the appropriate point along the length of each support member 422 through which the clamping member 434 can extend therethrough. Each main support member 422 can be separately manipulated into a compact configuration with one of the cross bars 430 attached to it. It would be appreciated that a variety of attachment or clamping mechanisms could easily be used to releasably secure the cross bars 430, generally parallel to the main support members 422. It would also be appreciated that mounting arm 432 could be formed with one or more loop portions to facilitate attachment of taut spring cords or other tie down straps or cords. Fig. 24 also illustrates an alternative preferred form of mounting arm 432 'having such a loop portion 433'.

Referring to fig. 25, the construction of one of the upper pivot assemblies 418 can be seen. It would be appreciated, however, that the construction of each of the lower pivot assemblies 426 is identical to that shown in FIG. 25. A first pivot member 439 includes a free flange tubular portion 439a having an enlarged connecting ring 438. A second pivot member 441 also includes a free flange tubular portion 441a and an enlarged connecting ring 440 having a groove 442 formed therein. The free flange portion 439a is intended to be coupled to the second end 416 of the upper link link 412 with threaded fasteners or other usual fastening means, while the free flange portion 441a of the second pivot element 441 is intended to be secured to one end of one of the main support members 422.

The slot 442 is only slightly wider than the width of the connecting ring 438, so that it is capable of receiving the connecting ring 438 therein. The identical first and second coupling elements 444 each include an enlarged shoulder portion 446 and a hub portion 448. Hub portion 448 has an outer diameter that allows it to slide snugly within connecting rings 440 and 438, when both are mated to one another. Hub portion 448 includes a pair of slots 450 each having a somewhat flexible arm 452. Slots 450 open in opposite directions.

The two coupling elements 444 are secured to each other by first pressing each into the connecting rings 438 and 440 mounted from opposite sides. The coupling elements 444 are then rotated slightly so that the arms 452 of each coupling element align with the slot 450 of the other coupling element. Then, the coupling elements 444 can be rotated in different directions, causing each arm 452 to spring into engagement with the slot 450 of the opposite coupling element 444. At this point, the first and second pivot members 439 and 441 are held securely with each other, while allowing pivotal movement of the upper link link 412 relative to its associated main support member 422. The opening formed in each pivot assembly also functions as an immobilization area in which taut spring cords or the like can be attached.

An alternative pivot assembly 460 is shown in FIG. 26. The pivot assembly 460 is similar to the assembly 440 with the exception of a one-piece locking hub 462. The locking hub includes a pair of boss portions 464 and 464a separated by a hub central portion 466. One or more grooves 468 are formed to extend into central hub portion 466 from shoulder portion 464a. When the locking hub 462 is inserted into the assembled combination of connecting rings 438 and 440, with the shoulder portion 464a being inserted first, that shoulder portion will compress slightly as it is forced through the connecting rings 438 and 440. While releasing the second connecting ring 440a it springs elastically out to lock the locking hub 462 within the connecting ring 440. Each of the first pivot assemblies 418 and second pivot assemblies 426, as well as the alternate pivot assembly 460 shown in FIG. 26, all tin, preferably, made of high-strength plastic, but could also be formed of other suitable strong and lightweight materials.

With reference to fig. 27, one of the supports 404 can be seen to include a recess 470 in which is located a first end 414 of one of the upper linkage link bars.

055 664

412. A conventional and manually applicable locking wheel 472 having a threaded shaft 474 extends through openings 476 in the first end 414 and into a threaded recess 478. When the locking wheel 472 is fully withdrawn from the bracket 404, the upper link link 412 can be completely removed from the bracket.

Referring now to FIG. 28, one of the anchor assemblies 428 is shown. The anchor assembly 428 includes a flange portion 480 having a pair of openings 482. The openings 482 accommodate conventional fasteners 483, which are used to secure the portion 480 of It tabs to a suitable stiffening member 484 within the tailgate 408.

Anchor assembly 428 also includes a tubular neck portion 486 integrally formed with or otherwise secured to flange portion 480, and having a tapered end 486a. Neck portion 486 has an opening 488 to receive a locking member 490 through it. Locking member 490 is inserted from the rear (i.e., initially through flange portion 480) to the interior area of ​​the tubular portion 486 neck. Locking element 490 includes a loading element 492, which is a spring steel Z-piece, with a head portion 494 dimensioned to protrude through opening 488. Head portion 494 preferably has an edge. beveled.

With reference to fig. 29, to connect lower pivot assembly 428 to its associated anchor assembly 428, free flange portion 438a is pushed onto tubular neck portion 486. The free flange portion 438a includes an opening 496 aligned with the opening 488 in the neck portion, when the free flange portion is pushed over the neck portion 486. When this occurs, the head portion 494 of the locking element 490 is momentarily depressed while the free flange portion 438a initially slides over the neck portion 486. As soon as aperture 496 reaches aperture 488, head portion 494 snaps into aperture 488. To release the free eyelash portion 438a, the user pushes down on the head portion 494 and pulls the free eyelash portion 438a away from the neck portion 486. The beveled edge of head portion 494 helps to cause head portion 494 to retract.

Referring to fig. 30, a vehicle hinge roof rack 500 is shown in accordance with another alternative embodiment of the present invention. Roof rack 500 differs from previous embodiments in that it is not capable of being positioned on top of vehicle roof 502, but can be quickly and easily removed from vehicle 502 when not needed. Furthermore, the construction of the roof rack 500 is such that it is capable of being placed in a compact arrangement, once removed, so that it can be conveniently stored within an area such as a garage, or even within a storage area. charging of the vehicle itself.

With further reference to FIGS. 30 and 31, a pair of brackets 504 are fixedly secured to a roof portion 506 of the vehicle 502. A load-bearing structure 510 includes a pair of upper link linkage bars 512. The pair of upper link linkage bars 512 is pivotally attached to brackets 504 at first ends 514 through a connecting top mount 513, which will be described below. Second ends 516 are attached to a first or upper pair of pivot mounts 518. Pivot mounts 518 are also attached to first ends 520 of a pair of main support members 522. These support members 522 are illustrated as generally rectangular members that curve slightly, but it will be appreciated that they can just as easily comprise shapes of different cross section. The main support members 522 are preferably made of aluminum to provide very light weight but structurally strong members.

The main support members 522 are attached at their second ends 524 to a lower locking assembly 526. The lower locking assemblies 526 are each, in turn, releasably applicable with any pair of anchor assemblies 528 (FIG. 31 ), which are fixedly secured to a tailgate 508 of the vehicle 502, or to a pair of hitch mounts 527 disposed on the vehicle bumper 529 (FIG. 31). The load bearing structure 510, thus, is located on the rear port 508, when in use. Since the load bearing structure 510 is very light, the presence of the structure 510 adds very little additional weight to the tailgate 508 when it is being lifted by a user. Thus, for the user, the effort required to lift the tailgate is about the same whether or not load bearing structure 510 is attached to vehicle 502, and is raised in a manner generally compatible with previous embodiments described above.

Referring now to Figs. 30-35, the load bearing structure 510 preferably also includes at least one, and most preferably a pair, of cross bars 530 supported on the main support members 522. Each of the cross bars 530 includes a mounting portion 532, at each of its opposite ends, which will be secured to a respective one of the main support members 522 at a predetermined position by a manually applicable clamping member 534. This coupling is shown in greater detail in fig. 32. The mounting portion 532, in turn, is secured to the crossbar 530 through threaded fasteners 530a or other conventional fasteners.

As best seen in figs. 32, 34 and 35, the manually applicable clamping member 534 has an enlarged portion 534a that can be manually grasped and a threaded inner portion 534b. The internal threaded portion 534b is threadedly engaged with a threaded screw member 534c. The threaded screw member 534c extends from a generally inverted-T mounting member 534d, which

055 664 is disposed within a track 522a formed in the main support member 522. As best seen in figs. 33 and 34, mounting portion 532 of crossbar 530 generally includes a pair of generally identical protruding mounting tabs 532a. The pair of mounting tabs 532a is each sized to slide within track 522a of main support member 522 to allow vertical adjustment of crossbar 530. To facilitate insertion of crossbar 530 into track 522a of main support member 522, it further includes a notched air 522b, sized to allow crossbar 530 to slide into track 522a.

With reference to figs. 31, 32 and 36, the construction of the pivot assemblies 518 can be seen. A first pivot element 539 includes a tubular flange portion 539a. A second pivot member 541 also includes a pair of tubular flange portions 541a. The tubular flange portion 539a is adapted to be pivotally coupled to the pair of tubular flange portions 541a through a connecting bar 543. The first pivot element 539 was fixedly coupled to the second end 516 of the upper link rod 512 with threaded fasteners 539b or other usual fastening means, while the second pivot element 541 is intended to be secured to one end of a of the main support members 522 through threaded fasteners 541b or other conventional fastening means.

With reference to figs. 31, 37 and 38, the construction of the upper connection assembly 513 can be seen. The upper connection assembly 513 includes a main member 544 and a pivot member 546. The pivot member 546 is pivotally coupled to the main member 544 a through a connecting pin 548. The pivot member 546 was loaded in a closed position by a torsional spring 549, so that the pivot member 546 and the main member 544 cooperate to secure the roof rack 500 to the pair of supports 504 of the vehicle 502. More particularly, pivot member 546 and main member 544 retain a transverse connecting pin 550, extending from each of the pair of supports 504, within a retention channel 552 formed by pivot member 546 and member. Main member 544. Main member 544 is fixedly coupled to first end 514 of upper link link 512 with threaded fasteners 544a or other conventional fastening means. The upper connection assembly 513 can be released from connection with the transverse connection pin 550 of the bracket 504 by applying a compressive force to the pivot member 546 to overcome the biasing force of the torsional spring 549.

Similarly, referring now to Figs. 31, 39, 40 and 41, the construction of the lower locking assembly 526 is seen. The lower locking assembly 526 includes a main member 554 and a pivot member 556. The pivot member 556 is pivotally coupled to the main member 554 through a 558 connecting pin. The pivot member 556 is loaded in a closed position by a compression spring 560, so that the pivot member 556 and the main member 554 cooperate to secure the roof rack 500 to the anchor assembly 528. More particularly, as best viewed in figs. 38 and 40, pivot member 556 and main member 554 retain a transverse connecting pin 562, extending from each of the pair of anchor mounts 528, within a retention channel 564 formed by pivot member 556 and the main member 554. It should be noted that a second transverse connecting pin 562a extends from the latch mounts 527 provided in the vehicle bumper 529. Therefore, during operation, the lower locking assembly 526 is preferably coupled to the anchor assembly 528 to facilitate lifting of the tailgate 508. However, while carrying items on the roof rack 500, the lower mounting of the Lock 526 was preferably coupled to latch assembly 527 provided on vehicle bumper 529. This arrangement provides additional load-bearing capacity afforded by the structural support of the bumper 529. However, it should be understood that the tailgate 508 may be constructed so that it can only carry the weight of the additional items attached to the vehicle support structure 510. loads, which can eliminate the need for the 527 hitch mount.

The main member 554 was fixedly coupled to the second end 524 of the main support member 522 with threaded fasteners 554a or other conventional fastening means. Lower locking assembly 526 can be released from connection with connecting pin 562 across anchor assembly 528 by applying a compressive force. pivot member 556 to overcome the biasing force of compression spring 560, thereby opening retaining channel 564 to remove transverse connecting pin 562.

Accordingly, it should be appreciated that upper link link 512, main support member 522, tailgate 508, and vehicle roof 502 together define a four-bar link that is capable of pivoting when the tailgate is actuated. rear 508.

With reference to figs. 42-47, a vehicle hinge rack 600 is shown in accordance with yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention. Roof rack 600 differs from previous embodiments in that it is not capable of being positioned on top of vehicle roof 602, but can be quickly and easily removed from vehicle 602 when not needed. Furthermore, the construction of the roof rack 600 is such that it is capable of being placed in a compact arrangement, once removed, so that it can be conveniently stored within an area such as a garage, or even within a storage area. charging of the vehicle itself. Furthermore, the roof rack 600 is also capable of being automatically disengaged from the

055 664 vehicle bumper 629 once the rear door 608 has been opened.

The structure and operation of the present embodiment is similar to those described above, therefore, for the sake of brevity, such structure and operation will not be repeated in this specification, except where otherwise noted. The present embodiment differs primarily from the previous embodiment in the design and operation of the lower locking assembly 626.

As shown in figs. 42 and 43, the main support member 622 was attached at one of its second ends 624 to a lower locking assembly 626. The lower locking assembly 626 is, in turn, releasably engageable with either a rear port anchor 628. , which was fixedly secured to a rear door 608 of the vehicle 602, or to a bumper anchor 627 mounted to or disposed in the vehicle bumper 629. The load bearing structure 610 was also located on the rear port 608 when in use.

Still referring to Figs. 42 and 43, the construction of the lower locking assembly 626 is seen. The lower locking assembly 626 includes a main member 664 and a pivot member 666. The pivot member 666 is pivotally coupled to the main member 664 through a connecting pin 658. The pivot member 666 is loaded in a closed position by a compression spring 660, so that the pivot member 666 and the main member 664 cooperate to secure the roof rack 600 to the bumper anchor 627. Maós particularly, as best seen in figs. 43-47, the pivot member

666 includes a hooked end portion 667, a rear port engagement slot 669 (Figs. 44 and 45), and a hand release 671. As described below and illustrated in the figures, tailgate application slot 669 is, in fact, a cooperating set of two slots - a first slot 669a formed in pivot member 666 (fig. 43) and a second slot 669b formed in the main member 664 (fig. 43) -. First slot 669a and second slot 669b are slightly offset relative to each other (see Figs. 44 and 45) to effect pivoting movement of pivot member 666 around connecting pin 658 (see Fig. 44). ).

Consequently, hooked end portion 667 (FIG. 43) of pivot member 666 cooperates with a bumper latch slot 673 (FIG. 43) formed in main member 664 to retain a bumper latch 662, which extends from the 627 bumper anchors. The bumper hitch 662 was retained, even, with a retaining channel 670 (figs. 44 and 45) formed by the end portion

667 hooked into pivot member 666 and a bumper latch groove 673 formed in main member 664.

During operation, the present embodiment enables automatic and reliable means of un-application / application of the roof rack 600 from the vehicle bumper 629. In order to open the tailgate 608 of the vehicle 602, while the roof rack 600 is securely attached to the vehicle bumper 629, an operator only needs to unhook the tailgate 608 and begin raising it in the usual manner. As seen in fig. 44, during this lifting process, a tailgate latch 631, extending from tailgate anchor 628 in tailgate 608, is first detached and disengaged from tailgate engagement slot 669. After an additional actuation, as seen in fig. 45, the tailgate latch 631 of the tailgate anchor 628 engages in the tailgate engagement slot 669. The force of the tailgate latch 631 entering the tailgate engagement slot 669 drives the pivot member 666 clockwise (in the figure) around the connecting pin 658. This movement retracts the portion. hooked end 667 of pivot member 666 of bumper latch slot 673 (FIG. 46) allowing unobstructed removal of bumper latch 662 from bumper anchor 627. After the continued lifting of the tailgate 608, the lower locking assembly 626 and thus the roof rack 600 now become automaotically coupled to the tailgate 608, rather than to the bumper anchor 627 in the vehicle bumper 629. During a hitch actuation, reverse retraction of rear door 608 causes bumper hitch slot 673 to engage bumper hitch 662 until rear door hitch 631 retracts from slot 669, thereby hooked end portion 667 extends and retains bumper latch 662.

The roof rack 600 can also be manually disengaged from the bumper latch 662 simply by compressing the hand release 671 and driving the pivot member 666 clockwise (in the figure) around the connecting pin 658. This movement retracts hooked end portion 667 of pivot member 666 from slot 673 of bumper hitch (fig. 46) allowing unobstructed manual removal of bumper latch 662 from bumper anchor 627.

Accordingly, it should be appreciated that the upper link link 612, main support member 622, tailgate 608, and vehicle roof 602 together define a four-bar linkage that is capable of pivoting when the tailgate is actuated. back 608.

The description of the invention is merely illustrative in nature, and thus variations that do not depart from the essence of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be considered as departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.