Package and article carriers – Vehicle attached – Carrier associated with vehicle roof or trunk lid
Patent
1996-03-18
1997-09-16
Luebke, Renee S.
Package and article carriers
Vehicle attached
Carrier associated with vehicle roof or trunk lid
224315, 224328, B60R 9055
Patent
active
056671164
ABSTRACT:
A vehicle rooftop storage unit includes a rack portion which is permanently installed to the roof of the passenger vehicle at manufacture, or which may be installed as an aftermarket article after vehicle manufacture. A separate container portion is removably securable within the rack portion. The rack portion includes a generally rectangular rail, with the front and side members being fixed in position, and the rear member being hinged to the rear end of one of the side members. The rear member may be locked to the opposite side member to close the rail structure, and thereby capture the container portion within the rack rails. The rack portion captures the container portion by a tongue formed along the inner face of the rail, which engages a mating peripheral groove in the container portion; the tongue and groove configuration may be reversed between container and rack rail, if desired. The container may be slid into the rack rails and the rear rail member locked in place therebehind to lock the container to the rack and thus to the vehicle. The container portion has a lockable lid, with the locks of the container lid and rear rack member preferably requiring a key identical to the vehicle door and/or ignition key. The rack and container are preferably color coordinated with the vehicle with which they are originally provided. However, the container portion may be removed and transferred to any other vehicle having an identically configured rack, as desired.
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Reinhart Bambi L.
Reinhart Robert A.
Litman Richard C.
Luebke Renee S.
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