Package and article carriers – Vehicle attached – Bracket connected to vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-05
2002-07-02
Cronin, Stephen K. (Department: 3727)
Package and article carriers
Vehicle attached
Bracket connected to vehicle
C224S325000, C224S546000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06412675
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices and attachments for carrying articles externally upon a vehicle, and more specifically to an assembly of removably attachable devices for supporting the front, rear, and medial portions of one or more elongate articles for carriage along the side of a motor vehicle. The various devices are removably secured to the vehicle by gripping one end of each support between the hood, trunk, and/or door of the vehicle, or over a pickup truck box sidewall edge.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the course of making home repairs, remodeling, etc., the home handyman often finds it necessary to transport relatively long articles from store to home or other site where the materials will be used. Elongate materials for such projects may comprise PVC or metal pipe, plastic gutters, electrical metal tubing (EMT), wood or plastic moldings, lengths of lumber, elongate tools, etc. While a professional contractor often has a relatively large vehicle for transporting such materials as well as tools for use at the job site, the home handyman is generally restricted to using the family automobile, or perhaps a pickup truck with a relatively short bed, for transporting such elongate materials.
Various schemes have been used for transporting such materials using a conventional passenger automobile, such as passing the materials diagonally through the interior to extend from one window, tying the materials over the roof of the vehicle, etc. Such elongate article transport means are cumbersome to use, as much time must be spent in securing padding between the materials and the roof or other structure of the vehicle, and tying the materials down or otherwise securing them. Pickup trucks often do not provide any more satisfactory means of carrying such articles, as many pickups have a cargo box or bed less than eight feet in length, with some elongate materials having a length of twelve feet or more. Thus, even with a pickup truck, it is often necessary to flag the end of the load and to arrange further means for securing the load in the bed, as the tailgate must be left open.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a means of easily securing elongate articles to the exterior of a motor vehicle, and transporting those articles securely and safely from one site to another. The present invention responds to this need by means of a series of separate hangers or attachments which removably secure to various areas of the vehicle as required. Each of the hangers comprises a flexible sheet of material which is captured between various openable and fixed components of the vehicle (hood and fender, trunk and fender, door and roof) to extend therefrom. A rigid metal support rack is removably attached to each hanger strap to support the elongate article load therein. Padding is provided between each support rack and the vehicle body.
In another embodiment, a rigid, padded hanger is provided to secure over the upper edge or lip of the cargo box of a pickup truck, with forward and/or medial hangers removably securing respectively between the hood and front fender and door and roof of the pickup, as required. In each embodiment, either two or three hangers may be used as required, depending upon the length of the materials and their rigidity or flexibility. At least the medial support may include a series of stops to provide for height adjustment thereof, as desired.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,919,271 issued on Jul. 25, 1933 to Charles K. Cady, titled “Lumber Rack,” describes a rigid, generally S-shaped hook with an upper end which is inserted between the window glass and window sill of a vehicle door. The opposite end serves as the elongate article support. Padding is placed along the contact side of the hook where it would contact the side of the vehicle door. This device is limited in its utility, as many vehicles have fixed rear windows and preclude the installation of the Cady device between the window and window sill of the vehicle body. Moreover, the removable rigid rack portion of the present invention enables it to remain secured about the elongate articles to hold them securely together while the articles are removed from the flexible portions of the carrier which remain attached to the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,302,300 issued on Nov. 17, 1942 to William O. Davies, titled “Carrier,” describes a hook device similar to that of the Cady '271 U.S. Patent described immediately above. However, the Davies device includes a suction cup which extends inwardly to contact the outer surface of the vehicle and protect the vehicle finish. As in the case of the Cady device, the Davies device does not provide a rigid rack component which is removably attachable to a flexible hanger portion, with the hanger portion in turn being removably secured to some component of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,635,796 issued on Apr. 21, 1953 to Pembroke O. Davolt, titled “Parcel Tie For Automobiles,” describes a pair of flexible straps, with one end of each strap having a toggle or head attached thereto and the opposite end of each strap forming a loop through which a tiedown ring is secured. The toggle ends are captured between the hood and front fender of the vehicle, with a tiedown line being passed through each tiedown ring and secured about the article to secure it to the vehicle. Davolt does not provide any removable rigid structure for securing elongate articles thereto, as in the present elongate article carrier, nor does he provide any form of padding or protective means between his article carrier and the vehicle structure, as provided by the present invention. Moreover, Davolt does not provide any form of adjustment for his device, nor any intermediate support means, each of which is provided by the present elongate article carrier invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,342 issued on Aug. 22, 1978 to Ralph D. Riva, titled “Carrier Attachment For Automobiles,” describes a device more closely related to the device of the Davolt '796 U.S. Patent discussed immediately above, than to the present invention. The Riva device comprises a pair of components each having a plastic coated cable having a dowel or toggle at one end and a loop at the opposite end. The devices may also include a small hook for securing beneath the rain gutter of the vehicle to tie loads across the roof of the vehicle. However, the hook is much too small for use in hanging from the upper edge of a pickup truck box. The elongate articles being carried are tied by a cord to the loop of the cable; no padding is provided between the materials and the exterior finish of the vehicle. In addition, the relatively thin cable has little resistance to movement, which would allow the load to swing fore and aft to further mar the finish of the vehicle. The width of the flexible strap portions of the present article carrier components, precludes such fore and aft motion in transit.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,262,831 issued on Apr. 21, 1981 to William I. Buchanan, titled “Traffic Cone Rack For Mounting On A Vehicle,” describes a device having a rigid metal plate for bolting or other permanent attachment to the bumper or other structure of a vehicle. A cone rack formed of a rigid rod extends from the plate. No means is provided for attaching the device to a vehicle side without damaging the vehicle finish. Moreover, no flexible padded protective portion is provided by Buchanan, nor is any adjustment provided, as in the present article carrier invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,268 issued on Mar. 1, 1983 to Gordon C. Speck, titled “Automotive Vehicle Bracket,” describes a single rigid unitary component having a spaced apart pair of generally U-shaped supports connected by an elongate bar. The device is secured within a vehicle by means of a pair of clips which are wedged between the upper trim molding and headliner of the vehicle. The clips are not c
Brevard Maerena W.
Cronin Stephen K.
Litman Richard C.
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