Package and article carriers – Vehicle attached – Carrier attached to the front or rear end of vehicle
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-24
2004-08-10
Elkins, Gary E. (Department: 3727)
Package and article carriers
Vehicle attached
Carrier attached to the front or rear end of vehicle
C224S310000, C224S319000, C224S504000, C280S769000, C414S462000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06772928
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to frames, and more specifically, to a multipurpose activity frame for a vehicle articulating roof rack system.
2. Background of the Invention
An articulating roof rack system provides a new level of utility not seen in current roof rack systems. The system is operatively deployed upon a vehicle and is selectively movable to allow a user to easily and quickly load and unload items to and from the assembly. As such, a portion of the roof rack assembly is selectively removable from the roof, thereby allowing the user to access the assembly from ground level.
To allow for the selectively removable portion of the roof rack assembly to be repositioned, the system provides for support members in combination with cross members to be slideably and pivotally repositionable upon the back end of the vehicle such that the assembly is in a back end mounted position, resulting in the assembly being substantially parallel with the back end of the vehicle. In this back end position, the user can easily load and unload items from ground level without the use of a ladder or the like.
It is in this back end mounted position that the multipurpose activity frame is intended to be used in conjunction with the articulating roof rack system. While the system provides for easy operator loading and unloading and access from ground level, its purpose is to securely store and hold items that are not currently in use. In such vehicles where the rack system would be used, typically sport utility vehicles and the like, there is a need for increased utility of external vehicle components. An operator may desire, for example, to sit or to store items that are currently in use on an external vehicle device.
It is therefore desired to have a multipurpose activity frame for a vehicle articulating roof rack system thereby providing means to accommodate different items in use during different outdoor activities such as chairs for tailgating, storage bins or coolers for camping, or a grill for picnics.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a multipurpose activity frame for a vehicle articulating roof rack system that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art.
Accordingly, the present invention advantageously provides a multipurpose activity frame comprising a vehicle articulating roof rack system having a selectively removable portion operable between a stowed roof mounted position and a slideably and pivotally repositionable back end mounted position, a stationary top portion received by the selectively removable portion of the articulating roof rack system, and a rotatable bottom portion operable between a stowed vertical position and an open horizontal position received by the stationary top portion.
It is a feature of the present invention that the multipurpose activity frame for a vehicle articulating roof rack system folds out from a locked position to provide an L-shaped frame which can then be compressed or extended to the desired size.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1743220 (1930-01-01), Johnson
patent: 1779662 (1930-10-01), Cleland
patent: 2204824 (1940-06-01), Rock
patent: 3777922 (1973-12-01), Kirchmeyer
patent: 5360150 (1994-11-01), Praz
patent: 5435472 (1995-07-01), Allen et al.
patent: 5544796 (1996-08-01), Dubach
patent: 5560525 (1996-10-01), Grohmann et al.
patent: 5676292 (1997-10-01), Miller
patent: 5690259 (1997-11-01), Montani
patent: 5826769 (1998-10-01), Allen et al.
patent: 5947357 (1999-09-01), Surkin
patent: 5971241 (1999-10-01), Allen et al.
patent: 6308874 (2001-10-01), Kim et al.
Ford Michael
Garland Travis Steven
Mass Noah Barlow
Ranka Noel
Bejin Gigette M.
Elkins Gary E.
Ford Global Technologies LLC
LandOfFree
Multipurpose activity frame for use on articulating roof... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Multipurpose activity frame for use on articulating roof..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Multipurpose activity frame for use on articulating roof... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3292623