Package and article carriers – Vehicle attached – Carrier associated with vehicle roof or trunk lid
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-09
2002-05-07
Cronin, Stephen K. (Department: 3727)
Package and article carriers
Vehicle attached
Carrier associated with vehicle roof or trunk lid
Reexamination Certificate
active
06382483
ABSTRACT:
The present disclosure relates to the subject matter disclosed in German Application No. 198 57 322.7 of Dec. 11, 1998, the entire specification of which is incorporated herein by reference.
The invention relates to a roof load carrier system for motor vehicles, comprising a roof rack with a cross member receiving loads and holders which are arranged on both sides of the cross member and have holder feet with fixing devices arranged on them, wherein the holder feet can be inserted into receiving means arranged on the vehicle and can be fixed in them with the fixing devices.
Roof load carrier systems of this type are known from the state of the art. The problem with them is that the assembly of the roof rack is very complicated and awkward since the individual fixing devices have to be actuated at the respective, individual holder feet, wherein the fixing devices mostly have screws which have to be turned with a corresponding tool.
The object underlying the invention is therefore to improve a roof load carrier system for motor vehicles such that this can be mounted and dismounted in a simple manner.
This object is accomplished in accordance with the invention, in a roof load carrier system of the type described at the outset, in that a hand-operated element is arranged on one side of the roof rack and that a coupling device is provided which couples the hand-operated element to the fixing devices such that the fixing devices on both holder feet can be actuated via the hand-operated element.
The advantage of the inventive solution is thus to be seen in the fact that it is possible to place the roof rack in position from one side of the motor vehicle and that when the holder feet are seated in the receiving means the fixing devices can be actuated due to actuation of the hand-operated element such that both holder feet are fixed in position at the same time in the corresponding receiving means.
One particular advantage of this solution is to be seen in the fact that with it any uneven or one-sided fixing of the roof rack by mistake can be avoided since the roof rack is either fixed completely and securely with both holders or with neither of the holders so that one-sided fixings of the roof rack leading to accidents can be avoided.
The inventive solution requires a hand-operated element only on one side of the roof rack. It is, however, also conceivable to provide a hand-operated element on both sides insofar as each hand-operated element is coupled to all the fixing devices.
In principle, it would also be conceivable with the inventive solution to design the fixing devices such that they are likewise provided with threads which required a great number of turns, as known from the state of the art.
Since operation of such fixing devices would, however, make an undesirably long time necessary for the fixing even via operation by the hand-operated element, it is preferably provided for each fixing device to have a fixing element which can be brought into engagement with an abutment provided on the receiving means as a result of movement along a path extending to the abutment. Due to the movement of the fixing element along a path extending to the abutment a possibility is created of bringing about a rapid fixing of the holder feet by means of a limited movement of the hand-operated element.
The fixing element could thereby be movable along an inclined face extending like a wedge. One particularly advantageous solution provides for the fixing element to be movable along a curved path since the respective holder foot may thereby be secured in the receiving means in a simple manner.
The simplest possibility of moving the fixing element along a curved path is for the fixing element to be pivotable about an axis.
The fixing element can, in principle, be of any optional design. One advantageous solution provides for the fixing element to have a nose which can be moved such that the nose is movable between a release position not engaging the abutment and a fixing position engaging the abutment.
A particularly preferred solution provides for the fixing device to be designed as a swivel claw.
With respect to the design of the receiving means, no further details have so far been given. The receiving means could, in principle, be a local receiving means which is provided at a specific location on the vehicle and into which the roof rack can be securely inserted. A particularly favorable solution does, however, provide for the receiving means to be designed as receiving rails C-shaped in cross section, extending in longitudinal direction of the vehicle and having a contact arm, a side arm and an upper transverse arm; the holder foot can be placed on the contact arm and the upper transverse arm forms the abutment. Such a form of realizing the receiving means may be integrated in a particularly aesthetic and advantageous manner into a vehicle roof.
In addition, such a design of the receiving means creates the possibility of placing the roof rack at various locations of the receiving means.
An even more advantageous solution provides for the receiving means to be designed as receiving rails with a double C-shape in cross section and having the contact arm, two side arms and two upper transverse arms and to form a T-shaped groove, into which the respective holder foot can be inserted. Such a shape of the receiving means is preferably a receiving means customary in many cases on a motor vehicle.
Such a receiving rail provided with a T-shaped groove is customarily designed such that for the insertion of the holder feet the receiving rail is provided with a special cutout, in the region of which the transverse arms are either partially or completely cut out in order to facilitate insertion into the T-shaped groove of a member acting as a groove block.
A particularly favorable variation of the inventive solution does, however, provide for such a cutout not to be necessary but for the holder feet, with fixing elements in release position, to be insertable into the T-shaped groove by way of an opening therein extending between the transverse arms over the length thereof and for the fixing elements to be brought into the fixing position when the holder feet are inserted into the T-shaped groove. As a result, a complicated machining of the receiving rail is not necessary with such a solution but this can be a quite simple, extruded section provided with a constant cross section and without any cutout. This solution has, in addition, the great advantage that all the problems with respect to soiling or also the risks of injury in the region of the cutout can be avoided.
With respect to the design of the coupling device, no further details have so far been given. The coupling device is preferably designed as a mechanical coupling device and could, for example, have cable lines which form a mechanical connection between the fixing devices and the hand-operated element. The provision of such cable lines does, however, have disadvantages with respect to convenience of operation and an easy-action operability of the fixing devices.
For this reason, it is preferably provided for the coupling device to be designed as a coupling rod assembly actuating the fixing devices not only in the direction of the release position but also in the direction of the fixing position so that as a result of effective action on the fixing devices via the hand-operated element not only their release position but also their fixing position can be brought about.
In order to abut the fixing element securely on the abutment in the fixing position and thereby compensate for tolerances and play, the coupling device is preferably designed such that it keeps the fixing elements acted upon in the fixing position in a resiliently elastic manner.
This may be realized by means of resiliently elastic elements integrated into the coupling device or, however, also by way of elastic deformation of the connection parts, such as rod parts, lever parts or shaft of the coupling device itself.
A particularly advantageous design of the coupling rod assembl
Kleb Emmerich
Riehle Hans
Brevard Maerena W.
Cronin Stephen K.
Lipsitz Barry R.
McAllister Douglas M.
ORIS Fahrzeugteile Hans Riehle GmbH
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