Package and article carriers – Vehicle attached – Carrier associated with vehicle roof or trunk lid
Patent
1994-03-07
1995-09-26
Recla, Henry J.
Package and article carriers
Vehicle attached
Carrier associated with vehicle roof or trunk lid
224320, 224321, 224326, B60R 904
Patent
active
054528313
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a roof rack for a vehicle.
With known roof racks, the rack support parts are rigidly connected with the frame of the rack. When the roof rack is mounted on the roof of the vehicle, it cannot be avoided in most cases that the longitudinal direction of the frame of the rack is not exactly disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Particularly in connection with the roof configurations of modern passenger motor vehicles, which are styled aerodynamically with roof edges that are curved convex, no clearly determinable reference line exists for correctly mounting the roof rack. Since the rack support parts are tightened in most cases either on the rain gutter or on mounting abutments of the vehicle in areas that are relatively long in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, strong distortions arise within the zone of connection between the frame of the rack and the rack support parts with inexact alignment of the roof rack and/or due to the slightly slanted support areas on the roof. With longer use, this may lead to undesirable deformations. Furthermore, the seating of the roof rack on the roof is unsatisfactory for introducing high loads or strong forces of acceleration or deceleration. Noises may be caused during operation by the distortions resulting when the rack support parts are tightened. The areas of connection between the rack support parts and the frame of the rack and the retaining elements in the rack support part are stressed to an undesirably high degree and may wear out.
The invention has the object of creating a roof rack of the type specified above that is manufacturable in a simple and low-cost way, and which, in the mounted condition, is fixed stable without the parasitary distortions conditioned by the mounting, It is to be readily adaptable to the form of the roof without the roof rack losing its stable form. Furthermore, the roof rack according to the invention is to be characterized by convenient handling and safe protection of the mounting elements against theft of the roof rack.
The above objects are achieved as follows.
With said design, the rack support part alone is capable of aligning itself during mounting relative to the rack bar in such a way that any inexact placement of the roof rack on the roof of the vehicle and/or support areas of the vehicle roof not extending exactly perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the rack bar are compensated in such a way that each rack support part finds a correct and permanently fixed seating on the roof of the vehicle, and that deformations or distortions in the roof rack caused by the mounting are avoided. The rack support part, owing to the mobility in the joint during mounting and tightening, automatically finds its correct position in the support areas on the roof. It is obvious that provision is made for such a joint for each rack support part even with a roof rack in which not only two rack support parts are connected with each other via one support bar in each case, but also where a frame-like support bar design has four or six rack support parts. With such roof racks, too, it is advantageous if each rack support part is movable relative to the support bar construction, so that a safe support is obtained during mounting. It has to be particularly stressed in this connection that the entire rack support part, which also comprises the support part on the roof, adjusts itself relative to the rack bar. With this construction, the static loads, and also the forces caused by decalstations or accelerations of the vehicle are safely transmitted via the axle of the joint, which permits the rack support part to swivel in a plane vertical relative to the axle of the joint.
The construction according to another embodiment results in a spatial range of swivel for the rack support part that is useful in connection with the roof shapes of modern vehicles, which in most cases extend highly arched and curved along the edges.
A useful design is disclosed by a further embodiment. This degree of
REFERENCES:
patent: 3223301 (1962-05-01), Helm
patent: 4684049 (1987-08-01), Maby et al.
patent: 4815643 (1989-03-01), Heidemann
patent: 5071050 (1991-12-01), Pudney et la.
patent: 5104020 (1992-04-01), Arvidsson et al.
Maust Timothy L.
Recla Henry J.
Votex GmbH
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