Package and article carriers – Vehicle attached – Carrier associated with vehicle roof or trunk lid
Patent
1991-08-30
1993-01-26
Sholl, Linda J.
Package and article carriers
Vehicle attached
Carrier associated with vehicle roof or trunk lid
224321, 224319, B60R 900
Patent
active
051816393
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a device for attaching a ski-box to a roof-rack.
Prior Art roof-racks or luggage rails include those of the type comprising two separate racks that are positioned on the roof of the vehicle at a distance from each other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle are used, for supporting a load, such as a transport or ski-box, on the roof of a vehicle. Each such rack consists of two feet or supports for attachment to the respective side of the vehicle roof and a load carrying bar, preferably of square tube, which connects the supports and on which the load is intended to be supported. The problems in connection with attaching ski-boxes to a roof-rack structure of this kind are that the positioning of the separate load carrying bars varies from vehicle to vehicle, and that it must likewise be possible to vary the positioning of the ski-box on the roof-rack from one vehicle to another, for instance in order to make sure that the boot lid of the vehicle may be opened without interfering with the ski-box. In other words, when attaching the ski-box it must be possible to arrange the parts of the roof-rack structure at different mutual distances and also to adjust the position of the ski-box forwardly or rearwardly in relation to the roof-rack structure.
Conventionally this problem has been solved by providing transverse channels in the bottom or underside of the ski-boxes. The load carrier bars of the roof-rack structure have been positioned in said channels, whereby the channels have been provided with such a width, i.e. in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle with the ski-box attached, that the combination of the load carrier bars and channels facilitate the adjustment of the position of the ski-box in relation to the roof-rack structure. However, this solution has several disadvantages. First of all the transverse channels are in themselves indications of fracture reducing the strength of the ski-box, and moreover the transverse channels give the underside of the ski-box an unsuitable shape causing turbulence and thus increased air-resistance. Moreover these channels do only allow for a limited adjustment determined by the width of the channels. In order to increase the possibility of adjustment several alternative, transverse channels have in some cases been provided, but this also means that the underside of the ski-box is given an even more unsuitable shape.
The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an apparatus for attaching a ski-box to a roof-rack, permitting alternative positioning of the load carrier rods of the roof-rack and adjustment of the position of the ski-box in the longitudinal direction as well as in the transverse direction, while at the same time eliminating the above discussed disadvantages of the prior art solutions.
Said object is achieved by means of an apparatus of the kind described herein.
Preferred further developments of the apparatus according to the invention are also described herein.
An exemplary embodiment of the invention will be described more closely below, in connection with the enclosed drawings, on which:
FIG. 1 illustrates the apparatus according to the invention in a perspective view from above and attached to a schematically illustrated ski-box,
FIG. 2 illustrates the apparatus according to the invention in a perspective view from below, attached to a ski-box which is merely indicated,
FIG. 3 illustrates an end view of a ski-box attached to a schematically indicated load carrier by means of the apparatus according to the invention,
FIG. 4 is a partial side view of a longitudinal adjustment rail with mounted load carrier clamp, before tightening the mounting bolt, and
FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-section along line A--A of FIG. 4.
As is clear from especially FIGS. 1 and 2 the apparatus according to the invention basically consists of a longitudinal adjustment rail 1 which is attached to the bottom or underside of a ski-box 10 for instance by means of rivets 12 and preferably in a longitudinal channel 11 formed in
REFERENCES:
patent: 3366295 (1968-01-01), Nygaard
patent: 4217999 (1980-08-01), Forsman
patent: 4342411 (1982-08-01), Bott
patent: 4428517 (1984-01-01), Bott
Technical Manual-Thule 1987-1988 (p. 46).
Spare Parts Thule (p. 13).
B34-B38 1 page support bracket arrangements.
B9, B11, B14, B23-B27 1 page support bracket arrangements.
Monteringsanvisning-1 page, 1982.
Monteringsanvisning-1 page, 1982.
AB Formplast
Sholl Linda J.
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