Package and article carriers – Vehicle attached – Carrier associated with vehicle roof or trunk lid
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-08
2002-08-13
Vidovich, Gregory M. (Department: 3727)
Package and article carriers
Vehicle attached
Carrier associated with vehicle roof or trunk lid
Reexamination Certificate
active
06431421
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a ski rack with easy loading and more particularly pertains to allowing for skis and snowboards to be secured to the rack from a side of a vehicle.
The use of vehicle rack assemblies is known in the prior art. More specifically, vehicle rack assemblies heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of transporting items atop a vehicle are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,193,124 to Essling discloses a rack for transporting an article comprised of a slide hinge for minimized effort during loading. U.S. Pat. No. 2,654,515 to Svoboda discloses a boat rack for an automobile with a track and roller for loading.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objective and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe a ski rack with easy loading for allowing for skis and snowboards to be secured to the rack from a side of a vehicle.
In this respect, the ski rack with easy loading according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of allowing for skis and snowboards to be secured to the rack from a side of a vehicle.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved ski rack with easy loading which can be used for allowing for skis and snowboards to be secured to the rack from a side of a vehicle. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of vehicle rack assemblies now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved ski rack with easy loading. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved ski rack with easy loading which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a fixed support securable to the roof portion of the vehicle. The fixed support portion is comprised of a pair of opposed tracks disposed in a parallel orientation. The tracks each have an upper channel and a lower channel. The upper channel and the lower channel each have an inner end and an outer end. The outer ends of the upper channels are open. The outer ends of the lower channels are downwardly turned and closed. The upper channels each have corresponding apertures therethrough inwardly of the open outer ends thereof. The upper channels each have stop members positioned therein in a spaced relationship. A sliding support is slidably coupled with the fixed support. The sliding support is comprised of a central housing. The central housing has a front wall, a rear wall, and opposed side walls. The opposed side walls each have a pair of upper rollers extending outwardly therefrom in a spaced relationship. The opposed side walls each have a single lower roller extending outwardly therefrom inwardly of the rear wall. The central housing is positioned between the pair of opposed tracks of the fixed support with the upper rollers positioned within the upper channels of the tracks and the single lower rollers positioned within the lower channels of the tracks. A support pad is secured to the front wall of the central housing. A ski support is secured to the central housing of the sliding support. The ski support is comprised of a pair of opposed bars each having a plurality of angular slots formed therein in a spaced relationship. A locking member prevents movement of the sliding support with respect to the fixed support. The locking member includes an elongated shaft extending through the corresponding apertures of the upper channels. The locking member includes a locking cylinder disposed within the front wall of the central housing for selectively engaging the elongated shaft.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved ski rack with easy loading which has all the advantages of the prior art vehicle rack assemblies and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved ski rack with easy loading which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved ski rack with easy loading which is of durable and reliable construction.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved ski rack with easy loading which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such a ski rack with easy loading economically available to the buying public.
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved ski rack with easy loading for allowing for skis and snowboards to be secured to the rack from a side of a vehicle.
Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved ski rack with easy loading including a fixed support securable to the roof portion of the vehicle. A sliding support is slidably coupled with the fixed support. A ski support is secured to the central housing of the sliding support. A locking member prevents movement of the sliding support with respect to the fixed support.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5535929 (1996-07-01), Neill
patent: 5782391 (1998-07-01), Cretcher
patent: 5884824 (1999-03-01), Spring, Jr.
patent: 6015074 (2000-01-01), Snavely et al.
Brevard Maerena W.
Goldstein & Lavas P.C.
Vidovich Gregory M.
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