Package and article carriers – Vehicle attached – Carrier associated with vehicle roof or trunk lid
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-10
2002-03-26
Vidovich, Gregory M. (Department: 3727)
Package and article carriers
Vehicle attached
Carrier associated with vehicle roof or trunk lid
C224S502000, C118S314000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06360930
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention is directed to a vehicle rack assembly for the storage and transportation of items on a motor vehicle. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a utility rack assembly for the storage and transportation of substantially elongated items such as ladders on a motor vehicle. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a vehicle rack assembly with a hydraulic assist, which facilitates the manual deployment of the utility rack from a storage to an access position.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Utility racks are used on motor vehicles to transport a wide variety of cargo. In particular, vehicle racks used with utility vehicles such as vans and pickup trucks are used to transport a variety of tools and implements such as ladders, pipes, building materials, rakes, shovels, brooms and sporting equipment such as skis, surfboards, ski poles, bicycles, and other items. In general, such large elongated bulky items are difficult to place on the top of a vehicle in a storage position for transport. In order to facilitate movement of such items from the ground up to a storage position on the vehicle, a variety of storage racks have been designed. In the case of the storage and transportation of ladders, utility racks have been designed to provide an access position for cargo loading and unloading wherein cargo such as a ladder is placed on the rack in a position substantially alongside a utility vehicle followed by a manual actuation of a mechanism to move the ladder from the access position up into a storage and transportation position substantially above the utility vehicle.
Movement of a stored ladder between the access position and the storage position requires a significant amount of effort on the part of the user. Movement of the ladder from the access position to the storage position involves user effort against the force of gravity to move the ladder in a generally upward direction. However, when moving the ladder from the storage position to the access position, a user must be careful to prevent the ladder from suddenly slamming down under the influence of gravity. Movement in this downward direction not only requires the user to use care and considerable effort in easing the ladder down to the access position, but is potentially dangerous if a ladder stored on the rack were to fall rapidly into the access position, potentially causing injury to persons standing under or near the rack, or damage to the vehicle.
In order to decrease the amount of effort required by a user of the ladder rack and to reduce the potential for injury to users, there exists a need for a manually actuated utility rack with an assist to slow the speed of deployment of a utility rack from a storage position to an access position that requires a minimum of effort by a user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a utility rack having an assist to enable movement of ladders and elongated cargo from a storage position to an access position.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a utility rack with an assist to slow the speed at which the utility rack is deployed from a storage to an access position.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a utility rack with an assist that allows for substantially hands free delivery of a ladder or other elongated cargo into the access position.
These and other objects will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art as described in the following specification, drawings, and claims.
The present invention provides a utility rack for a motor vehicle comprising a stationary mounting frame mountable to a vehicle, a cargo frame movable between an access position and a storage position and capable of carrying substantially elongated cargo, and a carriage to move the cargo frame between the access position and the storage position. The carriage movably attaches the cargo frame to the mounting frame, with selective actuation by the user to move said cargo frame between the access position and the storage position. The carriage further comprises an assist capable of facilitating movement of the cargo frame between the storage position and the access position.
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Hahn Loeser + Parks LLP
L & P Property Management Company
Vidovich Gregory M.
LandOfFree
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