Vehicle article carrier apparatus for supporting articles of vehicle having a cross-bar including a heat sink arranged on a second surface for dissipating heat

A vehicle article carrier apparatus for carrying articles above an outer body surface of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

• first and second cross bars each configured to be secured against movement relative to the outer body surface of the vehicle;
• the first cross bar including a first elongated metallic housing and a first plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) at least partially housed in the first elongated metallic housing, and directing light therefrom in a first direction out toward a front portion of the vehicle from a first surface of the first cross bar, and a first heat sink integrally formed on a second portion of the elongated metallic housing of the first cross bar, and exposed to an ambient environment outside of the first cross bar, for dissipating heat generated by the first plurality of LEDs;
• and
• the second cross bar including a second elongated metallic housing and a second plurality of LEDs at least partially housed in a first surface of the second metallic housing, and directing light therefrom in a second direction out toward a rear portion of the vehicle from the first surface of the second elongated metallic housing, and a second heat sink formed on a second portion of the elongated metallic housing of the second cross bar, and exposed to the ambient environment outside of the second cross bar, for dissipating heat generated by the second plurality of LEDs.

A vehicle article carrier apparatus for carrying articles above an outer body surface of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

• first and second cross bars each configured to be secured against movement relative to the outer body surface of the vehicle;
• the first cross bar including a first elongated metallic housing and a first plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) housed in the first elongated metallic housing, and directing light therefrom in a first direction out toward a front portion of the vehicle from a leading edge surface of the first cross bar, and a first heat sink formed on a trailing edge surface of the first elongated metallic housing of the first cross bar for dissipating heat generated by the first plurality of LEDs;
• the second cross bar including a second elongated metallic housing and a second plurality of LEDs housed in a trailing edge surface of the second elongated metallic housing, and directing light therefrom in a second direction out toward a rear portion of the vehicle from the trailing edge surface of the second elongated metallic housing, and a second heat sink formed on a leading edge surface of the second cross bar for dissipating heat generated by the second plurality of LEDs;
• and
• wherein each of the first and second elongated metallic housings of the first and second cross bars has a generally oval shape.