Rail system for roof rack fastening
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsDaniel Hahnenberg, Michael Otte, Thomas Benderoth
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fastening rail for a vehicle roof serves for the assembly of a roof rack. The fastening rail includes an assembly region for the assembly of the roof rack and fastening regions for fastening the fastening rail to the vehicle roof. The fastening regions include rear engagement means configured integrally with the fastening rail, that serve for securing the fastening rail to the vehicle roof by means of a bayonet-type displacement movement.
Claims11
A fastening rail for a vehicle roof that serves for assembly of a roof rack, comprising:
- an assembly region for assembly of a roof rack;
- fastening regions for fastening the fastening rail to a vehicle roof, wherein the fastening regions include a rear connector configured integrally with the fastening rail and adapted to secure the fastening rail to the vehicle roof by means of a bayonet-type displacement movement, said rear connector including a support leg connected to the fastening rail and a retaining leg depending from the support leg and oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the fastening rail;
- a roof plate;
- and
- a lock engaging the retaining leg and the roof plate captured between the retaining leg and the fastening rail.
A method for fastening a fastening rail to a roof structure of a vehicle, comprising:
- inserting in a first direction a rear connector of said fastening rail into a receiver provided in said roof structure;
- displacing said fastening rail by a bayonet-type displacement movement in a second direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the fastening rail;
- and
- engaging a lock with the rear connector and the roof structure.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a fastening rail including a rail base body and at least one hook projecting from said rail base body wherein said hook includes a support leg connected to the rail base body and a retaining leg that depends from the support leg and is oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the fastening rail;
- a roof plate including at least one receiver wherein said at least one hook engages said at least one receiver;
- and
- a lock engaging the retaining leg and the roof plate wherein the roof plate is captured between the retaining leg and the fastening rail.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.