Crossbar tower assembly for a vehicle rack
AssigneeYakima Products, Inc.
InventorsTimothy Smith, Joseph Settelmayer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tower device for supporting a crossbar over the roof of a vehicle includes a tower body, a clip retention mechanism and a clip selected to adapt to a particular vehicle profile. Various mechanisms may be used to secure the clip to the clip receiving mechanism. For example, a lock body may insert through coinciding apertures in a clip and clip receiver. A spring retainer may slide into slots or grooves in the lock body to prevent the lock body from disengaging. Other mechanism employ lock mounts that pivot to swing lock bodies through apertures in the clip and clip receiver.
Claims10
A tower assembly configured to cooperate with a clip for securement to a top of a vehicle, comprising:
- a tower body configured to support a crossbar atop the vehicle;
- a clip receiver connected to the tower body, the clip receiver having one or more slots for receiving the clip, wherein the clip and clip receiver have apertures for receiving an insert member, so that when the insert member extends through the apertures the clip is prevented from disengaging the clip receiver;
- and
- a fastener being preassembled with the clip receiver and moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein the fastener in the engaged position prevents the insert member from being removed from the clip and clip receiver.
A tower assembly configured to cooperate with a clip for securement to a top of a vehicle, comprising:
- a tower body configured to support a crossbar atop the vehicle;
- a clip receiver connected to the tower body, the clip receiver having one or more slots for receiving the clip, wherein the clip receiver includes an aperture and the clip includes a corresponding aperture that aligns with the aperture of the clip receiver when the clip is received by the clip receiver, and wherein the clip receiver includes a lock mount configured to position a lock insert through the aligned apertures;
- and
- a fastener connected to the clip receiver and being moveable between an engaged position and a disengaged position, wherein the fastener in the engaged position prevents the lock insert from being removed from the clip and clip receiver.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.