# US 2019/0315210 A1 · Roof rack mount for a vehicle having a removable roof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0315210 A1 - Document ID: US20190315210A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/951,803 - Filed: 2018-04-12 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-12 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Dragan B. STOJKOVIC; Colleen Marie HOFFMAN; Jack MARCHLEWSKI; Joshua Robert HEMPHILL; Ronald M. LOVASZ; Mathias A. HUBER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190315210A1 ## CPC - B60J 7/11: Removable panels, e.g. sunroofs - B60J 7/14: with a plurality of {rigid} plate-like elements {or rigid non plate-like elements, e.g. with non-slidable, but pivotable or foldable movement} - B60R 9/058: characterised by releasable attaching means between carrier and roof - B60J: WINDOWS, WINDSCREENS, NON-FIXED ROOFS, DOORS, OR SIMILAR DEVICES FOR VEHICLES; REMOVABLE EXTERNAL PROTECTIVE COVERINGS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES (fastening, suspending, closing, or opening of such devices E05) - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A vehicle including a passenger compartment having a roof support framework including a pair of roof rails, a header and at least one roof bow. A roof including several rigid removable roof panels is removably assembled to the roof support framework. Pins are removably assembled to the roof rails or to brackets attached to the roof rails that extend through the roof panels. A roof rack or cargo carrier is removably attached to upper ends of the pins and is spaced above the roof panels. A method of assembling a roof rack to a vehicle is also disclosed. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle comprising: a passenger compartment having a roof support framework including a pair of roof rails; a roof including plural roof panels adapted to be removably assembled to the roof support framework; plural pins removably assembled to the roof rails that extend through the roof panels, the pins having upper ends disposed above the roof panels; and a roof rack removably attached to the upper ends of the pins. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the roof rails define plural openings having an axis extending in a vertical direction, and wherein the pins are assembled into the openings. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the pins are provided with a shoulder ring on an intermediate portion of the pins that are adapted to close an opening defined by the roof panels when the roof panels are attached to the roof support framework by the pins. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising: a crush tube assembled inside each of a plurality of openings defined by the roof rails wherein the pins are assembled into the openings, wherein the pins are secured to the roof rails by a threaded connector attached to a lower end of the pins below the roof rail, and wherein the roof rack is secured to the upper end of the pins by a threaded connector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the roof rack is attached to the pins with the roof panels secured to the roof support framework. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the roof rack is attached to the pins with the roof panels not secured to the roof support framework. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the roof rack is attached to the pins in a first mode with the roof panels secured to the roof support framework and in a second mode with the roof panels secured to the roof support framework. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the pins have an intermediate portion, a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the top and bottom portions have threaded ends and the intermediate portion has a larger diameter than the top and bottom portions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle of claim 8 wherein the pins are provided with a shoulder ring on the intermediate portion that is adapted to close an opening defined by the roof panels and are adapted to close an opening defined by the roof panels when the roof panels are attached to the roof support framework. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising: plural brackets attached to the roof rails, wherein the brackets define plural openings having an axis extending in a vertical direction, and wherein the pins are assembled into the openings. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the roof support framework includes a plurality of pillars supporting a pair of roof rails, a plurality of transverse bows, and a windshield header. ### Claim 12 A roof rack assembly for a vehicle having a roof support framework and plural removable roof panels adapted to be assembled to a location above the roof support framework, the assembly comprising: a cargo carrier; and plural pins each having an upper end that extends above the location where the roof panels are assembled to the framework, wherein the cargo carrier is attached to the upper ends of the pins. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The roof rack assembly of claim 12 wherein the pins are provided with a shoulder ring on an intermediate portion of the pins that are adapted to close an opening defined by the roof panels when the roof panels are attached to the roof support framework by the pins. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1, 12) The roof rack assembly of claim 12 The vehicle of claim 1 wherein the roof rack is attached to the pins with the roof panels secured to the roof support framework. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The roof rack assembly of claim 12 wherein the roof rack is attached to the pins with the roof panels not secured to the roof support framework. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The roof rack assembly of claim 12 wherein the roof rack is attached to the pins in a first mode with the roof panels secured to the roof support framework and in a second mode with the roof panels secured to the roof support framework. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The roof rack assembly of claim 12 wherein the pins have an intermediate portion, a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the top and bottom portions have threaded ends and the intermediate portion has a larger diameter than the top and bottom portions, and wherein the pins are provided with a shoulder ring on the intermediate portion that is adapted to close an opening defined by the roof panels when the roof panels are attached to the roof support framework. ### Claim 18 A method of attaching a cargo carrier to a vehicle that is equipped with removable roof panels comprising: attaching pins to a pair of roof rails that extend upwardly from the roof rails; and attaching the cargo carrier to upper ends of the pins, wherein the cargo carrier may be provided when the roof panels are assembled to the roof rails in a first mode and wherein the cargo carrier may be provided when the roof panels are not assembled to the roof rails in a second mode. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein the roof rails define an opening for each of the pins and the step of attaching the pins to the roof rails includes inserting one of the pins in each of the openings. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 further comprising: attaching several brackets each defining an opening to the roof rails and the step of attaching the pins to the roof rails includes inserting one of the pins in each of the openings.