US 2026/0091737 A1Published application

Roof basket

AssigneeMacneil IP LLC

InventorsTrent PAULSEN, Frederick W. MASANEK, JR.

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Abstract

A vehicle roof basket is formed from a network of intersecting longitudinal and transverse beams molded of a polymer. Modular corner portions of the roof basket are assembled by joining together male and female free ends of the beam portions, which may take the form of downward facing channels. A key with a tenon fits to a mortise in the male free end to make each male/female connection. Additional expansion portions may be used with the corner portions to create a roof basket that is longer, wider, or both. Cross bar mounting members affix the roof basket corner portions to cross bars that in turn are mounted to roof rack rails of the vehicle. Upper components of the cross bar mounting members are integrally molded with bodies of the roof basket corner portions, or alternatively may be formed by variable position clamp sleds.

Claims49

Dependent claims

A connector for connecting first and second components of a structure, the connector comprising:

an elongate hollow female member that is a portion of the first component, the female member arranged on an axis and having a free end, an inner surface and an outer surface, a keyhole formed in the female member to extend from the outer surface of the female member radially inwardly to the inner surface of the female member, a first keyhole sidewall formed at a first angle to the axis and extending radially inwardly from the outer surface of the female member, a second keyhole sidewall formed at a second angle to the axis and being axially spaced from the first keyhole sidewall and extending radially inwardly from the outer surface of the female member;
an elongate male member that is a portion of the second component, the male member axially slidably received into the free end of the female member to a predetermined connection position and having an outer surface aligned with the axis, a mortise formed to extend radially inwardly from the outer surface of the male member, the mortise having a first sidewall formed at a third angle to the axis and a second sidewall formed at a fourth angle to the axis to be axially spaced from the first sidewall of the mortise, the mortise being axially aligned with the keyhole of the female member when the male member is in the connection position;
and
a key for joining the male member to the female member, the key removably received into the keyhole of the female member, the key having an inner surface, a tenon radially inwardly extending from the inner surface of the key to be received into the mortise of the male member, a first sidewall of the tenon formed at a fifth angle to the axis and in use fitting to the first sidewall of the mortise, a second sidewall of the tenon formed at a sixth angle to the axis and in use fitting to the second sidewall of the mortise, a first sidewall of the key formed at a seventh angle to the axis and fitting to the first sidewall of the keyhole, a second sidewall of the key axially spaced from the first sidewall of the key, formed at an eighth angle to the axis and fitting to the second sidewall of the keyhole.

1 more element

A roof basket for mounting to a roof of a vehicle, the roof basket comprising:

a body;
a plurality of cross bar mounting members including a first cross bar mounting member, a second cross bar mounting member spaced from the first cross bar mounting member in a transverse direction, a third cross bar mounting member spaced from the first cross bar mounting member in a longitudinal direction that is ninety degrees from the transverse direction, and a fourth cross bar mounting member spaced from the first cross bar mounting member in both the longitudinal and transverse directions, each cross bar mounting member comprising:
an upper pad receptacle downwardly extending from and integrally molded with the body of a first polymer compound;
a cross beam disposed below the upper pad receptacle, an upwardly facing surface of the cross beam disposed below the upper pad receptacle, means for fastening the cross beam to the body;
an upper pad mounted in the upper pad receptacle, a lower pad mounted on the upwardly facing surface of the cross beam, the upper and lower pads molded of a second polymer compound that as molded is softer than the first polymer compound as molded, wherein in use the upper and lower pads capture therebetween a crossbar of a roof rack of the vehicle, thereby fastening the roof basket to the roof of the vehicle.

2 more elements

A kit for assembling a roof basket for a vehicle, the kit comprising:

a first corner portion, a second corner portion directly joinable to the first corner portion, a third corner portion directly joinable to the second corner portion, and a fourth corner portion directly joinable to at least one of the first corner portion and the third corner portion, the second corner portion disposed transversely of the first corner portion, the third corner portion disposed longitudinally of the second corner portion, and the fourth corner portion disposed transversely of the third corner portion and longitudinally of the second corner portion;
a first longitudinal expansion portion and a second longitudinal expansion portion, the first longitudinal expansion portion optionally placed between the first corner portion and the third corner portion to join the first corner portion to the third corner portion, the second longitudinal expansion portion optionally placed between the second corner portion and the fourth corner portion;
whereby, when the first and second longitudinal expansion portions are used, an overall length of the assembled roof basket is increased.

A carrier for mounting to a roof of a vehicle, the carrier comprising:

a body;
a plurality of cross bar mounting members including a first cross bar mounting member, a second cross bar mounting member spaced from the first cross bar mounting member in a transverse direction, a third cross bar mounting member spaced from the first cross bar mounting member in a longitudinal direction that is ninety degrees from the transverse direction, and a fourth cross bar mounting member spaced from the first cross bar mounting member in both the longitudinal and transverse directions, each cross bar mounting member comprising:
a clamp sled affixable to the body in a selected one of a plurality of clamping positions, the clamping positions being longitudinally displaced from one another;
and
a cross beam disposed below the clamp sled, wherein in use the clamp sled and the cross beam capture therebetween a crossbar of a roof rack of the vehicle, thereby fastening the carrier to the roof of the vehicle.

2 more elements

A fastening system comprising:

a body having a first surface and an opposed second surface, a body bolt hole formed to extend through the body from the first surface to the second surface and disposed on an axis;
a bolt having a head and a bolt shaft and disposed on the axis, the head of the bolt disposed adjacent the first surface of the body, the bolt shaft inserted through the body bolt hole and extending from the second surface, the bolt shaft being threaded, the bolt turning on the axis upon application of torque to the bolt head, the bolt shaft being formed of a first material;
a component having a third surface proximate to the second surface of the body and a fourth surface remote from the second surface of the body, a component bolt hole formed on the axis and axially extending from the third surface to the fourth surface, the bolt shaft inserted through the component bolt hole, a nut cavity of the component formed on the axis and axially extending from the fourth surface, a first portion of the nut cavity having a first nut cavity surface with a noncircular cross section;
and
a nut disposed on the axis and having a threaded bore for threadedly receiving the shaft therethrough, the nut having an outer surface opposed to the threaded bore, a radially outwardly extending flange of the nut having a flange surface with a noncircular cross section, the flange surface cooperating with the first nut cavity surface such that the nut will not rotate around the axis within the nut cavity;
and
a nut insert formed of a second material that is softer than the first material, an insert cavity radially inwardly extending from the outer surface of the nut to the threaded bore, the nut insert inserted into the insert cavity, an end of the nut insert radially inwardly extending beyond the threaded bore toward the axis so as to interfere with the bolt shaft, threads of the bolt shaft cutting into the end of the nut insert, the end of the nut insert thereby providing resistance to the bolt shaft rotating around the axis.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.