Self-centering roof rack
OwnerFabio Pedriniinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-centering roof rack system for transporting bicycles and other sporting goods on a motor vehicle. The rack includes a transverse bar mounted on the roof and supported by upright members at each end. The upright members are simultaneously moveable by rotation of a knob at one end of the rack by means of rotation of a threaded shaft which has right hand threads on one end and left hand threads on the other. The upright members are provided with either a pivoting or sliding mechanism that causes a floating hook adapted to grip a motor vehicle roof edge, the hook being caused to move upwardly and outwardly to firmly engage the roof as the uprights are moved toward each other.
Claims20
A carrier for a roof of a motor vehicle comprising:
- a cross bar;
- a threaded rod having two oppositely wound threaded segments and rotatably mounted within said cross bar;
- an end member attached to an end of said threaded rod and being rotatable therewith;
- said cross bar having a channel which extends to an end of said cross bar, said channel being adapted to receive article constraining members therein;
- said end of said cross bar including a surface that is substantially adjacent to and parallel to a surface of said end member, said end member being provided with a portion that closes said channel at said end of said cross bar, and another portion that opens said channel at said end of said cross bar by rotation of said end member.
A carrier for the roof of a motor vehicle comprising:
- a cross bar;
- a support leg extending from said cross bar and movable in a direction parallel to said cross bar;
- a roof engaging member attached to said support leg such that said roof engaging member is freely movable relative to said support leg along a selected direction that is angled relative to said cross bar, whereby as said support leg is moved inwardly, said roof engaging member engages said roof, and said support leg is pulled downwardly as said roof engaging member moves relative to said support leg along said selected direction.
A carrier for a roof of a motor vehicle comprising:
- a cross bar;
- a support leg extending from said cross bar and movable in a direction parallel to said cross bar;
- a roof engaging member attached to said support leg by floating quadrilaterals, such that as said roof engaging member is moved inward and engages said roof, said cross bar and said support leg are pulled downward.
A carrier for a roof of a motor vehicle comprising:
- a cross bar;
- a support leg extending from said cross bar and movable in a direction parallel to said cross bar;
- roof engaging member attached to said support leg;
- a four-bar linkage associated with said support leg and said roof engaging member such that when said roof engaging member engages said roof, said cross bar and said support leg are pulled downward.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.