US 5,667,116 AGranted

Vehicle rooftop storage unit

OwnerBambi L. Reinhart, Robert A. Reinhartinventors

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Abstract

A vehicle rooftop storage unit includes a rack portion which is permanently installed to the roof of the passenger vehicle at manufacture, or which may be installed as an aftermarket article after vehicle manufacture. A separate container portion is removably securable within the rack portion. The rack portion includes a generally rectangular rail, with the front and side members being fixed in position, and the rear member being hinged to the rear end of one of the side members. The rear member may be locked to the opposite side member to close the rail structure, and thereby capture the container portion within the rack rails. The rack portion captures the container portion by a tongue formed along the inner face of the rail, which engages a mating peripheral groove in the container portion; the tongue and groove configuration may be reversed between container and rack rail, if desired. The container may be slid into the rack rails and the rear rail member locked in place therebehind to lock the container to the rack and thus to the vehicle. The container portion has a lockable lid, with the locks of the container lid and rear rack member preferably requiring a key identical to the vehicle door and/or ignition key. The rack and container are preferably color coordinated with the vehicle with which they are originally provided. However, the container portion may be removed and transferred to any other vehicle having an identically configured rack, as desired.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A rooftop storage unit for a powered passenger vehicle having a fixed roof, said storage unit comprising:

a rack and a container removably securable within said rack;
said rack having a generally rectangular configuration with an open center, with a front peripheral member, a first side peripheral member and an opposite second side peripheral member spaced apart therefrom, and a rear peripheral member defining a generally horizontal plane;
said rack being permanently secured to the roof of the vehicle by a plurality of supports, with said supports each having a height sufficient to place said plane of said rack at least slightly above the roof of the vehicle;
each said side member of said rack having a rearward end and said rear member of said rack having a first and an opposite second end respectively corresponding to said first and said second side member, with said first end of said rear member being hingedly attached to said first side member to swing arcuately in a path coplanar to said plane of said rack;
said second end of said rear member of said rack including locking means therein, and said rearward end of said second side member including cooperating latching means for said locking means of said rear member;
said rack further including an inner periphery having capture means for said container disposed therealong, and;
said container including a base having a lower periphery configured to fit closely within said rack and with rack engaging means disposed therearound, and a selectively openable upper lid, whereby;
said rear member of said rack is unlocked from said second side member and pivotally swung open, said container is secured within said rack by means of said rack engaging means of said container engaging said capture means of said rack, said rear member of said rack is closed and locked to said second member of said rack to capture said container within said rack, and said container is loaded as desired and closed to secure any articles stowed therein.

5 more elements

In combination with a powered passenger vehicle having a fixed roof and locking means, a rooftop storage unit comprising:

a rack and a container removably securable within said rack;
said rack having a generally rectangular configuration with an open center, with a front peripheral member, a first side peripheral member and an opposite second side peripheral member spaced apart therefrom, and a rear peripheral member defining a generally horizontal plane;
said rack being permanently secured to said roof of said vehicle by a plurality of supports, with said supports each having a height sufficient to place said plane of said rack at least slightly above said roof of said vehicle;
each said side member of said rack having a rearward end and said rear member of said rack having a first and an opposite second end respectively corresponding to said first and said second side member, with said first end of said rear member being hingedly attached to said first side member to swing arcuately in a path coplanar to said plane of said rack;
said second end of said rear member of said rack including locking means therein, and said rearward end of said second side member including cooperating latching means for said locking means of said rear member;
said rack further including an inner periphery having capture means for said container disposed therealong, and;
said container including a base having a lower periphery configured to fit closely within said rack and with rack engaging means disposed therearound, and a selectively openable upper lid, whereby;
said rear member of said rack is unlocked from said second side member and pivotally swung open, said container is secured within said rack by means of said rack engaging means of said container engaging said capture means of said rack, said rear member of said rack is closed and locked to said second member of said rack to capture said container within said rack, and said container is loaded as desired and closed to secure any articles stowed therein.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.