US 6,561,397 B1 · Vehicle roof rack system

Abstract

A roof rack system for a motor vehicle, including side-rails, and including a wind deflector, a storage bin, and adjustable cross rails positioned from front to back along the side-rails. The side-rails have a tubular portion that extends along the vehicle, and a plurality of stanchions carrying the tubular portion elevated above the vehicle's roof. The crossbars have clamping members at either end, each having an upper flange and a lower flange that move, relative to each other, to clamp onto the side-rail directly at the end of the crossbar. The storage bin has a basket portion extending between the side-rails, and includes flanges conforming to the upper surface of the side-rails. The basket portion does not extend significantly above the height of the side-rails, and includes a net-like cover, drainage holes and ventilation holes.

Claims39

Dependent claims

A vehicle roof rack system for carrying items on top of a vehicle's roof, comprising:

a left side-rail and a right side-rail, each side-rail including a longitudinal portion;
at least one crossbar extending between the longitudinal portions of the left side-rail and the right side-rail;
a storage bin extending between the left side-rail and the right side-rail, the storage bin including a basket portion attached to the longitudinal portions such that the basket portion is carried above the vehicle's roof without contacting the vehicle's roof;
and
an air deflector forward of the storage bin, the air deflector being configured to direct air over the storage bin, wherein the air deflector extends upward to a level below the top of the side-rails.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vehicle roof rack system

Life of this patent

Vehicle roof rack system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims39