Vehicular utility rack
AssigneeeRack LLC
InventorsBradford Foo, Jose Villarreal
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicular utility rack apparatus having at least two frame members mounted on a vehicle to form a frame assembly. The at least two support arms are used for supporting a transported item. The two support arms also having a retainer assembly coupled to form a carriage assembly. The carriage assembly coupled to a rotational shaft for pivoting the carriage assembly. The rotational shaft coupled to an anti-friction assembly capable of reducing the amount of torque required to pivot the support arms from a position above the vehicle to a position adjacent the vehicle side.
Claims67
A vehicular utility rack apparatus for transporting a variety of items, said apparatus comprising:
- a symmetrical carriage assembly which comprises at least two support arms and retainer assemblies coupled to each of said at least two support arms, wherein said at least two support arms are each a single, horizontal member;
- anti-friction assembly;
- a rotational shaft passing through an axis of rotation of said anti-friction assembly and coupled to one end of each of said at least two support arms, wherein the axis of rotation of the anti-friction assembly substantially coincides with an axis of rotation of the carriage assembly;
- and
- an actuation lever pivotably coupled to an end of said rotational shaft.
A vehicular utility rack apparatus for transporting a variety of items, said apparatus comprising:
- at least two frame members comprising a frame assembly;
- a symmetrical carriage assembly which comprises at least two support arms and retainer assemblies coupled to each of said at least two support arms, wherein each of said support arms are each a single, horizontal member of equal dimension and dimensioned to support the transported item a predetermined distance away an adjacent side of the motor vehicle when in a deployed position;
- said carriage assembly further comprising retainer assemblies which comprise both a flat bottom portion and an arc portion, and wherein said arc portion is dimensioned to retain items of varying size and to vary a vertical position of the transported item in a deployed state and is composed of a friction resistant material enabling said transported item to glide along a surface of said arc portion;
- mountable bearing assembly coupled directly to said frame assembly;
- an adjustable limit member is affixed to each of said at least two frame members;
- a stop member is affixed to one of said at least two support arms;
- a plurality of shock pads affixed to each of said at least two frame members define stop points of said carriage assembly;
- a rotational shaft passing through an axis of rotation of said mountable bearing assembly and coupled to one end of each of said at least two support arms, wherein the axis of rotation of the mountable bearing assembly substantially coincides with an axis of rotation of the carriage assembly;
- and
- an actuation lever pivotably coupled to an end of said rotational shaft, wherein said actuation lever coupled to an end of said rotational shaft at a second pivot point and shaped to enable a user to engage a lower portion of said actuation lever when in a storage position.
A vehicular utility rack apparatus for transporting a variety of items, said apparatus comprising:
- a symmetrical carriage assembly which comprises at least two support arms and means for retaining an item coupled to each of said at least two support arms, wherein said at least two support arms are each a single, horizontal member;
- means for reducing the friction associated with rotating said symmetrical carriage assembly;
- a rotational shaft passing through an axis of rotation of said means for reducing the friction and coupled to one end of each of said at least two support arms, wherein the axis of rotation of the means for reducing the friction substantially coincides with an axis of rotation of the carriage assembly;
- and
- an actuation lever pivotably coupled to an end of said rotational shaft.
A vehicular utility rack apparatus for transporting a variety of items, said apparatus comprising:
- a frame assembly, wherein said frame assembly is made up of at least two frame members;
- an adjustable limit member affixed to each of said at least two frame members
- a symmetrical carriage assembly which comprises at least two support arms and retainer assemblies coupled to each of said at least two support arms;
- anti-friction assembly;
- a rotational shaft passing through an axis of rotation of said anti-friction assembly and coupled to one end of each of said at least two support arms, wherein the axis of rotation of the anti-friction assembly substantially coincides with an axis of rotation of the carriage assembly;
- and
- an actuation lever pivotably coupled to an end of said rotational shaft.
A vehicular utility rack apparatus for transporting a variety of items, said apparatus comprising:
- a frame assembly, wherein said frame assembly is made up of at least two frame members;
- a symmetrical carriage assembly which comprises at least two support arms and retainer assemblies coupled to each of said at least two support arms;
- a plurality of shock pads affixed to each of said at least two frame members define stop points of said symmetrical carriage assembly;
- anti-friction assembly;
- a rotational shaft passing through an axis of rotation of said anti-friction assembly and coupled to one end of each of said at least two support arms, wherein the axis of rotation of the anti-friction assembly substantially coincides with an axis of rotation of the carriage assembly;
- and
- an actuation lever pivotably coupled to an end of said rotational shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.