Rail and clamp mounting system
AssigneeThule Sweden AB
InventorsJan Verhelst, Wim Van Ongeval, Kevin Bogoslofski, Joe Settelmayer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A mounting system for attaching accessories to surfaces. The mounting system comprises a rail and clamp that includes housing for a bolt having a shaft extending outwardly of the housing from a first surface thereof. A hook extends outwardly of a second surface of the housing to engage the rail. A blade also extends outwardly of the second surface to be received in a channel of the rail. The hook and blade exert pressure on the rail during rotation of a knob along the shaft of the bolt to tighten the blade against the rail for releasable connection of the clamp to the rail, the clamp being adapted for attachment of accessories.
Claims20
A mounting system for attaching an accessory to a surface of a vehicle, the mounting system comprising:
- a rail having a horizontal surface including an elongate slot, the rail further including a substantially vertical surface having a channel formed therein;
- a clamp comprising a housing for a bolt having a shaft extending outwardly of the housing from a first surface thereof, the housing having a second surface;
- a hook extending outwardly of the second surface and engaging the elongate slot;
- a blade having an aperture formed to receive the shaft of the bolt to position the blade adjacent to the first surface, the blade extending outwardly of the second surface of the clamp and received in the channel;
- and
- a knob having an internal thread engaging the shaft of the bolt, wherein in the event the knob is rotated in a first direction, the blade tightens against channel, the clamp being adapted for attachment of accessories.
An article for attaching accessories to a rail having releasable attachment to a mounting surface, the rail having an elongate slot formed in a horizontal surface of the rail and a channel formed in the rail, the article including:
- a clamp comprising a housing for a bolt having a shaft extending outwardly of the housing from a first surface thereof, the housing having a second surface;
- a hook extending outwardly of the second surface to engage the elongate slot formed in the horizontal surface of the rail;
- a blade having an aperture formed to receive the shaft of the bolt to position the blade adjacent to the first surface, the blade extending outwardly of the second surface of the clamp and adapted to be received in the channel of the rail;
- and
- a knob having an internal thread to engage the shaft of the bolt, wherein in the event the knob is rotated in a first direction, the blade tightens against channel in the event the blade is received in the channel, the clamp being adapted for attachment of accessories.
A process for attaching an accessory to a mounting surface, the process comprising the steps of:
- providing a rail having a horizontal surface including an elongate slot, the rail further including a substantially vertical surface having a channel formed therein to include a gripping surface;
- attaching the rail to the mounting surface;
- making a releasable connection between the rail and a clamp comprising a housing for a bolt having a threaded shaft extending outwardly of the housing from a first surface thereof, the housing having a second surface having a hook extending outwardly thereof to engage the elongate slot, the clamp including a blade having an aperture formed to receive the shaft of the bolt to position the blade adjacent to the first surface, the blade extending outwardly of the second surface to be received in the channel;
- and
- positioning a knob having an internal thread to engage the threaded shaft of the bolt, wherein rotating the knob in a first direction causes the blade to tighten against the channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.