US 8,998,047 B2Granted

Hitch-mounted telescopic rack and method of use

OwnerMichael Thomas DeMers, James Kevin Redmondinventors

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Abstract

One possible embodiment of the invention could be a hitch-mounted telescopic rack and its operation, the rack could be comprised of a vertical telescopic tube assembly having an inner tube movably received within a hollow outer tube, the hollow outer tube having a hitch attachment end while the inner tube has an attachment end that connects to a top tube assembly that movably supports one or more rollers perpendicularly to the vertical telescopic tube assembly; wherein the hitch attachment end is reversibly received by a trailer hitch of an automotive vehicle to vertically orient the vertical telescopic tube assembly and place the rollers in a horizontal position distal from the trailer hitch, the one or more rollers moving an object relative to a rear edge of a top of the automotive vehicle as well as supporting the rear overhanging portion of the object that is placed on the top.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A process of operating hitch-mounted telescopic rack comprising the following steps, but not necessarily in the order shown:

(A) providing an automotive vehicle having a top with a rear edge, the automotive vehicle further having a tow hitch;
(B) providing a telescopic rack, the rack comprising of a top tube assembly with one or more rollers and a vertical telescopic tube assembly, the top tube assembly attaches in a perpendicular orientation to a one end of a vertical telescopic tube assembly while the other end of the vertical telescopic tube assembly is removably attached to the tow hitch of the automotive vehicle, the vertical telescopic tube assembly further having a capability of adjusting a length of the vertical telescopic tube assembly to place the one or more rollers at a height that is two thirds of a distance between the top and the tow hitch of the automotive vehicle;
(C) providing an object to be loaded on the top of the automotive vehicle, the object having a front portion, a center of gravity, and a rear portion;
(D) adjusting a length of the vertical telescopic tube assembly to place the one or more rollers at a suitable height for angled loading of the object up over the rear edge to the top of the automotive vehicle;
(E) placing the front portion upon the one or more rollers;
(F) lowering the rear portion below the rollers to angle up the front portion towards the rear edge of the top of the automotive vehicle;
and
(G) moving the object along the one or more rollers in an angled manner to project the front portion up towards the rear edge.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/332,175Filed 15 Jul 2014 · division
Priority: 22 Oct 2010
Published: US 2014/0326766 A16 Nov 2014
Granted: 7 Apr 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

B60R 9/08
Supplementary fittings on vehicle exterior for carrying loads, e.g. luggage, sports gear or the like: specially adapted for sports gear
B60D 1/00
Traction couplings
B60R 9/042
Carriers associated with vehicle roof: carriers characterised by means to facilitate loading or unloading of the load, e.g. rollers, tracks, or…
B60R 9/045
Carriers associated with vehicle roof: carriers being adjustable or transformable, e.g. expansible, collapsible

Family

Application61/405,729Us provisional application · filed 22 Oct 2010
Application13/280,324Parent of this division · filed 24 Oct 2011
US 2014/0326766 A1Pre-grant publication · published 6 Nov 2014
US 8,777,074 B2Parent of this division
US 2012/0098235 A1Published application
US 8,998,047 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.