GB2296225A - Roof rack for a motor vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

A roof rack (12, 36) for a motor vehicle (10), and in particular a roof rack removably locatable onto the roof (14) of a motor vehicle, comprises a roof rack having a frame means (12) and a rack means (36), the frame means having mounting means (22) whereby it may be secured to a vehicle, the rack means being movable relative to the frame means between a first position in which the rack means completely or substantially overlies the frame means and a second position in which only a part of the rack means overlies said frame means, the rack means in its second position being pivotable relative to the frame means. <IMAGE>

Description

ROOF RACK FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a roof rack for a motor vehicle, and in particular to a roof rack removably locatable onto the roof of a motor vehicle.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION A motor vehicle, such as a passenger car, typically has limited storage space for objects such as luggage and the like within the body of the vehicle. Such storage space can thus become filled, so that further storage space is required. It is known to fit a roof rack upon the roof of the vehicle, the roof rack providing an additional storage capacity.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART One well-known design of roof rack is affixed to the vehicle roof. It comprises a pair of frame members each having a mounting means at either end, the mounting means being locatable upon or about the existing vehicle rain gutter (disposed in known fashion along the edge of the vehicle roof). Between the frame members are arranged a series of spaced bars, the bars providing a platform upon which objects such as luggage can be placed. Usually, the objects are retained on the roof rack by a length of rope or the like.

To place objects upon, and remove objects from, the known affixed roof rack described above, it is necessary for the user to reach over the vehicle roof, either to place the object in the desired position on the roof rack, or subsequently to grasp the object to lift or drag it off the roof rack. However, many vehicles (for example some 4wheel drive vehicles, and some of the small van-like vehicles known as "people carriers" or "multi-purpose vehicles") have a roof which is too high for most users, typically the driver, comfortably to reach over the roof (a) to place objects upon, and (b) to remove objects from, the roof rack.

Sometimes users (particularly those of insufficient height to reach the affixed roof rack, or to reach the objects placed thereupon), will use a ladder leaning against the vehicle, or else a set of self-supporting step ladders standing adjacent the vehicle, from which to reach the roof rack or the carried objects. However, with a ladder leaning against the vehicle is it relatively commonplace to damage the paint work of the vehicle, and with a self supporting step ladder the handling of heavier objects may render the step ladder unstable, with possible user injury.

One known attempt to overcome the above problems is disclosed in EP-A-0348362. This document discloses a movable roof rack comprising an affixed frame and a pair of movable racks. Thus, the frame has mounting means whereby it may be affixed or secured to the roof of a vehicle, the racks being slidable relative to the frame between a raised transporting condition and a lowered loading condition; specifically, the frame includes curved frame members, which frame members have channels or guides supporting a pair of (closely-spaced) wheels carried at each "inner" end of a rack, such that the pairs of wheels determine the horizontal (transporting) attitude of the racks and the tilted (loading) attitude of the racks relative to the channel or guide.A shaped track is provided on the rack and is cooperable with a wheel on the associated frame member, perhaps to provide extra support for the wheel pairs during loading i.e. with the rack otherwise in cantilever about the wheel pairs.

The use of complex curved channels or guides is believed to make the roof rack of EP-A-0348362 expensive to manufacture. The channels are manufactured to a predetermined length, and to be of a predetermined curvature, so that adjustment means between a two-part frame are required to permit the racks to be used on different vehicle roofs. Complicated locking means to hold a rack in its transporting i.e. raised condition are needed, requiring two-handed operation.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION There is now proposed a roof rack which avoids or reduces the above disclosed problems of the first-mentioned known roof rack and is thus of particular advantage when a roof rack is used on a vehicle with a high roof; the roof rack of the present invention does not share the stated disadvantages, and thus has advantages over, the roof rack of EP-AO 348 362.

Thus, there is provided a roof rack having a frame means and a rack means, the frame means having mounting means whereby it may be secured to a vehicle, the rack means being movable relative to the frame means between a first position in which the rack means completely or substantially overlies the frame means and a second position in which only a part of the rack means overlies said frame means, characterised in that the rack means in its second position is pivotable relative to the frame means.

Thus, when fitted to a vehicle, the rack means in its second position can pivot towards the ground, to reduce the reach required to lift objects onto the rack or remove objects therefrom.

Preferably, the frame means includes a pair of frame members, each frame member having a channel adapted to support a part of the rack means; preferably also the frame members are linear.

Desirably, the rack means carries handle means by which the rack means may be moved between its first and second positions. Desirably also, the handle means is slidably located within a rack member between a first condition in which the handle means is adapted to cooperate with the frame means to retain the rack means in its first position, and a second condition in which the handle means is operable to move and pivot the rack means relative to the frame means. Preferably, the handle means is lockable in its first condition.

Usefully, the handle means when in its second condition is adapted to engage the ground adjacent the vehicle, to limit the pivoting of the rack means.

Conveniently, the mounting means are adjustably fixed to the frame means, so that the roof rack may be fitted to vehicles with differing roof widths. Conveniently there is only one rack means, so that the portions of the frame members adapted to cooperate (1) with the rack means for the pivoting thereof, and (2) with the handle means for fixing the rack means in its first position, are located towards one end of the frame members; the other ends of the frame members may then be cut to fit the width of roof of the vehicle to which the roof rack is to be fitted, having been manufactured to a standard length.

Thus we also propose a slidable luggage rack assembly which can be fitted to the roof of a motor vehicle comprising a support frame which has attachments for fixing it to the roof of the vehicle and which at its two lateral ends has facing guide members, a movable rack mounted for sliding on the support frame and movable between a raised transporting condition and a lowered loading condition, the rack including two side members each with a wheel which can run along a respective one of the guide members, at least one of the guide members and the adjacent side member having a peg and slot connection to hold the rack in its raised transporting condition. Usefully the slot is upwardly facing such that the weight of the rack and of any luggage carried thereby holds the rack against sliding movement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig.l is a schematic perspective view of a part of a motor vehicle fitted with a frame means of a roof rack according to the invention; Fig.2 is a perspective view of the rack means fitable into the frame means of Fig.l; Fig.3 is a perspective view of the handle means for use with the rack means of Fig.2 and frame means of Fig.l; Fig.4 is a plan view of a roof rack accroding to the invention in its transporting condition; Fig.5 is a front view of a motor vehicle fitted with a roof rack of Fig.3, the roof rack being in its loading condition; Fig.6 is a side view of an end of a frame member; Fig.7 is a perspective view of the end of a frame member; Fig.8 is a view of the securing means for the handle means;; Fig.9 is an end view of the mounting means for the frame means; Fig.10 is a perspective view of the mounting means of Fig.9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in Fig.l, motor vehicle 10 has a roof 14, to either side of which is disposed a rain gutter 16 (only one of which can be seen in this figure). The rain gutters 16 extend fore and aft for the full length of the roof, in known fashion.

Motor vehicle 10 is fitted with frame means 12 of a roof rack according to the invention.

Frame means 12 comprises a pair of (transverse) frame members 20a,20b, each frame member being mounted upon two support members, one support member being adjacent each end of a respective frame member 20a,b. Thus rear frame member 20a is mounted upon support members 22a,22d whilst front frame member 20b is mounted upon support members 22b,22c.

A first spacing bar 24a is arranged to lie fore and aft, and joins support member 22a of the rearmost frame member 20a (in the orientation as shown) with the support member 22b of the frontmost frame member 20b. A second spacing bar 24b is arranged substantially parallel to the first spacing bar 24a, and joins support member 22d of the rearmost frame member 20a (in the orientation as shown) with the support member 22c of the frontmost frame member 20b. The spacing bars act to provide a rectangular structure for the frame means, and serve to maintain a specified gap between the frame members 20a,b.

Each frame member 20a,20b is of channel section with a recess 26, and has a milled slot 30 and an opening 32 (see also Figs.6 and 7). Channel recess 26 is adapted to receive and locate a respective wheel 34 (Fig.2) carried by a rack 36; slot 30 is adapted to receive transporting locking peg 40 of rack 36. Opening 32 is adapted to receive an end 42 of handle means 46 (Fig.3), which is therefore safely concealed in the rack transporting condition.

In an alternative embodiment, the wheel 34 is replaced by an acircular block able to slide along the channel recess 26, the block being pivotable about its connection to the rack.

In the embodiment shown, the frame members 20a,b are manufactured from aluminium section, though other metals and perhaps suitably rigid plastics materials may alternatively be used. The frame members each have a fitted plastics insert 28 (shown in dotted outline in Fig.7), which insert is positioned prior to machining of the milled slot 30; the insert is used to reduce wear of the frame member around the slot. In an alternative embodiment the peg 40 has a sleeve, suitably of plastic, to act as a bearing and/or anti-rattle device. The sleeve may be fixed to the peg by adhesive or it may be shrunk fit to be retained thereon by friction.

As seen in Fig.2, rack 36 includes a hollow centre strut or member 44, adapted to receive hollow leg 50 of handle means 46. Member 44 has a pair of spaced apertures 52,54 adapted alternately to receive spring biassed peg 56, biassed to project from leg 50 of handle means 46. As shown in Fig.8, peg 56 is carried by L-shaped bracket 60 which is mounted upon pivot 62 within hollow leg 50 and connected to lever 64. One end of compression spring 66 engages an arm of bracket 60, whilst the other end of compression spring 66 engages end cap 70, such that spring 66 urges peg 56 outwardly of leg 50. Tip 72 of lever 64 projects through end plate 74 of leg 50.

Handle means 46 may be secured to rack 36 in a first position in which peg 56 engages aperture 52, and in a second position in which peg 56 engages aperture 54. When it is desired to move handle means 46 between its first and second positions, tip 72 of lever 64 is pressed towards end plate 74, compressing spring 66 and withdrawing peg 56 into leg 50, allowing leg 50 to be slid internally of member 44, towards the other aperture.

The rack 36 has a first or transporting condition in which each wheel 34 is located in its respective channel recess 26, in which each locking peg 40 is located in its respective slot 30, in which the handle means 46 is in its first position with peg 56 engaging aperture 52, and in which each end 42 of the handle arm 80 is located within its respective opening 32. In this first or transporting condition, movement of the wheels 34 along channel recesses 26 is resisted by locking peg(s) 40 in slot(s) 30; each peg 40 is held against lifting (vertical) movement out of its slot 30 by the adjacent end 42 of the handle arm 80 within respective opening 32.

When it is desired to adjust the position of rack 36 to its second or loading/unloading condition, handle means 44 is moved to its second position, with peg 56 engaging aperture 54, and releasing handle ends 42 from openings 32; handle means 44 can now be used to lift location pegs 40 out of slots 30, whereupon the rack 36 can be moved relative to the frame 12 (towards the bottom right of the paper in the orientation of Fig.l), with wheels 34 running along channel recesses 26.When one or both of the wheels 34 reaches the limits of its (their) travel i.e. one or both are adjacent the ends 76 of channel recesses 26, handle means 46 is lowered as viewed, pivoting the rack 36 until handle arm 80 engages e.g. the ground 8 alongside the vehicle 10 (Fig.5), whereupon objects may be attached to or removed from the rack 36 prior to the rack being returned to its first or transporting condition.

It will be understood that the handle means 46 in its second position is arranged normally to engage the ground 8 adjacent the vehicle before the rack contacts the spacing bar 24a; thus, the spacing bar 24a is not in this normal case required i.e. to limit the pivoting movement of the rack. However, in the event of misuse of the handle means, or if the ground adjacent the vehicle drops away sharply, the spacing bar 24a comes into play to prevent the rack engaging, and perhaps damaging, the vehicle 10.

Usefully, the rack will adopt an angle A of around 450 to the horizontal when the handle means engages the ground adjacent the vehicle; such an angle will permit the relatively easy and safe loading of objects e.g suitcases upon the rack 36.

It will also be understood that the rack can carry one or more of the known fixing or storage devices, such as a bicycle rack or a roof box, making however those known devices usually easier to reach and to use than with conventional roof racks. In this embodiment the spindle 82 of wheel 34 is chosen to be long enough to allow a gap B (Fig.4) between the side member 84 of the rack 36 and the adjacent front frame member 20b, so that a U-bolt for fixing a roof box or other device can be passed around the side member 84. In the embodiment shown, the side members 84,86 are 122cm (48 inches) apart, with the centre strut 44 being located mid-way therebetween. This spacing accords with the 61cm (24 inch) and 122cm (48 inch) spacings of many of the known roof boxes and other devices which may be fitted to a roof rack.

Location means, such as corner posts, may if desired be secured to rack 36, by which ladders, canoes or other irregularly-shaped objects may be securely located upon the rack. One means of fixing such location means would be the provision of brackets used to mount captive nuts on the rack 36, which nuts could receive threaded bolts attached to the location means.

Figs.9 and 10 show the method of mounting support member 22 to the rain gutter 16 of the vehicle roof 14, in known fashion. Thus, an L-shaped clip 90 fits around the underside of gutter 16, and adopts an over-centre condition, securing a lip 92 of support member 22 in the gutter 16. Similar mounting means may be used for rain channels which are disposed within the roof, i.e. other than as gutters along the edge of the roof. For vehicles which do not have rain gutters or channels, the support member(s) could be fitted in known fashion, i.e. a load bearing plate rests upon the vehicle roof and has fixing arms which clip over an edge of the roof and into a door recess.Support member 22 is fabricated from a single sheet of metal, cut and then folded along line 94 to provide a top wall 95 upon which one end of a frame member 20 may be rested, and also folded through approximately 900 along line 96 to provide a side wall 97.

In an alternative embodiment, one or both of the support members of a particular frame member may be movably secured to the frame member, permitting the frame member, and thus the roof rack, to be fitted to differently-sized vehicles.

For added security, it will be understood that clip 90 can be secured in the condition shown in Fig.9 by conventional locking means (not shown). In addition, lever 64 can have locking means attached adjacent tip 72, so that movement of lever 64 can only be effective following its unlocking.

In an alternative embodiment, one or both of pegs 40 may be engageable by a lever arm acting to retain peg 40 in its respective slot 30. The lever arm may be pivotably carried by a frame member, and may if desired be connected to the barrel of a lock, such that the lever arm is movable (into or out engagement with the peg) only following insertion of the correct key into the lock barrel.

In the embodiment shown the rack 36 is fitted with a mesh 38, to support small packages and the like, though in a first alternative embodiment closely-spaced cross-bars could instead be used; in a second alternative embodiment the rack has neither mesh nor cross-bars.

In a further alternative embodiment, the frame 12 is double-sided, permitting the rack to be lowered to either side of the vehicle 10.

In another alternative embodiment, the handle could be slidable in one or other of the side members 84,86, for location in its first and second conditions relative to rack 36. In yet a further embodiment the handle could have twin legs slidable respectively (also) in side members 84,86 and thus be generally U-shaped (rather than T-shaped) or even W-shaped, if required.

Thus our invention provides a roof rack for a motor vehicle which can utilise linear guide members, yet permit a "tilted" loading attitude for the rack. Furthermore, only a single rack need be provided, with a loading area covering substantially all of the frame, tiltable to one side of the vehicle as selected by the user, but usually to the left-hand side of a right-hand drive vehicle.

A spacing bar of the frame can have a double use, being also to prevent over-tilting of the rack in its loading condition. Thus extra means additional to the frame structure is not needed.

Only a single guide wheel at each side of the rack is needed, i.e. only two guide wheels for a full-sized roof rack, with reduced cost and complexity.

Claims (17)

1. A roof rack having a frame means and a rack means1 the frame means having mounting means whereby it may be secured to a vehicle, the rack means being movable relative to the frame means between a first position in which the rack means completely or substantially overlies the frame means and a second position in which only a part of the rack means overlies said frame means, the rack means in its second position being pivotable relative to the frame means.

2. A roof rack according to claim 1 in which the frame means includes a pair of frame members, each frame member having a channel adapted to support a part of the rack means.

3. A roof rack according to claim 2 in which the frame members are linear.

4. A roof rack according to claim 2 or claim 3 in which at least one of the frame members may be cut to length.

5. A roof rack according to any of claims 1- 4 in which the rack means includes a pair of side members, each side member having a movement member which is supported by, and can be moved along, a respective channel.

6. A roof rack according to claim 5 in which each movement member is a wheel.

7. A roof rack according to claim 5 or claim 6 in which a channel and its adjacent side member have a peg and slot connection to hold the rack means in its first position.

8. A roof rack according to claim 7 in which the slot is upwardly facing.

9. A roof rack according to any of claims 1-8 in which the rack means carries handle means by which the rack means may be moved between its first and second positions.

10. A roof rack according to claim 9 in which the handle has a first condition in which it cooperates with the frame means to retain the rack means in its first position, and a second condition in which it is operable to move and pivot the rack means relative to the frame means.

11. A roof rack according to claim 10 in which the handle means when in its second condition is adapted to engage the ground adjacent a vehicle to which the roof rack is fitted, to limit pivoting of the rack means.

12. A roof rack according to claim 10 or claim 11 in which the handle means is lockable in its first condition.

13. A roof rack according to any of claims 9-12 in which a part of the handle means is slidably located upon the rack means.

14. A roof rack according to any of claims 1-13 in which mounting means are adjustably fixed to the frame means.

15. A roof rack according to claim 14 in which spacing members lie between respective mounting means to maintain the separation thereof.

16. A vehicle having a roof rack according to any of claims 1-15 fitted thereto.

17. A roof rack constructed and arranged substantially as described in relation to the accompanying drawings.