Adjustable vehicle cargo rack system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10131289-B2
Application number	US-201615272666-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2016
Priority date	Sep 22, 2016
Publication date	Nov 20, 2018
Grant date	Nov 20, 2018

Abstract

An adjustable cargo rack for a vehicle includes a mount for connecting the cargo rack to a vehicle. The cargo rack includes a rack arm having a proximal end pivotally connected to the mount by a pivot shaft. The rack arm is selectively pivotable between a loading position, in which the rack arm extends outboard an outer perimeter of the vehicle and a generally upright first travel position. A cargo support bracket is detachably connected to a distal end of the rack arm. An orientation of the cargo support bracket is adjustable between a first support bracket orientation and a second support bracket orientation. The orientation of the cargo support bracket relative to the rack arm and a location of the pivot shaft relative to the vehicle remain substantially constant when pivoting the rack arm between the loading position and the first travel position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable cargo rack for a vehicle, the cargo rack comprising:
a mount connectable to the vehicle;
a pivot shaft attached to the mount;
a rack arm having a proximal end connected to the pivot shaft and an opposite distal end, the rack arm selectively pivotable between a loading position, wherein the rack arm extends outboard of an outermost point of a lateral side of the vehicle when the cargo rack is attached to the vehicle, and a first travel position; and
a cargo support bracket attached to the distal end of the rack arm, wherein an orientation of the cargo support bracket relative to the rack arm and a location of the pivot shaft relative to the vehicle remain substantially constant when pivoting the rack arm between the loading position and the first travel position.

2. The cargo rack of claim 1 , wherein the rack arm includes a first rack arm member connected to the pivot shaft and a second rack arm member connected to the cargo support bracket, the second rack arm member selectively positionable relative to the first rack arm member.

3. The cargo rack of claim 2 , wherein an orientation of the cargo support bracket relative to the first rack arm member is selectively adjustable between a first orientation and second orientation, the cargo support bracket being arranged in mirror opposite orientation when arranged in second orientation as opposed to when arranged in the first orientation.

4. The cargo rack of claim 2 , wherein the second rack arm member is slidably disposed within the first rack arm member.

5. The cargo rack of claim 2 , wherein the cargo support bracket is selectively positionable between a retracted position, in which the cargo support bracket is spaced a retracted distance from the pivot shaft, and an extended position, in which the cargo support bracket is spaced an extended distance from the pivot shaft, wherein the extended distance is greater than the retracted distance.

6. The cargo rack of claim 1 , wherein the cargo support bracket includes a first support arm extending radially outward from the rack arm and a second support arm extending radially outward from the rack arm and positioned diametrically opposite the first support arm, wherein a length of the first support arm is greater than a length of the second support arm.

7. The cargo rack of claim 6 , wherein the rack arm is positionable in a second travel position in which the rack arm extends inboard of the outermost point of the lateral side of the vehicle when the cargo rack is attached to the vehicle and an orientation of the cargo support bracket is selectively adjustable relative to the rack arm, such that the first support arm is arranged inboard the second support arm relative to the vehicle when the rack arm is arranged in the second travel position and the first support arm is arranged outboard the second support arm relative to the vehicle when the rack arm is arranged in the first travel position.

8. The cargo rack of claim 1 further comprising a pivot mechanism pivotably connecting the rack arm to the mount, the pivot mechanism comprising:
a pivot indexing plate fixedly attached to the mount and including a plurality of spaced apart pivot detents, the pivot shaft pivotably connecting the rack arm to the pivot indexing plate; and
a pivot locking pin connected to the rack arm and selectively engageable with the pivot detents, the pivot detents including at least a first pivot detent for maintaining the rack arm in the first travel position when engaged by the pivot locking pin and a second pivot detent for maintaining the rack arm in a second travel position when engaged by the pivot locking pin.

9. The cargo rack of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first rack arm;
a second rack arm spaced apart from the first rack arm; and
a transverse connector bar having one end attached to the first rack arm and an opposite end attached to the second rack arm.

10. An adjustable cargo rack for a vehicle, the cargo rack comprising:
a mount connectable to the vehicle;
a rack arm having a proximal end pivotably connected to the mount, the rack arm selectively pivotable between a loading position, wherein the rack arm extends outboard of an outermost point of a lateral side of the vehicle when the cargo rack is attached to the vehicle, and a first travel position; and
a cargo support bracket detachably connected to a distal end of the rack arm opposite the proximal end, wherein the cargo support bracket is adjustable about a longitudinal axis of the rack arm between a first support bracket orientation and a second support bracket orientation.

11. The cargo rack of claim 10 , wherein the cargo support bracket includes a first support arm extending radially outward from the rack arm and a second support arm extending radially outward from the rack arm and positioned diametrically opposite the first support arm, a length of the first support arm being greater than a length of the second support arm, the first support arm arranged outboard the second support arm relative to the vehicle when the cargo support bracket is arranged in the first support bracket orientation and the first support arm arranged inboard the second support arm relative to the vehicle when the cargo support bracket is arranged in the second support bracket orientation.

12. The cargo rack of claim 11 , wherein the rack arm includes a first rack arm member pivotably connected to the mount and a second rack arm member fixedly connected to the cargo support bracket and adjustably connected to the first rack arm member, the second rack arm member selectively detachable from the first rack arm member for adjusting an orientation of the cargo support bracket between the first and second support bracket orientations.

13. The cargo rack of claim 11 , wherein the rack arm is selectively pivotable to a second travel position in which the rack arm extends inboard the outermost point of the lateral side of the vehicle when the cargo rack is attached to the vehicle, the cargo support bracket arranged in the second support bracket orientation when the rack arm is positioned in the second travel position.

14. The cargo rack of claim 13 , wherein the cargo support bracket is arranged in the first support bracket orientation when the rack arm is positioned in the loading position.

15. The cargo rack of claim 10 , further comprising a pivot mechanism pivotably connecting the rack arm to the mount, the pivot mechanism comprising:
a pivot indexing plate fixedly attached to the mount and including a plurality of spaced apart pivot detents;
a pivot shaft pivotably connecting the rack arm to the pivot indexing plate; and
a pivot locking pin connected to the rack arm and selectively engageable with the pivot detents, the pivot detents including at least a first pivot detent for maintaining the rack arm in the first travel position when engaged by the pivot locking pin and a second pivot detent for maintaining the rack arm in a second travel position when engaged by the pivot locking pin.

16. The cargo rack of claim 15 , wherein the rack arm includes a first rack arm member pivotably connected to the mount and a second rack arm member fixedly connected to the cargo support bracket and slidably connected to the first rack arm member, the cargo support bracket selectively positionable between a retracted position, in which the cargo support bracket is spaced a retracted distance from the pivot shaft, and an extended position, in which the cargo support bracket is spaced an extended distance from the pivot shaft, wherein the extended distance is

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America

Inventors

• Frederick Scott L
• Harris Ryan C

Classifications

• B60R9/06 Primary

  at vehicle front or rear {(rear luggage compartments within vehicle extensible externally of the vehicle body B60R5/041)} · CPC title

• B60R9/08

  specially adapted for sports gear (vehicles specially adapted for carrying aeroplanes, for carrying boats B60P) · CPC title