Vehicle rack assembly and rack accessing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10800339-B2
Application number	US-201816161451-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2018
Priority date	Oct 16, 2018
Publication date	Oct 13, 2020
Grant date	Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

A rack assembly includes, among other things, a cargo frame, a cantilever frame, and an actuation system that moves the cargo frame from a stowed position to an intermediate position by sliding the cargo and cantilever frames relative to an anchor frame. The actuation system moves the cargo frame from the intermediate position by sliding the cargo frame relative to the cantilever frame to permit pivoting of the cargo frame relative to the cantilever frame to a loading position. A rack accessing method includes, among other things, sliding a cargo frame and a cantilever frame relative to an anchor frame to move the cargo frame from a stowed position to an intermediate position. The method further includes sliding the cargo frame relative to the cantilever frame to permit pivoting the cargo frame relative to the cantilever frame to move the cargo frame from the intermediate position to a loading position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rack assembly, comprising:
a cargo frame;
a cantilever frame; and
a cable drive system that moves the cargo frame from a stowed position to an intermediate position by sliding the cargo and cantilever frames relative to an anchor frame, and that moves the cargo frame from the intermediate position by sliding the cargo frame relative to the cantilever frame to permit pivoting of the cargo frame relative to the cantilever frame to a loading position.

2. The rack assembly of claim 1 , further comprising the anchor frame secured directly to roof rails of a vehicle.

3. The rack assembly of claim 1 , further comprising the anchor frame secured directly to a cargo bed of a vehicle.

4. The rack assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cargo frame is configured to support cargo such that the cargo is coupled in movement together with the cargo frame.

5. The rack assembly of claim 1 , further comprising cables of the cable drive system, the cables sliding the cargo frame when moving the cargo frame from the stowed position to the loading position.

6. The rack assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a lock assembly that transitions between an unlocked position and a locked position, the lock assembly in the unlocked position permitting movement of the cantilever frame relative to the anchor frame as the cargo frame is moved from the stowed position to the intermediate position, the lock assembly in the locked position block movement of the cantilever frame relative to the anchor frame as the cargo frame is moved from the intermediate position to the loading position.

7. The rack assembly of claim 6 , wherein the lock assembly includes a latch that pivots in response to movement of the cantilever frame relative to the anchor frame, the pivoting to transition the lock assembly between the unlocked position and the locked position, the latch withdrawn from a notch when the lock assembly is in the unlocked position, the latch at least partially received within the notch when the lock assembly is in the locked position.

8. The rack assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cable drive system moves the cargo frame from the loading position to the intermediate position by sliding the cargo frame relative to the cantilever frame and by pivoting the cargo frame relative to the cantilever frame, wherein the cable drive system moves the cargo frame from the intermediate position to the stowed position by sliding the cargo and cantilever frames relative to the anchor frame.

9. The rack assembly of claim 1 , wherein sliding the cargo and cantilever frames relative to the anchor frame to move the cargo frame from a stowed position to an intermediate position extends an end portion of the cargo frame away from the anchor frame, and pivoting the cargo frame when moving the cargo frame from the intermediate position to the loading position moves the end portion of the cargo frame vertically downward.

10. A rack assembly, comprising:
a cargo frame;
a cantilever frame; and
an actuation system that moves the cargo frame from a stowed position to an intermediate position by sliding the cargo and cantilever frames relative to an anchor frame, and that moves the cargo frame from the intermediate position by sliding the cargo frame relative to the cantilever frame to permit pivoting of the cargo frame relative to the cantilever frame to a loading position,
wherein the actuation system includes a first cable, a second cable, and an actuator,
the actuator configured to move the first cable to slide a first rail of the cargo frame and a first rail of the cantilever frame when moving the cargo frame from the stowed position to the loading position,
the actuator configured to move the second cable to slide a second rail of the cargo frame and a second rail of the cantilever frame when moving the cargo frame from the stowed position to the loading position.

11. The rack assembly of claim 10 , wherein the actuator is a motor configured to rotate drive rods to move both the first and the second cables.

12. The rack assembly of claim 11 , wherein the motor is disposed between the first rails and the second rails of the cargo and cantilever frames.

13. A rack accessing method, comprising:
sliding a cargo frame and a cantilever frame relative to an anchor frame to move the cargo frame from a stowed position to an intermediate position; and
using a cable drive system, sliding the cargo frame relative to the cantilever frame to permit pivoting the cargo frame relative to the cantilever frame to move the cargo frame from the intermediate position to a loading position.

14. The rack accessing method of claim 13 , wherein the anchor frame is secured to a vehicle during the sliding.

15. The rack accessing method of claim 13 , further comprising supporting cargo with the cargo frame such that the cargo moves with the cargo frame between the stowed and loading positions.

16. The rack accessing method of claim 13 , further comprising using a motor to drive a first cable to slide a first rail of the cargo frame and a first rail of the cantilever frame when moving the cargo frame from the stowed position to the loading position, and using the motor to drive a second cable to slide a second rail of the cargo frame and a second rail of the cantilever frame when moving the cargo frame from the stowed position to the loading position.

17. The rack accessing method of claim 13 , further comprising moving the cargo frame from the loading position to the intermediate position by sliding the cargo frame relative to the cantilever frame and pivoting the cargo frame relative to the cantilever frame, and moving the cargo frame from the intermediate position to the stowed position by sliding the cargo and cantilever frames relative to the anchor frame.

18. The rack accessing method of claim 13 , further comprising extending an end portion of the cargo frame away from a vehicle when sliding the cargo and cantilever frames relative to the anchor frame to move the cargo frame from a stowed position to an intermediate position, and moving the end portion of the cargo frame vertically downward when pivoting the cargo frame.

19. The rack accessing method of claim 13 , further comprising moving the cargo frame relative to the anchor frame to transition a lock assembly from an unlocked position to a locked position, the lock assembly in the unlocked position permitting movement of the cantilever frame relative to the anchor frame as the cargo frame is moved from the stowed position to the intermediate position, the lock assembly in the locked position block movement of the cantilever frame relative to the anchor frame as the cargo frame is moved from the intermediate position to the loading position.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Anderson Ronald Lowell

Classifications

• B60R9/042 Primary

  Carriers characterised by means to facilitate loading or unloading of the load, e.g. rollers, tracks, or the like · CPC title

• B60R9/055

  Enclosure-type carriers, e.g. containers, boxes (B60R9/048 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60R9/045

  Carriers being adjustable or transformable, e.g. expansible, collapsible {(transformable into tents B60P3/36; into beds B60P3/38)} · CPC title

• B60R9/058

  characterised by releasable attaching means between carrier and roof · CPC title