Load carrier

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11001204-B2
Application number	US-201816621189-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 12, 2018
Priority date	Jun 12, 2017
Publication date	May 11, 2021
Grant date	May 11, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed is a roof rack attachment arrangement for a roof rack for carrying a load on a vehicle roof including an elongated attachment member body. The attachment member body has a length along a longitudinal axis thereof. The attachment member body includes a first portion that is configured to be attached to a vehicle and a second portion that is configured to be attached to a roof rack. The attachment member body is configured to be movable between an operative position and a storage position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A roof rack attachment arrangement for a roof rack for carrying a load on a vehicle roof, comprising:
an elongated attachment member body and a load carrier foot, the load carrier foot comprising a coupling member, the attachment member body having a length along a longitudinal axis thereof, the attachment member body comprising a flexible member, a first coupling portion that is configured to be attached to a vehicle, and a second coupling portion that is configured to be attached to the coupling member of the load carrier foot,
wherein the attachment member body is configured to be movable between an operative position and a storage position,
wherein the attachment member body in the operative position is configured to extend from a fixed point attachment of the vehicle to the coupling member of the load carrier foot in a first longitudinal direction,
wherein the attachment member body in the storage position is configured to extend from the fixed point attachment of the vehicle in a second longitudinal direction that is angled away from the first longitudinal direction, and
wherein the flexible member is configured to bear a mechanical load and configured to flex when subjected to an external load applied at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the attachment member body.

2. The roof rack attachment arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the flexible member is twisted into a helical form or braided.

3. The roof rack attachment arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the flexible member is flexible in at least one direction deviating from the longitudinal axis.

4. The roof rack attachment arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the attachment member body comprises permanent or removable stop members at a first end, a second end, or both.

5. The roof rack attachment arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a portion of the flexible member comprises a strand, a wire, a rod, or a combination thereof.

6. The roof rack attachment arrangement in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the portion of the flexible member comprises a loop.

7. The roof rack attachment arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein a plastic deformation of the flexible member is above a predetermined force.

8. The roof rack attachment arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the flexible member is configured to substantially return to a non-flexed state upon removal of a flexing force.

9. The roof rack attachment arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the flexible member is configured to remain in a flexed state upon removal of a flexing force.

10. The roof rack attachment arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the flexible member comprises a flexible metal, a compound material, a polymer, or a combination thereof.

11. The roof rack attachment arrangement in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the flexible member is configured to be attached to the vehicle in a hinging arrangement and configured to move via a hinge from the operative position to the storage position and vice versa.

12. A roof rack system, comprising:
a roof rack anchor configured to be coupled to a fix point connector of a vehicle roof; and
a roof rack attachment comprising:
an elongated attachment member body and a load carrier foot, the load carrier foot comprising a coupling member, the attachment member body having a length along a longitudinal axis thereof, the attachment member body comprising a flexible member, a first coupling portion that is configured to be attached to a vehicle and a second coupling portion that is configured to be attached to the coupling member of the load carrier foot,
wherein the attachment member body is configured to be movable between an operative position and a storage position,
wherein the attachment member body in the operative position is configured to extend from a fixed point attachment of the vehicle to the coupling member of the load carrier foot in a first longitudinal direction,
wherein the attachment member body in the storage position is configured to extend from the fixed point attachment of the vehicle in a second longitudinal direction that is angled away from the first longitudinal direction, and
wherein the flexible member is configured to bear a mechanical load and configured to flex when subjected to an external load applied at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the attachment member body.

13. The roof rack system in accordance with claim 12 , further comprising an adapter having a vehicle connection portion and an attachment arrangement connection portion.

14. The roof rack system in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the roof rack anchor comprises a first area configured to receive or fix a first end of the attachment member body to the fix point connector of the vehicle.

15. The roof rack system in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the roof rack anchor comprises a fixing member configured to prevent the first end of the attachment member body from moving from the first area.

16. The roof rack system in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the roof rack anchor comprises a second area configured to receive or fix the first end of the attachment member body, wherein the first and second areas are connected to each other.

17. The roof rack system in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the roof rack anchor comprises a receiving area for a second end of the attachment member body in the storage position, wherein the receiving area comprises a locking member to maintain the second end in the storage position.

18. The roof rack system in accordance with claim 12 , wherein the flexible member comprises a flexible material configured to flex and configured to maintain a mechanical property along the longitudinal axis.

19. The roof rack system in accordance with claim 12 , wherein a bending moment of the flexible member is configured to be below a plastic deformation of the flexible member when the flexible member is bent.

Assignees

• Thule Sweden Ab

Inventors

• Persson Joakim
• Nilvius Anders
• Lindell Morgan
• Gustavsson Eric
• Kronborg Niklas

Classifications

• B60R9/058 Primary

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