Vehicle carrier box

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11203302-B2
Application number	US-201917251561-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 13, 2019
Priority date	Jun 13, 2018
Publication date	Dec 21, 2021
Grant date	Dec 21, 2021

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle carrier box having a lid and a base. The carrier box has first and second longitudinal sides and first and second transverse sides. The lid and the base are connected by a first and a second lid lifter, the first lid lifter being arranged at the first transverse side and the second lid lifter being arranged at the second transverse side. Moreover, the first lid lifter includes a first pivotable link arm connecting the lid to the base, and the second lid lifter comprises a second pivotable link arm connecting the lid to the base, the first and second lid lifters furthermore including an equalization arrangement for equalization of the forces exerted by the first and second lid lifters on the lid upon opening of the lid.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle carrier box, comprising:
a lid and a base, said carrier box having first and second longitudinal sides and first and second transverse sides, said lid and said base being connected by a first and a second lid lifter, said first lid lifter being arranged at said first transverse side and said second lid lifter being arranged at said second transverse side,
wherein said first lid lifter comprises a first pivotable link arm connecting said lid to said base, and said second lid lifter comprises a second pivotable link arm connecting said lid to said base, said first and second lid lifters comprising an equalization arrangement for equalization of the forces exerted by said first and second lid lifters on said lid upon opening of said lid,
wherein said equalization arrangement comprises a connector element connecting said first and said second lid lifter such that said first and said second lid lifter are hydraulically, mechanically, pneumatically, or a combination thereof, coupled to each other, said connector element being configured for power transmission and equalization of the forces between said first lid lifter and said second lid lifter being exerted on said lid by said lid lifters upon opening of said lid.

2. The vehicle carrier box according to claim 1 , wherein said connector element comprises a wire.

3. The vehicle carrier box according to claim 2 , wherein said wire is arranged in a sleeve having a sleeve diameter, said wire being slideably arranged within said sleeve.

4. The vehicle carrier box according to claim 2 , wherein said first or said second lid lifter, or both, comprises a wire-control device, said wire being at least partly wound around said wire-control device, said wire control device being arranged to promote a distribution and equalization of forces when said lid is being pulled open, wherein said wire-control device comprises a pulley.

5. The vehicle carrier box according to claim 3 , wherein said first lid lifter comprises one or more first support plate(s) being provided with a first opening through which said wire extends and wherein said second lid lifter comprises one or more second standing support plate(s) being provided with a second opening through which said wire extends.

6. The vehicle carrier box according to claim 5 , wherein said sleeve extends from said first support plate(s) to said second support plate(s) and wherein said first and second openings have an opening diameter, said opening diameter being smaller than a diameter of said sleeve.

7. The vehicle carrier box according to claim 6 , wherein said sleeve comprises one or more first telescoping end portion(s) abutting said one or more first support plate(s), a second telescoping end portion abutting said second support plate, or both, said telescoping end portions being arranged to adjust a tension of said wire.

8. The vehicle carrier box according to claim 5 , wherein said first or said second lid lifter, or both, comprises an adjustment bolt connected to said first or second support plate, or both, respectively and arranged to adjust said tension of said wire.

9. The vehicle carrier box according to claim 1 , wherein said base comprises a side wall and a bottom wall, said wire being attached, directly or indirectly, to said side wall or to said bottom wall, or both.

10. The vehicle carrier box according to claim 3 , wherein said connector element comprises a first and a second wire being provided in a respective sleeve, wherein said first lid lifter comprises a first wire-control device and said second lid lifter comprises a second wire-control device, each of said wire-control device being in the form of a pulley, said first wire being connected to said first wire control device at a first wire first end and to said second wire control device at a first wire second end, said second wire being connected to said first wire control device at a second wire first end and to said second wire control device at a second wire second end, said wire control devices being arranged to promote distribution of forces between said lid lifters.

11. The vehicle carrier box according to claim 1 , wherein said vehicle carrier box comprises at least a third and a fourth lid lifter, said third and said fourth lid lifters comprising the features of said first and said second lid lifters, respectively.

12. The vehicle carrier box according to claim 1 , wherein said lid and said base are hingedly connected by one or more hinge elements arranged at said second longitudinal side of said carrier box.

13. The vehicle carrier box according to claim 1 , wherein said vehicle carrier box is a roof box.

Assignees

• Thule Sweden Ab

Inventors

• Nilvius Anders

Classifications

• E05F15/51

  for folding wings · CPC title

• E05Y2201/654

  Cables · CPC title

• E05F1/1058

  for counterbalancing · CPC title

• E05D3/02

  with one pin · CPC title

• B60R9/055 Primary

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