Ski carrier clamp

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9649988-B2
Application number	US-201514979204-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2015
Priority date	Dec 30, 2014
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

A ski carrier clamp mountable on a cross bar of a vehicle roof carrier is provided. The ski carrier clamp includes an elongate base part carrying a first flexible clamp member extending in the longitudinal direction of the elongate base part, and an elongate top part having a second flexible clamp member extending in the longitudinal direction of the elongate top part. The elongate top part is movably coupled to the elongate base part so that the second flexible clamp member is movable with respect to the first flexible clamp member. The first flexible clamp member and the second flexible clamp member are arranged such that at least portions thereof are able to laterally pass each other upon moving the elongate base part and the elongate top part towards each other.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A ski carrier clamp mountable on a cross bar of a vehicle roof carrier, the ski carrier clamp comprising:
an elongate base part carrying a first flexible clamp member extending in a longitudinal direction of the elongate base part,
an elongate top part having a second flexible clamp member extending in the longitudinal direction of the elongate top part,
wherein said elongate top part is movably coupled to the elongate base part so that said second flexible clamp member is movable with respect to said first flexible clamp member,
and wherein said first flexible clamp member and said second flexible clamp member are arranged such that at least a portion of said second flexible clamp member is configured to laterally pass at least a portion of said first flexible clamp member upon moving said elongate base part and said elongate top part towards each other.

2. The ski carrier according to claim 1 , wherein a portion of at least one of said first flexible clamp member and second flexible clamp members is offset in a transverse direction of the elongate base part and the elongate top part, respectively.

3. The ski carrier clamp according to claim 1 , wherein an overall outer contour of a cross section in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal directions of at least one of said flexible clamp members in combination with the respective elongate part on which it is carried has an asymmetric shape, arising from an asymmetry of the flexible clamp members.

4. The ski carrier clamp according to claim 1 , wherein said first flexible clamp member comprises a first base portion adapted to contact said elongate base part and a first protruding portion arranged on and protruding from at least one of said first base portion and said second flexible clamp member comprises a second base portion adapted to contact said elongate top part and a second protruding portion arranged on and protruding from said second base portion.

5. The ski carrier clamp according to claim 4 , wherein at least one of said first protruding portion and said second protruding portion comprise a laterally outer wall provided in the area of the lateral end of said elongate base part and said elongate top part, respectively, said laterally outer wall extending substantially perpendicular with respect to an extension direction of said first base portion and said second base portion, respectively, and comprising a greater wall thickness than other walls of the respective flexible clamp member.

6. The ski carrier according to claim 4 , wherein said first protruding portion and said second protruding portion are formed with a similar shape, with a cross section having the shape of a truncated triangle, a frustoconical cross section, or an essentially triangular cross section.

7. The ski carrier clamp according to claim 6 , wherein said first and second flexible clamp members are arranged on said elongate base part and said elongate top part, respectively, in an inversed manner.

8. The ski carrier according to claim 4 , wherein at least one protruding portion comprises an interior structure which in cross section comprises at least two hollow spaces and at least one interior wall separating said hollow spaces.

9. The ski carrier according to claim 8 , wherein said at least one interior wall and said hollow spaces form a deformation pattern allowing said laterally outer walls of said protruding portion to bulge laterally outward when said protruding portion is compressed in a direction substantially perpendicular to said base portion.

10. An elongate base part for a ski carrier clamp, said elongate base part comprising:
a mounting recess for accommodating a mounting means for mounting said elongate base part to a cross bar of a vehicle roof carrier and a mounting structure for coupling a first flexible clamp member to said elongate base part such that the first flexible clamp member is movable between a non-access position in which said first flexible clamp member Obstructs access to said mounting recess and an access position in which access to said mounting recess is possible.

11. The elongate base part according to claim 10 , wherein said mounting structure comprises an attaching recess for fixedly coupling a mounting portion of the first flexible clamp member to the elongate base part, wherein said attaching recess extends in the longitudinal direction of the elongate base part.

12. The elongate base part according to claim 10 , wherein said first flexible clamp member is pivotally coupled to said elongate base part at a mounting portion thereof and is movable from said non-access position into said access position by swivelling movement about said mounting portion.

13. The elongate base part according to claim 12 , wherein said first flexible clamp member is at least partially flexibly deformed upon movement from said use position to said mounting position at least at a deformation portion thereof, said deformation portion allowing a defined movement of said first flexible clamp member.

14. The elongate base pa according to claim 12 , wherein said first flexible clamp member further comprises an engaging portion releasably engageable with an engaging means of said elongate base part, said engaging portion being formed as an engaging hook and said engaging means being formed as an engaging recess for lockably receiving said engaging portion.

15. A ski carrier clamp mountable on a cross bar of a vehicle roof carrier, the ski carrier clamp comprising:
an elongate base part having a first flexible clamp member extending in a longitudinal direction of the elongate base part; and
an elongate top part having a second flexible clamp member extending in the longitudinal direction of the elongate top part,
wherein said elongate top part is movably coupled to the elongate base part so that said second flexible clamp member is movable with respect to said first flexible clamp member,
wherein said ski carrier clamp is operable between a non-use position, an open position, and an in-use position in which an object is secured between said first flexible clamp member and said second flexible clamp member, and
wherein said first flexible clamp and said second flexible clamp overlap when said ski carrier clamp is in the non-use position.

16. The ski carrier clamp according to claim 15 , wherein said first flexible clamp member and said second flexible clamp member overlap such that the overall height of said ski carrier clamp in the non-use position is less than the overall height of the ski carrier clamp in the use position.

17. The ski carrier clamp according to claim 15 , wherein the non-use position comprises said elongate top part positioned closer to the elongate base part as compared to the in-use position.

18. The ski carrier clamp according to claim 15 , wherein the open position comprises said elongate top part positioned so as to allow loading of said ski carrier clamp.

19. The ski carrier clamp according to claim 15 , wherein said first flexible clamp member and said second flexible clamp member are arranged so as to nest when said ski carrier clamp is in the non-use position.

20. The ski carrier clamp according to claim 15 , wherein said first flexible clamp member and said second flexible clamp member are flexibly deformed in at least one of the in-use position and the non-use position.

Assignees

• Thule Sweden Ab

Inventors

• Magnusson Karl-Johan
• Adler Jan
• Nilvius Anders

Classifications

• B60R9/12 Primary

  for skis · CPC title

• A63C11/02

  Devices for stretching, clamping or pressing skis or snowboards for transportation or storage · CPC title