Carrier basket for an automotive vehicle and a carrier basket net

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9713987-B2
Application number	US-201315106768-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2013
Priority date	Dec 23, 2013
Publication date	Jul 25, 2017
Grant date	Jul 25, 2017

Abstract

A carrier basket for an automotive vehicle is disclosed which includes a base having at least one member for connecting to a roof of an automotive vehicle, a frame having two side rails oriented in a first direction and at least one transverse bar oriented cross to the side rails, wherein the side rails are connected to the at least one transverse bar, wherein the frame is attached upon the base as to form a box open to the top, wherein the at least one transverse bar includes a groove arranged for attachment of accessories and having a length, wherein the entire length of the groove is available for attaching accessories, and wherein the groove extends over a substantial portion of the distance between the two side rails.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A carrier basket for an automotive vehicle, comprising:
a base having at least one member configured to connect to a roof of an automotive vehicle; and
a frame having two side rails oriented in a first direction and at least one transverse bar oriented cross to the side rails,
wherein the side rails are connected to the at least one transverse bar,
wherein the frame is attached upon the base forming a box open to the top,
wherein the at least one transverse bar comprises a groove configured for attachment of accessories and having a length,
wherein the entire length of the groove is configured for attaching accessories,
wherein the groove extends over a portion of the distance between the two side rails, and
wherein the groove is exposed at a distal end of the at least one transverse bar when the at least one transverse bar is connected to the side rails.

2. The carrier basket according to claim 1 , wherein the groove extends between the two side rails along the entire length of the at least one transverse bar.

3. The carrier basket according to claim 1 , wherein the carrier basket further comprises at least one cap configured to close an end of the groove, wherein the at least one cap is removably positioned at an end of the at least one transverse bar.

4. The carrier basket according to claim 3 , wherein at least one cap comprises a lock configured to lock the at least one cap at an end of the groove, wherein the lock engages with cooperating means in the at least one cap or engages with the side rails or the at least one transverse bar, wherein the cooperating means are arranged at a lower part of the cap.

5. The carrier basket according to claim 1 , wherein the carrier basket further comprises a cover, wherein the cover engages the groove to close the groove of the at least one transverse bar outwardly, wherein the cover substantially covers a surface of the at least one transverse bar, and wherein the cover provides a profile having protrusions for reducing noise of air turbulences.

6. The carrier basket according to claim 1 , wherein the groove is a T-track.

7. The carrier basket according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the side rails, the at least one transverse bar, and the at least one member are made of aluminum, metal, carbon fiber or a compound, and wherein the at least one cap is made of plastic.

8. The carrier basket according to claim 1 , wherein the groove faces upwards, or wherein two grooves of two transverse bars face each other.

9. The carrier basket according to claim 1 , wherein the base forms a bottom of the box and the side rails and the at least one transverse bar form side walls of the box.

10. The carrier basket according to claim 1 , wherein each side rail comprises a second groove, wherein the second groove of the side rails and the at least one transverse bar are connected, and wherein the second groove of each side rail and the groove of the at least one transverse bar are oriented into the center of the carrier basket.

11. The carrier basket according to claim 1 , wherein an eyelet is arranged at the base and configured to secure a carrier basket net, and wherein the base comprises a groove.

12. The carrier basket according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one member of the base is oriented in the first direction or cross thereto.

13. The carrier basket according to claim 1 , wherein a centerline of a slit of a first groove of a first transverse bar and a centerline of a slit of a second groove of a second transverse bar are positioned between two virtual parallel planes, wherein a distance between the two virtual parallel planes is less than 50 millimeters, and wherein the two virtual parallel planes are substantially parallel to a plane spanned by the base.

14. The carrier basket of claim 1 , wherein the at least one transverse bar has a hollow profile and a side rail has a hollow profile.

15. The carrier basket of claim 14 , further comprising a connecting member disposed within and connecting the hollow profiles of the at least one transverse bar and the side rail.

Assignees

• Thule Sweden Ab

Inventors

• Arvidsson Andreas
• Lindholm Olof
• Nilvius Anders
• Mitschke Michael
• Claesson Olle
• Eliasson Erik
• Bromander Emil

Classifications

• B60R9/055 Primary

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

• B60R9/05

  Carriers characterised by wind deflecting means (wind deflectors for open roofs B60J7/22) · CPC title

• B60R9/048

  Carriers characterised by article-gripping {, -covering,}-retaining, or -locking means · CPC title