Ski carrier clamp

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9896037-B2
Application number	US-201715475698-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 31, 2017
Priority date	Dec 30, 2014
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

A ski carrier clamp mountable on a cross bar of a vehicle roof carrier includes an elongate base part having a first end portion and a second end portion, an elongate top part having a first end portion and a second end portion, and a hinge mechanism having a guiding portion coupled to the elongate base part and a guided element slidably disposed in the guiding portion. The hinge mechanism couples the first end portion of the elongate base part to the first end portion of the elongate top part. The first end portion of the elongate base part and the first end portion of the elongate top part are configured to move with respect to 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 having a first end portion and a second end portion;
an elongate top part having a first end portion and a second end portion; and
a hinge mechanism comprising a guiding portion coupled to the elongate base part and a guided element slidably disposed in the guiding portion,
wherein the hinge mechanism couples the first end portion of the elongate base part to the first end portion of the elongate top part, and
wherein the first end portion of the elongate base part and the first end portion of the elongate top part are configured to move with respect to each other.

2. The ski carrier clamp of claim 1 , wherein the first end portion of the elongate top part is configured to move in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the elongate base part.

3. The ski carrier clamp of claim 1 , wherein the guided element is slidable between a retracted position and a deployed position, wherein in the first end portion of the elongate base part and the first end portion of the elongate top part are spaced farther apart in the deployed position than in the retracted position.

4. The ski carrier clamp of claim 3 , further comprising a first biasing element configured to bias the guided element towards the retracted position.

5. The ski carrier clamp of claim 4 , wherein the biasing element is a spring disposed in a recess of the guided element.

6. The ski carrier clamp of claim 5 , wherein the spring engages an abutment portion of the guiding portion so that the spring is compressed when in the deployed position.

7. The ski carrier clamp of claim 3 , wherein the guided element comprises a supporting portion configured to hingedly support a supported element about a hinge axis, wherein the supported element is one of the elongate top part or the elongate base part.

8. The ski carrier clamp of claim 7 , further comprising a second biasing element configured to exert a force on the supported element to bias the supported element about the hinge axis.

9. The ski carrier clamp of claim 8 , wherein the second biasing element is a torsion spring wound around the hinge axis, the torsion spring comprising a free end slidably disposed in the guiding portion and a second end fixedly coupled to the supported element.

10. The ski carrier clamp of claim 1 , wherein the hinge mechanism further comprises a pin that hingedly couples the elongate top part to the guided element.

11. 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 end portion and a second end portion;
an elongate top part having a first end portion and a second end portion; and
a locking mechanism configured to releasably lock the second end portion of the elongate base part to the second end portion of the elongate top part, the locking mechanism comprising a locking wire, a coupling portion, a locking portion, and an engaging portion,
wherein the first end portion of the elongate base part is coupled to the first end portion of the elongate top part,
wherein the locking wire is coupled to the elongate base part or the elongate top part and configured to engage the locking portion of the locking mechanism, and
wherein the elongate base part and the elongate top part are configured to move with respect to each other.

12. The ski carrier clamp of claim 11 , wherein the locking wire comprises a locking spring that is pretensioned and configured to bias the engaging portion in a locking direction.

13. The ski carrier clamp of claim 11 , wherein the locking portion further comprises a plurality of engaging recesses defined by a plurality of teeth.

14. The ski carrier clamp of claim 13 , wherein the engaging portion is configured to engage at least one of the engaging recesses.

15. The ski carrier clamp of claim 11 , wherein the locking mechanism further comprises a release member disposed rotatably about an axis, wherein the release member is configured to move the engaging portion in a disengaging direction.

16. The ski carrier clamp of claim 15 , wherein the release member comprises a supporting section configured to at least partially support the locking wire, the supporting section extending in a direction radially from the axis such that the locking wire is at least partially supported between a coil portion of the locking mechanism and the engaging portion.

17. The ski carrier clamp of claim 16 , wherein the supporting section comprises a groove configured to receive the locking wire.

18. The ski carrier clamp of claim 15 , wherein the release member is a push button rotatably mounted about the axis.

19. The ski carrier clamp of claim 12 , wherein:
the coupling portion is coupled to the elongate top part and extends in the longitudinal direction of the elongate top part;
the locking portion is coupled to the elongate base part; and
the engaging portion is disposed between the locking spring and the locking portion and releasably engagable with the locking portion.

20. 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 end portion and a second end portion;
an elongate top part having a first end portion and a second end portion; and
a hinge mechanism comprising a guiding portion coupled to the elongate base part and a guided element slidably disposed in the guiding portion; and
a locking mechanism configured to releasably lock the second end portion of the elongate base part to the second end portion of the elongate top part, the locking mechanism comprising a flexible locking wire, a coupling portion, a locking portion, and an engaging portion,
wherein the hinge mechanism couples the first end portion of the elongate base part to the first end portion of the elongate top part,
wherein the first end portion of the elongate base part and the first end portion of the elongate top part are configured to move with respect to each other, and
wherein the flexible locking wire is fixedly coupled to one of the elongate base part or the elongate top part and configured to engage the locking portion of the locking mechanism.

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