ROOF RACK ASSEMBLY WITH INTEGRATED LIGHTING

• US 20120031939A1
• Filed: 08/09/2010
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: JUTILA, BRIAN J., BONIFACE, ROBERT E., DIEGEL, JEFFREY A., BACHLER, JOEL T., WOJCIECHOWSKI, RONALD J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,414,168 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 224/326
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/247 for illuminating the close surroundings of the vehicle, e.g. to facilitate entry or exit for reverse drive B60Q1/22; by opening a side door B60Q1/323
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/2611 Indicating devices mounted on the roof of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 9/04 Carriers associated with vehicle roof B60R9/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A roof rack assembly for a vehicle having a roof is presented here. The roof rack assembly includes a first stanchion for structural attachment to the roof, a second stanchion for structural attachment to the roof, and a bar coupled between, and held above the roof by, the first stanchion and the second stanchion. The bar has a securing feature integrally formed therein, which holds an electric powered light-emitting component. Accordingly, the roof rack assembly employs a roof rack bar having a light-emitting element integrated therein.

Claims

1. A roof rack assembly for a vehicle having a roof and an electric power supply, the roof rack assembly comprising:

a first stanchion for structural attachment to the roof;

a bar having a first end coupled to the first stanchion such that the first stanchion maintains the first end above the roof;

an illumination element integrated with the bar; and

an illumination electronics module to drive the illumination element, the illumination electronics module being powered by the electric power supply of the vehicle.

2. The roof rack assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second stanchion for structural attachment to the roof, wherein the bar has a second end coupled to the second stanchion such that the second stanchion maintains the second end above the roof.

3. The roof rack assembly of claim 1, wherein the illumination electronics module is housed within the first stanchion.

4. The roof rack assembly of claim 1, wherein the illumination element comprises:

an illumination tube integrated with the bar; and

a light-emitting element to illuminate the illumination tube.

5. The roof rack assembly of claim 4, wherein the light-emitting element is housed within the first stanchion.

6. The roof rack assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the bar has a major longitudinal dimension; and

the bar is rotatably coupled to the first stanchion to facilitate rotation about the major longitudinal dimension for adjustment of an illumination direction of the illumination element.

7. The roof rack assembly of claim 1, wherein the illumination electronics module drives the illumination element in response to turn signal indicator commands of the vehicle.

8. The roof rack assembly of claim 1, wherein the illumination electronics module drives the illumination element in response to remote key fob commands received at the vehicle.

9. The roof rack assembly of claim 1, wherein the illumination electronics module drives the illumination element in response to user manipulation of an onboard user interface element of the vehicle.

10. A roof rack assembly for a vehicle having a roof, the roof rack assembly comprising:

a first stanchion for structural attachment to the roof;

a second stanchion for structural attachment to the roof;

a bar coupled between, and held above the roof by, the first stanchion and the second stanchion, the bar having a securing feature integrally formed therein; and

an electric powered light-emitting component attached to the bar and held by the securing feature.

11. The roof rack assembly of claim 10, wherein the electric powered light-emitting component comprises:

a flexible illumination tube; and

a light-emitting element to illuminate the flexible illumination tube.

12. The roof rack assembly of claim 11, wherein the light-emitting element is housed within the first stanchion or the second stanchion.

13. The roof rack assembly of claim 10, further comprising:

a first rotation mechanism for the first stanchion; and

a second rotation mechanism for the second stanchion, wherein the first rotation mechanism and the second rotation mechanism rotatably couple the bar to the first stanchion and the second stanchion to accommodate adjustment of an illumination direction of the electric powered light-emitting component.

14. The roof rack assembly of claim 10, further comprising an illumination electronics module to drive the electric powered light-emitting component, the illumination electronics module being powered by an onboard power supply of the vehicle.

15. The roof rack assembly of claim 14, wherein the illumination electronics module controls operation of the electric powered light-emitting component in response to remote key fob commands received at the vehicle.

16. The roof rack assembly of claim 14, wherein the illumination electronics module controls operation of the electric powered light-emitting component in response to user manipulation of an onboard user interface element of the vehicle.

17. A vehicle comprising:

a roof;

a first stanchion attached to and supported by the roof;

a second stanchion attached to and supported by the roof;

a light-emitting roof rack bar coupled between, and held above the roof by, the first stanchion and the second stanchion;

an illumination electronics module to drive the light-emitting roof rack bar; and

an onboard power supply to provide operating power to the illumination electronics module.

18. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the illumination electronics module is housed within the first stanchion or the second stanchion.

19. The vehicle of claim 17, wherein the light-emitting roof rack bar is rotatably coupled between the first stanchion and the second stanchion to accommodate directional adjustment of light emitted by the light-emitting roof rack bar.

20. The roof rack assembly of claim 17, wherein the illumination electronics module controls operation of the light-emitting roof rack bar in response to remote key fob commands received at the vehicle.