End cap with captive stud for article carriers

• US 4,911,349 A
• Filed: 07/03/1989
• Issued: 03/27/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: P&TI Acquisition Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Starboard Industries, Inc. (Jpe, Inc.)
• Inventors: Miller, Dennis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barrow, James G.
• Application Number:
  US07/375,126
• Time in Patent Office: 267 Days
• Field of Search: 224/321, 224/325, 224/326, 224/324, 224/327, 224/329-331, 224/309, 224/317, 411/398, 411/169, 411/409, 411/84, 411/85, 411/399, 24/290, 24/291, 24/694
• US Class Current: 224/326
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 9/04 Carriers associated with vehicle roof B60R9/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/301 having externally threaded attaching means

Abstract

A slat assembly for vehicle luggage racks is disclosed with a pre-assembled slat and end cap. The end cap includes a mounting member for insertion into the end of the slat. A hole through the mounting member receives a headed stud as a separate and separable part from the mounting member. When the mounting member is inserted into the slat, the stud is held captive by the overlying rub strip on the slat or the flanges of the slat.

Claims

1. A slat assembly for use in an article carrier for an automotive vehicle, said slat assembly being of the type adapted to be mounted on a body panel of said vehicle and including a slat having a base member and a pair of oppositely disposed, spaced side walls forming a channel, each of said side walls having an in-turned flange strip, a rub strip supported on said flange strips and covering said channel, and including an end cap, said end cap being a unitary plastic body comprising a cap member and a mounting member said mounting member having a cross-section which is slidably inserted into said one end of said slat, said end cap including an abutment shoulder between said mounting member and said cap member and adapted to engage the end of said slat when said mounting member is inserted into said channel, and fastening means for securing said end cap to said slat and for securing said slat to said body panel, said end cap and slat being pre-assembled for mounting as a unit on said body panel, the improvement wherein said fastening means comprises:

a stud having an elongated shank and a non-circular head which is wider than said shank,

a hole extending through said end cap mounting member from top to bottom, said hole being large enough to receive said shank but being too small for said head,

a receptacle formed in said end cap mounting member surrounding the upper end of said hole, said receptacle being non-circular for receiving said head and preventing rotation thereof,

said stud being adapted for insertion of said shank into said hole with said head in said receptacle before said end cap mounting member is inserted into the end of said slat,

said base member defining a slot at said one end of said slat, said slot being adapted to receive the shank of said stud when said end cap mounting member is inserted into the end of said slat,

one of said strips overlying said stud after said end cap mounting member is inserted into the end of said slat and holding said shank of said stud captive in said hole,

the shank of said stud being long enough to extend through said body panel with said slat assembly seated on said body panel and being adapted to receive a nut for securing said end cap and said slat to said body panel.

2. The slat assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said fastening means for securing said end cap to said slat includes an insulating liner strip adhesively secured to and spanning between the lower surfaces of said end cap and said slat.

3. The slat assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said fastening means for securing said end cap to said slat includes a friction fit between surface portions of said mounting member of said end cap and surface portions of said slat.

4. The slat assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said surface portions of said mounting member comprises a pair of ribs on the upper surface thereof and said surface portions of said slat comprise said flange strips.

5. The slat assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said one of said strips overlying said stud is said rub strip.

6. The slat assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said one of said strips overlying said stud is one of said flange strips.