Article carrier crossbar with split stanchion clamp

• US 5,573,161 A
• Filed: 12/22/1994
• Issued: 11/12/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sportrack, LLC (Advanced Accessory Systems, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Accessory Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Stapleton, Craig A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vidovich, Gregory M.
• Application Number:
  US08/362,277
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 224/309, 224/315, 224/319, 224/321, 224/322, 224/323, 224/325, 224/331, 248/316.4, 248/316.5, 403/22, 403/DIG. 9
• US Class Current: 224/321
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 9/045 Carriers being adjustable or transformable, e.g. expansible, collapsible transformable into tents B60P3/36; into beds B60P3/38
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 403/09 Adjustable clamp

Abstract

The crossbar for an article carrier including a pair of side rails, each of the side rails having a lip, includes a bar having first and second ends for supporting the bar across the side rails. At least one of the ends includes a movable jaw and a fixed jaw, each jaw having a jaw surface engageable with the rail lip. The crossbar also includes a clamp for selectably urging the jaw surfaces against the rail, the clamp comprising a threaded stem carried by the movable jaw and extending through a slot in the fixed jaw. The movable jaw is movable in a plane parallel to the rail lip and between a position in registration with the lip surface and a retracted position out of registration with the lip. Preferably, an actuator wheel for the clamp is exposed for access and ease of manipulation but within the contour of adjacent luggage carrier surfaces.

Claims

1. A crossbar for an article carrier including a pair of side rails, wherein each of said side rails includes a lip, said crossbar comprising:

a bar having first and second ends for supporting the bar to extend across the pair of side rails; and

at least one of said ends comprising a clamp having a movable jaw and a fixed jaw wherein each said jaw has a jaw surface engageable with one of the rail lips;

said clamp having a threaded stem carried by said movable jaw and extending through said fixed jaw, whereby said movable jaw is movable in a plane substantially parallel to an adjacent surface of the one rail lip, said clamp supporting said movable jaw between a first position where said movable jaw surface is in registration with said adjacent surface on the one lip when said fixed jaw surface is in registration with the one lip and a second position in said plane where said movable jaw surface is not in registration with the one lip when said fixed jaw member is in registration with the one lip,

wherein said movable jaw pivots in a plane generally parallel to the lip,

wherein said clamp includes a stop restricting rotation of said movable jaw at said first and second positions.

2. The crossbar as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second ends includes a recess formed to receive one of said lips and a retainer for holding the crossbar therein with the associated lip retained in the recess.

3. The crossbar as defined in claim 2 wherein said recess is dimensioned to receive the associated lip at an angle as the crossbar is inclined, said retainer comprising an arm with a locking flange that engages the associated rail as said bar pivots about the associated lip.

4. The crossbar as defined in claim 1 wherein both of said ends each have one said clamp.

5. An article carrier for a motor vehicle body panel comprises:

a pair of side rails including mounts for securing the rails in spaced alignment on the body panel wherein each of said side rails includes a lip;

at least one crossbar having first and second ends for supporting the crossbar to extend across said pair of side rails;

at least one of said ends having a clamp including a movable jaw and a fixed jaw, wherein each jaw has a jaw surface engageable with one of the rail lips;

said clamp having a threaded stem carried by said movable jaw and extending through said fixed jaw, whereby said movable jaw is movable in a direction parallel to a surface on said one rail lip between a first position where said movable jaw surface is in registration with said one lip when said fixed jaw surface is in registration with said one lip and a second position in said direction where said movable jaw surface is not in registration with said one lip when said fixed jaw member is in registration with said one lip;

wherein said one lip includes a socket formed on an upper surface of the associated rail to provide a fixed crossbar position on said associated rail and said crossbar clamp includes at least one of said jaw surfaces dimensioned to be received within said socket in said one lip in said fixed crossbar position thereby preventing movement of said at least one crossbar along the length of the associated rail.

6. The article carrier as defined in claim 5 wherein the first end of said at least one crossbar includes said clamp and the second end includes a recess formed to receive the lip of said lip of the other rail and a retainer for holding said lip of the other rail in said recess.

7. The article carrier as defined in claim 6 wherein said recess is dimensioned to receive the lip of the other rail at an angle as the at least one crossbar is inclined, said retainer comprising an arm with a locking flange that engages the other rail as said at least one crossbar pivots about the lip of the other rail from said angle.

8. The article carrier as defined in claim 5 wherein said fixed jaw includes an elongated slot and said first and second positions of said movable jaw are along said slot.

9. The article carrier as defined in claim 5 wherein said movable jaw rotates in a plane generally parallel to the surface on said one rail lip.

10. The crossbar as defined in claim 5 wherein said one lip includes a recess near said socket, and said clamp includes a jaw projection dimensioned to be received in said recess.

11. The crossbar as defined in claim 10 wherein said projection is said fixed jaw.

12. A luggage carrier comprising:

a pair of side rails, each side rail having a lateral rail lip;

at least one crossbar having a first end and a second end;

said first end having a slidably receivable retainer with a recess dimensioned to receive therein said lip therein at an inclined angle, and said retainer further including an arm with a locking flange receivable under said one lip in said inclined position and fixed with respect to said one lip in a lowered position thereby preventing movement of said at least one crossbar along the length of the associated rail;

said second end having a clamp including a fixed jaw and a movable jaw, each jaw having a jaw surface engageable with said lip of the other rail;

said clamp comprising an actuator, and a threaded stem carried by said movable jaw and extending through said fixed jaw, whereby said movable jaw is movable in a direction substantially parallel to said rail lip of said other rail between a first position in said direction where said movable jaw surface is in registration with said lip of said other rail when said fixed jaw surface is in registration with said lip of said other rail, and a second position in said direction where said movable jaw surface is not in registration with said lip of said other rail when said fixed jaw member is in registration with said lip of the other rail.

13. An article carrier for a motor vehicle body panel comprises:

a pair of rails including mounts for securing the rails in spaced alignment on the body panel, each rail having a lip and having a laterally adjacent portion outboard of said lip, at least one socket in each said lip, and a recess in said laterally adjacent portion outboard of each said lip;

at least one crossbar having first and second ends for supporting the crossbar to extend across said rails;

each of said ends having an upper jaw surface and a lower jaw surface, wherein each jaw surface is engageable with the respective rail lips;

at least one end having a clamp for supporting and selectively urging said jaw surfaces at that end against one said rail lip, said clamp comprising an actuator, and a threaded stem carried by said movable jaw and extending through said fixed jaw, whereby said movable jaw is movable in a direction parallel to said one rail lip between a first position in said direction where said movable jaw surface is in registration with said one lip when said fixed jaw surface is in registration with said one lip, and a second position in said direction where said movable jaw surface is not in registration with said one lip when said fixed jaw member is in registration with said one lip; and

at least one of said ends having one of said jaw surfaces engaging said socket in the associated lip and the other of said jaw surfaces having a projection dimensioned and received within said outboard recess of the associated lip thereby preventing longitudinal movement of said at least one crossbar along the length of the associated rail.