Carrier accessory for recreational vehicles

• US 6,179,180 B1
• Filed: 07/06/1999
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John F. Walker
• Original Assignee: John F. Walker
• Inventors: Walker, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Garbe, Stephen P.
• Application Number:
  US09/348,228
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 224/401, 224/443, 224/449, 224/457, 224/448, 248/311.2, 248/153, 248/154, 248/107
• US Class Current: 224/401
• CPC Class Codes: B62J 11/00 Supporting arrangements specially adapted for fastening specific devices to cycles, e.g. supports for attaching maps

Abstract

A carrier accessory which is releasably attachable to the support rack of an off-road or other recreational vehicle includes a frame having a plurality of substantially circular members, each sized to retain a cylindrical article such as a bucket or pail. The frame further includes releasable attachment members which allow the accessory to clamp onto an existing support rack, the circular members being cantilevered from the accessory frame.

Claims

1. In combination, a carrier accessory supporting a plurality of pail-like articles on a recreational vehicle, said vehicle including a storage rack having at least one tubular support member, said carrier accessory comprising:

a frame; and

means for releasably attaching said frame to at least one tubular support member of said storage rack;

said frame including a plurality of horizontally disposed and substantially circular support members depending from said frame, each of said support members

having a hoop-like configuration and an inner diameter sized to support said pail-like article, and

in which each pail-like article includes an upper circumferential lip having a diameter which is larger than the inner diameter of a said support member to cause said pail-like article to be retained by the support member.

2. A combination as recited in claim 1, wherein said releasable attaching means includes at least one U-shaped attachment member, said U-shaped attachment member having a pair of spaced leg segments, the spacing between the leg segments being smaller than the corresponding diameter of a transverse support rod of said storage rack such that said at least one U-shaped attachment member can be placed in clamping relation therewith.

3. A combination as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said circular support members is tangentially secured to an adjacent circular support member forming a planar arrangement.

4. A combination as recited in claim 3, wherein each of said circular support members is tangentially secured to said frame such that said circular members are cantilevered.

5. A combination as recited in claim 1, wherein said circular support members are integral to said frame.

6. A combination as recited in claim 4, wherein each of said circular support members is welded to said frame.

7. A combination as recited in claim 2, including a pair of U-shaped attachment members and at least one brace member extending at an angle from each said U-shaped attachment member to said circular supporting members.

8. A combination as recited in claim 1, wherein said accessory includes three circular supporting members.

9. A combination as recited in claim 1, including a pair of attachment members, each of said attachment members including an inwardly curved portion for engaging a longitudinal tubular section of a vehicle storage rack.