Article carrier for a truck bed

• US 6,722,541 B1
• Filed: 10/22/2002
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: JAC Products Incorporated (JAC Holding Enterprises, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: JAC Products Incorporated (JAC Holding Enterprises, Inc.)
• Inventors: Aftanas, Jeffrey M., Kmita, Gerard J., Potter, Donald R., Antonick, Milton J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elkins, Gary E.
• Application Number:
  US10/277,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20040074940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• Field of Search: 224/321, 224/322, 224/323, 224/324, 224/325, 224/326, 224/327, 224/403, 296/37.6, 296/37.7, 410/143, 410/150, 410/151
• US Class Current: 224/403
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 9/00 Supplementary fittings on vehicle exterior for carrying loads, e.g. luggage, sports gear or the like

Abstract

A vehicle article carrier adapted for use with outer body surfaces of a vehicle that are curved or non-parallel to one another. The article carrier includes a pair of non-linear slats that are secured in spaced apart relation to one another on the outer body surfaces. A cross bar supporting assembly has a pair of connecting members that support a cross bar at its outermost ends. The connecting members are secured to slider members, and the slider members are adapted to be secured to the slats. The connecting members are secured to the outermost ends of the cross bar and each have bores that enable the outermost ends to be gradually received therewithin as the cross bar is moved along portions of the slats where the distance between the slats decreases, thus effectively shortening the cross bar. Conversely, this coupling enables the length of the cross bar to be effectively lengthened to accommodate increases in the distance between the slats. Each connecting member further includes a slider having a curved face portion which couples to an associated one of the slats and which further helps to prevent jamming of the cross bar as it is moved along the curved or non-parallel slats.

Claims

1. A vehicle article carrier apparatus adapted to be disposed on a body surface of a vehicle for supporting articles thereon, said apparatus comprising:

a pair of non-linear support rails adapted to be secured to said body surface in spaced apart relation to one another;

a cross bar having a pair of outermost ends for supporting articles thereon;

at least one cross bar supporting assembly secured to one of said outermost ends of said cross bar for supporting said one outermost end of said cross bar from said one of said support rails;

said cross bar supporting assembly including;

a connecting member secured to said one outermost end of said cross bar and permitting sliding linear movement of said one outermost end relative thereto to change an effective length of said cross bar as said cross bar is moved along said non-linear support rails; and

a slider member secured between said connecting member and said one support rail for enabling pivotal movement of said connecting member relative to said one support rail.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said connecting member and said cross bar comprise a cooperative locking assembly for enabling a user to clamp said connecting member to said one outermost end of said cross bar once said cross bar is adjusting positioned along said one support rail.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said slider and said one support rail include a cooperative locking for assembly for enabling a user to secure said cross bar supporting assembly at a desired position along said one support rail.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said slider includes a curved surface for contacting said one support rail and preventing jamming as said cross bar supporting assembly is moved along said one support rail.

5. A vehicle article carrier apparatus adapted to be disposed on an outer body surface of a vehicle for supporting articles thereon, said apparatus comprising:

a pair of non-linear support rails adapted to be secured to said outer body surface in spaced apart relation to one another;

a cross bar member having a pair of outermost ends;

at least one cross bar supporting assembly securable to said support rails to support articles thereon, said cross bar assembly including;

a pair of connecting members secured to said cross bar member at opposite ends of said cross bar member for supporting said cross bar member between said support rails;

at least one of said connecting members being movable relative to said cross bar to change an effective length of said cross bar as said cross bar is moved along said non-linear support rails; and

a slider member secured in between said one connecting member and an associated one of said support rails, and pivotally to said one connecting member, for enabling pivotal movement of said one connecting member relative to said associated one of said support rails as said cross bar is moved along said support rails.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said slider member includes a curved contact portion for contacting said associated one of said support rails as said cross bar supporting assembly is moved along said non-linear support rails.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said slider member and said one connecting member are releasably secured to each other via a user removable locking pin.

8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said slider member includes a bore for receiving an end portion of said one connecting member therein.

9. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:

said one connecting member includes a bore for receiving an outermost end of said cross bar member therein, and an opening in communication with said bore;

said cross bar member includes a channel formed to align with said opening in said connecting member; and

a locking assembly for securing said connecting member to said cross bar member while permitting longitudinal sliding movement of said connecting member relative to said cross bar member.

10. A vehicle article carrier apparatus adapted to be disposed on a body surface of a vehicle for supporting articles above said body surface, said apparatus comprising:

a pair of support rails adapted to be arranged nonparallel to one another on said body surface in a spaced apart relation to one another;

a pair of slider members secured to each of said support rails;

a pair of connecting members secured to each of said slider members; and

a cross bar coupled at opposite ends thereof to said connecting members for supporting articles thereon above said body surface;

wherein an effective length of said cross bar is increased and decreased as said opposite ends thereof engage within said connecting members; and

said connecting members operating to pivot relative to their respective said slider members as said cross bar is moved along said support rails.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein each said slider member is secured to said support rail by a tap plate.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein each said connecting member is secured to its associated said slider member by a locking pin.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a user engagable locking knob;

and

wherein the position of said slider member on said support rail is maintained through actuation of said locking knob to cause friction between said slider, said tap plate, and said support rail.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said slider includes a curved surface, said curved surface closely abutting said support rails to provide clearance between said slider and said support rails as said slider is moved along said non-parallel side rails.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the position of said cross bar within said connecting members is maintained through actuation of a user engageable locking elements for clamping said opposite ends of said cross bar to connection members.

16. A vehicle article carrier apparatus adapted to be disposed on an outer body surface of a vehicle for supporting articles above said outer body surface, said apparatus comprising:

a pair of non-linear support rails adapted to be secured to said outer body surface in spaced apart relation to one another;

a cross bar member having a pair of outermost ends; and

a pair of support assemblies secured to said cross bar member at opposite ends of said cross bar member for supporting said cross bar member between said support rails;

wherein the effective length of said cross bar either increases or decreases as said cross bar is moved along said non-linear support rails.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein each of said support assemblies is comprised of a connecting member and a slider.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said slider and said one support rail include a cooperative locking assembly for enabling a user to secure said cross bar supporting assembly at a desired position along said one support rail.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said connecting member and said cross bar comprise a cooperative locking assembly for enabling a user to clamp said connecting member to said one outermost end of said cross bar once said cross bar is adjustably positioned along said one support rail.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said slider includes a curved surface for contacting said one support rail and preventing jamming as said cross bar supporting assembly is moved along said one support rail.

21. A vehicle article carrier apparatus adapted to be disposed on a body surface of a vehicle for supporting articles thereon, said apparatus comprising:

a pair of non-linear support rails adapted to be secured to said body surface in spaced apart relation to one another;

a cross bar having a pair of outermost ends for supporting articles thereon;

at least one cross bar supporting assembly secured to one of said outermost ends of said cross bar for supporting said one outermost end of said cross bar from said one of said support rails;

said cross bar supporting assembly including;

a connecting member secured to said one outermost end of said cross bar and permitting sliding linear movement of said one outermost end relative thereto to change an effective length of said cross bar as said cross bar is moved along said non-linear support rails; and

a slider member secured between said connecting member and said one support rail for enabling pivotal movement of said connecting member relative to said one support rail;

wherein said connecting member and said cross bar comprise a cooperative locking assembly for enabling a user to clamp said connecting member to said one outermost end of said cross bar once said cross bar is adjustably positioned along said one support rail;

wherein said slider and said one support rail include a cooperative locking assembly for enabling a user to secure said cross bar supporting assembly at a desired position along said one support rail; and

wherein said slider includes a curved surface for contacting said one support rail and preventing jamming as said cross bar supporting assembly is moved along said one support rail.