Roof rack assembly with integrated lighting
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A roof rack assembly for a vehicle having a roof and an electric power supply, the roof rack assembly comprising:
- a front stanchion and a rear stanchion for structural attachment to the roof;
a bar having a front end coupled to the front stanchion such that the front stanchion maintains the front end above the roof and a rear end coupled to the rear stanchion such that the rear stanchion maintains the rear end above the roof, wherein the bar defines an axis extending from the rear end to the front end in a normal direction of vehicle travel, wherein the bar rotates about the axis for adjustment of an illumination direction perpendicular to the normal direction of travel;
an illumination element integrated with the bar and extending without interruption between the stanchions to illuminate in the illumination direction from the front stanchion to the rear stanchion; and
an illumination electronics module to drive the illumination element, the illumination electronics module being powered by the electric power supply of the vehicle.
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Accused Products
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.
29 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A roof rack assembly for a vehicle having a roof and an electric power supply, the roof rack assembly comprising:
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a front stanchion and a rear stanchion for structural attachment to the roof; a bar having a front end coupled to the front stanchion such that the front stanchion maintains the front end above the roof and a rear end coupled to the rear stanchion such that the rear stanchion maintains the rear end above the roof, wherein the bar defines an axis extending from the rear end to the front end in a normal direction of vehicle travel, wherein the bar rotates about the axis for adjustment of an illumination direction perpendicular to the normal direction of travel; an illumination element integrated with the bar and extending without interruption between the stanchions to illuminate in the illumination direction from the front stanchion to the rear stanchion; and an illumination electronics module to drive the illumination element, the illumination electronics module being powered by the electric power supply of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A roof rack assembly for a vehicle having a roof, the roof rack assembly comprising:
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a front stanchion for structural attachment to the roof; a rear stanchion for structural attachment to the roof; a bar coupled between, and held above the roof by, the front stanchion and the rear stanchion, the bar having a channel integrally formed therein and extending in the normal direction of vehicle travel without interruption between the front stanchion and the rear stanchion; an electric powered light-emitting component attached to the bar and held within the channel, wherein the light-emitting component has a front end received in the front stanchion and a rear end received in the rear stanchion, and wherein the front stanchion and the rear stanchion block illumination in the normal direction of travel and the direction opposite the normal direction of travel; a front rotation mechanism for the front stanchion; and a rear rotation mechanism for the rear stanchion, wherein the front rotation mechanism and the rear rotation mechanism rotatable couple the bar to the front stanchion and the rear stanchion to accommodate rotatable adjustment about an axis extending in the normal direction of vehicle travel of an illumination direction of the electric powered light-emitting component. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A vehicle comprising:
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a roof; a first front stanchion attached to and supported by the roof; a first rear stanchion attached to and supported by the roof; a first light-emitting roof rack bar rotatably coupled between, and held above the roof by, the first front stanchion and the first rear stanchion, wherein the first light-emitting roof rack bar defines a first axis extending in a normal direction of vehicle travel, and wherein the first light-emitting roof rack bar rotates about the first axis for adjustment of a first illumination direction perpendicular to the normal direction of travel; a first illumination electronics module to drive the first light-emitting roof rack bar; and an onboard power supply to provide operating power to the first illumination electronics module. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification