Board carrier

• US 9,694,757 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2015
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yakima Innovation Development Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yakima Innovation Development Corporation
• Inventors: Sautter, Chris, Sagen, Jason A., Condon, Dave
• Primary Examiner(s): WAGGENSPACK, ADAM J
• Application Number:
  US14/592,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20150191127A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 224310, 224331, 224568
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 9/052 Carriers comprising elongate members extending only transversely of vehicle B60R9/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 9/08 specially adapted for sports gear vehicles specially adapted for carrying aeroplanes, for carrying boats B60P

Abstract

A vehicle rooftop system for carrying boards, such as SUP boards, may include a support unit having an elongate body, a self-adjusting strap slidably attached to the body, and a load-assist roller. A lockable cam buckle for securing the strap may be included at one end portion of the unit, and a paddle carrier may be included at another end portion.

Claims

1. A rack for carrying a board on top of a vehicle having an elongate axis parallel to the direction of vehicular travel, the rack comprising:

a pair of coupling devices for attaching a crossbar to the vehicle, the crossbar being substantially perpendicular to the elongate axis of the vehicle;

a support unit having an elongate body, a clamp attached to a lower portion of the body for mounting the support unit to the crossbar with a long axis of the body parallel to the crossbar, a load-bearing surface including a pair of pads mounted on opposite sides of a channel defined in an upper portion of the body, and an end portion of the body including a buckle mechanism;

a retainer movably attached to the support unit, the retainer configured to travel toward and away from the buckle mechanism in the channel and along a path substantially parallel to the long axis of the body; and

an elongate strap having a first end portion secured to the movable retainer and a second end portion opposite the first end portion;

wherein the buckle mechanism is configured to releasably secure the second end portion of the strap.

2. The rack of claim 1, the body further including a central channel running parallel to the long axis of the body, wherein the movable retainer is slidably retained by the channel.

3. The rack of claim 1, wherein the buckle mechanism comprises a releasable cam portion configured to prevent relative motion of the strap in one direction when engaged and to allow relative motion of the strap in two directions when released.

4. The rack of claim 1, wherein the end portion of the body is a first end portion, the body further including a second end portion, and wherein the retainer member is configured to slide freely along a predefined linear path between the first and second end portions.

5. The rack of claim 1, wherein the load-bearing surface comprises a resilient elastomer pad.

6. The rack of claim 1, further comprising a roller operatively attached to the end portion of the body.

7. The rack of claim 1, wherein the buckle mechanism is lockable to prevent release.

8. The rack of claim 1, further including a mechanical stop disposed in the path of the retainer, the mechanical stop being configured to confine movement of the retainer to a fraction of the length of the body.

9. The rack of claim 8, wherein the movement of the retainer is confined to a range equivalent to approximately ten to approximately fifty percent of the length of the body.

10. The rack of claim 8, wherein the body further includes a central channel running parallel to the long axis of the body, the movable retainer is slidably retained by the channel, and the mechanical stop is disposed in the channel.

11. A cargo specific rack accessory for carrying a board on top of a vehicle having an elongate axis parallel to the direction of vehicular travel, the accessory comprising:

an elongate body having an upper load-bearing surface including a pair of continuous parallel support pads configured to span the entire width of a board, a first end, and a second end;

a traveling retainer attached to the body such that the retainer is capable of traveling freely along a length of the body alternately toward and away from the first end of the body, the retainer configured to move along a channel between the pair of continuous parallel support pads while the support pads are stationary; and

a strap having a first end portion secured by the retainer and a second end portion opposite the first end portion, the first end of the body including a buckle mechanism configured to releasably secure the second end portion of the strap;

wherein the strap and traveling retainer are configured such that a securing width automatically adjusts to correspond to a board placed transversely on the body when the second end portion of the strap is placed over the board and pulled toward the first end of the body.