CAR TOP CARRIER LID SUPPORT
First Claim
1. A car top carrier comprisinga box having opposing lateral sides, a top, a bottom, a front end, and a rear end, the bottom having a floor, the floor having an inner surface and an outer surface, the top and the bottom being connected by a hinge mechanism along one of the lateral sides, and by a latch mechanism on the other lateral side of the box,a plurality of clamp devices mounted on the floor of the box configured to secure the box to a pair of crossbars on top of a vehicle, anda first strut assembly connecting the top to the bottom on the front end of the box, and a second strut assembly connecting the top to the bottom on the rear end of the box, each strut assembly being moveable between open and closed positions and having a biasing device configured to exert a force on the strut member toward the open position, each strut member including a pair of upper arms, each upper arm having a mounting end and an articulating end, the mounting ends of the pair of upper arms being pivotally connected to each other and mounted to the top of the box, each strut member also having a pair of lower arms, each lower arm having a mounting end and an articulating end, the mounting ends of the pair of lower arms being pivotally connected to each other and mounted to the bottom of the box, each articulating end of the pair of lower arms being pivotally connected to a respective articulating end of one of the upper arms, wherein the pairs of arms form a four-bar linkage having two mounting junctions and two articulating junctions, at least one of the junctions having an associated biasing mechanism urging the strut assembly toward the open position, wherein the biasing mechanism includes a coiled spring.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Strut designs for assisting opening and closing of a cargo box lid are provided. A strut includes two or more arms biased toward one or more directions by spring devices. Struts may be used on a single side opening box or a dual-side opening box, and may exhibit degrees of symmetrical design and movement for balanced operation.
33 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A car top carrier comprising
a box having opposing lateral sides, a top, a bottom, a front end, and a rear end, the bottom having a floor, the floor having an inner surface and an outer surface, the top and the bottom being connected by a hinge mechanism along one of the lateral sides, and by a latch mechanism on the other lateral side of the box, a plurality of clamp devices mounted on the floor of the box configured to secure the box to a pair of crossbars on top of a vehicle, and a first strut assembly connecting the top to the bottom on the front end of the box, and a second strut assembly connecting the top to the bottom on the rear end of the box, each strut assembly being moveable between open and closed positions and having a biasing device configured to exert a force on the strut member toward the open position, each strut member including a pair of upper arms, each upper arm having a mounting end and an articulating end, the mounting ends of the pair of upper arms being pivotally connected to each other and mounted to the top of the box, each strut member also having a pair of lower arms, each lower arm having a mounting end and an articulating end, the mounting ends of the pair of lower arms being pivotally connected to each other and mounted to the bottom of the box, each articulating end of the pair of lower arms being pivotally connected to a respective articulating end of one of the upper arms, wherein the pairs of arms form a four-bar linkage having two mounting junctions and two articulating junctions, at least one of the junctions having an associated biasing mechanism urging the strut assembly toward the open position, wherein the biasing mechanism includes a coiled spring.
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11. A car top carrier comprising
a box having opposing lateral sides, a top, a bottom, a front end, and a rear end, the bottom having a floor, the floor having an inner surface and an outer surface, the top and the bottom being connected via hinge mechanisms along the opposing lateral sides of the box, the hinge mechanisms being capable of unlatching allowing the box to be alternately opened on opposing lateral sides of the box, a plurality of clamp devices mounted to the floor configured to secure the box to a pair of crossbars on top of a vehicle, and a first strut member connecting the top to the bottom on the front end of the box, and a second strut member connecting the top to the bottom on the rear end of the box, each strut member being moveable between open and closed positions and having a biasing device configured to exert a force on the strut member toward the open position, each strut member including a first upper arm pivotally connected to the top of the box at a first pivot point, and a first lower arm pivotally connected to the bottom of the box at a second pivot point, each first upper arm being pivotally connected to the respective first lower arm at a third pivot point, wherein the biasing device includes a torsion spring mounted near one of the first or second pivot points.
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21. A car top carrier comprising
a box having opposing lateral sides, a top, a bottom, a front end, and a rear end, the bottom having a floor, the floor having an inner surface and an outer surface, the top and the bottom being connected via hinge mechanisms along the opposing lateral sides of the box, the hinge mechanisms being capable of unlatching allowing the box to be alternately opened on opposing lateral sides of the box, a plurality of clamp devices mounted to the floor configured to secure the box to a pair of crossbars on top of a vehicle, and a first strut member connecting the top to the bottom on the front end of the box, and a second strut member connecting the top to the bottom on the rear end of the box, each strut member being moveable between open and closed positions and having a biasing device configured to exert a force on the strut member toward the open position, each strut member having a shoulder pivot connected to the top of the box and a wrist pivot connected to the bottom of the box, the biasing device including at least one torsion spring positioned around either the shoulder pivot or the wrist pivot, wherein the strut member operates substantially symmetrically relative to an axis passing through the shoulder pivot and the wrist pivot.
Specification