AU2017101021B4

AU2017101021B4 - Tray assembly

Info

Publication number: AU2017101021B4
Application number: AU2017101021A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Heshan Baddevithana; Will Schneider-Loos; Chris Sledge
Original assignee: Autopacific Australia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Autopacific Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2016-11-04
Filing date: 2017-07-28
Publication date: 2018-11-22
Anticipated expiration: 2024-11-04
Also published as: AU2016101944C4; AU2016101944A4; AU2017101021A4; AU2016101944B4

Abstract

Abstract The invention relates to tray for mounting to a vehicle roof, comprising a tray base, aside face around at least part of the perimeter of the tray base, and attachment formations to mechanically attach components to the tray. The attachment formations are located on the side face of the tray. In addition, customisable railing can be mounted around the edges of the tray. Due to its modular nature, the tray assembly is highly customisable and easily transportable. V-5740375:1

Description

TRAY ASSEMBLY

This is a divisional of Australian Patent Application No. 2016101944, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference

Field [0001] The invention relates to a tray assembly for mounting to the roof of a motor vehicle.

Background [0002] Roof trays are known which can be mounted to the roof of motor vehicles, to transport a wide variety of cargo items. The trays are generally attached to roof rack cross bars, and provide a container for items such as luggage, or a mounting structure to attach larger items such as kayaks, surfboards, recovery tracks, or a variety of other types of equipment or vehicle accessories.

[0003] One difficulty is that different cargo items are more easily attached to different types of mounting structures. A particular roof tray may not be the ideal mounting structure or carrier for different types of cargo, but it is also not ideal to need to swap trays to accommodate different cargo items.

[0004] One attempt to address this difficulty is to affix mounting accessories to the roof tray, which are adapted for mounting different cargo items. However, some changes or adaptations to a tray assembly may be difficult or impossible. There is also the subsequent problem that the attachment mechanisms for these accessories may vary between manufacturers - so that an accessory for one tray or roof rack cannot be mounted to another manufacturer’s tray or roof rack.

[0005] The present invention aims to substantially overcome or at least ameliorate one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art, or at least provide a commercial alternative to existing roof trays.

Summary [0006] In a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a tray for mounting to a vehicle roof, comprising: a tray base; an outward face around at least part of the perimeter of the tray base; and attachment formations to mechanically attach components to the tray, wherein at least one of the attachment formations is located on the outward face of the tray.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment of this aspect of the invention, there is provided a tray for mounting to a vehicle roof, comprising: a tray base comprising a plurality of outer support members, each having an upper face and an outward face, the outward face being around at least part of the perimeter of the tray base; and an outward attachment formation located on the outward face of an outer support member, to mechanically attach components to the outward face of the outer support member, wherein the attachment formation includes a widened part for insertion of an attachment mechanism.

[0008] The attachment formations may be provided on different sides/outward faces of the tray assembly. For a rectangular tray assembly having four sides, attachment formations may be provided on the outward face on one, two three or four sides of the tray assembly, according to this aspect of the invention.

[0009] In a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tray assembly for mounting to a vehicle roof, comprising: a tray base having a front, rear and sides; railing to project upwardly from the tray base; and attachment formations to mechanically attach the railing to the at least one of the front, rear and/or sides of the tray base.

[0010] The railing may comprise a plurality of upright post members and a rail member transverse to the post members. The post members may be adjustable in position relative the rail member.

[0011] In a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a tray assembly for mounting to a vehicle roof, comprising: outer support members having attachment formations to attach components to the outer support members; slats extending between the outer support members, the slats having attachment formations to mechanically attach components to the tray, wherein the outer support members and slats and releasably securable to each other.

[0012] The attachment formations preferably comprise T-slots. Other types of attachment formations may be used in some embodiments, such as keyways, holes, or threads, although T-slots are convenient methods of enabling brackets or other components to be attached at a variety of locations along the length of the T-slot.

[0013] In a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a bracket for mounting an accessary to a roof tray for a vehicle, the bracket comprising: a first set of mounting apertures for mounting in a first configuration; and a second set of mounting apertures for mounting in a second configuration.

[0014] A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the invention is provided below, along with accompanying figures that illustrate by way of example the principles of the invention. While the invention is described in connection with such embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to any embodiment. On the contrary, the scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims and the invention encompasses numerous alternatives, modifications and equivalents.

[0015] For the purpose of example, numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. The present invention may be practiced according to the claims without some or all of these specific details. For the purposes of clarity, technical material that is known in the technical fields related to the invention has not been described in detail so that the present invention is not unnecessarily obscured.

[0016] To provide a clear description of the present invention, terms such as “front”, “rear”, “up”, “down”, “vertical” and “horizontal”, “height” and “length” have been used to describe the curtain and curtain system. This terminology is used with respect to the orientation of the tray assembly when installed on a vehicle. This orientation will be understood not to limit the scope of the invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings [0017] Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: [0018] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a tray assembly according to an embodiment of the invention; [0019] Figure 2 is a perspective view of a tray assembly according to an embodiment of the invention with front and side railing; [0020] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a tray assembly according to an embodiment of the invention with awning bracket attached; [0021] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a tray assembly according to an embodiment of the invention with LED bracket attached; [0022] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a tray assembly according to an embodiment of the invention with recovery track and bracket attached; [0023] Figure 6 is a perspective view of a tray assembly according to an embodiment of the invention with jerry can attached; and [0024] Figure 7 is a perspective view of a tray assembly according to an embodiment of the invention with spare tyre attached.

[0025] Figure 8 is a perspective view of a tray assembly according to an embodiment of the invention with gas bottle attached.

[0026] Figure 9 is a perspective view of a tray assembly according to an embodiment of the invention with a shovel holder attached.

Detailed Description [0027] Referring to the figures, there is shown a roof tray assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the invention. The flat tray 100 comprises front and rear support members 110, and side support members 115. Slats 120 extend longitudinally, between the front and rear support members 110. Together, the support members 110, 115 and slats 120 provide a tray base. The tray base can be connected to a cross bar of a roof rack 500 via attachment plates 150.

[0028] The top face of each of the support members 110, 115 and each slat 120 includes an attachment formation in the form of an upward-facing T-slot 122. Each T-slot comprises a slot having a cavity behind it, which can receive an enlarged portion of an attachment mechanism such as a bolt head or a nut. The enlarged portion can be inserted at an end of the T-slot 122, or at a widened part of the slot 122. The enlarged portion can then be slid along the slot and secured at an appropriate position. Accordingly, the T-slots 122 allow a wide variety of accessories to be mounted to the tray assembly 100, in a wide variety of configurations.

[0029] In this embodiment, outward facing T-slots 124 are also provided on the outward faces of support members 110, 115 (i.e. on the sides, facing out, rather than on the top facing up). These outward facing T-slots 124 provide additional places for vehicle accessories to be attached, thereby providing a more versatile tray with and more attachment configurations.

[0030] The tray assembly 100 may be provided in multiple components that can be assembled and customised in a “DIY” manner by the end user. For example, the slats 120 and support members 110, 115 may be releasably securable with each other with bolts, clips, grooves and protrusions or other fastening mechanisms. This enables the tray assembly 100 to be packaged more compactly for transport.

[0031] The tray assembly 100 can also be customised with the addition of railing 130 at the front, rear or on either side, as shown in Figure 2. Railing 130 may be provided on all or only some of the edges of the tray assembly (e.g. only on front and rear support members 110). Each section of railing 130 includes upright post members 136, spaced along the length of a support member 110, 115, with a rail member 134 extending across the post members 136.

[0032] To install the railing 130, post members 136 are first moved into position and screwed in. The rail member 136 is then also slid into position, with the tops of the post members received in a channel in the underside of rail member 136. End caps 140 are then secured to hold support members 110, 115 and railing 130 in place.

[0033] Figure 3 depicts an awning bracket 200 for securing an awning to the tray assembly 100. The bracket 200 includes a horizontal base which is attached to a side support member 115 by fasteners 210. Fasteners 210 are in the form of nut and bolt assemblies. The heads of the bolts are inserted into T-slots 122 and slid into position, and pass through apertures in the bracket - in this case I-slots 220. It should be noted that the bracket 200 may include multiple apertures (for example, including both I-slots 220 and holes 230) to allow it to be secured to different types of roof trays, which may be produced by different manufacturers. Regardless, nuts are then tightened onto the bolts to secure the awning bracket 200 to tray 100. An upright section of the bracket 200 is attached to an awning 400. Once installed, the awning 400 can then be raised or lowered to cover the side of the vehicle.

[0034] Figure 4 shows another bracket, being LED bracket 200A, which can be attached to the tray assembly 100 of the present invention. The LED bracket 200A can be used to secure a LED array 400A, as shown in Figure 4. It can be seen that the horizontal base has the same shape and apertures (or ‘footprint’) as the awning bracket 200, which allow the LED bracket 200A (and LED array 400A) to be secured in substantially the same manner as awning bracket 200 and awning 400.

[0035] Figure 5 depicts a recovery track 400B attached to a tray assembly 100 of the present invention. The recovery track 400B is attached using a recovery track bracket 200B fixed to the tray assembly 100, in combination with strap 300 which is tightened by ratchet 320. Again, the recovery track bracket 200B may have the same ‘footprint’ as the LED bracket 200A and awning bracket 200, allowing it to be fitted to different roof tray assemblies in addition to the tray assembly 100 of this embodiment of the invention.

[0036] Figure 6 depicts a tray assembly 100 of the present invention with holders 250 affixed thereto, for securing a jerry can 400C for transporting fuel. The position of holders 250 may be adjusted using T-slots to accommodate items of different sizes or in different orientations. For example, the holders 250 may be used to transport water containers, or to transport jerry cans of different shapes or sizes, which may be oriented laterally (relative to the tray assembly) rather than longitudinally.

[0037] Figure 7 depicts the use of the tray assembly 100 to secure a spare tyre 400D to the roof of the vehicle. Multiple rings 310 may be secured in T- 122, spaced around the tyre 400D as shown in Figure 7, and tightened together in a central location (e.g. on top of the tyre). This enables the tyre 400D to be secured.

[0038] Figure 8 depicts the use of the flat tray assembly 100 to transport a gas bottle 400E. The gas bottle 400E may be secured to the tray 100 by means of strap 300 and ratchet 320. The slats 120 (and gaps between them) also provide openings to pass strapping 300 through or around, to secure items to the tray assembly 100.

[0039] Finally, Figure 9 depicts use of the flat tray assembly 100 to transport a shovel 400F (or similarly a pipe). The handle of a shovel 400F is secured to the tray 100 by brackets 200F, which include circular rings and a pin or screw that can be tightened to secure the shovel handle 400F. The brackets 200F are in turn attached in the peripheral T-slots 124 on the side of the tray assembly 100. This allows the shovel 400F to be secured to the side of the tray assembly 100 without taking up space on top of the tray.

[0040] Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word “comprise”, and variations such as “comprises” and “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

[0041] The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A tray for mounting to a vehicle roof, comprising: a tray base comprising a plurality of outer support members, each having an upper face and an outward face, the outward face being around at least part of the perimeter of the tray base; and an outward attachment formation located on the outward face of an outer support member, to mechanically attach components to the outward face of the outer support member, wherein the attachment formation includes a widened part for insertion of an attachment mechanism.

2. A tray according to claim 1, including attachment formations located on the outward face of each of the plurality of outer support members, each attachment formation including a widened part for insertion of an attachment mechanism.

3. A tray according claim 1 or 2, including an upper attachment formation located on the upper face of an outer support member, to mechanically attach components to the upper face of the outer support member, wherein the attachment formation includes a widened part for insertion of an attachment mechanism.

4. A tray according claim 3, including attachment formations located on the upper face of each of the plurality of outer support members, each attachment formation including a widened part for insertion of an attachment mechanism.

5. A tray according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the attachment formations comprise T-slots.