GB2266502A

GB2266502A - Car roof trunk.

Info

Publication number: GB2266502A
Application number: GB9209322A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Lucien Hargreaves
Original assignee: HARVIGLAS Ltd
Current assignee: HARVIGLAS Ltd
Priority date: 1992-04-30
Filing date: 1992-04-30
Publication date: 1993-11-03
Also published as: GB9209322D0

Abstract

A car-roof trunk comprises a two part shell of synthetic plastics material, the lid (10) and base (11) being completely separable, and having respective rims (16, 17) with flanges (18, 19), the lower of which (19) abuts within the upper flange (18) against the rim (16), providing a seal when the lid and base are tensioned by a securing strap apparatus. The securing strap apparatus comprises two strap assemblies (30, 31), disposable in channels (14, 15) moulded in the shell of the roof trunk, and each comprising a top strap, a bottom strap and a tensioning strap. The bottom strap provides strap free ends which have fasteners for alternative attachment to a car roof rack or bars, or to the respective strap ends of the other strap assembly. The bottom strap has an elastic insert, to take up slack when untensioned, and the tensioning strap is passed through a cam-buckle at one end of the top strap. The rim of the trunk is provided with a plurality of hand-holds 22, moulded as recesses in the rim of the base (11). <IMAGE>

Description

CAR ROOF TRUNK AND MEANS FOR SECURING THE SAME This invention relates to a car roof trunk and to a means for securing the same, holding the trunk closed under tension, and securing the trunk to a roof rack or roof mounted carrying bars.

Car roof trunks are well known in a variety of types, from large versions of suitcases adapted to be secured to roof bars, to streamlined or specially formed hard shelled cases for carrying specific equipment such as for example skis. Such cases are usually fitted with metal parts in addition to the usually plastics trunk shell, such as hinges, closure fasteners, and in some cases support bars for holding a lid open.

The usual means of fastening known car roof trunks to a car roof include clamps for engaging with the roof gutter, or clips attached to levers, cords or straps for attachment to roof bars or roof racks; such clips often need to be specially shaped and dimensioned to fit onto a specific model of roof bar or roof rack.

In addition these known roof trunks are relatively costly, and it is thus an object of the invention to provide a form of roof trunk which can be made from a relatively inexpensive material, and also a means for securing the trunk both closed and in place, which obviates any need for the provision of fittings on the trunk, thereby further reducing manufacturing cost, and is itself efficient and relatively inexpensive.

According to the invention, a roof trunk for carriage on a car comprises two separately moulded shells, comprising a trunk base and a trunk lid, each in the form of a shell of synthetic plastics material.

The shells having mutually inter-leavable rims to provide a seal therebetween when tightly closed together.

Preferably the shells are contoured to provide locating channels for straps for securing the shells closed and to a car roof, and the trunk base may be provided with a plurality of hand holds, provided for example in the rim of the trunk base.

The shells may be moulded from polypropylene, which is a relatively low cost synthetic plastics material, and in this case embossed pattern of raised or depressed panels may be incorporated to enhance the rigidity of the moulding.

From another aspect, the invention provides a means for securing the roof trunk, as set out above, the means comprising a harness provided by two or more strap assemblies passed around the trunk when the lid and base portions of the trunk are assembled to form a closed trunk and tensioned to secure the trunk closed. The two strap assemblies each providing a loose end with fastening means, which can be alternatively connected to a loose end of the other strap assembly, or to a car roof bar or rack or other support.

Such strap assembly may comprise an assembly of three strap sections - a top strap for passing over the lid sections of the car roof trunk, a bottom strap for passing under the base section of the car roof trunk, and a tensioning strap, connecting one end of the top strap, and the bottom strap. The bottom strap is preferably arranged to provide the said loose end strap at each of its ends, from fixed loops which are connected, by D-rings, one to the other end of the top strap and the other to an end of the tensioning strap.

The said one end of the top strap may be connected to the tensioning strap by means of a cam-buckle, the tensioning strap having a free end which extends from the cam-buckle which may be pulled to effect tensioning of the strap assembly.

The top strap may be provided with one or more anti-slip patches to prevent excessive displacement thereof during tensioning, and the bottom strap may have an elastic insert to take up slack on the bottom strap when not tensioned (the bottom strap is under tension when the strap assembly has been i ghtened to secure the trunk closed, but free of tension when the loose ends are secured to the car roof bars or rack).

A preferred embodiment of car roof trunk, and of a means for securing the trunk according to the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accomanying drawings, wherein: - Fig 1 is an end view of the car roof trunk according to the invention; Fig.2 is a view from below of the base of the trunk; Fig.3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of the interlocking rims of the lid and base sections of the trunk; Fig.4 is a side view of the car roof trunk; Fig.5 is a view from above of the lid of the trunk; Fig.6 is a diagram showing one of two harnesses comprising means according to the invention for securing the car roof trunk of Figs.1 to 5;; - Fig.7 is a diagram showing the harness securing the trunk closed; and Fig.8 is a diagram showing the harness securing the trunk to roof bars of a car.

A car roof trunk comprises a lid portion 10 and a base portion 11 each formed by moulding shells from a synthetic plastics material such as polypropylene. The shells are contoured to provide channels such as 12, 13 extending along the length of the trunk and down the ends, and 14, 15 extending across the width of the trunk and down the longer sides. The lid and base portions contact around their edges at respective rims 16, 17.

Rim 16 of the lid portion has a flange 18 which extends outside a flange 19 of the rim 17 of the base portion, which in turn abuts internally with a web 20 of rim 16, so that when the flanges are forced together, as by tensioning fasteners, a seal is provided between the flanges. A recess 21, on the rim 17 of the base portion, with a channel, e.g.12, defines a hand-hold for use in lifting the trunk; in the form of a number of recessed pocket handles 22.

Figs.6 to 8 show a harness for securing the trunk described in relation to, and shown in Figs.1 to 5.

"Securing" means lock, securing the trunk closed, and securing the trunk to a roof rack or pair of roof bars on a motor car.

The harness consists of two strap assemblies 30, 31 each comprised of three connected straps, a top strap 32, 33, a bottom strap 34, 35 and a tensioning strap 36, 37. Each top strap 32, 33 extends over the top of the trunk, (in respective channels 14, 15' and is connected at one end via a D-ring 38, 39 to the respective bottom strap 34, 35 and at the other 'a a CG.- uckie 40, 41 to the respective tensioning strap 36, 37. Each tensioning strap 36, 37 is connected at one, fixed, end via a D-ring 42, 43 to the bottom strap 34, 35 and passed through the respective cam-buckle 0, 41 to terminate in a free end with a D-ring 44, 45 to act as a draw pull. The bottom strap 34, 35 is connected by the D-rings 38, 39 to the respective top strap and by D-rings 42, 43 to the respective tensioning strap, at opposite ends of the trunk, so as to leave free ends 46, 47 respectively each provided with carbine clips 48, 49 (hooks, each with a tongue spring loaded into their closed position).

The top straps 32, 33 each have one or more anti-slip patches 50, of rough material or high piled fabric to reduce slippage of the strap assembly about the trunk. The bottom straps 34, 35 each have an elastic strap 51 to take up, e.g. 60 mm of slack when tension is released.

Fig.7 shows the trunk held closed by the strap assemblies 30, 31. Here the tension is applied all around each strap assembly, as a belt, and the elastic straps 51 are fully extended. The free ends 46, 47 of each assembly are connected by their clips, as shown.

In Fig.8, the trunk is secured on the roof bars of a car for transit. The free ends 46, 47 are attached, via their clips 48, 49 around the respective roof bars 53, 54 thus compensating for variations in roof bar profile and tension is exerted through the free ends, and the toprnost tensioning straps, with a downward load on the trunk, so that the bottom straps are untensioned, and the elastic straps 51 take up slack on the bottom straps.

Variations may be made within the scope of the invention to the design of the trunk, and to the number of sections comprising the strap harness for example.

Claims

1. A car-roof trunk, comprising two separately moulded shells, providing respectively a trunk base and a trunk lid, each in the form of a shell of a synthetic plastics material, wherein the shells have mutually interleavable rims to provide a seal therebetween when the shells are tightly closed together.

2. A car-roof trunk according to Claim 1, wherein the rim of the base shell is formed to provide a vertical flange connected to the main body of the said base shell by a horizontal web, and the rim of the lid shell has a depending flange connected to the main body of the lid shell by a connecting web, the flange of the base shell abutting said connecting web from below, and lying within the flange of the lid shell.

3. A car-roof trunk according to Claim 2, wherein the shells are each contoured to provide locating channels for straps for securing the shells closed, and to a car roof, the trunk base shell being provided with a plurality of hand holds in the rim of the base shell.

4. A car-roof trunk according to Claims 1, 2 or 3, having means for securing the trunk closed and to the roof of a car, wherein said securing means comprises a harness constituted by two or more strap assemblies for passing around the trunk when the lid and base shells are assembled to form a closed trunk, and/or tensioning means to secure the trunk closed, the strap assemblies each providing at least one loose end with fastening means which can be alternatively connected to a loose end of the other strap assembly, or to a car roof bar or rack or other support.

5. A securing means according to Claim 4, wherein each strap assembly comprises an assembly of three strap sections:- a top strap for passing over the lid shell of the trunk; a bottom strap for passing under the base shell of the trunk; and a tensioning strap connecting one end of the top strap and the bottom strap.

6. A securing means according to Claim 5, wherein the bottom straps are each arranged to provide a loose strap end at each end thereof, from fixed loops which are connected by D-rings, one to the other end of the top strap, and the other to an end of the tensioning strap.

7. A securing means according to claim 6, wherein the said one end of the top strap is connected to the tensioning strap by means of a cam-buckle, the tensioning strap having a free end which extends through the cam-buckle and which may be pulled to effect tensioning of the strap assembly.

8. A securing means according to Claim 7, wherein the top strap is provided with one or more anti-slip patches to prevent excessive displacement of the strap assemblies during tensioning, and in that the bottom strap has an elastic insert to take up slack on the bottom strap when said strap is not tensioned.

9. A car-roof trunk, and a securing means therefor, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.