GB2277309A

GB2277309A - Roof load carrier

Info

Publication number: GB2277309A
Application number: GB9407974A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bovellan Kent; Ahlgren Goran
Original assignee: Saab Automobile AB
Current assignee: Saab Automobile AB
Priority date: 1993-04-22
Filing date: 1994-04-21
Publication date: 1994-10-26
Anticipated expiration: 2014-04-21
Also published as: DE4413957A1; SE505632C2; GB2277309B; GB9407974D0; SE9301343D0; SE9301343L

Description

2277309 Roof load carrier device for vehicles The present invention

relates to a roof load carrier device of the type indicated in the preamble to claim 1.

State of the art Many different types of easily fitted and/or removable roof load carriers (roof load frames) or roof racks for private cars are already known.

A first example that may be cited is the load frame for vehicles described in SE B 8303535-2 (publication number SE 450 561). This known load frame comprises a carrier beam the ends of which are provided with base plates which have at their lower edge a pair of fixed pins protruding inwards intended to fit into purpose-made bushes fastened into an internal roof side beam in the vehicle body. The cross beam of the roof load frame consists of two telescopically connected beam sections which can be locked to one another by means of, for example, an eccentric lock.

In this way the protruding pins on the base plates of the roof load frame can be fitted into their respective bushes and the beam sections can then be pushed together slightly and locked firmly in the assembly position relative to one another so that the load frame is securely anchored in the side beams of the vehicle roof. However, this load carrier design requires the lower portions of the base plates, which are provided with pins, and the bushes in the roof side beams to be concealed by the upper part of a closed vehicle door. This known type of roof carrier design can therefore not be used on those parts of a body roof where there is no concealing upper part of a door, e.g. at the position for a rear load frame on a two-door car.

A further example of state of the art roof load carriers and their fastening to a vehicle that may be cited is DE 3 841 188 which describes a roof load frame with base plates which are firmly attached to the load frame and have in their lower portion openings which are intended to cooperate in a position-fixing manner with locking bolts which are provided with heads and are attached to the respective roof side portion. In the absence of concealing upper parts of a door, this design cannot be used if the disadvantage of visible bolt heads protruding from the side of the roof is to be avoided. This known load carrier also has base plates which are attached to both ends of the load frame in such a way that the distance between the plates cannot be adjusted, for which reason each plate is provided with a locking arrangement operated by a screw mechanism to make it possible to fasten the plate, and hence the load carrier, securely to the vehicle roof. Each base plate is also fitted with a special protective cover that conceals the screw mechanism.

Obiect of the invention The object of the present invention is to achieve an easily fitted/removable roof load carrier device which can also be used on those parts of a vehicle roof where there is no concealing upper part of a door and makes it possible to alter the distance between the base plates in connection with fitting or removing the load carrier device.

A further object of the invention is to achieve a roof load carrier device which is designed in such a way that displacement of the roof load carrier base plates (and hence the entire roof load frame) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is prevented after complete fitting of the carrier device to the screws or pins fastened into the adjacent sides of the roof, which constitute a means of anchoring the load frame to the sides of the roof of the vehicle concerned.

Description of the invention

The aforementioned objects are achieved according to the invention by the roof load carrier device of the type indicated in the introduction having the features stated in the characterising part of claim 1. Other features further developing the invention are set out in the dependent claims 2 to 7.

What primarily characterises the roof load carrier device according to the invention is that at least one base plate is adjustably fitted to the roof load frame and that the openings in the lower parts of the base plates consist of notches which start from the lower edge of the respective plate and extend in a substantially L-shaped manner into the plate, where the notches terminate in end portions substantially parallel to the lower edge. In the vicinity of these end portions the base plates are provided with means, e.g. embossings in the base plates, which prevent displacement of the plates relative to the screws introduced into the notches when the screws are in the end portions, preferably at their innermost ends.

The notches in the base plates therefore serve for introducing and holding the respective base plate over the stem of the two screws or pins fitted in the adjacent side of the roof, which constitute the means of fixing the base plate to the side of the roof. 5 In the region nearest to the roof side surface the stems of the screws are advantageously provided with circular protrusions for position-fixing engagement with the displacement-preventing means incorporated in the base plates, preferably in the form of embossings in the latter. These protrusions on the screw stems may be'either circular devices or washers placed on the screw stem or take the form of radial widenings or thickenings of the screw stem itself. In the latter case the protrusion may also form a tightening limiter for the type of special screws used.

With regard to fitting the load frame at such a point on the vehicle body where there is no concealing upper part of a door, this is replaced by a roof blanking cover or plate (roof filler) which has its upper limiting edge closely adjacent to the side of the roof, is connected downwards to the side of the vehicle body (e.g. side wall provided with window) and forms a cover that conceals the screws and the notched lower part of the base plate. The pair of screws are fitted in the side of the roof before fitting the roof blanking cover (roof filler). When the roof load frame is fitted to the screws, i.e. when the screws are at the innermost end of the notch end portions, the base plates are thus introduced through the gap between the upper limiting edge of the roof blanking cover and the adjacent side of the roof. To prevent the gap between the limiting edge of the roof blanking cover and the adjacent side of the roof being open when a load carrier device is not fitted, it is advantageous for there to be a seal between the roof blanking cover and the roof. For practical reasons this seal is divisible in the 5 portion above the screws.

The roof side region in which the screws/pins are attached is preferably part of a roof side beam situated in the transition region between the vehicle roof and the side of the body. It is advantageous for the screws or pins to be fitted in roof rack rivets applied to this side beam.

To make it easy to fit the load carrier device according to the invention, it is advantageous for the base plate which is axially adjustable relative to the load frame to have an upper part that is displaceably accommodated in the relating load frame end and is screwably connected to the end in question by means of a screw mechanism. This mechanism may include a nut which is fixed in the load frame (the latter advantageously consisting of a square tube) and which accommodates an adjusting screw with a manually operated protruding portion which may be set against a portion of the base plate in order to displace the latter relative to the load frame.

The base plates situated at opposite ends of the load frame advantageously comprise an end plate, preferably in the form of a truncated isosceles triangle, and the displacement-preventing means advantageously consists of a pair of mutually parallel elongated embossings starting from the end portions of the Lshaped notches. These embossings run from the end portions of the notches substantially perpendicularly away from the lower edge of the plate up into the end plate and at the same time form a stiffening device in the end plate.

Brief description of the drawinas

The invention is explained in more detail below and described with reference to the examples of embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the end provided with a fixed base plate of a load frame forming part of the roof load carrier device according to the invention.

Fig. 2 shows a vertical section through the roof blanking cover and the side of the roof in the region of one of the fixing screws of the roof load carrier device.

Fig. 3 shows a horizontal section through the fixing screw shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 shows a vertical section through the end provided with an adjustable base plate of a load frame 25 according to the invention.

Fig. 5 shows, on a larger scale, a section along the line V-V in Fig. 4.

Description of an embodiment

A roof load carrier device according to the invention for vehicles, preferably passenger cars, consists partly of a load frame 2 which is intended for fitting 35 across a vehicle roof and partly of anchoring devices 6 fixed into opposite sides 4 of the vehicle roof, 7 here in the form of a pair of special cap screws in each side of the roof. These screws constitute the anchoring devices for fastening the base plates 8 and 10 located at opposite ends of the load frame 2. In their lower part these base plates have openings 12 for engaging with the screws 6 fixed in the adjacent side of the roof 4. In the drawings, Figs. 1 and 4 show respectively the base plate 8 firmly attached to one end of the load frame 2, and the base plate 10 adjustably attached to the other end of the load frame. The fact that the base plate 10 is adjustable in the axial direction of the load frame 2 substantially facilitates the fitting and removal of the load frame 2.

As is evident from Fig. 1, the openings 12 in the lower part of the base plates consist of a pair of notches which extend from the lower edge 14 of the base plate into the plate in a L-shape and terminate in end portions 16 which are substantially parallel to the lower edge 14. To facilitate introducing the base plates over the screws 6 the openings or notches 12 are provided with spreading edges 18 diverging out towards the lower edge 14.

The fixed base plate 8 (like the adjustable base plate 10 likewise provided with openings 12) has means 20 in the region of the end portions 16 of the notches to prevent displacement of the base plate relative to the screws 6 introduced into the notches 12 when these screws are in the end portions 16, preferably at the innermost ends of the end portions 16. In the embodiment illustrated the displacement-preventing means comprises a pair of mutually parallel longitudinal embossings 20 which extend substantially perpendicularly to the lower edge 14 up into the base 8 plates 8 and 10. owing to their shape the embossings 20 also form a stiffening device in the base plates. The embossings 20 appear on the outside of the base plate 8 visible in Fig. 1 as longitudinal elevations with a flat top surface 22 and on the inside of base plate 8, not shown in Fig. 1, as longitudinal shallow grooves with a level bottom 22.

To anchor the load frame 2 in a fixed position on the screws 6, the latter are provided, in the region nearest to the roof side surface 4, with a circular protrusion 24 for shape-dictated engagement with the embossings 20 in the respective base plates. In this respect reference is made to the sectional views in Figs. 2 and 3. Each anchoring cap screw 6 is fitted in the side of the roof 4 by being screwed into a roof rack rivet 26 applied to the hollow side beam 28 which the roof side 4 forms part of. Adjacent to the roof side surface 4 the screw 6 has a circular thickening 30 which constitutes not only the protrusion 24 but also a tightening stop for the screw in the roof rack rivet 26. The base plate 8 is thus fixed in position on the screws 6 when the protrusions 24 come into shape- dictated engagement with the embossings 20, i.e.

engagement with the shallow grooves on the inside of the base plate 8 and/or 10. This situation is made particularly clear in Fig. 3.

When the load frame 2 is in the intended assembly position, i.e. when the screws 6 are at the innermost ends of the end portions of the notches 16, the situation may be as shown in Fig. 2 where the vehicle concerned lacks a concealing upper part of a door in the region of the screws 6. This is the situation for example in a two-door passenger car where the load carrier device is used as a rear load frame. In this case the respective base plates 8 and 10 are introduced through a gap 32 between the roof side 4 where the screws 6 are fastened and the upper edge 34 of a roof blanking cover 36 (often called a roof filler) which is adjacent to the side of the roof and is connected downwards to the side of the vehicle body, in this case indicated by means of a rubber upper edge fastening 38 for a rear side window pane 40. The roof blanking cover 36 here forms a concealing cover over the notched lower part of the base plates 8 and 10 and the screws 6.

We now move on to conslder an example of how the load carrier device may be designed at the end of the load frame 2 where the adjustably attached base plate 10 is situated. In this respect particular reference is made to Figs. 4 and 5.

In this case the load frame 2 comprises a square tube 42 to the illustrated end of which the base plate 10, which is axially adjustable relative to the load frame, is screwably fastened. The fastening consists of a screw mechanism comprising a nut 44 which is fixed inside the square tube 42 and which accommodates an adjusting screw 46, which at its outer free end can be operated manually by means of a knob 48 which may be set against an upper end section 50 of the base plate 10 in order to displace the latter relative to the load frame 2. Fig. 4 shows the situation when the base plate has been screwed in to the maximum so that the inside of the knob 48 bears against the outer end 52 of the load frame tube 42.

As may be seen in Fig. 5, the load frame 2, in this case consisting of a square tube 42, has a longitudinal slit 54 on the underside in the region of the expected adjustment movement of the base plate 10. In this case the base plate 10 has a U-beam-like fastening portion 56 which is movable within the end of the load frame. If desired, the base plate 10 may also be moved outwards relative to the end of the load frame by the action of the knob 48 quite simply establishing a connection between the screw 46 and the portion 56 such that the screw carries the portion 56 with it in its axial unscrewing movement.

Fitting the load carrier device to a vehicle roof is most advantageously carried out in the following way: First of all, the sealing covers inserted in the gaps 32 are removed. The fixed base plate 8 of the load frame 2 is then fitted first to the screws 6 on one side of the vehicle, followed by fitting the adjustable base plate 10 to the screws 6 on the opposite side of the vehicle. The knob 48 is then screwed tight to bring the protrusions 24 into shape-dictated engagement with the respective embossings 20. This results in the load frame 2 being effectively anchored to the screws 6 and being incapable of being dislodged from this assembly position without the respective base plate being plastically deformed.

Claims

1. Roof load carrier device for vehicles, consisting partly of.a load frame (2) intended for fitting across a vehicle roof and partly of anchoring devices (6), fastened in opposite sides (4) of the vehicle roof, for attaching base plates (8,10) which are situated at opposite ends of the load frame and each have openings (12) in their lower part for engaging with the anchoring devices fastened in the adjacent side of the roof, at least one base plate (10) is adjustably attached to the load frame to make it possible to alter the distance between the base plates, and the openings (12) in each base plate include notches which extend into the plate from the lower edge of the plate (14), characterised in that the notches terminate in end portions (16) which are substantially parallel to the lower edge (14) and are provided with means (20) to prevent displacement of the base plates (8, 10) relative to the anchoring devices (6) introduced into the openings (12) when they are in the end portions (16).

2. Load carrier device according to claim 1, characterised in that the displacement-preventing means (20) consist of embossings in the base plates (8, 10).

3. Load carrier device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that on the stem of the anchoring devices (6) there is a circular protrusion (24) in the region nearest to the roof side surface (4) for position-fixing engagement with the displacement-preventing devices (20) on the base plates (8, 10).

- 12

4. Load carrier device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that in the intended assembly position of the load frame (2) where the anchoring devices (6) are at the innermost end of the end portions (16) the respective base plate is introduced through a gap (32) between the side of the roof where the anchoring device (6) is fastened and the upper edge (34) of a roof blanking cover (36) or plate (roof filler) which is adjacent to the side of the roof and is connected downwards to the side of the vehicle body (38, 40) and which forms a cover concealing the anchoring devices and the notched lower part of the base plate.

5. Load carrier device according to claim 4, characterised in that the region of the side of the roof (4) where the anchoring devices (6) are attached forms part of a side beam (28) in the transition region between the vehicle roof and the side of the body, and that the anchoring devices are fitted into roof rack rivets (26) applied to the side beam (28).

6. Load carrier device according to any one of the preceeding claims, characterised in that the load frame consists of a square tube (42) to one end of which the base plate (10), which is axially adjustable relative to the load frame, is screwably fastened by means of a screw mechanism comprising a nut (44) which is fixed in the tube and which accommodates an adjusting screw (46) with a manually operated protrusion (48) which may be set against a portion (50) of the base plate (10) in order to move the latter relative to the load frame (2).

7. Load carrier device according to any one of the preceeding claims, characterised in that each base plate (8, 10) comprises an end plate, preferably in the shape of a truncated isosceles triangle, and the displacement-preventing devices consist of a pair of mutually parallel longitudinal embossings (20) which run from the end portions (16) of the openings (12), extend from the notch substantially perpendicularly away from the lower edge (14) of the plate up into the end plate and form stiffening devices for the latter. 10

8. Load carrier device according to any one of the preceeding claims, characterised in that the anchoring devices (6) consist of screws or pins.

is

9. Load carrier device according to any one of the above claims, characterised in that the openings (12) are substantially L-shaped and that each base plate (8, 10) is provided with two openings.