MXPA98000740A

MXPA98000740A - Removable grid holder of gene use

Info

Publication number: MXPA98000740A
Application number: MXPA/A/1998/000740A
Authority: MX
Inventors: A Stapleton Craig
Original assignee: Advanced Accessory Systems Llc
Priority date: 1995-07-26
Filing date: 1998-01-26
Publication date: 1998-04-01

Abstract

A utility grille is provided to connect to the luggage carrier of a vehicle. The general purpose grille includes a general-purpose spar with first and second stiles secured to the spar. Each upright includes a top bracket and a lower bracket secured to one another pivotally by a pivot joint. Each lower bracket includes a jaw for connection with a crossbar of the luggage rack. Each pivot joint includes an adjuster, preferably a toothed coupler between the upper and lower brackets, in order to secure the upper and lower brackets in desired pivot positions with respect to each other, to facilitate connection with the crossbars inclined or with slope of the roof rack. Preferably, the utility beam extends laterally beyond the side rails of the luggage carrier to facilitate the transport of larger or more bulky loads.

Description

REMOVABLE CARRIER GRID. OF GENERAL USE TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to supports for articles for vehicles and, more particularly, to a removable grid for general use to connect with luggage racks of existing vehicles.

BACKGROUND OF THE ART It is common knowledge in the automotive industry to provide supports articles on the top of vehicles to transport a variety of items, such as packages, skis, bicycles, luggage, etc. However, these article stands are often designed with an emphasis on styling, which limits the load capacity. Accordingly, these luggage grids may not carry heavy or relatively large or bulky loads such as large boxes, ladders, boats, etc. Currently, there is no known luggage rack that provides an easily adaptable general purpose rail or rail that extends laterally beyond the sides of the luggage rack in order to transport such larger items. In addition, there is no such general-purpose rail or stringer that provides flexibility to connect to a variety of existing automotive luggage racks.

EXHIBITION OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the aforementioned problems experienced in the luggage rack units of the prior art, by providing a rail or 00903. 0005 easily connectable general purpose stringer, which is attached to a transverse rack of the existing luggage rack and includes a pair of pivotable uprights that allow connection with the existing cross-members of various angular configurations. Preferably, the general purpose rail or rail provided extends laterally beyond the sides of an existing luggage rack when attached or connected in order to support larger or more bulky loads. The present invention provides a luggage rack having a utility grille connected in a removable manner. The luggage rack includes a pair of rails or side rails secured to the roof of the vehicle, with a pair of crossbars that extend between the rails or side rails. The general-purpose grille comprises a general-purpose rail or stringer with uprights, first and second, secured to the rail or utility beam. Each upright includes a top bracket and a bottom bracket secured pivotably with respect to each other. Each lower bracket includes a jaw to connect with the crossbar of the installed luggage rack. The present invention also provides a utility grille adapted to be connected to the cross bar of an installed vehicle luggage rack. The grid comprises a general-purpose rail or stringer and a pair of uprights preferably formed as upper and lower brackets, the brackets are pivotally connected with respect to each other and have faces with meshing teeth meshing. Each upper bracket is secured to the rail or utility beam and each lower bracket includes a jaw for selective connection to the crossbar of a vehicle luggage rack. 00903. 0005 The present invention also provides a. Rail or general purpose stringer adapted to connect with the crossbar of a roof rack for installed vehicle. The general purpose rail or stringer includes a pair of upper brackets that extend perpendicularly from the rail or stringer. A pair of lower brackets are connected to the upper brackets and include a bracket to connect to the crossbar. An adjuster pivotally couples to each upper bracket with its corresponding lower bracket. In accordance with the foregoing, an object of the present invention is to provide a general purpose vehicle grille that is adaptable to be connected to several existing luggage racks for vehicle and, adjusts the load carrying area or the carrier load resistance of the support. Preferably, the rail or stringer extends laterally beyond the sides of the existing luggage carrier to support larger or more bulky loads. A further object of the present invention is to provide a general-purpose grille that includes a rail or stringer and a pair of uprights with upper and lower brackets secured pivotably with respect to each other, to allow adjustment to connect with luggage racks for vehicles of various configurations. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a general-purpose grille that utilizes the adjustability of existing rack rails for vehicles. The above objects as well as other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best way to effect the invention, 00903. 0005 taken in relation to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a general purpose grille secured to an existing luggage rack for a vehicle according to the present invention; Figure 2 shows a front view of the general purpose grid taken substantially along line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a vertical cross-section of a general-purpose grid and a stile taken through line 3-3 of Figure 1; and Figure 4 shows an enlarged perspective view, in exploded view, of a pair of upper and lower upright brackets shown in Figures 2 and 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Figure 1 shows an article support unit 8 secured to the top of a vehicle 9. The article support unit 8 includes a utility grille 10 that is removably secured to a luggage rack 11 existing in a vehicle. The existing carrier 11 of the vehicle includes a pair of transverse bars 12, 13 extending between the side rails or rails 15, 17, which are mounted on the top of the vehicle 9. Typically, the design of these vehicle luggage racks 11 it is significantly influenced by stylization and by wind noise considerations, thus adversely affecting the functional considerations. In accordance with the foregoing, in order to 00903. 0005 provide a greater load capacity for larger or heavier loads, the utility grille 10 is secured to the existing luggage carrier 11 of the vehicle. The utility grille 10 includes a general purpose rail or beam 14 with a pair of uprights 16 extending from the general purpose rail or rail 14 to be connected to a crossbar 12, 13 of the existing luggage carrier 11 of the vehicle. The utility grille 10 reconfigures the load carrying area of the existing luggage carrier 11 to provide additional strength or support area. The general purpose rail or stringer 14 preferably comprises a cross-sectional configuration of greater structural integrity than that of the transverse bars 12, 13 of the existing vehicle carrier for improved structural support. The rail or utility beam 14 also preferably extends laterally beyond the rails or side rails 15, 17, of the existing luggage carrier 11 in order to support heavier loads. Each upright 16 is connected to the rail or general purpose stringer 14 by means of a bracket 19. The backing 19 preferably includes a pair of offset screws 18, 20 extending from a pair of housings 21, 23 for eccentric screw (see Figure 3). ) through the openings 25, 27 in the screw housings 21, 23 and, additionally, in the rail or stringer 14 for general use through the openings 29, 31 in the rail or stringer. The screws 18, 20 are offset or eccentric to resist pivoting of the upright 16 with respect to the rail or utility beam 14. Each upright 16 includes a top and a bottom cantilever, 22, 24, respectively. The upper brackets e 00903. 0005 lower 22, 24 are pivotally connected with respect to each other at the pivot junction 26. A screw 32 extends through the openings 36, 38, in the upper and lower brackets 22, 24 to engage with the nut 32 in order to secure the upper and lower brackets 22, 24 to each other. Each lower bracket 24 includes a jaw 28 that selectively connects the upright 16 with a cross member 12 existing in the vehicle. The upper and lower brackets 22, 24 are pivotally connected in the pivot joint 26 in order to allow connection with the transverse bars 12, 13 of the variable angle luggage rack with respect to the general purpose rail or stringer 14., which is usually arranged or placed horizontally. The upper and lower brackets 22, 24, include an adjuster 29 in the form of a toothed coupler 30, in order to secure the upper and lower brackets 22, 24 at a desired angle. The adjuster compensates alignment and styling settings. The toothed coupler 30 (adjuster), opposes resistance to relative rotation of the upper and lower brackets 22, 24. Figure 4 shows more clearly to the toothed coupler 30. The upper and lower brackets 22, 24 include rows of teeth 60 62, which extend from the internal surfaces 64, 66 thereof for the engaging engagement with one another to immobilize or fix the lower bracket 24 at a selected angle with respect to the upper bracket 22. Returning to the Figure 3, the lower bracket 24 includes a jaw 28 having upper and lower portions 40, 42. The jaw 28 allows the utility grille to be connected to the transverse bar of a 00903. 0005 luggage rack in the vehicle. A pair of screws 44, 46 and corresponding nuts 48, 50 secure the upper portion 40 of the jaw with respect to the lower portion 42 of the jaw. The upper and lower portions of the jaw 40, 42, include rubber pads 52, 54 secured to the internal surfaces 56, 58 thereof to ensure, resist vibration and reduce damage to the surface of the transverse bar 12 existing when the upright 16 is fastened or secured to the transverse bar 12. Of course, the clamp 28 could comprise various configurations to allow the connection of the clamp to the various crossbars of the existing vehicle luggage rack. With the uprights 16 secured to the crossbar of a vehicle luggage rack, the general purpose rail extends laterally beyond the sides of the existing luggage rack in order to expand or increase the surface area to carry more articles. large or more bulky. Additionally, the grid configuration and strength provide greater structural integrity than the existing trunk, which may not be particularly robust, thus providing greater support for heavier loads. Also, the location of the general purpose stringer 14 above the luggage rack leaves room for elements such as rear spoilers, thus allowing longer elements to be supported above these interfering elements. In addition, the adjustment capacity of the pivot joint 26 appropriately guides the jaw 28 allowing connection with a transverse bar 12 inclined at various angles, thereby providing the 00903. 0005 adaptability to connect with the numerous existing luggage racks. While the best way to carry out the invention has been described in detail, those familiar with the technique to which this invention relates will recognize alternative designs and modalities for practicing the invention. Thus, it is intended that the preferred embodiment described above be illustrative of the invention, which may be modified within the scope of the following appended claims. 00903. 0005

Claims

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the present invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, the content of the following CLAIMS is claimed as property: 1. A general purpose grid adapted to connect with the crossbar of an installed luggage rack , comprising: a general purpose stringer; first and second stiles secured to the general purpose stringer; and each upright includes a bra for connecting to the general purpose stringer, a clamp for connecting to the cross bar and a pivot joint pivotally connecting the bra to the clamp. The utility grid according to claim 1, wherein each pivot joint comprises a lower and an upper bracket having a toothed face for the engagement of adjustable engagement with each other. 3. The utility grille according to claim 2, wherein the luggage rack has side rails and the general purpose rail extends beyond the side rails of the luggage rack. 4. The utility grid according to claim 2, wherein the jaw comprises first and second portions, each of the first and second portions having a rubber pad for coupling with the cross bar. The utility grid according to claim 2, wherein the pivot joint comprises a pivot pin through registration openings in the upper and lower brackets that securely pivots 00903. 0005 to the upper and lower brackets. 6. A utility grille adapted to be connected to the crossbar of an installed vehicle luggage rack, comprising: a general purpose crossbar; and a pair of upper and lower brackets pivotally connected with respect to each other, having toothed gearing faces, each upper bracket will be secured to the general purpose crossbar and each lower bracket that includes the jaw for selective connection with the crossbar of a vehicle luggage rack. The utility grille according to claim 6, wherein the luggage carrier has side rails and the general purpose rail extends beyond the side rails of the luggage rack. The utility grid according to claim 6, wherein the jaw comprises first and second portions, each of the first and second portions, having a rubber pad for coupling with the cross bar. 9. The utility grille according to claim 6, further comprising a pivot bolt that pivotally fastens the upper and lower brackets. 10. A utility grille adapted to be connected to the crossbar of a luggage rack installed in the vehicle, comprising: a utility beam; a pair of upper brackets that extend perpendicularly from the crossbar; a pair of lower brackets, each lower bracket includes a clamp for connection to the bar 00903. 0005 transversal; and a pair of adjusters pivotally engage the upper and lower brackets. The utility grid according to claim 10, wherein each adjuster comprises a pivot pin that pivotally connects to the upper and lower brackets and toothed coupling surfaces formed in each upper and lower bracket to selectively secure to the upper and lower brackets at selected pivot positions. 12. The utility grille according to claim 10, wherein the installed luggage rack has side rails and the utility beam extends beyond the side rails of the luggage rack. 13. The utility grid according to claim 10, wherein the jaw comprises first and second portions, each first and second portion having a rubber pad for coupling with the cross bar. The utility grille according to claim 11, further comprising a pivot bolt which pivotably fastens the upper and lower brackets. 00903. 0005