WO2007016734A1

WO2007016734A1 - Mounting adaptor

Info

Publication number: WO2007016734A1
Application number: PCT/AU2006/001124
Authority: WO
Inventors: Che Lee Wise-Jarvis
Original assignee: Wjr Holdings Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2005-08-09
Filing date: 2006-08-08
Publication date: 2007-02-15

Abstract

A mounting adaptor is designed to mount an article to a roof rack or carry bars (27) on a vehicle. The said adaptor has a body (12) with a bottom surface (26) to engage with a roof rack rail or a carry bar (27). A strap (19) extends from the body (12) and to engage around the rail or bar (27) and be re-engaged with the body (12). A tensioning device (24) engages with the strap (19) to apply tension thereto to secure the strap (19) around the rail or bar (27). The body (12) has an attachment arrangement (16) whereby an article, such as a container, is securely attached to the body and, thereby, to the rail or carry bar (27).

Description

Mounting Adaptor

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a mounting adaptor and relates particularly to an adaptor for mounting an object, such as a container, to a support bar, such as a vehicle roof rack.

Although the invention has wider application, for convenience, the adaptor will be described herein for use in mounting an object to a vehicle roof rack or set of carry bars. Such an object may be a transport container, such as described in International application PCT/AU2006/000719.

Background of the Invention

Vehicle roof racks and carry bars are often used for carrying containers for transporting goods. In one arrangement, a roof container is designed to carry luggage such as personal items including clothing, footwear and the like. In another arrangement, a roof container may be designed to transport goods such as sporting goods including skis, snowboards, surfboards and the like. Many other forms of roof containers are known for use by tradesmen to transport tools of trade and the like.

Vehicle roof rack and carry bars are also commonly used to mount boats, canoes, bicycles and bicycle stands, trade equipment such as ladders and tool chests, and many other items.

In many instances, it is desirable to be able to easily remove the items, such as containers, from the roof rack or carry bars. However, it is not desirable that the item, such as a container, is able to be removed by an unauthorised person. Accordingly, it is desirable that unauthorised removal of the item or container is prevented or restricted.

Vehicle roof racks and carry bars come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. Accordingly, it is necessary that a vehicle roof container is able to be secured to a wide variety of different roof racks and carry bars. At present, in many cases, a vehicle roof container requires specific forms of carry bars which must also match the roof structure of the vehicle to which the container is to be mounted. This results in additional expense to purchase the specified carry bars when purchasing a roof container for a particular vehicle. It also means that manufacturers must provide a large number of different roof rack and carry bar structures to accommodate the large variation of vehicles and items to be carried thereby. It is therefore desirable to provide a mounting adaptor for mounting an item, such as a vehicle roof container, to vehicle roof racks or carry bars of a variety of sizes, configurations and shapes.

It is also desirable to provide a mounting adaptor which, when engaged with a vehicle roof rack or carry bar, is secured in position.

It is also desirable to provide a mounting adaptor to mount a roof container to a vehicle roof rack or to roof carry bars which is able to be easily adjusted to fit structures of different sizes and shapes.

It is also desirable to provide a mounting adaptor to mount a container to a vehicle in a manner whereby the container is able to be locked onto the vehicle and yet is easily removed from the vehicle when required.

It is also desirable to provide a mounting adaptor which is relatively cheap and simple to manufacture and to use.

It is also desirable to provide a mounting adaptor having an adjustable mounting mechanism.

Summary of the Invention

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a mounting adaptor to mount an article to a roof rack or carry bars on a vehicle, said adaptor having a body with a bottom surface to engage a rail of the roof rack or a carry bar, a strap extending from the body and adapted to engage around the rail or bar, a receptor in the body to receive an end of the strap, tensioning means to tension the strap around the rail or bar, and an attachment means on the body to attach an article thereto.

Preferably, the mounting adaptor is moulded or die-cast of a synthetic plastics material, metal or a composite material.

In one form of the invention, the body includes a compartment opening to an upper surface and housing the attachment means. In one form, the attachment means comprises a fastening shank having an enlarged, spherical base at one end and an enlarged head at the opposite end. The fastening shank is moveable from a position at which it is totally located within the compartment to an upstanding position with the head projecting above the body. The head may be adapted to engage through an opening in the bottom wall of an article, such as a container in which may be located a locking slide with a key hole shaped opening, and which is moveable to engage behind the head to thereby lock the container to the body of the mounting adaptor. In preferred embodiments, the strap extending from the body has one end fastened to a pin the ends of which are engageable with one of a plurality of pairs of longitudinally spaced, opposed recesses within one end of the body. The series of opposed recesses enable the location of the strap to be varied relative to the body by moving the pin from one pair of recesses to another to thereby change the position from which the strap extends from the body. In this way, the adaptor is able to accommodate roof racks and carry bars of different sizes and shapes.

In some preferred forms of the invention, the free end of the strap is able to pass around a selected one of a plurality of fixed, longitudinally spaced, lateral pins adjacent the end of the body opposite that from which the strap projects. The location of the fixed pins provides a further ability to adjust the adaptor to suit different sizes, configurations and shapes of carry bars.

In one form, the strap is formed of metal or synthetic plastics material and is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced, laterally extending slots. The tensioning means, in this embodiment, comprises a worm gear adapted to engage with a plurality of the slots such that, on rotation of the gear, the strap is moved in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the worm gear. The worm gear is preferably mounted to a shaft extending from one end of the body, and a handle is pivotally connected to the shaft and moveable from a closed position, at which the handle is located within the body, to an open position at which the handle is extending outwardly of the body and is able to be manually rotated to tension the strap. The shaft may incorporate a clutch to facilitate tensioning the strap and locating the handle, when the strap is properly tensioned, to re-engage within the body. The clutch also ensures that the strap is not over-tensioned, which could lead to distortion of the body.

In other embodiments, the strap may be tensioned by the use of a gear mounted for rotation about a lateral axis and adapted to be rotated by handle extending from one side of the body. In another form, a strap formed of a fabric or woven material or the like may be tensioned by winding it about a transverse shaft rotatably mounted in the body.

Many other forms of tensioning mechanisms may be used for tensioning the strap about the carry bars. In order that the invention is more readily understood, embodiments thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mounting adaptor in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the adaptor being engaged with a vehicle roof carry bar; Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1 but showing the tensioning handle in an open position;

Figure 3 is a cut away perspective view of the mounting adaptor of this embodiment; Figure 4 is a cut away perspective view of a mounting adaptor of a second embodiment;

Figure 5 is an underneath perspective view of the mounting adaptor of this embodiment; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a modified tensioning shaft for use in this second embodiment.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, the mounting adaptor of this embodiment comprises a body 12 having a compartment 14 in an upper portion thereof. The compartment 14 houses a fastening shank 16 which has a spherical base 17, retained within the socket 14a, and an enlarged head 18. The fastening shank 16 is moveable from an upstanding position, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, to a lowered position as shown in Figure 3. Thus, when the mounting adaptor is not in use, the fastening shank 16 is able to be moved to an inoperative position within the compartment 14.

A securing strap 19 extends downwardly from the body 12 from a position beneath the compartment 14. One end of the securing strap 19 has a pin 21, the pin 21 having a length greater than the width of the securing strap 19 such that the ends of the pin 21 extend beyond the edges of the strap 19. The body 12 has a bottom surface 26 which is adapted to engage on a rail of a roof rack or a carry bar 27. In the embodiment illustrated, the bottom surface 26 has a curved configuration to substantially match the curved configuration of rail or carry bar 27. It will be appreciated, however, that the shape of the bottom surface 26 may be of any desired shape to fit various forms of roof rack rails and carry bars. Thus, the bottom surface may have a rectangular form to fit a rectangular rail or bar.

An opening or slot 28 is formed in the body 12 at one end thereof and opens downwardly through the bottom surface 26 to receive the securing strap 19. The opening or slot 28 is defined by substantially parallel, longitudinally extending side walls 25 within the body 12 on each side of the opening or slot 28. A plurality of pairs of opposed recesses 22 are formed in the opposed side walls defining the opening 28 within the body, and opposite ends of the pin 21 are selectively engaged with one of the pairs of recesses 22 whereby the strap is attached to the body 12. Thus, in this embodiment, four pairs of opposed recesses 22 are formed in the walls 25 defining the opening 28, the opposed pairs of recesses 22 being spaced longitudinally of the body 12 to thereby facilitate adjustably mounting the pin 21 carrying the securing strap 19 to 5 enable the mounting adaptor to be fitted to carry bars of different dimensions, configurations and shapes. It will be seen that the recesses 22 of this embodiment have a shape that opens to the bottom surface 26 and curves firstly upwardly then downwardly to an inner end. This enables the ends of the pin 21 to be engaged from under the body and held within the closed end of the respective recesses 22.

10 A similar opening 29, or continuation of the longitudinally extending opening or slot 28, is formed at the other end of the body 12. A plurality of longitudinally spaced, lateral, fixed pins 23 extend between the walls defining the opening 29 thereby providing a further adjustment for the positioning of the securing strap 19. Thus, the securing strap 19 may be engaged around any one of the lateral pins 23 to position the

15 strap according to the shape and dimensions of the rail or carry bar 27.

The securing strap 19 is formed with a plurality of longitudinally spaced, laterally extending slots 31, as shown in Figures 2 and 3. A longitudinally extending shaft 32 is engaged within the body 12 adjacent the slot 29 and has a worm gear 24 mounted on the inner end of the shaft 32. The outer end of the shaft 32 is fitted with a

20 pivoted handle 33 which is adapted to be moved from a closed position, as shown in Figure 1, in which the handle is received within a shaped recess 34 in the body, to an open position as shown in Figures 2 and 3. In the open position, the handle 33 is able to be used to rotate the shaft 32 and the worm gear 24.

To secure the mounting adaptor to a rail of a roof rack or to a carry bar 27, the

25 securing strap 19 is mounted to the body 12 with the pin 21 engaged in a selected one of the pairs of opposed recesses 22. The particular pair of opposed recesses 22 selected for the pin 21 will be dependant on the dimensions of the rail or bar 27. The strap 19 is then passed around the rail or carry bar 27 and around a selected one of the fixed pins 23, and the free end thereof is engaged within the body 12 to engage with the worm

30_. gear 24. Spaced guide slots 36 are provided in the body 12 in each wall 25 to receive and guide the longitudinal edges of the securing strap 19 past the worm gear 24 such that the worm engages with the adjacent slots 31 in the strap 19. rotational movement of the handle 33 enables the worm gear to draw the strap tightly about the rail or carry

L bar 27 to thereby tension the securing strap 19. The handle is then folded to the closed

35 position which maintains the strap under tension and secures the mounting adaptor to the rail or carry bar 27. In use of the mounting adaptor, the fastening shank 16 is moved to the upstanding position as shown in Figures 1 and 2. An article, such as a container similar to that described in the International patent application PCT/AU2006/000719, to be mounted to the rail or carry bar 27, is provided with a plurality of openings to receive several fastening shanks 16 from a number of mounting adaptors carried by a vehicle roof rack rails or carry bar system. Appropriate locking means within the article locks to the enlarged head 18 of the fastening shank 16 thereby securing the article to the body 12 and preventing access to the fastening shank 16 and the handle 33. Thus, with an article such as a container mounted to the adaptor, the article is secured to the vehicle roof rack or carry bar system and cannot be released without releasing the locking means within the article. One form of locking means for the head 18 comprises a slide within a container, the slide having a key hole slot to engage about the fastening shank 16 adjacent the head 18, the slide being moveable and lockable in the secured position. It will be appreciated that the moveable fastening shank 16 maybe replaced with different securing means, including fixed or adjustable locks connecting the body 12 with an article to be mounted to the roof rack or carry bar system. In one modification, the locking means comprises a T-shaped member, the head of which passes through a slot in a container and is then rotated a quarter turn to lock with the container. Referring to Figures 4 to 6, a modified form mounting adapter is shown, using the same reference numerals as used in relation to the first embodiment for similar integers. In this embodiment, the longitudinally spaced pairs of recesses 22 to selectively receive opposite ends of the pin 21 secured to a first end of the securing strap 19 are formed as a series of indented depressions on walls defining the lower edges of the opening 28. The outer end 30 of the opening 28 defines a channel through which the pin 21 is introduced into the opening 28 to be engaged with a selected pair of depressions 22.

The shaft 32 of this embodiment is formed with a clutch 37 having a drive ratchet 38 comprising a driven toothed boss 45, a drive dog 39 and a pressure spring 41. The input shaft 32a includes a drive housing 42 which engages the drive dog 39 through a pair of radial ears 43. The spring 41 maintains axial pressure on the drive dog 39 so that the worm shaft portion 32b is rotated with rotational movement of the drive shaft portion 32a to tension the strap as described with reference to the first embodiment. At a predetermined tension, determined by the axial pressure applied by the spring 41, the sloped ratchet teeth on the drive dog 39 ride over the corresponding teeth on the toothed boss 45. The input shaft portion 32a may continue to be rotated in the tensioning direction until the pivoted handle 33 is aligned with the shaped recess 34 in the body 12, into which it is pivotally and axially moved to maintain the desired tension in the strap 19. . The clutch 37 ensures that the strap 19 is not over-tensioned, which could lead to distortion of the body 12. The outer end of the input shaft 32a has a slot 44 to allow the handle 33 to be axially moved relative to the shaft 32 to facilitate engagement in the shaped recess 34 so that the whole of the handle 33 is within the periphery of the body. The handle 33 is formed with a channel shaped end portion 46 that engages over the slotted portion of the input shaft 36a and is attached thereto by pivot pin 47. When the handle 33, in the pivotally retracted position shown in Figure 4, is moved axially towards the body 12 with the pin sliding in the slot 44, the end portion 46 engages over the slotted portion of the shaft 36a to thereby restrict pivotal movement of the handle 33 towards the open position. Thus the handle 33 must be axially moved towards the free end of the shaft 36a before it is able to be pivoted to the open, operative position. A hole 48 in the channel part 46 may receive the shank of a pad lock, or other locking device, that also passes through the slot 44, to thereby lock the handle 33 in the closed position thus preventing the removal of the mounting adaptor from engagement with a rail or roof rack bar 27.

It will be appreciated that other forms of straps and tensioning means may be provided in different embodiments of this invention. In one modification, the securing strap 19 is formed of flexible synthetic plastics material, or fabric or the like and is engaged about a laterally extending shaft within the body which is able to be rotated to wind the strap onto the shaft thereby providing tension to the strap.

In a further modification, the strap may pass through the bottom wall 26 of the body 12 and extend through the shaped recess 34. An appropriate lock, such as a wedge lock or the like, may be used to maintain applied tension to the strap 19. In another form, the securing strap 19 may pass through the body and into a slot in the article to be mounted and in which it is retained, thereby providing a dual function of tensioning the strap and securing the article to the strap and, thereby, to the body 12.

Claims

1. A mounting adaptor to mount an article to a roof rack or carry bars on a vehicle, said adaptor having a body with a bottom surface to engage a rail of the roof rack or a carry bar, a strap extending from the body and adapted to engage around the rail or bar, a receptor in the body to receive an end of the strap, tensioning means to tension the strap around the rail or bar, and an attachment means on the body to attach an article thereto.

2. A mounting adaptor as claimed in claim 1 wherein the adaptor is moulded or die-cast of a synthetic plastics material, metal or a composite material.

3. A mounting adaptor as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the body includes a compartment opening to an upper surface and housing the attachment means.

4. A mounting adaptor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the attachment means comprises a fastening shank having an enlarged, spherical base at one end engaged within a socket in the compartment and an enlarged head at the opposite end.

5. A mounting adaptor as claimed in claim 4 wherein the fastening shank is moveable from a position at which it is totally located within the compartment to an upstanding position with the head projecting above the body.

6. A mounting adaptor as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the head is adapted to engage through an opening in a wall of the article to be mounted to the rail or bar.

7. A mounting adaptor as claimed in claim 6 wherein the article is a container, and the head is adapted to be engaged and locked within the container by a locking slide with a key hole shaped opening, and which is moveable to engage behind the head to thereby lock the container to the body.

8. A mounting adaptor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the strap extending from the body has a transverse pin at one end thereof, the ends of the pin being engageable within one of a plurality of pairs of longitudinally spaced, transversely opposed recesses within one end of the body whereby the strap extends therefrom.

9. A mounting adaptor as claimed in claim 8 wherein the position from which the strap extends from the body is determined by which of the pairs of opposed recesses the pin is engaged so that the location of the strap can be varied relative to the body by moving the pin from one pair of recesses to another to accommodate roof racks and carry bars of different sizes, configurations and shapes.

10. A mounting adaptor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein a plurality of fixed, longitudinally spaced, laterally extending pins are located in the body adjacent one end thereof spaced from that from which the strap projects, the free end of the strap being adapted to pass around a selected one of said pins.

11. A mounting adaptor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the strap has a plurality of longitudinally spaced, laterally extending slots.

12. A mounting adaptor as claimed in claim 11 wherein the tensioning means comprises a worm gear mounted for rotation in the body and adapted to engage with a plurality of the slots such that, on rotation of the gear, the strap is moved longitudinally in a direction parallel to the rotational axis of the worm gear.

13. A mounting adaptor as claimed in claim 12 wherein the worm gear includes a drive shaft incorporating a clutch, and a handle pivotally engaged at an outer end of the shaft, the handle being movable from a stored position within the body to an operating position extending from one end of the body.

14. A mounting adaptor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the receptor comprises a pair of opposed guideways extending longitudinally within the body and adapted to receive opposite edges of the strap.

15. A mounting adaptor as claimed in claim 12 or claim 13 wherein the clutch includes a drive dog adapted to drivingly engage a driven boss connected to the worm gear, and a spring to apply axial pressure on the drive dog to drivingly engage the driven boss.

16. A mounting adaptor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference companying drawings.