WO2018201128A1

WO2018201128A1 - Rotating, collapsible dual watercraft carrier

Info

Publication number: WO2018201128A1
Application number: PCT/US2018/030135
Authority: WO
Inventors: Derek Anderson; Paul Mueller
Original assignee: Horizon Global Americas Inc.
Priority date: 2017-04-28
Filing date: 2018-04-30
Publication date: 2018-11-01

Abstract

A rooftop carrier is designed to carry a plurality of watercraft is shown and described. The watercraft carrier may include a base unit and a pivot arm assembly. The base unit may also include a hub and a plurality of raised wings. The pivot arm assembly may be rotatably attached to the hub. The watercraft carrier may include a locking pin and a traveling pin to position the watercraft carrier in various configuration. In another embodiment, the watercraft carrier may further include one or more straps.

Description

TITLE

ROTATING, COLLAPSIBLE DUAL WATERCRAFT CARRIER

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 62/491,312, filed on April 28, 2017, and entitled "Rotating, Collapsible Dual Watercraft Carrier," which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present invention relates generally to carriers adapted for use on vehicles and, more specifically, to devices and methods involving a rotating and collapsible carrier capable of transporting one or two personal watercraft.

BACKGROUND

[0003] As the popularity of kayaking, canoeing, and other self-propelled watercraft has increased over the years, a corresponding need has arisen with respect to transporting these watercraft. Owing to the elongate shape and relatively light weight of these watercraft, rooftop carriers have proven to be a convenient and effective way to transport these watercraft to nearby lakes, rivers, and other bodies of water. Such carriers are designed to couple existing vehicle rooftop rails, which may be used for other accessories such as luggage carriers and bicycle racks.

[0004] Figures 1A through 1C illustrate various prior art mechanisms for rooftop- mounted kayak carriers. In essence, a cradle or curved base may be collapsible to engage the transverse vehicle roof rails. A single, fixed length arm may rotate into a central or angled position to act as an upright support when kayaks are loaded onto the vehicle. United States Patents 9,067,522; 9,079,541 ; 9,346,409; and D663794 all disclose prior art mechanisms similar or identical to those noted above.

[0005] The design illustrated in Figure IB can only accommodate a single kayak. Thus, separate and additional carriers would need to be purchased and mounted on the vehicle in order to accommodate transportation of two kayaks. While the mechanisms of Figures 1A and 1C could accommodate two kayaks, these devices do not provide a quick and convenient means for loading the kayak into the carrier. As such, the carrier is best positioned in the middle of the vehicle to allow for equal access when loading a second kayak. However, a middle mount can prove to be cumbersome and difficult for users of smaller stature, particularly when the carrier is mounted to large vehicles, such as sports utility vehicles, where the transverse width and elevation of the roof make it difficult to reach to the central point of the vehicle roof.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need for a rotating and collapsible carrier capable of transporting one or two personal watercraft that is capable of overcoming some of the shortcomings identified above in addition to other issues found in the art.

SUMMARY

[0007] A rooftop carrier of an exemplary embodiment may be designed to carry one or two (or potentially more) watercraft, such as kayaks, canoes or the like. A pivot arm assembly may cooperate with a serpentine channel formed in or proximate to a base unit. The arms of the pivot assembly may form a right angle and move in concert to receive, secure, and then rotate the loaded assembly into position on the interior side of the carrier so that the arms for the watercraft is equally, easily accessible to the user. [0008] As such, a disclosed embodiment may include any combination of the following:

• a base unit having a front wall and a rear wall that define a channel, the front and rear walls each having a central hub and a terminus at each end;

• a pivot arm assembly comprising an upright arm and a loading arm;

• a traveling received in a serpentine aperture associated with the base unit and connected to the pivot arm assembly;

• a removable locking pin passing through a locking aperture associated with the base unit and selectively received by the pivot arm assembly; and

• wherein the locking pin and traveling pin cooperate so that the upright arm and the loading arm move in concert.

• wherein the upright arm may move independent from the loading arm when the locking pin is removed.

• wherein the upright arm may be positioned orthogonal to the base unit.

• wherein the upright arm may be positioned within the channel.

• wherein the loading arm may be positioned orthogonal to the base unit.

• wherein the upright arm and the loading arm may be positioned within the channel when the locking pin is removed.

• wherein a rounded section is provided in each wall on opposing sides of the hub between the hub and each terminus.

• a connection member attaching the front and rear walls.

• a gusset plate associated with the pivot arm assembly.

• wherein the gusset plate includes a crescent-shaped aperture and wherein the traveling pin passes through the crescent shaped aperture. • wherein the gusset plate includes a locking aperture and wherein the locking pin passes through the locking aperture.

• integral straps.

• wherein the straps are carried within the pivot arm assembly.

• wherein at least one terminus includes a wing having an increased elevation in comparison to a portion of the base unit immediately adjacent to the at least one wing.

[0009] Specific reference is made to the appended claims, drawings, and description below, all of which disclose elements of the present disclosure. While specific embodiments are identified, it may be understood that elements from one described aspect may be combined with those from a separately identified aspect. In the same manner, a person of ordinary skill will have the requisite understanding of common processes, components, and methods, and this description is intended to encompass and disclose such common aspects even if they are not expressly identified herein.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Operation of the present disclosure may be better understood by reference to the detailed description taken in connection with the following illustrations. These appended drawings form part of this specification, and any written information in the drawings should be treated as part of this disclosure. In the same manner, the relative positioning and relationship of the components as shown in these drawings, as well as their function, shape, dimensions, and appearance, may all further inform certain aspects of the invention as if fully rewritten herein.

[0011] In the drawings: [0012] Figures 1A through 1C are perspective views of prior art watercraft carriers;

[0013] Figure 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a watercraft carrier for use with any appropriate marine vehicles;

[0014] Figures 3A and 3B are perspective views of embodiments of a watercraft carrier in a transportation position, with separate mechanisms for coupling and engaging vehicle rooftop rails in each illustration. The inset of each figure is a partial perspective view highlighting only the attachment mechanism between the carrier and rail;

[0015] Figure 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the watercraft carrier in its collapsed configuration;

[0016] Figure 5 is a partially exploded view of a pivot arm assembly and a base unit according to some embodiments of the watercraft carrier;

[0017] Figure 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a watercraft carrier in its loading configuration;

[0018] Figure 7 is a partially cutaway plan view of an embodiment of the watercraft carrier, rotated approximately 45° from Figure 5;

[0019] Figure 8 is sectional view of a locking pin and the pivot arm assembly according to certain embodiments of the watercraft carrier;

[0020] Figures 9A through 9E are time-lapsed, front plan views of how watercraft may be loaded onto certain embodiments of the watercraft carrier; and

[0021] Figures 10A and 10B illustrate how a single watercraft may fit onto certain embodiments of the watercraft carrier, with Figure 10A showing a front plan view (similar to those in Figures 9A through 9E) and Figure 10B showing a perspective view from the underside of the watercraft. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional changes may be made without departing from the respective scope of the present disclosure. As such, the following description is presented by way of illustration only and should not limit in any way the various alternatives and modifications that may be made to the illustrated embodiments and still be within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

[0023] As used herein, the words "example" and "exemplary" mean an instance, or illustration. The words "example" or "exemplary" do not indicate a key or preferred aspect or embodiment. The word "or" is intended to be inclusive rather an exclusive, unless context suggests otherwise. As an example, the phrase "A employs B or C," includes any inclusive permutation (e.g., A employs B; A employs C; or A employs both B and C). As another matter, the articles "a" and "an" are generally intended to mean "one or more" unless context suggest otherwise.

[0024] The term watercraft may be used interchangeably herein with one or multi- person kayaks. In some instances and as may be evident from the context of the disclosure, watercraft may also include canoes and other elongated water-faring vessels of similar size, shape, and/or overall construction as kayaks or canoes. Transverse may be used in the context of the vehicle's normal direction of travel and is, therefore, orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. Height and/or elevation refer to the relative height of components from the ground, and the elevational axis is orthogonal to the transverse and longitudinal axes. [0025] Figure 2 illustrates a non-limiting exemplary embodiment of a watercraft carrier 100 as shown and described herein. The watercraft carrier 100 may be constructed to selectively and removably store a watercraft 40 that may be used in marine activities. The watercraft carrier 100 may be used with any appropriate watercraft 50, such as a kayak or canoe for example.

[0026] The watercraft carrier 100 may comprise any number of engaging members 1 10, including, without limitation a pair of engaging members 1 10 as shown in Figure 2. However, the present teachings contemplate any appropriate number of engaging members 110, including, without limitation, one, three, four, etc. The engaging members 1 10 may be structured to hold a watercraft 50 (such as a kayak, canoe or the like) in a transportation position when the kayak is operatively attached, as described in more detail below.

[0027] With reference to Figures 3A-B, a watercraft carrier 100 may be mounted to the transverse rails or crossbars 15 of a vehicle (shown in Figure 2) by way of an attachment mechanism 105. This attachment mechanism 105 may be of any appropriate configuration and the present teachings are not limited to what is shown and described herein. For the sake of brevity, the attachment mechanism 105 may be made by way of a universal clamp 16, as shown in Figure 3 A, or an integral channel 17, such as the T-shaped channel shown in Figure 3B. In the former, a pair of screw- type clamps 20 may be positioned on the underside of the watercraft carrier 100, with a tightening knob 22 associated with threaded attachment members 24 to urge the engagement members 26 to couple to the rail 15. In the latter, a T-shaped attachment member 30 may be fitted within a corresponding channel 32 formed on the rail 15. A receiving port 34 on or attached to the underside of the watercraft carrier 100 may engage and couple to the attachment member 30 to fasten the watercraft carrier 100 to the vehicle. The aforementioned attachment mechanisms are exemplary, and other systems may be integrated along the underside of the watercraft carrier 100 to establish and maintain connection with the vehicle and, more specifically, the rooftop rails 15.

[0028] As illustrated in Figure 4, the watercraft carrier 100 (or more particularly, each of the engaging members 1 10) may include a base unit 120 having a hub 130, which may be centrally positioned and elevated, and a plurality of raised wings 140. A transverse channel 122 may be defined by a front wall 123 (or first wall) and a rear wall 124 (or second wall) attached to a base plate 126 of the base unit 120. The transverse channel 122 may extend generally through the middle of the base unit 120 to receive a pivot arm assembly 150, i.e., within at least 2 inches of a mid-point between the front wall 123 and rear wall 124. The transverse channel 122 may be closed at transversely disposed ends by a connecting portion 125 that joins and supports the front and rear walls 123, 124. While the connecting portion 125 may be only illustrated at the very end of each of the raised wings 140, the connecting portion 125 may extend along the transverse width of the base unit 120. Separately, the connecting portion 125 may have a different elevation relative to the base plate 126 so as to allow the connecting portion 125 to serve as a rest or stop for a telescoping extension bar 159 (as will be shown in Figure 6) the pivot arm assembly 150. That is, the connecting portion 125 may prevent further rotation of the telescoping extension bar 159, which may prevent further rotation of the pivot arm assembly 150. A plurality of connecting portions 135 may be formed along separate points, so long as the transverse channel 122 is large enough to accommodate the pivot arm assembly 150 as described below. [0029] In some embodiments, the base unit 120 may be symmetrically formed along both transverse and longitudinal axes. However, specialized and/or differently shaped compartments (e.g., non-symmetrical shapes for the plurality of raised wings 140, differing elevation for the front and rear walls 123, 124, variable width and/or depth of the transverse channel 122 along differing portions of its length, etc.) may be formed to accommodate watercraft 50 of different size and/or shape that may be loaded on opposed sides of the pivot arm assembly 150. The base unit 120 may be made of any appropriate materials such as polymer, steel, iron, chrome, aluminum, sheet metal or other alloy to generally provide structural stability to the system.

[0030] Referring to Figure 5, the hub 130 may include a pair of support plates 131 that may be positioned on either or both of the front and rear walls 123, 124. The support plates 131 may be of substantially similar configuration, i.e., they may mirror one another, or may be of different configurations because one on the support plates 131 may include an element not found in the other of the pair of support plates 131. For the sake of brevity, one of the support plates 131 will be described in detail. It should be understood that the other of the pair of support plates 131 may have the same configuration except as otherwise noted. The hub 130 may also include a serpentine aperture 132 and a locking aperture 133. The serpentine aperture 132 may include a generally consistent width so as to allow a traveling pin 151 to slide within the serpentine aperture 132 from one end to the other. The locking aperture 133 may receive a locking pin 152. The traveling pin 151 and the locking pin 152 may be of similar construction, to simplify manufacturing and reduce the number of parts, or may be of different sizes, shapes or configurations.

[0031] The serpentine aperture 132 and the locking aperture 133 may be formed on the at least one of the pair of support plates 131 (such as on both), although they may be formed directly on one or both of the front and rear walls 123, 124 at the hub 130. Notably, the hub 130 (and, more specifically, at least one of the front and rear walls 123, 124) may include a notch 134 to allow for insertion and removal of the locking pin 152.

[0032] The serpentine aperture 132 and the locking aperture 133 that are formed on each of the front and rear walls 123, 124 may be aligned at approximately the same elevation. The serpentine aperture 132 further includes upper and lower curvatures 136, 137. Further still, in the case of the serpentine aperture 132, the shape on each of the pair of support plates 131 may match, preferably being formed as smooth two-part curve, partially defining an S-shape, although other shapes may be possible. The locking aperture 133 may be preferably circular and of similar diameter to the locking pin 152. The locking aperture 133 may be spaced apart at a constant radius from the upper portion of a generally curved shape formed by the serpentine aperture 132.

[0033] With respect to Figures 6-8, the pivot arm assembly 150 may include an upright arm 153 and a loading arm 154. The upright arm 153 may move telescopingly and the loading arm 154 may be bent. The upright arm 153 and the loading arm 154 may be positioned orthogonal to one another, but with the further ability to be spaced apart at a flat or nearly flat for a collapsed configuration when the locking pin 152 is removed. A pair of gusset plates 156 may be attached at the intersection of the upright arm 153 and the loading arm 154 to operatively and pivotally secure the upright arm 153 with the loading arm 154, i.e., the upright arm 153 may pivot with respect to the loading arm 154, vice versa or they may both pivot relative to each other. While a pair of gussets plates 156 are shown, any appropriate number may be used, e.g., one, three, four, etc. Further, the upright arm 153 and loading arm 154 may be pivotally and operatively attached to one another without the use of the pair of gusset plates 156. Any appropriate pivotal connecting device or connection may be utilized without departing from the present teachings. The loading arm 154 may further include an angled rest 155. The angled rest 155 may correspond to the angle of the plurality of raised wings 140. The upright arm 153 and the loading arm 154 may be attached through use of the pair of gusset plates 156.

[0034] The pivot arm assembly 150 may be rotatably attached to the hub 130. The pair of gusset plates 156 of the pivot arm assembly 150 may include a crescent-shaped aperture 157 and a pivot locking aperture 158 as best shown in Figure 5. The crescent- shaped aperture 157 may be shaped and sized to accept the traveling pin 151. The pivot locking aperture 158 may be shaped and sized to accept the locking pin 152. The crescent-shaped aperture 157 and the pivot locking aperture 158 may be positioned at both sides of the hub 130. The pivot locking aperture 158 may be positioned on the hub 130 such that it may generally align with the locking pin 152.

[0035] The locking pin 152 may be selectively engageable or fixedly engageable with the hub 130 to tighten the pivot arm assembly 150 to the hub 130. The locking pin 152 may permit the pivot arm assembly 150 to be securely attached to the hub 130 of different sizes and may account for any potential manufacturing tolerance issues with the hub 130. The present teachings, however, are not limited to a particular securing mechanism and any appropriate securing mechanism may be used without departing from the present teachings.

[0036] The upright arm 153 may include an arm locking aperture 161 (as shown in Figure 7) which aligns and cooperates with the locking aperture 133. The upright arm 153 may also include the telescoping extension bar 159 (as best shown in Figure 6) that may be positioned within the upright arm 153 and may be removed/extended and locked in place with a push button/aperture assembly, a locking pin, a twist-and- lock feature, and the like.

[0037] The telescoping extension bar 159 may be in a telescoping relationship with or otherwise telescopingly engaged with the upright arm 153. The upright arm 153 may be in telescoping relationship with or otherwise telescopingly engaged with the telescoping extension bar 159. By way of a non-limiting example, the telescoping extension bar 159 may retract within or extend from the upright arm 153. The upright arm 153 and the telescoping extension bar 159 may be of any appropriate shape, such as by way of a non-limiting example, a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape. In some embodiments, the upright arm 153 and the telescoping extension bar 159 may have a generally round, square, oval or other appropriate shape. The upright arm 153 and the telescoping extension bar 159 may be formed from any material, such as metal or plastic.

[0038] As illustrated in Figure 5, the upright arm 153, the loading arm 154 and the pair of gusset plates 156 may be sized to fit between and rotate within the pair of support plates 131 and/or the front and rear walls 123, 124. The crescent-shaped aperture 157 may align and conform with the serpentine aperture 132 along the lower curvature 137. The locking aperture 158 may align with the locking aperture 133 on the pair of support plates 131.

[0039] In this manner, when the upright arm 153 is in its upright position, the locking pin 152 may be inserted through the notch 134, the locking aperture 133, and the pivot locking aperture 158 to fix the arms 153, 154 in a generally orthogonal orientation (e.g., at between 85 to 95 degrees). When loading the first/interior watercraft 40, the locking pin 152 may serve as a pivot point for the watercraft 40, while the traveling pin 151 may move through the upper portion of the serpentine aperture 132 to position the pivot assembly 150 in its loading configuration (i.e., with the upright arm 153 effectively parallel to the ground).

[0040] In contrast, when the locking pin 152 is removed, the traveling pin 151 may move through the lower portion of the serpentine aperture 132 but also along the path defined by crescent-shaped aperture 157. In this manner, the upright arm 153 may be collapsible when it is not required.

[0041] As best shown in Figure 4, the watercraft carrier 100 may be positioned in the collapsed configuration. In the collapsed configuration, the upright arm 153 and the loading arm 154 may be selectively rotated until the upright arm 153 and the loading arm 154 may be generally placed along the base plate 126. The upright arm

153 and the loading arm 154 are positioned within the transverse channel 122 when the assembly 150 is in the collapse configuration to reduce the overall elevation and profile of the watercraft carrier 100. In such configuration, the upright arm 153 and the loading arm 154 may be positioned to allow a user to save space when there is a limited space environment. Further, when in the orthogonal position, the loading arm

154 may present at a lower elevation than the front and rear walls 123, 124 and the plurality of raised wings 140 to allow the watercraft to be carried on the walls 123,124 /wings 140 when in the watercraft carrier 100 is in its transportation configuration.

[0042] The pivot arm assembly 150 may include sufficient structural integrity to accommodate the weight of the watercraft 40 as it is loaded and rotated, as described below. In particular, traveling pin 151 and locking pin 152 may be subjected to significant stresses when in use, so as to make selection of materials important. The pivot arm assembly 150 may be made of any appropriate materials such as polymer, steel, iron, chrome, aluminum, sheet metal or other alloy to generally provide structural stability to the system. [0043] The watercraft carrier 100 may further include strap members 164 that may be used to selectively engage the watercraft 40 with the loading surface, such as the pivot arm assembly 150. By way of a non-limiting example, a safety chain, rope, bungee cord, strap or the like may selectively engage the watercraft 40 or may circumscribe a portion of the watercraft 40 when operatively positioned on the watercraft carrier 100. In the later arrangement, the safety chain, rope, bungee cord, strap or the like may be selectively secured with the watercraft carrier 100 in any manner. This may generally prevent the watercraft 40 from being unintentionally moved from the watercraft carrier 100, such as during transportation thereof.

[0044] In such embodiments, the strap members 164 may be attached to and/or concealed within the watercraft carrier 100. These strap members 164 facilitate securing the watercraft(s) 40 to the watercraft carrier 100 and may include rope, chain, polymeric/fabric tethers, and the like. In some embodiments, the strap members 164 may be dispensed and retracted by reels (not shown). A strap attachment point 165, such as for example one or more hooks or latching points, may be formed on the watercraft carrier 100, particularly near the upright arm 153, the angled rest 155 of the loading arm 154, and/or the plurality of raised wings 140, so that the strap members 164 may selectively and securely engage the watercraft 40 when securing the watercraft(s) 40 to the watercraft carrier 100.

[0045] The front and rear walls 123, 124 may exhibit their highest elevation at their central-most point where the hub 130 may be formed. Extending transversely away from the hub 130, each of the front and rear walls 123, 124 may drop in elevation down to a plateau portion 127. Moving further outward, the elevation may drop to a rounded receiving portion 128 which rises in elevation into the plurality of raised wings 140. [0046] In function and as seen in Figures 9A through 9E, a hull 45 of the watercraft 40 may be positioned between the upright arm 153 (locked in its upright position) on one edge and the rounded receiving portion 128 and/or the plurality of raised wings 140 on the opposing edge. When only a single watercraft 40 is being transported as shown in Figures 10A and 10B, it may also be possible for the watercraft 40 to lie flat (in an inverted position) with an open top 47 thereof facing resting over the hub 130 while the upright arm 153 is in the collapsed configuration (down) position. In both instance, the strap members 164 may be employed to loop around the watercraft 40 to secure it to the watercraft carrier 100.

[0047] As noted above, the watercraft carrier 100 may be positioned on the rooftop of a vehicle, but offset from its longitudinal central axis, so as to be more easily accessible from one side of the vehicle. In this instance, the watercraft 40 may be loaded by first positioning the pivot arm assembly 150 so that the telescoping extension bar 159 of the upright arm 153 may extend outward with the with the loading arm 154 pointing upward. The watercraft 40 may be loaded so as to rest on the upright arm 153. The strap members 164 may then be secured around the watercraft 40. More specifically, the strap members 164 may be affixed to the watercraft carrier 100 in the strap attachment point 165, such as the one or more hooks or latching points. After the watercraft 40 is loaded into the pivot arm assembly 150, the strap members 164 may be wrapped over the watercraft 40 to secure the watercraft 40 to the watercraft carrier 100. By way of a non-limiting example, the strap members 164 may further include a female buckle member 166, a male buckle member 167, and a ring member 168. The present teachings, however, are not limited to the strap members 164 shown or described herein. Any strap members may be used. [0048] The user may then rotate the pivot arm assembly 150 so that the upright arm 153 of the pivot arm assembly 150 may be extended upward and locked into position. During the motion, the watercraft 40 may settle further into the rounded receiving portion 128 and/or the plurality of raised wings 140. A second watercraft 42 may then be loaded into an open area 44 of the watercraft carrier 100, which may be closest to the user. Here again, straps may be used to secure the second watercraft 42.

[0049] In loading a single watercraft 40 to fit over the hub 130, the strap members 164 may be wrapped around the hull 45 as it rests in the inverted position noted above. As seen in Figure 10B, kayaks may be particularly amenable to this mode of transport, as the hub 130 and/or the plateau portion 127 may be sized to fit the width of cockpit. However, other watercraft may still be carried in this manner.

[0050] The watercraft carrier 100 may be made of any appropriate materials such as polymer, steel, iron, chrome, aluminum, sheet metal or other alloy to generally provide structural stability to the system. Most industrial plastics may be suitable as material for the base unit 120, with glass-fiber reinforced Nylon 6 being particularly useful. Aluminum may be favored for its reduced weight and workability. Combinations of plastics and metals may be employed for strength and/or aesthetic purposes, and reinforcing members and wear plates may be incorporated.

[0051] The base unit 120 and/or the pivot arm assembly 150 may be formed from solid or hollow tubular members. These tubular members may have include one or more cross-sectional shapes, including but not limited to circular, oval, square, rectangular, and polygonal. The shape of each member may be constant or its size, shape, and/or thickness may be varied to impart structural or aesthetic features as may be appropriate. By way of a non-limiting example, the base unit 120 and/or the pivot arm assembly 150 include a texture and/or a color. The base unit 120 and/or the pivot arm assembly 150 may be made of a weather, ultra violet (UV) and/or shatter resistant polymer such as ABS and polycarbonate and/or with IP-67 rating.

[0052] The base unit 120 may further include a gripping surface 129 thereon having an ornamental shape made with precision molding contours thereon. The gripping surface 129 of the base unit 120 may allow the watercraft 40 to be securely stored on the base unit 120. The gripping surface 129 may be made by over molding including insert molding, double shot molding, co-injection molding as well as hot stamping for a decorative finish and sonic welding for attachment of various features. However, the base unit 120 may be made of any appropriate materials and colors and this disclosure is not limited in this regard.

[0053] The upright arm 153 and the loading arm 154 may further include an arm protector 162. The arm protector 162 may be a sleeve securely fixed to the upright arm 153 and the loading arm 154, respectively. The arm protector 162 may provide protection to the watercraft 40 from getting scratched will being operatively positioned on the marine vehicle storage system 100. The arm protector 162 may be of any appropriate shape or size, such as having a generally tubular, square, rectangular, or the like shape, and may be sized. The arm protector 162 may be manufactured of any appropriate material such as metal and/or elastomeric material. The arm protector 162 may also increase the friction between the watercraft 40 and the watercraft carrier 100 when attached. This further may prevent unwanted movement of the watercraft 40.

[0054] As used herein, affixed, attached, and words of similar import mean that the respective components are coupled together by fasteners, adhesives, welds, rivets, or other common joining features or techniques. [0055] The foregoing embodiments provide a kayak carrier that may be easily adaptable and cost effective to manufacture. The ability to carry two watercraft eliminates the need to purchase and install separate carriers like the one pictured in Figure IB. Similarly, by accommodating loading operations from a single side of the vehicle, the disclosed carrier may be positioned closer to one edge of the vehicle to make the unit more accessible and easier to use in comparison to the units shown in Figures 1A and 1C. The collapsible upright arm may reduce wind resistance when the carrier is not loaded, while simultaneously creating a secure mounting point for a single watercraft. Still other advantages to the disclosed designs may be appreciated by those in the field.

[0056] Although the present embodiments have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing detailed description, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to just the embodiments disclosed, and numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions are also contemplated. The exemplary embodiment has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, but further modifications and alterations encompass the preceding detailed description. These modifications and alterations also fall within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A carrier assembly comprising:

a base unit having a front wall and a rear wall that define a channel;

a pivot arm assembly comprising an upright arm and a loading arm telescopingly engaged with the upright arm;

a traveling pin received in the base unit and connected to the pivot arm assembly;

a removable locking pin received in the base unit and selectively received by the pivot arm assembly; and

wherein the locking pin and traveling pin cooperate so that the upright arm and the loading arm move in concert with one another.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the upright arm moves independent from the loading arm when the locking pin is removed.

3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the upright arm is positioned orthogonal to the base unit.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the upright arm is positioned within the channel.

5. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the upright arm and the loading arm are positioned within the channel when the locking pin is removed.

6. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the front and rear walls each include a central hub and end portions, whereby a rounded section is provided in each wall on opposing sides of the central hub between the central hub and each end portion.

7. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a connection member attaching the front and rear walls together.

8. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a gusset plate associated with the pivot arm assembly.

9. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the gusset plate includes a crescent- shaped aperture and wherein the traveling pin passes through the crescent shaped aperture.

10. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the gusset plate includes a locking aperture and wherein the locking pin passes through the locking aperture.

11. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising integral straps carried within the pivot arm assembly.

12. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the end portions includes a wing having an increased elevation in comparison to a portion of the base unit immediately adjacent to the at least one wing.

13. A carrier assembly comprising:

a base unit having a front wall and a rear wall that define a channel, the front and rear walls each having a central hub and end portions;

a pivot arm assembly comprising an upright arm and a loading arm telescopingly engaged with the upright arm, wherein the upright arm and the loading arm move in concert with one another;

a wing at each of the end portions, the wings having an increased elevation in comparison to a portion of the base unit immediately adjacent to the wings to accommodate a hull of a watercraft.

14. The carrier assembly of claim 13 further comprising:

a traveling pin received in the base unit and connected to the pivot arm assembly; and a removable locking pin received in the base unit and selectively received by the pivot arm assembly wherein the locking pin and traveling pin cooperate so that the upright arm and the loading arm move in concert with one another.

15. The carrier assembly of claim 14, wherein in the traveling pin is received in a serpentine aperture associated with the base unit.

16. The carrier assembly of claim 15, wherein the upright arm moves independent from the loading arm when the locking pin is removed.

17. The assembly according to claim 16, wherein the upright arm and the loading arm are positioned within the channel when the locking pin is removed.

18. A carrier assembly comprising:

a base unit having a channel;

19. The carrier assembly of claim 18, wherein the base unit comprises a first wall and a second wall, wherein the first and second walls define the channel.

20. The carrier assembly of claim 19 further comprising a wing positioned at each end portion of the first and second walls, the wings having an increased elevation in comparison to a portion of the base unit immediately adjacent to wings to accommodate a hull of a watercraft.