GB2073686A

GB2073686A - Vehicle rooftop carrier

Info

Publication number: GB2073686A
Application number: GB8011474A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1980-04-08
Filing date: 1980-04-08
Publication date: 1981-10-21

Abstract

A vehicle rooftop carrier has a frame (16, 26) to be supported by the roof (14) of a vehicle (12), a transport mechanism (22, 24) supported by the frame, a housing (18) supported by the transport mechanism for transporting the housing away from its stored position on the roof down to the side of the vehicle (12) to its loading and unloading position and back again to its stored position without any substantial change of the vertical or horizontal orientation of the housing. An arm part 28 prevents vertical movement of the housing 18 until it slides out of the arms 22 in their extended position. Resilient means, which may include weight indicating means and an overweight alarm, may be arranged on the upper side of the slidable arms to limit downward housing movement. The housing movement may be power assisted. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Vehicle Roof Top Carrier This invention relates to a vehicle roof top carrier and is particularly, but not exclusively, designed for use on the tops of private motor cars.

However it can be used with advantage on vans or coaches or wherever a- vehicle's carrying capacity is wanted to be increased.

It is customary to employ a roof rack as a convenient means of carrying extra luggage or bulky objects which will not fit into the normal boot or carrying area of a vehicle. By virtue of its position it is not easy for all persons to lift and position objects onto the rack and particularly the elderly and infirm find it hard to place anything on such a rack and then to secure it.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle roof top carrier which is capable of being loaded and unloaded without undue lifting being necessary.

According to the present invention a vehicle roof top carrier has parallel horizontal frame members arranged to be supported by a roof of a vehicle with a housing having first parallel telescoping slidable arms slidably received by the horizontal frame members and parallel vertical frame members slidably connected to the first arms for enabling the housing to be transported horizontally, second parallel telescoping slidable arms connected to the housing and slidably connected to the vertical frame members for transporting the housing vertically, parallel connectors slidably connected to the first arms and to the vertical frame members, removable horizontal arm parts connected to the housing remote from the second arms for sliding engagement with the first arms, thereby preventing vertical movement of the housing an unextended postion of the first arms, and for sliding out of the first arms, thereby allowing vertical movement of the housing.

The carrier is preferably secured to the roof of the vehicle by releasable means.

Each connecting rod preferably has rollers at, or adjacent, each of its ends, the rollers being arranged to run in channel member parts of the first arms and vertical frame members.

Resilient means may be arranged on the housing to rest on the upper side of the first slidable arms to limit the downward movement of the housing. The resilient means may include weight indicating means and also an overweight alarm device.

The carrier may be of a box construction with a hinged side or part. Locking means may be incorporated in the housing for security reasons and further locking means may be employed to retain the housing in its stowed position.

The housing may have power assist means, such as an electric motor or a counter-weight mechanism, to help operate it.

In order that the invention may be fully understood one embodiment in accordance therewith will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective top view and Figure 2 is a side view of a vehicle with a roof top carrier in the lowered, loading and unloading position.

Figure 3 is a side view of the carrier in its intermediate position between its stored and lowered positions.

Figure 4 is a side view of the carrier in its stored postion.

Figure 5, 6 and 7 are partial sectional views taken along the lines 5-5, 6-6 and 7-7 of Figure 2.

Figure 2. - now to the drawings the roof top carrier 10 is basically supported by the automobile 1 2 roof 14. More specifically, the roof top carrier 10 is provided with a frame 1 6 which is suitably releasably attached to the roof 14 by appropriate connecting means (not shown) such as suction cups, threaded fasteners, belted connectors, all of which are known. The roof top carrier 10 is provided with a housing 1 8 which is adapted to receive objects such as luggage (not shown) for the carrying thereof on the roof 14 of the automobile 12. The carrier 10 includes a transport means 20, which will be described in greater detail below.The transporter means 20 is provided to transport the housing 1 8 from its stored or stowed position, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, through an intermediate position, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, to the loading and unloading position, both as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings. This is accomplished without any substantiai change in the vertical or horizontal orientation of the housing 18, i.e. the housing may be moved through a complete cycle without ever changing its upright orientation with respect to the vehicle.

The transport means 20 includes first telescoping slidable arms 22 and second telescoping slidable arms 24. The first telescoping slidable arms 22 are telescopingly and slidably received by the frame 1 6. The manner in which the-first telescoping slidable arms are received by the frame can be generally compared to that structure which effects the slidable action of filing cabinets and the like, i.e. the first telescoping slidable arms are appropriately supported by bearings in a manner to be described below to move in and out of the frame 16 to transport the housing 1 8 horizontally away from the stored position, as shown in Figure 4, to its intermediate position, as shown in Figure 3.

The second telescoping slidable arms 24 are vertically supported by a frame member 26 which is carried by and affixed to the first telescoping slidable arms 22 as by welding, riveting or the like.

Accordingly, as the first telescoping slidable arms 22 are moved out of the frame 16, the second telescoping slidable arms 24 are moved therewith within the frame member 26 which is affixed to the first telescoping slidable arms 22. In a typical roof top carrier 10, as contemplated by the present invention, there will be a frame 16, first and second telescoping slidable arms 22 and 24 and a frame member 26 provided both fore and aft of the housing 1 8 to provide equal support on each side thereof. The frames 1 6 will be parallel to each other and will be so positioned on the roof 14 to be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the automobile or vehicle 12 with which it is associated.Being so positioned on the roof top carrier 10, the frame members 1 6 will also be generally horizontal with respect to the vehicle roof 14.

As can best be seen in Figure 3, the housing 1 8 can be moved horizontally by the first telescoping slidabie arms 22 away from the frame 1 6 and its stored position, as shown in Figure 4, to a point at which one part 28 of the first telescoping slidable arms 22 is slidably removed from the other of such telescoping slidable arms. At this point the housing 1 8 is free to be transported generally vertically downward by means of the second telescoping slidable arms 24 to the side of the automobile 12 to its loading and unloading position, as shown in both Figures 1 and 2. The horizontal travel of the housing 18 away from its stored position is limited by travel limiting means provided on the first telescoping slidable arms 22.

More particularly, the travel limiting means includes a connecting rod 30 which is angularly disposed toward and connects the frame 16 to the vertical frame member 26. The connecting rod 30 is provided with a roller 32 which is journalled at its end toward the frame 16. The roller 32 is captured by and rolls within a substantially Cshaped opening or slot 34 provided on substantially the entire length of the channel frame 1 6. The angularly disposed connecting rod 30 has another roller 36 journalled at its other end on the same side of the connecting rod 30 as the journalled roller 32. The roller 36 is captured by the rolls within a substantially C-shaped opening 38 provided on a channel portion less than the entire length of the frame member 26.As the housing 1 8 moves horizontally from its stored position, as shown in Figure 4, to its horizontal extension, as shown in Figure 3, the connecting rod 30 will move from a generally perpendicular position to an angularly disposed position with respect to the frame 1 6. During that movement roller 32 will track within the C-shaped opening 34 from a position beginning at the end of the Cshaped opening 34 opposite to that at which the housing 1 8 is travelling to the other end of the Cshaped opening 34 to be stopped thereby.

Similarly, roller 36 will begin at the upper vertical end of the C-shaped channel opening 38 and will travel to the lower end of the C-shaped opening 38 to be stopped thereby. The action of the connecting rod 30 and its rollers 32 and 36 with the C-shaped openings 34 and 38 will both maintain the upright position of the housing 18 as it moves horizontally with respect to the roof 14 as well as limit the horizontal travel of the housing 18.

As before mentioned, the housing 1 8 in its horizontally extended position, as shown in Figure 3, is free to be transported generally vertically downward by means of the second telescoping slidable arms 24 to the side of the automobile 12 to its loading and unloading position. As the housing 1 8 so moves vertically downward, the second telescoping slidable arms 24 will telescope downwardly from the frame member 26 to a point where the housing 1 8 comes to rest on a resilient means such as spring member 40 which is provided within the aft side 42 of the housing 1 8. The spring member 40 will encounter the upper side of the first telescoping slidable arms 22. The spring member 40 serves several purposes including the limiting of the vertically downward travel of the housing 1 8.In addition to that function, it provides a ready means to determine the weight of the objects that may have to be added to the housing 18. As luggage, for example, is added to the housing 18, the spring member 40 will become more and more compressed. This direct relationship between the compression of the spring member 40 and the additional weight can be used to indicate the additional weight as well as provide an indication of an overweight situation. An overweight situation can cause the centre of gravity of the vehicle to rise which will be reflected in the roll rate of the vehicle during turns due to centrifugal force.This could be accomplished by the provision of a pointer or some other colour coded means (all not shown) which wouid indicate that point at which an excess of luggage has been added to the housing 1 8. In addition, a simple electrical circuit involving a connection to the automobile battery in series with a micro-switch and an alarm could be utilised. As the weight again reaches a predetermined excessive level, the micro-switch could be closed sounding the alarm possibly remove from the housing 1 8 such as within the automobile to warn of an excess luggage situation.

The housing 1 8 could be totally enclosed, i.e.

the four sides and top and bottom. One or more 6f the sides or the top could be hingedly connected to the housing to allow ready access thereto. The housing 1 8 could be further provided with suitable locking means to both lock and hinged openings of the housing 1 8 as well as lock the entire housing 1 8 in its stored position, as shown in Figure 4.

In addition, a power assist means (not shown) could be provided in which an electrical motor is connected in series to the automobile battery. The motor could be operatively connected to the housing 1 8 as by means of a simple sprocket and chain arrangement or drive belt arrangement (all not shown) which would assist in the movement of the housing 1 8 from its stored to its loading and unloading postion and back again. Similarly, a counter weight mechanism (not shown) could be also operatively connected to the housing 1 8 to provide a counter weight force to the housing 1 8 when it is being lifted from its loading and unloading position to its stored position.As before mentioned, the first and second telescoping slidable arms 22 and 24 are generally analogous to the structure that effects the sliding action of filing cabinets and the like. As can be seen in Figure 5, for example, the first telescoping slidable arms 22 slide upon and are supported by a series of spherical bearing members 44 which are held in position by cage members 46. Similarly, as can be seen in Figure 6. the second telescoping slidable arms 24 slide upon and are supported by a series of spherical bearing members 48 which are held in position by cage members 50.

There is thus provided a roof top carrier embodying significant and important advantages over the prior art forms of roof top carriers. The roof top carrier of the present invention significantly expands and enlarges the luggage carrying capacity of automobiles without any significant effect on the performance or safety characteristics of the automobile. It provides for easy loading and unloading and storage of luggage without the use of any special equipment such as ladders or tools. It can be safely and securely locked in its stored position and can be fully enclosed to protect luggage from the elements. In its totality it offers a wide range of advantages not even contemplated by the prior art.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A vehicle roof top carrier having parallel horizontal frame members arranged to be supported by a roof of a vehicle and a housing characterised by first parallel telescoping slidable arms slidably received received by the horizontal frame members and parallel vertical frame members slidably connected to the first arms for enabling the housing to be transported horizontally, second parallel telescoping slidable arms connected to the housing and slidably connected to the vertical frame members for transporting the housing vertically, parallel connectors slidably connected to the first arms and to the vertical frame members, removable horizontal arm part connected to the housing remote from the second arms for sliding engagement with the first arms, thereby preventing vertical movement of the housing in an unextended position of the first arms and for sliding out of the first arms, thereby allowing vertical movement of the housing.

2. A carrier as claimed in Claim 1 and including releasable securing means for attaching the carrier to the roof of a vehicle.

3. A carrier as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which each connecting rod has rollers at, or adjacent, each of its ends, the rollers being arranged to run in channel member parts of the first arms and vertical frame members.

4. A carrier as claimed in any preceding claim in which the housing is provided with resilient means arranged to rest on the upper side of the first slidable arms to limit the downward movement of the housing.

5. A carrier as claimed in Claim 4 and including weight indicating means associated with the resilient means to indicate the load in the housing.

6. A carrier as claimed in Claim 6 in which the weight indicating means includes an alarm device arranged to operate when a weight over a predetermined weight is loaded into the housing.

7. A carrier as claimed in any preceding claim in which the housing is of box construction and has a hinged side or part of a side.

8. A carrier as claimed in any preceding claim and including means for locking the carrier in its stowed position.

9. A carrier as claimed in Claim 8 in which the locking means also locks the housing closed.

10. A carrier as claimed in any preceding claim and including power assist means for moving the housing relative to the rest of the carrier.

11. A carrier according to Claim 10 in which the power assist means incorporates an electric motor.

12. A carrier according to Claim 10 in which the power assist means includes a counter-weight mechanism.

13. A vehicle roof top carrier substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.