Vehicular Rack Slat Securance

The present invention relates to vehicular racks of the type used with automotive vehicles to transport cargo and, more particularly, to the securance of bars of such a rack to one another.

Many vehicle racks include a pair of parallel side rails between which cross bars for securing a load to be carried extend. A vehicle rack which is permanently secured to a vehicle panel, such as to an automotive vehicle roof panel, often also includes cross slats to protect the vehicle panel surface and, in some situations, carry the weight of the load and distribute it along the panel. A good example of this type of vehicular rack is one designed for carrying luggage. The luggage sits on the slats and is secured in position to the cross bars. In this connection, the cross bars typically are spaced from the vehicle panel surface, whereas the cross slats are closely adjacent the panel surface. (It should be mentioned that the term "bars" as used herein without an adjective indicating type is meant to be generic and encompass side rails and cross slats, as well as cross bars.)

It is relatively common to adhere cross slats nonmovably directly to a vehicle panel via an adhesive or the like. While such nonmovable cross slats often are properly positioned to transmit the weight of a load to the vehicle and will protect a vehicle surface from the load, it will be appreciated that in many instances it is desirable that the position of the cross slats be adjustable to assure such protection and correct positioning for load weight carrying. While cross slats arrangements have been provided in the past in which the position of the slats is adjustable, in general they are not easy to use and rely on the strength of the installer himself/herself for tightness. Moreover, such arrangements often have separate pieces which can become lost.

The present invention provides a vehicular rack having a pair of bars (in the preferred embodiment, a longitudinally extending side rail and a cross slat) which are secured together via a securing mechanism which assures integrity and yet enables the position of the same to be easily adjusted. The securance mechanism is a one piece unit so that no individual hardware pieces which might be lost are required.

From the broad standpoint, the invention includes a vehicular rack bar to be secured to another bar of the rack by a securing mechanism which has a projection configured to register with a corresponding aperture in the first rack bar. Most desirably, the projection is a plunger which is spring loaded to resiliently protrude for registration with a corresponding cavity in the first bar. Such spring loading reduces the possibility that the securing mechanism will fail to retain the desired securance during transportation.

The invention is particularly applicable to the securance of a cross slat to a side rail of a vehicular rack. The cross slat is elongated as is typical, and includes the securing mechanism at each of its opposed ends for securing the cross slat closely adjacent the exterior panel between parallel side rails.

An actuator preferably is included secured to the plunger for moving the same toward the retracted position. Most desirably, such actuator is positioned and configured to be manually graspable so that the cross slat can be easily installed and/or removed.

Other features and advantages of the invention either will become apparent or will be described in connection with the following, more detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

With reference to the accompanying two sheets of drawing:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view illustrating an automotive vehicular rack incorporating a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial, enlarged isometric view illustrating the manner in which a preferred embodiment of the securing mechanism cooperates with a side rail of an automotive vehicular rack to secure a cross slat to such rail;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are top elevation views of a preferred embodiment of the securing mechanism showing the plunger in its extended and retracted positions, respectively;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are side sectional views of the securing mechanism taken on a plane indicated in FIGS. 3A and 3B by the lines labeled 4A--4A and 4B--4B, respectively; and

FIG. 5 is a exploded isometric view of the securing mechanism.

The following relatively detailed description is provided to satisfy the patent statutes. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the invention.

A vehicular rack, generally referred to by the reference numeral 11, is illustrated on the exterior surface of a roof panel 12 of an automotive vehicle. Such rack includes a pair of spaced apart but parallel and longitudinally extending side rails 13 and 14 which are permanently secured to the panel 12 by, for example, bolts or screws (not shown). Cross bars 16 and 17 extend between such side rails. The position of each of the cross bars 16 and 17 is adjustable as is typical and, in this connection, the side rails often are referred to as "slide" rails. The load to be carried is secured to the cross bars.

Elongated cross car slats 18-20 also extend between the side rails laterally thereof. The purpose of these slats is to act as a base for the load to be carried. If the load to be carried is luggage or the like, such cross slats distribute the weight of the load over a larger area of any vehicle exterior panel having the rack. Moreover, such slats protect the surface of such panel.

In keeping with the invention, securing mechanisms 21 are provided on opposite ends of the individual slats for securance of the ends to their respective side rails. In this connection, it must be remembered that the slats and the securing mechanism as will be described can be used to transmit the load of the cargo to the side rails, i.e., keep the weight of the load from being carried by the portion of the vehicle panel between such side rails.

Each securing mechanism 21 includes a plunger 22 which protrudes from the remainder of such securing mechanism for registration with one of a plurality of cavities, specifically apertures 23-26 (see FIG. 2), in a corresponding side rail. Each plunger 22 is sized and because of its cylindrical shape otherwise is configured to register with each of the corresponding apertures in its associated side rail in a relatively tight fit. A main body 31 of each securing mechanism captures a pin 32 and defines a path for sliding movement of the same between a retracted position and a protruding position. That is, the pin 32 registers in the body with a pair of spaced apart cylindrical holes 33 and 34. An exposed end of the pin 32 defines the plunger 22. Such plunger includes a nose 36 to facilitate sliding movement of the same transversely relative to the side rails. Although not shown, the pin can be tapered immediately behind the plunger to facilitate engagement with a side rail aperture.

The pin 32 and, hence, the plunger 22 is normally urged to the protruding position shown in FIGS. 2, 3A and 4A. In the preferred embodiment being described, this protruding position is one in which the pin protrudes from the remainder of the securing mechanism 11. (It will be appreciated, though, that the protruding position need not necessarily be one in which there is protrusion beyond the remainder of the securing mechanism.) That is, a coil spring 37 coaxially surrounding the pin is compressed between the depending nub 38 on the body 31 defining the aperture 31 and a stop flange 41 on the pin.

The pin and again, hence, the plunger 22 is movable to a retracted position to permit its engagement/disengagement with a corresponding aperture of a side rail. Such retracted position and the relationship of the parts is illustrated in FIGS. 3B and 4B. One of the parts of the securing mechanism is an actuator slide 42 which facilitates movement of the plunger between the protruding position and the retracted position. That is, an exterior actuator slide 42 has a pair of parallel but spaced apart depending ears 43 which engage the pin between the flange 41 and an enlarged end section of such pin defining the plunger 22. It will be seen with reference to such figures, that movement of the actuator in the direction of the arrows 44 results in movement of the pin in the direction of such arrows against the compressive force of the spring 37.

The main body 31 of the securing mechanism also includes means to secure such securing mechanism to the cross slat. Such means takes the form in this preferred embodiment of a tongue 46 which is configured to fit tightly within the interior of an end of the cross slat. It includes an elongated finger 47 that is secured only to one end of the remainder of the body so as to be resiliently secured thereto. In this connection the actuator and the body 31 preferably are made of the same hard plastic material, e.g., a hard polypropylene. When the tongue 46 is inserted in the end of a cross slat, the finger 47 snaps into a slot 48 provided in such cross slat end. A shoulder 49 on the finger engages a front edge 51 of the slot in the cross slat to lock the securing mechanism to the cross slat.

It will be appreciated that although in this preferred embodiment the securing mechanism includes means to secure the same to the cross slat, in some arrangements the securing mechanism can be provided as an integral part of the cross slat.

The ease with which the securing mechanism provides securance of a cross slat to the remainder of a vehicular rack should readily be apparent. The user need only register the plunger at one end of the cross slat with a desired aperture in a side rail, and then engage a desired aperture in the other rail by sliding the plunger of the securing mechanism of the other cross slat along such side rail adjacent the desired aperture. It will be recognized that because of the construction, the strength of the user is not a factor in determining the tightness of connection that is provided. There also are not separate parts which need be manipulated by the user in order to provide the desired cross slat securance.

When it is desired to disengage the cross slat, it is only necessary for the user to retract the actuator to remove the plunger from its associated aperture. In this connection, the exterior of the actuator is configured as illustrated to facilitate manual grasping. In some instances such grasping may be desired to make sure the plunger is in a fully "home" position in an associated aperture for the securance.

As mentioned at the beginning of the detailed description, applicants are not limited to the specific embodiment described above. Various changes and modifications can be made. The claims, their equivalents and their equivalent language define the scope of protection.