Cargo box gear mounting assembly

[0001] This application is based upon and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/695,977 filed Jul. 1, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

[0002] The present invention is related to cargo boxes. More specifically, the present invention is related to mounting assemblies for mounting gear within cargo boxes disposed on top of a vehicle.

[0003] Top-mounted vehicle racks provide a versatile platform for transporting bicycles, skis, snowboards, boats, cargo boxes, gear racks, and other items. In recent years, car top carriers in the form of cargo boxes or trunks have become particularly popular. Such enclosed carriers are preferable over conventional open racks for a variety of reasons. For example, enclosed carriers protect cargo from the elements such as wind, rain, and snow, and enclosed carriers are also more secure from theft or vandalism.

[0004] However, some car top cargo boxes have shortcomings which may make them difficult or cumbersome to use. For example, a cargo box may have a relatively deep base structure, making access to the interior of the box to load and unload gear difficult. Furthermore, even when gear is not located deep within the box, reaching the gear within the box may require a user to balance on a portion of the vehicle such as a tire or a doorjamb, or to use an accessory ladder to gain access to some portions of the interior of the box, particularly those furthest from the edge of the vehicle roof.

[0005] One attempt to overcome the shortcomings described above uses a gear storage assembly that slides laterally out of the cargo box and towards the edge of the vehicle, providing access to the gear without having to reach across the vehicle roof. However, this method requires that the sliding storage assembly be disposed at or above the lip of the base structure, since the assembly must slide out beyond the lip to be accessed by a user. Therefore, such an assembly is not well suited for use within a box having a deep base structure. Furthermore, it still may be difficult for a user to access distal portions of the gear, since the user must reach across the width of the assembly to do so. Thus, a need exists for a cargo storage device that provides better access to the interior of a cargo box, and which may be suitable for use even with cargo boxes having relatively deep base structures.

[0006] A gear mounting assembly for mounting gear within a vehicle rooftop cargo box is provided. The mounting assembly includes a support platform for mounting gear, and which is configured to fit within a vehicle cargo box. The mounting assembly also includes an attachment mechanism for attaching the support platform to the cargo box, configured to allow rotation of the support platform between a stowed position and a rotated position in which gear is “presented” to a user. A stabilizing mechanism may be provided to stabilize the support platform in one or both of the stowed position and the rotated position, and in some embodiments, a cargo box also may be provided as part of a system including both the cargo box and the gear mounting assembly.

[0015] FIGS. 1 and 2 show side elevational views of a vehicle rooftop cargo box gear storage system, generally indicated at 10, including a cargo box 12, and a rotatable (or flip-up) gear mounting assembly 14. The cargo box 12 may include a base structure 60 and a cover structure 62. The base structure 60 may include a sidewall 64 having first and second opposed portions 66, 68 and a circumferential upper lip 70. The cover structure 62 may be pivotably mounted to the base structure 60 and configured to pivot about a first axis 72 in a first rotational direction 74 from a closed position 76 toward an open position 78, as suggested in FIG. 1.

[0016] Assembly 14 may be selectively removable from box 12, in a manner to be described below in more detail. As FIGS. 1 and 2 indicate, assembly 14 allows a user to load, unload, and generally gain access to gear stored within the box, by rotating the assembly upward from the plane of the box base, thus “presenting” the gear attached to the assembly to the user. Specifically, FIG. 1 shows gear mounting assembly 14 in a first, or stowed position, substantially parallel to the base plane of box 12, and FIG. 2 shows the assembly in a second position that is substantially rotated with respect to the base plane of the box.

[0017] Gear mounting assemblies according to the present disclosure generally include a support platform 16 for mounting gear, an attachment mechanism for attaching the support platform to a cargo box, and a stabilizing mechanism for stabilizing the platform in various positions, such as in its stowed position and/or in its rotated position described above. The attachment mechanism and the stabilizing mechanism are not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 3-8.

[0018] As generally shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5-8, the attachment mechanism may be configured to allow selective rotation of the support platform 16 about a second axis 80 parallel to the first axis 72. The support platform 16 may be rotated in a second rotational direction 82 from the first position shown in FIG. 1 toward the second position shown in FIG. 2. As generally suggested in FIGS. 1 and 2, the second rotational direction 82 may be opposite the first rotational direction 74.

[0019] Assembly 14 also may include other convenient features, such as a handle 18 for more easily rotating the assembly between its stowed and rotated positions, and one or more retaining straps such as straps 20, which are configured to retain gear mounted to the support platform, and which in various embodiments may be removable and/or adjustable. For example, straps 20 each may be configured to retain a pair of skis, or alternatively, the retaining strap(s) may be removed and replaced with strap(s) configured to retain a snowboard or any other items of gear suitable for storage within the cargo box. In some cases, the retaining straps may be adjustable enough that the same strap or straps may be configured for gear of many different sizes.

[0020] The assembly may be configured to allow physical separation of various items of gear mounted to the support platform. For example, if the assembly is configured to carry skis, the support platform may include one or more dividers 22 configured to separate pairs of skis from each other and/or from the sides of the cargo box. Dividers 22 may be movable, so that they can be flipped down and into the plane of the support platform when gear other than skis is mounted to the platform. For example, the divider(s) may be flipped out of the way to accommodate a snowboard or other relatively large item on the platform. Furthermore, although FIGS. 1 and 2 show the assembly configured to mount two pairs of skis, gear mounting assemblies according to the present disclosure also may be used to mount additional pairs of skis (such as 3 or 4 pairs), various numbers of snowboards, or any other types of gear suitable for storage in a vehicle rooftop cargo box.

[0021] For convenience, gear mounting assembly 14 may be selectively removable from cargo box 12. FIG. 3 shows a top view of the gear mounting assembly mounted within the box, illustrating aspects of an attachment mechanism, generally indicated at 24, for attachment of support platform 16 to box 12. FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a similar gear mounting assembly separated from the cargo box, further illustrating the attachment mechanism. Attachment mechanism 24, which as described below may be configured to allow tool free (i.e. manual) attachment of the support platform to the cargo box, may include a pair of rotatable hinge members 26 (see FIG. 4), which are connected to support platform 16 and configured to fit into a pair of complementary structures such as apertures 28 associated with box 12.

[0022] The complementary structures into which hinge members 26 fit may be apertures formed integrally with the cargo box (not shown) or, as depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4, apertures 28 may be formed in a separate connecting member 30 that is attached to the box. Connecting member 30 may be attached to the box, for example, by attaching it to a pair of cross members 32 that each are connected to opposite sides of the box, and which therefore span the box from side to side. The cross members may be connected to the box in any suitable manner, such as using bolts, screws, mounting plates, or integrated structures built into the box, among others. In other embodiments, the complementary structures into which the hinge members fit may take the form of grooves, hooks, or any other structures configured to securely retain the hinge members while allowing rotation of the support platform with respect to the cargo box.

[0023] In some embodiments, the cargo box may be provided with a second set of complementary structures for receiving the hinge members of the gear mounting assembly, and this second set of structures may be disposed on a side of the cargo box opposite the first set of complementary structures, so that the box includes two symmetrically disposed sets of structures for securing the support platform. For example, as depicted in FIG. 3, a second connecting member 30′ may be provided on the side of the box opposite connecting member 30, and attached to cross members 32 in the same manner as member 30 is attached. Connecting member 30′ has a pair of apertures 28′ that are identical to apertures 28 in member 30, so that the gear mounting assembly may be selectively attached to either side of the cargo box. This feature is particularly useful when used in conjunction with cargo boxes that are configured to be opened from either side. In this case, providing symmetric structures into which the hinge members may fit into allows selective access to the rotated assembly from either the driver's side or the passenger side of the vehicle.

[0024] Hinge members 26 may take the form of a pair of cylindrical pins, as indicated in FIG. 4, or may take any other form allowing rotation of the support platform relative to the cargo box. In some embodiments, the hinge members may be spring-loaded, so that they are biased to move inward toward each other when released, thus facilitating their secure engagement with apertures 28. Each hinge member also may have a knob 34 attached, configured to allow a user to remove the hinge members from their associated apertures by hand. In other words, the knobs are configured to allow tool free retraction of the spring-loaded hinge members from their associated apertures.

[0025] As FIGS. 3 and 4 also show, assembly 14 also may include a handle 18, which may be used to rotate the gear mounting assembly into and out of the plane of the cargo box base. For example, as described in more detail below, the gear mounting assembly may include a spring-biased or other suitable stabilizing mechanism to stably lock the assembly either in the plane of the box base or in a rotated position. Handle 18 may include a mechanism, such as an attached strap, button or lever, to release the spring-biased lock and thus to allow assembly 14 to rotate from one position to another. Alternatively, the handle may itself be rotatable, such that rotating the handle into one position releases the locking mechanism, and rotating the handle into another position engages the locking mechanism.

[0026] As FIG. 4 also indicates, a railing 36 of the gear mounting assembly may provide the user with an additional point at which to grasp the assembly while rotating it, and may provide additional stability for various mounted items such as snowboards or other relatively large pieces of gear or equipment. The assembly also may include a plurality of mounting pads 38, configured to frictionally or otherwise engage skis, snowboards, or other equipment and to minimize both movement of the equipment on the assembly and damage to the equipment during transit. As described previously, one or more separators 22 may be disposed between the pads, and may be rotatable so that they can be used to separate pairs of skis as desired, or rotated out of the way so that assembly 14 can accommodate snowboards or other larger equipment.

[0027] FIGS. 3 and 4 also indicate a possible manner in which gear mounting assembly 14 may be disconnected from cargo box 12. As indicated, a user may pull a knob 34 to retract each spring-loaded member 26 from its associated aperture 28, at which point the assembly may be lifted out of the interior of the box. To place the assembly in the box, the user pulls knobs 34 outward, positions the assembly correctly (i.e., with spring loaded members 26 aligned with their associated apertures), and then releases the knobs. In general, placement of the gear mounting assembly within the cargo box, and its removal from the box, may be tool free for added convenience to the user.

[0028] FIGS. 5-8 show details of the structure and manner of operation of a stabilizing mechanism, generally indicated at 40, for selectively stabilizing support platform 16 in its stowed position (parallel to the base plane of the cargo box) and/or in its position substantially rotated with respect to the base plane of the cargo box. In the depicted embodiment, the stabilizing mechanism includes a mounting pin 42 (also seen in FIGS. 3 and 4), and a latch mechanism 44 configured to receive the mounting pin and to provide at least two stable positions of the mounting assembly within the box. More specifically, the latch mechanism of FIGS. 5-8 includes a slot 46 that can receive the mounting pin in a locked position, and which also allows the mounting pin to move away from the locked position.

[0029] In one embodiment, slot 46 is shaped with an acute angle that separates a relatively longer section from a relatively shorter section of the slot. When pin 42 is disposed within the longer section as depicted in FIG. 5, support platform 16 is stabilized in its stowed position. When the support platform is rotated upward, pin 42 slides along the longer section of slot 46 until it engages the shorter section of the slot, as depicted in FIG. 6. A spring (not shown) may be provided in the slot to bias motion of the pin toward the shorter section of the slot, thus assisting with upward rotation of the support platform and helping to prevent the platform from undergoing an uncontrolled downward motion.

[0030] With the pin disposed in the shorter section of the slot as in FIG. 6, the mounting pin is in a locked position, because the weight of the support platform exerts a torque that forces the pin against the end of the slot, preventing downward rotation of the platform unless a countervailing torque is applied. Thus, FIG. 6 represents the support platform in its stable, substantially rotated position, with the platform conveniently “presented” to the user for storage or removal of gear. Also as depicted in FIG. 6, retaining straps 20 may be removable and/or adjustable, to further facilitate convenient mounting of a variety of gear onto the platform.

[0031] To disengage the support platform from its rotated position, a release mechanism may be provided to enable a user to apply the countervailing torque necessary to release to the pin from its locked position. The release mechanism may, as depicted in FIGS. 5-8, take the form of a strap 48 connected to an upper portion of the latch mechanism, so that applying tension to the strap exerts a torque upon the latch mechanism relative to the mounting pin. Thus when a user exerts tension on the strap as depicted in FIG. 7, this causes the pin to be released from its locked position. Then, as depicted in FIG. 8, the pin may be moved away from its locked position and toward the distal end of slot 46, corresponding to rotation of the gear mounting assembly away from its substantially rotated position and toward its position parallel to the base plane of the cargo box. When the mounting assembly has been allowed to fully rotate downward, it will be back in the stowed position shown in FIG. 5, and the cargo box may be closed. Optionally, the user may wish to lock the box prior to transit, to protect the equipment stored within from theft or vandalism.

[0032] Although the present disclosure has been provided with reference to the foregoing operational principles and embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. The present disclosure is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances. Where the disclosure recites “a,” “a first,” or “another” element, or the equivalent thereof, it should be interpreted to include one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. Furthermore, any aspect shown or described with reference to a particular embodiment should be interpreted to be compatible with any other embodiment, alternative, modification, or variance.