초록 ▼

A vehicle article carrier having a pair of bracket members which are disposed on a pair of slats, and where each bracket member includes a rotatable actuating member incorporating a camming mechanism for allowing each bracket member to be quickly and easily placed in locked and unlocked positions re

A vehicle article carrier having a pair of bracket members which are disposed on a pair of slats, and where each bracket member includes a rotatable actuating member incorporating a camming mechanism for allowing each bracket member to be quickly and easily placed in locked and unlocked positions relative to its associated slat. Each bracket member includes a camming member which is threadably engaged with a threaded shaft of the actuating member. A locking member is also operably engaged with the camming member and is moved between locked and unlocked positions by movement of the camming member when an operator rotates the actuating member. The apparatus incorporates a limited number of independent component parts and the majority of the component parts are disposed within a housing of the bracket member so as not to be exposed to rain, ice, snow, etc. The bracket members therefore are able to be quickly and easily locked and unlocked relative to their respective slats to allow a cross bar secured to the bracket members to be quickly and easily repositioned along the slats. In an alternative preferred embodiment the actuating member incorporates a torque limiting mechanism which prevents an excessive tightening force from being applied by a user to the actuating member, which excessive tightening force could damage internal components of the bracket member and/or the slat.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A vehicle article carrier apparatus for supporting articles above an outer body surface of the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:a pair of slats adapted to be secured to said outer body surface;at least one cross bar;a pair of bracket members slidably supported on said s

[ What is claimed is:] [1.] A vehicle article carrier apparatus for supporting articles above an outer body surface of the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:a pair of slats adapted to be secured to said outer body surface;at least one cross bar;a pair of bracket members slidably supported on said slats for supporting said cross bar on said slats above said outer body surface and for securing said cross bar to said slats at a desired longitudinal position along said slats;each of said bracket members including:a housing;a locking member disposed within said housing and having a portion engageable with its associated said slat for releasably securing said housing to said associated slat;an enlarged, rotatable actuating member adapted to be manually grasped directly with the fingers of a hand of a user without the use of an external tool, the actuating member being operably associated with said locking member and rotatable in a first direction to cause said locking member to be urged into a locked position relative to its associated said slat, wherein its associated said bracket member is immovably secured to said associated slat, from an unlocked position wherein said bracket member is freely moveable along said associated slat, and said actuating member being rotatable in a second direction opposite of said first direction to urge said locking member from said locked position into said unlocked position; anda torque limiting assembly for limiting the rotational force that a user can apply to said actuating member when rotating said actuating member in said first direction to thereby preventovertightening of said locking member relative said associated slat;wherein said locking member comprises a T-shaped locking member having a clamping portion and a neck portion, said neck portion including an opening formed therein; andwherein each said bracket member further comprises a cavity formed in said housing and a camming member movably disposed within said cavity; said opening of said neck portion being adapted to receive said camming member.