초록 ▼

Racks are used to carry cargo on top of vehicles. Racks include crossbars and assemblies configured to secure specific cargo items to the crossbars. Clamps for connecting cargo-specific assemblies to the crossbars, include first and second jaws, and an adjustment device for selectively controlling h

Racks are used to carry cargo on top of vehicles. Racks include crossbars and assemblies configured to secure specific cargo items to the crossbars. Clamps for connecting cargo-specific assemblies to the crossbars, include first and second jaws, and an adjustment device for selectively controlling horizontal relative movement between the jaws.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for securing cargo to a crossbar on top of a vehicle comprising: a pair of crossbars configured for mounting on a vehicle roof generally parallel to the direction of vehicle travel, each crossbar having a leading side and a trailing side,a base having a top side, a bottom side, a cla

1. An apparatus for securing cargo to a crossbar on top of a vehicle comprising: a pair of crossbars configured for mounting on a vehicle roof generally parallel to the direction of vehicle travel, each crossbar having a leading side and a trailing side,a base having a top side, a bottom side, a clamping axis, and an internal track aligned with the clamping axis;a cargo supporting device fixed to the top side of the base;a stationary jaw portion descending from the bottom side of the base engaging the leading side of one of the crossbars, the jaw portion having a width of at least three inches, an external side and a concave internal surface opposite the external side, the concave internal surface of the jaw portion being configured for contacting a crossbar which is oriented substantially perpendicular to the clamping axis of the base;a sliding jaw member having a narrower width than the stationary jaw portion, and a concave internal surface, the sliding jaw member being configured to move along the internal track of the base for clamping a crossbar cooperatively with the stationary jaw portion; andan adjustment device connected to the sliding jaw member and including a handle accessible from the external side of the stationary jaw portion, the adjustment device being configured for manipulation via the handle to move the sliding jaw member back and forth along the internal track of the base, wherein the clamping axis is horizontal and parallel to the direction of vehicle travel. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cargo supporting device is configured to contact and secure a specific type of recreational cargo selected from the following: bicycle, boat, and wheel. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stationary jaw portion is molded together with the cargo supporting device. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sliding jaw is moveable in the internal track without any loosening of the connection between the cargo supporting device and the stationary jaw portion. 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stationary jaw portion has a width of at least eight inches. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stationary jaw portion has two jaw components with a total span of at least six inches. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a gap of at least about 4.75 inches is defined between the jaw component for allowing a fairing to be mounted. 8. An apparatus for securing cargo to a crossbar on top of a vehicle comprising: a pair of crossbars configured for mounting on a vehicle roof generally parallel to the direction of vehicle travel, each crossbar having a leading side and a trailing side,a cargo supporting device configured to secure a bike, the cargo supporting device having a clamping axis, a track on a bottom side, and a fixed jaw portion descending from the bottom side of the cargo supporting device, the internal track being aligned with the clamping axis, the fixed jaw portion engaging the leading side of one of the crossbars and having a span of at least six inches;a sliding jaw member having a concave internal surface, the sliding jaw member being configured to move along the internal track of the cargo supporting device for clamping a crossbar cooperatively with the fixed jaw portion, the sliding jaw member having a smaller width than the stationary jaw portion; andan actuator including a threaded shaft connected to the sliding jaw member, and a handle member engaged with a first end portion of the shaft and disposed opposite the sliding jaw member relative to the fixed jaw portion, rotation of the handle member being configured to drive movement of the sliding jaw member along the internal track and the threaded member while the fixed jaw portion remains fixed relative to the cargo supporting device, wherein the track is parallel to the direction of vehicle travel. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the track is linear. 10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cargo supporting device is configured to grip a bicycle. 11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cargo supporting device is configured to carry a boat. 12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cargo supporting device is configured to carry a wheel. 13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cargo supporting device is an enclosed container. 14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the cargo supporting device is configured for attachment to two crossbars oriented orthogonally to a direction of vehicle travel, such that the cargo supporting device spans the two crossbars. 15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the fixed jaw portion includes two jaw members separated by a space of at least about four inches. 16. An apparatus for securing cargo to a crossbar on top of a vehicle comprising: a pair of crossbars configured for mounting on a vehicle roof generally parallel to the direction of vehicle travel, each crossbar having a leading side and a trailing side,a cargo supporting device configured to contact and secure cargo on top of a vehicle, the cargo supporting device having a track defining a horizontal linear clamping axis parallel to a direction of vehicle travel, and a fixed jaw portion descending from a bottom side of the cargo supporting device and engaging the leading side of one of the crossbars;a sliding jaw member having a concave internal surface, the sliding jaw member being configured to move along the track of the cargo supporting device for clamping a crossbar cooperatively with the fixed jaw portion; andan actuator connected to the sliding jaw member and configured to drive movement of the sliding jaw member along the internal track while the fixed jaw portion remains rigidly fixed relative to the cargo supporting device, the actuator including a threaded shaft extending generally along the clamping axis and engaging corresponding internal threads of the sliding jaw member such that rotation of the threaded shaft causes movement of the sliding jaw member along the track relative to the fixed jaw portion while the threaded shaft remains generally axially and angularly fixed along the clamping axis relative to the fixed jaw portion, the orientation of the sliding jaw member being fixed except for linear movement along the clamping axis. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the cargo supporting device is configured to contact and secure a specific type of recreational cargo selected from the following: bicycle, boat, and wheel. 18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the fixed jaw portion is molded together with the cargo supporting device. 19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the fixed jaw portion is a permanently joined part of the cargo supporting device. 20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the cargo supporting device includes a housing and a locking device moveable between locked and unlocked positions, the threaded shaft having a fixture being connected to the shaft inside the housing and having a slot at a fixed location along the clamping axis, the locking device including a flange that moves into the slot of the fixture when the locking device is moved to the locked position, wherein the shaft is prevented from rotating when the flange is in the recess of the fixture.