AU2005202992A1 - Sliding roof rack - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 ORIGINAL COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention SLIDING ROOF RACK The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing known to me.

Ronald George Markey FIELD OF THE INVENTION 00 This invention relates to Roof Racks on Automobiles, especially 4WD vehicles with higher roof levels specifically but not exclusively, as any vehicle can adopt this design. The invention allows easier mounting of equipment (be it skies, surfboards, dinghies, and other lightweight goods) by having a Sliding Roof SRack that pulls out and down to the side of the vehicle, where it becomes N, easily accessible to strap down boards, skies, ladders, timber, pipes and so on, then lift up and slide back into position and re-lock onto Fixed Roof Bars mounted on the vehicle.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION As is well known, roof racks are fitted to the roof of vehicles intended to carry a range of goods. These racks are generally fitted to the drivers side and passenger side of the vehicle with two or three bars extended across the roof dependent on the length of the goods to be carried. Roof Racks today are designed in a lot of very specific ways to carry varying types of products.

Therfore, the types of people using roof racks are Skiers, Surfers, Nippers of Surf Clubs, Boaties, Holidaymakers, Handymen, and Tradesmen to name a few.

The products carried therefore are sometimes commercial and/or recreational.

The major disadvantage with present Roof Racks is that it is extremely difficult to climb up on a 4wd vehicle to attach holding straps to secure boards, boats or other items onto the racks.

I first witnessed the situation of a mother trying to secure her childrens competition Nipper surfboard to the roof of a Toyota Landcruiser 2004 model 00 which is approx.. 2 metres in height. She was approx. 160cm and still had to climb up on the top of the seat of the passenger side and only just reach into (Ni the centre of the roof of the vehicle to tie down the board. The alternative (Ni situation I have witnessed is that even though they have the roof capacity for board carrying, they stack the boards inside a vehicle making it dangerous for driving with greatly reduced vision. This happens because of the problem to get on or near the roof of the vehicle to secure their boards SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of this invention to ameliorate the aforementioned disadvantages and accordingly design a new complete system with sliding and retracting mechanism built into the product of said Roof Rack design or to add a sliding and retracting section onto existing roof rack of said vehicle of large 4WD in particular but available to all motor vehicles in general.

The said Sliding Roof Rack will preferably slide to one side of the vehicle being the curb side of the road which is variable to countries of said driving direction, being left or right hand side of the road.

It is preferred that said Sliding Roof Rack will be fixed in a square or rectangular position for rigidity and stability and move in one motion uniformly.

It is preferred that curb side brackets attached to Sliding Roof Rack are able to be unlocked from Fixed Roof Bars and pulled out and then in a 00 downward movement until locked in a position parallel to the vehicle or

O

near to the side of the vehicle.

(Ni It is preferred that brackets in track on opposite side stay within the track (Ni keeping the system of Sliding Rack on the same plane, from one side of the (Ni roof to the other.

N It is preferred that internal brackets, within the track on the road side slide continuously within the track towards the curb side and are ceased in movement by the curb side brackets, which support and hang the said Sliding Roof Rack.

It is further preferred that an option available is a ratchet mechanism which allows controlled movement downwards and then release for upward movement of the Sliding Roof Rack when in a position on the side of the vehicle.

It is preferred that the Sliding Roof Rack on the Fixed Bars has clearance between them to tie down objects that need to be carried on the roof so that there is no hinderance to the movement of the Sliding Roof rack.

It is further preferred that when Sliding Roof Rack is in a near vertical position, it is able to be lifted by hand to a horizontal position and slid back into place on the roof and locked in position, to the Fixed Bars attached to the roof.

It is further preferred that the locking means would be by various securing and quick release methods such as spring loaded bolts or a twist and release wing nut or hinged lock. The locking means is to secure the SSliding Roof Rack to the Fixed Bars.

00 It is also preferred that supports protruding from the Sliding Roof Rack are designed to hold items in place whilst the Sliding Roof Rack is in a vertical position so that hands are free to strap items to it. These supports are adjustable along and retractable into the Sliding Roof Rack.

(-i SIt is preferred that Fixed Roof Bars and said Sliding Roof Rack and N, brackets be made of Aluminium and/or durable plastic and rubber.

It is preferred that the profile of said Sliding Roof Rack be of any Shape,.... round, square, rectangular, ecliptic and so on.

It is preferred that an option of the said Sliding Roof Rack is a 12 volt motor drive as an alternative to the manual operation.

It is preferred that an option of the said Sliding Roof Rack is a UV Cover that stretches overthe frame of the Sliding Roof Rack creating a Shade when it is pulled out from Fixed Roof Bars and kept on a horizontal plane.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1. is a cross-sectional view from front or rear of a large passenger vehicle showing the direction of movement of the Sliding Roof Rack.

Outer Bracket 1. is first unlocked so that Sliding Roof Rack 2. can travel outward in direction 3. then in a downward direction 4. being nearly horizontal. The stopper 5. supports the inner bracket 6. from completely dislodging from roof 8. The track is mounted to Fixed Roof Bar 7. which (Ni brackets 1 and 6 are able to travel on back and forth.

00 Figure 2. is again a cross-sectional view from the rear of a large passenger vehicle showing the Sliding Roof Rack and Roof Bar in Fixed position 9.

(N

\then the Sliding Roof Rack in horizontal position 10. with support 11. that (Ni holds items in place, such as boards 12. while they are secured to Sliding t Roof Rack.

,IC Figure 3. is a Top View (Aerial View) of the Sliding Roof Rack and Stabiliser Bars all connected together forming a rigid rectangular shape which is mounted on Fixed Roof Bars 14. that are attached to the Roof of the vehicle.

Figure 3A. is a side view of Figure 3. where Sliding Roof Rack 15. is attached to Fixed Roof Bar 16. that is locked to other Roof Bar by StabiliserBar 17. The bracket 18. within sliding track is attached to top rail called the Sliding Roof Rack Figure 4. is again a Top View (Aerial View) showing the direction of The Sliding Roof Rack 19. from the Fixed Roof Bars attached to the roof of the vehicle.

Figures 5 and 6. are perspective views from one side of partial Fixed Roof Bar 20. attached to vehicle and a U-shaped track 21. that carries two brackets 22. being one on the right and one on the left of the vehicle.

The moveable bracket 22. is guided by the enclosed sides of track 21.

The Sliding Roof Rack 23. is attached to bracket 22. and secured by bolt 24. or various quick release mechanisms.

Figure 7. shows a perspective view of an End Cap 27. where there is a Section 26. to insert into end of Sliding Roof Rack. This bracket has soft 00 material Fascia that can rest against the vehicle when Sliding Roof Rack is in a downward position.

SFigure 8. shows a perspective view of alternative locking method 29 with Sliding Roof Rack 30. curved over the side of Fixed Roof Bar 31.

Retractable Supports 32. pull up and out to support items whilst Sliding Roof Rack 30. is fully extended out and down to a near vertical Position.

Figure 9. shows a partial side view of Figure 8. which shows a more Streamline finish encompassing the Locking Position 33.

Claims (18)

1. A Sliding Roof Rack, being a square or rectangular configuration guided 00 0 by brackets within a fixed track attached to roof bars mounted on the roof N, of a vehicle. C1

2. The Sliding Roof Rack of said configuration in the above claim, can be manually pulled out in a horizontal direction then lowered to a near vertical (Ni direction beside the vehicle.

3. The Sliding Roof Rack will travel towards the curb side of the road and is also retractable back into a locking position on the Fixed Roof Bars of the vehicle.

4. The brackets attached to the Sliding Roof Rack in the track on the Fixed Roof Bars on the curb side are the unlockable brackets between Sliding Roof Rack and Fixed Bar so that Sliding Roof Rack can be pulled By the stabiliser bar on that side whilst bracket secured to Sliding Roof Rack on road side stays within the track.

A Stopper situated adjacent to curb side bracket restricts the road side bracket from exiting the track on the curb side of Fixed Roof Bars.

6. The Stopper in previous claim also supports road side bracket when Sliding Roof Rack is suspended near vertical.

7. The Sliding Roof Rack, brackets and track can be attached to existing Fixed Roof Bars or supplied as a complete product where the track is part 00 of the Fixed Roof Bars. In this case the Sliding Roof Rack and attached brackets are guided by the direction of the two tracks on the two Fixed Bars. ,i

8. Longer Sliding Roof Rack systems may use three spread out Fixed Roof Bars with three tracks to carry larger, heavier items such as dinghies.

9. A ratchet tensioning mechanism, such as that used to tie down goods on the back of a truck may be used for heavier items to have more controlled movement up and down, supporting heavier weights by moving in smaller increments at a time.

The clearance between the Sliding Roof Rack and the Fixed Bars is to allow items to be strapped to the Sliding Roof Rack and does not impede on the motion of the track and brackets used to guide the Sliding Roof Rack back into roof position.

11. Retractable Support bars on the Sliding Roof Rack are designed to support goods when in a vertical position whilst a person can easily secure items such as boards, skies, pipes, ladders and so on.

12. When Sliding Roof Rack is loaded, a person can manually lift the curb side Stabiliser bar, connecting both Sliding Roof Rack bars together and push Sback into position on the roof. 00 O

13. A bolt or spring loaded shaft or other quick release means is used to N, lock the Sliding Roof Rack in position. Various quick release methods are available to securethe curb side bracket, such as that used on hatches of (-i Ni marine craft or on sliding doors.

14. The road side brackets stay within thetracks at all times, traveling back and forth guiding the Sliding Roof Rack when it is raised or lowered. The profile of the Fixed Bars and Sliding Roof Rack can vary from flat, ecliptic, round, square or rectangular.

The Sliding Roof Rack can operate on any profile to be able to adapt to varying Roof Rack designs.

16. The brackets within the track have a smooth finish and ball-bearing wheels to allow free movement of travel within the track with very little force exerted to move the Sliding Roof Rack.

17. The Sliding Roof Rack is a lightweight product that women and teenage children can operate.

18. Options to theproduct are 12v motor to drive the Sliding Roof Rack and a UV cover to act as a canopy on the curb side of the vehicle. /0.