Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Title: Luos~as~e Carrier
Field of the invention
This invention relates to the field of automobile rooftop luggage
carriers.
Backstround of the invention
Roof racks for transporting luggage and other objects are
common on automobiles. For greater certainty, when used herein "luggage"
is not intended to be limited to suitcases, travel chests or similar objects
for
transporting clothing, but rather is intended to encompass all types of
objects
which might be transported on an automobile roof rack, including canoes,
camping equipment, ladders, lumber etc.
Loading luggage onto the roofracks of stationwagons or other
"cars" with roofracks that are positioned approximately 4 feet off the ground
can be difficult, particularly if the object is heavy. However, the
difficulties of
loading a roofrack are exacerbated on taller vehicles such as sport utility
vehicles, minivans or regular vans, which may have a roof height of six feet
or
more off the ground.
Accordingly, the inventor has recognized the need for a luggage
carrier to assist in loading luggage onto an automobile rooftop for
transportation.
Summary of the invention
The rooftop carrier of the present invention includes a guide
member mounted to the roof of a vehicle, wherein the guide member defines
a substantially horizontal first path, and a carriage movably mounted to and
configured to follow the guide member along the first path. The carriage
comprises a moveable support platform configured to receive an object to be
carried by the carrier. The carriage also comprises an elevating system for
elevating the support platform along a second path between a raised height
and a lowered height.
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Brief description of the d_ra_w_insts
The present invention will now be described, by way of example
only, with reference to the following drawings, in which like reference
numerals refer to like parts and in which:
FIGURE 1A is a perspective view of a rooftop carrier made in
accordance with the present invention;
FIGURE 1 B is a perspective view of a rooftop carrier of Figure
1A, with a portion of the carrier cover removed;
FIGURE 2 is an end view of the rooftop carrier of Figure 1A, with
the carriage in the secure position;
FIGURE 3 is an end view of the rooftop carrier of Figure 1A, with
the carriage in the extended and raised position;
FIGURE 4 is an end view of the rooftop carrier of Figure 1A, with
the carriage in the lowered position; and
FIGURE 5 is a top perspective view of the rooftop carrier of
Figure 1A, with a portion of the cover removed.
Detailed descriation of the invention
Referring to Figures 1A & 1 B in combination with Figures 2 & 3,
illustrated therein is a rooftop carrier, referred to generally as 10, made in
accordance with the present invention. The carrier 10 includes a guide
member in the form of first tracks 12 (preferably comprising telescoping track
segments) mounted to a frame 13 which in turn is mounted to the rooftop 14
of a vehicle 16 and which define a first path substantially parallel to the
line
indicated generally as 20, proximate the tracks 12.
The path 20 is preferably substantially horizontal and extends
from a secured position intersecting the line indicated generally as A (shown
in Figure 2) to an extended position beyond the edge of the rooftop 14
intersecting the line indicated generally as B (shown in Figure 3). A movable
carriage 21 is provided which may be mounted to the freelmovable end of the
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telescoping track 12. One or more support rollers or wheels 23 may be
mounted to the frame 13, for supporting the carriage 21 and facilitating
horizontal movement of the carriage 21 along the path 20.
The carriage 21 is also provided with a carrying member or
luggage platform 22, which is configured for receiving objects to be
transported. The platform 22 may be provided with two support forks 24,
although other suitable configurations are possible. For example, as
illustrated in Figure 1, a travel chest 26 capable of storing sports equipment
and other luggage 28, may be removably mounted to the support member 22
(typically by straps or bungee cords, or by using nuts and bolts).
The carriage 21 is also provided with an elevating system 30 for
elevating (ie. raising and lowering) the carrying member 22 along a second
path 32. The path 32 includes a vertical component and is preferably
substantially vertical, extending from a raised position or height indicated
generally as C which is approximately level with the rooftop 14 to a lowered
height or position indicated generally as D. The path 32 may be angled from
the vertical to accommodate the angled profile of the side of the vehicle 16.
As will be understood, when the platform is at raised position C, the carriage
21 is preferably coincident with extended position B.
Preferably, the lowered height D is at an average person's waist height or
other comfortable height for loading objects onto the carrier (eg. typically
approximately 3 - 5 feet from the ground, although the lowered height may be
higher or lower depending on the height of the vehicle 16). The elevating
system 30 may be provided with second telescoping track 34 (which can be
seen more easily in Figure 4), and the platform 22 may be mounted to the free
end of the telescoping track 34. The platform 22 may also be provided with
one or more wheels 33 or other mechanism for facilitating movement along
the tracks 34, and being guided along the path 32.
The carrier 10 is also preferably equipped with means for
powering or assisting the movement of the carriage 21 and the platform 22
along the respective paths 20, 32. As can be seen more clearly in Figure 5,
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this powering means 35 may include a winch 36 mounted to the frame 13 and
having an electric motor 38 driving a wind-up reel 40 for winding up cabling
41
coupled to the carrying platform 22 (at its remote end 41A). Preferably, the
motor 38 is operatively coupled to and receives electrical power from the
vehicle's 16 electrical system, although the carrier may be provided with its
own separate battery or other power source. As well, preferably an "up"
switch 42A and a "down" switch 42B will be provided for establishing the
appropriate electrical connections to the motor 38 to drive the winch in a
forward (up) and a reverse (down) direction, respectively.
As wilt be understood, the winch 36 and cable 41 are able to
provide an inward and substantially horizontal force on the carriage 21,
sufficient to move the carriage 21 along from the extended position B towards
the secured position A. A pulley 43 is preferably mounted to the carriage 21,
for redirecting the cable's 41 force to include a substantially upward
vertical
component and enabling the winch 36 to raise the platform 22 from the
lowered height D to the raised height C. The winch 36 and cable 41 form a
powered lifting system for elevating the platform 22 from the lowered height D
to the raised height C.
The carrier 10 may also be provided with a resilient catch 44
configured to releasably engage the carriage 21 and secure it in the secure
position A. A corresponding release lever 46 is provided to release the
carriage 21 from the catch 44 when it is desired to move the platform 22 down
to the lowered position D.
It is also preferable for the powering means 35 to include a
powered extension mechanism for moving or assisting the carriage 21 to be
moved from the secured position A to the extended position B. In the carrier
10 as illustrated, extension bungee cords 48 may be provided which are
coupled to the frame 13 at a first end 48A and which wrap around a bar or
pulley 50 located proximate the remote edge of the rooftop 14 (ie proximate
the loading side of the vehicle 16) before being coupled to the inward side of
the carriage 21 at a second remote end 48B. The extension bungee cords 48
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provide outward tension (ie. away from the secured position A and towards
the extended position B), such that when the motor 38 is reversed (and the
catch 44 released), the carriage 21 is drawn beyond the edge of the rooftop
14. Alternatively, springs or other tension devices may be used to
appropriately push or pull the carriage 21 towards the extended position B.
Preferably, the platform 22 is of sufficient weight that gravity will
provide enough downward force to lower the platform 22 from the raised
height C to the lowered height D, when the motor 38 is reversed. However,
as will be understood, if gravity is insufficient to move the platform 22 or
to
move the platform 22 downward at an acceptable pace, springs or other
mechanical means may be provided to provide sufficient downward force on
the platform 22.
Stabilizing bungee cords 52 may also be provided which are
coupled to the carriage 21 at a first end 54 and which are coupled to the
platform 22 at a second end 56. The stabilizing cords 52 are placed under
tension as the platform 22 descends from the raised position C to the lowered
height D. The cords 52 provide stability to the platform 22 as it is raised
and
lowered, helping to prevent the telescoping track 34 from binding.
A cover 48 for protecting the motor 38 and corresponding
electrical connections from the outside environment, is preferably provided.
Preferably, the cover 48 is streamlined to provide improved airflow over the
carrier 10 and correspondingly reduced wind-resistance when the vehicle 16
is in motion.
In use, the carriage 21 may first be secured in the secured
position A (illustrated in Figure 2). The release lever 46 may be depressed,
causing the catch 44 to disengage from the underside of the carriage 21. As
the catch 44 is disengaged, the down switch 42B is activated by the user,
completing the electrical circuit and causing the motor 38 to turn the wind-up
reel 40 in reverse and unwind the cable 41.
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As the cable 41 is unwound, the extension bungee cords 48
draw the carriage 21 towards the extended position B. As the carriage 21
travels toward the extended position, the telescoping track 34 is also drawn
to
its extended position. Additionally, as the platform 22 rolls horizontally it
is
supported by support wheels 23. The carriage 21 reaches the extended
position B once the platform 22 has been extended beyond the support of the
wheels 23 (as illustrated in Figure 3).
As the carriage 21 reaches the extended position B and platform
22 is no longer supported by the support wheels 23, gravity draws the
platform 22 downward from the raised height C. As the platform 22 lowers to
the lowered height D, the telescoping track 34 extends, and the stabilizing
cords 52 are stretched, providing stabilizing tension to the platform 22. Once
the platform 22 reaches the lowered height D (illustrated in Figure 4), the
down switch 42B may be released, breaking the electrical circuit and causing
the winch 36 to stop unwinding the cable 41. Alternatively, the powering
means 35 may be provided with a timing circuit or trip switch for
discontinuing
the power supply to the motor 38 once the platform 22 has been completely
lowered.
In the lowered position D, the travel trunk 24 may be loaded or
unloaded, as necessary (as illustrated in Figure 1A). Once the loading or
unloading is complete, the user activates the up switch 42A, completing the
electrical circuit and causing the motor 38 to turn the wind-up reel 40 in
forward direction and wind up the cable 41. As the cable 41 is wound up by
the winch 36, the cabling 41 provides vertical force to the platform 22,
raising
it from the lowered position D to the raised position C, and correspondingly
causing the telescoping track 34 to retract.
Once the platform 22 has been raised to the raised height C
(illustrated in Figure 3), the cabling 41 provides inward horizontal force to
the
carriage 21, drawing it in towards the secured position A. At the same time,
the telescoping track 12 is retracted. As the carriage 21 reaches the secured
position, the catch 44 resiliently engages the carriage's 21 underside, and is
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secured in place. Once the carriage 21 is secured in the secured position A
(illustrated in Figure 2), the up switch 42A may be released, breaking the
electrical circuit and causing the winch 36 to stop winding up the cable 41.
Alternatively, the powering means 35 may be provided with a timing circuit or
trip switch for discontinuing the power supply to the motor 38 once the
carriage 21 reaches the secured position.
As will be understood, as an alternative to (or in part in addition
to) the winch 36 and cable 41 and extension bungee cords 48, the powering
means 35 may include pneumatic or hydraulic pistons for moving the carriage
21 horizontally between the secured and extended positions A, B and the
platform 22 vertically between the upper and lower heights C, D.
Thus, while what is shown and described herein constitutes
preferred embodiments of the subject invention, it should be understood that
various changes can be made without departing from the subject invention,
the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.
