Patent ID: 6070774
Filing Date: 2000-06-06
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
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.