Abstract:
An article carrier adapted to hold cargo and other articles adjacent a liftgate of a vehicle such as a sport utility vehicle, a station wagon, or minivan. The vehicle article carrier includes a liftgate striker connectable to the liftgate of the vehicle and a bumper striker connectable to the bumper of the vehicle. A first link is pivotally connected to the roof support structure of the motor vehicle and a second link is pivotally coupled to the first link. A locking assembly is coupled to the second link and is operable in a closed position to couple the second link to the bumper striker. In an opened position, the locking assembly releases the bumper striker in response to contact from the liftgate striker to enable the quick and convenient raising of the liftgate without the need to first unlatch the article carrier from the bumper.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/137,696, filed on May 2, 2002, which claims benefit to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/352,147, filed Oct. 29, 2001 and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/698,761, filed on Oct. 27, 2000, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,516,984 on Feb. 11, 2003, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/528,765, filed on Mar. 17, 2000 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,338,427 on Jan. 15, 2002. The disclosures of the above applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention generally relates to vehicle article carrier systems and, more particularly, to a multi-position vehicle article carrier system having a cargo supporting structure capable of being secured over a liftgate of a vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Vehicle article carriers are used in a wide variety of vehicles to support cargo and various other articles above an outer body surface, such as a roof portion, of a vehicle. Typically, such systems include a pair of side rails or slats which are fixedly secured to the roof portion of the vehicle. Usually a pair of cross bars are secured to the side rails or slats to extend transversely therebetween. The cargo is then positioned on the cross bars and secured down via suitable securing straps or bungee cords so that the cargo is held securely on the article carrier while the vehicle is in use. 
     One drawback with any conventional vehicle article carrier system is the occasional difficulty of lifting cargo and other articles to be transported up onto the roof portion of the vehicle. This is particularly so if the vehicle is a sport utility vehicle or a mini van, in which case the roof thereof is often at a height which is higher than many individuals can reach easily when attempting to lift cargo onto the article carrier. Removing cargo from the vehicle article carrier can often be just as difficult depending, of course, on the specific cargo, its dimensions and its weight. 
     Some attempts have been made to overcome this problem by providing a vehicle article carrier which has some form of movable load supporting structure which can be disposed in a temporary position in which cargo can be more easily loaded thereunto. Such systems, for example, are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,649,655; 5,505,579; and 5,417,358. 
     The systems illustrated in the above-mentioned patents typically suffer from one or more drawbacks. Often, such systems are complex to manufacture, and therefore costly. With some such devices, they cannot be left in a “lowered” position, but rather must be maintained in a retracted position on top of the vehicle roof. Some also do not allow for convenient opening of the liftgate of a vehicle when the cargo supporting portion is in its lowered position. 
     Yet another drawback with such pre-existing article carrier systems as described above is the inability to remove the cargo supporting portion of the system when it is not needed. It would also be advantageous to be able to collapse the removed cargo supporting portion into a compact arrangement that could be stored in a duffle bag or other like implement and then stored in a garage, or even in the vehicle from which it was removed. 
     Accordingly, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide a vehicle article carrier having a cargo supporting structure which can be secured over the liftgate of a vehicle to thus allow cargo to be secured thereto without a user having to stand on a ladder or other implement, as with conventional roof mounted article carrier systems. Furthermore, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide a vehicle article carrier in which a cargo supporting structure is used to support cargo adjacent a liftgate of a vehicle, and which also permits the liftgate to be lifted and lowered without interference from the article carrier, and further which does not add an appreciable amount of weight to the liftgate. Still further, there exists a need in the relevant art to provide a vehicle article carrier having a cargo supporting structure which is mounted over a liftgate of a vehicle, and where the cargo supporting structure can be quickly and easily detached from the vehicle when the cargo supporting structure is not needed, and which can further be collapsed into a compact arrangement for storage. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the principles of the present invention, an article carrier adapted to hold cargo and other articles adjacent a liftgate of a vehicle such as a sport utility vehicle, a station wagon, or minivan is provided having an advantageous construction. The article carrier includes a liftgate striker connectable to the liftgate of the vehicle and a bumper striker connectable to the bumper of the vehicle. A first link is pivotally connected to the roof support structure of the motor vehicle and a second link is pivotally coupled to the first link. A locking assembly is coupled to the second link and is operable in a closed position to couple the second link to the bumper striker. In an opened position, the locking assembly releases the bumper striker in response to contact from the liftgate striker to enable the quick and convenient raising of the liftgate without the need to first unlatch the article carrier from the bumper. 
     Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rear portion of a vehicle illustrating a first embodiment of a multi-position, articulating, article carrier apparatus in accordance with the present invention secured to the outer body surface of the vehicle, with the apparatus in a first or lowered position; 
     FIG. 2 is a view of the apparatus and vehicle shown in FIG. 1 with the apparatus disposed in an intermediate position about to be urged over a roof portion of the vehicle; 
     FIG. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 showing the apparatus in a second position in which a cargo supporting structure thereof is disposed over the roof portion of the vehicle; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one of the latching assemblies secured to a support beam on the rear bumper of the vehicle of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a cross sectional side view of the free end of the cargo supporting structure secured to the latching assembly, taken in accordance with section line  5 — 5  in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross sectional side view of the latching assembly of FIG. 5 with the lower locking assembly of the cargo supporting structure unlatched therefrom and ready to be lifted away from the bumper; 
     FIG. 6 a  is a fragmentary side, cross-sectional view of the latching lever of FIG. 5 engaging the latching assembly as the latching lever is urged into the latching assembly; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective fragmentary view of a portion of the torque rod assembly of the cargo supporting structure illustrating one of the lower locking assemblies at one end of the torque rod assembly; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a portion of the torque rod assembly shown in FIG. 7 taken in accordance with section line  8 — 8  in FIG. 7; 
     FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of the torque rod assembly taken in accordance with section line  9 — 9  in FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 is a plan view of the rear portion of one of the side rails also showing the articulating assembly and a small portion of the cargo supporting structure; 
     FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the articulating assembly and the rearmost end portion of one of the side rails; 
     FIG. 11 a  is a plan view of an end portion of the articulating assembly illustrating the pair of rollers that are used for enabling rolling movement of the articulating assembly along its associated side rail; 
     FIG. 12 is a side view of the articulating assembly when the cargo supporting structure is disposed in the lowered position shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 13 is a side view of the articulating assembly when the cargo supporting structure is moved into the intermediate position shown in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 14 is a cross sectional side view of the articulating assembly in accordance with section line  14 — 14  in FIG. 10, when the cargo supporting structure is in the lowered position of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 15 is a cross sectional side view of the articulating assembly of FIG. 14 with the cargo supporting structure raised into the intermediate position of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 16 is a partial cross sectional view of the side rail taken in accordance with section line  16 — 16  in FIG. 11; 
     FIG. 17 is a cross sectional side view of the upper locking assembly of one of the rear supports, taken in accordance with section line  17 — 17  in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 18 is a perspective view of an alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the article carrier of FIG. 18 with the cargo supporting structure thereof in a lowered position; 
     FIG. 20 is a perspective view of another alternative preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the article carrier of FIG. 20 with the cargo supporting structure thereof in the lowered position; 
     FIG. 22 is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the article carrier of the present invention; 
     FIG. 23 is a side view of the article carrier shown in FIG. 22 but with the liftgate of the vehicle in the open position; 
     FIG. 23A is a cross sectional end view taken in accordance with section line  23 A— 23 A in FIG. 22; 
     FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the main support members showing one of the cross bars secured thereto in a storage arrangement when the article carrier is not being used and is removed from the vehicle; 
     FIG. 25 is an exploded perspective view of the components comprising the upper pivot assembly; 
     FIG. 26 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the pivot assembly; 
     FIG. 27 is an end view of one of the supports showing a portion of one of the upper coupling links pivotally coupled thereto; 
     FIG. 28 is an exploded perspective view of one of the anchor assemblies fixedly attached to the rear liftgate; 
     FIG. 29 is a side cross sectional view of a portion of the lower pivot assembly engaged with the anchor assembly; 
     FIG. 30 is a perspective view of a rear portion of a vehicle illustrating a yet another embodiment of a multi-position, articulating, article carrier apparatus in accordance with the present invention secured to the outer body surface of the vehicle with the apparatus in a first or lowered position; 
     FIG. 31 is a side cross sectional view of the apparatus of FIG. 30, with portions removed for clarity; 
     FIG. 32 is an enlarged perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the pivot assembly; 
     FIG. 33 is an enlarged perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the locking engagement between a cross member and a main support member, with portions removed for clarity; 
     FIG. 34 is an enlarged perspective view, with portions hidden, of the end of an alternative embodiment of the cross member; 
     FIG. 35 is a side cross sectional view of the alternative embodiment of the cross member; 
     FIG. 36 is a side cross sectional view of the alternative embodiment of the pivot assembly, taken in accordance with section line  35 — 35  of FIG. 32; 
     FIG. 37 is a side cross sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the upper connection assembly; 
     FIG. 38 is an enlarged perspective view of the alternative embodiment of the upper connection assembly; 
     FIG. 39 is a side cross sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the lower locking assembly; 
     FIG. 40 is an enlarged perspective view of the alternative embodiment of the lower locking assembly; 
     FIG. 41 is an enlarged perspective view of the anchor assembly; 
     FIG. 42 is an enlarged perspective view of a rear portion of a vehicle illustrating a yet another embodiment of a multi-position, articulating, article carrier apparatus in accordance with the present invention secured to the outer body surface of the vehicle with the apparatus in a first or lowered position; 
     FIG. 43 is an enlarged, exploded, perspective view of a lower locking assembly according to the principles of the present invention, with portions removed for clarity; 
     FIG. 44 is a side view of the lower locking assembly in a closed or latched position; 
     FIG. 45 is a side view of the lower locking assembly as a liftgate striker first engages a release latch; 
     FIG. 46 is a side view of the lower locking assembly as the liftgate striker unlatches a hook member from a bumper striker; and 
     FIG. 47 is a side view of the lower locking assembly as the liftgate and liftgate striker automatically raises the lower locking assembly from the bumper striker. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. 
     Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown a multi-position, articulating, vehicle article carrier apparatus  10  in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus  10  is shown secured to a roof portion  12   a  of a motor vehicle  12 . While the motor vehicle  12  is illustrated as a sport utility vehicle (SUV), it will be appreciated that the apparatus  10  could also be used with minivans, station wagons, and a wide variety of other vehicles, and is therefore not limited to use with any particular type of vehicle. 
     The apparatus  10  includes a pair of side rails  14  which are adapted to be fixedly secured to the roof portion  12   a  of the vehicle  12 . Each side rail  14  includes a rear support  16  and a front support  17  which support a main portion  14   a  of the side rail  14  above the roof portion  12   a . Each of the main portions  14   a  of each side rail  14  comprise C-shaped channels. 
     A pair of articulating mechanisms  18  are engaged with the side rails  14  so as to be movable along each of the side rails  14 . The articulating mechanisms  18  are pivotally secured to a cargo supporting structure  20 . The cargo supporting structure  20  includes a frame comprised of side members  22 , a transversely extending top frame member  24  and an actuator bar assembly  26 . At least one cross bar  25 , and more preferably a pair of cross bars  25 , are disposed on the cargo supporting structure  20  to extend between the side members  22 . The cross bars  25  may be fixedly secured to the side members  22  or clamping assemblies or other means may be employed to permit adjustable positioning of the cross bars  25  along the side members  22 . Securing straps such as bungee cords may be used to secure cargo on the cross bars  25 . 
     A lower or free end  28  of the cargo supporting structure  20  includes a pair of lower locking assemblies  30 . These lower locking assemblies  30  are each adapted to latch with a corresponding pair of latching assemblies  32  disposed within a rear bumper  34  of the vehicle  12 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the apparatus  10  can be secured in a first or lowered position disposed over a liftgate  12   b , as shown in FIG.  1 . In this position cargo can be carried on the cargo supporting structure  20  through the use of suitable fastening straps or bungee cords or like components which secure the cargo to the cross bars  25 . In FIG. 2, the cargo supporting structure  20  is shown after same has been raised into an intermediate position. This is accomplished by a user actuating the actuator bar assembly  26  to release the lower locking assemblies  30  from the latching assemblies  32 , and then lifting upwardly on the free end  28  of the cargo supporting structure  20 . FIG. 3 shows the cargo supporting structure  20  after same has been slid forwardly over the roof portion  12   a  of the vehicle  12 . In this position the lower locking assemblies  30  can be locked to a corresponding pair of upper locking assemblies  36  associated with the two rear supports  16 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, one of the latching assemblies  32  is shown. The latching assembly  32  includes a main body portion  38  and a latching door  40  pivotally secured by a pivot pin  42  to the main body portion  38 . The latching door  40  includes a lower end  44  which is biased by a spring  46  secured to a transversely extending pin  50 . Thus, the latching door  40  is constantly biased into the closed position shown in FIG. 4. A base portion  52  allows the main body portion  38  to be secured to a structural frame member  54  disposed within the bumper  34 . The base portion  52  is preferably secured to the structural member  54  by a plurality of threaded fastening members  58  extending through apertures  52   a  in the base portion  52 . An upper wall  56  of the main body portion  38  sits generally flush with an upper outer surface of the bumper  34  to present an aesthetically pleasing appearance whether or not the cargo supporting structure  20  is in the lowered position shown in FIG.  1 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 7-9, the actuator bar assembly  26  will be described. Referring specifically to FIGS. 7 and 8, the actuator bar assembly  26  includes a centrally disposed, manually graspable and rotatable member  60 . Rotatable member  60  is disposed over a first sleeve portion  62  and supported by a pair of support rings  64  which are also disposed over the first sleeve  62 . The first sleeve  62  extends completely to each opposite end  66  of the actuator bar assembly  26  and is secured by at least one fastening member  68  within an end cap portion  70 . A free wheeling sleeve  72  is disposed on each side of the rotatable sleeve  60  in between one of the supports  64  and one of the end cap portions  70 . The free wheeling sleeve  72  rotates freely while being grasped when the free end  28  of the cargo supporting structure  20  is lifted from the lowered position of FIG. 1 into the intermediate position of FIG.  2 . 
     With further reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, the rotatable sleeve  60  is secured to a torque rod  76  via a threaded member  74  which extends into a threaded bore  76   a  in the torque rod  76 . A spacer sleeve  78  (also shown in FIG. 7) also receives the threaded member  74  therethrough. The first sleeve  62  includes a slot  80  extending over an arc of slightly greater than 90?. Slot  80  permits the rotatable sleeve  60  and the threaded member  74  to be rotated without interference from the first sleeve  62 . Thus, when the rotatable sleeve  60  is rotated, this rotational movement is transmitted to the torque rod  76 . 
     With specific reference to FIG. 7, each opposite end of the torque rod  76  includes a half moon shaped protrusion  82  which forms a camming surface  82   a . Camming surface  82   a  is used to control locking and unlocking of its associated lower locking assembly  30 , which will be described momentarily. It will thus be appreciated that the actuator bar assembly  26  allows an unlocking action to be effected which releases the two lower locking assemblies  30 , simultaneously from their respective latching assemblies  32  simply through a short twisting motion of the rotatable sleeve  60 . Thus, unlocking of the actuator rod assembly  26  from the lower locking assemblies  32  can be effected with only one hand of a user and with a simple, short and convenient rotational movement of the rotatable sleeve  60 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 5-7, the construction and operation of one of the pair of lower locking assemblies  30  will be described. Each lower locking assembly  30  includes a latching lever  84  having an upper end  86  and a lower end  88 . The latching lever  84  is pivotally mounted via a pivot pin  90  which extends through an aperture  92  in the lever  84  and also through a main body portion  94  which partially encloses the latching lever  84 . 
     With specific reference to FIG. 5, a spring  96  is disposed against an inside surface  22   a  of a tubular portion  22   b  of the side member  22 , and extends through an opening  100  in the main body portion  94  into a notch  98  formed in the latching lever  84 . The spring  96  biases the lower end  88  of the latching lever  84  upwardly into a closed or latched position, which is shown in FIG.  5 . 
     With reference to FIGS. 5,  6  and  7 , when the rotatable sleeve  60  is grasped with one hand and rotated, the camming surface  82   a  of the protrusion  82  rotates to urge the upper end  86  of the latching lever  84  pivotally about the pivot pin  90 . As the latching lever  84  rotates, the lower end  88  thereof is drawn away from the upper wall  56  of the latching assembly  32  (FIG.  6 ). This allows a lip portion  102  of the latching lever  84  to be drawn out of a notch  104  formed in an undersurface of the upper wall  56 . While the rotatable sleeve  60  is held in the rotated position, the user lifts the free end  28  of the cargo supporting structure  20  upwardly and away from the latching assembly  32 . 
     When the free end  28  of the cargo supporting structure  20  is lowered into latching engagement with the latching assemblies  32 , no rotational movement of the rotatable sleeve  60  is required for proper latching of the lower locking assemblies  30  to occur. As the lower end  88  of each latching lever  88  contacts its respective latching door  40 , an edge portion  94   a  of the main body portion  94  engages the latching door  40  and urges this component downwardly into the position shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Referring to FIG. 6 a , further lowering movement of the cargo supporting structure  22  causes the lip portion  102  to engage an interior edge  106  of the upper wall  56 . Further lowering movement causes the lip  102  to ride over the interior edge  106  before snapping into engagement in the notch  104  (FIG.  5 ). 
     Referring now to FIGS. 10-15, the construction and operation of the articulating mechanisms  18  will be described. With initial reference to FIGS. 10,  11  and  11   a , each articulating mechanism  18  includes a pair of rollers  110  which are pivotally secured via axles  112  within cut-outs  119   a  of a support bar  119 . The support bar  119  is sized so as to be able to fit within a C-shaped channel  14   b  of the side rail  14  and through a C-shaped channel  116   a  (FIG. 11) in the rear support  16 . During assembly, the articulating mechanism  18  is inserted through the C-shaped channel  116   a  in the rear support  16  and a stop member  114  is secured to the support bar  119  via a threaded member  116 . The stop member  114  prevents the articulating mechanism  18  from being withdrawn beyond a predetermined point from its respective side rail  14 . 
     With further reference to FIGS. 11 and 14, the support bar  119  includes a slot  120  formed therein within which is disposed a locking bar  122 . The locking bar  122  is pivotally mounted at a central aperture  123  by a pivot pin  126  extending through the support bar  18 . An elongated, linear slot  124  is also formed in the support bar  18 . This slot  124  further includes a relief portion  124   a  to allow clearance for a cam lobe  128 . The slot  124  may vary in length, but in one preferred form is between about six-nine inches. 
     With reference to FIGS. 14 and 15, a threaded member  132  extends through an opening  134  in a first end  136  of the locking bar  122 . The threaded member  132  captures a biasing member  138  within the opening  134 . Biasing member  138  serves to provide a constant biasing force which tends to bias the first end  136  of the locking bar  122  upwardly into the position shown in FIG.  15 . 
     With reference to FIGS. 10 and 14, the top frame member  24 ′ includes an axle portion  24   a  at each end thereof. The axle portions  24   a  each have attached thereto at their outermost ends one of the cam lobes  128 . Thus, the axle portions  24   a  pivotally support the cargo supporting structure  20  from the articulating mechanisms  18 . Importantly, the axle portions  24   a  also are able to slide within the elongated slots  124  when the cargo supporting structure  20  is moved from the intermediate position of FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG.  3 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 12,  13 ,  14  and  15 , when the cargo supporting structure  20  is in the lowered position shown in FIG. 1, the side members  22  are disposed in the position shown in FIG.  12 . In this position the cam lobe  128  is engaged in the relief portion  124   a , as illustrated in FIG.  14 . This allows the cam lobe  128  to lift a second end  140  of the lock bar  122  which causes the first end  136  to project outwardly of the support bar  119 . The first end  136  abuts a notch  142  formed in the rear support  16  which prevents the articulating mechanism  18  from moving inadvertently towards and into the support member  16  when the cargo supporting structure  20  is in the lowered position of FIG.  1 . Thus, when in the lowered position shown in FIG. 1, the cargo supporting structure  20  is fixedly disposed. Its upper end  20   a  cannot be pulled outwardly away from the upper supports  16  because of abutting engagement of the stop members  114  with their respective supports  16 . Abutting engagement of the first end  136  of each locking bar  122  with the notch  142  of each support  16  prevents the upper end  20   a  from being pushed in toward the side rails  14 . Accordingly, cargo supported on the cross bars  25  of the cargo supporting structure  20  can be supported just as securely with the structure  20  in the lowered position as when the structure  20  is disposed over the roof portion  12   a  of the vehicle  12 . 
     When the cargo supporting structure  20  is lifted into the intermediate position shown in FIG. 2, the cam lobe  128  rotates in accordance with rotational movement of the top frame member  24  (FIG. 1) into the position shown in FIG.  13 . This rotation of the cam lobe  128  allows the spring  138  to bias the first end  136  of the locking bar  122  upwardly into the position shown in FIG.  15 . In this position the locking bar  122  is now able to clear the notch  142 . Accordingly, the entire articulating mechanism  18  may be urged forwardly (i.e., to the right in the drawings of FIGS. 12-15) through the C-shaped channels  16   a  in each of the rear supports  16 . This unlocking action is further accomplished automatically by simply raising the free end  28  of the cargo supporting structure  20  into the intermediate position shown in FIG.  2 . 
     Once the individual has raised the cargo supporting structure  20  into the position shown in FIG. 2, the entire cargo supporting structure can be pushed forwardly until the structure  20  is positioned over the roof portion  12   a  of the vehicle  12 . During the initial six-nine inches of forward travel, the axle portions  24   a  slide forwardly within the elongated slots  124  before contacting forward ends  124   b  of the slots  124 . This six-nine inches of “travel” provides the distance necessary to place the pivot axis defined by the axle portions  24   a  sufficiently behind the vehicle  12  so that the vehicle  12  does not interfere with lowering pivotal movement of the cargo supporting structure  20 . 
     Another important advantage of the articulating mechanisms  18  is that they effectively allow the top frame member  24  to be positioned rearward of the pivot axis of the liftgate  12   b  of the vehicle  12  such that the cargo supporting structure  20  can be lifted with the liftgate  12   b  without first having to place the structure  20  over the roof portion  12   a  of the vehicle  12 . Thus, access can easily be gained to the rear of the vehicle  12  once the cargo supporting structure  20  and liftgate  12   b  are both in the raised position. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 11 and 17, the securing of one of the lower locking assemblies  30  to one of the upper locking assemblies  36  (also shown in FIG. 3) will be described. Each of the upper locking assemblies  36  comprises a housing  146  which is preferably integrally formed with an associated one of the rear supports  16 . Within the housing  146  is upstanding structure  148  and a transversely extending latch member  150 . When the cargo supporting structure  20  is to be secured over the roof portion  12   a  of the vehicle  12 , it is urged into position over the roof portion  12   a  such that the lower locking assembly  30  is over, but slightly forwardly, of the upstanding structure  148 . The locking assembly  30  can then be lowered into an interior area of the housing  146 . As the lower locking assembly  30  is lowered into the interior area of the housing  146 , the lip portion  102  of the latch lever  84  contacts an upper edge  150   a  of the transversely extending latch member  150  and pivots slightly against the biasing force of the spring  96  so as to clear the edge  150   a . The lip portion  102  then latches under the latch structure  150 . In the position shown in FIG. 17, the lower locking assembly  30  is secured against movement. 
     Unlocking of the lower locking assembly  30  is accomplished by a user grasping and rotating the rotatable sleeve  60 , which causes the latching lever  84  to pivot counterclockwise in the drawing of FIG.  17 . While holding the rotatable sleeve  60  in its rotated position against the biasing force of spring  96 , the user may then push the entire cargo supporting structure  20  forwardly just slightly before lifting the free end  28  of the structure  20  and then pulling same away from the vehicle  12  into the position shown in FIG.  2 . Accordingly, unlatching of the cargo support structure  20  from the position shown in FIG. 3 can be accomplished by the user merely grasping the rotatable sleeve  60  and, from a single position behind the vehicle  12 , articulating the actuator bar assembly  26  to clear the upper locking assembly  36 . Thus, there is no need for the user to separately unlock each of the lower locking assemblies  30 . This significantly adds to the convenience and ease in using the apparatus  10 . 
     From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that the apparatus  10  of the present invention provides an articulatable article carrier assembly which enables cargo to be carried either in a generally horizontal position over the liftgate of a vehicle, or on top of the vehicle, depending upon the user&#39;s preference. The apparatus  10  of the present invention significantly eases the manner with which cargo may be loaded, since the cargo need not be positioned directly on top of the vehicle  12  but rather on the cross bars  25  while the cargo supporting structure  20  is disposed over the liftgate  12   b . In this regard, it will be appreciated that one or both of the cross bars  25  could include perpendicularly extending portions which serve to temporarily support cargo which is positioned on the cross bars  25  when the cargo supporting structure  20  is in the lowered position shown in FIG.  1 . The apparatus  10  can further be locked and unlocked from the position shown in FIGS. 1-3 with a simple, single movement of the rotatable sleeve  26 , which thus serves to significantly enhance the ease with which the cargo supporting structure  20  can be moved between its various positions. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 18 and 19, an alternative embodiment  200  of the multi-position, articulating, vehicle article carrier apparatus is illustrated. The apparatus  200  includes a cargo supporting structure  202  comprising a pair of cross bars  204  and a pair of side members  206  (only one being visible). With the apparatus  200 , however, a pair of rear supports  208  and a pair of front, supports  210  are used to support the cargo supporting structure  202  above the outer body surface  12   a  of the vehicle  12 . Each rear support  208  includes a suitable latching structure which can be actuated through opening and closing of a pivoting lever  209  to engage a suitably shaped cavity  212  (FIG. 19) in an outer body surface portion  214  of the vehicle  12 . The front-supports  210  each include a latching structure therein which can be locked and unlocked via a liftable locking lever  216  (shown in phantom in the lifted position in FIG.  19 ). 
     When the apparatus  200  is in the position shown in FIG. 18, the cargo supporting structure  202  is disposed over the roof portion  12   a  of the vehicle  12 . The internal locking structure within the front supports  210  secures the front supports to conventional slats  218  which are fixedly secured to the roof portion  12   a  of the vehicle  12 , and which each include channels which captively hold portions of the front supports  210  to the slats  218 . This construction for the slats and the interengagement of the front supports  210  with the slats  218  to permit sliding movement of the front supports  210  along the slats  218  is well known in the art. Patents of the assignee of the present application which disclose suitable constructions for the locking assembly of the front support  210 , which could be utilized with little or no modifications, are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,899,917; 4,972,983; 4,982,886; 5,385,285 and 5,579,970, which are all incorporated by reference herein. In FIG. 19, the cargo supporting structure  202  is shown disposed over the liftgate  12   b  of the vehicle  12 . The rear supports  208  can be locked at one of a plurality of positions defined by cavities  212 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 20 and 21, a multi-position, articulating, vehicle article carrier  300  in accordance with yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention is shown. The apparatus  300  is similar to the apparatus  200  and includes a cargo supporting structure  302  comprised of a pair of cross bars  304  and a pair of side members  306  (only one being visible). The cargo supporting structure  302  is supported above the roof portion  12   a  of the vehicle  12  by a pair of rear supports  308  and a pair of front supports  310  (with only one of each support  308  and  310  being visible). The front supports  310  are disposed on conventional slats  312  such that the front supports  310  can be moved slidably along the slats. The slats  312  are fixedly secured to the roof portion  12   a  of the vehicle  12 . Each slat  312  further includes a latching assembly  314  to which one of the rear supports  308  may be releasably secured. 
     To move the cargo supporting structure  302  from the position shown in FIG. 20 into the position shown in FIG. 21, the user first unlatches the front supports  310  by pulling outwardly on lever portions  316  of each of the front supports  310 . This unlocks each front support  310  from its associated slat  312  and allows the front support  310  to be slid along its associated slat  312 . Each rear support  308  is also unlatched from its associated latching assembly  314  by lifting a latching lever  318 . The cross bar  304  extending between the rear supports  308  can then be lifted off of the latching assemblies  314 , and the entire cargo supporting structure  302  pulled rearward so as to extend over the liftgate  12   b . The rear supports  308  are then latched to suitable latching structures formed in the liftgate  12   b  at areas  322 . The front supports  310  are then latched by closing the levers  316 , which causes them to be locked on the slats  312  at the position shown in FIG.  21 . If desired, notches  324  (one of which is shown in FIG. 20) could be formed in the slats  312  to define a specific position at which the front supports  312  must be placed in before same can be locked to the slats  312 . 
     The apparatus  300  also provides a coupling member  326  associated with each front support  310  which provides two pivot points  328  and  330 . These two points of rotation are needed because the point of rotation about which the liftgate  12   b  rotates is laterally offset of the point of rotation of the cargo supporting structure  302 . This allows the cargo supporting structure  302  to be easily articulated, together with the liftgate  12   b , as the liftgate  12   b  is lifted, and without the need to first unlock the front supports  310  or the rear supports  308 . Thus the apparatus  10  can be lifted simultaneously from the position shown in FIG. 21 into an intermediate position, wherein the cargo supporting structure  302  extends generally horizontally outwardly from the roof portion  12   a , such as in FIG. 2, before being pushed onto a position over the roof portion  12   a , without any binding action occurring at the coupling member  326 . 
     Referring to FIG. 22, an articulating vehicle article carrier  400  is shown in accordance with another alternative embodiment of the present invention. The article carrier  400  differs from the previous embodiments in that it is not able to be positioned on top of the roof of vehicle  402 , but is quickly and easily removable from the vehicle  402  when it is not needed. Furthermore, the construction of the article carrier  400  is such that it is able to be placed in a compact arrangement, once removed, so that it can be stored conveniently within an area such as a garage, or even within a cargo area of the vehicle itself. 
     With further reference to FIG. 22, a pair of supports  404  are fixedly secured to a roof portion  406  of a vehicle  402 . A cargo supporting structure  410  having a pair of upper coupling links  412  are pivotally attached to the supports at first ends  414  thereof. Second ends  416  are attached to a first or upper pair of pivot assemblies  418 . The pivot assemblies  418  are also attached to first ends  420  of a pair of main support members  422 . These support members  422  are illustrated as tubular, slightly curving members, but it will be appreciated that they could just as easily comprise different cross-sectional shapes. The main support members  422  are preferably comprised of aluminum to provide very light weight yet structurally strong members. 
     The main support members  422  are attached at second ends  424  thereof to a second pair of pivot assemblies  426 . The second pair of pivot assemblies  426  are each in turn releasably engageable with a pair of anchor assemblies  428 . Each of the anchor assemblies  428  are fixedly secured to a liftgate  408  of the vehicle  408 . The cargo supporting structure  410  thus is positioned over the liftgate  408  when in use. Since the cargo supporting structure  410  is very lightweight, the presence of the structure  410  adds very little additional weight to the liftgate  408  when the liftgate is being lifted by a user. Thus, to the user, the effort required to lift the liftgate is almost the same whether or not the cargo supporting structure  410  is attached to the vehicle  408 . FIG. 23 shows the article carrier  400  with the liftgate  408  in its raised position. 
     The cargo supporting structure  410  also preferably includes at least one, and more preferably a pair, of cross bars  430  supported on the main support members  422 . Each of the cross bars  430  includes a mounting arm  432  at each of its opposite ends which are secured to a respective one of the main support members  422  at a predetermined position by a manually engageable fastening member  434 . This coupling is shown in greater detail in FIG.  23 A. The manually engageable fastening member  434  has an enlarged, manually graspable portion  434   a  and a partially threaded portion  434   b . The partially threaded portion  434   b  threadably engages with a tapped hole  434   c  within each mounting arm  432 . A rivnut  435  is also preferably included for allowing the cross bar  430  to be attached parallel to the support member  422  when the article carrier  400  is detached from the vehicle  408 . This feature will be described in greater detail momentarily. 
     An additional feature of the cargo supporting structure  410  is that the cross bars  430  can be secured to the main support members  422  as illustrated in FIG. 24 when the structure  410  is removed from the vehicle  408  for storage. This is accomplished by the rivnut fastener  435  shown in FIG. 23A being included at a predetermined point along the length of each cross bar  430  to allow the separated cross bar  430  to be reattached via the fastening member  434  while positioned parallel to it. This also requires forming a hole at the proper point along the length of each support member  422  by which the fastening member  434  can be extended through. Each main support member  422  can then be handled separately in a compact configuration with one of the cross bars  430  attached to it. It will be appreciated that a variety of attachment or clamping mechanisms could readily be used to releasably secure the cross bars  430  generally parallel to the main support members  422 . It will also be appreciated that the mounting arm  432  could be formed with one or more loop portions to facilitate the attachment of bungee cords or other fastening straps or cords. FIG. 24 also illustrates an alternative preferred form of mounting arm  432 ′ having such a loop portion  433 ′. 
     Referring to FIG. 25, the construction of one of the upper pivot assemblies  418  can be seen. It will be appreciated, however, that the construction of each of the lower pivot assemblies  426  is identical to that shown in FIG. 25. A first pivot element  439  includes a tubular free flange portion  439   a  having an enlarged connecting ring  438 . A second pivot element  441  also includes a tubular free flange portion  441   a  and an enlarged connecting ring  440  having a slot  442  formed therein. The free flange portion  439   a  is intended to be coupled to the second end  416  of the upper coupling link  412  with threaded fasteners or other conventional fastening means, while the free flange portion  441   a  of the second pivot element  441  is intended to be secured to an end of one of the main support members  422 . 
     The slot  442  is just slightly wider than the width of the connecting ring  438  such that it is able to receive the connecting ring  438  therein. First and second identical coupling elements  444  each include an enlarged shoulder portion  446  and a hub portion  448 . The hub portion  448  has an outer diameter which permits it to snugly slide within the connecting rings  440  and  438  when the two rings  440  and  438  are coupled together. The hub portion  448  includes a pair of slots  450  each having a somewhat flexible arm  452 . The slots  450  open in opposite directions. 
     The two coupling elements  444  are secured to each other by first pressing each into the assembled connecting rings  438  and  440  from opposite sides. The coupling elements  444  are then rotated slightly such that the arms  452  of each coupling element are aligned with the slot  450  of the other coupling element. Then the coupling elements  444  can be rotated in different directions, which causes each arm  452  to snap into engagement with the slot  450  of the opposite coupling element  444 . At this point the first and second pivot elements  439  and  441  will be securely held together while permitting pivotal movement of the upper coupling link  412  relative to its associated main support member  422 . The opening formed in each pivot assembly also functions as a tie-down area where bungee cords or the like can be attached. 
     An alternative pivot assembly  460  is shown in FIG.  26 . Pivot assembly  460  is similar to assembly  440  with the exception of a single piece locking hub  462 . The locking hub includes a pair of shoulder portions  464  and  464   a  spaced apart by a central hub portion  466 . One or more slots  468  are formed to extend into the central hub portion  466  from the shoulder portion  464   a . When the locking hub  462  is inserted into the assembled combination of connecting rings  438  and  440 , with the shoulder portion  464   a  being inserted first, that shoulder portion will compress slightly as it is forced through the connecting rings  438  and  440 . As it clears the second connecting ring  440   a  it snaps out to lock the locking hub  462  within the connecting ring  440 . Each of the first pivot assemblies  418  and second pivot assemblies  426 , as well as the alternative pivot assembly  460  shown in FIG. 26, are all preferably made from high strength plastic but could also be formed from other suitably strong and lightweight materials. 
     With reference to FIG. 27, one of the supports  404  can be seen to include a recess  470  in which the first end  414  of one of the upper coupling links  412  is positioned. A conventional, manually engageable locking wheel  472  having a threaded shaft  474  extends through openings  476  in the first end  414  and into a threaded recess  478 . When the locking wheel  472  is completely removed from the support  404  the upper coupling link  412  can be completely removed from the support. 
     Referring now to FIG. 28, one of the anchor assemblies  428  is shown. The anchor assembly  428  includes a flange portion  480  having a pair of openings  482 . The openings  482  accommodate conventional fastening elements  483  that are used to secure the flange portion  480  to a suitable reinforcing member  484  within the liftgate  408 . 
     The anchor assembly  428  also includes a tubular neck portion  486  integrally formed with or otherwise secured to the flange portion  480 , and having a tapering end  486   a . The neck portion  486  has an opening  488  for receiving therethrough a locking element  490 . The locking element  490  is inserted from the rear (i.e., initially through the flange portion  480 ) into the interior area of the tubular neck portion  486 . The locking element  490  includes a biasing element  492  which is a Z-shaped piece of spring steel having a head portion  494  sized to protrude through the opening  488 . The head portion  494  preferably has a beveled edge. 
     With reference to FIG. 29, to connect the lower pivot assembly  428  to its associated anchor assembly  428  the free flange portion  438   a  is pushed over the tubular neck portion  486 . The free flange portion  438   a  includes an opening  496  aligned with the opening  488  in the neck portion when the free flange portion is urged over the neck portion  486 . When this occurs, the head portion  494  of the locking element  490  is momentarily depressed as the free flange portion  438   a  initially slides over the neck portion  486 . As soon as the opening  496  reaches the opening  488 , the head portion  494  snaps into the opening  488 . To release the free flange portion  438   a , the user pushes down on the head portion  494  and pulls the free flange portion  438   a  away from the neck portion  486 . The beveled edge of the head portion  494  assists in causing the head portion  494  to be retracted. 
     Referring to FIG. 30, an articulating vehicle article carrier  500  is shown in accordance with another alternative embodiment of the present invention. The article carrier  500  differs from the previous embodiments in that it is not able to be positioned on top of the roof of vehicle  502 , but is quickly and easily removable from the vehicle  502  when it is not needed. Furthermore, the construction of the article carrier  500  is such that it is able to be placed in a compact arrangement, once removed, so that it can be stored conveniently within an area such as a garage, or even within a cargo area of the vehicle itself. 
     With further reference to FIGS. 30 and 31, a pair of supports  504  are fixedly secured to a roof portion  506  of the vehicle  502 . A cargo supporting structure  510  includes a pair of upper coupling links  512 . The pair of upper coupling links  512  are pivotally attached to the supports  504  at first ends  514  via an upper connection assembly  513 , which will be described below. Second ends  516  are attached to a first or upper pair of pivot assemblies  518 . The pivot assemblies  518  are also attached to first ends  520  of a pair of main support members  522 . These support members  522  are illustrated as generally rectangular, slightly curving members, but it will be appreciated that they could just as easily comprise different cross-sectional shapes. The main support members  522  are preferably comprised of aluminum to provide very light weight yet structurally strong members. 
     The main support members  522  are attached at second ends  524  thereof to a lower locking assembly  526 . The lower locking assemblies  526  are each in turn releasably engageable with either a pair of anchor assemblies  528  (FIG.  31 ), which are fixedly secured to a liftgate  508  of the vehicle  502 , or a pair of latching assemblies  527  disposed in the vehicle bumper  529  (FIG.  31 ). The cargo supporting structure  510  thus is positioned over the liftgate  508  when in use. Since the cargo supporting structure  510  is very lightweight, the presence of the structure  510  adds very little additional weight to the liftgate  508  when the liftgate is being lifted by a user. Thus, to the user, the effort required to lift the liftgate is almost the same whether or not the cargo supporting structure  510  is attached to the vehicle  502  and is raised in a manner generally consistent with previous embodiments described above. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 30-35, the cargo supporting structure  510  also preferably includes at least one, and more preferably a pair, of cross bars  530  supported on the main support members  522 . Each of the cross bars  530  includes a mounting portion  532  at each of its opposite ends which are secured to a respective one of the main support members  522  at a predetermined position by a manually engageable fastening member  534 . This coupling is shown in greater detail in FIG.  32 . Mounting portion  532  in turn is secured to cross bar  530  via thread fasteners  530   a  or other conventional fasteners. 
     As best seen in FIGS. 32,  34 , and  35 , the manually engageable fastening member  534  has an enlarged, manually graspable portion  534   a  and a threaded internal portion  534   b . The threaded internal portion  534   b  threadably engages with a threaded screw member  534   c  Threaded screw member  534   c  extends from a generally inverted T-shaped mounting member  534   d , which is disposed within a track  522   a  formed in main support member  522 . As best seen in FIGS. 33 and 34, mounting portion  532  of cross bar  530  generally includes a pair of generally identical protruding mounting flanges  532   a . The pair of mounting flanges  532   a  are each sized to slide within track  522   a  of main support member  522  to permit vertical adjustment of cross bar  530 . To facilitate insertion of cross bar  530  within track  522   a  of main support member  522 , main support member  522  further includes a notched area  522   b  sized to enable cross bar  530  to be slid into track  522   a.    
     Referring to FIGS. 31,  32 , and  36 , the construction of the pivot assemblies  518  can be seen. A first pivot element  539  includes a tubular flange portion  539   a . A second pivot element  541  also includes a pair of tubular flange portions  541   a . The tubular flange portion  539   a  is intended to be pivotally coupled to the pair of tubular flange portions  541   a  via a connection rod  543 . The first pivot element  539  is fixedly coupled to the second end  516  of the upper coupling link  512  with threaded fasteners  539   b  or other conventional fastening means, while the second pivot element  541  is intended to be secured to an end of one of the main support members  522  via threaded fasteners  541   b  or other conventional fastening means. 
     Referring to FIGS. 31,  37 , and  38 , the construction of upper connection assembly  513  can be seen. Upper connection assembly  513  includes a main member  544  and a pivoting member  546 . Pivoting member  546  is pivotally coupled to main member  544  via a connecting pin  548 . Pivoting member  546  is biased in a closed position by a torsional spring  549  such that pivoting member  546  and main member  544  cooperate to secure the article carrier  500  to the pair of supports  504  of the vehicle  502 . More particularly, pivoting member  546  and main member  544  retain a transverse connection pin  550 , which extends from each of the pair of supports  504 , within a retaining channel  552  formed by pivoting member  546  and main member  544 . The main member  544  is fixedly coupled to the first end  514  of the upper coupling link  512  with threaded fasteners  544   a  or other conventional fastening means. Upper connection assembly  513  can be released from connection with transverse connection pin  550  of support  504  by applying a compressing force to pivoting member  546  to overcome the biasing force of torsional spring  549 . 
     Similarly, referring now to FIGS. 31,  39 ,  40 , and  41 , the construction of lower locking assembly  526  is seen. Lower locking assembly  526  includes a main member  554  and a pivoting member  556 . Pivoting member  556  is pivotally coupled to main member  554  via a connecting pin  558 . Pivoting member  556  is biased in a closed position by a compression spring  560  such that pivoting member  556  and main member  554  cooperate to secure the article carrier  500  to the anchor assembly  528 . More particularly, as best seen in FIGS. 38 and 40, pivoting member  556  and main member  554  retain a transverse connection pin  562 , which extends from each of the pair of anchor assemblies  528 , within a retaining channel  564  formed by pivoting member  556  and main member  554 . It should be noted that a second transverse connection pin  562   a  extends from the latching assemblies  527  disposed in the vehicle bumper  529 . Therefore, during operation, lower locking assembly  526  is preferably coupled to the anchor assembly.  528  to facilitate raising of the liftgate  508 . However, while transporting articles upon the article carrier  500 , lower locking assembly  526  is preferably coupled to latching assembly  527  disposed in the vehicle bumper  529 . This arrangement provides additional carrying capacity afforded by the structural support of the bumper  529 . However, it should be understood that the liftgate  508  may be constructed such that it alone can carry the weight of the additional articles fastened to cargo supporting structure  510 , which may eliminate the need for latching assembly  527 . 
     The main member  554  is fixedly coupled to the second end  524  of the main support member  522  with threaded fasteners  554   a  or other conventional fastening means. Lower locking assembly  526  can be released from connection with transverse connection pin  562  of anchor assembly  528  by applying a compressing force to pivoting member  556  to overcome the biasing force of compression spring  560 , thereby opening retaining channel  564  to remove transverse connection pin  562 . 
     Accordingly, it should be appreciated that upper coupling link  512 , main support member  522 , liftgate  508 , and the roof of vehicle  502  together define a four-bar linkage that is capable of pivoting when liftgate  508  is actuated. 
     Referring to FIGS. 42-47, an articulating vehicle article carrier  600  is shown in accordance with yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention. The article carrier  600  differs from the previous embodiments in that it is not able to be positioned on top of the roof of vehicle  602 , but is quickly and easily removable from the vehicle  602  when it is not needed. Furthermore, the construction of the article carrier  600  is such that it is able to be placed in a compact arrangement, once removed, so that it can be stored conveniently within an area such as a garage, or even within a cargo area of the vehicle itself. Moreover, the article carrier  600  is also able to be automatically disengaged from the vehicle bumper  629  upon opening of the liftgate  608 . 
     The structure and operation of the present embodiment is similar to that described above, therefore in the interest of brevity such structure and operation will not be repeated herein, except where otherwise noted. The present embodiment differs primarily from the previous embodiment in the design and operation of the lower locking assembly  626 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 42 and 43, the main support member  622  is attached at a second end  624  thereof to a lower locking assembly  626 . Lower locking assembly  626  is in turn releasably engageable with either a liftgate anchor  628 , which is fixedly secured to a liftgate  608  of the vehicle  602 , or a bumper anchor  627  mounted to or disposed in vehicle bumper  629 . The cargo supporting structure  610  thus is positioned over the liftgate  608  when in use. 
     Still referring to FIGS. 42 and 43, the construction of lower locking assembly  626  is seen. Lower locking assembly  626  includes a main member  664  and a pivoting member  666 . Pivoting member  666  is pivotally coupled to main member  664  via a connecting pin  658 . Pivoting member  666  is biased in a closed position by a compression spring  660  such that pivoting member  666  and main member  664  cooperate to secure the article carrier  600  to the bumper anchor  627 . More particularly, as best seen in FIGS. 43-47, pivoting member  666  includes a hooked end portion  667 , a liftgate engaging slot  669  (FIGS.  44  and  45 ), and a hand release  671 . As will be described below and illustrated in the figures, liftgate engaging slot  669  is in fact a cooperating set of two slots—a first slot  669   a  formed in pivoting member  666  (FIG. 43) and a second slot  669   b  formed in main member  664  (FIG.  43 ). First slot  669   a  and second slot  669   b  are slightly offset relative to each other (see FIGS. 44 and 45) to effect a pivoting movement of pivoting member  666  about connecting pin  658  (see FIG.  44 ). 
     Accordingly, hooked end portion  667  (FIG. 43) of pivoting member  666  cooperates with a bumper striker slot  673  (FIG. 43) formed in main member  664  to retain a bumper striker  662 , which extends from bumper anchors  627 . Bumper striker  662  is thus retained with a retaining channel  670  (FIGS. 44 and 45) formed by hooked end portion  667  of pivoting member  666  and bumper striker slot  673  formed in main member  664 . 
     During operation, the present embodiment enables an automatic and reliable means of disengaging/engaging article carrier  600  from vehicle bumper  629 . In order to open liftgate  608  of vehicle  602 , while article carrier  600  is fixedly coupled to vehicle bumper  629 , an operator need only unlatch liftgate  608  and begin raising liftgate  608  in a conventional manner. As seen in FIG. 44, during this raising process a liftgate striker  631 , which extends from liftgate anchor  628  on liftgate  608 , is first spaced apart and disengaged from liftgate engaging slot  669 . Upon further actuation, as seen in FIG. 45, liftgate striker  631  of liftgate anchor  628  engages liftgate engaging slot  669 . The force of liftgate striker  631  entering liftgate engaging slot  669  drives pivoting member  666  clockwise (in the figure) about connecting pin  658 . This movement retracts hooked end portion  667  of pivoting member  666  from bumper striker slot  673  (FIG. 46) permitting unobstructed withdrawal of bumper striker  662  of bumper anchor  627 . Upon continued lifting of liftgate  608 , lower locking assembly  626  and thus article carrier  600  now becomes automatically coupled to liftgate  608  rather than bumper anchor  627  on vehicle bumper  629 . During a latching operating, the opposite occurs-retracting of liftgate  608  causes bumper striker slot  673  to engage bumper striker  662  until liftgate striker  631  retracts from slot  669 , whereby hooked end portion  667  extends and retains bumper striker  662 . 
     Article carrier  600  may also be manually disengaged from bumper striker  662  simply by compressing hand release  671  and driving pivoting member  666  clockwise (in the figure) about connecting pin  658 . This movement retracts hooked end portion  667  of pivoting member  666  from bumper striker slot  673  (FIG. 46) permitting unobstructed manual withdrawal of bumper striker  662  of bumper anchor  627 . 
     Accordingly, it should be appreciated that upper coupling link  612 , main support member  622 , liftgate  608 , and the roof of vehicle  602  together define a four-bar linkage that is capable of pivoting when liftgate  608  is actuated. 
     The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.