Abstract:
For securing an object carrying device to a vehicle of type having a pair of opposed supports and a carrier bar extending therebetween, there are proposed a series of brackets and clip mechanisms which are mounted to each support of the object carrying device and which can be firmly attached to various types of gutters found on the roofs of different vehicles.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to brackets and clip mechanisms for securing utility racks to various vehicles and, more particularly, to different types of gutters and anchors provided on such vehicles. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     It is frequently necessary for owners of vehicles, such as cars, to install on the roof thereof a utility rack in order to carry on the utility rack various objects which are either too awkward or too large to be positioned within the vehicle, whereby it becomes preferable to carry these objects on the outside of the vehicle. Accordingly, many utility racks have been designed to be fastened to the vehicles with a view of carrying objects, such as skis, bicycles, sailboards, etc. Regardless of the areas of attachment to the vehicle, a carrying device such as a utility rack must meet certain criteria. For instance, the utility rack must be firmly attached to the vehicle and remain secure during all of the normal motions encountered by the vehicle, such as acceleration, deceleration, turns, and also sudden movements. The attachment points have to be firm and must be able to bear the weight of the intended load. The carrier should be easy to attach to and remove from the vehicle. If the carrying device is basically permanently mounted to the vehicle, the vehicle should not require any alteration whatsoever and should retain its original appearance if the carrying device is removed therefrom. 
     It is already well known to mount the utility rack in the grooves defined in the gutters which are located along the longitudinal edges of the roof of the vehicle, these gutters being called outside gutters as opposed to inside gutters which refer to gutters which are only visible when the doors of the vehicle are open. Various vehicles are now provided with different configuration of gutters as well as, in some cases, with anchors disposed in these gutters. It is thus necessary to provide utility racks having various anchoring mechanisms in order to allow them to be securely fastened to the vehicle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide various attachment mechanisms for securing utility racks to vehicles. 
     It is also an aim of the present invention to provide various attachment mechanisms which can be adapted to a single utility rack for allowing a same utility rack to be installed on various vehicles and, more particularly, on various configurations of gutters provided on the roofs of such vehicles. 
     Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a bracket for removably attaching an object carrying device to a vehicle of type having a pair of opposed supports and a carrier bar extending therebetween wherein at least one of the supports is capable of displacement along the carrier bar, said bracket being provided at each support, comprising a lower hook portion adapted to engage a protrusion of the roof of the vehicle, and an upper load bearing portion adapted to be fastened to the support and against an inside face thereof, such that once said hook portions of two brackets have been positioned outwardly of respective protrusions of the roof, at least once support is displaced inwardly such that said brackets engage the protrusions and thus secure the supports and the object carrying device to the roof, wherein outward anchoring stresses applied on said brackets are sustained by substantially the whole supports. 
     Also in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a clip mechanism for removably attaching an object carrying device to a roof gutter of a vehicle of type having a pair of opposed supports and a carrier bar extending therebetween, the gutter having therein an upwardly protruding anchor having opposed protruding ends, comprising a clip means having a pair of displaceable jaws and a web portion therebetween, a threaded member at said web portion, a bolt engaged in said threaded member, said bolt being mounted in the support, wherein rotation of said bolt causes said threaded to elevate thereby pulling on said web portion and forcing said jaws inwardly into engagement with the protruding ends of the gutter&#39;s anchor and thus securing the object carrying device to the roof. 
     Further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a clip mechanism for removably attaching an object carrying device to a roof gutter of a vehicle of type having a pair of opposed supports and a carrier bar extending therebetween, the gutter defining inwardly projecting upper lips, comprising a inverted U-shaped member having a pair of side arms defining lower hook portions, a bolt mounted in the support and extending through said U-shaped member, a spreading member located between said side arms and threadably engaging said bolt, wherein when said bolt is rotated said spreading member is forced to elevate thereby spreading said side arms such that said hook portion engage the lips of the gutter and thus securing the object carrying device to the roof. 
     Still further in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a bracket for removably attaching an object carrying device to a roof gutter of a vehicle of type having a pair of opposed supports and a carrier bar extending therebetween, the gutter having therein an upwardly extending partition defining at an upper end thereof a side anchor, comprising a lower hook portion adapted to engage the side anchor, support means adapted to abut the partition on a side opposite the side anchor thereof, and upper body having a threaded member, and a bolt mounted in the support and threadably engaging the threaded member, whereby, once said hook portion has been engaged to the side anchor with said support means being located on said opposite side of the partition, said bolt is rotated thereby elevating said body and firmly anchoring said hook portion to the side anchor of the partition wall of the gutter and thus securing the object carrying device to the roof. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one end of a utility rack in accordance with the present invention which is shown mounted to a gutter defined in the roof of a vehicle, this roof being only partly shown; 
     FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the utility rack of FIG. 1 which is provided with a first bracket in accordance with the present invention adapted to be secured to a roof of the vehicle; 
     FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 2 but showing how a support of the utility rack is translationally displaced inwardly and transversally along the roof of the vehicle for securing the utility rack thereto; 
     FIG. 4 is an end elevational view, partly in cross-section, of the utility rack of FIG. 1 provided with a first clip mechanism also in accordance with the present invention for attaching the utility rack to an anvil or a generally T-shaped anchor provided in the gutter of the roof of the vehicle, the utility rack being shown as the first clip mechanism is being lowered into the gutter in an expanded position thereof; 
     FIG. 5 is an end elevational view, partly in cross-section, similar to that of FIG. 3 but showing the first clip mechanism in a collapsed position and engaged to the T-shaped anchor thereby securing the utility rack to the roof of the vehicle; 
     FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the utility rack and first clip mechanism of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the utility rack of FIG. 1 provided with a second clip mechanism further in accordance with the present invention, herein shown in a collapsed position prior to engagement with the gutter defined in the roof of the vehicle; 
     FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view similar to that of FIG. 7 but showing the second clip mechanism in an expanded position thereof, thereby securing the utility rack to the roof of the vehicle; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a second bracket also in accordance with the present invention for use with the utility rack of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing how the second bracket of FIG. 9 is assembled to the roof of the vehicle; and 
     FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the bracket of FIG. 9 provided in the utility rack of FIG.  1  and securing the latter to the roof of the vehicle. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates part of a utility rack R provided at the opposed ends thereof with a pair of feet or supports  10 , only one such support  10  being shown in FIG.  1 . The utility rack R also includes a bridge or carrier bar  12  which joins both supports  10 . Each support  10  includes a high friction resilient and protective sole  14  for overlying a roof  16  (only partly shown in FIG. 1) of a vehicle which is not shown herein. The roof defines in FIG. 1 a gutter  18  with the support  10  being securely anchored thereto, as explained in details hereinbelow. The support  10  includes a hollow housing  20 , a pivotable door  22  to provide access to the inside of the housing  20 , this door  22  being lockable by way of a lock mechanism  24 . The door is adapted to pivot in a plane transversal to the roof  16  and along a longitudinal axis of the carrier bar  12 , as seen by arrow  26  (see FIG.  1 ). 
     Now referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a first bracket  28  is shown assembled to the support  10  of the utility rack R. The first bracket  28  includes a lower hook portion  30  adapted to engage the roof of the vehicle, an intermediate straight portion  32  defining a hole therein such that the first bracket  28  can be secured to the support  10  by way of bolt  34  and nut  36 , and an upper multi-hook portion  38  which includes two end elbows (not shown) adapted to abuttingly overly a structural member  40  of the support  10  and which further includes a pair of upper hooks  42 , located between the aforementioned end elbows, and adapted to be engaged in slots  44  (see FIGS. 4 and 5) located above the structural member  40 . Therefore, the first bracket  28  is engaged to the support  10  by its upper hooks  42  engaging the slots  44  and with the end elbows of the bracket  28  overlying the structural member  40  of the support  10 ; the intermediate portion  32  bears against the inner side wall of the structural member  40  and the lower hook portion  30  is adapted to engage a rib or protrusion defined by the roof. 
     It is noted that at least one of the end supports  10  of the utility rack R is capable of being displaced translationally along, and relative to, the carrier bar  12  such as to vary the span between the two supports  10 . In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the hook portions  30  of the brackets  28  of both supports  10  are sufficiently spaced apart such that they can be lowered and positioned outwardly of the roof&#39;s rib or protrusion which they will engage. Then, with the door  22  being open, bolt  46  is rotated (typically with an Allen key) along arrow  48  of FIG. 3 such as to displace the support  10  along arrow  50  respective to the carrier bar  12 . The inward transitional displacement of the support  10  causes the hook portions of both the brackets  28  to firmly engage the roof of the vehicle thereby solidly anchoring the utility rack R thereto. As opposed to prior art racks where the hook engaging the roof is disposed outwardly of the rack&#39;s foot support, the present first bracket  28  is disposed inwardly of the support  10  such that the load that the first bracket  28  is bearing when the rack R is secured to the roof is also being sustained by the whole support  10 , whereby the present invention provides a much more solid assembly of a roof engaging bracket with an end support of a rack. With the anchor plate or first bracket  28  on the inside of the support  10 , the support  10  does not deform under anchoring stress. 
     FIGS. 4 to  6  illustrate the utility rack R provided with a first clip mechanism  52  which includes a bolt  54 , an upper plate  56 , a threaded member  58  and a clip  60  provided with a pair of jaws  62 . Inside of the housing  20  of the support  10  there are provided a pair of horizontal structural merging walls  64  with the upper plate  56  being located above the upper one of these two walls  64  and with the bolt  54  extending through the upper plate  56  and through holes defined in the horizontal walls  64 . The head of the bolt  54  overlies the upper plate  56 . The bolt  54  threadably engages the threaded member  58  which has the form of a horizontal U. Between the two jaws  62  of the clip  60 , there is an upper web portion which defines an opening through which the bolt  54  freely extends. 
     FIG. 4 shows the clip  60  in its expanded position, wherein the jaws  62  are sufficiently spaced apart so that the support  10  can be lowered onto the roof with the jaws  62  outwardly clearing a trapezoidal anvil or T-shaped anchor  68  which is permanently secured inside a gutter  70  of the roof. Then, the bolt  54  is rotated as per arrow  72  of FIG. 5 and, as the bolt  54  is restricted by the upper horizontal wall  64 , the rotation thereof causes the threaded member  58  to rise (as per arrow  74 ) along the threaded body of the bolt  54 . As the threaded member  58  raises it brings therewith the web portion  66  of the clip  60  thereby causing the jaws  62  to pivot inwardly and downwardly along arrows  76 , and against their resiliency, as the utility rack R is held stationary onto the roof  16 . This pivot of the jaws  62  causes them to engage the side extensions of the T-shaped anchor  68 , whereby the support  10  becomes securely fastened to the T-shaped anchor  68  and thus to the roof  16  of the vehicle. As seen in FIG. 6, each jaw  62  includes a pair of sidewalls  78  which are joined at their lower edges by a bottom wall  80  thereby defining an opening  82  through which the T-shaped anchor  68  can extend. 
     FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a second clip mechanism  84  for use with a further gutter  86  provided in the roof  16  of the vehicle, the gutter  86  including a pair of inwardly projecting lips  88 . The second clip mechanism  84  comprises an elongated inverted U-shaped body  90  defining an opening  92  at its apex, a bolt  94  mounted in the housing  20  of the support  10  as in the case of bolt  54  of FIGS. 4 to  6  in that the bolt  94  extends through an opening  96  defined in structural members  64  of the support  10 , and an upper plate  98  disposed between the head of the bolt  94  and the structural members  64  of the support  10 . An elongated threaded bar  100  is located between a pair of side arms  102  of the U-shaped body  90 . The side arms each define at their lower ends a hook portion  104 . In FIG. 7, the threaded bar  100  is located along the bolt  94  such that the hook portions  104  are sufficiently closed together such that the clip mechanism  84  attached to the support  10  of the utility rack R can be lowered into the gutter  86 , the hook portions  104  inwardly clearly the lips  88  of the gutter  86  (see arrow  106 ) when forced therethrough against their resiliency with the hook portions  104  defining angled lower leading edges to facilitate the introduction of the hook portions through the lips  88  and into the gutter  86 . Once the hook portions  104  are below the lips  88 , the bolt  94  is rotated as per arrow  108  in FIG. 8 and, as the bolt  94  cannot displace downwardly, it causes the threaded bar  10  to raise within the U-shaped body  90  thereby causing the side arms  102  of the body  90  to spread as per arrows  110 , possibly against the resiliency of the body  90 , until the hook portions  104  become locked below the lips  88  of the gutter  86 , whereat the support  10  and the utility rack is firmly anchored to the roof  16 . 
     Now referring to FIGS. 9 to  11 , FIG. 9 specifically shows a second bracket  112  provided with an angled intermediate section  114 , an upper plate  116  integral to the angled section  114 , and a hook assembly integral and provided at the lower end of the angled section  114  and comprising a pair of straight end supports  118  and an elongated central hook portion  120 . A U-shaped threaded member  122  (similar to threaded member  58  of FIGS. 4 to  6 ) is disposed above and below the upper plate  116 . The threaded member  122  defines an upper opening  124  and a lower threaded hub  126  (best seen in FIGS. 9 and 10) with the upper plate  116  defining an opening  128  aligned with the threaded hub  126  and the upper opening  124  of the threaded member  122 . 
     Now more specifically referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, the second bracket  112  also includes a bolt  130  which threadably engages the threaded hub  126  of the threaded member  122 . The second bracket  112  is adapted to secure the utility rack R to a specific gutter  132  which includes a central raised wall  134  defining a side rib  136  at an upper end thereof. The second bracket  112  is first positioned at an angle (see bracket  112  in solid lines in FIG. 10) such that its central hook portion  120  can engage the side rib  136  while allowing the end supports  118  to slide above the central wall  134 , and then the bolt  130  is pivoted along arrow  138  until it adopts a position thereof shown in phantom lines in FIG. 10 whereat the central wall  134  of the gutter  132  is imprisoned between the end supports  118  and the central hook portion  120  which engages the side rib  136  of the central wall  134  of the gutter  132 . As seen in FIG. 11, the bolt  130  is then rotated as per arrow  140  and, as the bolt  130  cannot lower, it causes the threaded member  22  to displace upwardly along arrow  142  thereby pulling on the upper plate  116  of the second bracket  112  and thus firmly engaging the central hook portion  20  to the side rib  136 . 
     In all of the above embodiments, it is clear that access to the bolts  34 , 54 , 94  and  130  is only provided when the door  22  is open. Therefore, as the door  22  is provided with a lock mechanism  24 , only the user can open this door  22  and thus access the bolts  34 , 54 , 94  and  130  to remove the utility rack R from the roof  16  of the vehicle.