Vehicle rack system

A rack system for vehicles such as pickup trucks comprises a number of base supports each clamped atop one of the opposed vehicle side walls by effective but economical clamping devices, a side rail mounted to each base support in an aesthetically pleasing fashion, and, tie-down devices releasably secured to cross bars extending between side rails located on opposite side walls of the vehicle.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a rack system for vehicles, and, more particularly, to a rack system for pickup trucks and similar vehicles including improved structure for clamping to the side walls of the vehicle, novel tie-downs and an enhanced aesthetic appearance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Rack systems for mounting ladders and other equipment to the bed of pickup trucks and similar vehicles are well known in the prior art. Most systems of this type generally comprise a framework of four or more upright side rails, two of which are mounted atop or alongside one of the side walls of the truck with the other two located on the opposite sidewall. Cross bars are connected between aligning side rails on opposite side walls so that they span the bed of the truck in position to support equipment or materials in an elevated position above the truck bed.

Many owners of pickup trucks are reluctant to permanently mount a rack system or any other device to the vehicle, or to attach such items in a way that would leave mounting holes or the like in the side walls or bed of the truck in the event the rack system or other device is ever removed. This issue has been addressed in the prior art by rack systems which provide one or more base supports adapted to clamp onto the side walls of the truck. Typically, these base support(s) rest atop one of the side walls of the truck in position to support one or both of the upright side rails of the rack system noted above. The joint connection between the base support(s) and upright side rails is typically cumbersome, or, at best, of limited aesthetic appeal. Further, the clamping devices employed to secure the base support(s) to the side walls of the truck are in many cases overly complicated and expensive.

Tie-down devices are also commonly used in rack systems for vehicles in order to secure ladders of other items atop the cross bars described above. Most prior art tie-downs suffer from one or more limitations, e.g. it is difficult to adjust their position along the cross bars, or they are not easily mounted to and removed from the cross bars and/or they lack versatility in how rope, cords or other securing means may be mounted to the tie-down and to the items to be secured on the rack system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to a rack system for vehicles such as pickup trucks comprising a number of base supports each clamped atop one of the opposed vehicle side walls by effective but economical clamping devices, a side rail mounted to each base support in an aesthetically pleasing fashion, and, tie-down devices releasably secured to cross bars extending between side rails located on opposite side walls of the vehicle.

In one aspect of this invention, clamping devices are provided having three legs that are spaced from one another. Two of the legs capture a base support between them, and a third leg receives a bolt in position to engage the vehicle side wall thus clamping the base support in place. The base supports may be easily removed from the vehicle by loosening the bolts, and no holes or the like are left in the side walls or bed of the vehicle.

A side rail is mounted to each base support via threaded fasteners extending from underneath such base supports into an internally threaded bore formed in a base plate located in the lower end of each side rail. In order to improve the aesthetics of the rack system, an adaptor is position over the point of connection between each side rail and base support. Each adaptor has an outer wall which encircles the bottom end of each side rail and rests atop the base support. Each adaptor is held in place by an internal plate through which the threaded fasteners extend so that when the side rails are tightened down on the base supports, the internal plate of each adaptor is captured between one of the side rails and base supports.

In another aspect of this invention, a number of tie-down devices are provided which may be easily and rapidly mounted in any location along the length of the cross bars of the rack system. Each tie-down device has a number of convenient locations to which a rope, cord or other securing means may be attached in order to mount equipment or materials atop the rack assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the Figs., a pickup truck10is schematically depicted having a side wall12, an opposed side wall14and a floor16between them which collectively define a bed18located behind the cab19. The terms “front” and “forward” when used herein refer to a location proximate the cab19of the truck10, whereas the terms “rear” and “rearward” denote the opposite end of the bed18. The rack system20of this invention generally comprises a forward rack structure22and a rear rack structure24which are essentially identical to one another. Each rack structure22,24includes a base support26located on the side wall12of the truck10, and a second base support26located on the opposite side wall14in substantial alignment with the first base support26. Each base support26mounts an upright side rail28, and a cross bar30is connected at opposite ends to each side rail28so that it extends between the side walls12,14of the truck10in position above the bed18. One or more tie-downs32, described below, may be mounted to each of the cross bars30for securing equipment, materials and other items to the rack system20.

As best seen inFIGS. 1,2and3, each base support26is formed in and L-shape including a top plate32having a recess33extending along its length, and a side plate34substantially perpendicular to the top plate32. The side plate34is preferably formed with a downwardly extending lip35. The upper portion of each side wall12,14of the truck10has a channel36that extends along the length of the bed18in the forward to rearward direction. The channel36has and upper wall37, an inner wall38and a lower wall39. The base support26is positioned with respect to the truck bed18so that its top plate32overlies the upper wall37of the channel36and its side plate34abuts the inner wall38of channel36.

At least one, and preferably two, clamping devices40are provided to mount each base support26to one of the side walls12or14. Each clamping device40includes a clamp body42comprising an upper leg44, a lower leg46and an intermediate leg48located between the upper and lower legs44,46. As shown inFIG. 2, the upper leg44has a downwardly extending leading edge50that fits into the recess33formed in the top plate32of base support26. The intermediate leg48of clamping device40forms a seat52that receives the lip35of the side plate34of base support26, such that the base support26is essentially captured between the upper and intermediate legs44,48. The lower leg46of the clamping device40extends generally parallel to and spaced from the lower wall39of the channel36. A bolt54or other fastener is threaded through a bore formed in the lower leg46of clamping device40and into engagement with the lower wall39of channel36to secure the base support26to the side wall12or14of the truck bed18.

Referring now toFIGS. 3 and 4, in order to improve the aesthetics of the rack system20of this invention, an adaptor56is placed over the joint connection between each side rail28and base support26. Each adaptor56has an outer wall58defining a hollow interior within which an internal plate62is mounted. The internal plate62is formed with two through bores64,66. One adaptor56fits over the lower end of each side rail28such that the bottom edge68of the side rail engages the internal plate62of the adaptor56. A base plate70, shown in phantom inFIG. 3, is mounted within the hollow, lower end of each side rail28so that internally threaded bores (not shown) in the base plate70align with the bores64,66in the internal plate62of the adaptor56. One side rail28and one adaptor56are placed atop a base support26so that holes72,74formed in the base support26align with the bores64,66in the internal plate62of adaptor56and with the internally threaded bores in the base plate70of side rail28. A fastener76is extended through each of the holes72,74in base support26, and through the bores64,66in internal plate62, into the internally threaded bores in the base plate70of side rail28to secure both the side rail28and adaptor56to the base support26. Preferably, the adaptors56are formed of plastic or other resilient material, and are intended for aesthetic purposes rather than as a means of securing the side rails28to the base supports26.

As noted above, one or more tie-down devices32may be mounted to each of the cross bars30for securing equipment, materials and other items to the rack system20. Referring toFIGS. 5 and 6, each tie-down device32includes a tie-down body80and a clamping member82. The tie-down body80comprises a middle plate84, a foot section86and a curved center section88located between the middle plate and foot section84,86. An extension89is preferably connected at the base of the curved center section88of tie-down body80. A pair of outer ribs90and92are connected to or integrally formed at opposite ends of the middle plate84, and an inner rib94is joined to the middle plate84in between the outer ribs90,92. The outer ribs90,92extend outwardly from the middle plate84at an angle to one another, and connect together at an upper end thereof to form a generally triangular shape. The inner rib94connects to the outer ribs90,92at their upper end. One opening96is formed between the outer rib90and inner rib94, and a second opening98is formed between the outer rib92and inner rib94.

The clamping member82includes a head section100, a foot section102and a curved, center section104located in between the head and foot sections100,102. One end of the middle plate84is formed with a channel106which receives the head section100of the clamping member82, i.e. the head section100may be slid into the channel106and retained therein. With the head section100in place within channel106, the foot section102of clamping member82abuts the foot section86of tie-down body80so that internally threaded bores (not shown) in each foot section86,102align with one another. A fastener108is then tightened down in the threaded bores to urge the clamping member82and tie-down body80together so that a cross bar30is captured between them and the tie-down device32is securely mounted thereto. See alsoFIG. 1.

It can be appreciated that the tie-down devices32each provide a number of locations within which rope, cords or other securing means may be attached in order to retain equipment or materials on the cross bars30of the rack system10. Such securing means may be inserted through the openings96or98in the tie-down body80and connected to any one of the ribs90,92or94, as well as the middle plate84. Additionally, the extension89, which is located below the cross bars30when the tie-downs32are mounted in place, is capable of connecting rope, cord or other securing means.

With reference toFIG. 7, a ratchet device110is illustrated which is employed to connect and disconnect the fastener108to the tie-down32. The ratchet device110comprises a handle112connected to a socket potion114portion formed with a stepped cavity having an upper cavity portion116and a larger diameter lower cavity portion117. An annular plate118is mounted at the juncture of the upper and lower cavity portions116,117immediately above an internal coupling element, which, in the illustrated embodiment, may take the faun of internal teeth120arranged in a ring. A bore is formed in annular plate118which receives a spacer124having a head126and a threaded shaft128, e.g. the head126of the spacer124rests atop the annular plate118and its threaded shaft128extends through its bore into the lower cavity portion117. The fastener108has threaded shank129, and, a head section130formed with an internally threaded, blind bore (not shown) and external teeth134which mate with the internal teeth120in the stepped cavity of the socket portion114. The threaded shaft128of spacer124extends into the blind bore132of the fastener108to connect the spacer124and fastener108together. Preferably, a spring136extends around the spacer124in between the annular plate118and the head section130of the fastener108.

The ratchet device110is movable between an extended position and a retracted position. In the extended position, the head126of the spacer124rests on the annular plate118such that the external teeth134on the fastener108are spaced from the internal teeth120in the stepped cavity of the socket portion114. The spring136biases the fastener108to this extended position, acting between the annular plate118and the head section130of the fastener108. When in the extended position, the handle112and socket114of the ratchet device110freely rotate with respect to the fastener108. In order to secure the fastener108to the foot sections86and102of the tie-down body80and clamping member82, respectively, the socket114is urged toward the fastener108, overcoming the force exerted by spring136, to the retracted position in which the internal teeth120within the socket114engage the external teeth134on the head section130of the fastener108. With the internal and external teeth120,134engaged, the fastener108may be tightened down within the aligning threaded bores in the foot sections86and102. If the socket114is released, the spring136returns the ratchet device110to the extended position wherein the internal and external teeth120,134are disengaged.