Structure for supporting articles against vehicles

A structure for supporting articles, such as skis in vertical orientation off of a vehicle includes an elongated, adjustable support bar having engagement clips disposed on opposite ends of the support bar. The engagement clips are interconnected by a resilient member extending through the support bar to apply an inwardly directed retention force to the clips. One or more article support members extend transversely from the support bar.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates generally to automotive article support 
structures, and more particularly to automotive ski supports. 
A variety of carriers have been developed for carrying skis on cars, 
trucks, van or other motor vehicles. Most often, these carriers support 
skis either on the roof or the rear of the vehicle. Although such carriers 
effectively convey the skis during travel, these carriers do not 
adequately support the skis when the skier is placing his or her skis in a 
manner which protects either the finish of the vehicle or the edges of the 
skis. 
Typically, when a skier reaches a ski destination, he or she must put on 
their ski boots at the car, collect their skis and walk to the lift 
station. Sometimes, it is possible for a skier to put his or her skis on 
at the car and ski over to the lift station. In either situation, as well 
as in preparing to leave a ski area, it is common for a skier to place his 
or her ski against their vehicle. The skis are usually leaned against the 
vehicle in an upright position and often, the skis may slide off of the 
vehicle into the surrounding snow or environment. This sliding may damage 
the exterior finish of the skier's vehicle, because of the sharpened metal 
edges found on downhill skis. This sliding may also damage the metal edges 
of the skis if the skis are not adequately supported against or on the 
car, leading to less than desired performance due to dents and chips 
incurred therein, if the skis should slip off the car and fall to the 
ground. 
Accordingly, a need exists for a vehicle article support structure which 
may be easily attached to and removed from a vehicle and which provides a 
support structure for supporting elongated articles, such as skis, in an 
upright position along the exterior surface of the vehicle and which 
protects the skis and the finish of the vehicle. 
Some article carriers are known which support certain articles, such as 
guns and fishing rods, in an upright position, as demonstrated by U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,266,633, issued Aug. 16, 1966. This patent describes a portable 
gun or rod holder having a support member which is magnetically mounted to 
the exterior surface of a vehicle. A ski support device known as the 
SkiStander.TM. is available which consists of a plastic bracket having a 
magnetic base. This device also relies upon magnetic attraction to adhere 
to the side of a vehicle. The magnets require a metallic surface for 
mounting of the support structure and therefore a user is limited in the 
number of areas of a vehicle to which the structure may be affixed. For 
example, the magnets preclude the use of the support structure at the 
elevation of the glass portion of the vehicle. Additionally, 
magnetic-style attachments may not be effective in the winter months due 
accumulation of snow, slush, ice or the like upon the exterior of the 
vehicle. 
The present invention is therefore directed to an article support structure 
which is easily attached to and removable from vehicles, particularly the 
window portions thereof, which provides a support structure for holding 
elongated articles, such as skis, in a substantially upright position 
against a vehicle in order to protect the vehicle finish and the edges of 
the skis. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In general, the present invention includes an adjustable support bar, or 
beam having two interengaging, telescoping members which combined, are 
adapted to engage two opposing edges of a vehicle window or door, such as 
window or door moldings. The support bar includes one or more support 
members which extend generally transversely therefrom to define support 
areas upon the support bar. 
As herein set forth in greater detail, the present invention also utilizes 
engagement means disposed at opposite ends of the support bar which are 
adapted to engage the window or door moldings of a vehicle no matter what 
is the particular configuration of the molding. In this regard, the 
engagement means includes a universal-style joint partially disposed 
within the opposite ends of the support bar which permit engagement clips 
thereof to adopt a variety of positions, thereby permitting the present 
invention to be used on a variety of different vehicle body 
configurations, while still maintaining the support bar in a desired level 
position set off from the exterior surface of the vehicle body. In a 
preferred embodiment, this engagement means takes the form of a ball and 
socket connection between the support bar and the engagement clips. 
Still further, the support bar may include a planar surface thereon which 
may be used for application of graphics and advertising upon the support 
bar. 
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention 
will be apparent through a reading of the following detailed description, 
taken in conjunction with accompanying drawings, wherein like reference 
numerals refer to like parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Turning now to FIG. 1, an article support structure constructed in 
accordance with the principles of the present invention is shown generally 
at 100 in place upon a vehicle 10 and supporting a pair of elongated 
articles, illustrated as skis 30, in a generally upright position against 
the side of the vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 shown is conventional and 
includes one or more doors 12, each of which has an associated window 
portion 14. Each of the doors 12 has an edge 16 which separates it from 
the remainder of the body portion 18 of the vehicle 10. The edge 16 is at 
least partially defined by a molding 20 on some vehicle models which 
substantially surrounds the window portion 14 of each door 12 and often 
also surrounds at least a remaining portion of the door 12. Some vehicle 
models do not have their windows entirely surrounded by a molding as 
described below. As is conventional, the doors 12 are mounted in openings 
22 of the vehicle body and thus, their edges 16 extend within channels 24 
created by the interfitting of the doors 12 within the frame door openings 
and occurring between the doors 12 and the body frame 26. 
Prime, ', and double prime, ", designations shall be used in association 
with the reference numerals to identify elements which are common to the 
various embodiments of the invention which are described in detail 
hereinafter. 
The article support structure 100, illustrated as a ski support 101, is 
attached to a vehicle door 12 in the general vicinity of the window 
portion 14 thereof. The ski support 101 is seen to include an elongated 
support bar, or beam 102, 102', which extends lengthwise along the vehicle 
10. As best viewed in FIGS. 3 and 5-6, the support bars 102, 102' include 
two interengaging cooperating members 102A, 102A', 102B, 102B'. The 
interengaging members 102A, 102B preferably share the same cross-sectional 
configuration, shown in FIGS. 1-5 as square and in FIGS. 6-8 as circular. 
One member 102A may be slightly larger than the other member 102B so that 
the members telescopically engage each other and so that the support bars 
102, 102' are capable (as explained more fully below) of a preselected 
amount of expansion to fit a variety of vehicle window spacings. 
In order to reliably engage the vehicle 10, the support bars 102, 102' 
preferably include means for engaging the vehicle, illustrated as 
engagement clips 104, 104' disposed at opposite ends of the support bars 
102, 102'. These engagement means serve to not only position the support 
bar 102 away from the vehicle along the exterior surface of the window 14 
as best illustrated in FIGS. 2 & 5, but also to releasably engage the 
vehicle along the edges 16 of the doors 12 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 & 5. 
Although the support bar 102, 102' are illustrated in the drawings as 
engaging the vehicle at the edges 16 of the door/window molding 20, it 
will be understood that the engagement clips 104, 104', 104" may also 
engage the vehicles at direct edges of the windows on vehicle models where 
there is no such surrounding molding, such as a Pontiac Trans-Am. 
Preferably, the engagement means, by way of its engagement clips 104, 104', 
104" also has an extent "E" which supports the skis off of the exterior 
surface 13 of the vehicle 10 so as to substantially prevent the skis, 
especially the sharpened metal edges thereof from causing dents, scratches 
or nicks on the vehicle. The one support bar interengaging member 102A in 
which the other member 102B nests is preferably provided with an article 
engagement means, illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, as a ski clip 106. 
End pieces 114, 116 are associated with the support bar 102 and cooperate 
therewith to provide the support bar 102 with a desired measure of 
adjustability. In this regard, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the end pieces 
114, 116 include enlarged head portions 114A, 116A which are relatively 
larger than the support bar 102 and which engage the end edges 118 
thereof. Shaft portions 114B, 116B extend from the head portions 114A, 
116A and are of a smaller dimension than the support bar 102 so that they 
engage the ends 105 thereof in a nesting relationship. The end piece head 
and shaft portions are separated by shoulders 120 which abut the ends 118 
of the support bar 102 as shown. The end pieces 114, 116 are 
interconnected by a resilient member, illustrated as spring 122, which 
serves to maintain the engagement clips 104 in contact with the vehicle at 
all times by applying an inwardly directed tension force thereto along the 
axis of the support bar 102. Resilient members other than springs may be 
used, such as bungee cords 144 or the like. 
The ski clip 106 preferably has one or more ski engagement members, 
illustrated as rods 108 which extend generally transversely from the 
support bar 102 in order to provide a means to retain the skis 30 in place 
on the structure 100. Each clip 106 may be attached to a retention plate 
110 which may be received within a longitudinal slot 112 formed on one of 
the two support bar members 102A. The slot may be formed most easily by 
extrusion or other similar process in the support bar member 102A or it 
may be formed in a separate member which is subsequently affixed to the 
support bar 102. The slot 112 also permits a user to insert as few or as 
many ski clips 106 as the user decides for support purposes, with two such 
ski clips 106 being illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5. 
In order to provide a "universal" nature to the engagement aspect of the 
support bar 102, the engagement clips 104 engage the support bar end 
pieces 114, 116 in a manner by which they are easily manipulatable by the 
user. This manipulation permits the present invention to be used on 
virtually any vehicle in that the engagement clips 106 are not statically 
fixed with respect to the support bar 102, but they may move relative 
thereto so as to reliably engage the edges 16 of the window or door 
molding 20 of a variety of vehicles. This engagement is illustrated in 
FIGS. 5 & 6. 
In this regard, each engagement clip 104 preferably includes articulation 
means, illustrated in the form of an engagement hook 124 extending from a 
shaft 125, which is in turn connected to a ball member 126. The ball 
members 126 are received within corresponding sockets 128 disposed in the 
end pieces 114, 116 of the support bar 102. The ball members 126 may 
rotate within their corresponding sockets 128 throughout a range of 
360.degree., typically defining a cone it their rotation. This rotational 
movement further occurs in a plane which is generally transverse to the 
axis of the support bar 102 in the sense that any arbitrary point chosen 
on the engagement shafts 125 will define a plane in its rotation. The 
shafts 125 of the engagement clips 106 may be fixedly connected to their 
associated ball members 126 such as by forming them as a single piece, as 
illustrated in FIG. 5, by hingedly connecting them, as illustrated in FIG. 
6 wherein the engagement shaft 125' includes a hinge, or pivot connection 
130' which joins it to the ball member 126',or by means of a threaded 
connection, as illustrated in FIG. 8. This articulation means is important 
because it permits the user to mount the support bar on a variety of 
different vehicle models and maintain the support bar in a somewhat level 
position with respect to the ground and also to maintain a relatively even 
set-off (shown by "E") from the vehicle body. This articulation means also 
permits the present invention to be used on vehicles in which the 
engagement points may be different, such as the Pontiac Trans-Am described 
above, in which the vehicle door will have a molding on one side and a 
glass edge on the other side. 
The engagement of the ball members 126, 126' with the support bars 102, 
102' may also vary such as is shown in the Figures, wherein the ball 
members 126 engage sockets 128 formed in the opposing end pieces 114, 116 
or wherein the ball members 126' are seated within sockets 128' formed in 
the ends 117 of the end pieces 114', 116' and are retained therein by way 
of threaded caps 131 of the support bar 102'. Alternatively, as 
illustrated in the third embodiment of FIGS. 7 & 8, the ball members 126" 
may be received within sockets 128" formed within plug members 132 which 
are received within the support bar members 102A", 102B" and are 
maintained in place therein by cooperation between the internal spring 
member 122" and the ball elements 126". 
The engagement clips 104", as illustrated in FIGS. 7 & 8, may further 
include in their hook portions 124", a flexible insert member 142 which 
sits inside of the hooks 124" and effectively follows the configuration 
thereof. Such members 142 may be formed from a suitable elastomeric 
compound in order to reduce the likelihood of the hooks 124 marring the 
vehicle molding 20. This flexible insert 142 also provides the engagement 
hooks 124" with the ability to conform to the configuration of the molding 
20 to ensure reliable engagement with and mounting to the vehicle 10. 
The support structure may also further include a means for displaying a 
visual indicia, such as graphics, ski manufacturer's logos or trademarks 
or the like. This display means may take the form of a panel 135 which may 
be attached to or formed as part of one of the support bar telescoping 
members (FIG. 5) or as illustrated in FIG. 7. The visual display panel 
135" may also either be of a "slip-on" style or a "snap-on" style having 
clip-on collars 140 which engage the exterior of the telescoping members 
102A", 102B". The visual indicia may still be further applied to the 
support bar members themselves. 
It will be appreciated that the embodiments of the present invention which 
have been discussed are merely illustrative of some of the applications of 
this invention and that numerous modifications may be made by those 
skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of 
this invention.