Vehicle rack

A rack system including a rail assembly, a leg assembly and a vehicle assembly is disclosed. The rail assembly includes load support rails secured to a roof of a vehicle. The load support rails receive legs therein. The legs extend towards a ground surface. The legs include a telescopic portion which extends until the vehicle roof is elevated off of the vehicle. The legs are defined by a top leg portion and a bottom leg portion that are interconnected with a hinge. Once the legs are extended enough to elevate the roof from the vehicle, the vehicle can be operated while the rack system is left self-standing and self-supported.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a vehicle rack, more particularly, to a vehicle rack that can be detached and erected on a ground surface when separated from the vehicles, thereby allowing for the vehicle to remain operatable.

2. Description of the Related Art

Several designs for vehicle racks have been designed in the past. None of them, however, include a roof rack for vehicles that can be detached from the vehicles and remain expanded and supported on a ground surface. Thereby allowing for the vehicles to remain operable without the need to dissemble the roof rack as the vehicles can be driven away and the roof rack remains assembled and standing.

Applicant believes that a related reference corresponds to U.S. patent application publication No. 2018/0112432 for a folding vehicle roof top tent under manual and electric control. Applicant believes that another related reference refers to U.S. Pat. No. 10,543,771 for a vehicle rooftop rack assembly. None of these references, however, teach of a vehicle rack that can be detached from a vehicle and remains supported on a ground surface with telescopic legs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a vehicle rack that can be removably secured to a vehicle.

It is another object of this invention to provide a vehicle rack that permits the vehicle to remain entirely operable when secured or removed therefrom.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle rack that is self-standing and self-supported when detached from a vehicle.

It is also another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle rack that facilities the transportation of objects on a bed or roof of a vehicle.

It is additionally an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle rack increases the carrying capacity of a vehicle.

It is further an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle rack that is adjustable.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a vehicle rack that is collapsible and portable.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, where the present invention is generally referred to with numeral10, it can be observed that it basically includes a support rail assembly20and a leg assembly40.

A rack system10, as best illustrated inFIGS.1-5, may help to support items on a vehicle62. More particularly, items on a roof64or bed of vehicle62such as a roof rack66as seen inFIG.1or a truck bed. It may be suitable roof64itself to be supported by rack system10, as shown inFIG.2.

Rack system10may include support rail assembly20as best seen inFIG.3. Support rail assembly20may include load support rails22. Each of load support rails22may have a flat elongated cylindrical configuration, in the preferred embodiment. It may be suitable for load support rails22to be made of materials such as plastic, rubber, aluminum, wood, plexiglass, metal or the like. Load support rails22may each be hollow to receive and accommodate leg assembly40within. It is to be understood that each of load support rails22may include an opening24, on each lateral side of each of load support rails22, extending entirely therethrough. Each of opening24may be diagonal from one another on load support rails22. Opening24may lead to an interior of each of load support rails22. In one implementation, opening24may be circular in shape. Opening24may lead to an interior of each of load support rails22and be accessed through lateral sides thereof. It is to be understood that leg assembly40may be accessed through opening24on each of load support rails22. One of opening24may lead to a first inner channel25. While another of opening24may lead to a second inner channel27. Within each of first inner channel25and second inner channel27may be received one of legs42of leg assembly40. First inner channel25and second inner channel27may each extend an entire length of each of load support rails22. It is to be understood that first inner channel25and second inner channel27may be parallel to each other.

Each of load support rails22may include a top channel26and a bottom channel28located at a top and bottom, respectively, of load support rails22. Top channel26and bottom channel28may be recessed within load support rails22. Top channel26and bottom channel28may extend between first inner channel25and second inner channel27. It is to be understood that top channel26and bottom channel28may be parallel to first inner channel25and second inner channel27. Top channel26and bottom channel28may each extend an entire length of each of load support rails22. Top channel26and bottom channel28may each extend a partial width of each of load support rails22. Importantly, each of load support rails22may be detachably secured to vehicle62on roof64. It may be suitable to removably secure load support rails22to vehicle62with fasteners32such as screws, nails, hook and loop straps, magnets or the like. The present invention may include washers32athat cooperate with each of fasteners32. Load support rails22may be mounted atop of vehicle62such that bottom channel28is directly atop of vehicle62. Fasteners32and washers32amay then extend through vehicle62from underneath, preferably through roof64, and through bottom channel28to secure load support rails22to vehicle62. It is to be understood that top channel26may be used in a similar manner to secure roof rack66to vehicle62. Roof rack66may be mounted onto load support rails22supported atop of vehicle62. Additional fasteners32and washers32aare secured through roof rack66and through top channel26to secure roof rack66to load support rails22. Load support rails22may each extend a width of roof64, preferably. In the preferred implementation, load support rails22may be arranged parallel to each other when secured to vehicle62or roof rack66. It may be suitable for rack system10to include at least two of load support rails22. Additional of load support rails22may be used for added stability and support.

It is to be understood that within each of load support rails22may be leg assembly40. Leg assembly40may include legs42. One of legs42may be slidably received within first inner channel25and second channel27. Legs42may help rack system10to be self-supported on a ground surface when there is a need to use vehicle62, while leaving rack system10fully assembled and functional. Legs42help to lift rack system10and items secured atop off of vehicle62. Thus, allowing vehicle62to remain fully operational at times when rack system10is retracted or expanded. Legs42may preferably be solid. Legs42may include a collapsed and expanded configuration. Legs42may extend outwardly and away from lateral sides of each of load support rails22through opening24when needed. Legs42may each have a substantially straight configuration that becomes an L shaped configuration when in use. It may be suitable for legs42on each lateral side of load support rails22to be integral with one another, in one implementation. Thereby resulting in legs42each having a U-shaped configuration, in an alternate embodiment.

Legs42may each be defined by a top leg portion44and a bottom leg portion46. Legs42may be pulled out of load support rails22to achieve the expanded configuration. Each of top leg portion44and bottom leg portion46may be secured together with a hinge48extending therebetween. Hinge48facilitates the movement of bottom leg portion46. Top leg portion44may extend horizontally from load support rails22. Subsequently, bottom leg portion46may extend vertically towards the ground surface from top leg portion44with the help of hinge48. Hinge48may include a first opening48a, a second opening48b, a hinge fastener48cand a fastener support48d, as best seen inFIG.10. First opening48aand second opening48bmay be adjacent and parallel to each other. It is to be understood that fastener support48dmay be attached to a bottom side of top leg portion44adjacent to hinge48, as best seen inFIG.11. With legs42expanded out of load support rails22, as best seen inFIGS.1-2, hinge fastener48cmay extend through hinge48and first opening48aand fastener support48d. Thereby allowing for top leg portion44and bottom leg portion46to remain aligned straight as legs42expand from load support rails22. Hinge48may facilitate folding and extending bottom leg portion46towards the ground surface, as best illustrated inFIG.11. To extend bottom leg portion46towards the ground surface, hinge fastener48cmay be removed from first opening48a. Thereby allowing for bottom leg portion46to fold towards the ground surface. Preferably, top leg portion44and bottom leg portion46may be perpendicular to each other when bottom leg portion46extends towards the ground surface. Hinge fastener48cmay be secured through top leg portion44and second opening48bto ensure top leg portion44and bottom leg portion46are secured together when bottom leg portion46is extended towards the ground surface.

It may be suitable for bottom leg portion46to extend diagonally at an obtuse angle with respect to top leg portion44. With legs42in the fully expanded configuration, roof64or roof rack66may be elevated off of vehicle62as best seen inFIGS.1-2. Subsequently, vehicle62may then be operational and be driven without needing to disassemble rack system10. To prevent each of legs42from becoming detached from load support rails22, each of legs42may include a stopper43at a rear end within load support rails22. More specifically, stopper43may be secured to a distal end of top leg portion44within load support rails22. It is to be understood that stopper43may be a disk in one embodiment. Stopper43may have a width greater than each of opening24to prevent legs42from continuing to expand outwardly from load support rails22when stopper43is reached. Stopper43ensures legs42remain secured to load support rails22when fully expanded.

At a lower distal end of each of bottom leg portion46may be located feet52. Feet52may be square in one embodiment. Feet52may help to provide stability to legs42when self-supported on the ground surface. Feet52may be angled away from each of legs42. It can be seen that feet52may extend outwardly and away from legs42. Feet52may swivel in one embodiment. It may be suitable for feet52to be wider than legs42. In one embodiment, underneath of feet52may be grips to prevent rack system10from slipping and collapsing when self-standing. It may be suitable for feet52to be made of plastic, rubber, plexiglass, wood, aluminum, metal or the like. Optionally, removably secured to the bottom of each of legs42may be wheels53. Wheels53may facilitate movement of rack system10when detached from vehicle62.

It can be seen that leg assembly40may further include a telescopic portion54which may be adjusted in length via a lever56, as best seen inFIG.9andFIG.12. Telescopic portion54may be underneath of each of legs42between each of bottom leg portion46and feet52. It is to be understood that telescopic portion54may expand and retract when needed. Telescopic portion54may help to further increase or decrease the length of legs42as needed. It is to be understood that legs42end a predetermined distance above of the ground surface. With telescopic portion54extending downwardly to make contact with the ground surface. This helps to ensure that legs42are in abutting contact with the ground surface for proper support of rack system10. It may be necessary to adjust legs42to different heights to level the present invention. Telescopic portion54may be partially exposed when extended. Telescopic portion54may include telescopic portion slots54awhich extend the entire length of telescopic portion54. It is to be understood that telescopic portion54may be engaged by lever56. More specifically, one of telescopic portion slots54amay be engaged by a tooth56aof lever56. One of telescopic portion slots54amay be engaged by tooth56ato prevent telescopic portion54from expanding or retracting, as best seen inFIG.9. Lever56may be actuated to lift tooth56afrom telescopic portion54. Lever56may be released to engage the selected of telescopic portion slots54a. An opposite distal end of lever56may extend outwardly and away from telescopic portion54. Lever56may be actuated by a user at the exposed distal end to release telescopic portion slots54afrom lever56allowing for telescopic portion54to be released and adjusted in length. Subsequently, when the desired length of telescopic portion54is achieved, lever56may be released to engage one of telescopic portion slots54a. Telescopic portion54may help to level legs42when the ground surface is uneven. Lever56may additionally include a lever lock56btraversing through lever56. Lever lock56bmay be have a locked and unlocked configuration. Lever lock56bmay be actuated at lateral sides of lever56, lever lock56bmay be actuated from left to right and vice versa. Lever lock56bmay help to provide safety to the users. When lever lock56bis in the locked configuration, lever lock56bprevents lever56from being engaged to lift and release tooth56afrom telescopic portion slots54a. In one embodiment, lever56may include a grip portion to facilitate actuation of lever56.

Advantageously, rack system10may help to facilitate carrying of cargo on vehicle62. Such that rack system10is self-standing and self-sufficient such that rack system10may be released from vehicle62with cargo still attached thereto. Thereby allowing for vehicle62to be operational without the need to disassemble rack system10.