Roof-mounted cargo hold

The aluminum structured travel cargo hold may comprise a water tank, a shower, a rooftop carrier, and a plurality of reflectors. The aluminum structured travel cargo hold may be a cartop cargo hold that may be mounted to rooftop cargo rails of a vehicle. The aluminum structured travel cargo hold may be equipped for recreational use. As non-limiting examples, the recreational use may comprise camping and tailgating. The water tank may be a source of water. The rooftop carrier may carry personal belongings and may house the water tank, the shower, and the plurality of reflectors. The shower may be adapted to provide the water for showering. The plurality of reflectors may be increase visibility of the rooftop carrier while traveling.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to a cargo hold and more specifically to a roof-mounted cargo hold.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With sales at an all-time high, the popularity of the sport-utility-vehicle, mini-vans, and associated cross over vehicles, as an everyday vehicle is wider spread than it ever has been. Many of these vehicles are used for camping or other off-road excursions away from the luxuries of life such as running hot and cold water and electricity. Also, most of these vehicles are capable of being equipped with luggage racks to hold a roof top cargo carrier.

While these carriers increase the cargo carrying ability of such vehicles, they do nothing to enhance the off-road experience forcing owners to bring containers of water, portable battery packs, generators, auxiliary lights, portable showers, and other devices which ironically eat up the cargo space that the rooftop carrier was attempting to preserve. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which rooftop cargo carriers can do more than simply carry cargo. The development of the Roof-Mounted Cargo Hold fulfills this need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To achieve the above and other objectives, the present invention provides for An aluminum structured travel cargo hold which has, a water tank which has a water source and a tank aperture which has a corresponding cap, a shower which has a pump, a water filter, a shower hose, and a shower head, a rooftop carrier which has a shell and a support frame, a plurality of reflectors dispersed over the rooftop carrier to reflect light from the rooftop carrier, the reflectors increasing visibility of the rooftop carrier while traveling, and a power switch energizing and de-energizing the pump.

The shower is adapted to provide a plurality of water from the water source for showering. The pump includes an intake and an output. The shower is adapted to spray the water on a user for personal hygiene. The shower head is coupled to a distal end of the shower hose and a proximal end of the shower hose is coupled to an outlet of the water filter. The water filter removes one or more impurities from the water as the water flows through the water filter. The rooftop carrier containing the water tank that is also mounted within the rooftop carrier. The support frame provides internal rigidity and a distinctive appearance for the rooftop carrier. The shell protects a plurality of contents of the rooftop carrier from weather

The water may be removed from the water tank via an internal tubing that enters the water tank through the tank aperture. The internal tubing may couple the output of the pump to the inlet of the water filter. The water tank may have a capacity of two gallons. The water may enter the water filter at the inlet of the water filter and may flow through the water filter to the outlet. The water tank, the pump, and the water filter may be fluidly coupled to each other via the internal tubing. The pump may draw the water from the water tank through the internal tubing into the intake of the pump and expel the water via the output of the pump. The pump may move the water by applying rotary motion, reciprocating motion, linear motion, or a combination thereof to one or more gears, one or more screws, one or more pistons, one or more shuttle blocks, one or more vanes, one or more diaphragms, one or more plungers, one or more chains, one or more ropes, one or more impellers, or any combinations thereof. The shower head may be a plumbing fixture that converts a flow of pressurized water into a spray which exits the shower head via a plurality of apertures on the shower head. The shower hose may be coiled and stored within the rooftop carrier when not in use. The shower hose and the shower head may be pulled from the rooftop carrier via an access panel prior to use. The shower hose may exit the rooftop carrier via an aperture disposed on the rooftop carrier. The rooftop carrier may be coupled to a pair of rooftop cargo rails via a plurality of mounting hardware. The shell may include a left side panel, a right side panel, a front panel, a rear panel, the access panel, an interior bottom panel, a left front corner cover, a right front corner cover, a left rear corner cover, and a right rear corner cover. The corners of the shell may be rounded, and the rear of the shell may be lower than the front of the shell.

The power switch may be mounted within the rooftop carrier and may be supplied with an electrical potential from a vehicle's electrical system. The power switch may pass the electrical potential to the pump when the power switch is in an ON state and the power switch may block the electrical potential from reaching the pump when the power switch is in an OFF state. The pump may be an electromechanical pump that may include an integral motor that is energized by an electrical potential to the pump. The shell may be aerodynamically shaped to increase fuel efficiency of a vehicle carrying the rooftop carrier. A remote control FOB may vary the power switch between the ON state and the OFF state by transmitting a wireless signal to the power switch.

DESCRIPTIVE KEY

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The aluminum structured travel cargo hold100(hereinafter invention) may comprise a water tank300, a shower, a rooftop carrier200, and a plurality of reflectors390. The invention100may be a cartop cargo hold that may be mounted to rooftop cargo rails of a vehicle. The invention100may be equipped for recreational use. As non-limiting examples, the recreational use may comprise camping and tailgating. The water tank300may be a source of water. The rooftop carrier200may carry personal belongings and may house the water tank300, the shower, and the plurality of reflectors390. The shower may be adapted to provide the water for showering. The plurality of reflectors390may be increase visibility of the rooftop carrier200while traveling.

The water tank300may be mounted within the rooftop carrier200. The water tank300may be filled via a tank aperture after removing a cap. The water may be removed from the water tank300via internal tubing that enters the water tank300through the aperture. The capacity of the water tank300may vary based upon the specifications of the rooftop cargo rails for the vehicle. A capacity of at last two gallons (2 Gal.) may be typical.

The shower may comprise a pump330, a water filter332, a shower hose318, and a shower head324. The shower may be adapted to spray the water on a user for personal hygiene. The water for the shower may be pumped from the water tank300. The water tank300, the pump330, and the water filter332may be fluidly coupled to each other via the internal tubing.

The pump330may draw the water from the water tank300through the internal tubing into the intake of the pump330and may expel the water via the output of the pump330. The pump330may be electromechanical in nature and may comprise an integral motor that may be energized by the application of an electrical potential to the pump330. As non-limiting examples, the pump330may move the water by applying rotary motion, reciprocating motion, linear motion, or a combination thereof to one (1) or more gears, screws, pistons, shuttle blocks, vanes, diaphragms, plungers, chains, ropes, impellers, or combinations thereof.

The internal tubing may couple the output of the pump330to the inlet of the water filter332. The water may enter the water filter332at the inlet of the water filter332and flow through the water filter332to the outlet. The water filter332may remove one (1) or more impurities from the water as the water flows through the water filter332.

The shower head324may be a plumbing fixture that converts a flow of pressurized water into a spray which exits the shower head324via a plurality of apertures on the shower head324. The shower head324may be coupled to the distal end of the shower hose318. The proximal end of the shower hose318may be coupled to outlet of the water filter332. In some embodiments, the shower hose318may be coiled and stored within the rooftop carrier200when not in use as shown inFIG.12. The shower hose318and the shower head324may be pulled from the rooftop carrier200via an access panel220prior to use. In some embodiments, the shower hose318may exit the rooftop carrier200via an aperture340.

The pump330may be energized and de-energized by a power switch312. The power switch312may be mounted within the rooftop carrier200and may be supplied with the electrical potential from the vehicle's electrical system. The power switch312may pass the electrical potential to the pump330when the power switch312is in an ON state. The power switch312may block the electrical potential from reaching the pump330when the power switch312is in an OFF state. The ON/OFF state of the pump330may be controlled by a remote control fob314. The remote control fob314may vary the power switch312between the ON state and the OFF state by transmitting a wireless signal316to the power switch312.

The rooftop carrier200may comprise a shell210and a support frame260. The support frame260may provide internal rigidity for the rooftop carrier200. The shell210may provide a distinctive appearance for the rooftop carrier200. The rooftop carrier200may be coupled to the rooftop cargo rails via mounting hardware.

The shell210may protect contents of the rooftop carrier200from weather. The shell210may be aerodynamically shaped to increase fuel efficiency of the vehicle carrying the rooftop carrier200.

The shell210may comprise a left side panel212, a right side panel214, a front panel216, a rear panel218, the access panel220, an interior bottom panel228, a left front corner cover230, a right front corner cover232, a left rear corner cover234, and a right rear corner cover236. As non-limiting examples, corners of the shell210may be rounded and the rear of the shell210may be lower than the front of the shell210.

The left side panel212may be a rectangular, semi-rigid panel bent into an arch. The bottom of the left side panel212may be coupled to a left lower rail262. The top of the left side panel212may be coupled to the front panel216and to the rear panel218. The right side panel214may be a rectangular, semi-rigid panel bent into an arch. The bottom of the right side panel214may be coupled to a right lower rail264. The top of the right side panel214may be coupled to the front panel216and to the rear panel218.

The front panel216may be a rectangular, semi-rigid panel bent into an arch. The bottom of the front panel216may be coupled to a bottom front cross brace280. The rear panel218may be a rectangular, semi-rigid panel bent into an arch. The bottom of the rear panel218may be coupled to a bottom rear cross brace284. The rear panel218and the front panel216may overlap and may be coupled to each other. The rear panel218may comprise an access aperture222which may be an opening that provides access to the interior of the rooftop carrier200. The access aperture222may be covered by the access panel220. The access panel220may be coupled to the rear panel218via a hinge226and may pivot between an open position and a closed position. A latch224may be operable to retain the access panel220in the closed position.

The left front corner cover230, the right front corner cover232, the left rear corner cover234and the right rear corner cover236may be placed at the corners of the shell210to complete the enclosure. The left front corner cover230may couple to the front panel216and the left side panel212. The right front corner cover232may couple to the front panel216and the right side panel214. The left rear corner cover234may couple to the rear panel218and the left side panel212. The right rear corner cover236may couple to the rear panel218and the right side panel214.

An individual corner cover240selected from the left front corner cover230, the right front corner cover232, the left rear corner cover234and the right rear corner cover236may be formed from a rectangular sheet comprising a plurality of parallel cuts242. The plurality of parallel cuts242may define a plurality of ribs244connected to a backbone246. To complete the individual corner cover240, the backbone246may be arched while simultaneously bending and overlapping the ends of the plurality of ribs244. The individual corner cover240may retain shape when one (1) or more corner fasteners248are coupled to the plurality of ribs244.

The support frame260may be a rigid structure located inside of the shell210. The support frame260may comprise the left lower rail262, the right lower rail264, the left upper rail266, the right upper rail268, a left front upright270, a right front upright272, a left rear upright274, a right rear upright276, the top front cross brace278, the bottom front cross brace280, the top rear cross brace282, and the bottom rear cross brace284. The left lower rail262and the left upper rail266may support the left side of the rooftop carrier200. The right lower rail264and the right upper rail268may support the right side of the rooftop carrier200. As a non-limiting example, the support frame260may be made in part or in whole from angle iron.

The left front upright270may couple the front of the left lower rail262to the front of the left upper rail266. The right front upright272may couple the front of the right lower rail264to the front of the right upper rail268. The left front upright270and the right front upright272may determine the height of the front of the rooftop carrier200.

The left rear upright274may couple the rear of the left lower rail262to the rear of the left upper rail266. The right rear upright276may couple the rear of the right lower rail264to the rear of the right upper rail268. The left rear upright274and the right rear upright276may determine the height of the rear of the rooftop carrier200.

The top front cross brace278, the bottom front cross brace280, the top rear cross brace282, and the bottom rear cross brace284may be coupled between the left side of the support frame260and the right side of the support frame260. As non-limiting examples, the top front cross brace278and the top rear cross brace282may be coupled between corresponding ends of the left upper rail266and the right upper rail268and the bottom front cross brace280and the bottom rear cross brace284may be coupled between corresponding ends of the left lower rail262and the right lower rail264. The top front cross brace278, the bottom front cross brace280, the top rear cross brace282, and the bottom rear cross brace284may determine the width of the rooftop carrier200.

In some embodiments, the support frame260may further comprise an overhead arching cross member206and lateral intermediate cross members208. The overhead arching cross member206may be an arched lateral support located between the left upper rail266and the right upper rail268. The overhead arching cross member206may provide support to the top center of the shell210and may increase the storage space available within the rooftop carrier200. The lateral intermediate cross members208may be lateral support elements coupled between the left lower rail262and the right lower rail264. The lateral intermediate cross members208may provide support under the interior bottom panel228.

As non-limiting examples, where panels, rails, corner covers, hinges, and latches couple with each other, the couplings may be screws, nuts and bolts, rivets, adhesives, welds, or combinations thereof.

In some embodiments, the shell210and the support frame260may be metal constructions. As a non-limiting example, the shell210may be constructed from aluminum and the support frame260may be constructed from steel.

In some embodiments, panels comprising the shell210may overlap each other. As a non-limiting example, the rear edge of the front panel216may overlap the front edge of the rear panel218. Where panels overlap, the panels may be coupled together.

In some embodiments, the overall size of the rooftop carrier200may be customized prior to installation. As non-limiting examples, the width of the rooftop carrier200, the length of the rooftop carrier200, the height of the rooftop carrier200, or combinations thereof may be reduced in order to fit the rooftop carrier200to a specific vehicle. As non-limiting examples, the size of the support frame260may be adjusted by providing individual rail members that are split into two (2) overlapping rails that slide past each other and are coupled in place at a desired length. Alternatively, rails may be cut to length and then reattached. The shell210may be resized by cutting and/or drilling individual panels according to directions prior to assembly.

The plurality of reflectors390may be dispersed over the rooftop carrier200to reflect light from the rooftop carrier200. The plurality of reflectors390may increase visibility of the rooftop carrier200and the vehicle when traveling.