Abstract:
A rack for carrying skis and snowboards on top of a vehicle includes a pair of clamp devices equipped for mounting on a pair of crossbars. Each clamp device has a collapsible position which reduces its forward facing profile when not being used to carry cargo items.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/657,708 filed Jan. 23, 2007 which application is based upon and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 from U.S. Provisional Patent Applications Ser. No. 60/762,220 filed Jan. 23, 2006 and Ser. No. 60/776,384 filed Feb. 24, 2006, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes. 
         [0002]    This application also incorporates by reference in their entirety for all purposes the following patent and patent applications: U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,980 issued Jun. 9, 1992, Ser. No. 11/300,603 filed Dec. 13, 2005 and Ser. No. 11/198,901 filed Aug. 5, 2005. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The invention relates to assemblies for carrying articles on a vehicle. In particular, the invention provides improvements for article carriers designed for mounting on one or more crossbars on a vehicle rack system of a vehicle. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0004]    Top-mounted vehicle rack systems provide a versatile platform for transporting bicycles, skis, snowboards, boats, cargo boxes, gear racks, and/or other items. Such rack systems typically use pairs of crossbars that extend side-to-side across the top of a vehicle. Each crossbar is typically supported on each side of the vehicle&#39;s roof by a tower, where the length of each crossbar and the distance between crossbars depend on factors such as the shape and size of the vehicle&#39;s roof, and type(s) of cargo being carried. The towers supporting the rack crossbars are securely fastened to the vehicle in a suitable manner. 
         [0005]    Various article carriers are designed for mounting on a set of crossbars, and to carry a variety of articles such as bicycles, skis, snowboards, and/or boats. For example, clamp devices are used to secure skis and snowboards in a scissor-like fashion. However, some clamp devices have problems such as; failing to fit or adapt to certain vehicle or factory rack configurations; failing to accommodate skis or snowboards with bulky bindings or attachments; and unsatisfactory adjustability to secure equipment of different shapes and thicknesses. Moreover, article carriers mounted on vehicle roof tops typically increase the height profile of the vehicle. Increased front facing profile or surface area may cause wind resistance related problems, such as increased driving noise, reduced fuel efficiency, etc. Users may remove the article carriers when not in use to avoid or minimize such problems. However, removing the article carriers between uses may not be convenient or desirable. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a clamping device for a ski rack mounted on a crossbar. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a partial cross-sectional view through the clamping device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a partial cross-sectional view of the clamping device, similar to the view shown in  FIG. 2 , except partially open. 
           [0009]      FIGS. 4-6  are partial sectional rear views of an expanding hinge device employed in a clamp device, shown in various positions. 
           [0010]      FIGS. 7 and 8  show side views of a clamp device mounted on crossbars having different shapes. 
           [0011]      FIG. 9  shows a rear view of a clamp device. 
           [0012]      FIG. 10  shows the clamp device of  FIG. 9  with one end elevated to provide space below the clamp device. 
           [0013]      FIG. 11  shows a partial cross-sectional rear view of a ratcheting latch device when the clamp device is in a collapsed position. 
           [0014]      FIG. 12  shows a partial cross-sectional rear view of a ratcheting latch device when the clamp device is in an expanded position for carrying skis or snowboards. 
           [0015]      FIGS. 13 and 14  show partial perspective sectional views of an alternative nesting clamp device, in collapsed and expanded positions, respectively. 
           [0016]      FIGS. 15-17  show partial rear sectional views of a clamp device employing an alternate expanding hinge configuration. 
           [0017]      FIG. 18  shows a partial perspective view of an alternate ski or snowboard clamping device, employing a crossbar clamp including a flexible strap member. 
           [0018]      FIG. 19  shows a side view of the ski or snowboard clamp of  FIG. 18 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 20  shows a side cut-away view of the clamp device shown in  FIGS. 18 and 19 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0020]      FIG. 1  shows ski or snowboard clamp  40  including main body  42  mounted via crossbar clamps  44   a,    44   b  to crossbar  46 . Main body  42  includes elongate rigid top portion  50  hinged at one end to corresponding elongate rigid bottom portion  52 . A latch device is provided at the proximal end, as shown in  FIG. 1 . Actuator device  54 , for example, may be a depressible pad or button, is provided for a user to unlatch and open the clamp when loading or unloading skis or snowboards. Flexible gripping strips  56  are provided on interfacing sides of top portion  50  and bottom portion  52  for gripping skis and snowboards. Gripping strips  56  are preferably made of rubber or a similar flexible material which has conformable properties and is soft enough to grip equipment without scratching, scraping or damaging the equipment. 
         [0021]      FIGS. 2 and 3  show cross-sectional views through clamp device  40 . Each of top and bottom portions  50 ,  52  have gripping strips which are configured to nest or interleave in a collapsed position when clamp device  40  is not being used to carry skis or snowboards. The nesting profiles of strips  56  allow clamp device  40  to assume a smaller, more aerodynamic, profile when clamp device  40  is not being used to carry skis or snowboards.  FIG. 2  shows flexible gripping strips  70   a,    70   b  attached to bottom portion  52 . Gripping strip  72  is attached to top portion  50 .  FIG. 2  shows a collapsed position in which gripping strips  70   a,    70   b  flank gripping strips  72 . In  FIG. 3 , top portion  50  is elevated relative to bottom portion  52 , permitted by an expanding hinge, shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , and discussed below. Gripping strips  70   a,    70   b  and  72  are spaced by an appropriate distance for carrying skis or snowboards. 
         [0022]      FIGS. 4-6  illustrate an expanding hinge device used to connect top portion  50  to bottom portion  52 , and to permit a collapsed aerodynamic closed position, and alternately an expanded closed position for carrying skis and snowboards. Hinge device  80  connects top portion  50  to bottom portion  52 . Hinge device  80  includes link member  82  which is pivotally connected to bottom portion  52  at point  84  and pivotally connected to top portion  50  at point  86 . Hinge device  80  also has a stop structure  86  which limits rotation of link member  82  around point  84 .  FIG. 4  shows hinge  80  in its collapsed position allowing top and bottom portions  50  and  52  to nest into a maximally aerodynamic profile when not carrying skis or snowboards.  FIG. 5  shows top portion  50  pivoting upward for loading or unloading skis or snowboards. In  FIG. 5 , link member  82  has pivoted clockwise around point  84  until link member  82  abuts stop structure  86 . In  FIG. 6 , with link member  82  still abutting stop structure  86 , top portion  50  has been rotated counterclockwise around pivot point  86  into a closed position with hinged device  80  in an expanded closed configuration for securing skis or snowboards for transport. 
         [0023]      FIGS. 7 and 8  illustrate how crossbar clamp  44   a  is adaptable to fit crossbars having different shapes and orientations. In  FIG. 7  ski or snowboard clamp device  40  uses crossbar clamp  44   a  to rigidly connect main body  42  to circular crossbar  90 . Crossbar clamp  44   a  includes upper jaw member  92  connected to lower jaw member  94  via bolts or similar linkage devices. Lower jaw member  94  has a concave depression  96  for seating an external surface of circular crossbar  90 . Upper jaw member  92  has conformable pad  98  for gripping and adapting to another surface of crossbar  90 . Bolt device  100  is used to connect main body  42  to crossbar clamp  44   a.  Upper jaw member  92  includes top piece  102  which overlaps and is slidable relative to bottom piece  104  when bolt device  100  is not tight.  FIG. 8  shows crossbar clamp  44   a  connected to crossbar  110  which has an oval cross-sectional shape that is oriented with a tilt to one side. As shown in  FIG. 8 , top piece  102  of upper jaw member  92  remains centered relative to bolt device  100  and main body  42 . The objective here is for main body  42  to remain in a substantially vertical orientation relative to the top of the vehicle. Bottom piece  104  has slid or rotated by angle θ, along with lower jaw member  94  and conformable pad  98  to adapt to the tilted orientation of crossbar  110 . Tightening of bolt device  100  maintains the relative positions of top piece  102  and bottom piece  104  of crossbar clamp  44   a.    
         [0024]      FIGS. 9 and 10  show clamp device  40  on crossbar  46 , illustrating use of elevator link or strut  58  to raise one end of main body  42  to provide extra space for accommodating bindings or other structures on skis or snowboards. In  FIG. 9 , elevator strut  58  is horizontal in a stowed, unused position. Elevator strut  58  may remain stowed either when clamp device  40  is not being used to carry any equipment, or when carrying equipment that does not need additional clearance between the rack and the top of the vehicle. In  FIG. 10 , elevator link  58  is in a substantially vertical position providing additional space below the rack. 
         [0025]      FIGS. 11 and 12  illustrate details of ratcheting latch device  120  which is used to secure top portion  50  to bottom portion  52 .  FIG. 11  shows latch device  120  securing top portion  50  and bottom portion  52  in a nested collapsed position.  FIG. 12  shows latch device  120  securing top portion  50  to bottom portion  52  with a hinge device (not shown) provided at the other end of the clamp device, in an expanded orientation for carrying skis or snowboards. As shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , bottom portion  52  of clamp device  40  has one, two, three or more harpoon structures  122  projecting vertically upward. Harpoon structure  122  has teeth  124  for engaging corresponding teeth on latch member  126 . Latch member  126  is connected to top portion  50  and has a limited degree of rotational freedom around pivot point  128 . Latch member  126  may be spring-biased in a counterclockwise direction to facilitate latching engagement with teeth  124  on harpoon(s)  122 . 
         [0026]      FIGS. 13 and 14  show alternative nesting gripping strip configurations for use on top and bottom portions of a clamp device. Top portion  140  has V-shaped pliable gripping strip  142 . Bottom portion  144  has M-shaped pliable gripping strip  148  including lateral ridge portions  148  for flanking V-shaped gripping strip  142  of top portion  140 .  FIG. 13  shows the gripping strips nested providing an enhanced aerodynamic profile clamping device when it is not being used to carry skis or snowboards.  FIG. 14  shows gripping strips  142 , 146  spaced apart in a suitable position for carrying skis or snowboards. Numerous other nesting flexible strip configurations may be used. In the examples described, top and bottom strip configurations may be interchanged. 
         [0027]      FIGS. 15-17  illustrate an alternate hinge device  170 .  FIG. 15  shows hinge device  170  in its collapsed position for securing the clamp device in a nested aerodynamic profile.  FIG. 16  shows hinge device  170  expanding as the clamp device is opened.  FIG. 17  shows the clamp device closed with hinge device  170  expanded for carrying skis or snowboards. Hinge device  170  uses criss-crossing bars  172  and  174  which are pivotally connected at point  175 . Bar  174  connects the bottom portion to another shorter linkage bar  176  which is connected to the top portion of the clamp device. Bar  172  is pivotally connected to the top portion and to linkage member  178  which is connected to the bottom portion of the clamp device. As shown in  FIGS. 15 and 16 , linkage member  176  has a slot  178  for facilitating opening and closing movement of the top portion of the clamp device with hinge device  170  in an expanded position. 
         [0028]      FIGS. 18-20  illustrate an alternate crossbar clamp device which uses a conformable, flexible strap member to accommodate crossbars of different shapes.  FIG. 18  shows main body  200  of a clamp device mounted on crossbar  202  of the crossbar clamp device  204 . Crossbar clamp device  204  has upper portion  206  which is contoured to accommodate a top surface of a crossbar. Strap  208  is connected on both ends to upper portion  206  surrounding crossbar  202 . The effective length of strap  208  may be grossly adjusted by selecting appropriate knob or peg structures  210  for placement in holders  212  of upper portion  206 , as shown in  FIG. 19 .  FIG. 20  shows a cut-away from the view shown in  FIG. 19 , illustrating a final tightening device. Rotation of bolt member  214  causes upward movement of holders  212  relative to upper portion  206 , effectively tightening strap  208  around crossbar  202 . 
         [0029]    Although vehicle top carriers and features of vehicle top carriers have been shown and described with reference to the foregoing operational principles and preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will find apparent that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. The present disclosure is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variances that fall within the scope of the appended claims.