Abstract:
A tower device for securing a crossbar on a vehicle includes a base portion, a tower portion, and a pivotal cover member.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 120 of PCT Application No. PCT/US03/00864 filed Jan. 10, 2003 titled “Rack Tower”, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a sports equipment rack for a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention provides a rack tower configured to be attached to a vehicle roof rail.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Sports equipment racks for vehicles typically include one or more crossbars configured to extend across a vehicle roof for supporting recreational equipment items over the roof. Typically, each crossbar is attached to the car roof via a pair of towers. The towers serve both to couple the crossbar to the vehicle, and to support the crossbars over the vehicle roof so that the crossbars do not contact the roof.  
           [0004]    Many different types of rack towers are known, and may be configured to be attached to a vehicle roof in any of a number of different ways. For example, some rack towers are configured to be attached to vehicle roof rails. Roof rails are long, narrow, rail-shaped devices mounted to the roofs of many vehicles, often by the vehicle manufacturer. A vehicle with roof rails typically has a plurality of rails that run at least partially along the length of the roof in a parallel relation to one another. Roof rails generally include a slotted track that contains one or more mounts or connectors. These connectors are typically configured to accept a fastener, such as a bolt, to allow the attachment of items such as rack towers to the roof rail, and thus to the vehicle.  
           [0005]    Rack towers that mount to roof rails offer some advantages over other types of towers. For example, these towers may be mounted to vehicles that lack rain gutters or other features commonly used for mounting rack towers. Also, these towers typically are supported completely by the roof rails, and do not otherwise touch the vehicle roof.  
           [0006]    However, known rack towers for mounting to a roof rail may also present some shortcomings. For example, these towers are typically configured to remain at a fixed angle to the roof once the tower is adjusted for a particular roof. In this situation, a user may need to exercise care when mounting or removing the rack from the vehicle roof to avoid damaging the roof rails by lifting one tower while the other is attached to the vehicle. Also, the bolts used to mount the towers to the fasteners inside the rail slots are typically not accessible when the tower portion is mounted to the base portion. In this case, the tower portions typically must be removed from the base portions to adjust the position of the rack on the vehicle roof.  
           [0007]    Additionally, the hardware used to tighten the tower onto a crossbar is often located in a position that may be difficult to adjust once the tower portion is mounted to the base. Furthermore, this hardware may be exposed to highway dirt or dust, which may clog the hardware and make the tower more difficult to adjust.  
         DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    The present invention provides a rack tower configured to be mounted to a roof rail of a vehicle that may avoid the problems encountered with conventional towers. The advantages of the present invention will be understood more readily after a consideration of the drawings and the Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is partial view of a vehicle roof, showing a rack tower according to a first embodiment of the present invention attached to a roof rail.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a partially exploded isometric view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a partially broken-away perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, with the tower cover closed and the locking pins in the extended position.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a partially broken-away perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, with the tower cover open and the locking pins in the retracted position.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, with the tower cover closed.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, with the tower cover closed and the locking pins engaged with the base.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 7 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, with the tower cover open.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 8 is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 1, with the tower cover open and the locking pins disengaged from the base. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 shows, generally at  10 , a rack tower according to a first embodiment of the present invention, coupled to a vehicle roof rail  12 . Rack tower  10  includes a base  14  and a tower portion  16 . Base  14  is configured to be mounted to one or more connectors disposed within a slot  18  formed in roof rail  12 . Tower portion  16  is configured to be coupled to base  14 , and also to retain a crossbar  20 , to thus couple the crossbar to the vehicle.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 shows the construction of rack tower  10  in more detail. Base  14  includes one or more bolt holes  22  (two are shown) configured to accept bolts  24  to secure the base to the connectors disposed within slot  18  of roof rail  12 . Base  14  also includes an inner surface  26  against which tower portion  16  may rest when coupled to base  14 . Inner surface  26  is typically configured to have a shape complementary to the shape of the bottom surface of tower portion  16 . In the depicted embodiment, inner surface  26  has a continuously curved shape that allows tower portion  16  to pivot relative to base  14 , as described in more detail below. This allows one side of crossbar  20  to be lifted without damaging the roof rail to which the other side of the crossbar is attached, and also allows crossbar  20  to be more easily adapted for use on roofs of different profiles. However, it will be appreciated that inner surface  26  may have any other suitable shape without departing from the scope of the present invention.  
         [0019]    Base  14  also includes a pair of recesses  28 . Recesses  28  are configured to receive of a pair of complementary locking pins  30  that are movably coupled to tower portion  16 . Locking pins  30  are movable between a retracted position, in which the locking pins do not extend into recesses  28 , and an extended position, in which the locking pins do extend into the recesses. This allows tower portion  16  to be mounted to base  14  simply by resting the tower portion against inner surface  26  of base  14 , and then moving locking pins  30  into recesses  28 . Likewise, tower portion  16  may be removed from base  14  simply by moving locking pins  30  out of recesses  28 , and then removing the tower portion from the base. The operation of locking pins  30  is described in more detail below.  
         [0020]    Tower portion  16  includes a body  32  and a tower cover  34 . Body  32  typically includes an aperture  36  configured to accommodate crossbar  20 , and also may include a wedge  38  that is adjustable via bolt  40  to grip or clamp crossbar  20  within aperture  36 .  
         [0021]    Body  32  also includes a pair of generally cylindrical locking pin mounts  42 . The depicted locking pin mounts  42  have a generally curved shape that is configured to be complementary to the shape of inner surface  26  of base  14  to facilitate the pivoting of tower portion  16  on the base. However, the locking pin mounts  42  may have any other suitable shape without departing from the scope of the present invention.  
         [0022]    Locking pin mounts  42  are each configured to hold a locking pin sleeve  44  firmly in position relative to body  32 . As shown in FIG. 2, one locking pin sleeve  44  is shown separate from body  32 , while the other locking pin sleeve  44  is shown positioned within locking pin mount  42 . Each locking pin sleeve  44  has a threaded inner surface that is complementary to threads  46  formed in each locking pin  30 . The interaction of threads  46  on locking pins  30  with the threads on the inner surfaces of locking pin sleeves  44  causes locking pins  30  to move linearly along their axis of rotation  51  relative to locking pin sleeves  44  when the locking pins are rotated. Thus, locking pins  30  can be made to retract into or extend out of locking pin sleeves  44  by rotating the locking pins with respect to the locking pin sleeves.  
         [0023]    The rotation of locking pins  30  may be accomplished by causing locking pins  30  to rotate with movements of tower cover  34 . To accomplish this, tower cover  34  includes a downwardly extending locking pin bracket  48 . Locking pin bracket  48  is configured to accommodate a flattened (or otherwise shaped) portion  49  at the end of each locking pin  30 . Locking pin bracket  48  is also configured to allow locking pins  30  to slide linearly along the inner surfaces of the bracket, but not to rotate with respect to the bracket.  
         [0024]    A bracket cover  50  configured to snap onto the bracket may be used to retain ends  49  of locking pins  30  within the bracket. Bracket cover  50  may include a lower surface complementary in shape to the inner surface  26  of base  14 . This, combined with the ability of locking pins  30  to rotate within locking pin sleeves  44 , allows tower cover  34  to be pivoted between an open position and a closed position with respect to body  32 . Tower cover  34  pivots along an axis of rotation  51  that extends generally through both locking pins  30 . The closed position is illustrated in FIGS. 3, 5 and  6 , and the open position is illustrated in FIGS. 4, 7 and  8 . The base is shown in phantom in FIGS.  5 - 8 , while the positions of locking pins  30  are indicated in dashed lines in these FIGS.  
         [0025]    The operation of rack tower  10  is illustrated in more detail in FIGS.  3 - 8 . FIGS.  3 - 4  show operation of the rack tower from a perspective view, and FIGS.  5 - 8  show the operation of the rack tower from side and front views. Initially, when tower cover  34  is in the closed position, locking pins  30  are in the extended position, and extend into recesses  28  in base  14 . However, when tower cover  34  is pivoted away from body  32 , bracket  48  causes locking pins  30  to rotate along with the tower cover  34 . The threads within locking pin sleeves  44  then cause locking pins  30  to retract into the sleeves as the locking pins rotate. Locking pins  30  may retract completely into locking pin sleeves  44  when tower cover  34  is opened far enough, as shown in FIG. 4. This allows tower portion  16  to be easily removed from base  14 . Likewise, tower portion  16  may be coupled to base  14  simply by placing the tower portion  16  upon inner surface  26  of base while tower cover  34  is in the open position, and then pivoting the tower cover to the closed position.  
         [0026]    Besides providing for the quick attachment of tower portion  16  to base  14 , the use of tower cover  34  also offers other advantages over conventional rack towers. For example, tower cover  34  covers much of the hardware used to mount and adjust rack tower  10  when in the closed position. Thus, mounting bolts  24  and wedge adjustment bolt  40  are protected from contamination by road dust and dirt when tower cover  34  is closed. This may keep the bolts operating smoothly for a longer period of time compared to unprotected bolts.  
         [0027]    Furthermore, referring again to FIG. 2, tower cover  34  may include a lock mount  52  configured to accept the attachment of a locking mechanism (not shown). When installed on rack tower  10 , the locking mechanism may be locked by a user to prevent others from opening tower cover  34 . Because mounting bolts  24  and wedge adjustment bolt  40  are completely covered when tower cover  34  is closed, locking the locking mechanism prevents the mounting or adjustment bolts from being tampered with, and thus may help to prevent the theft of rack tower  10  or crossbar  20 . It will be appreciated that mounting bolts  24  and wedge adjustment bolt  40  are all easily accessible by a user when tower cover  34  is in the open position (mounting bolts  24  are accessible through access holes  54  in body  32 ), without any need to remove tower portion  16  from base  14 .  
         [0028]    It is believed that the disclosure set forth above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in its preferred form, the specific embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed herein.  
         [0029]    Inventions embodied in various combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements, and/or properties may be claimed through presentation of new claims in a related application. Such new claims, whether they are directed to a different invention or directed to the same invention, whether different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the original claims, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of the inventions of the present disclosure.