Abstract:
An automobile roof top carrier for securing equipment to an automobile rooftop includes a body made from a resilient material having a plurality of protrusions disposed about a top surface. The protrusions define a support surface for holding the equipment and also define a first and second support channel disposed substantially transverse to the support surface. Optionally, the sides of the body include a third and fourth support channel. One fastener is disposed around part of the carrier through the support channels and over the equipment and secures the equipment to the carrier block. A second fastener is disposed through the first and second support channels and secures the carrier to the vehicle roof. The protrusions prevent the fasteners from sliding relative to the carrier block.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is related to and claims the benefit of Provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 60/421,006 titled Cartop Ski/Snowboard Carriers, filed by Johnston et al. on Oct. 24, 2002, and incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a device for securing an object to the roof of an automobile and more particularly, relates to an easily removable device for the storage and transportation of equipment.  
         BACKGROUND INFORMATION  
         [0003]    Traditional rooftop carriers typically are rigidly secured to the roof or roof rack of an automobile. These known carriers are typically difficult to install, and as a result are generally permanently installed on a single vehicle or are installed for an extended period of time. Moreover, the known rooftop carriers often require the aid or use of more than one person to install them.  
           [0004]    Upon the arrival at the desired location, for example a ski resort, a user must remove the equipment from the rooftop carrier. Because the known rooftop carriers are left attached to the automobile, the user must carry all the pieces of the equipment individually (e.g., the skis and poles). As a result, transporting the equipment is difficult since the equipment is in individual pieces and is not in an easily transportable package. Consequently, users of traditional rooftop carriers often must purchase separate equipment transporters or carriers to facilitate moving the equipment from the automobile to the desired location, e.g., from the parking lot to the ski lodge or to the ski slope. Another disadvantage of the known rooftop carriers is that a user must purchase a separate storage device for storing the equipment during the off-season or while not in use.  
           [0005]    Accordingly, what is needed is a car top carrier that is easily portable and easily installed on the roof of a car so that the device may be used on multiple vehicles. Once installed, the device should be easy to load and unload equipment. Moreover, the device should be useful for the storage and transportation of the equipment once removed from the automobile while the equipment is not in use.  
         SUMMARY  
         [0006]    The present invention features a carrier including a body of resilient material for the transportation of equipment such as, but not limited to, skis, snow boards, surf boards, water skis, and the like. The bottom surface of the body includes an engaging surface for engaging a vehicle roof on which the carrier is to be mounted.  
           [0007]    The top surface includes a plurality of raised protrusions defining a support surface sized and shaped to engage a piece of equipment. According to the preferred embodiment, the support surface further includes a slot disposed substantially perpendicular to the support surface. The slot is sized and shaped to contain at least part of the piece of equipment. The slot optionally includes a cavity disposed at an end opposite the support surface.  
           [0008]    The raise protrusions also define a first and at least a second support channel disposed substantially transverse to the support surface. The first and second support channels are sized and shaped to engage a first fastener such as a strap or the like.  
           [0009]    At least a portion of a first and at least a second side of the body further includes a third and at least a fourth support channel, respectively. The third and fourth support channel are sized and shaped to engage at least a second fastener such as a strap. In the preferred embodiment, the third and the fourth support channel are aligned with the first and the second support channel.  
           [0010]    The bottom surface further includes at least a fifth support channel disposed longitudinally and aligned with the third and fourth support channel. The fifth support channel is sized and shaped to accept the second fastener. In the preferred embodiment, the bottom surface further includes a longitudinally disposed cavity sized and shaped to engage at least part of a roof rack on the vehicle roof.  
           [0011]    According to another embodiment, the carrier comprises a body of resilient material and includes a roof engagement surface disposed about at least a portion of a bottom of the body for engaging a vehicle roof on which the carrier is to be mounted. A plurality of raised protrusions disposed about a top of the body define a support surface sized and shaped to engage a piece of equipment. The raised protrusions also define a first and at least a second support channel disposed substantially transverse to the support surface. The first and the second support channel are sized and shaped to engage a first fastener.  
           [0012]    The carrier also includes a third and at least a fourth support channel disposed about at least a portion of a first and at least a second side portion of the body, respectively. The third and fourth support channel are sized and shaped to engage at least a second fastener. The second fastener is disposed around at least part of the body through at least the third and the fourth channel and over the piece of equipment such that the second fastener secures the piece of equipment to the carrier. The first fastener is disposed about at least a portion of the top surface of the body through the first and second channel such that the first fastener secures the carrier to the vehicle roof. The protrusions prevent the first fastener from sliding relative to the carrier. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the drawings wherein:  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is an elevated top view of one embodiment according to the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a elevated top view of another embodiment according to the present invention;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 3 is yet another elevated top view of yet another embodiment according to the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is a plan side view of one embodiment according to the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 is a plan view of another embodiment according to the present invention;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 6 is a plan view of yet another embodiment of according to present invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an end according to one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the end according to another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 9 is a plan view of the end of one embodiment according to the present invention;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 10 is yet another perspective end view of yet another embodiment according to the present invention;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIGS. 11 and 12 another embodiment according to the present invention; and  
         [0025]    [0025]FIGS. 13 and 14 show different embodiments of the present invention installed on an automobile according to the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0026]    A carrier  10 , FIGS. 1 and 4, in accordance with the present invention, allows a user to quickly and easily transport and store equipment, for example sports equipment such as, but not limited to, snow skis, snow boards, surf boards, water skis, and the like. The carrier  10  preferably includes one or more “blocks” made from a soft resilient material such as, but not limited to, mini-cell high-density foam. Other materials, such as other foams, plastics, or synthetics, are also envisioned. The material is preferably weather resistant such that it does not absorb water.  
         [0027]    The top  12  of the carrier  10  includes a plurality of towers or protrusions  14 . In the preferred embodiment, the top  12  of the carrier  10  includes four towers  14 , one at each corner, which provide a support channel  15  for the straps  16  that secures both the equipment to the carrier  10  as well as the carrier  10  to the automobile (not shown). The straps  16  can be any fastening device known to those skilled in the art such as rope, twine, cable, chain, utility straps, or the like, but are preferably nylon or polypropylene utility straps. The straps  16  also preferably include a buckle, fastener (such as loop/hook fastener) to allow the user to tighten and secure the carrier  10  as will be described in greater detail below.  
         [0028]    In one embodiment, the carrier  10  includes a width W (the inside distance between opposite towers  14  on each end  18 ) and a length L (the distance between each side  20 ) which forms a support surface  22  sized to accept a piece of equipment (not shown) such as, but not limited to, a snow board, surf board, water skis, or snow skis. In the preferred embodiment, the support surface  22  is flat, though it may also be contoured to better fit certain types of equipment.  
         [0029]    In another embodiment, the top  12 , FIGS. 2 and 5, of the carrier  10  includes at least one, preferably two or more, slots  24 . Slots  24  may be vertical (as shown in FIG. 2), diagonal, or may be horizontally disposed through the ends  18  (not shown). Slots  24  are spread apart and securely hold and protect equipment. In a preferred embodiment, the slots  24 , FIGS. 3 and 6, further include a cavity  26 , such as a radius cut-out or the like, sized to hold a pair of skis and/or poles. The exact size and shape of the cavity  26  will depend on the desired equipment to be stored, and is within the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art.  
         [0030]    The carrier  10  also preferably includes a second channel  28 , FIG. 7, disposed on the ends  18  which works in conjunction with the channel  15  formed by the towers  14 . The channels  15 ,  28  provide a region or groove for the strap  16  to grip on the carrier  10 , thus providing the carrier  10  with additional strength. In a preferred embodiment, the carrier  10  includes a third channel  30 , FIG. 8 disposed through the bottom  32  of the carrier  10 . In this embodiment, a first strap  16 ′ is used to secure the equipment to the carrier and is placed through the first, second, and third channels  15 ,  28 ,  30 . A second strap  16 ″ is then placed around at least the first channel  15  (and possible partly through the second channel  28 ) and is secured to the automobile as will be described in greater detail below. In this embodiment, the carrier  10  is placed directly on the surface of the roof.  
         [0031]    In an alternative embodiment, the carrier  10 , FIGS. 9 and 10, includes hollow space or cavity  34  running along the length of the bottom surface  32 . The hollow space or cavity  34  is sized to fit over a factory or aftermarket automobile roof rack (not shown) that is commonly installed on many vehicles. The hollow space or cavity  34  further aids in securing the carrier  10  to the automobile roof.  
         [0032]    The bottom  32 , FIGS. 4-10, of the carrier  10  preferably includes a high traction surface  36 , such as a non-skid laminate, which is soft and does not scratch the surface of the automobile roof. The high traction surface  36  helps secure the carrier  10  to the roof of an automobile.  
         [0033]    In yet another embodiment, the carrier  10 , FIGS. 11-13, includes a longitudinal slot  40  running down the length L. The slot  40  is size to accept equipment E, such as a pair of skis. The carrier  10  also includes a first and second cavity  42 ,  44  sized to accept the binding B of a ski or snowboard. In a preferred embodiment, the carrier  10  also includes an interconnecting device  46 , such as a “lock and key” or groove and tab, which facilitates the use of two or more carriers  10  as shown in FIG. 13. The carrier  10  may also include a hollow space or cavity  34  sized to fit over an automobile roof rack  50  that is commonly installed on many vehicles. The hollow space or cavity  34  further aids in securing the carrier  10  to the automobile roof.  
         [0034]    According to one method of using the carrier  10 , at least one, preferably two or more, carriers  10 , FIGS. 13 and 14, are placed a spaced distance D apart from each other (preferably at opposite ends of the equipment E). Next, equipment E, such as one or more snowboards, snow skis, water skis, kayaks, or surfboards, are then placed on the supporting surface  12  and/or placed in a slot  24 ,  40 . In a first embodiment, a first strap  16 ′ is placed around the equipment E, through the channel  15  formed by the towers  14 , and around the sides  18  and bottom  32  of the carrier  10 . In the preferred embodiment, the strap  16 ′ is preferably placed through second and third channels  28 ,  30  as well. The strap  16 ′ is then tightened to secure the equipment E to the carriers  10 .  
         [0035]    The carriers  10  can then be used to store the equipment E in while not in use, transport the equipment by hand, or secured the equipment E to a roof R of an automobile for long distance transportation. When securing an automobile roof R, the carriers  10  and equipment E are placed on the roof R. If a roof rack  50  is present. FIG. 13, the carriers  10  preferably include a hollow cavity  34  that allows the carriers  10  to be placed over the roof rack  50 . Otherwise, the carriers  10  are placed directly on the roof R. The carriers  10  are then secured to the roof R using a second strap  16 ″. In the preferred embodiment, the second strap  16 ″ is placed through the doors D of the automobile, though other methods of securing the carriers  10  to the automobile are also envisioned, such as, but not limited to, securing the carriers  10  to the roof rack or to roof mounting devices. The high traction surface  36  provides an additional, soft, yet secure surface for the carriers  10  to grip the roof R. In this manner, the carriers  10  can be easy installed on any automobile.  
         [0036]    In a second embodiment, at least one carrier  10 , preferably two or more, is placed directly on the roof R. Next, the equipment E is placed on the supporting surface  12  and/or placed in a slot  24 ,  40 . A strap  16  is then placed around the equipment E is secured to the automobile in any manner described above. In the preferred embodiment, the strap  16  is also placed through the first channel  15 .  
         [0037]    Upon arrival at the destination, the user then simply removes the equipment E from the roof R by removing the strap  16 ″. In the preferred embodiment, the first strap  16 ′ secures the equipment E to the carriers  10  themselves, thus enabling the user to easily transport the equipment E and carriers  10  by hand since the carriers  10  will keep the equipment E in an easily manageable package. Furthermore, the use of the first strap  16 ′ enables the carriers  10  to function as a storage device, thus allowing the user to remove the equipment E from the roof R and quickly and easily stored the equipment E while not in use (such as during the off-season) without having to purchase a separate storage device. If only a single strap  16 ″ is used, the equipment E can be removed directly from the carriers  10 , thus allowing immediate access to the equipment E.  
         [0038]    Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention.