Patent Publication Number: US-2011068137-A1

Title: Adjustable kayak carrier

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is application claims priority to provisional Application No. 61/244,741, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure refers to an adjustable support. More specifically, the disclosure refers to a support for a kayak on a vehicle roof 
     BACKGROUND 
     Kayaking enthusiasts often need to transport their watercraft long distances to reach the rivers and lakes that they desire to paddle. Accordingly, they need a method to transport their kayak safely. These enthusiasts often use their vehicles to transport their watercraft. 
     A disadvantage of kayak carriers in the prior art is the difficulty that consumers face when purchasing a kayak carrier for their kayak. Consumers may have difficulty in finding a kayak carrier that is compatible with their particular kayak. Moreover, when a consumer does find a suitable kayak carrier, it is likely not designed for their specific kayak, and therefore provides an imperfect fit. Accordingly, the kayak may not fit well in the carrier because the carrier may be configured to support a specific kayak. 
     Other kayak carriers found in the prior art also require purchasing additional equipment such as a multi-purpose rack that is compatible with the carrier. Multi-purpose racks cause additional cost and time for installation. 
     Accordingly, there is a need to have a cost-effective kayak carrier compatible with many different size kayaks. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
       An adjustable kayak carrier according to the present disclosure shall hereafter be described with reference to the enclosed figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an illustration of one block in accordance with the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is an illustration of an exemplary kayak saddle in a first configuration in accordance with the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  is an illustration of the exemplary kayak saddle in a second configuration using a guide; 
         FIG. 4  is an illustration of two saddles forming a kayak carrier in accordance with the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4A  is an illustration of two saddles forming a kayak carrier in accordance with the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  is an illustration of the exemplary carrier of  FIG. 4  on a vehicle; 
         FIG. 6  is an illustration of the exemplary carrier of  FIG. 4  with a kayak installed on the carrier; and 
         FIG. 7  is an illustration of a block with a relatively low or high-friction surface on top of the block. 
     
    
    
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure include an adjustable kayak carrier for a vehicle roof comprising a first saddle for a rear of a kayak and a second saddle for a front of the kayak. Each saddle comprises two adjustable supports, which move relative to one another, perhaps on a guide, to conform to an infinite number of kayak sizes within the bounds of the vehicle. 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure deliver a kayak carrier that provides a suitable fit for any size kayak, thereby preventing confusion when purchasing a kayak carrier. The term “kayak” is defined as any elongated watercraft that is capable of supporting at least one person on a waterway and that may or may not have a mechanized transport structure. 
     Further embodiments of the present disclosure provide a kayak carrier that does not require, but could be used with, a multi-purpose vehicle rack. Providing a carrier that does not need an additional multi-purpose rack reduces cost and installation time by simplifying the carrier. Specifically, the kayak carrier may rest directly on, and in contact with, the roof of a vehicle. However, some embodiments of the present disclosure can be compatible with a multi-purpose rack so that multi-purpose rack owners can benefit from the features disclosed herein. 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure also prevent the pads and kayak from slipping relative to one another and relative to the vehicle roof. Movement on the vehicle roof can be prevented by using a surface with a high coefficient of friction on the base of the pad to prevent the pad from sliding on the vehicle roof. As is known, the coefficient of friction is defined as force of friction between two bodies and the force pressing them together. A similar high-friction surface can be applied to one of the kayak saddles to prevent the kayak from slipping. Moreover, a surface with a relatively low coefficient of friction can be applied to the other of the saddles to ease installation of a kayak on the saddles. 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure include first and second supports including a top surface having a slope relative to corresponding bottom surfaces in which the slopes of the first and second supports form a generally concave receiving surface in an installed configuration for a front of a vehicle. These embodiments also disclose third and fourth supports, which can include a top surface having a slope relative to corresponding bottom surfaces in which the slopes of the third and fourth supports form a generally concave receiving surface in an installed configuration for a rear of a vehicle. In one arrangement, the first and second supports can be arranged to support a first end of a kayak, and the third and fourth supports can be arranged to support a second end of the kayak. 
     The supports can rest on the vehicle in an installed configuration. Each of the supports can further have a through-hole extending length-wise from one end to another. The carrier can include a first guide that can be configured to slidably engage the first and second supports. The carrier can also include a second guide configured to slidably engage the third and fourth supports. Some embodiments include a first strap configured to secure the first and second supports to the front of the vehicle and a second strap configured to secure the third and fourth supports to the rear of the vehicle. As an example, the first and second supports can further include a relatively high-friction surface compared to surfaces of the third and fourth supports, thereby resisting movement of a kayak in an installed configuration. Similarly, the third and fourth supports can include a relatively low-friction surface compared to surfaces of the first and second supports, thereby facilitating a sliding motion during installation of a kayak. As another example, the first and second guides can be composed of a substantially rigid material or foam. Netting can be used for securing a kayak to the kayak carrier. Moreover, the through-holes can be configured for being coupled to a multi-purpose vehicle roof rack. In one particular arrangement, the supports can have a generally trapezoidal block-like shape. 
     Other embodiments of the present disclosure include first, second, third and fourth supports, each having at least one through-hole and first and second guides, in which the through-holes of the first and second supports can be configured to slidably accept the first guide to form a first saddle. In addition, the through-holes of the third and fourth supports can be configured to slidably accept the second guide to form a second saddle. The first and second guides can each include two ends and a channel with openings on each end of each of the guides. The embodiments can further include first and second fasteners corresponding to the channels of the first and second guides respectively, in which the fasteners, for example straps, are configured to couple the first and second guides to a vehicle. The first and second supports can include a relatively high-friction surface compared to surfaces of the third and fourth supports, thereby resisting movement of a kayak in an installed configuration. The third and fourth supports can include a relatively low-friction surface compared to surfaces of the first and second supports, thereby facilitating a sliding motion during installation of a kayak. The guides can be formed using a substantially rigid material. The first and second guides can constitute portions of a multi-purpose vehicle roof rack. 
     An additional embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first saddle and a second saddle, in which the first and second saddles each include two blocks with one or more longitudinal through-holes. The first and second saddles further include at least one guide, comprising two ends, extending through at least one of the longitudinal through-holes, in which each guide has an opening extending from one end of the guide to the other end. One or more straps can fit through the opening of each of the at least one guide and configured to attach the kayak carrier to a vehicle. 
     DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Embodiments will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings. Other embodiments are contemplated in many different forms and this disclosure should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a support  10  in accordance with the present disclosure. Support  10  comprises a block-like shape with top surface  12 . Top surface  12  can be flat, but can be sloped relative to corresponding bottom surfaces (not illustrated), thereby forming a trapezoidal block-like shape. Block  10  can be composed of solid foam, a viscoelastic material, or some other non-abrasive material to avoid scratching a vehicle roof. A “support” is defined as any structure that can be positioned on the roof or other surface of a vehicle and that can present one or more surfaces for engaging a component to be carried by the vehicle. 
       FIG. 2  is an illustration of kayak saddle  20  in a configuration in which supports  10  can be separated from each other by gap  21 . The supports  10  can be further arranged such that their slopes  12  are facing inward to form a valley or generally concave surface to receive a kayak. Gap  21  can be adjusted to conform to the dimensions of most kayak hulls. The size of gap  21  can be infinitely adjustable within the bounds of the vehicle. Accordingly, kayak saddle  20  can be reused if a new kayak is purchased that has a different hull shape compared to a previously transported kayak. 
     In  FIG. 3 , supports  10  can further comprise through-holes  30 , which can receive guide  31 . However, in other embodiments, fasteners such as straps can be used instead of guide  31 . Through-holes  30  can extend length-wise from one end of supports  10  to another. In the illustrated embodiment, guide  31  is depicted extending through through-holes  30 . Guide  31  can be any elongate shape; for example, it can be cylindrically shaped. Accordingly, guide  31  is configured to slidably engage supports  10  and through-holes  30 . Guide  31  further comprises channel  32  for receiving a strap and/or netting (not shown) that can be used to secure kayak saddle  20  to a vehicle. Channel  32  proceeds continuously from one end of guide  31  to the other and comprises openings at both ends. Guide  31  may also be manufactured using a substantially rigid material such as plastic. However, in other embodiments guide  31  can be manufactured from a more flexible material to allow it to conform to a roof having a non-planar surface. 
     In another configuration, gap  21  can be closed such that supports  10  are joined together. When gap  21  is closed, this is the minimum size of kayak saddle  20 . Typically, kayak hulls will not be smaller than the minimum size of kayak saddle  20 . 
       FIG. 4  is an illustration of two saddles  41  and  42  forming kayak carrier  40  in accordance with the present disclosure. In one embodiment, each saddle  41 ,  42  can include two supports  10 , which can be used to support a kayak. Saddle  41  can be used for the rear of a vehicle and another saddle  42  can be used for the front. However, in one embodiment, there may be only one elongate saddle for the entire kayak. The elongate saddle could extend the entire length of the vehicle roof or any suitable portion of the roof length to carry a larger portion of the kayak. Kayak carrier  40  also includes fasteners, such as straps  43 , for securing kayak carrier  40  to a vehicle. Strap  43  can extend through channels  32 , thereby allowing kayak carrier  40  to be secured to a vehicle roof by running strap  43  through vehicle openings when the door is ajar or through the vehicle&#39;s windows and around the roof. The straps can be tied together or secured by a latching mechanism, such as a ratchet or hooks. As an example, a user can feed straps  43  through open doors of the vehicle and can tie the straps  43  together inside the vehicle or outside the vehicle. As another example, if the straps  43  include a latching mechanism, the user may feed the straps  43  as discussed in the previous case and can secure the straps  43  together either inside or outside the vehicle. In one arrangement, the straps  43  can be thin enough to allow a user to close the doors or other opening of the vehicle that the straps  43  have been fed through once the straps  43  have been tied or secured to one another. 
     In one arrangement, a kayak can be secured to kayak carrier  40  via netting  44 . Netting  44  can be in two pieces (one piece for each saddle  41 ,  42 ), and can be secured to saddles  41  and  42  through channels  32 ; however, in one alternative embodiment, netting  44  can be secured to carrier  40  by wrapping it around guides  31 . Mechanisms other than netting  44  can be used to secure the kayak to the kayak carrier  44 . For example, one or more straps  44 A can be secured to guides  31  as shown in  FIG. 4A , or one or more of the supports  10 , and can be wrapped over or even around the kayak to secure the kayak to the vehicle. 
       FIG. 5  is an illustration of kayak carrier  40  in an installed configuration and resting on, and in contact with, a vehicle roof in a configuration for supporting a kayak. Here, the supports  10  can be in direct contact with the roof or other suitable surface of the vehicle. This configuration, along with the ability of the straps  43  to be secured either inside or outside the vehicle, can eliminate the need for a roof rack if desired. As previously noted, kayak carrier  40  can further include netting  44  for securing a kayak to the vehicle. Netting  44  can be secured around the guide  31  of saddles  41  and  42  as illustrated. In other embodiments, netting  44  can be secured by feeding a portion of the netting through channels  32 . In still further embodiments, netting  44  can be secured through the vehicle similar to straps  43 . 
       FIG. 6  is an illustration of kayak carrier  40  in an installed configuration with a kayak  60  secured to a vehicle  65 . As can be seen, the netting  44  can wrap around the kayak  60 , thereby securing the kayak  60  to the saddles  41 ,  42  and the vehicle  65 . In this case, although without limitation, the saddle  41  can be positioned near the rear of the vehicle  65 , while the saddle  42  can be positioned near the front of the vehicle  65 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates another embodiment of the present disclosure in which the supports  10  can include either relatively low or high-friction surfaces  70 , with respect to each other. Specifically, saddle  41 , which can be positioned on the rear of the vehicle  65  (see  FIG. 6 ), comprises one or more supports  10  having a relatively low-friction sliding surface  70 , thereby allowing kayak to slide over saddle  41  during installation of a kayak on the vehicle. More specifically, a user will typically slide the kayak over the rear saddle  41  and gently drop the kayak onto the front saddle  42 . The relatively low-friction surfaces  70  of the supports  10  of the rear saddle  41  facilitate the sliding of the kayak. In contrast, saddle  42 , on the front of the vehicle, comprises one or more supports  10  having a high-friction gripping surface  70 , thereby retaining the kayak on saddle  42  on the front of the vehicle. As such, the kayak-engaging surfaces  70  of the supports  10  of the saddle  41  at the rear of the vehicle can have a lower friction coefficient than the friction coefficient of the kayak-engaging surfaces  70  of the supports  10  of the saddle  42  at the front of the vehicle. The relatively high and low friction surfaces  70  can be placed on the supports  10  via, for example, an adhesive. 
     Supports  10  can also comprise a high-friction surface (not illustrated), such as rubber, on their bases. This surface will prevent saddles  41  and  42  from sliding on the vehicle roof. 
     While described generally herein, the cradle can be used for many purposes that would benefit from the features described herein, such as carrying items other than a kayak. In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed embodiments and examples, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation, the scope of the disclosure being set forth in the following claims.