Abstract:
A roof rack system has a clamping system comprised of handles, a ratcheting mechanism, and a pair of jaws. The jaws provide a universal clamping system that will attach to most roof rack cross bars with an easy-on/easy-off, quick-release actuator, such as a ratcheting mechanism or lever system, that will integrate with a wide variety of accessories. The ratcheting mechanism provides compression of the attached accessory, securing it to a roof rack cross bar. This system is easier to use, more versatile, and less expensive than conventional roof rack accessory systems.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/221,660 filed on Sep. 22, 2015 which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
       [0002]    Not Applicable. 
       APPENDIX 
       [0003]    Not Applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Field of the Invention 
         [0005]    The present invention relates to roof racks, and more particularly to clamping devices used to hold items to roof racks. 
         [0006]    Related Art 
         [0007]    Vehicle roof racks are more prevalent today than ever. Many vehicles have factory-installed roof racks on their base models. Vehicle owners have tremendous numbers of options for different types of roof racks and various accessories that clamp on or are otherwise affixed to the roof racks. However, current roof rack systems are restrictive in what they can carry, components are challenging to put on and take off, and roof rack accessories are expensive. In addition, roof racks differ widely from vehicle to vehicle, and manufacturer to manufacturer which results in a wide array of components and options that make it difficult for the consumer, and an inventory and logistics challenge for distributors and retailers. Accordingly, there remains a need for a simpler roof rack clamping system that is more economical, provides versatility and is easier to use than the currently available accessories. 
         [0008]    Roof racks systems contain roof rails, crossbars, and the accessories that are used to hold items to the roof racks. The roof rack side rails are positioned parallel to the sides of the vehicle, while the crossbars are positioned transverse between the side rails across the vehicle (from side-to-side). Roof rails attach to the vehicle in a variety of ways and the crossbars connect to these roof rails. Some vehicles and systems eliminate the roof rails and have the crossbars mounted directly to the vehicle roof. The roof rack accessories connect to the crossbars by a variety of methods, and typically include a clamp with jaws on opposite sides of the crossbar (top to bottom or front to back), one end which may be permanently closed (such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,793,186) or could be used to adjust the distance between the top side and bottom side for crossbars having different thicknesses (such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,210,407), and another end which has a closure and adjustment mechanism. 
         [0009]    Current roof rack clamping systems use different types of closure and adjustment mechanisms; many of the clamping devices having a threaded bolt connector that close and lock the jaws of the clamp, and other clamping devices use a buckle or strap. To adjust the tightness of the jaws and lock the closure in place, most clamping systems may use a device that is permanently connected to the clamp, such as a ratchet, a lever, a wing nut or nut with a knob, and some require the use of a separate tool such as a wrench to tighten a standard nut. In most designs, the clamping jaws fit around the front and back end of the crossbar (such as disclosed in the &#39;186 and &#39;407 Patents); in some other designs, the jaws fit around the front and back end of the crossbar rather than clamping around the top and bottom, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,496,145, and in at least one design, the jaws fit around the side rail, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,116. In yet another alternative design, a clamping device may have a strap and ratchet in which the strap actually serves both the role of one jaw of the clamp and the role of the closure mechanism, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,322,279. 
         [0010]    The clamping systems connect the accessories to the roof racks, and the accessories hold the items being transported such as bikes, skis, canoes, kayaks, roof boxes, and cargo bins. Accordingly, the clamping devices have attachment mechanisms to which the accessories are connected. In many current roof racks, the accessories are limited to mostly function for one particular type of sports equipment (carry bikes, canoes, skis, or some other type of sports equipment) but not all types of sports equipment or function to hold cargo carriers on the roof rack which results in additional expense when different types of equipment need to be carried. In many instances, the accessory has an equipment-specific connector, such as a skewer for securing bicycle forks or straps for securing a bicycle tire (as disclosed in the &#39;407 Patent), or the accessory may have a universal connector that could be used to hold different accessory parts for various types of cargo. Universal connectors can be a threaded bolt, such as disclosed in the &#39;186 Patent, or by some other type of mount, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,322,279 and 7,357,283. 
         [0011]    Most current clamping systems do not offer accessories for transporting large items that do not fit in the cargo carriers, and the accessories that are used to hold sports equipment are not suitable for large items such as lumber, piping, conduit, ladders, rugs, Christmas trees, etc. Even in those roof racks which have universal connectors and which may be used for oversized items, the accessories are often hard to attach and remove from the roof rack, resulting in most users leaving the components on the roof rack even when not in use. Currently known designs with a universal roof rack clamp which can be used for sports equipment, cargo carriers or oversized items are difficult to use, take significant time to install and remove, require two hands to operate, and/or are insecure. None of the prior art clamps have an elongated handgrip and a trigger handle that extend in the same direction to allow for single-handed installation of the clamp on the roof rack&#39;s crossbar and to provide for an actuated clamping mechanism. It would be beneficial to have a roof rack clamp that can be installed onto the roof rack with a single hand. It would be an additional benefit to have a roof rack clamp with an elongated handgrip and a trigger handle to provide a mechanical advantage for an actuated clamping mechanism. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    A clamping system having opposing jaws, an elongated handgrip, an actuator, a trigger handle, and a mount. The opposing jaws are comprised of a fixed jaw and a movable jaw, where jaws can be opened and connected to a roof rack crossbar and closed onto the roof rack crossbar to secure the clamp and mounted accessories to the roof rack. The actuator can be a ratchet or a lever that is operated by the trigger handle. The jaws have one connection at their proximal ends where they extend from the handgrip, the trigger handle, and the actuator and can also have a second connection at their distal ends. A locking fastener, locking tabs or other locking means prevents the jaws from being opened when the lock is engaged and the jaws are closed. 
         [0013]    Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. In particular, each one of the various embodiments of the present invention have various orientations, configurations, and arrangements of the components that provide additional advantages over the prior art references. Accordingly, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detail description and the accompanying drawings. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances, various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention; therefore the drawings are not necessarily to scale. In addition, in the embodiments depicted herein, like reference numerals in the various drawings refer to identical or near identical structural elements. 
           [0015]      FIGS. 1A-1C  are side views of a slide ratchet bar clamp according to the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIGS. 2A-2E  display the clamp of  FIGS. 1A-1C  as it is used with various mounting accessories to hold objects to the roof rack. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3A  is an isometric view of an alternative slide ratchet bar clamp with a latching mechanism. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3B  shows the clamp of  FIG. 3A  in a progression of orientations between the jaws relative to the roof rack crossbar. 
           [0019]      FIGS. 3C and 3D  are an isometric view and side view, respectively, showing a modular mount and a progression of positions relative to the clamp of  FIG. 3A . 
           [0020]      FIG. 4A  is an isometric view of an alternative slide ratchet bar clamp. 
           [0021]      FIG. 4B  shows clamp of  FIG. 4A  in a progression of orientations between the jaws relative to the roof rack crossbar. 
           [0022]      FIGS. 4C and 4D  are an isometric view and side view, respectively, showing an accessory mount in a progression of positions relative to the clamp of  FIG. 4A . 
           [0023]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  are side views of another alternative slide ratchet bar clamp. 
           [0024]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  are side views of a fulcrum ratchet clamp according to the present invention in an opened configuration and a closed configuration, respectively. 
           [0025]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  are side views of a vice grip lever clamp according to the present invention in an opened configuration and a closed configuration, respectively. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0026]    The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is exemplary in nature rather than being limiting and corresponds with the drawings shown below and attached hereto. 
         [0027]    The present invention provides a secure clamping system that is significantly easier to use than currently known systems and takes much less time to install and remove from the roof rack. Additionally, the clamping devices of the present invention allow for single-handed operation when installing the clamps onto roof rack crossbars. Several embodiments of the roof rack clamps according to the present invention are particularly described below, including a bar clamp, a ratchet clamp and a vice grip clamp. Various orientations of the clamps are possible with the jaws of the clamp. For example, as explained in detail below, the bar clamp can be in a vertical or horizontal orientation relative to the jaws. 
         [0028]    As shown in each one of the embodiments, the clamp  10  of the present invention includes a pair of opposing jaws  12 , an elongated handgrip  14 , a trigger handle  18 , a clamp actuator  16 , and a mount  30 . The jaws include a fixed jaw  12   a  and a movable jaw  12   b  opposing the fixed jaw  12   a.  The movable jaw  12   b  has a spaced apart position  24   a  and a proximate position  24   b  relative to the fixed jaw  12   a,  and the pair of jaws  12  has an opened configuration  26  and a closed configuration  28  when the movable jaw  12   b  is in its spaced apart position  24   a  and proximate position  24   b,  respectively. Each one of the jaws  12  has an interior surface  32   a  and an outer surface, and the interior surface  32   a  preferably has a resilient pad  44 . The crossbar  500  fits through an opening  34  between the pair of jaws  12  when they are in their opened configuration  26 , and the crossbar  500  is contacted by the interior surface  32   a  when the jaws are in their closed configuration  28 . When the pair of jaws  12  are in the closed configuration  28 , the elongated handgrip  14  has a longitudinal length or span (L) that is on the same order of magnitude as the length (l) of the interior space  22  and may almost be equal (L≈1). The trigger handle  18  has a span (s) is preferably at least half as long as the elongated handgrip  14  (s≧½S). 
         [0029]    As explained below for the various embodiments of the clamp, the mount  30  is preferably formed as a part of either of the jaws or is attached to one of the jaws. For example, as an example of mounts that are integrally formed with the jaws, a slot  48  can extend through the sides of the jaws or the interior surface  32   a  of the upper jaw  12   b  can have a notch  50 . A strap  54  can be passed through slot, and the either a strap  54  or an accessory foot  56  can be positioned within the notch. The mount  30  may alternatively be a bracket  52  or other fastener that mates with and attaches to a section of the jaw, and the bracket of the present invention can be modular brackets or a bracket that mates with different accessory mount inserts that connect to different accessory mounts. 
         [0030]    The elongated handgrip  14  connects to the fixed jaw  12   a  at the proximate side of the fixed jaw  12   a,  and the handgrip  14  extends away from the proximate side of the fixed jaw  12   a.  Depending on the particular embodiment, the trigger handle  18  is pivotally mounted to the proximal end of either the fixed jaw  12   a  or the movable jaw  12   b.  Regardless of the particular embodiment, the trigger handle  18  is connected to the actuator mechanism  16  and is moved relative to the elongated handgrip  14  to operate the actuator  16 . The trigger handle also extends outwardly away from the fixed jaw in the same general direction as the handgrip such that the longitudinal axes  40  of the trigger handle and the handgrip are either close to being parallel or are at a very shallow acute angle relative to each other when the clamp is in its closed configuration, preferably less than 10°, and is at a small acute angle when the clamp is in its opened configuration, preferably less than 30°. The orientation of the trigger handle relative to the handgrip allows for single-handed operation of the clamp by a user. 
         [0031]    The actuator  16  is connected between the elongated handgrip  14  and the trigger handle  18  and also connects the pair of jaws  12  to each other. The components of the actuator assembly may directly connect the jaws to each other as in the embodiments of the slide ratchet clamp and fulcrum ratchet clamp as described below or may indirectly connect the jaws to each other, such as through the trigger handle, such as in the locking lever clamp embodiment that is also described below. In each one of the embodiments, the actuator assembly also has a clamp release and a handle spring. Depending on the particular clamp embodiment, the clamp release is connected to the slide ratchet, the fulcrum ratchet, or the locking lever, and the handle spring is in operative engagement between the trigger handle and either the handgrip or the locking lever such that it biases the trigger handle away from the handgrip. 
         [0032]    The particular components of the actuator assemblies are described for each one of the clamp embodiments below. It will be appreciated that the clamp release can be a braking lever  80 , a thumb slider  106 , a ratchet locking pin  146 , or a release lever  158 , and these optional structures for the clamp release can be situated at different locations depending on the particular type of actuator mechanism being used. Similarly, it will be appreciated that the particular types of handle spring, such as a compression spring  72  or a tension spring  132 , and its location within the clamp also varies depending on the particular type of actuator mechanism. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 1A-1C  show the vertical bar clamp  10   a  with two interconnected and interlocking parts, an upper fixed jaw  12   a  and a lower movable jaw  12   b.  The upper clamp part has a ratcheting mechanism  86  with a flat-sided bar  76  serving as the connecting member  68  between the upper and lower clamp parts. The flat-sided bar  76  moves in the vertical direction through the handgrip  14  when the lever handle  18  is compressed. As the lever handle  18  is compressed, a driving lever  70  engages the connecting member  68  and forces it in the vertical direction to close the clamp  10 . The ratcheting mechanism  86  and the connecting member  68  force the upper and lower clamp parts together against the top and bottom of the crossbar  500  to hold the clamp  10  securely in place on the vehicle roof rack  502 . The two clamp parts connect on one side of the crossbar in a pivoting connection point  90  and on the other side of the crossbar they connect via the connecting member  68 . 
         [0034]    One embodiment of the ratcheting mechanism  86  is comprised of a cavity  92 . The connecting member  68  is a flat-sided bar  76  that passes through a hole in the elongated grip  14 , into the cavity  92 , and through a hole in the trigger handle. Within the cavity, a driving lever  70  is situated on the connecting member and proximate to the top of the trigger handle  18 . A compression coil spring  72  is situated around the flat-sided bar  76  and is compressed between the driving lever  70  on the trigger handle  18  and the top of the cavity  92  in the elongated grip  14 . In the standby position, the driving lever is perpendicular to the connecting member. When the trigger handle is compressed, the driving lever engages the connected member and moves from perpendicular to a position towards vertical. The force of the driving lever to the connected member incrementally moves the connecting member upwards, creating a compression between the upper and lower jaw. In the standby position  94 , the driving lever  70  rests on the trigger handle  18  within the cavity  92  and the flat-sided bar  76  is free to move. 
         [0035]    The flat-sided bar  76  extends through the bottom via the hole of the trigger handle  18  and through an opening in a braking lever  80 . The braking lever  80  is held within a recess of the trigger handle  18  and extends outwardly away from the upper jaw  12   b.  A braking spring  98  is located within the trigger handle  18  and applies a force to the braking lever  80  that keeps the braking lever  80  in place. The braking lever  80  is biased to bind against the flat-sided bar  76  to prevent movement, keeping the flat-sided bar  76  in place. When the braking spring  98  is compressed by the breaking lever  80  and disengaged from the flat-sided bar  76 , the flat-sided bar  76  is free to slide in either direction. 
         [0036]    Connection points  90   a,    90   b  between the upper and lower clamps may take various forms. As shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , the lower clamp part  12   a  may have a hook  100  that engages a pin  102  or a similar component in the upper clamp  12   b  part for fastening. Once the lower clamp  12   a  part is put in place, then lever handle  18  is compressed to tighten the clamp  10  on to the crossbar  500 . One or both of the connection points  90   a,    90   b  between the may be detachable upper and lower clamps. In the case where both connection points are detachable, such as shown in  FIG. 1B , the entire lower clamp part  12   a  can be removed from the upper clamp part  12   b.  At least one side of the jaws are detachable from each other to produce an opening  34  for the crossbar  500 . As shown in  FIG. 1C , the connection point  90   b  to the connecting member  68  can be a removable pin  88 , while the other connection point  90   a  is a pivot point  102  that is not detachable. A user can remove the pin  88  to open the back of the clamp  10  for placing on the crossbar  500 , and then the handle  18  is compressed to tighten the clamp  10 . 
         [0037]    The pivoting connection point  90  between the upper and lower clamp parts may be a fixed pivot point  102   a,  or a detachable pivot point  102   b.  This connecting point  90  may also be adjustable to allow the size of the clamp&#39;s opening  34  to be varied. Different size openings allow the clamp to be used with a wide variety of crossbar  500  sizes. These features allow the user to easily and quickly attach and remove the clamp  10  from the crossbars  500 . In this embodiment, the longitudinal axis  40   a  of the flat-sided bar is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  40   b  of the interior space, and the longitudinal axes  40  of the trigger handle and the handgrip are substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis  40   b  of the interior space. 
         [0038]    The clamp  10  can have a strap  54  that is integral to the clamp or may be added to the clamp. When the clamp  10  is attached securely to the rack  500 , the strap  54  can be used to securely hold items to the roof rack  502 . The strap  54  can be connected to the clamp  10  at a fixed end  54   a  and may have a free end  54   b  that can be wrapped around and/or through the item or items to be secured to the roof rack and transported. The free end  54   b  is then passed through a locking mechanism  110  within the clamp  10  or on another free end of the strap. When the clamp  10  is moved into its closed configuration, it secures the strap to the crossbar. 
         [0039]    The use of the clamp  10  with various mounting accessories is shown in  FIGS. 2A-2E  as it holds objects to the roof rack. Common items and equipment may be secured to roof racks using the clamp, including lumber  512 , piping  516 , molding, ladders, and rugs. It will be appreciated that many other oversized and/or irregular shaped items can be held in place using the clamps  10  and straps  54 , such as Christmas trees, canoes, kayaks and mattresses. The strap may be weather-resistant webbing (such as nylon), rope, or stainless-steel cabling. In a variation, the strap  54  and its locking mechanism  110  is a separate mechanism from the ratcheting mechanism  86  and secures the strap  54  alternately with a cam lock, buckle, or other similar device. As shown in  FIG. 2A , a separate strap ratchet  524  can also be connected to the strap  54  to pull the strap taut around the items being secured to the roof rack. As shown in  FIG. 2B , the strap  54  can be used with the clamp  10  alone to secure items to the roof rack  502 . 
         [0040]    As the popularity of roof rack systems has increased, so has the variation in the profile of the crossbars  500 . The clamp is adapted to fit on a wide variety of crossbar  500  profiles (round, rectangular, and aero, for example). The cross-sectional opening  22  of the clamp  10  can accept inserts with profiles that match specifically shaped crossbars  500 . The inserts preferably snap securely into the upper and lower clamp parts. At the interface between the insert and the crossbar, the inserts have an appropriate material, such as rubber or another resilient and flexible material, which allows for good compression and fit while protecting the crossbars  500  from damage or scratching. 
         [0041]    The clamp  10  has an accessory notch  50  in the upper jaw  12   b,  allowing the clamp  10  to securely hold the roof rack accessories. Accessories such as roof boxes and other cargo bins  510 , bike racks  520 , kayak/canoe holders, etc, could have an accessory foot  56  which fits into the clamp  10 , such as by fitting within the notch  50  in the clamp. The notch  50  and foot  56  fit together so that once the clamp  10  is secured to the crossbar  500 , the clamp  10  holds the accessory securely to the crossbar  500 . The notch  50  and foot  56  connection may be formed through a variety of shapes (flat, rectangular, or round). Examples of the accessory notch  50  being used for a base foot accessory to secure bike rack  520  that holds bicycle tire and a skewer accessory  522  that holds bicycle forks  524  are shown in  FIGS. 2C and 2D , respectively. The skewer accessory could have a locking mechanism to prevent it from being opened when it is holding the bicycle forks. As explained below, the mount  30  may be a bracket  52  that is held within a cavity  46  in one of the jaws or other type of fastener which mates with and holds an accessory mount insert  58 . 
         [0042]    The entire assembly uses materials that are appropriate for use outdoors, such as plastics, rubber, and treated or stainless steel. Different types of locks  170 ,  514  can be used with the clamp  10  to prevent unwanted removal. For example, a padlock  514  that is separate from the clamp body can be used with locking tabs that extend from the jaws or from one or both of the handgrip and the trigger handle to keep the clamp in its closed configuration. Another type of lock fastener  170  can be integral to the clamp body and is actuated using a key or other security device. 
         [0043]    The modular system described above allows a wide variety of roof rack accessories to be securely attached to a vehicle roof. These accessories may utilize the roof rack clamp  10  as the method of attachment, and other methods are also possible. Some accessories have a universal foot  56  that integrates with the accessory notch  50  in the clamp  10 . However, the foot  56  is able to connect to other components that attach to roof rack crossbars  500 . The accessory foot  56  can also contain an alternate connection point which allows it to connect different types of crossbar clamps. The alternate connection point in the accessory foot  56  may be a hole, a slot, or other appropriately sized space to accept the connection method between the crossbar clamp  10  and the accessory foot  56 .  FIG. 2E  depicts the accessory foot  56  as it can secure a cargo carrier  510  to the crossbar  500 . In one configuration, the accessory foot is connected to the cargo carrier directly. In another configuration, the cargo carrier could have an accessory mount that mates with a threaded bolt connector  114 . The threaded bolt connector  114  has a base plate or other bracket  164  with a threaded bolt  166  that extends upward from the bracket. It will also be appreciated that a threaded bolt connector  114  can be attached directly to the upper surface of the upper jaw  12   b.    
         [0044]    For a roof box accessory  510 , current products and patents contain integral clamps, usually four, which are accessed from within the roof box or below it at the crossbar. In this invention, as shown in  FIG. 2E , the roof box  510  simply contains four feet  56  which extend out from both sides (two per side) and at each of two crossbars  500  (for a total of four). These feet  56  could be formed as integral parts of the molded plastic roof box  510  construction, or the feet  56  could be separate components that bolt onto the roof box during initial assembly. The roof box  510  is then secured to the crossbars  500  by one of a variety of methods such as threaded bolt connector  114  or using the roof rack clamp  10  described in this invention. Canoe or kayak accessories and other accessories can also use an accessory foot  56  that is inserted into the notch and secured to the crossbar  500 . 
         [0045]    An alternative slide ratchet bar clamp with a latching mechanism is shown in  FIGS. 3A-3D . This embodiment has many of the same features as the slide ratchet bar clamp shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  and described above. Rather than using a removable pin as the connection point between the pair of jaws, this embodiment of the invention uses a spring-loaded latch  64  that releasably engages with a catch  66  when the clamp  10  is in the closed configuration  28 .  FIG. 3B  illustrates how the spring-loaded latch  64  and catch  66  disengage from each other to allow the jaws to separate and engage with each other to close the jaws  12  of the clamp  10 . A lower jaw lever  118  can be pulled upwards to unlock the lower jaw and pushed downwards to lock the lower jaw. The distal end of the upper jaw has a latch release  38 . When the latch release is depressed, it pushes the latch back to release the catch so that the distal end of the lower jaw rotates away from the distal end of the upper jaw, thereby producing an opening  34  for the pair of jaws to be placed around the crossbar. When the latch release is no longer depressed, the spring pushes the latch into the catch to lock the lower jaw to the upper jaw. The trigger handle is then operated relative to the handgrip similarly to the clamp as described in  FIG. 1  to tighten and secure the clamp around the crossbar. 
         [0046]    Since the distal ends of the jaws can be readily opened and closed with the releasable connection point  90   a  provided by the latching mechanism, the connection point  90   b  between the proximal end of the bottom jaw and the ratchet bar  76  can be a fixed pivot point  102  that is not detachable. In particular, the hinge  62  between the lower jaw and the ratchet bar can be a nondetachable hinged connection. 
         [0047]    A locking fastener  170  can be used to prevent the breaking lever  80  from being actuated when the clamp is in its closed configuration. This will prevent the jaws of the clamp from moving into their opened configuration when the lock is engaged with the breaking lever to secure the clamp to the roof rack. The locking fastener  170  may also be used to lock a bracket  52  and an accessory mount insert  58  into the recess  50  on the topside of the top jaw. To further protect the closed clamp from being opened and removed from the roof rack, the distal ends of the pair of jaws may also have a respective pair of tabs  168  that can be locked. The pair of tabs can have holes for the shackle of a padlock  514 . 
         [0048]    The interior surfaces  32   a  of the jaws preferably have a resilient surface  44 , such as silicon rubber. The resilient surface may be formed as inserts with different shapes to serve for crossbars that have different cross-sectional shapes. As with the embodiment described above with reference to  FIGS. 1A-1C , the longitudinal axis  40   a  of the flat-sided bar is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis  40   b  of the interior space, and the longitudinal axes  40  of the trigger handle and the handgrip are substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis  40   b  of the interior space. The external surfaces of one or both of the jaws may also have a resilient surface to help prevent scratching or scuffing of the vehicle&#39;s paint and preventing potential damage to the items being secured to the roof rack. 
         [0049]      FIGS. 3C and 3D  show a mount  30  in the form of a depression or cavity  46  and a mating bracket  52  that can be used with straps  54  or with an accessory mount insert  58  or directly with an accessory mount. The bracket is preferably secured within the cavity  46  on the topside of the top jaw. In the particular embodiment shown in  FIGS. 3C and 3D , the bracket fits within the cavity and has a protrusion with a flange on its end which extends through a hole in the bottom of the recess and engages a spring pin lock  120  where it clicks into place. The spring pin lock may be accessed from a port in the interior surface of the upper jaw. When the jaws  12  are in their closed configuration around the roof rack&#39;s crossbar, the spring pin  120  cannot be accessed on the underside, thereby locking the bracket  52  in place. The bracket can have one or more slots  48  through which one or more straps  54  pass through. The accessory mount insert  58  mates with and is held by the bracket and may be locked in place by the locking fastener. It will be appreciated that the bracket  52  and/or the accessory mount insert  58  can have different configurations, and various mating connections can be used between the bracket  52  and the jaws. Examples of various inserts include locking threaded connectors  114 , male/female connectors  116   a,  and threaded holes  116   b,  and it will be appreciated that other fasteners and mating features could be used for the inserts or the brackets  52   a,    52   b,    52   c  could be formed with these different types of mating features. Accordingly, the modular bracket mount of the present invention can be used with different types of accessory mounting systems from a number of different manufacturers. 
         [0050]    The horizontal bar clamp, as shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B  and in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , has similar components as the vertical bar clamp  10   a.  However, rather than having top and bottom jaws, the horizontal bar clamp  10   b  has a front jaw  12   b  and a back jaw  12   a.  The back clamp  12   a  part has a ratcheting mechanism  86  that allows a connecting member  68  to move in the horizontal direction when a lever handle  18  is depressed. As the lever handle is depressed  18 , a driver bar or a ratcheting pawl engages the connecting member  68  and forces it in the horizontal direction thus closing the clamp  10 . The ratcheting mechanism  86  and the connecting member  68  facilitate the front  12   b  and back clamp  12   a  parts to compress together against the sides of the crossbar  500  becoming tighter with each squeeze of the lever handle  18 , thus holding the clamp  10  securely in place on a vehicle roof rack  500 . The ratcheting mechanism  86  may use friction or gear teeth or other method of operation. 
         [0051]    The clamp has a mount  30  on the front clamp  12   b  part in the form of an accessory attachment bracket  122 , allowing the clamp  10  to securely hold roof rack accessories. Accessories such as roof boxes and other cargo bins  510 , bike racks  520 , kayak/canoe holders, etc, have a corresponding connector piece  124  which attach to the bracket. The accessory attachment bracket  122  has a recess  128   a  and a pair of side arms  128   b  that each surround attachment holes  128   c.  The accessory connector  124  has a pair of side clips  126   a  at one end that respectively snap into the attachment holes and has a hook  126   b  at the other end with a channel  126   c  in the hook that is situated around the connecting member  68 .  FIG. 4B  shows the progression of how the accessory attachment  122  is secured to the front clamp  12   b.  The connector piece  124  fits onto the front clamp  12   b  part so that once the clamp  10  is secured to the crossbar  500 , the clamp holds the accessory securely to the crossbar  500 . The connector piece  124  hooks onto the front clamp  12   b  part and is rotated downward to snap into place using side clips  126   a  that engage with the clamp body  10 . The connector piece  124  is released from the accessory attachment bracket  122  by inwardly depressing the side clips  126   c  directly or disengagement tabs  126   d  that are connected to the side clips. It will be appreciated that a similar accessory adapter with side clips could be used with the clamp embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  with the side clips being releasably secured within the slots  48  and the body of the adapter fitting between the sidewalls of the top jaw. 
         [0052]    The clamp  10  can be locked by means of inserting the shackle of a padlock  514  in the lock hole  104 . Preferably, the lock hole  104  is located at the release lever  106  so that the padlock prevents the release lever from moving. Alternatively, the end of the slide bar may have a hole that aligns with a locking fastener when the clamp is in its closed configuration so that the locking fastener can engage the hole to prevent any movement of the slide bar back to the opened configuration. Alternatively or in combination with the padlock or the locking fastener, a pair of tabs with center holes could extend from the corresponding pair of jaws, and the shackle of the padlock can be placed through the center holes. It will also be appreciated that the latching mechanism shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B  and described in detail above could also be incorporated into the jaws of the clamps shown in  FIGS. 4A-4D  and  FIGS. 5A and 5B ; in particular, the latch would be situated on one of the jaws opposite from the slide bar and the catch would be situated on the other one of the jaws also opposite from the slide bar. 
         [0053]    Similar to the clamps shown in  FIGS. 1A-1C  and in  FIGS. 3A-3D , the slide connector  68  may be a flat-sided slide bar  76  or a toothed slide bar  78 . Also similar to the embodiments described above, the trigger handle pivotably mounts to the fixed jaw and the actuator includes a clamp release  106  and a compression coil spring situated between the trigger handle and the handgrip to bias the trigger handle away from the handgrip. However, unlike the embodiments described above, the horizontal slide clamp shown in  FIGS. 4A-4D  can position the handle spring with its axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the slide bar rather than having aligned axes so the spring would not surround the slide bar. In this embodiment, the clamp release  106  is connected either to the ratchet&#39;s one-way driver mechanism  108  or to a ratchet locking pin (not shown) that would be similar to the pin described below for the fulcrum ratchet clamp. The clamp release can be operated to disengage the one-way driver mechanism  108  from the slide ratchet  78  or to disengage the ratchet locking pin. The slide connector  68  extends between the fixed jaw  12   a  and the movable jaw  12   b  and connects the pair of jaws  12 . 
         [0054]    In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 4A-4D , the longitudinal axis  40   a  of the slide ratchet is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis  40   b  of the interior space so that both of these axes are substantially aligned with the longitudinal axes  40  of the trigger handle and the handgrip. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , the longitudinal axis  40   a  of the slide ratchet is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis  40   b  of the interior space, and these axes are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes  40  of the trigger handle and the handgrip. 
         [0055]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  show the fulcrum ratchet clamp  10   c  that has a many of the same basic components as the other ratchet clamp embodiments described above. In particular, the clamp  10  has a pair of jaws  12 , a handgrip  14 , a trigger handle  18 , and an actuator  16 . In this embodiment the actuator is a ratcheting mechanism  16   b  with gear teeth along a curve  144  rather than having teeth on a straight bar. The lower jaw  12   a  contains the ratchet gear  134 , and the trigger handle  18  contains the pawl  136  with a handle spring. As the trigger handle is rotated toward the lower handle by squeezing it, the pawl engages the gear teeth and rotation causes the lower jaw  12   a  to close. As the ratchet gear rotates around its pivot point to close the lower jaw, a spring-loaded ratchet locking pin  146  engages the gear teeth as they pass by in the closing direction. When the ratchet locking pin is engaged with the gear teeth, it prevents the ratchet gear from rotating in the opening direction. The ratchet locking pin has a tab that can be pulled back to pull the ratchet locking pin away from the teeth and which allows the jaws to move into the opened configuration. 
         [0056]    In the closing action, with the locking pin engaging the gear teeth, when trigger handle is released, the internal handle spring forces it away from the handgrip, and the pawl resets. This motion is repeated until the lower jaw  12   a  and upper jaw  12   b  are tightly closed onto the roof rack crossbar  500 . Since the ratchet locking pin holds the ratchet gear and the jaws in the closed configuration, the pawl and handle spring assembly can be released from the ratchet gear using a thumb slider  106  which allows the trigger handle to be closed against the handgrip. A retainer clip  142  attached to the handgrip can be rotated into engagement with the trigger handle to hold it in its closed position adjacent to the handgrip. 
         [0057]    Similar to the embodiments described above, the clamp has a slot  48  and an accessory notch  50  in the upper jaw  12   b,  allowing the clamp  10  to securely hold roof rack accessories. The notch  50  and foot  56  fit together so that once the clamp  10  is secured to the cross bar  500  the clamp  10  holds the accessory securely to the cross bar  500 . The notch  50  and foot  56  connection may be formed through a variety of shapes (flat, rectangular, or round). The clamp can be locked by means of inserting the shackle of a padlock  514  in lock holes in a pair of tabs that extend from the distal ends of the jaws. It will also be appreciated that the latching mechanism shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B  and described in detail above could also be incorporated into the jaws of the clamps shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B ; in particular, the latch and catch would be situated at the distal ends of the jaws opposite from the actuator. 
         [0058]    As shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B , the locking lever clamp  10   d  operates in a similar manner as locking pliers, often called vice-grip pliers and wrenches. Similar to the ratchet clamp embodiments described above, the clamp  10  has a pair of jaws  12 , a handgrip  14 , a trigger handle  18 , and an actuator  16 . In this embodiment the actuator is a lever actuator  16   c  as compared to the ratchet actuators  16   a,    16   b  described above. The trigger handle is rotated away from the handgrip when the jaws are in their opened configuration. As the trigger handle is rotated toward the handgrip, a linkage  148  between the handgrip and the trigger handle forces the jaw connected to the trigger handle to rotate toward the jaw fixedly connected to the handgrip until it reaches the closed configuration. The linkage  148  is positioned within recesses  150  in the handgrip and the trigger handle, and a tension coil spring  132  is connected between the linkage and the trigger handle. The tension spring biases the trigger handle away from the handgrip and is extended in the closed configuration and contracted in the opened orientation. An adjustment knob  152  at the back of the handgrip adjusts the longitudinal distance of the distal end of the linkage from the back end of the handgrip which varies the extent to which the movable jaw closes relative to the fixed jaw. Accordingly, the adjustment knob can be rotated so that when the clamp is in its closed configuration, the claim tightly fits on the cross bar. 
         [0059]    A release lever  158  is situated at the distal end of the trigger handle in the recess and rotates around a pivot point  160 . In the closed configuration, the linkage pushes the proximal end of the release lever upward further into the interior portion  162  of the recess and the distal end of the release lever rotates away from the interior portion of the recess. When the distal end of the release lever is pushed into the interior portion of the recess, the proximal end of the release lever is forced away from the interior portion and pushes the linkage away from its locked position and the spring forces the linkage to rotate the trigger handle away from the handgrip, thereby rotating the jaws apart into the opened configuration. 
         [0060]    Similar to the ratchet clamp embodiments described above, the locking lever clamp has a slot  48  and an accessory notch  50  in the upper jaw  12   b,  allowing the clamp  10  to securely hold roof rack accessories. The notch  50  and foot  56  fit together so that once the clamp  10  is secured to the cross bar  500  the clamp  10  holds the accessory securely to the cross bar  500 . The notch  50  and foot  56  connection may be formed through a variety of shapes (flat, rectangular, or round). The clamp can be locked by means of inserting the shackle of a padlock  514  in lock holes in a pair of tabs that extend from the distal ends of the jaws. It will also be appreciated that the latching mechanism shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B  and described in detail above could also be incorporated into the jaws of the clamps shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B  with the latch and catch being situated at the distal ends of the jaws opposite from the actuator. 
         [0061]    As indicated above, different types of clamp actuators  16  can be used in the present invention. The actuator mechanisms  16  that are used in slide ratchet clamps, fulcrum ratchet clamps, and vice grip locking pliers and other similar tools which hold workpieces in place can be incorporated into the clamp actuator  16  of the present invention. Examples of such actuator mechanisms are described in the following patents which are incorporated by reference herein: U.S. Pat. Nos. 952,079, 1,036,093, 2,514,130, 3,354,759, 3,427,016, 4,220,322, 4,926,722, 5,005,449, 6,000,686, 6,240,815, 7,784,774, and 8,177,203. Although the clamping and ratcheting mechanisms for these known hand tools can be incorporated into the roof rack clamp  10  of the present invention, these known tools as they currently exist would not satisfactorily serve as a roof rack clamp according to several features and aspects of the present invention as it is used for roof rack crossbars on vehicles or on other types of cargo carriers. The existing tools would not satisfactorily perform the clamping functions on the crossbars of vehicle roof racks  500  because they do not have a mount feature that is important to the operation of the roof rack clamp  10 . The hand tools only have one connection point at the proximal end of the jaws, adjacent to the handgrip and trigger handle; they do not have a second connection point at the distal end of the jaws as in the preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide for additional clamping strength and security. Additionally, the hand tools do not have any type of locking fastener, locking tabs or other means for locking the clamps to prevent theft of the object being held to the roof rack. Further, the orientations and relative sizes of the clamping surfaces for the jaws that would provide sufficient stability for a secure connection to crossbars. For example, many of the hand tools have a width that is too narrow relative to the length and height of the interior space between the jaws so they would likely rock or rotate if placed on a crossbar. 
         [0062]    Additionally, if known hand tool clamps were to be modified according to the teachings of the present invention, they would no longer satisfactorily perform the clamping functions necessary to hold workpieces that they are designed to hold in place because they require a different orientation of the jaws with a relatively smaller surface area for the workpieces. According to the teachings for hand tool clamps, when the pressure of one or both jaws is to be distributed on a particular type of workpiece, a clamping caul is typically placed between the jaw and the workpiece rather than modifying the design of the clamp. Therefore, although the general teaching of these clamping and ratcheting mechanisms of these tools are incorporated by reference herein, modifications of these mechanisms must be made according to the present invention to satisfactorily perform the necessary clamping function in a roof rack clamp. 
         [0063]    The present invention has a number of benefits over current roof rack clamps and other cargo carrier clamps. Although there are many known clamps that have a pair of adjustable jaws that connect a particular type of accessory mount or a universal accessory mount to the crossbar of a roof rack, none of the prior art clamps use both a handgrip and a trigger handle that allows for single-handed installation of the clamp on the roof rack&#39;s crossbar. Additionally, none of the of prior art references combine a handgrip and a trigger handle with an actuator that provide a mechanical advantage of the lever action of the trigger handle. Other benefits of the present invention include the handle spring situated between the handgrip and the trigger handle which allows for single-handed tightening of the jaws on the crossbar and the quick clamp release of the present invention which permits for the efficient repositioning of the clamp on the crossbar. 
         [0064]    The embodiments were chosen and described to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to persons who are skilled in the art. As various modifications could be made to the exemplary embodiments, as described above with reference to the corresponding illustrations, without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative rather than limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims appended hereto and their equivalents.