Patent ID: 8523032

Claim:
A device for fastening a roof rack system to a roof of a motor vehicle, the roof having slots extending in a longitudinal direction along the roof, the device comprising: supporting elements connected to a vehicle body, each of said supporting elements having a base plate and two supporting arms pivotally mounted to the base plate so that the arms can be respectively pivoted about axes transverse to the longitudinal direction between an operative position and an inoperative position and, in the operative position, said supporting arms are vertically oriented, parallel, spaced apart from each other, and projecting out of one of the longitudinally extending slots of the roof and, in the inoperative position, said supporting arms being folded up facing each other in a horizontal plane and concealed within the respective longitudinally extending roof slot in a manner bearing against said base plate, each of the base plates having oblique supporting surfaces in proximity to ends of the supporting arms that are pivotally connected to the base plate, said oblique supporting surfaces being engaged in a clamping manner with corresponding oblique surfaces of said supporting arms when the supporting arms are in the operative position for holding the respective supporting arm in the vertical operative position.