VEHICLE LUGGAGE CARRIER

摘要

VEHICLE LUGGAGE CARRIER A luggage or article carrying system for operative association with an automotive vehicle having an exterior generally horizontal surface, such as a trunk lid or roof, the system comprising a pair of elongated slats on the surface in respective positions on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the body and extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body, the slats being permanently secured to the body and being substantially rectangular in the vertical cross section with a width substantially greater than the height and presenting a low profile on the vehicle, the tops of the slats being substantially flat and parallel to the horizontal surface and providing longitudinally extending channels by which a pair of laterally extending cross slats may be secured their opposite ends to the longitudinally extending slats, the cross slats being adapted to underlie articles supported on the carrier so as to obviate the need for supplemental reinforcement of the vehicle trunk lid or roof, with the cross slats being longitudinally moveable or adjustable along the longitudinally extending slats and being totally removable therefrom, and a pair of transversely or laterally extending article constraining bars or rails supported at their opposite ends upon the longitudinally extending slats by means of a plurality of stanchion assemblies disposed one at each end of each of the cross bars, the stanchion assemblies and cross bars being longitudinally adjustable along the longitudinally extending slats and being removable therefrom along with the cross slats during periods of non-use. In one embodiment of the present invention, the slats secured to the exterior surface of the vehicle extend transversely, rather than longitudinally of the vehicle, and the article constraining bars or rails extend longitudinally of the vehicle. The cross-bars or rails may have attachment means thereon for securing ancillary article carrying equipment, such as ski racks, bike racks, and the like to the carrier system.