Other

Thule Sweden Ab

Brian K Joder

Kevin S Bogoslofski

Vincent Bove

A vehicle mountable load carrier generally includes a connecting member for insertion into a hitch mount receiver of a vehicle, an upright post connected to the connecting member and an upright load supporting member coupled to the upright post by an extendable support arm having an open and closed positions. The extendable support arm includes at least a first section and a second section and has a pivoting coupling therebetween such that at least the second section can be moved between a closed position and an open position. The pivoting coupling includes a releasable lock to retain the extendable support arm in a locked-open position.

Rotatable hitch mountable load carrier

A pivoting equipment carrier adapted for use with a vehicle having a receiver hitch for receiving said pivoting equipment carrier. The pivoting equipment carrier is movable between a first closed position, wherein equipment carried by the pivoting equipment carrier is held at a desired spaced distance from a rear bumper of the vehicle, and a second clearance position, wherein the equipment is swung rearwardly and outwardly to one side of the vehicle in order to permit full and unobstructed access to a rear entry of the vehicle. The invention includes a first fixed horizontal support arm adapted to be aligned generally parallel with the rear vehicle bumper, and a second movable horizontal support arm pivotally connected to the first fixed horizontal support arm by a first hinge pivot assembly. The first hinge pivot assembly is effective to swing the second movable arm in a horizontal plane about a generally vertical pivot axis through an arc of about 180 degrees between the closed position and a second extended open position. The invention further includes a vertical support post having an equipment carrier assembly disposed connected at an upper end thereof. The lower end of the vertical support post is pivotally connected by a second hinge pivot assembly to the second movable arm. The second hinge pivot assembly is effective to pivot the support post and equipment carrier assembly through a 90 degree arc between a transport position and the clearance position. The invention includes a spring-biased locking assembly which provides the dual function of: (1) releasably locking the vertical support post in the second clearance position; and releasably locking the vertical support post and second movable arm to the first fixed arm when the equipment carrier is in the closed position.

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Folsom, CA, United States of America

Brian K Joder