Yakima Products, Inc.

Watermark Paddlesports, Inc.

Gregory A Dean

Scott R Allen

Joseph J Settelmayer

Timothy C Smith

Stephen J Cole

Duncan G Robins

Daniel M Humes

A sports equipment carrier for a vehicle including a rack structure adapted to be mounted to a vehicle and an equipment securing portion. The equipment securing portion includes a clamping mechanism and an adjustment member, where the clamping mechanism includes a housing and is operable between open and closed configurations. Operation of the clamping mechanism shifts the adjustment member into and at least partially out of the housing so that the adjustment member is accessible to a user in the open configuration and inaccessible to a user in the closed configuration.

Bicycle carrier

A vehicle load carrier including a frame adapted to support a load and mount to the rear of a vehicle, wherein the frame includes coupling member for coupling with the rear of the vehicle and a carrier section. The load carrier includes a pivot joint having locking catches and a non-removable retainer adapted to engage the catches. The retainer may have a threaded portion adapted to engaged a threaded opening in the frame. The retainer engages the catches for securing the coupling member and carrier section in a fixed position relative to one another. The vehicle load carrier may also include a clamping mechanism configured to couple a transverse member and a cross bar member together, wherein the clamping mechanism has an opening to receive the cross bar member, and wherein the clamping mechanism is positioned substantially inside a cavity of the transverse member so that when the cross bar member is inserted into the cavity, the clamping mechanism clamps the cross bar member in a secure and fixed position relative to the transverse member.

Vehicle load carrier

A rack for carrying a bicycle on a vehicle. The rack includes forward and rear crossbars extending across a top surface of the vehicle and a pair of tower bodies associated with each crossbar to secure the crossbars to the vehicle. A wheel mount is attached to a first one of the crossbars. The wheel mount is adapted to support a wheel of the bicycle with a lowest point on the wheel positioned over a range of positions relative to the crossbar including with the lowest point positioned off the wheel mount.

A bike mount for securing a bicycle to a vehicle rack. The bike mount includes arms that pivot apart to receive a bicycle wheel and pivot together to cooperatively hold the bicycle wheel. The bike mount may be configured to include a lever that pivots the arms together as the bicycle is positioned on the vehicle rack.

Bike mount

A rack assembly for carrying recreational equipment on a vehicle. The assembly includes at least one mount attachable to the vehicle, and a load-carrying support member coupled to the mount and configured to support the recreational equipment adjacent the vehicle. At least one securing apparatus is associated with the load-carrying support member and configured to secure the equipment to the support member. The securing apparatus includes a strap adapted to extend at least partially around the recreational equipment, and a ratchet drive mechanism adapted to receive and grip one end of the strap. In one embodiment, the ratchet drive mechanism includes at least one drive actuator that is operable to grip successive portions of the strap and draw it tight around the recreational equipment.

Rack assembly for a vehicle

Assembly for carrying a bicycle on a vehicle

A rack for carrying a bicycle on a vehicle. The rack includes a frame adapted to be secured to the vehicle and a securing structure mounted to the frame. The securing structure is adapted to receive and selectively secure and release a portion of the bicycle. The securing structure further includes generally symmetric adjustment mechanisms disposed on each side of a plane defined by the bicycle whereby the securing structure can be secured to or released from the portion of the bicycle from either side of the bicycle.

Apparatus for securing recreational equipment to a vehicle-mounted rack. The apparatus includes a load-carrying member adapted to carry recreational equipment adjacent a vehicle, and a clamping member adapted to secure the load-carrying member to a crossbar of the vehicle rack. The clamping member is configured to clamp to at least two different styles of crossbars to prevent relative movement between the load-carrying member and the crossbar. Optionally, the clamping member may be configured to snap onto the crossbar.

Apparatus for securing recreational equipment to vehicle-mounted racks

An apparatus for securing articles to a vehicle-mounted rack. The apparatus includes at least one flexible strap associated with the rack. The strap is positionable around an article supported by the rack. A clamping buckle is adapted to receive and clamp onto the strap. A protective housing is adapted to receive and at least partially cover the buckle to protect the article and the vehicle from damage. In one embodiment, the strap may be attached to the housing to prevent the housing from being separated from the strap. In another embodiment, the housing may include one or more apertures to allow a user to operate the buckle when it is covered by the housing.

Apparatus for securing articles to a vehicle-mounted rack

Securing hook for a bicycle rack

A sports equipment rack for mounting to a vehicle, the vehicle including a first generally planar surface expanse and a second generally planar surface expanse disposed adjacent the first surface expanse in a concave relation thereto to form a corner. The rack comprises a base, the base including a first surface-contacting portion for supporting the base against the first surface expanse, a second surface-contacting portion for supporting the base against the second surface expanse, and an equipment-supporting portion for supporting equipment on the rack. The rack also includes at least one securing structure coupled to the base, wherein the securing structure is configured to simultaneously urge the first surface-contacting portion against the first surface expanse and the second surface-contacting portion against the second surface expanse to thereby secure the rack to the vehicle.

Growing community of inventors

McKinleyville, CA, United States of America

Gregory A Dean