Jac Products, Inc.

Trijicon, Inc.

Michael J Presley

Jeffrey M Aftanas

Gordon Michie

Gerald J Gomes

Brendan J Hathaway

Rodney DeLaca

Benjamin Kay

Noel V Ranka

Thomas K Maciak

Conde M Gonzalez

Anthony M Horvath

Giuseppe Cappellino

Jordan Rhody

Darrick A Swords

Sean M LeFrancois

Rodney Delaca

A vehicle article carrier system is disclosed for supporting articles above an outer body surface of a vehicle. In one embodiment the system forms a swing-in-place style system with front and rear cross bar assemblies that can each be swung pivotally at one end from stowed positions on respective support rail assemblies, to operative positions extending perpendicularly between the support rail assemblies. In other embodiments the rear cross bar assembly is fully removable and can be positioned at a plurality of different longitudinal positions along the support rail assemblies. In all of the embodiments, the support rails include an L-shaped construction which is dimensioned in relation to the height of the cross bar assemblies, so the support rail assemblies are able to fully hide the cross bar assemblies from view when the cross bar assemblies are in their stowed positions. This provides an extremely clean looking aesthetic appearance, as well as significantly improving the aerodynamic efficiency of the system.

Vehicle article carrier rack system with stowable, concealable cross bars

The present disclosure relates to a step rail system supportable from a structure of a motor vehicle. The system may have an inner step rail element and an outermost step rail element. The inner step rail element may be arranged nestably within the outmost step rail element. The inner and outermost step rail elements may further be arranged at least partially within the same plane. The outermost step rail element may have at least one of a curved leading portion or a curved trailing portion.

Step rail system for vehicle

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle article carrier system for supporting articles above an outer body surface of a vehicle. The system makes use of a pair of support rails fixedly secured generally parallel to one another on the outer body surface, and at least one cross bar assembly clampable to the support rails, and having a cross bar element having opposing ends. First and second end supports are secured at the opposing ends and able to engage the support rails to secure the cross bar against movement on the support rails. At least one of the end supports includes fixed and movable jaw portions, an actuating lever, and a pivot component pivotally coupled to the actuating lever and including a bore. A barrel nut is positioned in a bore of the movable jaw portion. A threaded member is coupled to both the barrel nut and the pivot component for changing an effective distance between the bore of the movable jaw portion and the pivot component, to thus effectively change a clamping force able to be applied by the movable jaw portion relative to the fixed jaw portion when the actuating lever is moved into a closed position.

Vehicle article carrier system with end support having tunable clamping force

A vehicle article carrier apparatus is disclosed for supporting articles above an exterior body surface of a vehicle. The apparatus may have at least one cross bar adapted to be fixedly supported at opposite end portions thereof relative to the outer body surface, for supporting articles thereon above the outer body surface. The one cross bar has at least one light integrally mounted within at least a portion of an interior area thereof, and adjacent a first surface thereof, to enable the light to project light outwardly therefrom. The cross bar may also have a heat sink disposed on a second surface thereof for dissipating heat generated by the light.

Vehicle article carrier apparatus for supporting articles of vehicle having a cross-bar including a heat sink arranged on a second surface for dissipating heat

The present disclosure relates to a low profile, highly aerodynamic swing-in-place style vehicle article carrier system for use on a wide variety of passenger cars and trucks. The system makes use of a pair of side rails that are used to support a pair of cross bars in stowed positions thereon where the cross bars are secured parallel to the side rails, or in operative positions where the cross bars are secured perpendicularly between the side rails. The side rails each incorporate a rotating end support subsystem which automatically elevates one end of its associated cross bar when the cross bar is moved pivotally into its operative position. This enables the cross bars to form a very low profile when in their stowed positions, but to be automatically raised a predetermined distance when moved into their operative positions, to thus provide additional clearance between the cross bars and an outer body surface of the vehicle.

Low profile vehicle article carrier having swing in place cross bars

In one aspect the present disclosure relates to a cargo management system for use in a cargo area of a vehicle. The system may use a track secured to a wall of the cargo area. An articulating system is secured to the track and adjustably positionable at a plurality of positions along the track. The articulating system includes a mounting panel adapted to be secured to the track, at least a first frame section, and a first articulating hinge system for supporting the first frame section for movement on the mounting plate. The first articulating hinge system has a first actuating element normally held in a locked orientation to hold the first frame section stationary, and movable into an unlocked position by a rotational force applied by a user, to enable the first articulating hinge system to be rotated on the mounting plate into a new orientation, and then held in the new orientation when the first actuating element is released by the user.

Articulating cargo management and rack system

The present disclosure relates to a vehicle article carrier apparatus for securing articles above an outer body surface of a vehicle. The apparatus may make use of a pair of low profile support rails fixedly secured generally parallel to one another on the outer body surface. A pair of cross bars may be configured to be coupled to the support rails in a stowed orientation extending parallel to the support rails, so as to be generally not visible from a side of the vehicle, and an operative orientation extending perpendicularly between the support rails and elevationally above the support rails for supporting articles thereon.

Vehicle article carrier system having stretch rails with stowable cross bars

A tie-down apparatus is disclosed which is adapted to be removably secured over an opening in a structure. The apparatus may have a base plate, a knob, a biasing member, a cam plate and a fastening member. The knob may be used to rotate and depress the cam plate away from the base plate against the biasing force of the biasing member, to permit securing and detachment of the apparatus from the structure. The biasing member maintains the cam plate biased toward the base plate when no pressure is being applied on the knob.

Spring loaded tie down assembly and method for use with a vehicle cargo area

A vehicle article carrier system is disclosed for carrying articles above an outer body surface of a vehicle. The system may incorporate at least one support rail secured to the outer body surface. The support rail may have a support foot portion at each of its opposite ends, with each support foot portion secured to the outer body surface of the vehicle. A sensor may be mounted on the at least one support rail or one of the support feet portions for sensing a characteristic within a field of view around the vehicle and providing related information to a subsystem of the vehicle.

Vehicle article carrier with integrated camera and solar powered lighting

An optical sight is provided and includes a housing having a first bearing surface integrally formed therewith and a relay assembly having at least one optical element, a main tube, and a track tube having at least one track. The track tube is selectively rotatable relative to and about the main tube to adjust an axial position of the at least one optical element within the main tube along an axis that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the main tube. The main tube includes a spherical surface that is in contact with the first bearing surface of the housing to define a pivot point of the main tube within the housing.

Relay assembly for optical sight

The present disclosure relates to a telescoping step system which has at least one stringer assembly having telescopically coupled first and second tubular components. The second tubular component is telescopically extendable relative to the first tubular component. The stringer assembly is operably associated with a structure. The system further has at least one step assembly associated with one of the first and second tubular components. The stringer assembly is telescopically collapsible into a retracted position to form a compact assembly either adjacent to or within a portion of the structure, and extendable into an extended position extending outwardly from the structure. In the extended position the stringer assembly presents the step assembly as a platform which a user is able to step on to, and thus aids the user with ingress into and egress from the structure.

Telescoping step assist system and method

An adjustment turret for an optical sight is provided and may include a housing and an adjustment member rotatably supported by the housing and operable to adjust a characteristic of the optical sight when moved relative to the housing. The adjustment turret may additionally include a cap extending from the housing and movable between an engaged state fixing the cap for rotation with the adjustment member and a disengaged state permitting relative rotation between the cap and the adjustment member. The cap may be moveable from the disengaged state to the engaged state in a direction away from the housing.

Growing community of inventors

Plymouth, MI, United States of America

Michael J Presley