The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 06, 2000
Filed:
Apr. 22, 1998
Artur K Rak, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Jeffrey M Aftanas, Sterling Heights, MI (US);
Donald R Potter, Clarkston, MI (US);
JAC Products, Inc., Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Abstract
A vehicle article carrier having a pair of bracket members which are disposed on a pair of slats, and where each bracket member includes a rotatable actuating member incorporating a camming mechanism for allowing each bracket member to be quickly and easily placed in locked and unlocked positions relative to its associated slat. Each bracket member includes a camming member which is threadably engaged with a threaded shaft of the actuating member. A locking member is also operably engaged with the camming member and is moved between locked and unlocked positions by movement of the camming member when an operator rotates the actuating member. The apparatus incorporates a limited number of independent component parts and the majority of the component parts are disposed within a housing of the bracket member so as not to be exposed to rain, ice, snow, etc. The bracket members therefore are able to be quickly and easily locked and unlocked relative to their respective slats to allow a cross bar secured to the bracket members to be quickly and easily repositioned along the slats. In an alternative preferred embodiment the actuating member incorporates a torque limiting mechanism which prevents an excessive tightening force from being applied by a user to the actuating member, which excessive tightening force could damage internal components of the bracket member and/or the slat.