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:
Sep. 12, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 17, 1998
Morgan Lindell, Varnamo, SE;
Industri AB Thule, Hillerstorp, SE;
Abstract
An anchor for a vehicle roof-top load carrier. The anchor includes a foot arrangement having an attachment portion adapted for releasable attachment to a load carrier strut and an anchorage portion adapted for releasable securing cooperation with a fix point disposed on a carrying vehicle in a mounted configuration. For reference purposes, such a mounted configuration establishes a longitudinal direction of the foot arrangement which is substantially parallel to a straight forward direction of travel of such a carrying vehicle, a vehicle side of the foot arrangement and an exterior side of the foot arrangement. The anchorage portion has a rigidly secured first plate configured for approximate horizontal positioning above a roof of such a carrying vehicle. A second plate is coupled to the first plate for longitudinal movement relative thereto, the longitudinal movement being controlled by a plate guide. First and second gripping members are included that are movable towards and away from one another in the longitudinal direction by an operating device. The first gripping member is longitudinally fixed upon the first plate and the second gripping member is longitudinally fixed upon the second plate. The operating device has an actuator extending transversely to the longitudinal direction and toward the exterior side of the foot arrangement. The operating device has a first operating guide in the first plate that is oriented transversely to the longitudinal direction and a second operating guide in the second plate that is obliquely oriented to the longitudinal direction. A runner is configured to be reciprocally movable under the action of a force member along the transversely oriented first operating guide. The runner has an engagement member positioned in the obliquely oriented second operating guide. Further, the runner and the engagement member are arranged together so that movement of the runner transversely of the longitudinal direction causes movement in the second plate in the longitudinal direction.