Truck-mountable cargo rack

Abstract

The present application relates to a cargo rack that can be mounted to a truck. A truck rack includes rack components and rack accessories for supporting cargo on the bed of a truck, and methods of constructing, assembling, installing, adjusting, and using the truck rack. An illustrative truck rack includes a tower and a base. The tower can have legs and an upper end portion. The upper end portion can be configured to support a crossbar. The base can be configured to mount the tower on an upper wall area of the truck bed. The base can include a platform, the legs supported on the platform, and at least one securing device securing the legs to the platform. In some examples, the at least one securing device can include a clamp configured to engage opposing edge regions of the legs. In some examples, the clamp can be configured to push the opposing edge regions downward toward the platform.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference to priority application

[0002] This application is based upon and claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of the following U.S. Provisional Patent Applications: U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62 / 679,481, filed on June 1, 2018, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62 / 679,579, filed on June 1, 2018. Each of these priority applications is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. Technical Field

[0003] The present application relates to truck racks for supporting cargo. Background Art

[0004] Pickup trucks typically have an open bed surrounded by a wall structure for accommodating and transporting cargo. Frequently, it is necessary to install cargo racks on the truck bed to secure certain items. One method involves installing towers and crossbars to opposing side wall structures (bed rails) of the truck bed.

[0005] Sometimes the truck rack needs to be disassembled and then reinstalled. This can be labor-intensive, requiring the rack to be removed from the truck each time and then properly aligned and reattached to the truck. Reinstalling the rack multiple times can also cause damage to the truck by scratching or damaging the truck's contact surfaces.

[0006] Furthermore, depending on the type and / or volume of cargo carried in the truck bed and / or on the truck frame, it may be beneficial to raise or lower the crossbars of the truck frame. Consequently, the towers supporting each crossbar are typically vertical (i.e., perpendicular to the crossbar) to allow for crossbar height adjustment. However, vertical towers mounted to the bed rails are not aerodynamic because they do not conform to the contours of the truck's cab, which creates drag. Instead, the vertical towers protrude from the truck's travel envelope depending on the tower's height, which creates greater drag as the tower's height increases. Matching the height of the ends of the crossbars so that they are each horizontal and at the same height as one another can also be difficult. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present disclosure provides a truck rack comprising rack components and rack accessories to support cargo on a truck bed, and the present disclosure provides methods for constructing, assembling, installing, adjusting, and using a truck rack. An illustrative truck rack includes a tower and a base. The tower may have legs and an upper end portion. The upper end portion may be configured to support a crossbar. The base may be configured to mount the tower on an upper wall area of the truck bed. The base may include a deck to support the legs and at least one fixture to secure the legs to the deck. In some examples, the at least one fixture may include a clamp configured to engage opposing edge regions of the legs. In some examples, the clamp may be configured to push the opposing edge regions downward toward the deck. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 is an isometric view of an illustrative height-adjustable truck rack mounted to the bed rails of a truck, with the truck shown in dashed lines.

[0009] Figure 2 is attached to a pair of bases Figure 1 Exploded front view of the front crossbar assembly of a truck frame.

[0010] Figure 3 and Figure 4 yes Figure 2 Front view of the crossbar assembly and bases of , illustrating the height adjustment of the truck rack via its towers without changing the distance between the bases (e.g., when the bases remain securely attached to the truck's bed rails).

[0011] Figure 5 It is roughly along Figure 2 The line 5-5 is intercepted Figure 2 A partial view of the upper area of the tower of the crossbar assembly.

[0012] Figure 6 is roughly along the adjustable joint passing through the tower Figure 5 The line 6-6 intercepts Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of a tower at which the tower can be changed between a height-adjustable configuration and a fixed-height configuration.

[0013] Figure 7 is roughly along the adjustable joint passing through the tower Figure 6 The line 7-7 is intercepted Figure 5 Cross-section of the tower.

[0014] Figure 8 It is roughly along Figure 5 The line 8-8 intercepts Figure 5 Exploded partial view of the upper end region of the tower.

[0015] Figure 9 yes Figure 5 Another partial view of the upper end area of the tower.

[0016] Figure 10 It is roughly along Figure 8 The line 10-10 is intercepted Figure 5 Partial top view of the upper end region of the tower.

[0017] Figure 11 yes Figure 2 A top view of the crossbar assembly and base, with the crossbar attached to the tower.

[0018] Figure 12 It is roughly along Figure 11 The line 12-12 is intercepted Figure 11 A partial cross-sectional view of the crossbar assembly.

[0019] Figure 13A yes Figure 12 A partial bottom view of the end portion of a crossbar of a crossbar assembly.

[0020] Figure 13B is formed Figure 13A A cross-sectional view of the tube of the elongated body of the crossbar.

[0021] Figure 14 yes Figure 1 An exploded partial oblique view of one of the towers of a truck rack and the corresponding base.

[0022] Figure 15 It is roughly along Figure 14 The line 15-15 is intercepted Figure 14 Top view of the base.

[0023] Figure 16 It is roughly along the railing that goes through the truck bed. Figure 1 The line 16-16 is intercepted Figure 1 A partial cross-section of the truck frame and truck.

[0024] Figure 17 yes Figure 14 Another exploded partial oblique view of the tower and base, which is roughly from the perspective of Figure 14 The diagram is cut away from the opposite side of the figure and omits the bed coupling members that couple the base to the bed rails of the truck.

[0025] Figure 18 yes Figure 14 A partial end view of the tower and base is shown in FIG. Figure 16 , but with the end plates of the base removed to expose the feet of the tower, and the car body coupling members of the base omitted.

[0026] Figure 19 yes Figure 14 Another partial end view of the tower and base, as shown in FIG Figure 18 The following is taken from the figure, except for the base fixture from Figure 18 The tower securing configuration is changed to a tower releasing configuration and the feet of the tower are removed from the base.

[0027] Figure 20 yes Figure 1 A partially exploded view of one of the two locking bases of a truck frame, cut around a clamp actuator and a key-operated lock that restricts access to the clamp actuator.

[0028] Figure 21 It is captured separately Figure 20 Side view of the gripper actuator.

[0029] Figure 22 is used to Figure 1 FIG. 1 is a side view of another exemplary base for mounting a truck rack to a different truck bed, with a partial lower end region of the truck rack's tower secured to the base.

[0030] Figure 23 yes Figure 1 A partial cross-sectional view of a truck frame is shown, which is roughly as follows Figure 16 The intercepted ones are combined with Figure 22 The base is replaced Figure 14 base and mounted to a bed rail equipped with side channels.

[0031] Figure 24 is used for Figure 1 An exploded oblique view of yet another exemplary assembly of the same tower and a different base of a truck rack of FIG. 1 , wherein the base is configured to be coupled to one of the bed rails of a truck bed having a tonneau cover.

[0032] Figure 25 It is captured separately Figure 1 An isometric view of a side rail of a truck rack, wherein the side rail includes a length-adjustable rod and a pair of sleeves, each of the pair of sleeves being movable along the rod, and a rack accessory connected to the length-adjustable rod via one of the sleeves.

[0033] Figure 26 is roughly along the line passing through the adjustable joint Figure 25 The line 26-26 intercepts Figure 25 A cross-sectional view of a side rail of a vehicle having an adjustable length at an adjustable joint where the length-adjustable rod changes between an adjustable length configuration and a fixed length configuration.

[0034] Figure 27 is roughly around Figure 25 in Figure 27 The area marked with " is taken toward the inside of the side rails around the adjustable joints. Figure 25 A partially exploded view of a side rail of a vehicle, wherein the length-adjustable rod can be changed between an adjustable-length configuration and a fixed-length configuration at the adjustable joint.

[0035] Figure 28 yes Figure 27 Another exploded view of the adjustable joint of FIG, taken from a different direction and showing only the bushing and nut of the joint.

[0036] Figure 29 It is roughly Figure 25 in Figure 29 " and cut from one of the two sleeves around the side rails Figure 25 Exploded view of an area of the side railing.

[0037] Figure 30 yes Figure 25 Exploded view of the rack accessory.

[0038] Figure 31 is an isometric view of a fixed-height crossbar assembly for an illustrative truck rack that is similar to the Figure 1 The truck frame is the same. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The present disclosure provides a truck rack including rack components and rack accessories to support cargo on a truck bed, and methods of constructing, assembling, installing, adjusting, and using the truck rack.

[0040] An illustrative truck rack includes a tower and a base. The tower may have legs and an upper end portion. The upper end portion may be configured to support a crossbar. The base may be configured to mount the tower on an upper wall region of a truck bed. The base may include a platform supporting the legs and at least one securing device securing the legs to the platform. In some examples, the at least one securing device may include a clamp configured to engage opposing edge regions of the legs. In some examples, the clamp may be configured to push the opposing edge regions downward toward the platform when the clamp is clamped against the opposing edge regions.

[0041] The base of the truck rack can be designed to remain mounted to the truck bed rails while the crossbar assemblies are detached and removed from the base, and then later reinstalled. For example, each base can have a quick-release clamp that secures the corresponding tower to the base. The clamps provide the ability to quickly remove each crossbar assembly of the truck rack as a unit and then later reinstall each crossbar assembly of the truck rack as a unit, while the truck base remains mounted in the same corresponding positions on the bed rails. Thus, the truck rack crossbar assemblies can be removed and reinstalled multiple times to reconfigure the truck bed for different uses without having to change any interface between the truck and the truck rack, thereby avoiding damage to the truck's contact surfaces.

[0042] Each base may include a shoe member that receives the legs of the tower. The shoe member may include an upper portion that sits on top of the horizontal surface of the truck bed rail and a lower portion that is adjacent to (and optionally faces) the inside surface of the truck bed rail. The base may have one or more coupling members for mounting the base to the bed rail. Each coupling member may, for example, include a slot engaging member (e.g., a claw, bolt member, or nut member) that is connected to the shoe member by at least one fastener. In various examples, the slot engaging member may be configured as an engaging slot that is open at the bottom, open at the top, or open along a side intermediate the bottom and top of the slot.

[0043] The base support member of the base may include a clamp having a fixed jaw (also known as a fixed cleat) and a movable jaw (also known as a movable cleat). The fixed jaw may be an outer fixed jaw (i.e., relatively far from the center plane of the truck) and the movable jaw may be an inner fixed jaw (i.e., relatively close to the center plane). The leg of the tower can be secured to the base support member by: (1) hooking an edge area and / or flange of the leg under the fixed jaw, and (2) manipulating the clamp actuator so that the movable jaw rotates about a longitudinal axis. As the movable jaw rotates toward the fixed jaw, angled surfaces on the leg and one or both jaws can interact to create a tight joint that holds the leg in place on the base support member.

[0044] Another illustrative truck rack includes a crossbar and a pair of towers. Each tower may include a lower end portion configured to mount to an upper wall area of a truck bed; an upper end portion configured to support the crossbar; and a telescopic middle portion configured to extend upward at an inward slope and an adjustable length. The crossbar and towers may be designed to allow for quick adjustment of the crossbar height relative to the truck's bed rails. Unlike other truck racks, the towers can be continuously adjusted to a very precise height, as opposed to being limited to incremental steps. Furthermore, the telescopic adjustment of the middle portion can be accomplished above the truck's bed rails without intruding on the interior space of the truck bed.

[0045] Height adjustment of the crossbar can be performed when the crossbar is connected to a pair of truck-mounted pedestals via a pair of telescoping towers as part of a crossbar assembly. Each telescoping tower can be connected to the crossbar at a tower-crossbar joint such that the linear axis of the tower is tilted relative to the crossbar. To adjust the height of the crossbar assembly, the user releases each tower-crossbar joint and each tower's telescoping joint and then raises or lowers the crossbar, causing each tower-crossbar joint to travel along the crossbar. Height markings can be laser etched / printed on the towers, and / or position (centering) markings can be laser etched / printed on the crossbar to assist the user in leveling and centering the crossbar.

[0046] Another illustrative truck rack includes a first crossbar assembly and a second crossbar assembly, each crossbar assembly including a crossbar and a pair of towers. The truck rack may also include siderails configured to extend between corresponding towers of the crossbar assemblies, and rack accessories configured to be mounted to the siderails via slots (e.g., axial slots, which may be T-slots). The siderails may have adjustable lengths, allowing a user to select the distance between the crossbars. The siderails may include a telescoping rod having an outer tube and an inner tube, the inner tube at least partially nested within and slidably extendable from the outer tube. The outer and inner tubes may be extrusions. One or more sleeves may be disposed around the inner tube. Each sleeve may include a slot for attaching a rack accessory. The sleeve may have substantially the same cross-sectional shape as the outer tube. The sleeve may slide along the inner tube and be fixable to provide an adjustably positionable anchor point for the rack accessory.

[0047] Additional aspects of the disclosure are described in the following sections: (I) Illustrative Truck Frames, (II) Exemplary Bases for Truck Frames, (III) Illustrative Side Rails, and (IV) Examples.

[0048] I. Illustrative Truck Rack

[0049] This section provides an overview of an illustrative truck frame 50 of the present disclosure; see Figure 1-12 、 Figure 13A and Figure 13B .

[0050] Figure 1 An exemplary cargo rack, or truck rack 50, is shown mounted on the left and right bed rails 52a, 52b of the bed 54 of a pickup truck 56. The truck rack 50 includes a front crossbar assembly 58f and a rear crossbar assembly 58r, each mounted to the upper wall region 60 of the bed rails 52a, 52b via a pair of bases 62 (four bases 62 total). Each crossbar assembly 58f, 58r can have a pair of towers 64 mounted to the bed rails 52a, 52b via the bases 62, and a crossbar 66 supported by and connected to the pair of towers 64. Each crossbar assembly 58f, 58r can be mounted such that a plane defined by the crossbar assembly is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 68 of the truck 56. As depicted here, the crossbar assemblies can be substantially identical to one another, which will be more apparent if one of the crossbar assemblies is rotated 180 degrees about a vertical axis. Thus, the crossbar assemblies may be interchangeable with one another (eg, when rotated 180 degrees).

[0051] Each crossbar 66 can have any suitable structure. The crossbar can be long enough to span the distance between a pair of towers. The crossbar can have any suitable cross-sectional shape, including circular, oval, rectangular, etc.

[0052] One or more side rails 70 can connect the crossbar assemblies 58f, 58r to each other above the truck bed 54. For example, the illustrative truck frame 50 shown here has left and right side rails 70, each extending between and attached to a pair of left or right towers 64. Each side rail 70 can be arranged substantially horizontally, substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis 68 of the truck 56, and / or substantially orthogonal to the plane defined by each crossbar assembly 58f, 58r. The side rails 70 increase the functionality of the truck frame 50, as further described below, but can be an optional accessory.

[0053] Figure 2 The crossbar assembly 58f is shown in an exploded configuration, but with the two towers 64 still mounted to the respective bases 62. Each tower 64 can have a lower end portion 72, an upper end portion 74, and an intermediate portion 76 extending from the lower end portion 72 to the upper end portion 74. The intermediate portion 76 can be elongated and substantially linear to define a linear axis 78 (see FIG. Figure 2 The middle portion may include a shaft 79 (interchangeably described as a leg) or a shaft 79 that extends between the portions 72, 74 (see Figure 2Angle 80 may be formed between linear axis 78 and the intersecting vertical axis such that tower 64 tilts inwardly toward a center plane 82 of the truck. (The center plane includes the truck longitudinal axis 68 (see FIG. Figure 1 ), which is a vertical center plane that conceptually divides the truck into left and right halves. The pitch of the towers 64 (i.e., the value of angle 80) can be approximately 5-40 degrees, 10-30 degrees, or 15-25 degrees from vertical, etc. The pitch can generally match the contours of the truck's cab to make each tower more aerodynamic.

[0054] Each tower 64 may have an adjustable height / length to vary the height of the crossbar 66 above the truck bed (see Figure 2-7 For example, the tower may include a lower portion 84 and an upper portion 86 having a telescoping arrangement, wherein one portion is at least partially nested within and slidably extendable from the other portion (see Figure 2 ). In the depicted example, the portions 84, 86 include an outer tube 88 and an inner tube 90, with the inner tube telescoping from the outer tube. The tower 64 is adjustable between an adjustable height configuration (i.e., wherein the upper portion 86 is extendable / retractable to change the tower length and height) and a fixed height configuration (i.e., wherein the portions 84, 86 are not axially slidable relative to each other). For example, one or more fasteners 92 may be manipulated to change each tower 64 between these two configurations (see Figure 2 In the depicted example, each tower 64 includes a pair of fastener assemblies 94a, 94b located on the inner and / or outer sides of the tower 64 (i.e., closer to and farther from the center plane 82, respectively) (see FIG. Figure 2 、 Figure 6 and Figure 7 Each fastener assembly 94a, 94b may include one or more externally threaded fasteners 92 (i.e., bolt members) that engage at least one internally threaded fastener 96 (i.e., nut member) (see FIG. Figure 6 and Figure 7 In other examples, each fastener assembly 94a, 94b may be located on only one side of the tower 64 and / or may include only one fastener 92.

[0055] Each fastener assembly 94a, 94b may be adjustable to apply compression between aligned wall regions of the outer tube 88 and the inner tube 90 at the joint 98 (see FIG. Figure 5-7 ). More specifically, the inner tube 90 may have one or more axial slots 100a, 100b to receive one or more internally threaded fasteners 96. Each axial slot 100a, 100b may have a wider passage 102 adjacent to and within a narrower throat 104 (see FIG. Figure 6). (See also Figure 13B For example, each axial slot 100a, 100b may be a T-slot in which the throat 104 is formed by a pair of longitudinal lips 106 at the transverse periphery of the T-slot, or the throat may be formed by only one longitudinal lip 106, etc. (see Figure 5 and Figure 6 ). (Each lip 106 may be interchangeably referred to as a flange.) Tightening each fastener assembly 94a, 94b may compress the one or more lips 106 of one of the grooves 100a, 100b and the overlying wall region of the outer tube 88 toward each other to prevent the outer tube 88 and the inner tube 90 from sliding axially relative to each other at the joint 98. In some examples, the inner tube 90 may have only one axial groove 100a or 100b for receiving one or more internally threaded fasteners 96. In some examples, the positions of the fasteners 92, 96 may be swapped, with the fastener 92 having a head in one of the grooves 100a, 100b and a shaft extending through the throat 104 of the groove, and the fastener 96 (e.g., a nut member having a single hole) located outside the groove.

[0056] A bushing 108 may be positioned at the joint 98. During assembly of the tower 64, the bushing 108 may be used to coaxially align each fastener hole 110 of each internally threaded fastener 96 with a corresponding outer tube hole 112 of the outer tube 88. The bushing 108 may have a corresponding fastener retaining area 114 to receive each fastener 96 before the bushing is inserted into the end region of the outer tube 88. When the fastener holes 110 are aligned with the outer tube holes 112, a shoulder 116 of the bushing 108 may prevent the bushing from advancing into the outer tube 88. The inner tube 90 may then be inserted into the outer tube 88 such that each fastener retaining area 114 of the bushing 108 and the fastener 96 retained therein enters the passage 102 of the axial slot 100a or 100b from a longitudinal end of the passage 102 of the axial slot 100a or 100b. The leading end of each externally threaded fastener 92 may then pass through the outer tube bore 112 via the throat 104 of one of the axial slots 100 a , 100 b and into the fastener hole 110 located in the passage 102 .

[0057] The bushing 108 can be advantageous for several reasons. First, the bushing creates a better fit between the tubes 88, 90, allowing the tubes to slide more smoothly relative to each other with less lateral play. Second, the bushing can be formed from a softer and / or more slippery material (e.g., a polymer) than the outer tube 88 and the inner tube 90 (e.g., a metal such as an aluminum alloy). Thus, the composition of the bushing can promote sliding and can reduce scratching of the tubes 88, 90, which would otherwise remove coatings (e.g., paint) from the tubes 88, 90. Third, as described above, the bushing aligns with the holes 110, 112 for receiving the fasteners 92, which otherwise can be challenging.

[0058] Each tower 64 may have a height marking marker 118 configured to match the height of the tower 64 (see Figure 5 ). The markings 118 may be formed on the inner tube 90 and / or the upper portion 86 of the tower (see also Figure 2 The markings 118 may include a series of numbers 120 and reference marks 122 that may form marking groups 124. In the depicted example, the inner tube 90 has a pair of marking groups 124 disposed along an edge of the inner axial groove 100a.

[0059] The ring 126 can be passed through the bracket 128 (see Figure 2 、 Figure 5 and Figure 7 ) are formed on each tower 64. A bracket may be attached to the middle portion 76, such as on one side of the outer tube 88 of the lower portion 84.

[0060] The upper end portion 74 may form a saddle 130 to receive a portion of the crossbar 66 (see FIG. Figure 2 、 Figure 5 and Figure 8-10 ). The saddle 130 can be arranged substantially horizontally. The saddle can be formed by a recess 132 defined by the top side of the upper end portion 74, which creates a pair of walls 134, 136 that are spaced apart from each other along a line parallel to the longitudinal axis 68 of the truck to limit lateral horizontal movement of one end of the crossbar 66. However, the saddle 130 can allow the crossbar 66 to slide longitudinally (parallel to the long axis of the crossbar) until the crossbar is securely attached to the saddle.

[0061] The tower 64 may extend along an at least partially curved longitudinal axis 138 between its top and bottom ends (see FIG. Figure 2 More specifically, tower 64 may extend linearly upward from lower end portion 72 at the slope already discussed, and may then curve smoothly inwardly to a substantially horizontal orientation along upper end portion 74 (see FIG. Figure 2 and Figure 8In some examples, the upper end portion 74 may be provided by a separate end piece 139 that is attached end-to-end to the middle portion 76 to form a joint 140 (see FIG. Figure 8 and Figure 9 ). For example, the end piece 139 and the inner tube 90 of the intermediate portion 76 can axially mate with each other to insert the insertable area 141 of the end piece 139 into the correspondingly shaped opening of the inner tube 90 (and / or vice versa). This mating can limit lateral movement of the intermediate portion 76 and the end piece 139 relative to each other. The intermediate portion 76 and the end piece 139 can be axially fixed to each other with one or more fasteners 142 (e.g., bolts) (see Figure 8 and 10 ). The cross-sectional dimensions of the upper end of the intermediate portion 76 (e.g., provided by the inner tube 90) can match the cross-sectional dimensions of the lower end of the end member 139 adjacent the insertable region 141 so that the portions 74, 76 are primarily flush with one another about the joint 140 to provide a smooth transition from the intermediate portion 76 to the upper end portion 74. The partially linear, partially curved configuration of the tower 64 makes the tower more aerodynamic because the saddle 130 extends inwardly but does not protrude outwardly from the axis of the tower in a direction away from the center plane 82 (see also Figure 2 ).

[0062] The crossbar 66 may include a tube 144 and a pair of end caps 146 attached to opposite ends of the tube via respective fastener assemblies 148 (see FIG. Figure 2 、 Figure 11 、 Figure 12 、 Figure 13A and Figure 13B ). Tube 144 may have a substantially uniform cross-sectional shape along its length (see Figure 13B ). The tube may be formed, for example, by extrusion and / or may consist of a metal alloy (eg, an aluminum alloy).

[0063] The tube 144 may define a lower slot 150 and an upper slot 152, each extending axially along the length of the tube (see FIG. Figure 13B As described, each slot 150, 152 can be a T-shaped slot. Thus, each slot 150, 152 can be open along one side to form a throat 154 adjacent to the passage 156, wherein the throat 154 is narrower than the passage 156 and is located outside the passage 156, such as at the periphery of the tube 144. The throat 154 can be defined by a pair of lips 158 (interchangeably referred to as flanges), which can define a portion of the passage 156 and can protrude at least generally toward each other.

[0064] The slots 150, 152 can be connected to each other via any suitable wall structure. For example, the slots 150, 152 can be connected to each other via a peripheral (outer) wall 160 of the tube 144. The slots can also be connected to each other via one or more transverse (inner) walls 162. Transverse walls 162 increase the strength of the tube 144 for supporting heavy loads, but may not be required, particularly in other slotted tubes disclosed herein for use with the tower 64 and siderails 70.

[0065] Each slot 150, 152 provides a continuous range of potential attachment points along its length (and therefore along the crossbar 66). The lower slot 150 can be used to attach the crossbar 66 to the tower 64, and the upper slot 152 can be used to attach a rack accessory, which may or may not be cargo-specific. Exemplary rack accessories are described in Section III below. Figure 11 and Figure 12 As depicted in FIG, the upper slot 152 may be occupied by one or more removable filler strips 164 where no rack accessories are attached.

[0066] Each crossbar 66 may be attached to a pair of towers 64 (see FIG. Figure 12 Each fastener assembly 166 may include at least one externally threaded fastener 168 (e.g., a bolt member) and an internally threaded fastener 170 (e.g., a nut member) having at least one internally threaded hole 172. The internally threaded fastener 170 may be placed in the lower slot 150 from one end thereof and then may be slid along the lower slot 150 until each internally threaded hole 172 is coaxially aligned with a hole 174 defined by the saddle 130 of the upper end portion 74 (see FIG. Figure 2 、 Figure 9 、 Figure 10 and Figure 12 ). The leading end of the externally threaded fastener 168 can then be threadedly engaged with the internally threaded hole 172 through the hole 174 and throat 154 of the lower slot 150 to create a tower-crossbar joint 176. The crossbar 66 and tower 64 are slidably connected to each other to allow travel relative to each other along the lower slot 150 before the fastener assembly 166 is tightened, and to lock with each other after the fastener assembly is tightened. In other examples, the positions of the fasteners 168, 170 can be interchanged, for example, with the fastener 168 having a head in the lower slot 150 and each fastener 170 being a single-hole nut located below the lower slot 150.

[0067] Figure 3 and Figure 4 The truck rack 50 is illustrated as being height-adjustable via the towers 64 of the truck rack 50, while the bottom ends of the towers remain at the same distance from one another (e.g., when the towers have been mounted to the truck via the base 62; see also FIG. Figure 1Only one crossbar assembly 58f is shown here, but the same height adjustments described here are typically performed on both crossbar assemblies. The height adjustments illustrated here can be performed while all towers 64 remain securely mounted to the truck bed, i.e., without disconnecting the towers 64 from the base 62 and without disconnecting the crossbars 66 from the towers 64.

[0068] Figure 3 and Figure 4 The crossbar assembly 58f of the truck frame 50 is shown adjusted between its minimum and maximum heights. Figure 3 In order to make the height of the truck frame 50 adjustable, the fasteners 92 at each joint 98 of the tower 64 can be loosened, and the fasteners 168 attaching the tower 64 to the crossbar 66 at the tower-crossbar joint 176 can be loosened (see also FIG. Figure 2 and Figure 12 ). When the upper end portion 74 of the tower 64 slides axially inwardly along the crossbar 66 (as indicated by arrow at 180), the tower 64 can then be extended upwardly (as indicated by arrow at 178). (Alternatively, from Figure 4 Starting with the truck frame 50 in the axially opposite configuration, the towers 64 can be retracted downward as the upper end portions 74 of the towers 64 slide axially outward along the crossbars 66 to reduce the height of the truck frame 50. When the desired approximate height is reached, the height markings 118 on all towers 64 can be compared to equalize the tower heights (see also FIG. Figure 5 ), which ensures that each crossbar 66 will be level and that both crossbars 66 will be at the same height. Fasteners 92 can then be tightened to fix each tower height.

[0069] Next, each crossbar 66 may be axially centered on a corresponding pair of towers 64 such that the longitudinal center 182 of the crossbar is equidistant from each tower 64 in the pair of towers (see FIG. Figure 3 and Figure 4 Each crossbar 66 may have two sets of position indicating (centering) markings 184 disposed along opposite end portions of the crossbar 66 and rotationally offset 180 degrees from one another (see FIG. 1 for a portion of one set). Figure 13A). Substantially identical position-indicating markings 184 may be present on both end portions so that when each tower 64 is aligned with the same feature (e.g., the same number) of the corresponding set of position-indicating markings 184, the user knows that the crossbar 66 is centered along its long axis. In the depicted example, each set of position-indicating markings 184 has a series of numbers 186 arranged along the end portion of the crossbar 66. Each number is repeated in the other set of position-indicating markings 184 so that the distance between instances of the same number in both sets is the same as the value of that number. For example, Figure 13A The set of position markings 184 depicted in FIG includes the numbers “52,” “53,” and “54,” which are 52 inches, 53 inches, and 54 inches, respectively, which are the same numbers as the other set of position markings 184. Each set of position markings 184 can be located on the bottom (as depicted), at least one outer side, and / or the top of the crossbar 66.

[0070] II. Example base for a truck rack

[0071] This section describes an exemplary base 62 for securing the tower 64 of the truck rack 50 to the bed of a truck; see Figure 14-24 .

[0072] Figure 14-19 An illustrative example of a base 62 (base 190) is shown that is configured to be coupled to the upper wall region 60 of the truck bed 54 at a bed slot 191 (which is open at the bottom) (see FIG. Figure 16 ). The base 190 includes a bottom support member 192 connected to a coupling portion 194 (see Figure 14 ).

[0073] The base member 192 may be configured to support and releasably secure the tower 64 (see FIG. Figure 14 and Figure 17-19 More specifically, the lower end portion 72 of the tower 64 may form a foot 196 at the bottom end of the tower 64. The foot 196 may be received, supported, and secured by the base member 192.

[0074] The foot 196 can be configured to be supported and secured to the base member 192 in a substantially horizontal orientation. The foot 196 has a length (L), a width (W), and a thickness (T), where L ≥ W > T. The length axis and the width axis of the foot can be configured to be substantially horizontal, and the thickness axis of the foot can be configured to be substantially vertical. Thus, the foot 196 can be described as a horizontal foot that can define a substantially horizontal plane. The foot can be elongated to define a long axis 197, and the foot can be configured to be mounted to the bed of a truck such that the long axis 197 is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the truck and / or the bed rails of the truck's bed.

[0075] Leg 196 has a top surface 198 and a bottom surface 200, and a thickness axis can extend between these surfaces. Compared to end surface 201 and side surface 202, top surface 198 and bottom surface 200 can be the major surfaces of leg 196 having the largest surface area. Therefore, leg 196 can be described as a flat leg. Top surface 198 can define a plane. Bottom surface 200 can at least partially define surface features, such as one or more grooves 204 and / or one or more ridges 206, or can be planar, etc. Grooves 204 and ridges 206 can be parallel to each other and optionally parallel to long axis 197.

[0076] The leg 196 can have a substantially constant cross-sectional shape (eg, along its length), as shown here. The leg can be an extrusion that can be machined to change its shape.

[0077] The bottom end of the midsection 76 (or shaft 79) of the tower 64 can be attached to a leg 196. For example, the bottom end can be securely attached to the top surface 198, as shown, such as by welding, fasteners, and / or the like. The leg 196 can be described as a transverse leg, with the leg 196 being oriented transversely to the midsection 76. More specifically, the plane defined by the leg 196 (and / or the long axis 197) can be transverse to the linear axis 78 of the midsection 76, where "transverse" means within an orthogonal range of approximately 60 degrees (i.e., the leg can be inclined or orthogonal). The brace member 208 of the tower 64 can stabilize the attachment of the midsection 76 to the leg 196. The brace member 208 can be attached to the leg 196 at one end and to the midsection 76 at the other end.

[0078] The base member 192 can define a receiving area 210 in which the foot 196 can be received, supported, and secured (see FIG. Figure 14 、 Figure 15 and Figure 17 ). The footprint of the legs 196 can substantially match the horizontal perimeter of the receiving area 210. The receiving area 210 can form a platform 212 as a floor of the receiving area 210, and the legs 196 can be supported on the platform 212, optionally with the bottom surface 200 of the legs 196 contacting and / or facing the platform. The platform 212 can be substantially horizontal and flat. The receiving area 210 can have a plurality of walls 214, 216, 218, and 220 that extend along the edges of the platform 212 and are located above the platform 212 (see Figure 15Any combination of the base member 192, foot 196, receiving area 210, platform 212, wall 218, and wall 220 may be elongated generally along the longitudinal axis of the truck and / or transverse to a plane defined by corresponding crossbar assemblies.

[0079] The bottom bracket member 192 can have a body 224 and a door 226 movably connected to the body 224 (see FIG. Figure 15 The body 224 may form the end walls 214, 216 and the outer sidewall 218 of the receiving area 210. Each of the walls 214, 216, and 218 may be fixed relative to one another so that the walls remain stationary when the foot 196 is received and secured by the base 190 and then subsequently released from the base 190. The door 226 may form the inner sidewall 220 of the receiving area 210.

[0080] The bottom support member 192 may form a clamp 228 to secure the legs 196 (see Figure 18 and Figure 19 ). The clamp can use the side walls 218, 220 of the receiving area 210 as a fixed jaw 230 and a movable jaw 232, respectively. The door 226 can be pivotally connected to the body 224 for rotation about an axis 234. A spring 236 can bias the movable jaw 232 away from the fixed jaw 230. A clamp actuator 238, such as an actuator bolt threadedly engaged with the body 224, can be manipulated (e.g., rotated) to change the rotational orientation of the movable jaw 232 and the door 226 in part by changing the compression of the spring 236.

[0081] The foot 196 may have a pair of flanges 242a, 242b disposed along opposing edge regions, for example, substantially parallel to the long axis 197 of the foot (see also FIG. Figure 14 Each flange 242a, 242b can be configured to be received beneath a corresponding undercut area 244a, 244b formed in the receiving area 210 by the outer sidewall 218 (and the fixed jaw 230) and the inner sidewall 220 (and the movable jaw 232), respectively.

[0082] By appropriately manipulating the clamp actuator 238, the clamp 228 can be positioned in the closed tower-mounted configuration ( Figure 18 ) and the open tower release configuration ( Figure 19 The clamp can capture the leg 196 in the receiving area 210 by pushing the movable jaw 232 toward the fixed jaw 230 with the actuator 238, as indicated by the rotation arrow at 246 (see Figure 14 and Figure 18). The corresponding inclined surfaces formed by flange 242a and undercut area 244a and / or by flange 242b and undercut area 244b can be pressed against each other to generate a downward force on leg 196. When clamp 228 is adjusted to the tower-fixed configuration, this downward force pushes leg 196 tightly against platform 212, which also applies compression horizontally to leg 196 using jaws 230, 232. When clamp 228 is clamped against leg 196, by applying localized pressure to platform 212, ridge 206 can resist sliding more effectively than a flat bottom surface.

[0083] After the leg 196 is engaged by the clamp 228, the longitudinal movement of the leg 196 in the receiving area 210 can be limited by internal mating structures. For example, the flange 242a of the leg 196 can form a notch 250 (or other recess) that mates with a pin 252 (or other protrusion) of the body 224 located in the receiving area 210 (see FIG. Figure 14 and Figure 17 Alternatively or additionally, the flange 242a may have a protrusion that mates with a corresponding recess of the receiving area 210.

[0084] Rotating the clamp actuator 238 in the opposite rotational direction allows the spring 236 to push the movable jaw 232 away from the fixed jaw 230 to the tower release configuration, as indicated at 256 (see FIG. Figure 19 ). The foot 196 is no longer captured in the receiving area 210 and can be removed, as indicated by the motion arrow at 258.

[0085] The body 224 of the shoe member 192 may be configured to be placed onto the top wall 260 of the truck bed rail 52a and against the inner sidewall 262 of the rail 52a (see FIG. Figure 16 The body 224 can have an upper portion 264 having a bottom surface 266 configured to face the top wall 260 and optionally abut the top wall 260. A lower portion 267 of the body 224 can project downwardly from the upper portion 264 to form a shoulder 268 configured to be disposed adjacent to the inner sidewall 262 and optionally abut the inner sidewall 262.

[0086] The coupling portion 194 of the base 190 may include one or more coupling members 270 to mount the shoe member 192 to the truck bed 54 (see FIG. Figure 14 and Figure 16). Each coupling member 270 may include a claw member 272 that is connected to the base member 192 with at least one fastener, such as a bolt 274 in the depicted example. The base member 192 may define one or more holes, such as a slot 276, through which the shaft of each bolt 274 extends (see FIG. Figure 15 Each slot 276 allows the coupling member 270 to slide along the slot before the coupling member is secured against the truck bed 54 to optimize the position of the coupling member.

[0087] Each coupling member 270 and the base member 192 can cooperatively clamp the wall area of the bed rail 52a to mount the base member to the bed rail. Figure 16 In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 , the upper portion 264 and the claw member 272 apply compression to the top wall area of the bed rail.

[0088] Each coupling member 270 can be disengaged from the base member 192 by removing the bolts 274. However, the feet 196 located in the receiving area 210 cover the slots 276 and the bolts 274 therein. Thus, the feet 196 prevent unauthorized access to the bolts 274 to remove the base 190 from the truck bed 54 until the feet 196 have been removed from the receiving area 210. Because the clamp 228 needs to be placed in its open, tower-release configuration to remove the feet 196, preventing access to and / or manipulation of the clamp actuator 238 can deter theft. Figure 17 The head of the actuator 238 in the embodiment has a non-standard drive interface 278, which requires a dedicated drive to rotate the clamp actuator. The drive interface 278 is a recessed portion in the depicted example. A dedicated drive can be provided when the truck frame 50 is purchased.

[0089] Improved theft protection is provided by using a different clamp actuator 280 and a key operated safety lock 282 (see Figure 1 、 Figure 2 、 Figure 20 and Figure 21 ). The clamp actuator 280 may be a bolt having the same externally threaded shaft 284 as the clamp actuator 238, but with a different head 286 (see Figure 20 ). The head may have a radial protrusion 288 adjacent the shaft 284. The radial protrusion 288 cannot pass through the elongated opening 290 in the door 226 through which the shaft 284 extends (see Figure 20 and Figure 21 ). Thus, radial projection 288 contacts door 226 and resists the action of spring 236 (see also Figure 18 and Figure 19). The head 286 can also have a lock engaging shoulder 292 located near the trailing end of the clamp actuator 280. The shoulder 292 can be formed by a radial recess 294 and / or a radial protrusion 296. When the lock 282 is operably disposed on the head 286, a blocking member 298 inside the lock can enter the radial recess 294 so that if an attempt is made to pull the lock away from the head 286, the blocking member 298 engages the shoulder 292, which prevents the lock from being removed. The lock 282 covers the non-standard driver interface 278 (or standard driver interface), which prevents engagement with a corresponding driver. When the lock 282 is unlocked with a corresponding key, the blocking member 298 can be retracted from the radial recess 294, allowing the lock 282 to be removed from the head 286 and the driver interface 278 to be accessible with a corresponding driver. The clamp actuator 280 and key-operated lock 282 may be used for only one of each pair of bases 62 below each crossbar assembly 58f, 58r, as shown in FIG. Figure 2 As shown in FIG. 1 for one of the crossbar assemblies.

[0090] Figure 22 and Figure 23 Another illustrative example of a base 62 (base 300) is shown secured to a tower 64 of a truck frame 50. The base member 192 of the base 300 is identical to the base member 190, but the coupling portion 194 is different (see FIG. Figure 14 More specifically, the coupling portion 194 of the base 300 has a pair of coupling members 302 configured to mount the bottom bracket member 192 to a truck bed 54 having a T-shaped slot (i.e., bed slot 304) (see FIG. Figure 23 ). The bed channel 304 is open on its sides to form a throat 306 intermediate the top and bottom of the bed channel. The bed channel is shown as being integrally formed with the bed rail 52a, but is more typically created by a separate rail member mounted to the wall of the truck bed.

[0091] Each coupling member 302 may have a pair of fastener assemblies 308, 310 (see Figure 22 The base fastener assembly 308 connects the body 312 of the coupling member 302 to the base member 192 via the platform slot 276 (see also Figure 15). The bolt 274 extends through the platform slot 276 and the hole 314 in the body 312 and is threadedly engaged with a corresponding nut 316. The body 312 can define a recess 318 to receive at least a portion of the nut 316. When the nut 316 is located in the recess 318 and engaged with the bolt 274, the nut 316 can travel along the recess 318 but is restricted from rotation by the recess walls 320. The recess walls 320 are oriented to match the facets of the nut 316 and prevent effective access to the opposing facets of the nut 316 with a wrench or similar tool. Therefore, as in the base 190, when the tower 64 is secured to the base 300 via the foot 196, the head of the bolt 274 is covered by the foot 196. With this configuration, the base 300 cannot be removed from the truck bed 54 without opening the clamp 228 by manipulating the clamp actuator 238 or 280 (see also Figure 18-21 ).

[0092] The tank fastener assembly 310 connects the coupling member 302 to the tank 304 (see Figure 22 and Figure 23 ). The trunk slot fastener assembly 310 has a bolt 324 that extends through a hole 326 in the body 312 and is threadedly engaged with a nut member 328 located in the trunk slot 304. The body 312 has a ridged surface 330 that engages a corresponding ridged surface of a washer 332 to resist sliding. A user can select one of two or more holes 326 to receive the bolt 324 to match the height of the trunk slot 304. In some examples, the pair of nut members 328 can be replaced by a single elongated nut member having a pair of internally threaded holes for engaging with the bolt 324. In some examples, the hole 326 can be elongated to allow a user to slide the bolt 324 along the hole 326 to select the height of the bolt 324.

[0093] Figure 24 Still another illustrative example of a base 62 (base 350) for mounting a tower 64 of a truck rack 50 to a truck bed is shown. The base 350 can be used to mount the truck rack 50 to a truck bed having a tonneau cover. The tonneau cover can be mounted on the bed rails 52a, 52b using corresponding elongated rail caps having T-slots arranged at least generally parallel to the longitudinal axis 68 of the truck (see also FIG. Figure 1 Each T-slot may have a throat located above the channel, as depicted by the upper slot 152 of the crossbar 66 (see, for example, Figure 13B ).

[0094] The base 350 can have a base member 352 that forms a receiving area 354 for the leg 196 of the tower 64. The floor of the receiving area 354 provides a platform 356 on which the leg 196 can be supported. The end walls 358, 360 and side walls 362 of the receiving area 354 can be configured to match three sides of the perimeter shape of the leg 196 to ensure that the leg 196 is properly aligned with the base member 352. More specifically, the leg 196 and the base member 352 can define respective sets of one or more apertures 364, 366 that align with one another when the leg 196 is placed on the platform 356 and against at least one of the end walls 358, 360 and side walls 362.

[0095] The base 350 may include at least one fastener assembly, such as a limited-access assembly 368 and an accessible fastener assembly 370, to secure the foot 196 to the base. Each fastener assembly 368, 370 may include a bolt member 372 having a head 374 configured to be received in a T-slot in the tonneau cover. The head 374 may include a wider flange region 376 for placement within the channel of the T-slot and a narrower, optionally tapered region 378 for placement within the throat of the T-slot and through the elongated hole 366 of the base member 352. An externally threaded shaft 380 extends from the narrower region 378 of each bolt member 372 and through the hole 364 in the foot 196. Each fastener assembly 368, 370 has a corresponding nut member 382, 384 for threaded engagement with the shaft 380 of the corresponding bolt 372. The safety nut member 382 may be shaped similarly to the rear region of the clamp actuator 280, except for the addition of an internally threaded hole (see also FIG. Figure 21 After the safety nut member 382 is tightened against the standoff 196, the key-operated lock 282 may be installed on the nut member 382 as described above with respect to the base 190 (see also Figure 20 and Figure 21 ). The nut member 384 can be faceted on the outside and accessible with a wrench or similar tool. However, due to the presence of the fastener assembly 368, removal of the nut member 384 is not sufficient to remove the base 350 from the truck bed, thereby deterring theft.

[0096] III. Illustrative side rails

[0097] This section describes additional aspects of an exemplary siderail 70 configured to attach to a pair of towers 64 of crossbar assemblies 58f, 58r on the same side of a truck frame 50, and also describes exemplary rack accessories that may be mounted to the siderail 70; see Figure 1 and Figure 25-30 .

[0098] The side rail 70 has a rod member 390 attached at opposite ends to a pair of brackets 392 (see FIG. Figure 25 and 26 Each bracket 392 may define one or more openings to receive one or more fasteners (see FIG. Figure 1 ).

[0099] The siderail 70 can have an adjustable length, which is imparted by the telescopic ability of the rod member 390. The rod member 390 can include an elongated outer tube 396. An elongated inner member, such as an inner tube 398, can be slidably extended from the outer tube 396 and retracted into the outer tube 396 to change the length of the siderail 70. The outer tube 396 and the inner tube 398 can be interconnected at a joint 400, which has an adjustable configuration and a fixed configuration, respectively allowing and limiting adjustment of the length of the siderail 70.

[0100] The outer tube 396 and the inner tube 398 can each have at least one axial slot, which can be a T-slot (as described elsewhere herein). In the depicted example, the outer tube 396 has a pair of slots 402a, 402b positioned opposite each other, and the inner tube 398 has a single slot 404 (see FIG. Figure 25 、 Figure 26 and Figure 27 ).

[0101] Figure 27 An exemplary structure of a joint 400 is shown, which is similar in concept and structure to the joint 98 of the tower 64 (see also FIG. Figure 6 and 7 ). The joint 400 includes a bushing 406 that has many similarities to the bushing 108 of the joint 98 (see Figure 27 and Figure 28 , and with Figure 6 and Figure 7 ). The bushing 406 fits into an end region of the outer tube 396 and has a shoulder 408 formed by a flange 410. The shoulder 408 is configured to prevent the bushing 406 from advancing into the outer tube 396 so that the bore 412 of the outer tube 396 is aligned with the corresponding bore 414 of the bushing 406. A fastener, such as a bolt member 416, is configured to extend through the bores 412, 414. The bushing 406 also has a nut-receiving region 418 defining an opening 420 that is configured to receive a nut member 422 for engagement by the bolt member 416 (see FIG. Figure 27 and Figure 28). The bushing 406 can define another opening 424 aligned with the opening 420 to allow the nut member 422 to be placed into the nut locating area 418. The nut locating area 418 can be configured to be received in the channel 426 of the slot 404 of the inner tube 398. The neck area 428 of the bushing 406 adjacent the nut locating area 418 can be configured to be received in the throat 430 of the slot 404. Tightening the fastener assembly (the fastener assembly includes the bolt member 416 and the nut member 422) fixes the length of the side rail 70. The head of the bolt member 416 can be substantially flush or recessed relative to the rear wall 432 of the slot 402b to avoid obstructing the travel of the rack accessories along the slot 402b. Therefore, the hole 412 can have a countersunk hole to accommodate the head of the bolt member 416.

[0102] In some examples, the length of the rod member 390 can be determined by a pair of outer tubes 396 connected to each other via an inner tube 398 and a pair of joints 400. The pair of outer tubes 396 can each be attached to the bracket 392 at its outer end.

[0103] The side rail 70 may have one or more sleeves 440 connected to the rod member 390 (see Figure 25 ). Each sleeve 440 can be configured to couple to and support a frame attachment 442, such as, for example, an eyebolt member 444, as shown herein. The sleeve 440 can be disposed on the inner tube 398 and can be configured to be adjustable between a slidable configuration and a fixed configuration. In the slidable configuration, the sleeve 440 can slide along the inner tube 398, regardless of whether the length of the side rail 70 has been fixed at the joint 400. In the fixed configuration, the sleeve has a fixed position along the inner tube 398. The length of the sleeve 440 can be significantly less than the length of the rod member 390, the outer tube 396, and / or the inner tube 398.

[0104] exist Figure 29 , an exemplary structure of sleeve 440 is shown in FIG. Sleeve 440 may include a tubular member 446 having one or more axial grooves, such as two axial grooves 448a, 448b. Tubular member 446 may have substantially the same cross-section as outer tube 396. Sleeve 440 may form a pair of joints with inner tube 398. Each joint may be configured as joint 400 as described above and may include a bushing 406, a bolt member 416, and a nut member 422. Sleeve 440 may be adjusted between a slidable configuration and a fixed configuration by loosening and tightening the bolt member 416 of the sleeve joint.

[0105] Figure 30An exemplary structure of a rack attachment 442 is shown. The rack attachment has a rack coupling portion 452 and a cargo coupling portion 454. The rack coupling portion 452 can be configured to attach the rack attachment to any or all of the T-slots disclosed herein, such as the T-slots 100a, 100b of the tower 64, the lower T-slot 150 and upper T-slot 152 of the crossbar 66, the T-slots 402a, 402b of the outer tube 396 of the siderail 70, and / or the T-slots 448a, 448b of the sleeve 440. The rack coupling portion 452 can include a first fastening member 456, such as a member or bolt member to be received and retained in the channel of the T-slot, and a second fastening member 458, such as a bolt member or nut member, to engage the first fastening member 456. A washer 460 can be provided on the tube forming the T-slot, located adjacent to the throat of the T-slot. The cargo coupling portion 454 may include any suitable structure for docking cargo (e.g., recreational equipment, tools, lumber blocks, etc.) or cargo securing members (e.g., straps, bands, ropes, cords, nets, etc.). Other suitable rack accessories may include load stops, recovery rail holders, ladder rollers, bicycle mounts, wheel holders, kayak saddles, etc.

[0106] IV. Example

[0107] The following examples describe additional aspects and examples of truck racks (including rack components and rack accessories) for supporting cargo on the bed of a truck, as well as methods of constructing, assembling, installing, adjusting, and using the truck racks. These examples, as well as those described above in Sections I through III, are intended to be illustrative only and should not be limiting or define the entire scope of the present disclosure.

[0108] Example 1. Non-adjustable height truck rack

[0109] This section describes an illustrative truck rack 50' that is similar to the truck rack 50' except that the height of the tower 64 is not adjustable. Figure 1 Only one crossbar assembly 58f is shown. The middle portion 76 of each tower does not telescope, but has a fixed, non-adjustable length.

[0110] Example 2. Selected examples

[0111] This example describes selected examples of the present disclosure as a series of indexed paragraphs.

[0112] Paragraph A1. A truck rack comprising: (a) a tower having legs and an upper end portion configured to support a crossbar; and (b) a base configured to mount the tower on an upper wall area of a truck bed, the base including a platform supporting the legs and at least one securing device for securing the legs to the platform.

[0113] Paragraph A2. The truck rack of Paragraph A1, wherein the platform is configured to support the legs substantially horizontally.

[0114] Paragraph A3. The truck rack of paragraph A1 or A2, wherein the foot has a bottom surface configured to face the platform.

[0115] Paragraph A4. The truck frame of any of paragraphs A1 to A3, wherein the tower is elongated along a linear axis, and wherein the legs are oriented transverse to the linear axis.

[0116] Paragraph A5. The truck frame of Paragraph A4, wherein the legs are inclined or orthogonal to the linear axis.

[0117] Paragraph A6. The truck rack of any of paragraphs A1 to A5, wherein the foot has a top surface defining a plane.

[0118] Paragraph A7. The truck frame of Paragraph A6, wherein the plane is transverse to a long axis defined by the tower, or is oblique to the long axis, or is normal to the long axis.

[0119] Paragraph A8. The truck frame of any of paragraphs A1 to A7, wherein the foot has a top surface configured to be substantially horizontal when the foot is supported on a platform.

[0120] Paragraph A9. The truck frame of any of paragraphs A1 to A8, wherein the tower includes a midsection defining a long axis, and wherein the legs extend transversely (obliquely or orthogonally) relative to the long axis of the midsection.

[0121] Paragraph A10. The truck frame of any of paragraphs A1 to A9, wherein the leg has a top surface and a bottom surface, and wherein the bottom surface is supported on the platform.

[0122] Paragraph A11. The truck frame of paragraph A10, wherein the bottom surface defines a plurality of grooves.

[0123] Paragraph A12. The truck rack of any of paragraphs A1 to A11, wherein the at least one securing device comprises a clamp configured to engage opposing edge regions of the leg.

[0124] Paragraph A13. The truck frame of Paragraph A12, wherein the opposing edge regions each intersect the same substantially horizontal plane.

[0125] Paragraph A14. The truck frame of Paragraph A12 or A13, wherein the opposing edge regions are substantially linear and / or substantially parallel to each other.

[0126] Paragraph A15. The truck rack of any of paragraphs A12 to A14, wherein the clamp has a fixed jaw and a movable jaw disposed along opposing edges of the platform.

[0127] Paragraph A16. A truck frame as described in any of paragraphs A12 to A15, wherein at least one of the opposing edge regions of the leg has an inclined surface that engages a corresponding inclined surface of the base to urge the leg downward when the clamp is tightened against the opposing edge region.

[0128] Paragraph A17. The truck frame of any of paragraphs A12 to A16, wherein the base includes a shoe member defining a receiving area for the foot, and wherein the clamp is configured to capture the foot in the receiving area.

[0129] Paragraph A18. The truck rack of paragraph A17, wherein the receiving area includes a plurality of walls positioned around the platform, and wherein the plurality of walls are configured to limit horizontal movement of the foot before the clamp is tightened against the foot.

[0130] Paragraph A19. The truck frame of paragraph A17 or A18, wherein the platform is a recessed area of the receiving area.

[0131] Paragraph A20. The truck frame of any of paragraphs A17 to A19, wherein the receiving area substantially matches the shape of the foot at its horizontal perimeter.

[0132] Paragraph A21. The truck frame of any of paragraphs A17 to A20, wherein the receiving area includes an undercut wall area, and wherein one of the opposing edge areas is formed by a flange, and wherein the flange is configured to be received beneath the undercut wall area.

[0133] Paragraph A22. The truck frame of paragraph A21, wherein the flange tapers in a plane orthogonal to the long axis of the foot.

[0134] Paragraph A23. A truck frame as described in any of paragraphs A1 to A22, wherein the base includes a base member that defines a receiving area for the support leg, and wherein the receiving area includes at least three walls that are located above the platform and extend along at least three edges of the platform.

[0135] Paragraph A24. The truck rack of any of paragraphs A1 to A23, wherein the base includes at least one fastener assembly configured to extend between the hole in the base and the hole in the leg.

[0136] Paragraph A25. The truck frame of paragraph A24, wherein the aperture of the base intersects the platform.

[0137] Paragraph A26. The truck rack of paragraph A24 or A25, wherein the base is configured to mount to a slot in a tonneau cover.

[0138] Paragraph A27. The truck rack of any of paragraphs A24 to A26, wherein the base is configured to mount to a T-slot that is open on the top.

[0139] Paragraph A28. The truck rack of any of paragraphs A1 to A27, wherein the base includes at least one coupling member configured to attach the base to a (horizontal) slot associated with the truck bed.

[0140] Paragraph A29. The truck frame of paragraph A28, wherein the slot is a T-slot.

[0141] Paragraph A30. The truck rack of paragraph A29, wherein the T-slot is open at a top of the T-slot or between a top and a bottom of the T-slot.

[0142] Paragraph A31. The truck frame of any of paragraphs A28 to A30, wherein the slot is open at a bottom thereof.

[0143] Paragraph A32. The truck frame of any of paragraphs A1 to A31, wherein the base includes a base member, and wherein the base includes a coupling member having a claw member connected to the base member by a threaded fastener.

[0144] Paragraph A33. The truck frame of any of paragraphs A1 to A32, wherein the foot covers an area of the base, and wherein the covered area is wider and longer than a width or diameter of the tower adjacent the foot.

[0145] Paragraph A34. The truck rack of any of paragraphs A1 to A33, wherein the foot is configured to prevent removal of the base mounted on the upper wall region of the truck bed when the foot is secured to the base.

[0146] Paragraph A35. A truck frame as described in any of paragraphs A1 to A34, wherein the base includes a base member and one or more connecting members, the base member forming a platform, the one or more connecting members being configured to mount the base on an upper wall area of the truck bed, wherein each connecting member includes a fastener having a head, and wherein the foot is configured to cover the head of the fastener of each connecting member.

[0147] Paragraph A36. The truck frame of any of paragraphs A1 to A35, wherein the foot forms a junction with the mid-portion of the tower and extends beyond the perimeter of the mid-portion adjacent the junction in a plane transverse to the mid-portion.

[0148] Paragraph A37. The truck rack of any of paragraphs A1 to A36, wherein the foot covers an area on the platform that is substantially larger than a cross-sectional area of a mid-portion of the tower adjacent the foot.

[0149] Paragraph A38. The truck rack of any of paragraphs A1 to A37, wherein the platform includes an upwardly facing substantially horizontal surface.

[0150] Paragraph A39. The truck rack of any of paragraphs A1 to A38, wherein the foot and base have features that mate together when the foot is secured to the platform to limit longitudinal movement of the foot relative to the base.

[0151] Paragraph A40. The truck frame of paragraph A39, wherein the mating features include a recess in one of the foot and the base that mates with a protrusion formed by the other of the foot and the base.

[0152] Paragraph A41. A truck frame according to any of paragraphs A1 to A40, wherein the base includes a base member forming a platform, wherein the base includes at least one first connecting member that is removably interchangeable with at least one second connecting member, wherein the at least one first connecting member is configured to attach the base member to a first slot in a first truck box, wherein the at least one second connecting member is configured to attach the base member to a second slot in a second truck box, wherein the first slot is open at a bottom thereof, and wherein the second slot is open along one side thereof between the top and the bottom of the slot.

[0153] Paragraph A42. The truck frame of any of paragraphs A1 to A41, wherein the foot is a flat foot.

[0154] Paragraph A43. The truck frame of any of paragraphs A1 to A42, wherein the legs are plate members and / or extrusions.

[0155] Paragraph A44. The truck rack of any of paragraphs A1 to A43, wherein the base (e.g., shoe member) and the legs are configured to stack on an upper wall region of a truck bed.

[0156] Paragraph B1. A truck rack comprising: (a) a tower having legs and upper end portions configured to support crossbars; and (b) a base configured to be mounted on an upper wall region of a truck bed, the base having clamps to engage opposing edge regions of the legs to releasably secure the tower to the base.

[0157] Paragraph B2. The truck rack of paragraph B1, wherein the clamp is configured to be adjustable between a foot-securing configuration and a foot-releasing configuration while the base remains mounted to the upper wall region of the truck bed.

[0158] Paragraph B3. The truck frame of paragraph B1 or B2, wherein at least one of the opposing edge regions is elongated along a linear axis.

[0159] Paragraph B4. The truck frame of any of paragraphs B1 to B3, wherein the opposing edge regions are substantially parallel to each other.

[0160] Paragraph B5. The truck rack of any of paragraphs B1 to B4, wherein the base includes a platform, and wherein the feet are configured to rest substantially horizontally on the platform.

[0161] Paragraph B6. The truck frame of any of paragraphs B1 to B5, wherein the base includes a base member, wherein the base member includes a body and a door pivotally connected to the body, wherein the body forms a fixed jaw of the clamp, and wherein the door forms a movable jaw of the clamp.

[0162] Paragraph B7. The truck frame of paragraph B6, wherein the shoe member forms a platform on which the feet are supported, and wherein the fixed jaw and the movable jaw are arranged along opposing edges of the platform.

[0163] Paragraph B8. A truck frame as described in any of paragraphs B1 to B7, wherein the base includes a base member that includes a clamp and forms a receiving area for the foot, and wherein the clamp is configured to capture the foot in the receiving area while pushing the foot downward against a floor of the receiving area.

[0164] Paragraph B9. The truck rack of any of paragraphs B1 to B8, wherein the base has a platform with the legs supported on the platform, and wherein the clamp has a fixed jaw and a movable jaw disposed along opposing edges of the platform.

[0165] Paragraph B10. A truck frame as described in any of paragraphs B1 to B9, wherein at least one of the opposing edge regions of the leg has an inclined surface that engages a corresponding inclined surface of the base to urge the leg downward when the clamp is tightened against the opposing edge region.

[0166] Paragraph B11. The truck frame of any of paragraphs B1 to B10, wherein the base includes a base member forming a clamp and a receiving area for the foot, and wherein the clamp is configured to capture the foot in the receiving area.

[0167] Paragraph B12. The truck rack of paragraph B11, wherein the receiving area includes a plurality of walls positioned around the platform, and wherein the plurality of walls are configured to limit horizontal movement of the foot before the clamp is tightened against the foot.

[0168] Paragraph B13. The truck rack of paragraph B12, wherein the platform is a recessed area of the receiving area.

[0169] Paragraph B14. The truck frame of any of paragraphs B11 to B13, wherein the receiving area substantially matches the shape of the foot at its horizontal perimeter.

[0170] Paragraph B15. A truck frame as described in any of paragraphs B11 to B14, wherein the receiving area includes an undercut wall area, and wherein one of the opposing edge areas of the leg is formed by a flange, and wherein the flange is configured to be received directly beneath the undercut wall area.

[0171] Paragraph B16. The truck frame of paragraph B15, wherein the flange tapers in a plane orthogonal to the long axis of the foot.

[0172] Paragraph B17. The truck frame of any of paragraphs B1 to B16, wherein the clamp includes a clamp actuator having an interface for a driver to rotate the actuator, and the truck frame further includes a key-operated lock configured to cover the interface.

[0173] Paragraph B18. The truck frame of paragraph B17, wherein the driver interface includes a recess defined by a trailing end region of the clamp actuator.

[0174] Paragraph B19. The truck rack of any of paragraphs B1 to B18, wherein the leg is configured to prevent the base from being separated from the upper wall area of the truck bed when the leg is secured to the base with a clamp.

[0175] Paragraph B20. The truck rack of any of paragraphs B1 to B19, wherein the base includes a platform on which the feet are supported, and wherein the clamp includes a jaw pivotable relative to the platform to adjust the clamp between a tower secured configuration and a tower released configuration.

[0176] Paragraph B21. The truck frame of paragraph B20, wherein the base includes a clamp actuator that adjusts the clamp between a tower-securing configuration and a tower-releasing configuration.

[0177] Paragraph B22. The truck rack of paragraph B21, wherein the clamp actuator is configured to rotate to adjust the clamp between a tower-secured configuration and a tower-released configuration.

[0178] Paragraph B23. The truck frame of any of paragraphs B1 to B22, wherein the base includes a platform on which the feet are supported, wherein the platform extends parallel to the axis, and wherein each jaw of the clamp extends substantially parallel to the axis.

[0179] Paragraph B24. The truck rack of paragraph B23, wherein the base is configured to be mounted on an upper wall region of a truck bed of a truck having a longitudinal axis such that the platform is elongated substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the truck.

[0180] Paragraph B25. A truck rack as described in any of paragraphs B1 to B24, wherein the base includes a base member having a body and a door pivotally connected to the body, and wherein the body forms a platform and a fixed jaw of the clamp, and the support leg is supported on the platform.

[0181] Paragraph B26. The truck frame of any of paragraphs B1 to B25, wherein the shoe member has a receiving area for the foot, wherein the receiving area has a floor and a pair of opposing side walls to engage opposing edge areas of the foot.

[0182] Paragraph B27. The truck frame of paragraph B26, wherein one of the opposing side walls forms a movable jaw of the clamp.

[0183] Paragraph B28. The truck frame of paragraph B27, wherein each sidewall of the pair of opposing sidewalls has an undercut region to engage one of the opposing edge regions of the foot.

[0184] Paragraph B29. A truck frame as described in any of paragraphs B1 to B28, wherein the clamp has a pair of jaws, wherein the distance between the jaws is adjustable along a substantially horizontal axis, and wherein at least one of the opposing edge regions of the foot has an inclined surface that contacts a corresponding inclined surface of one of the jaws so that the clamp pushes the foot downward when tightened against the foot.

[0185] Paragraph C1. A truck rack comprising: (a) a tower having a foot and an upper end portion configured to support a crossbar; and (b) a base configured to mount the tower on an upper wall area of a truck bed, the base defining a receiving area for the foot and including a clamp configured to secure the foot in the receiving area while pushing the foot downwardly against the base.

[0186] Paragraph C2. The truck frame of Paragraph C1, wherein the receiving area includes a floor and a plurality of walls positioned above the floor and extending along edges of the floor.

[0187] Paragraph C3. A truck rack according to paragraphs C1 or C2, wherein the clamp includes a pair of jaws, and wherein at least one of the jaws includes an inclined undercut configured to engage an inclined surface of the leg to push the leg downward against the floor of the receiving area when the jaws are tightened against the leg.

[0188] Paragraph D1. A truck rack comprising: (a) a pair of towers, each tower having a lower end portion and an upper end portion, the lower end portion being configured to be mounted on an upper wall area of a truck bed, the upper end portion extending upwardly in an inwardly inclined direction; and (b) a crossbar configured to be supported by and connected to the upper end portions of the pair of towers so that the upper end portions can move toward each other along the crossbar when the upper end portions extend.

[0189] Paragraph D2. A truck frame according to paragraph D1, wherein the upper end portions are connected to the crossbar with fasteners, wherein manipulation of the fasteners adjusts the upper end portions between a fixed configuration in which each upper end portion is securely secured to the crossbar and a slidable configuration in which each upper end portion is connected to the crossbar and is slidable along the crossbar when the upper end portion of the tower is extended.

[0190] Paragraph D3. A truck frame according to Paragraph D1 or D2, wherein the inward tilt is in a direction of approximately 5 degrees to 40 degrees from vertical.

[0191] Paragraph D4. The truck frame of Paragraph D3, wherein the inward tilt is in a direction of approximately 10 to 30 degrees from vertical.

[0192] Paragraph D5. The truck frame of any of paragraphs D1 to D4, wherein the inwardly inclined direction and the plane defined by the crossbar are substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the truck.

[0193] Paragraph D6. The truck rack of any of paragraphs D1 to D5, wherein the height of each tower is continuously adjustable within a range of heights.

[0194] Paragraph D7. The truck rack of any of paragraphs D1 to D6, wherein each tower includes a telescoping mid-section.

[0195] Paragraph D8. The truck frame of Paragraph D7, wherein the telescoping middle portion comprises an outer tube and an inner tube, the inner tube slidably extending from the outer tube.

[0196] Paragraph D9. A truck frame according to paragraph D8, wherein the telescoping middle section includes a fastener assembly that is partially located in the slot of the inner tube and is adjustable to secure the inner tube to the outer tube over the length of the telescoping middle section.

[0197] Paragraph D10. The truck frame of Paragraph D9, wherein the slot is a T-slot.

[0198] Paragraph D11. The truck frame of paragraph D10, wherein the telescoping middle portion includes a bushing positioned at least partially within the end portion of the outer tube and extending into the slot.

[0199] Paragraph D12. The truck frame of any of paragraphs D7 to D11, wherein the tower defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein the longitudinal axis is linear along the telescoping middle portion and curved along the upper end portion.

[0200] Paragraph D13. The truck frame of paragraph D12, wherein the telescoping middle portion and the upper end portion are attached to each other at a joint, and wherein the telescoping middle portion and the upper end portion are substantially flush with each other about the joint.

[0201] Paragraph D14. The truck frame of paragraph D13, wherein the telescoping middle portion and the upper end portion are attached to each other by one or more fasteners at a joint.

[0202] Paragraph D15. The truck frame of any of paragraphs D12 to D14, wherein the upper end portion curves smoothly to a substantially horizontal position and forms a saddle for the crossbar.

[0203] Paragraph D16. The truck rack of any of paragraphs D1 to D15, wherein the telescoping middle portion includes height indicator markings.

[0204] Paragraph D17. The truck rack of any of paragraphs D1 to D16, wherein the crossbar includes position indicators disposed along opposing end portions of the crossbar to facilitate centering a longitudinal midpoint of the crossbar between the upper end portions of the towers.

[0205] Paragraph D18. The truck rack of paragraph D17, wherein substantially identical position indicators are disposed along each of the opposing end portions of the crossbar.

[0206] Paragraph D19. The truck rack of paragraph D18, wherein the position indicator comprises a number.

[0207] Paragraph D20. The truck frame of any of paragraphs D1 to D19, further comprising a pair of bases configured to mount lower end portions of the pair of towers to respective upper wall regions of the truck bed.

[0208] Paragraph E1. A truck rack comprising: (a) a crossbar; and (b) a pair of towers, each tower comprising a lower end portion, an upper end portion, and a telescoping middle portion, wherein the lower end portion is configured to be mounted on an upper wall area of a truck bed, the upper end portion is configured to support the crossbar, and the telescoping middle portion is configured to extend upwardly with an inward incline and an adjustable length.

[0209] Paragraph E2. The truck frame of Paragraph E1, wherein the inward slope is approximately 10 to 30 degrees from vertical.

[0210] Paragraph E3. The truck frame of paragraph E1 or E2, wherein the telescoping middle portion comprises an outer tube and an inner tube, the inner tube slidably extending from the outer tube.

[0211] Paragraph E4. A truck frame according to paragraph E3, wherein the telescoping middle section includes a fastener assembly that is partially located in the slot of the inner tube and is adjustable to secure the inner tube to the outer tube over the length of the telescoping middle section.

[0212] Paragraph E5. The truck frame of Paragraph E4, wherein the slot of the inner tube is a T-slot.

[0213] Paragraph E6. The truck frame of Paragraph E5, wherein the telescoping middle section includes a bushing that is at least partially located within the end portion of the outer tube and extends into the slot of the inner tube.

[0214] Paragraph E7. The truck frame of any of paragraphs E1 to E6, wherein the tower defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein the longitudinal axis is linear along the telescoping middle portion and curved along the upper end portion.

[0215] Paragraph E8. The truck frame of Paragraph E7, wherein the telescoping middle portion and the upper end portion are attached to each other at a joint, and wherein the telescoping middle portion and the upper end portion are substantially flush with each other about the joint.

[0216] Paragraph E9. The truck frame of Paragraph E8, wherein the telescoping middle portion and the upper end portion are attached to each other by one or more fasteners at a joint.

[0217] Paragraph E10. The truck frame of any of paragraphs E7 to E9, wherein the upper end portion curves smoothly to a substantially horizontal position and forms a saddle.

[0218] Paragraph E11. The truck rack of any of paragraphs E1 to E10, wherein the middle portion includes height indicator markings.

[0219] Paragraph E12. A truck frame as described in any of paragraphs E1 to E11, wherein the crossbar includes position indicator marks (centering marks) arranged along opposite ends of the crossbar to assist in centering the crossbar at a longitudinal midpoint between the upper end portions of the towers.

[0220] Paragraph E13. The truck frame of paragraph E12, wherein substantially identical position indicators are disposed along each of the opposing end portions of the crossbar.

[0221] Paragraph E14. The truck rack of paragraph E12 or E13, wherein the position indicator comprises a number.

[0222] Paragraph E15. The truck frame of any of paragraphs E1 to E14, further comprising a pair of bases configured to mount lower end portions of the pair of towers to respective upper wall regions of the truck bed.

[0223] Paragraph F1. A truck rack comprising: (a) a first crossbar assembly and a second crossbar assembly, each crossbar assembly being configured to be mounted on a pair of opposing upper wall areas of a truck bed and including a crossbar and a pair of towers; (b) a siderail configured to extend between corresponding towers of the first crossbar assembly and the second crossbar assembly, the siderail having an adjustable length and including a slot; and (c) a rack attachment configured to be mounted to the siderail via the slot.

[0224] Paragraph F2. The truck rack of Paragraph F1, wherein the side rail comprises an outer tube and an inner tube, the inner tube adjustably extending from the outer tube to adjust a length of the side rail.

[0225] Paragraph F3. The truck frame of Paragraph F2, wherein the outer tube has a slot.

[0226] Paragraph F4. A truck frame according to Paragraph F3, wherein the slot is a T-slot.

[0227] Paragraph F5. A truck frame as described in any of paragraphs F2 to F4, wherein the inner tube further has a slot, and wherein the length of the side rail is configured to be set by adjusting at least one fastener assembly that extends from the slot of the outer tube to the slot of the inner tube.

[0228] Paragraph F6. The truck rack of any of paragraphs F1 to F5, wherein the side rail comprises a length-adjustable rod and a sleeve slidable along and securable to the length-adjustable rod, and wherein the sleeve comprises a slot.

[0229] Paragraph F7. The truck frame of Paragraph F6, wherein the respective bushings extend into the sleeve from opposite ends thereof.

[0230] Paragraph F8. The truck rack of any of paragraphs F1 to F7, wherein the side rail includes a bracket at each end for mounting the end to a corresponding one of the towers.

[0231] Paragraph G1. A truck frame comprising: (a) a crossbar; and (b) a pair of towers, each tower comprising a lower end portion, an upper end portion, and a middle portion, the lower end portion being configured to be mounted on an upper wall area of a truck bed, the upper end portion being configured to support the crossbar, and the middle portion extending between the lower end portion and the upper end portion; wherein the towers define a longitudinal axis, and wherein the longitudinal axis is linear along the middle portion and curved along the upper end portion.

[0232] Paragraph G2. The truck frame of paragraph G1, wherein the middle portion and the upper end portion are attached to each other at a joint, and wherein the middle portion and the upper end portion are substantially flush with each other around the joint.

[0233] Paragraph G3. The truck frame of Paragraph G2, wherein the middle portion and the upper end portion are attached to one another by one or more fasteners at the joint.

[0234] Paragraph G4. The truck frame of any of paragraphs G1 to G3, wherein the upper end portion curves smoothly to a substantially horizontal position and forms a saddle for the crossbar.

[0235] The disclosure set forth above may encompass a plurality of different inventions with independent utility. Although each of these inventions has been disclosed in its preferred form, the specific examples disclosed and described herein should not be understood in a restrictive sense, as many variations are possible. The subject matter of the present invention includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various elements, features, functions and / or characteristics disclosed herein. The appended claims specifically point out certain combinations and sub-combinations that are considered novel and non-obvious. Inventions implemented with other combinations and sub-combinations of features, functions, elements and / or characteristics may be claimed in applications claiming priority to this application or related applications. Whether relating to different inventions or the same invention, and whether broader, narrower, equal or different in scope than the original claims, such claims are also deemed to be included in the subject matter of the invention disclosed herein. Moreover, ordered indicators for identifying elements, such as first, second or third, are used to distinguish between elements, and unless otherwise specifically stated, such ordered indicators cannot indicate the specific position or order of such elements. Finally, this disclosure incorporates materials by reference. If any ambiguity or conflict in the meaning of a term arises through incorporation of references, the literal content of the application governs the interpretation of that term.

Claims

1. A truck rack comprising: a tower having a foot and an upper end portion configured to connect to the crossbar; and a base configured to mount the tower on an upper wall area of a truck bed; and wherein the base includes a mounting member and one or more coupling members, the one or more coupling members being configured to mount the mounting member to the upper wall region of the truck bed, wherein the mounting member forms a receiving area for the foot and defines one or more apertures, wherein each of the one or more coupling members includes a fastener having a head configured to be positioned within one of the one or more apertures, and wherein the foot, when secured to the base, is configured to cover the head of the fastener of each of the one or more coupling members to prevent access to the head of the fastener until the foot is removed; wherein the base member has a width and a length and includes opposed side walls extending along the length of the base member and opposed first and second end walls spanning the width of the base member; wherein the opposite side walls serve as fixed claws and movable claws, respectively, to secure the foot in the receiving area; and wherein the movable jaw is pivotally connected to the body of the base member, a spring is configured to bias the movable jaw away from the fixed jaw, and wherein the base further includes a clamp actuator threadably engaged with the body, the clamp actuator being operable to change the rotational orientation of the movable jaw in part by changing the compression of the spring.

2. The truck frame of claim 1, wherein: The fastener is a bolt.

3. A truck rack comprising: a tower having a foot and an upper end portion configured to connect to the crossbar; a base configured to mount the tower on an upper wall area of a truck bed; wherein the base includes a shoe member forming a receiving area for the foot, wherein the base further includes one or more coupling members configured to mount the shoe member to the upper wall region of the truck bed, wherein each of the one or more coupling members includes a fastener assembly configured to engage a vertical wall portion of the upper wall region of the truck bed; wherein the base member has a width and a length and includes opposing side walls extending along the length of the base member and opposing first and second end walls spanning the width of the base member; and wherein the opposing side walls serve as fixed and movable jaws, respectively, to secure the foot in the receiving area; and wherein the movable jaw is pivotally connected to the body of the base member, a spring is configured to bias the movable jaw away from the fixed jaw, and wherein the base further includes a clamp actuator threadably engaged with the body, the clamp actuator being operable to change the rotational orientation of the movable jaw in part by changing the compression of the spring.

4. The truck rack according to claim 3, wherein: The fastener assembly includes a bolt configured to be oriented horizontally.

5. The truck rack of claim 4, wherein: The fastener assembly includes a nut member threadably engaged with the bolt, and wherein the nut member is configured to engage the vertical wall portion of the upper wall region of the truck bed.

6. A truck rack comprising: a tower having a foot including a pair of opposing edge regions located about a perimeter of the foot and horizontally spaced from one another, and an upper end portion configured to connect to a crossbar; and a base configured to mount the tower on an upper wall region of a truck bed, the base including a shoe member on which the legs are supported; wherein the shoe member forms a receiving area for the foot, the shoe member having a width and a length and including opposed side walls extending along the length of the shoe member and opposed first and second end walls spanning the width of the shoe member; and wherein the opposing side walls serve as fixed and movable claws, respectively, to secure the foot in the receiving area; and wherein the movable jaw is pivotally connected to the body of the base member, a spring is configured to bias the movable jaw away from the fixed jaw, and wherein the base further includes a clamp actuator threadably engaged with the body, the clamp actuator being operable to change the rotational orientation of the movable jaw in part by changing the compression of the spring.

7. The truck rack of claim 6, wherein: The foot defines a long axis, and wherein each of the pair of opposing edge regions is parallel to the long axis.

8. The truck rack of claim 6, wherein: The fixed jaw and the movable jaw are configured to apply compression horizontally to the foot.

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