Roof rack arrangement for a motor vehicle

Abstract

A roof rack arrangement comprising a longitudinally extending support tube transversely to a vehicle-side roof rail, at least one support foot by which the support tube can be supported on the roof rail, and a clamping device for fixing the support foot to the roof rail is known. According to the invention, the clamping device comprises a clamping lever pivotably mounted on the support foot about a lever pivot axis and a clamping counterpart connected to the clamping lever via a manually operable actuating unit, which is mounted transversely to the lever pivot axis on the support foot such that the clamping lever and the clamping counterpart are designed to support the support foot in a clamping position on the roof railing.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a roof rack arrangement for a motor vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Such a roof rack arrangement is known from DE 101 38 028 A1. The known roof rack arrangement has support feet for bracing the load carrier against a rail of a roof rail or the like. Each support foot has a clamping element with a first and a second clamping part for clamping the support foot to the rail. Furthermore, it is provided that the first and the second clamping parts intersect in a scissor-like manner at an intersection. The joining of a first actuating section of the first clamping part and a second actuating section of the second clamping part, which are arranged on the same side of the intersection, causes the clamping sections of the clamping parts, arranged oppositely to the actuating sections, to clamp the support foot to the rail.

[0003] Further roof rack arrangements are known from EP 2 905 179 B1, US 2004 / 0 211 801 A1, and DE 10 2021 213 543 A1. The roof rack arrangement of DE 10 2021 213 543 A1 has a support leg that can be braced against a vehicle-side roof rail. A clamping lever is provided on the outside to fix the support leg to the roof rail. This lever projects through a slot in the base of a support tube of the roof rack arrangement and is supported by a head section on the inside of a wall section of the support tube. A clamping counterpart is associated with the clamping lever on the inside of the roof rail and is mechanically coupled to the clamping lever by means of an adjusting screw arrangement. By turning the adjusting screw arrangement, the clamping lever and the clamping counterpart are moved towards each other, so that they clamp the roof rail between them.When the clamping lever and the clamping counterpart make contact with the roof rail, further adjustment of the adjusting screw arrangement causes the clamping lever to rotate relative to the clamping counterpart. This moves the head section of the clamping lever and a section of the clamping counterpart on the support tube side towards each other on both sides of the wall section of the support tube, thus fixing the wall section between them.

[0004] The object of the invention is to provide a roof support arrangement of the type mentioned above, which enables secure roof-side fastening in a variety of ways for different designs of roof rails.

[0005] This problem is solved by the features of claim 1. The clamping position refers to the assembled state of the roof rack assembly in which the roof rail is positively and / or frictionally locked between the clamping lever and the clamping counterpart. The roof rack assembly according to the invention enables a sandwich-like clamping of the roof rail, with the support tube simultaneously being supported on the roof rail via the support foot. It is advantageous that both the clamping lever and the clamping counterpart are movable relative to the support foot. This allows the arrangement of the support foot, the clamping lever, and the clamping counterpart relative to each other to be adapted to the specific shape of the roof rail. This enables the roof rack assembly to be securely attached to roof rails of various designs. The adjustability of the clamping counterpart relative to the support foot is provided in addition to the mobility provided by the adjusting unit.In a preferred embodiment, the clamping counterpart is displaceable parallel to a longitudinal extension of the support tube and / or transversely to a longitudinal extension of the roof rail. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the lever pivot axis is oriented transversely to the longitudinal extension of the roof rail. This provides the clamping counterpart and the clamping lever with the greatest possible range of motion relative to the roof rail. The support foot serves to suspend the components of the clamping device. In addition, in one embodiment, the support foot can be designed to accommodate a load caused by the support tube and an optional payload attached to it. Additionally or alternatively, the support foot serves design and cladding purposes. The roof rack arrangement according to the invention is particularly advantageous for passenger cars equipped with roof rails.

[0006] According to the invention, the clamping counterpart has a contact section and is configured to contact an inner area of ​​the roof rail with this contact section in the clamping position. In a preferred embodiment, the clamping counterpart is configured to engage a contact contour of the roof rail that is drawn inwards, i.e., towards the center of the roof rail, with the contact section in the clamping position in a form-fitting manner. Optionally, the contact section allows the contact contour of the roof rail on the side facing away from the clamping lever to be used for fixing the roof rack assembly to the roof rail. In one embodiment, the arrangement of the clamping lever and the clamping counterpart relative to the roof rail is reversed, so that in this embodiment, in the clamping position, the clamping lever contacts the roof rail on the inside and the clamping counterpart contacts and / or engages the roof rail on the outside.

[0007] According to the invention, the clamping counterpart is mounted on the support foot with a clamping slide so as to be displaceable transversely to the lever pivot axis and has a clamping shoe which is rotatably mounted on the clamping slide about a counterpart rotation axis and which includes the contact section. The rotational mobility of the clamping shoe enables improved contact of the clamping shoe or the clamping counterpart with the contact section against the contact contour of the roof rail. Advantageously, the counterpart rotation axis is oriented parallel to the lever pivot axis, so that the clamping shoe can bear against the roof rail parallel to it in every rotational position along its entire extent. In a preferred embodiment, the clamping shoe is provided as an interchangeable part, so that a suitably shaped clamping shoe can be selected from a set of clamping shoes for optimized contact with the roof rail or can be replaced for repair purposes.

[0008] In this embodiment of the invention, adjusting the actuating unit causes the clamping lever and the clamping counterpart to move towards or away from each other, so that in the clamping position, the clamping lever and the clamping counterpart can be supported on both sides of the roof rail. The actuating unit thus enables the clamping device to easily clamp or release the roof rail. The clamping counterpart and an effective section of the clamping lever move relative to each other; that is, the section of the clamping lever that contacts the roof rail in the clamping position. Advantageously, this is one end of the clamping lever. Advantageously, the clamping counterpart can be supported on the inside of the roof rail, and the clamping lever on the outside. The inside of the roof rail is understood to be the side of the roof rail facing towards the center of the vehicle's roof, and the outside of the roof rail is understood to be the side facing away from the center of the roof.

[0009] In a further embodiment of the invention, the clamping lever has a web section at its end which is designed to engage an outer area of ​​the roof rail in a form-fitting manner when in the clamping position. The web section is designed to engage an inwardly curved contact contour of the roof rail, i.e., a contact contour that recedes towards the center of the roof rail. "Engaging under" refers to engaging behind the roof rail with respect to the vehicle's vertical axis. This prevents or at least makes it more difficult for the roof rack assembly to unintentionally detach from the roof rail, particularly along the vehicle's vertical axis.

[0010] In a further embodiment of the invention, the clamping device comprises a rocker arm assembly mechanically coupled to the actuating unit and featuring a rocker arm on the railing side, on which the clamping counterpart is rotatably mounted about the counterpart's axis of rotation. The rocker arm assembly also includes a rocker arm on the support tube side, by means of which the rocker arm assembly is supported against the support foot in the clamping position. The rocker arm assembly is connected to the actuating unit at a coupling point via a central section between the rocker arm on the railing side and the rocker arm on the support tube side. The rocker arm assembly transmits an actuating movement from the actuating unit to the clamping counterpart. When the clamping counterpart and the clamping lever are in contact with the roof railing on both sides, the rocker arm assembly transmits a further actuating movement from the actuating unit to the rocker arm on the support tube side until the latter is supported against a support section of the support foot in the clamping position.Advantageously, the rocker arrangement transfers the further positioning movement of the positioning unit into a pivoting movement of the coupling point and thus of the rocker arm on the support tube side around the counterpart rotation axis.

[0011] In a further embodiment of the invention, the actuating unit is designed as a linear actuating unit, which is supported at one end by the clamping lever and at the other end by the rocker arm assembly. The linear actuating unit is designed such that, during linear adjustment in the direction of the clamping position, a forced engagement of the roof rail occurs on both the inside and outside sides. The linear actuating unit enables the adjustment of a length or longitudinal extent between the two mounting points of the linear actuating unit and thus the movement towards or away from each other of the clamping lever and, indirectly via the rocker arm assembly, the clamping counterpart. When the clamping counterpart and the clamping lever are in contact with the roof rail on both sides, a further actuating movement of the linear actuating unit causes a pivoting movement of the coupling point about the counterpart's axis of rotation and thus a pivoting movement of the rocker arm on the support tube side about the counterpart's axis of rotation.

[0012] In a further embodiment of the invention, the rocker arm of the rocker assembly on the side facing the support tube extends into the support tube with a fixing section. In the clamped position, at least one wall section of the support tube is supported between the fixing section and the support foot. This allows, in the clamped position, simultaneous fixing of the roof rack assembly to the roof railing on the one hand and fixing of the support tube to the support foot on the other. Advantageously, the fixing section is arranged at an end of the rocker arm on the side facing away from the coupling point. This ensures that the rocker arm on the side facing the support tube, with the fixing section, exerts the maximum possible clamping force on the wall section.

[0013] In a further embodiment of the invention, the fixing section has a rotatable clamping jaw which, in the clamping position, bears against the inner surface of at least one wall section. The rotational movement of the clamping jaw occurs about an axis of rotation parallel to the axis of rotation of the counterpart. Due to this rotatability, the clamping jaw can be aligned within the support tube independently of the pivot position of the rocker arm on the support tube side relative to the support tube. The clamping jaw thus has a contact surface oriented parallel to the at least one wall section, enabling optimized contact against the wall section.

[0014] In a further embodiment of the invention, the linear adjustment in the direction of the clamping position results in a forced engagement of the roof railing on the inside and outside, and a synchronous clamping of the wall section on the top and bottom. This enables the roof rack assembly to be fixed to the roof rail and the support tube to be fixed to the support foot simultaneously with a single adjustment movement.

[0015] In a further embodiment of the invention, the rocker assembly, including the clamping counterpart and the end of the clamping lever, can be moved towards each other transversely to the lever pivot axis by means of the linear adjustment in the direction of the clamping position. When the clamping counterpart and the end of the clamping lever are in contact with the roof rail, the rocker assembly, including the fixing section, and the support foot can be rotated relative to each other about the counterpart's axis of rotation. This means that when the adjusting unit is moved, the rocker assembly and the clamping lever are initially moved relative to each other, and after contact with the roof rail on both the inside and outside sides, the rocker assembly and the support foot are rotated relative to each other. The relative rotation of the support foot and the rocker assembly causes the support section of the support foot and the fixing section on both sides of the wall section of the support tube to move towards each other.This makes it possible, in a first step, to position and partially hold the support foot on the roof rail, and in a next step to position and partially hold the support tube relative to the support foot, before, in a final step, a clamping force acting against the end of the clamping lever and the clamping counterpart, and simultaneously a clamping force acting against the support foot and the fixing section, finally fix the support tube to the support foot, specifically to its support section, and the roof rack assembly to the roof rail.

[0016] Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the claims. A preferred embodiment of the invention is described below and illustrated with reference to the drawings. Fig. Figure 1 shows in a perspective view an embodiment of a roof support arrangement according to the invention, with only a partial representation of a support tube in the area of ​​a support foot. Fig. 2 in a perspective view the roof truss arrangement according to Fig. 1, Fig. 3 in a sectional view the roof truss arrangement according to the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 in an enlarged sectional view, a first and a second variant of a clamping shoe for the roof rack arrangement according to the Fig. 1 to 3.

[0017] A passenger car (not shown) points into the Fig. Figures 3 to 5 indicate a vehicle roof F, on which a roof rail D, extending essentially in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, is attached on each of the opposite sides. A roof rack arrangement extends between the opposing roof rails D, which is shown by the Fig. Figures 1 to 5 are only partially shown. Such a roof rack arrangement has a support tube 2 extending in the transverse direction on the vehicle roof F when mounted, which is held by two support feet 4. Only one support foot 4 is shown in the drawings. The opposite support foot is designed in the same way, but mirrored, so that for this opposite support foot, reference is made to the descriptions of the support foot 4 according to the Fig. 1 to 5 can be referenced.

[0018] The support foot 4 has a substantially cuboid housing, which is provided with stiffening ribs along its longitudinal sides. The support foot 4 rests with a base section of the housing on the top of the roof rail D and with a roof section of the housing against a bottom of the support tube 2. The support foot 4 serves to support a load of the roof rack assembly on the roof rail D, the load being substantially caused by the support tube 2 and an optional payload attached to the support tube 2.

[0019] To fix the support tube 2 to the roof rail D by means of the support foot 4, the roof rack assembly has a clamping device 6 with a clamping lever 8 and a clamping counterpart 10. The clamping lever 8 is pivotally mounted on the outside of the support foot 4 about a lever pivot axis AH. The lever pivot axis AH is oriented essentially parallel to a longitudinal dimension of the roof rail D and essentially orthogonal to a longitudinal dimension of the support tube 2. The clamping lever 8 is U-shaped, with the two lever arms 9 of the clamping lever 8 extending on both sides along the support foot 4 between the lever pivot axis AH and a lever end 11 of the clamping lever 8. At the lever end 11, the clamping lever 8 is provided with a hook-like web section 12 projecting towards the roof rail D. The bridge section 12 is designed to engage a complementary, towards the center of the vehicle, installation contour D1 of the roof railing D along the vehicle's vertical axis.

[0020] The clamping counterpart 10 is located on the inner side of the roof rail D, facing the center of the vehicle, opposite the clamping lever 8. The clamping counterpart 10 comprises a clamping slide 14, which is mounted orthogonally to the lever pivot axis AH and longitudinally displaceable on a guide section 16 of the support foot 4. The guide section 16 is located on the base section of the support foot 4. The clamping counterpart 10 is provided with a clamping shoe 18, which is rotatably mounted on the clamping slide 14 about a counterpart rotation axis AG. The counterpart rotation axis AG and the lever pivot axis AH are oriented parallel to each other. The clamping shoe 18 comprises a contact section 20, which is designed to engage with the inner contact contour D2 of the roof rail D. In the variant of the roof rail D according to the Fig. 1 to 4 the inner mounting contour D2 is also pulled inwards, i.e. towards the center of the roof rail, so that in the clamping position the mounting section 20 engages the inner mounting contour D2.

[0021] The clamping lever 8, which is pivotally movable relative to the support foot 4, and the clamping counterpart 10, which is longitudinally displaceable relative to the support foot 4, allow for contact on both sides against the roof rail D at the desired position. Thus, the clamping lever 8 can be positioned below the outer contact contour D1 of the roof rail D, and the clamping counterpart 10 with the clamping shoe 18 can be positioned below the inner contact contour D2 of the roof rail D, largely independently of each other, while the support foot 4 can be supported on top of the roof rail D. In this way, the clamping lever 8 and the clamping counterpart 10 provide a positive locking connection of the roof rack assembly to the roof rail D.

[0022] The clamping counterpart 10 is arranged on a rocker arm 23 facing the roof rail D, i.e., a rocker arm of a rocker assembly 22. The rocker assembly 22 is mechanically coupled to the clamping lever 8 via a mechanical actuating unit, which in this case is designed as a linear actuating unit 24. The rocker assembly 22 transmits the linear actuating movement of the actuating unit 24 via the rocker arm 23 to the clamping counterpart 10. In this way, the actuating unit 24 enables manual adjustment of the clamping device 6 such that, when the actuating unit 24 is adjusted in the direction of the clamping position, the clamping lever end 11 with the web section 12 and the clamping counterpart 10 with the clamping shoe 18 are moved towards each other and ultimately clamp the roof rail D between them.Conversely, adjusting the actuating unit 24 in the opposite direction causes the web section 12 and the clamping shoe 18 to move away from each other, thus releasing the roof rail D.

[0023] The adjusting unit 24 is designed as an adjusting screw assembly and comprises a cap screw 26 with an external thread and a cylindrical threaded nut 28 with a complementary internal thread. The threaded nut 28 is rotatably supported at a coupling point K relative to the rocker assembly 22 between the rail-side rocker arm 23 and a support tube-side rocker arm 25. One head of the cap screw 26 rests against a counter bearing section 13 of the clamping lever 8 on its outer side. Thus, when the cap screw 26 is screwed in in a direction of rotation, the clamping lever end 11 and the rocker assembly 22 are necessarily pulled against each other, essentially in the transverse direction of the vehicle. In this process, the clamping slide 14 of the clamping counterpart 10 at the end of the rail-side rocker arm 23 moves towards the web section 12 until the web section 12 on the outside and the mounting section 20 of the clamping shoe 18 on the inside are in contact with the roof rail D.

[0024] The rocker arm 25 on the support tube side is arranged opposite the rocker arm 23 on the railing side with respect to the coupling point K and extends into the support tube 2. The section of the rocker arm 25 on the support tube side located in the support tube 2 is referred to as the fixing section 27. In the fixing section 27, the rocker arm 25 on the support tube side is provided with a clamping jaw 30, which is rotatably arranged at one end of the rocker arm 25 on the support tube side. When adjusting the actuating unit 24, if the clamping shoe 18 and the web section 12 are in contact with the roof rail D, a further actuating movement of the actuating unit 24 causes a pivoting movement of the coupling point K about the counterpart rotation axis AG and thus also a pivoting of the clamping jaw 30 in the direction of the roof section of the support foot 4. In this process, the threaded nut 28 at the coupling point K rotates relative to the rocker assembly 22.A wall section 32 of the support tube 2, arranged below the clamping jaw 30, is clamped between the rocker arm 25 and the clamping jaw 30 on the one hand, and the support foot 4 with its roof section on the other, during the further relative rotational movement towards each other. The roof section of the support foot 4 serves as a support section against which the support tube 2 is supported in the clamped position.

[0025] By turning the head screw 26 against the direction of rotation, the clamping jaw 30 and the roof section of the support foot 4 move away from each other in a rotational movement, while the clamping counterpart 10 with the clamping shoe 18 and the web section 12 move away from each other in a sliding movement. This releases the fixing of the roof rack assembly to the roof rail D.

[0026] In an embodiment not shown, the support tube 2 is a removable part of the roof rack assembly. The fixing section 27 of the rocker assembly 22 can be inserted into the support tube 2 through a slot on its end face for assembly. Even with the support tube 2 not mounted, it is possible to fix the roof rack assembly to the roof rail D. In the clamped position, the fixing section 27 then rests directly against the support section of the support foot, without a wall section 32 of the support tube 2 being interposed.

[0027] In the Fig. 4 and Fig. Figure 5 shows two variants of the clamping shoe 18, which can be interchangeably arranged on the clamping slide 14. Depending on the shape of the inner contact contour D2 of the roof rail D, a suitably shaped clamping shoe 18 can be selected and mounted on the clamping slide 14.

[0028] According to the variant Fig. 4 The clamping shoe 18 comprises a contact section 20, which has two contact humps 34 directed towards the inner contact contour D2 of the roof rail D. The contact humps 34 each contact the roof rail D at a contact point, allowing the contact section 20 to optimally conform to the contour of the roof rail D, supported by the rotatable mounting of the clamping shoe 18 on the clamping slide 14.

[0029] According to the variant Fig. In section 5, the mounting section 20 is characterized by a flat mounting surface 36. With a complementary inner mounting contour D2 of the roof rail D, i.e., a flat inner surface, the clamping shoe 18 rests flush against the roof rail D with the mounting surface 36. This provides a comparatively large contact area, thereby reducing the compressive force acting between the roof rail D and the clamping shoe 18.

Claims

[1] Roof rack arrangement for a motor vehicle, comprising a longitudinally extending support tube (2) extending transversely to a vehicle-side roof rail (D), at least one support leg (4) by means of which the support tube (2) can be supported on the roof rail (D), and a clamping device (6) for fixing the support leg (4) to the roof rail (D), wherein the clamping device (6) comprises a clamping lever (8) pivotally mounted on the support leg (4) about a lever pivot axis (AH) and a clamping counterpart (10) connected to the clamping lever (8) via a manually operated actuating unit (24), which is slidably mounted on the support leg (4) transversely to the lever pivot axis (AH) such that the clamping lever (8) and the clamping counterpart (10) are designed to support the support leg (4) in a clamped position on the roof rail (D), characterized by, that the clamping counterpart (10) has a contact section (20) and is designed to engage an inner area of ​​the roof rail (D) in a form-fitting manner with the contact section (20) in the clamping position, wherein the clamping counterpart (20) is mounted on the support foot (4) so ​​as to be displaceable transversely to the lever pivot axis (AH) with a clamping slide (14) and has a clamping shoe (18) which is rotatably mounted on the clamping slide (14) about a counterpart rotation axis (AG) and has the contact section (20). [2] Roof rack arrangement according to claim 1, characterized by , that adjusting the actuating unit (24) causes the clamping lever (8) and the clamping counterpart (10) to move towards or away from each other, so that in the clamping position the clamping lever (8) and the clamping counterpart (10) can be supported on both sides on the roof rail (D). [3] Roof rack arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by, that the clamping lever (8) has at its end (11) a web section (12) which is designed to engage an outer area of ​​the roof rail (D) in a form-fitting manner in the clamping position. [4] Roof rack arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the clamping device (6) comprises a rocker assembly (22) which is mechanically coupled to the actuating unit (24) and has a railing-side rocker arm (23) on which the clamping counterpart (10) is rotatably mounted about the counterpart rotation axis (AG), and a support tube-side rocker arm (25) by which the rocker assembly (22) is supported on the support foot (4) in the clamping position. [5] Roof rack arrangement according to claim 4, characterized by, that the actuating unit (24) is designed as a linear actuating unit, which is supported on one end by the clamping lever (8) and on the other end by the rocker assembly (22) and is designed in such a way that, in the event of a linear adjustment in the direction of the clamping position, a forced engagement of the roof rail (D) on the inside and outside takes place. [6] Roof rack arrangement according to claim 4 or 5, characterized by , that the rocker arm (25) on the side of the support tube of the rocker arrangement (22) extends into the support tube (2) with an end-side fixing section (27) and that in the clamping position at least one wall section (32) of the support tube (2) is supported between the fixing section (27) and the support foot (4). [7] Roof rack arrangement according to claim 6, characterized by , that the fixing section (27) has a rotatable clamping jaw (30) which, in the clamping position, rests against the inside of at least one wall section (32). [8] Roof rack arrangement according to claim 6 or 7, characterized by , that the linear adjustment in the direction of the clamping position results in a forced engagement of the roof rail (D) on the inside and outside on the one hand and a synchronous clamping of the wall section (32) on the top and bottom on the other hand. [9] Roof rack arrangement according to claim 8, characterized by , that by means of the linear adjustment in the direction of the clamping position the rocker assembly (22) together with clamping counterpart (10) and the end (11) of the clamping lever (8) can be moved towards each other transversely to the lever pivot axis (AH) and when the clamping counterpart (10) is against the roof rail (D) the rocker assembly (22) together with fixing section (27) and the support foot (4) can be rotated relative to each other about the counterpart rotation axis (AG).

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