LOAD CARRIER FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

Load carrier (1) of a motor vehicle comprising: - a longitudinal arm (5); - a locking system comprising: o a lever (8) one end of which is mounted for rotation relative to the arm (5); o a spring (27) arranged between the lever (8) and the arm (5); - a locking system (14) of the locking system, characterized in that the locking system (14) comprises: o a fixed part (15) mounted and locked on the arm (8), o a movable part (16) mounted for rotation on the fixed part (15), and provided with a locking finger extending in the direction of the lever (8), the movable part (16) being rotationally movable between: o an unlocked position; o a locked position so as to block a movement of the lever (8).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a load carrier equipped with a locking system for a rear part of a motor vehicle.

[0002] Vehicles have limited space, and it's difficult to transport bulky items that can't be stored in the trunk, even with the rear seats folded down. Removable tie-down devices are generally used, such as roof bars mounted on the vehicle's roof or roof racks attached to the top of the trunk lid.

[0003] It is also common to equip the rear of motor vehicles with load carriers such as bicycle racks or luggage racks attached to a tow hitch fixed to the vehicle. These setups are expensive because they require the installation of a tow hitch.

[0004] Other, less expensive solutions exist, such as the one presented in patent application FR2867120, which describes a load carrier equipped with a system for attaching it to the rear of a vehicle. The load carrier described in this application comprises a longitudinal arm, one end of which is adapted to cooperate with a sleeve attached to a structural element of the vehicle; a lever, one end of which is mounted for rotation relative to the arm about a transverse axis carried by the end of the arm; a return mechanism arranged between the lever and the arm, exerting a force directed from the arm to the lever; and a locking mechanism for the lever when it is engaged in the sleeve. The locking mechanism is in the form of a handle mounted for rotation at the free end of the lever about a transverse axis. The handle thus has a relatively large range of motion during operation.This fastening system does not require a hitch to be attached to the vehicle, but the locking handle is relatively bulky and proves difficult to handle for people with small hands or wearing thick gloves.

[0005] There is a need for a load carrier equipped with an easy-to-assemble and easy-to-make locking system that is compact and easy to handle.

[0006] To this end, the invention proposes a load carrier for a motor vehicle comprising: a longitudinal arm, one end of which is adapted to cooperate with a sleeve attached to a structural element of the vehicle; a locking system comprising: ∘ a lever, one end of which is mounted for rotation relative to the arm about a transverse axis carried by the end of the arm, the lever being movable between a high locking position in which it is away from the arm and adapted to cooperate with the sleeve and a low unlocking position in which it is close to the arm; ∘ a spring arranged between the lever and the arm, exerting a force on the lever; a locking system for the locking system, comprising: ∘ a fixed part mounted and locked on the arm, ∘ a movable part mounted for rotation on the fixed part, and provided with a locking finger extending towards the lever, the movable part being movable for rotation between: ∘ an unlocking position in which the movement of the lever between its high and low positions is free;• a locking position in which the locking finger extends between the lever in the raised position and the arm so as to block movement of the lever from its raised position to its lowered position.

[0007] The locking system, which moves from its locked to unlocked positions by pivoting, can be made relatively compact while being simple to handle.

[0008] In particular, when the load carrier is mounted on the vehicle and the lever is in the high locking position in which it cooperates with the sleeve ensuring the attachment of the load carrier to the vehicle, then, in the locking position, the locking finger is placed between the lever and the arm, specifically under the lever so that it can prevent any movement of the lever during the driving phase, thus ensuring a strong attachment.

[0009] The locking pin can be mounted on the moving part at a sufficient height so that the lever, in its raised position, engages with the sleeve when the load carrier is mounted on the vehicle. Specifically, the locking pin may or may not be in contact with the lever. In the latter case, a slight play of the lever is permitted; however, it must be small enough to maintain the lever's connection to the sleeve, in other words, to preserve the interaction between the lever and the sleeve.

[0010] Advantageously, the load carrier may include means for locking the moving part against rotation relative to the fixed part when the moving part is in the locked position.

[0011] These locking mechanisms prevent the moving part of the locking system from rotating, for example under the effect of vibrations or sudden jolts during the rolling phase, and consequently unlock the locking system.

[0012] In one embodiment, the means for preventing rotation may include: a first fixing element attached to the moving part, a second fixing element attached to a free end of the lever or the fixed part, the first and second fixing elements being located close to each other when the moving part is in the locking position, a third fixing element of the moving part to the lever or the fixed part capable of securing the first and second fixing elements when the moving part is in the locking position.

[0013] Advantageously, the first and second fastening elements can be selected from a ring, a hole, or a tab with a hole or ring, and the third fastening element can be selected from a padlock, a lock, or a pin. The third element can then be inserted into or passed through the ring or holes of the first and second fastening elements to assemble them and / or prevent any rotational movement of the moving part.

[0014] In another embodiment, the means for preventing rotation may include: a first ratcheting element attached to the moving part, a second ratcheting element attached to a free end of the lever or the fixed part, the first and second ratcheting elements being ratcheted when the moving part is in the locking position.

[0015] A rotational lock for the moving part can thus be achieved very simply. These first and second locking elements are, for example, male-female components designed to cooperate. For a simpler implementation, the second locking element can, in particular, be part of the lever.

[0016] Advantageously, for a simple implementation, the second fixing element or the second snap-in element can belong to the lever.

[0017] Advantageously, a free end of the lever may include a stop-forming tab extending along the locking finger, against or in the immediate vicinity thereof, when the moving part is in the locked position.

[0018] The tab, acting as a stop, allows the locking system to be correctly positioned in the locked position. Specifically, this tab can prevent the moving part from rotating in the direction of the tab, the latter being pressed against the locking finger or a support for the latter.

[0019] Advantageously, the moving part can be ring-shaped for a compact design. In particular, for a particularly compact design, the radius of the ring can be equal to, substantially equal to, or less than, the distance between the free end of the lever and the arm in the lever's raised position.

[0020] Advantageously, the periphery of the moving part can include several indentations for a better grip.

[0021] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising the load carrier described above and a sleeve attached to an element of the vehicle structure, the lever being inserted inside the sleeve and engaged with it in the raised position.

[0022] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of several specific embodiments of the invention, given by way of example but not limitation, with reference to the attached drawings in which: [ Fig. 1 ] is a perspective view of the load carrier according to the invention and of a sleeve intended to be attached to an element of the vehicle's structure. Fig. 2 ] is a perspective view of an arm and lever of a load carrier according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 3 ] is a perspective view of the locking system according to the invention. Fig. 4 [ ] is a cross-sectional view along the Y-axis of the locking system and the lever in the lowered position. Fig. 5 ] is a cross-sectional view along an X of the load carrier and the sleeve attached to a structural element of the vehicle according to the invention. Fig. 6 ] is a cross-sectional view along a Y-axis of the locking system in the locked position and of the lever in the lowered position.

[0023] In the figures, the load carrier is in an operating position where Z represents a vertical direction, pointing upwards, Y a longitudinal direction, perpendicular to the vertical direction, and X a transverse direction, perpendicular to and in the same plane as the horizontal direction. This operating position corresponds to a position in which the load carrier is mounted on the vehicle and the vehicle rests horizontally on the ground.

[0024] The invention relates to a load carrier 1 for a motor vehicle that can be attached to a vehicle structural element 2. The load carrier 1 can be installed at the front or rear of the vehicle, with the structural element 2 being slightly modified to accommodate it. Preferably, the load carrier 1 is installed at the rear of the vehicle. It is then, for example, attached to the trunk lid or to the vehicle chassis, in the area under the trunk.

[0025] In reference to the figure 1 A sleeve 3, integral with the vehicle structural element 2, is used to attach the load carrier 1 to the vehicle. The sleeve 3 generally extends longitudinally along the X-axis and includes a housing for receiving an arm of the load carrier along its longitudinal direction (here, the X-axis). In the example shown, this housing is defined by a U-shaped folded plate. The sleeve also includes two transversely arranged rods 4a and 4b, under which the arm of the load carrier 1 will be inserted as described below. This sleeve can have different configurations depending on the vehicle and the load carrier to be installed.

[0026] Load carrier 1 includes, with reference to the figure 2 The load carrier 1 according to the invention may have one or two arms 5, preferably two longitudinal arms to which one or more elements (not shown) are usually attached, enabling the load carrier to support a load. Each arm 5 is then attached to the vehicle by a similar locking system. The load carrier 1 may then have general symmetry with respect to a median longitudinal plane.

[0027] A free end 6 of the arm 5 is adapted to cooperate with the sleeve 3 attached to the structural element 2 of the vehicle. To this end, its dimensions allow it to be inserted inside the housing of the sleeve, under the rods 4a and 4b of the latter.

[0028] To cooperate with the sleeve, the load carrier 1 includes a locking system 7 installed at the end 6 of the longitudinal arm 5.

[0029] The locking system 7 includes a lever 8, one end 9 of which is mounted for rotation relative to the arm 5 about a transverse axis 10 carried by the end 6 of said arm 5. The locking system also includes a helical spring 27, arranged between the lever and the arm, in particular between a substantially central portion, along the longitudinal axis Y, of the lever 8 and the arm 5, and exerting a force on the lever 8. This spring is configured to exert a force substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the arm, here along the axis Z, tending to move the lever 8 away from the arm 5.

[0030] The lever 8 includes an upper face 12 having a notch 13 which will receive the rod 4a of the sleeve 3 when locking the load carrier 1.

[0031] The lever 8 is thus mobile between a high locking position in which it is away from the arm 5 and able to cooperate with the sleeve 3 and a low unlocking position in which it is close to the arm 5. In the high position, the notch 13 receives the rod 4a.

[0032] To maintain the locking system in the raised position when attached to the sleeve, the load carrier 1, according to the invention, includes a locking system 14 for the locking system.

[0033] With reference to the figure 3 , the locking system 14 comprises a fixed part 15 mounted on the arm 5 and a movable part 16 mounted for rotation on the fixed part 15.

[0034] The fixed part 15, partially represented figure 3 The fixed part 15 is fitted onto the arm 5 and completely surrounds it. It is tightened and locked onto the arm, for example, by a pin. The fixed part 15 comprises an inner wall 17 in contact with the arm and completely surrounding it, and an outer wall 18 in contact with the movable part 16. The inner wall 17 of the fixed part 15 has a shape complementary to the shape of the arm. Thus, if the arm 5 has a square cross-section, then the inner wall surrounding it will also have a square cross-section. In the figures, the arm 5 is cylindrical in shape, and the inner wall 17 will also be cylindrical. The outer wall 18, on the other hand, is cylindrical so that the movable part can be rotated onto it. The movable part 16 is ring-shaped and is rotated onto the fixed part 15.The periphery 19 of the mobile part can include several indentations 20 to allow better handling of the mobile part 16 by the user.

[0035] The movable part 16 is provided with a locking finger 21 extending towards the lever, along the longitudinal direction of the arm. The locking finger 21 functions to lock the lever 8 in the raised position, preventing it from moving closer to the arm 5 during vibrations or shocks during rolling phases. The movable part 16 is rotatable between an unlocked position, in which the lever 8 moves freely between its raised and lowered positions (the locking finger does not extend between the lever and the arm), and a locked position, in which the locking finger 21 extends between the lever 8 in the raised position and the arm, thus preventing the lever 8 from moving from its raised to its lowered position. Therefore, the locking finger 21 must be sufficiently close to the lever in the locked position to prevent the lever 8 from moving or to prevent the lever from moving out of the notch 13.Specifically, the locking finger 21 may be designed so that it does not bear directly against the lever 8, but that a gap is provided to prevent the finger 21 from hitting the lever 8 when moved into the locked position. However, this gap must be less than the depth of the notch 13 to prevent the rod 4a from detaching from the notch 13 during a sudden movement of the vehicle, thus preventing the load carrier 1 from unlocking the sleeve 3.

[0036] In the example shown, the locking finger 21 is also connected to the arm 5 by a support 26 pivoting around the arm and extending along the entire length of the locking finger measured along the longitudinal direction of the arm. The support 26 for the locking finger 21 has a cylindrical shape that does not extend over the entire periphery of the arm 5, but over half of the periphery, or even less. As can be seen in the figure 4 The support 26 is configured so that when the moving part is in an unlocked position, the support does not extend, or extends very little, between the lever and the arm. figure 6 shows that, when the moving part is in the locked position, an edge 26a of this support 26 is abutted against the lever. This support 26 thus allows, on the one hand, the finger 21 to be locked in the locked position to facilitate its assembly in the locked position and, on the other hand, prevents the movement of the lever 8 from the upper position to the lower position from being limited by the support 26 as shown in the figure 4 .

[0037] Regarding the mounting of the load carrier 1 on the vehicle, to begin with, with reference to the figure 1 The load holder 1 is brought close to the sleeve 3. The arm 5 of the load holder 1 is then inserted into the housing of the sleeve 3. During the insertion of the arm 5, the lever 8 is moved to its lower unlocked position by the rods 4a, 4b against the force exerted by the spring 27. The moving part must then be in the unlocked position shown figure 4 in order not to impede the movement of lever 8. The arm 5 and the lever 8 are then inserted into the sleeve 3 until the rod 4a is seated in the notch 13, the lever 8 then rising to the upper locking position under the action of the spring 27 as shown figure 5 The user will know the arm 5 is correctly positioned when they hear a click as the rod 4a enters the notch 13 and is held there by the force exerted by the spring. The end 6 of the arm 5 is then positioned under the rod 4b, thus ensuring that the arm 5 remains horizontal inside the sleeve 3 without risk of tipping. In this position, the lever 8, in its raised position, is thus fixed to the sleeve.

[0038] Next, the user can move the movable part 16 of the locking system 14 so that the locking finger 21 is placed in the locking position, as shown figure 6 .

[0039] In one embodiment, a free end of the lever located next to the locking system 14 includes a stop tab 22 extending along the locking finger 21, against or in its immediate vicinity, when the movable part 16 is in the locked position. This tab facilitates positioning the locking system 21 between the two positions. Here, the tab 22 extends substantially perpendicularly to the upper surface of the lever 12, towards the arm and up to its height. In particular, as shown, the tab is in contact with the arm in the lowered position of the lever. When the support 26 described above is present, the movable part 16 can then be pivoted from its unlocked position to its locked position until the edge 26a of the support 26 abuts against the tab 22. The locking finger is then correctly positioned between the arm and the lever.

[0040] To disassemble the load holder 1, the user can begin by moving the movable part 16 of the locking system 14 to place the finger 21 in the unlocking position ( fig. 4 ). Next, to detach the load holder 1 from the sleeve 3, the user can apply pressure to the lever 8 to move it to the lower position and release the rod 4a from the notch 13. The user can then pull on the arm 5 and the lever 8 to extract them from the sleeve 3.

[0041] Finally, the load carrier 1 may include means for locking 23 against rotation of the moving part 16 relative to the fixed part 15 when the moving part is in the locked position, in order to prevent any movement of the moving part towards its unlocked position during the rolling of the vehicle, particularly under the effect of vibrations or sudden jolts during the rolling phase.

[0042] In the example shown, the rotation-locking means 23 comprise a first fastening element 24 fixed to the movable part 16, and a second fastening element 25 fixed to a free end of the lever 8. The first 24 and second 25 fastening elements are located close to each other when the movable part is in the locked position, as shown. figure 6 In the example shown, the first fixing element is an opening 24 made through the moving part and the second fixing element is a tab 25 with an opening. This tab 25 is integral with the lever, here integral with the tab 22 serving as a stop, and extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the arm, opposite the opening 24 of the moving part when the latter is in the locked position ( fig. 6 ).

[0043] In the example shown, the locking means 23 also include a third fastening element 28, connecting the movable part 16 to the lever 8, capable of securing the first 24 and second 25 fastening elements when the movable part 16 is in the locked position. The third fastening element 28 can be selected from a padlock, a lock, a pin, or any other element that secures the first 24 and second 25 fastening elements or prevents the rotation of the movable part 16 relative to the arm 5. However, the invention is not limited to this embodiment, and the first and second fastening elements could either comprise a ring or a tab with an opening or a ring. The second fastening element could also be integral with the fixed part.

[0044] In another embodiment, not shown in the figures, the rotation-locking means 23 may comprise a first ratcheting element fixed to the moving part, and a second ratcheting element fixed to a free end of the lever 8 or the fixed part 15. The first and second ratcheting elements are engaged when the moving part 16 is in the locked position. The first and second ratcheting elements are, for example, complementary male and female elements capable of cooperating. They may be a tab cooperating with a slot or groove, or a finger cooperating with an opening, etc. They may be configured to cooperate either along the longitudinal direction of the arm or perpendicular to this direction.

Claims

1. Load carrier (1) of a motor vehicle comprising: - a longitudinal arm (5) one end of which is capable of cooperating with a sleeve (3) secured to a structural element (2) of the vehicle; - a locking system (7) comprising: ∘ a lever (8) one end of which is rotatably mounted relative to the arm (5) around a transverse axis carried by the end (6) of the arm (5), the lever (8) being movable between a high locking position in which it is spaced from the arm (5) and capable of cooperating with the sleeve (3) and a low unlocking position in which it is close to the arm (5); ∘ a spring (27) arranged between the lever (8) and the arm (5), exerting a force on the lever (8); - a locking system (14) of the locking system, characterized in thatthe locking system (14) comprises: ∘ a fixed part (15) mounted and locked on the arm (8), ∘ a movable part (16) rotatably mounted on the fixed part (15), and provided with a locking finger (21) extending in the direction of the lever (8), the movable part (16) being movable in rotation between: ∘ an unlocking position in which the movement of the lever (8) between its high and low positions is free; ∘ a locking position in which the locking finger (21) extends between the lever (8) in the high position and the arm (5) so as to block a movement of the lever (8) from its high position to its low position.

2. Load carrier (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises means (23) for locking the movable part (16) in rotation relative to the fixed part (15) when the movable part (16) is in the locking position.

3. Load carrier (1) according to claim 2, characterized in thatthe rotational locking means (23) comprise: - a first fixing element (24) secured to the movable part (16), - a second fixing element (25) secured to a free end of the lever (8) or to the fixed part (15), the first (24) and second (25) fixing elements being located close to each other when the movable part (16) is in the locking position, - a third element for fixing the movable part (16) to the lever (8) or to the fixed part (15) capable of securing the first (24) and second (25) fixing elements when the movable part (16) is in the locking position.

4. Load carrier (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the first (24) and the second (25) fixing element are chosen from a ring, an orifice or a tab provided with an orifice or a ring and in that the third fixing element is chosen from a padlock, an anti-theft device or a pin.

5. Load carrier (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that the rotational locking means (23) comprise: - a first latching element secured to the movable part (16), - a second latching element secured to a free end of the lever (8) or to the fixed part (15), the first and second latching elements being latched when the movable part (16) is in the locking position.

6. Load carrier (1) according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the second fixing element (25) or the second latching element belongs to the lever (8).

7. Load carrier (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a free end of the lever (8) comprises a tab (22) forming a stop extending along the locking finger (21), against or in the immediate vicinity of the latter, when the movable part (16) is in the locking position.

8. Load carrier (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the movable part (16) is ring-shaped.

9. Load carrier (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the periphery of the moving part includes several indentations for a better grip.

10. Motor vehicle comprising the load carrier (1) according to any one of the preceding claims and a sleeve (3) secured to an element (2) of the structure of the vehicle, the lever being inserted inside the sleeve and engaged with it in the high position.