Vehicle roof bar device with removable latch and locking / unlocking device for securing the bar

Description

[0001] The invention relates to convertible roof luggage rack systems in the field of motor vehicles.

[0002] Current roof rack systems require the use of tools to reposition the roof bars, for example, from a longitudinal to a lateral position or vice versa. This involves a lengthy and often complicated process.

[0003] US patent application 11027660-A1 describes a roof rack for a motor vehicle that includes deployable bars which can be installed laterally in the unused position or transversely in the operational position, by means of a support system comprising a pair of front support structures and a pair of rear support structures cooperating with a pair of detachable bars. To allow the roof bars to be deployed, each bar has a locking module at one end and a pivot module at the other end. The locking module may include a housing, a handle, and a hook as a locking element. A torsion spring is positioned inside the housing and includes arm portions that abut against a portion of the housing and the locking hook, thereby positioning the locking element in a locked position.The pivoting module is coupled to one of the pairs of support structures to allow pivoting movement of the two bars between a transverse position in operational mode and a lateral position in non-operational mode. The invention aims to provide an alternative roof bar device to those of the prior art, allowing easy placement of a roof bar in a transverse or longitudinal position on the roof of a vehicle, particularly to form a roof rack for a motor vehicle.

[0004] To this end, the invention provides a roof bar device which includes a removable roof bar and a first lockable / unlockable fixing means for one end of the bar and a second lockable / unlockable fixing means for the other end of the bar.

[0005] According to the invention, each lockable / unlockable fastening means comprises a fastening support including: a body extending longitudinally between a distal end and an opposite proximal end of one end of the bar, said proximal end comprising a receiving plate for one end of the bar, an operating handle supported by the body of said support, mounted to rotate about an axis perpendicular to the support between a lowered locking position and a raised unlocking position, and a pressure arm housed in the body of said support, movable integrally with the operating handle, and a locking / unlocking wedge movable in longitudinal translation integrally with said pressure arm, comprising a portion capable of extending at least partially onto the surface of the plate and comprising a longitudinal through groove extending between a stop end and a flared open end, the wedge comprising an underside face having a locking / unlocking relief bordering said groove.

[0006] Furthermore, each lockable / unlockable fastening means includes a locking / unlocking pin, located at one end of the bar, having an axis with a head at its lower end that is wider than the transverse dimensions of said axis, said axis extending vertically in the bar, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bar, and passing through a through hole (in the lower wall of the bar) opening above the plate of the fastening support, so that the head of the pin is outside the bar and able to position itself at the level of the groove of the locking wedge to be able to cooperate with said locking / unlocking relief and to occupy a locking position in the stop end of the groove of the wedge or an unlocking position in the flared open end of the groove.Each lockable / unlockable fastening means also includes an elastic compression element allowing vertical translational movement, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bar, of the locking / unlocking pin.

[0007] According to the invention, the axis perpendicular to the rotation support, with respect to which the operating handle of a lockable / unlockable fastening means is movable between a lowered locking position and a raised unlocking position, is proximal to the support plate with respect to the handle of the first fastening means, and is proximal to the distal end of the support with respect to the handle of the second fastening means.

[0008] The invention allows the locking / unlocking wedge to be moved back and forth when the operating handle is operated. The wedge's flared shape allows the locking pin to be gripped in the wedge's groove during movement, the pin remaining in the groove until it reaches the stop end of the wedge's groove, thus locking the bar's attachment.

[0009] In particular, the flared shape corresponds to a V-shape with a narrow opening angle (between the arms) to allow the locking pin's axis to be gripped above its head. The groove is wide enough to vertically hold the pin's axis above the pin's head, which is wider than the groove except at its widest point.

[0010] In particular, the wedge has an elongated shape comprising an extreme part connected to said pressure arm.

[0011] According to a preferred embodiment, said locking / unlocking relief which borders the groove of the locking / unlocking wedge consists, along the longitudinal direction of the wedge going from the open flared unlocking end towards the locking stop end of the groove: of a first inclined plane part allowing the pin to be grasped in the unlocked position, then of a first inclined plane portion and a second inclined plane portion, with inclinations in different directions, located on either side of an area where the height of said relief is maximum (Hmax), then of a locking safety portion having a height strictly less than the maximum height (Hmax) of said relief, in particular this portion is flat.

[0012] According to this preferred embodiment, the pressure arm is a piston configured for three main locking / unlocking positions such that: In the locked position, when the pin is at the level of the line where the height of said relief is maximum (Hmax), the pressure arm is aligned along an alignment line corresponding to the alignment of the links between the operating handle, the pressure arm and the locking / unlocking wedge; in the locked safety position, the pressure arm is below said alignment line; in the unlocked position, the pressure arm is above said alignment line.

[0013] Preferably, the elastic compression element is a compression spring wound around the axis of the pin and housed inside the bar. In particular, the pin includes a stop for the spring. This stop holds the spring in place when the spring is compressed. More specifically, the stop is located at the upper end of the pin's axis.

[0014] Advantageously, said device includes a sealing gasket disposed under the lower wall of the bar, between said support plate and said bar, preferably surrounding the locking head of the pin.

[0015] According to a particular embodiment of the invention, said elastic compression element is a compressible buffer, in particular a compressible seal. It is, for example, made of a compressible elastomer material a few millimeters thick, for example, 2 to 3 mm. In particular, said buffer is a seal installed in a groove under the outer face of the lower wall of the bar, and on a perimeter surrounding at least the head of the pin. Advantageously, said compressible seal also has a sealing function.

[0016] Preferably, the support body is at least partially hollow and open at the top, which allows it to contain the pressure arm that may protrude from the upper part of the body when the operating handle is raised for unlocking. The handle, in the lowered position, closes the open upper part of the body.

[0017] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, said roof bar device may further include an anti-theft means against the theft of the roof bar, and / or of the entire device, said anti-theft means comprising a locking system, for example a key system.

[0018] The invention also relates to a roof luggage rack for a motor vehicle comprising at least two roof bar devices such as that described above.

[0019] The invention also relates to a method for converting a roof rack mounted on the roof of a motor vehicle from a lateral to a transverse installation, wherein a roof rack comprising two roof bar devices, such as that described above, is used. This method comprises the following steps: After unlocking the lockable / unlockable fastening means of each bar by lifting the operating handles of each device fastening means so that the locking / unlocking wedge is pulled by a pressure arm until the pin head is positioned in the flared open end of the wedge groove, the bars that were previously fixed parallel to each other and in a laterally positioned position on their respective mounting brackets are removed, the bracket of the first fastening means of each device remaining positioned laterally forward on the roof and the bracket of the second fastening means of each device remaining positioned laterally backward on the roof, then a fastening bar is installed transversely with one end of it on the front mounting bracket it previously occupied, in a position rotated 90 degrees relative to this previous position,and for fixing its other end to the other front support on the opposite roof side, which was previously occupied by one end of the other bar, by positioning the head of the pin relating to each bar end at the level of the flared open end of the locking / unlocking wedge groove for each support considered, the other bar is installed transversely for fixing one of its ends to the rear fixing support it previously occupied, in a position rotated 90 degrees from this previous position, and for fixing its other end to the other rear support on the opposite roof side, which was previously occupied by one end of the other bar, by positioning the head of the pin relating to each bar end at the level of the flared open end of the locking / unlocking wedge groove for each support considered,The bar fixing means are locked by lowering the operating handles included in each fixing means of each device, so that the locking / unlocking wedge is pushed by the pressure arm and grips the pin at its axis above the head, in the groove of the wedge. The elastic compression element compresses and forces the pin to follow the locking / unlocking relief bordering the groove until the pin is retained in the stop end of the groove.

[0020] The invention also relates to a method for converting a roof rack from a transverse to a lateral installation on the roof of a motor vehicle, wherein a roof rack comprising two roof bar devices, such as that described above, is used. This method comprises the following steps: After unlocking the lockable / unlockable fastening means of each bar by lifting the operating handles of each fastening means of the devices so that the locking / unlocking wedge is pulled by a pressure arm until the head of the pin is positioned in the flared open end of the groove of the wedge, the bars that were previously fixed parallel to each other and in a transverse position on the respective fixing brackets are removed, said brackets remaining fixed to the roof, then a bar is installed longitudinally for fixing one of its ends to the front fixing bracket that it previously occupied, in a position rotated 90 degrees with respect to this previous position, and for fixing its other end to the rear bracket on the same side of the roof and which was previously occupied by one end of the other bar,By positioning the head of the pin at each end of the bar at the level of the flared open end of the locking / unlocking wedge groove for each support in question, the other bar is installed longitudinally, with one end attached to the rear mounting support it previously occupied, rotated 90 degrees from that previous position, and its other end attached to the front support on the same side of the roof, which was previously occupied by one end of the other bar, by positioning the head of the pin at each end of the bar at the flared open end of the locking / unlocking wedge groove for each support in question.The bar fixing means are locked by raising the operating handles included in each device so that the locking / unlocking wedge is pushed by a pressure arm and grips the pin at its axis above the head, in the groove of the wedge. The elastic element compresses and forces the pin to follow the locking / unlocking relief bordering the groove until the pin is retained in the stop end of the groove.

[0021] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a roof luggage rack having at least two roof bar devices as described above.

[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 ] illustrates a partial view, following a longitudinal section in the vertical plane, of a roof rack device comprising a roof bar (partially shown) and a first means for fixing the bar at one end of the bar, in the unlocked position, according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 ] illustrates, from a bottom view, a portion of the roof rack device according to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig.1 , in the unlocked position. Fig. 3 ] illustrates a partial view, following a longitudinal section in the vertical plane, of the roof rack system Fig.1 , comprising a roof bar (partially shown) and the first means of securing the bar at one end of the bar, in the locked position. Fig. 4 ] illustrates, from a bottom view, a portion of the roof rack device according to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2 , in the unlocked position. Fig. 5 ] is a partial view, following a longitudinal section in the vertical plane, of the roof bar device (partially shown in the preceding figures), illustrating the second fastening means at the other end of the bar, in the unlocked position, according to the invention. Fig. 6A ] is a schematic view, following a longitudinal section, of the second fastening means of the fastening device as illustrated in Fig. 5 , without representation of the bar and the device's support, illustrating the interaction of the various components with each other in the unlocked position. Fig. 6B ] is a schematic view, following a longitudinal section, of the second fastening means as illustrated in Fig. 5 , without representation of the bar and the device support, illustrating the interaction of the various components with each other in the locked position under maximum compression. Fig. 6C ] is a schematic view, following a longitudinal section, of the second fastening means as illustrated in Fig. 5 , without representation of the bar and the device support, illustrating the interaction of the various components with each other in the locked position under released compression (safety position). Fig. 7 ] is a view, following a longitudinal section in the vertical plane, of the locking / unlocking wedge of a roof rack device, to illustrate the function of a locking / unlocking relief of the wedge during locking and unlocking, and in particular for the three different positions illustrated by the figures 6A , 6B et 6C . [ Fig. 8 [ ] represents, in perspective and from above, a pair of roof rack devices whose bars are in a lateral (longitudinal direction) position on a vehicle roof (not shown). Fig. 9 ] represents, from a perspective and top view, the same pair of roof rack devices as in Fig.8 but the bars are in a transverse position on a vehicle roof (not shown). Fig. 10 ] illustrates a partial view, following a longitudinal section in the vertical plane, of a roof bar device comprising a roof bar (partially represented) and one of the means for fixing the bar at one end of the bar, for a variant of the elastic compression member according to the invention.

[0023] The orientations expressed in the description of the figures are given with reference to a classical orthonormal XYZ coordinate system of a motor vehicle in which X represents the front-to-rear longitudinal direction of the vehicle, oriented towards the rear, Y the transverse direction of the vehicle, oriented towards the right, and Z the vertical direction oriented towards the top of the vehicle, with the wheels of the latter resting on the ground.

[0024] Unless otherwise specified, in this description the terms front, rear, upper, lower, thus refer to the directions of the vehicle, when the roof rack device according to the invention is mounted on the roof of the vehicle.

[0025] Identical references may be used from one figure to another to designate identical or similar elements.

[0026] The roof rack system shown on the various figures 1 à 8 according to one embodiment of the invention comprises a first fixing means 1 at one end 20 of a roof bar 2 according to the figures 1 à 4 , and a second means of fixing 1' at the other end 20' of the bar 2 according to the figure 5 .

[0027] According to this example, the first fastening means 1 is defined as the front fastening means, and the second fastening means 1' is defined as the rear fastening means, as illustrated in Fig. 8 by the pair of devices arranged laterally, in other words longitudinally (X direction), on a vehicle roof (not shown).

[0028] The first locking / unlocking fastening means 1 includes a fastening support 10 having an operating handle 11, a pressure arm 12, and a locking / unlocking wedge 13.

[0029] This first fastening means 1 also includes a locking / unlocking pin 3, and a compression spring 4 as an elastic element wound around the axis 30 of the pin. These latter components are integral with the roof bar 2; they are installed at the end 20 of the bar.

[0030] The fixing support 10 comprises a body 100 which extends longitudinally (direction X) between a distal end 101 and an opposite proximal end comprising a plate 102, relative to the considered end 20 of the bar 2. Said body 10 is partly hollow, and open at the top so as to allow passage of the pressure arm during maneuvers of the operating handle 11. The proximal end of the support comprises a plate 102 receiving at least in part the locking / unlocking wedge 13, and at the end 20 of the bar, in particular the locking / unlocking pin 3.

[0031] The operating handle 11 is supported by the body 100 of said support, and closes the opening in the upper part of said body in the locked position. For this first fastening means 1, the handle 11 is mounted to rotate about an axis 110 perpendicular (transverse direction Y) to the body of the support and located at one end of said proximal body of the plate 102, between a lowered locking position ( Fig. 1 ) and a raised unlocking position ( Fig. 3 ).

[0032] The pressure arm 12 is housed within the body 10 of the support. At one end, it is connected to the operating handle 11 along a connecting axis 121 perpendicular to the body of the support, and at its opposite end, it is connected to one end 135 of the locking / unlocking wedge 13 along another connecting axis 122 perpendicular to the body of the support. This arm 12 is therefore fixed to the operating handle 11 and rotatably free relative to the wedge 13 around this other connecting axis 122.

[0033] With reference to figures 2 , 4 And 7The locking / unlocking wedge 13 has an elongated shape and extends between an end portion 135 connected to said pressure arm and an opposite end locking / unlocking portion that extends at least partially onto the surface of the plate 102 of the support 10. This end locking / unlocking portion includes a longitudinal through groove 130 extending between a locking stop end 131 having a given width and a flared open unlocking end 13. The wedge includes a lower face 137 having a locking / unlocking relief ( Fig. 7 ) bordering said groove. This relief has two lateral ramps 133, 134 (one ramp per side of the groove). These two ramps form the two arms of a V, separated in the widest part by a distance (direction Y) strictly greater than the width of the stop end 131 of the groove.

[0034] The operation of the locking / unlocking wedge will be detailed later when describing the operation of the entire device.

[0035] The locking / unlocking pin 3 is located at the end 20 of the bar. It has a vertically oriented shaft 30 (Z), which has a locking head 32 at its lower end that is wider than the transverse diameter of the shaft 30. The shaft 30 extends vertically within the bar in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bar and passes through a through hole in the lower wall of the bar, such that the head 32 of the pin is outside the bar. More specifically, in the example, the head 32 is circular and the shaft is cylindrical, with a diameter strictly smaller than the diameter of the head. This hole in the lower wall of the bar opens above the mounting plate 102 of the bracket 10.

[0036] The vertical axis 30 (Z) is fitted at its upper end with a stop 31 which retains the pin in the bar, and against which the compression spring 4 wound around the axis 30 can bear to be compressed into the bar. The pin 3 can move along its axis 30, up and down, compressing the spring 4 during a locking / unlocking operation.

[0037] The second locking / unlocking fastening means 1' includes, similarly to the first fastening means 1, a fastening support 10' which has an operating handle 11', a pressure arm 12', and a locking / unlocking wedge 13'.

[0038] The support 10' includes a body 100' extending longitudinally between a distal end 101' and an opposite proximal end relative to the considered end 20' of the bar 2. This proximal end includes a plate 102' receiving at least part of the locking / unlocking wedge 13'.

[0039] This second fixing means 1' also includes a locking / unlocking pin 3 and a compression spring 4 as an elastic compression element attached to the roof bar 2, installed at the other end 20' of the bar, and identical to those of the first means installed at the end 20 of the bar 2.

[0040] The components of the second fastening means 1' are arranged together similarly to those of the first fastening means 1: the pressure arm 12' housed in the body 10' of the fastening support 1' is connected at one end to the handle 11' along a connecting axis 121' perpendicular to the body of the support, and at its opposite end it is connected to one end of the locking / unlocking wedge 13' along another connecting axis 122' perpendicular to the body of the support.

[0041] The difference with the first fastening means lies in the fact that the operating handle 11' of the second fastening means 1' is mounted to rotate movably around an axis 110' perpendicular to the body of the support 10' and which is located at one end of said distal body of the plate 102', between a lowered locking position and a raised unlocking position ( Fig. 5 ).

[0042] Said wedge 13, 13' is mobile in longitudinal translation attached to said pressure arm, it can move forward and backward (and vice versa), guided between longitudinal edges of the body of the support.

[0043] The two fastening methods 1, 1' function similarly, and their operation will be explained together, with reference to the figures 1 à 7 .

[0044] THE figures 6A , 6B, 6C schematically illustrate, following a partial longitudinal section, the second means of attachment 1' illustrated in Figure 5 , without representation of the bar itself or the body of the device support, to show the connections of the locking / unlocking components between them, and in particular the position of the pressure arm 12' according to the three main positions of the mechanism: an unlocking position ( Fig. 6A ), and two locking positions ( Fig. 6B, Fig. 6C ) including a safety position ( Fig. 6C ).

[0045] These three positions can similarly be applied to the first fastening means 1, the two fastening means 1, 1' using a wedge 13, 13' having a lower face with the same locking / unlocking relief bordering the groove of the wedge, such as that illustrated by the longitudinal sectional view, in the XZ plane, shown on Fig. 7 .

[0046] The said wedge has a flat upper face 136, proximal to the outer face of the lower wall of the bar through which the pin passes. The lower face 137 of the wedge, opposite the said upper face, has a relief ( Fig. 7 ) which allows locking / unlocking. Said relief comprises, in the longitudinal direction going from the flared unlocking end 132 to the locking stop end 131 of the groove 130: a first part A0 in an inclined plane in which the head 32 of the pin 3 is in the unlocked position, then a first portion in an inclined plane A1 and a second portion in an inclined plane A2, with inclinations in different directions, in other words one is downward and the other upward depending on the direction of locking or unlocking, located on either side of a zone S where the height of said relief bordering the groove of the wedge is maximum (Hmax), then a locking safety portion A3 retaining the pin 3, of height "h" strictly less than said maximum height Hmax, this portion being flat.

[0047] The groove 130 has, at the level of the inclined plane portions A1 and A2 of inclinations in different directions and of the safety portion A3, a width strictly less than the transverse dimensions of the head of the pin and strictly greater than the diameter of the axis of the pin, so that the pin can be guided by its axis in the groove, its head being in contact with the lower face 137 of the wedge and follows the locking / unlocking relief, the spring 4 being compressed.

[0048] The first inclined plane portion A1 and the second inclined plane portion A2 are locking, they allow the pin to be pulled downwards by compressing the elastic element.

[0049] Unlocking ( Fig. 1 , Fig. 2 , Fig. 5 ), as is the case when installing the bar on the support, the head of the pin 32 carried by and out of the end of the bar is positioned at the level of the flared part 132 of the groove 130 of the wedge, and more precisely at the end of this flared part where the space between the arms of the V ( Fig. 2 ) is wide enough to accommodate said head. The operating handle 11, 11' is raised.

[0050] When the device moves from the unlocked position ( Fig. 1 , Fig. 2 , Fig. 5 ) towards a locking position ( Fig. 3 , Fig. 4 , Fig. 6B, Fig. 6C ), the operating handle 11, 11' is folded down by rotating it around the axis 110, 110'. The pressure arm 12, 12' is compressed by the movement of the handle 11, 11', pushing the wedge 13, 13' in translation, which advances on the plate 102, 102', under and towards the bar according to this locking direction (arrow V in Fig. 7 ), so that the pin 3 is gripped at its axis 30, by the wedge, from the flared part of the groove towards the locking portions A1, A2 ( Fig. 6B ) narrower up to the A3 safety section ( Fig. 6C ) at the end of the groove stop. The ramps in inclined plane 1331, 1341 of the first part A0, plane which is descending in this locking direction (arrow V in Fig. 7 ), thanks to the V-shape with a relatively narrow angle, grasp the pin 3 at the end of the axle 30 carrying the head, and pull it downwards as the pin's position advances through the locking portions A1, A2, compressing the spring 4. After the first locking portion A1 of the wedge, the compression of the spring 4 is maximal at the zone S of maximum height "Hmax" of said wedge relief. The pin, once past the zone S of maximum height "Hmax", passes into the second inclined locking portion A2, ascending in this locking direction, which allows the spring 4 to be released very slightly, until it reaches the flat locking portion A3 ( Fig. 6C ), of a height "h" less than the maximum height "Hmax" of said relief bordering the groove of the wedge, to remain held in the end of the stop 131 of the groove. The spring 4 therefore remains compressed but is then slightly less compressed than at the level of the zone S of maximum height Hmax. The fact that the final locking position is positioned at the rear of the zone S of maximum height prevents accidental unlocking, as the handle cannot be raised without effort to pass this zone S where the compression spring is most strongly compressed. This is why this locking position is a safety locking position ( Fig. 6C ).

[0051] The pressure arm 12, 12' is in fact a piston designed for the three main positions of the locking / unlocking mechanism, and allows, for example, a compression of 2 to 3 millimeters. In the unlocked position ( Fig. 6A ), when the user can mount or dismount the roof bars, there is no spring compression, the pressure arm 12' is above an alignment line C corresponding to the alignment of the mechanism, i.e. the links 110', 121', 122' between the handle, the pressure arm and the wedge, In the locked position in maximum compression, on the area S of maximum height Hmax of said relief, when all the joints of the mechanism are on the same alignment line C ( Fig. 6B ), the 12' pressure arm is therefore aligned with this line C. In the locked safety position, more relaxed than the previous one, the pressure arm is below the line of mechanism C ( Fig. 6C The purpose of this pressure arm is to apply a downward force to the operating handle and prevent any unwanted unlocking of the mechanism.

[0052] The said device further includes a seal under the lower face of the lower wall of the bar, for example installed in a groove cut into the outer face of the lower wall of the bar, around the head of the pin, and between this wall and the wedge 13, this seal cushions the contact between the bar and the support, and has a dust and water sealing function.

[0053] When removing bar 2, the unlocking process occurs when an operator activates the operating handle 11, 11'. By lifting the handle, the wedge 13, 13' is brought back towards the support body, following the unlocking direction (arrow D in Fig. 7 ), which is inversely longitudinal to that performed during locking. Initially, an effort is required to pass the maximum height zone S, then beyond, going towards the flared end of the groove 130, the compression spring 4 is released, the pin 3 returns to the unlocked position, the head of the pin being in the most flared part of the groove.

[0054] A pair of roof bars can thus be installed laterally, that is, along the longitudinal X direction, on the roof of a motor vehicle, by installing two roof bar devices, such as the one described above, parallel and symmetrically mirrored to each other. With reference to the figure 8 The letters A and B are added to the reference markings of the bars and mounting brackets to distinguish the two identical roof rack systems. The front bracket 10A, 10B with its components 100, 11, 12, 13 and the rear bracket 10A', 10B' with its respective components 100', 11', 12', 13' are installed along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The bodies 100, 100' of the front bracket 10A, 10B and the rear bracket 10A', 10B' of the same system are installed at the distance required to install the corresponding bar 2A, 2B between them. The bars 2A and 2B are identical and conform to the description of bar 2 described above.

[0055] To move the bars 2A, 2B, which are in a lateral position, to a transverse position, according to the transverse direction Y of the vehicle, with reference to the figure 9 , the supports 10A, 10B, 10A', 10B' with their respective components 100, 11, 12, 13, and 100', 11', 12', 13' and respectively to said devices, remain in place, it is sufficient to unlock each of the bars 2A, 2B as explained above by raising the operating handles 11, 11' of each means of fixing the devices so that the locking / unlocking wedge 13, 13' is pulled by the pressure arm 12, 12' until the head 32 of the pin is positioned in the flared open extreme part 132 of the groove of the wedge.

[0056] Next, each bar 2A, 2B is disassembled and fixed at their respective ends 20, 20' by installing them at 90 degrees relative to the bodies of the supports, for one of the bars 2A between the two front supports 10A, 10B, and for the other of the bars 2B between the two rear supports 10A', 10B', by positioning the head of the pin relating to each end of the bar at the level of the flared open extreme part of the groove of the locking / unlocking wedge attached to the support in question.The fixings at each end of the bars are locked as described above, by lowering the operating handles (11, 11') which comprise each fixing means of each device, so that the locking / unlocking wedge 13, 13' is pushed by the pressure arm 12, 12' and comes to grasp the pin at the level of its axis above the head, in the groove of the wedge, the spring is compressed and allows the head of the pin to be held under and against the locking / unlocking relief bordering said groove until the pin is retained in the stop end 131 of the groove.

[0057] If necessary, the bars can be telescopic to adjust their length to the dimensions of the roof.

[0058] According to a variant of the invention illustrated by the figure 10The compression spring 4 can be replaced by an elastic buffer 4', for example in the form of a seal thick enough to compress, for example, by 2 to 3 millimeters when locked. This elastic seal 4' is installed in a groove cut into the outer face of the lower wall of the bar, around the head 32' of the pin 3', between this wall and the shim 13". The pin 3' is installed in the end of the bar 2' of the roof bar assembly. The vertical axis 30' of the pin passes through a through hole in the lower wall of the bar, and it carries an upper stop 31' located in the bar, above this lower wall of the bar. Said axis 30' of the pin carries at its other end the locking head 32' of the pin out of the bar, which is level with the shim 13".The operation of the device is similar to the devices with spring 4 previously described, the 13" wedge having the same configuration as the 13, 13' wedges already described, the 3' pin being able to move up and down.

[0059] In this embodiment, the elastic pad can also act as a water and dust seal.

[0060] The roof rack system according to the invention allows for both longitudinal and transverse mounting of roof bars on a roof rack, easily and without tools, once the rack supports are installed on the roof. Furthermore, the roof rack system can be equipped with an anti-theft system (not shown). This mechanism could, for example, be a key lock.

Claims

1. Roof bar device comprising a removable roof bar (2, 2') and first lockable / unlockable means (1) for attaching one of the ends of the bar and second lockable / unlockable means (1') for attaching the other end of the bar, characterized in that: i) each lockable / unlockable attachment means comprises: - an attachment support (10, 10', 10") comprising: a) a body (10, 10', 10") extending longitudinally between a distal end (101, 101') and an opposite proximal end relative to one end (20, 20') of the bar (2, 2'), said proximal end comprising a plate (102, 102' 102") for receiving one end of the bar, and b) an operating handle (11, 11') supported by the body (100, 100') of said support (10, 10', 10"), rotatably mounted about a shaft (110, 110') perpendicular to the body of the support between a lowered locked position and a raised unlocked position, and c) a pressure arm (12, 12') housed in the body of said support, rigidly connected to the operating handle for movement therewith, and d) a locking / unlocking wedge (13, 13') rigidly connected to said pressure arm (12, 12') for longitudinal translation therewith, comprising a part capable of extending at least partially on the surface of said plate and comprising a through-slot (130), said slot extending longitudinally between a closed end (131) and a flared open end (132), and the wedge comprising a lower face (137) comprising a locking / unlocking protrusion (A0, A1, A2, A3, 133, 134) along the edge of said slot, - a locking / unlocking pin (3, 3'), situated in one of the ends of the bar, comprising a shaft (30, 30') the lower end of which is provided with a head (32, 32') having a width that is strictly greater than the transverse dimensions of said shaft, said shaft extending vertically in the bar, in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the bar, and passing through a through-hole emerging above the plate (102, 102', 102") of the attachment support, so that the head (32, 32') of the pin is outside the bar and is capable of being positioned in the slot (130) of the locking / unlocking wedge (13, 13') in order to interact with said locking / unlocking protrusion and occupy a locked position in the closed end (131) of the slot of the wedge or an unlocked position in the flared open end (132) of said slot, - a resilient compression member (4, 4') allowing the locking / unlocking pin to translate vertically in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of said wedge, ii) the shaft (110, 110') perpendicular to the body of the rotation support, relative to which the respective operating handle (11, 11') of the support (10, 10', 10") of an attachment means is movable between a lowered locked position and a raised unlocked position, is proximal to the plate (102) of the support with respect to the handle (11) of the first attachment means, and is proximal to the distal end (101') of the body of the support with respect to the handle (11') of the second attachment means.

2. Roof bar device according to Claim 1, characterized in that said locking / unlocking protrusion along the edge of the slot (130) of the locking / unlocking wedge (13, 13') comprises, in the longitudinal direction of the wedge from the unlocked flared open end (132) to the locked closed end (131) of the slot (130): - a first inclined-plane part (A0) making it possible to grip the pin (3) in the unlocked position, then - a first inclined-plane portion (A1) and a second inclined-plane portion (A2), inclined in different directions, situated on either side of an area (S) in which the height of said protrusion is at a maximum (Hmax), then - a locking safety portion (A3) having a height (h) strictly less than the maximum height (Hmax) of said protrusion.

3. Roof bar device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the pressure arm (12, 12') is a piston configured for three main locked / unlocked positions so that: - in the locked position when the pin (3, 3') is in line with the area (S) in which the height of the locking / unlocking protrusion along the edge of the slot is at maximum (Hmax), the pressure arm is aligned along an alignment line (C) corresponding to the alignment of the connections (110, 121, 122, 110', 121', 122') between the operating handle (11, 11'), the pressure arm (12, 12'), and the locking / unlocking wedge (13, 13'), - in the locked safety position, the pressure arm is below said alignment line (C), - in the unlocked position, the pressure arm is above said alignment line (C).

4. Roof bar device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said resilient member (4) is a compression spring coiled around the shaft (30) of the pin (3) and is housed inside the bar (2).

5. Roof bar device according to Claim 4, characterized in that the pin (3) comprises a stop (31) for said spring (4).

6. Roof bar device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said resilient compression member is a compressible pad (4').

7. Roof bar device according to Claim 6, characterized in that said compressible pad (4') is a compressible seal fitted in a groove under the outer face of the lower wall of the bar (2'), and over a perimeter at least surrounding the head (32') of the pin (3').

8. Roof luggage carrier for a motor vehicle, characterized in that it comprises at least two roof bar devices according to any one of Claims 1 to 7.

9. Method for switching from a lateral installation to a transverse installation of a roof luggage carrier installed on a roof of a motor vehicle, characterized in that a roof luggage carrier comprising two roof bar devices according to any one of Claims 1 to 7 is used, and in that said method comprises the following steps: - having unlocked the lockable / unlockable attachment means of each bar (2A, 2B) by raising the operating handles (11, 11') of each attachment means of the devices so that the locking / unlocking wedge (13, 13') is pulled by a pressure arm (12, 12') until the head (32, 32') of the pin (3, 3') is positioned in the flared open end part (132) of the slot (130) of the wedge (13, 13', 13"), the bars (2A, 2B), which were previously attached parallel to each other and in a lateral position on their respective attachment supports (10A, 10A', 10B, 10B'), are removed, the support (10A, 10B) of the first attachment means of each device remaining positioned laterally at the front on the roof and the support (10A', 10B') of the second attachment means of each device remaining positioned laterally at the rear on the roof, then - one bar (2A) is installed transversely for attachment of one of its ends (20) to the front attachment support (10A) that it occupied previously, in a position rotated by 90 degrees relative to this previous position, and for attachment of its other end (20') to the other front support (10B) on the opposite side of the roof that was previously occupied by one end of the other bar (2B), by positioning the head (32, 32') of the pin relative to each bar end in the flared open end part (132) of the slot (130) of the locking / unlocking wedge for each support (10A, 10B) in question, - the other bar (2B) is installed transversely for attachment of one of its ends (20') to the rear attachment support (10B') that it occupied previously, in a position rotated by 90 degrees relative to this previous position, and for attachment of its other end (20) to the other rear support (10A') on the opposite side of the roof that was previously occupied by one end of the other bar (2A), by positioning the head (32, 32') of the pin relative to each bar end in the flared open end part (132) of the slot (130) of the locking / unlocking wedge for each support in question (10A', 10B'), - the attachment means of the bars (2A, 2B) are locked by lowering the operating handles (11, 11') that each attachment means of each device comprises, so that the locking / unlocking wedge (13, 13') is pushed by the pressure arm (12, 12') and grips the pin on the shaft (30, 30') thereof above the head (32, 32'), in the slot (130) of the wedge, and the resilient compression member (4, 4') compresses and forces the pin to follow the locking / unlocking protrusion along the edge of the slot (130) until the pin is held in the closed end (131) of the slot (130).

10. Method for switching from a transverse installation to a lateral installation of a roof luggage carrier installed on a roof of a motor vehicle, characterized in that a roof luggage carrier comprising two roof bar devices according to any one of Claims 1 to 7 is used, and in that said method comprises the following steps: - having unlocked the lockable / unlockable attachment means of each bar (2A, 2B) by raising the operating handles (11, 11') of each attachment means of the devices so that the locking / unlocking wedge (3, 3') is pulled by a pressure arm (12, 12') until the head (32, 32') of the pin (3, 3') is positioned in the flared open end part (132) of the slot (130) of the wedge, the bars (2A, 2B), which were previously attached parallel to each other and in a transverse position on the respective attachment supports (10A, 10B, 10A', 10B'), are removed, said supports remaining attached to the roof, then - one bar (2A) is installed longitudinally for attachment of one of its ends to the front attachment support (10A) that it occupied previously, in a position rotated by 90 degrees relative to this previous position, and for attachment of its other end to the rear support (10A') on the same side of the roof that was previously occupied by one end of the other bar (2B), by positioning the head (32, 32') of the pin relative to each end of the bar (2A) in the flared open end part (132) of the slot (130) of the locking / unlocking wedge for each support (10A, 10A') in question, - the other bar (2B) is installed longitudinally for attachment of one of its ends to the rear attachment support (10B') that it occupied previously, in a position rotated by 90 degrees relative to this previous position, and for attachment of its other end to the front support (10B) on the same side of the roof that was previously occupied by one end of the other bar (2A), by positioning the head (32, 32') of the pin relative to each bar end in the flared open end part (132) of the slot of the locking / unlocking wedge for each support (10B, 10B') in question, - the attachment means of the bars (2A, 2B) are locked by raising the operating handles (11, 11') that each device comprises, so that the locking / unlocking wedge is pushed by a pressure arm (12, 12') and grips the pin (3, 3') on the shaft (30, 30') thereof above the head (32, 32'), in the slot (130) of the wedge, and the resilient member (4, 4') compresses and forces the pin to follow the locking / unlocking protrusion along the edge of the slot (130) until the pin is held in the closed end (131) of the slot.