Support rack systems and methods for pickup trucks

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an adjustable load bearing system for use with a load supporting element being used on a motor vehicle. In some embodiments the system makes use of a reversible motor and a pair of track assemblies. The track assemblies are secured to spaced apart portions of the vehicle, with the track assemblies being secured generally parallel to one another along a length of the vehicle. Each said track assembly may have a linear rail element secured to the track assembly, a trolley assembly and a lead screw. The trolley assembly is positioned on the linear rail element and movable linearly. The trolley assembly is used to move the load supporting element lengthwise along the vehicle. The lead screw is in communication with the trolley assembly and with the motor. Rotational movement of the lead screw in response to signals from the motor causes translating movement of the trolley assembly along at least a portion of the length of the vehicle.

Description

SUPPORT RACK SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PICKUP TRUCKSCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 655,385, filed on June 3, 2024. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates to vehicle article carrier systems especially adapted for use on pickup trucks, and more particularly to a motorized load hoop which is adapted to be adjustably positioned along the bed of a pickup truck to support articles of widely varying shapes and dimensions above the pickup truck bed.BACKGROUND

[0003] The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.

[0004] With the growing popularity of pickup trucks, there is a continued interest in maximizing utilization of the truck bed of the vehicle. More specifically, there is a continued interest in systems, products and devices which are designed for use with a pickup truck bed to better enable vehicle users to take full advantage of transporting cargo of widely varying shapes and sizes, and with increased user convenience.

[0005] One specific type of vehicle article carrier that has been successful in this regard is the adjustably position able load hoop that is the subject of U.S. Patent No. 10,071 ,692, assigned to the assignee of the present application, and PCT Pub. No. WO 2023043650 A1 , jointly assigned to Ford Motor Company and the assignee of the present application. The teachings of both of these patent documents are hereby incorporated by reference into the present application.

[0006] While the systems disclosed in the above two mentioned patent documents have proven successful, there is still a need for a load hoop type vehicle article system designed for use with pickup trucks which is even easier and more convenient to use, and which is of significantly simply construction than the systems disclosed in the above mentioned patent documents.SUMMARY

[0007] This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.

[0008] In one aspect the present disclosure relates to an adjustable load bearing system for use with a load supporting element being used on a motor vehicle. In some embodiments the system makes use of a reversible motor and a pair of track assemblies. The track assemblies are secured to spaced apart portions of the vehicle, with the track assemblies being secured generally parallel to one another along a length of the vehicle. Each said track assembly may have a linear rail element secured to the track assembly, a trolley assembly and a lead screw. The trolley assembly is positioned on the linear rail element and movable linearly. The trolley assembly is used to move the load supporting element lengthwise along the vehicle. The lead screw is in communication with the trolley assembly and with the motor. Rotational movement of the lead screw in response to signals from the motor causes translating movement of the trolley assembly along at least a portion of the length of the vehicle.

[0009] In another aspect the present disclosure relates to an adjustable load bearing system for use with a load supporting element being used over a box of a pickup truck. In some embodiments the system may include a reversible motor, a gear box in communication with the motor, and a pair of track assemblies. The pair of track assemblies may be secured to spaced apart portions of the box of the pickup truck, with the track assemblies being secured generally parallel to one another along a portion of a length of the pickup truck. In some embodiments each track assembly may include a linear rail element having a pair of parallel linear rails, with the linear rail element being secured to the track assembly. The track assembly may also include a trolley assembly positioned on the pair of parallel linear rails of the linear rail element and movable linearly. The trolley assembly is used to move the load supporting element lengthwise along the vehicle. A drive nut may also be incorporated on the trolley assembly and fixedly disposed in a cutout in the trolley assembly. A lead screw may be included which extends through a bore in the trolley assembly and is in communication at one end thereof with the gear box, and threadably engaged with the drive nut. The lead screw is configured to be driven rotationally by the motor via the gear box such that the threaded engagement with the drive nut causes the trolley assembly to be translatable bi-directionally over at least a portion of the length of the vehicle in response to signals from the motor.

[0010] In still another aspect the present disclosure relates to a method for enabling adjustable positioning of a load supporting element being used over a box of a pickup truck. In some implementations the method involves providing a motor and securing a pair of track assemblies to spaced apart portions of the vehicle. The track assemblies are secured generally parallel to one another along a length of the vehicle. Each track assembly may include a linear rail element secured to the track assembly, and a trolley assembly. The trolley assembly may be positioned on the linear rail element are used to move the load supporting element lengthwise along the vehicle. A lead screw is included which is in communication with the trolley assembly and with the motor. The method further includes using the motor to drive the lead screw rotationally in a desired rotational direction, and using rotational movement of the lead screw to translate the trolley assembly along at least a portion of the length of the vehicle in response to signals from the motor.

[0011] Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0013] Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings;

[0014] Figure 1 is an elevational view of a portion of a vehicle article carrier system in accordance with the present disclosure mounted to the top of a pickup box (or “bed”), more specifically the “box side outer panel” and inner reinforcement array, but also to the inner wall of the pickup box inner panel and reinforcements;

[0015] Figure 2 is a perspective elevational view of a rear portion of one of the track assemblies shown in Figure 1 illustrating an electric motor and a lead screw which is contained within the track assembly;

[0016] Figure 3 is a perspective elevational view of a forward end portion of the track assembly of Figure 2;

[0017] Figure 4 is a perspective elevational view of one of the trolley assemblies coupled to a lower end of one of the depending side portions of the load hoop, with the trolley assembly engaged with the lead screw;

[0018] Figure 5 is a perspective elevational view of an underside of the trolley assembly of Figure 4 better illustrating the rollers of the trolley assembly which support and enable smooth rolling movement of the trolley assembly within the main housing of its associated track assembly;

[0019] Figure 6 is a perspective elevational view of the trolley assembly of Figure 5 but better illustrating the wedge assemblies carried on the trolley assembly for stabilizing the trolley assembly and removing play and lash between the trolley assembly and its associated main housing;

[0020] Figure 7 is a highly enlarged perspective view of one of the wedge assemblies better illustrating its components;

[0021] Figure 8 is an end view showing the trolley assembly positioned within the main housing of its associate track assembly, and further illustrating how the wedge rollers cooperate with the other rollers of the trolley assembly to stabilize the trolley assembly within its associated main housing;

[0022] Figure 9 is a side elevational view of just the trolley assembly engaged with the lead screw, and further illustrating the wedge assemblies; and

[0023] Figure 10 is a plan view of a bed portion of a pickup truck with another embodiment of the present disclosure that makes use of a single drive motor to simultaneously drive both trolley assemblies supporting opposite ends of a load hoop along the two track assemblies;

[0024] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional end view taken in accordance with section line 11 -11 in Figure 10 showing the track assembly with a trolley assembly mounted thereon;

[0025] Figure 12 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the track assembly illustrating the trolley assembly with the flexible cable carrier that is carried within a housing of the track assembly;

[0026] Figure 13 is an enlarged perspective view of an undersurface of the trolley assembly better illustrating the bearings, the drive blocks and the anti-lash biasing spring which are carried by the trolley assembly;

[0027] Figure 14 is a highly enlarged perspective view of a portion of one of the track assemblies with one of the circumferential bearings separated out from its associated channel of the trolley assembly; and

[0028] Figure 15 is another enlarged view of the undersurface of one of the trolley assemblies showing the track housing in phantom to better illustrate the drive blocks and the anti-lash spring.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a vehicle article carrier system 10 (hereafter simply “system 10”) supported from the top of a pickup box 14, and more specifically the “box side outer panel” and inner reinforcement array, but also to the inner wall of the pickup box inner panel and reinforcements of a pickup truck vehicle 12 having a box 16. Merely for convenience, the foregoing structure of “box side outer panel” and “inner reinforcement” and the “inner wall”, will be referred to throughout the following discussion for ease of reference and simplicity as the “sidewall” 14 of the box 16. However, it should be appreciated that the system 10 is not limited to any one specific manner of mounting on the vehicle 12, and the specific construction of the vehicle and / or the box of the vehicle, if the vehicle is a pickup truck, may dictate other mounting configurations.

[0031] The system 10 includes a load hoop 18 which is supported on a pair of support track assemblies 20 (hereinafter simply “track assemblies”), and is adjustably positionable fore and aft on the track assemblies to enable the load hoop 18 to be positioned to support widely different sizes and shapes of cargo. The load hoop 18 has side portions 18a and a central upper cross member portion 18b extending laterally, and above, the box 16. The load hoop 18 may be used to support cargo including, but not limited to, lumber, pipes, conduits, sheet-like goods and other building products, as well as recreational items such as kayaks, canoes, surf boards, paddle boards, fishing poles, bicycle carriers, etc. The load hoop 18 may also be positioned and used to support a collapsible tent thereon. These are but a few of the possible uses of the system 10, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that a wide variety of other types of articles may be supported on the load hoop 18.

[0032] It will also be appreciated that the load hoop 18, which is movable, could be used in tandem with a stationary load hoop (not shown). The stationary load hoop could be mounted to the box 16 in any suitable manner which provides for a secure, structurally sound attachment to the box 16. As one example, the stationary load hoop could be mounted to the fore end of the top of a pickup box, and more specifically the “box side outer panel” and inner reinforcement array, which is sometimes referred to as the “bulkhead”. Such a configuration may be desirable when one wishes to keep the roof of the cab portion of the vehicle completely clear of any article carrier components.

[0033] Referring to Figure 2, one of the track assemblies 20 is shown in partial elevation. The two track assemblies 20 in this example are mirror images of one another, and otherwise identical in construction, so only one will be described. The track assembly 20 shown in Figure 2 is for the driver side of the vehicle and includes an end support housing 22 which houses a universal motor 24 (hereinafter simply “motor 24”) therein. The motor 24 has an output shaft which is coupled to a lead screw 26. The lead screw 26 extends along substantially the entire length of a main housing 28 of the track assembly 20, which in this example is an extrusion. A motor mount member 30 is positioned at one end of the main housing 28 and is used to secure the motor 24 in a stationary orientation (i.e. , no longitudinal or rotational movement) within the end support housing 22 and adjacent to the end of the main housing 28. This is accomplished by a screw 32 which extends radially into the motor mount 30, which prevents any longitudinal movement of the motor 24, and also by a pair of longitudinally arranged screws 34 which extend through aligned bores in the motor mount and into a housing of the motor 24. Screws 34 thus prevent the motor 24 itself from rotating within the end support housing 22 while it is being energized.

[0034] With brief reference to Figure 3, a bearing holder 36 holds a bearing 38 axially aligned with the lead screw 26, and is secured via a plurality of screws 40 to threaded longitudinal bores in an end of the main housing 28. Optionally, this could also be done similar to the motor 24 end where it is installed into the “C” shape of the track assembly 20 and uses a single screw. An end of the lead screw 26 passes through the bearing 38 and is secured to the bearing holder 36 via an end nut 42. In this manner the lead screw 26 is free to rotate while being supported within the main housing 28.

[0035] Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, the system 10 also includes a trolley assembly 44 which is mounted on the lead screw 26. The trolley assembly 44 is coupled to an associated one of the end portions 18a of the load hoop 18 by a plurality of threadedscrews 46 which extend into threaded bores in mounting portions 48 of the side portion 18a of the load hoop 18, and also into threaded bores in a housing 44a of the trolley 44. In this manner the trolley 44 is securely attached to a lower end of the side portion 18a of the load hoop 18.

[0036] Referring further to Figures 4 and 5, the trolley housing 44a can be seen to include a plurality of rollers 50 which are mounted on axles 52 extending through portions of the trolley housing 44a. The rollers 50 form two distinct groups in this example, where one group is arranged along a bottom portion of the trolley housing 44a, and another group is arranged at an angle (e.g., typically within 5-30 degrees) of the other. The rollers 50 help support each trolley assembly 44 within the main housing 28 of its associated track assembly 20 and to enable smooth rolling movement along interior wall surfaces of it associated main housing 28 as the lead screw 26 is rotated.

[0037] Referring further to Figures 6 and 7, the trolley assembly 44 can also be seen to include wedge assemblies 54 which further help to eliminate play / rattling of the trolley assembly 44 while it is positioned within the main housing 28 of the track assembly 20. The wedge assemblies 54 are positioned near opposite longitudinal ends of the trolley assembly 44 and each has a wedge frame 54a which is secured to a first end of a separate coil tension spring 56 at one end via a pin 58. An opposite end of each coil tension spring 56 is secured to a stationary press fit pin 60. Each wedge assembly 54 further includes an elongated slot 62 formed within a wedge frame 54a. A stationary pin 64 is mounted in the trolley housing 44a and extends through the elongated slot 62. Each wedge assembly 54 further includes a wedge roller 66 mounted for rotational movement by a pin 68 near one end of the trolley housing 44a.

[0038] Referring further to Figures 6 and 7, the coil tension springs 56 serve to exert a biasing force on each wedge assembly 54 that tends to draw the wedge frames 54a toward the press fit pins 60. The stationary pin 64 extending through the elongated slot 62 in each wedge frame 54a serves to lift its associated wedge roller 66 upwardly as the stationary pin 64 rides within the elongated slot 62. This causes a wedging action to be created using the wedge roller 66 as the wedge roller engages an upper internal surface of the main housing 28, as is visible in Figure 8. At the same time, one group of the rollers 50 will be riding along a diametrically opposite surface of the main housing 28 supporting the trolley assembly 44 on a lower interior surface of the main housing 28. This enables the wedge rollers 66 to create their wedging actions and to stabilize the trolley assembly 44 regardless if it is moving or stationary within the main housing 28.This effectively removes all, or substantially all, play and gaps between the trolley assembly 44 and its associated main housing 28.

[0039] Figure 8 further illustrates how the rollers 50 of the trolley assembly 44 make three different angular (i.e. , non-parallel) points of contact within the main housing 28 of the track assembly 20. This also helps to remove any angular play or gaps between the trolley assembly 44 and its associated main housing 28, and to further ensure that no binding or jamming occurs between the trolley assembly 44 and its associated track assembly 20 as the load hoop 18 is moved longitudinally fore and aft.

[0040] With further reference to Figure 6, the trolley assembly 44 can also be seen to include a first lead screw nut 68 positioned within a complementary shaped recess 44b of the trolley housing 44a, The first lead screw nut 68 supports one end of the trolley housing 44a in alignment with an axial center of the trolley housing 44a while permitting smooth rotation of the lead screw 26 fore and aft along the main housing 28 of the track assembly 20. At the opposite end of the trolley 44a housing a second lead screw nut 70 rests within a complementary shaped recess 44c of the trolley housing 44a and supports the opposite end of the trolley housing 44a in axial alignment with the first lead screw nut 68. In this example four threaded fasteners 72 extend through threaded bores in the trolley housing 44a and engage the second lead screw nut 70. The threaded fasteners 72 capture the second lead screw nut 70 help enable rotation of the lead screw to drive the trolley assembly 44 fore and aft along the track assemblies 20.

[0041] With further brief reference to Figure 9, each trolley assembly 44 may also include a coil spring 74 positioned within an axial recess 76 of the trolley housing 44a. The coil spring 74 helps to remove any axial “lash” or play existing between the trolley assembly 44 and the lead screw 26 whenever movement of the trolley assembly 44 is initiated or whenever its movement stops.

[0042] With brief reference to Figure 8, the main housing 28 of the track assembly 20, which again in this example is an extrusion, provides at least two convenient channels 28a and 28b through which power wires for the motor 24 can be routed to the motor. In this example the two motors 24 are identical and their output shafts rotate in the same direction. As such, when a drive signal of a first polarity (e.g., a DC drive signal) is applied to each motor 24 simultaneously, the output shafts of the two motors drive their respective lead screws 26 rotationally, for example clockwise, which in turn simultaneously drives their respective trolley assemblies 44 in the same longitudinal direction along the track assemblies 20 (e.g., toward the window of the cabof the vehicle 12). When a second drive signal of opposite polarity is applied to both electric motors 24, the rotation of each is reversed, for example to run counterclockwise. This causes the lead screws 26 to be rotated in the opposite direction (e.g., counterclockwise), which causes the trolley assemblies 44 to travel in the opposite longitudinal direction (e.g., rearwardly toward the vehicle 12 tailgate). When the motors 24 drive their respective trolley assemblies 44 to one limit of longitudinal travel, the motors effectively are “zeroed”, relative to each other, before being driven in the opposite rotational direction. Thus, with the trolley assemblies zeroed out, it makes assembly possible. If the motors were to rotate at different speeds, the trolley assemblies might become out of sync and might not reach the ends of the track assemblies 20 at the same time.

[0043] It is also anticipated that multiple controls may be used to control the motors 24 using wireless and / or wired signals. For example, controls could be included on a Keyfob for moving the load hoop 18 between extreme fore and aft position. For example, the fore position may be all the way forward, positioned adjacent the rear window of the vehicle cab, while the aft position may be all the way rearward positioned adjacent the tail gate. Still further functionality could be incorporated by including one or more “MEMORY” preselected positions for the load hoop 18 on a Keyfob, which the user could program and subsequently select, which would automatically cause the load hoop 18 to be moved to the preselected position(s). For example, the user could select a first load hoop 18 position by selecting a “M1” option on the Keyfob that the user had previously determined, and programmed, which is ideal for supporting a short kayak. A second memory position “M2” could be selected to automatically position the load hoop 18 at an aft-most (i.e. , maximum rearwardly) position which is ideal for supporting a much longer canoe.

[0044] To enable the above described functionality of preselected load hoop 18 positions, a small controller 80, such as shown diagrammatically in Figure 2, could be mounted within one or the other of the end support housings 22, which are in electrical communication with one or both motors. Optionally, separate controllers 80 could be arranged in the two end support housings 22, which would eliminate the need to interconnect the motors 24 with electrically conductive wiring. Whether one controller 80 is used or two controllers 80 are used, the controller(s) 80 could include a well-known BLUETOOTH® protocol transceiver (or other wireless protocol transceiver) to enable wireless communication with a Keyfob. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that thecontrol module can be anywhere in the vehicle as long as it can communicate with the motors 24 via wired or wireless controls. It will also be appreciated that within the logic of the controller, one would need to have suitable safety sensing components and features that would sense the presence of, or contact with, an individual (or e.g., a finger or a hand) while the load hoop 18 is moving, and automatically interrupt travel of the load hoop (e.g., much like the logic used for power windows and for power tonneau covers.

[0045] Still further, wired connections could be made between the motors 24 and an Electronic Control Module (ECM) of the vehicle 12 to enable adjustable positioning of the load hoop 18 via controls mounted within the vehicle cab. Still further, a separate control keypad could easily be mounted within the box 16 near the tailgate of the vehicle 12, which is electrically connected to the motors 24 via wiring hidden underneath the bed 16, in the fender walls, or underneath a bed liner. In this manner the load hoop 18 may be controlled easily by standing at the rear of the vehicle 12 and using the control keypad to move the load loop 18 to a desired (or pre-preprogrammed) position.

[0046] With brief reference to Figure 8, another optional feature may be included to prevent dirt and debris from getting into the track assemblies 20, which is the use of one or more flexible (e.g., rubber, silicone, etc.) wiper strips 82a and 82b that may be secured to edges 28c and 28d of the main housing 28. The wiper strips 82a and 82b are dimensioned such that they meet, or almost meet, at a midpoint between the distance separating the edges 28c and 28d. This enables the trolley assembly 44 to move freely fore and aft along the track assemblies 20 while keeping the interior areas of the track assemblies closed off where the trolley assembly is not positioned. This is but one example, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various other means are available to help prevent dust and debris from entering into the interior areas of the track assemblies 20.

[0047] Referring now to Figure 10 another vehicle article carrier system 100 is shown in accordance with the present disclosure. The system 100 in this example includes a pair of track assemblies 102a and 102b that are secured to, or near, the upper surfaces of the top of a pickup box 16, more specifically the “box side outer panel” and inner reinforcement array, but also to the inner wall of the box inner panel and reinforcements. The box 16 typically includes a pair of sidewalls 14 extending generally parallel to one another. A motor drive system 104 may include a reversible DC motor 106, similar or identical gear reduction systems 108 coupled to the output shaft (e.g.,armature, not visible) of the DC motor 106, drive rod-like elements 110 coupled at one end each to outputs of the gear reduction systems 108, and gear boxes 112 in communication with a distal end of a lead screw (not visible in Figure 10 but shown as component 136 in Figures 11 -15) of each track assembly 102a and 102b. Gear boxes 112 may be bevel gear or worm gear assemblies for transmitting the rotational force provided by the drive rod-like elements 110 90 degrees into a distal end of each lead screw. As will be explained in greater detail in the following paragraphs, the motor drive system 104 enables a load hoop, such as load hoop 18, to be driven simultaneously fore and aft along the track assemblies 102 using only a single motor.

[0048] It will also be appreciated that the location of the DC motor 106 shown in Figure 10 is just one example of a suitable location for the DC motor. For example, those skilled in the art will recognize that other locations, for example at either end of either one of the lead screws 136 discussed in Figures 11 -15, could be suitable locations for the DC motor 106 provided suitable gear boxes are included for coupling / transferring the driving force of one lead screw 136 to the other lead screw.

[0049] Referring to Figure 11 , one of the track assemblies 102a is shown in greater detail. In this example the track assemblies 102a and 102b are mirror images / constructions of one another, so only track assembly 102a will be discussed. Track assembly 102a includes a housing 114 having a base portion 116 and an overlapping arm portion 114a. Mounted on the base portion 116 is an elongated linear rail element 118 having a pair of spaced apart circumferential linear rails 118a and a mounting block portion 118b. The linear rail element 118 with its linear rails 118a extends preferably an entire length of the track assembly 102a. The linear rail element 118 is a commercially available component readily available from a wide variety of manufacturers. One particular manufacturer of linear rails is Igus, Inc. of East Providence Rhode Island. The mounting block portion 118b is secured via a threaded element 120 which extends through a bore 122 in the mounting block portion 118b. A threaded end portion of the threaded element 120 may be secured to the box via a nut, adjacent to the bed sidewall 16 to securely hold the entire housing 114 and linear rail element 118 to the bed sidewall.

[0050] It will be appreciated that while the linear rail element 118 includes the pair of circumferential linear rails 118a, other shapes of linear rails (e.g., square, rectangular, pyramidal, oval, etc.) could be implemented as well. Accordingly, the present disclosure is not limited to any particular cross-sectional shape for the linear rails 118a. It should also be appreciated that linear rail element 118 and housing 114 couldbe extruded as a single piece. However, providing these two components as separate components enables the ability to use different coatings, Teflon or other high wear surfaces IIHMW nylon (e.g., Type II anodize vs Type III) for different wear and friction properties.

[0051] Referring further to Figure 11 , a trolley assembly 124 can be seen slidably affixed to the linear rails 118a of the linear rail element 118. The trolley assembly 124 includes a rail interface portion 126 having a pair of circumferential, spaced apart channels 128. Each channel 128 has a pair of circumferential bearings 130 (only one in each channel 128 being visible in the figure) captured therein. The trolley assembly 124 further includes an L-shaped upper portion 132 which overlaps the overlapping arm portion 114a of the track assembly housing 114. The L-shape of track assembly housing 114 also provides an important advantage in that eliminates the chance of accidental ingress of the fingers or a hand into the area immediately surrounding the linear rails 118a. The horizontally extending L-shaped upper portion 132 in this example is strictly used for mounting the load hoop to the trolley assembly 124. Strictly speaking, however, the L-shaped horizontally extending upper portion 132, by itself, is not essential, as one could attach the load hoop to the vertical flange portion 124c of the trolley assembly 124.

[0052] The trolley assembly 124 further includes a bore 134 through which a lead screw 136 extends. As will be explained further in the following paragraphs, the lead screw 136 in this example may have a right hand thread, while the lead screw of the other track assembly 102b may have a left hand thread. In this manner the direction of rotation of the lead screws 136 of both track assemblies 102 will be same, thus enabling both of the trolley assemblies 124 of the two track assemblies 102a and 102b 124 to be driven longitudinally simultaneously in the same direction (i.e., either simultaneously toward a fore end of the truck bed 16 or towards the aft end of the truck bed). This could also be achieved using the same lead screws (both RH) but incorporating a suitable transmission that would allow the drive shafts to the lead screws 136 to run in opposite directions.

[0053] Referring further to Figures 11 and 12, the trolley assembly 124 can be seen to include a flexible cable carrier 138 that carries at least a pair of conductors 140 that are routed up into the load hoop (e.g., load hoop 18 in Figure 1 ), which is mounted on the trolley assembly 124 when the system 100 is fully assembled and operative. The flexible cable carrier 138 is positioned within a channel 139 of the track assembly 114 which extends along a full length of the track assembly. The conductors enable DCpower to be supplied to a Center High Mounted Stop Lamp (CHMSL(CHMSL)) or to auxiliary lights, electrical equipment, or electrical outlets, or any other components carried on the load hoop 18 (see Figure 1 ) that require electrical power for operation. The CHMSL is presently required on light pickup trucks and SLIVs manufactured in the United States, so providing DC power up into the load hoop 16 through the conductors 140 is necessary at least for vehicles being sold for use in the United States. The flexible cable carrier 138 is a readily commercially available component available from a number of different manufacturers including, but not limited to, Igus, Inc., mentioned hereinbefore. When the trolley assembly 124 is driven to one extreme point of travel along the linear rail element 118 the flexible cable carrier 138 will be laid out in a generally flat orientation within a U-shaped portion 114b (Figure 11 ) of the track housing 114, which prevents any physical contact of the flexible portion of the flexible cable carrier 138 with the trolley assembly 124. A connector portion 138a of the flexible cable carrier 138 may be secured in any suitable manner to the rail interface portion 126 of the trolley assembly 124, such as by a set screw, adhesives, etc., which enables the trolley assembly 124 to move freely back and forth along the circumferential linear rails 118a without any risk of contacting the flexible portion of the flexible cable carrier 138.

[0054] Referring now to Figures 13 and 14, a view of an undersurface of the trolley assembly 124 can be seen. The circumferential bearings 130 are captured in desired points in the channels 128 by an 0-ring like connection in which a protruding shoulder 130a of each bearing engages within a formed groove 128a in the channel 128. The circumferential bearings 130 are slightly flexible and can be radially compressed slightly while being inserted into the circumferential channels 128. When the protruding shoulder 128a of each circumferential bearing reaches the groove 128a, it simply snaps into engagement with the groove, making assembly extremely quick, tool free and precise. The circumferential bearings 130 are thus captured and prevented from moving linearly within the channels 128 as the trolley assembly 124 moves along the linear rail elements 118. It will be appreciated that the circumferential bearings 130 are but one example of a suitable type of bearing to accomplish smooth linear movement of the trolley assembly 124. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that numerous other forms of bearing / implements can be used to enable smooth linear movement of the trolley assembly 124 without tangible play between the trolley assembly and the linear guide rails 118, and as such the present disclosure is not limited to use with only one type of bearing.

[0055] With reference to Figure 13 and 15, the trolley assembly 124 can also be seen to include a pair of cutouts 124a and 124b which house separate drive nuts 142a and 142b, respectively. Drive nuts 142a and 142b are identical in construction in this example (but need not be perfectly identical), and include a threaded bore 142a1 and 142b1 , respectively, which engages the lead screw 136. Since the drive nuts 142a and 142b are captured in cutouts 124a and 124b, they are held stationary within the trolley assembly 124. Rotation of the lead screw 136 in a first rotational direction causes linear movement of the trolley assembly 124 along the linear rails 118 in a first direction, while rotation in a second, or opposite, rotational direction causes linear movement of the entire trolley assembly in a second direction opposite to the first direction. Thus, simply controlling the DC drive signal to reverse the direction of the output shaft of the electric motor 106 enables the trolley assembly 124 to be driven fore and aft along the linear rail elements 118 as need to position the load hoop (e.g., load hoop 118) as needed in the truck bed 16.

[0056] With specific reference to Figure 15, the cutout 124b can be seen to be larger in volume and length than the cutout 124a, and also includes a biasing element, which in this example is a coil spring 144. The coil spring 144 is located over the lead screw 136. The coil spring 144 acts as an anti-lash component to take up any lash present between the trolley assembly 124 and the drive blocks 142a / 142b. Potentially other types of biasing elements could be used in place of the coil spring 144, although use of a coil spring makes assembly particularly easy and cost effective, and without unnecessarily complicating the integration / assembly of an anti-lash component into the trolley assembly 124.

[0057] The vehicle article carrier system 100 thus forms a robust yet highly cost effective system for adjustably positioning a load hoop as needed over a truck bed. The system 100 is not limited to use with only pickup trucks, and is readily adaptable with little or no modification to other forms of vehicles such as the SLIVs and vans. Accordingly, the system 100 could be implemented just as readily on a roof of an SUV, station wagon, van, etc. to adjustable position a conventional cross bar. The system the DC motor 106 could be configured to be controlled by the vehicle’s ECM (electronic control module) and a KEYFOB for remote control using the KEYFOB and / or other controls within the interior area of the vehicle. Such a configuration could also incorporate one or more user programmable locations for the load hoop 16 to be positioned at.

[0058] It will also be appreciated that some, or potentially many, of the features described above for the system 10 may be integrated into the system 100, and vice versa.

[0059] It will also be appreciated then that the teachings of the present disclosure could be applied to applications and / or vehicles that do not involve a pickup truck, but where a longitudinally adjustably positionable load hoop would be useful for supporting cargo of varying lengths and shapes above a floor area. Still other possible applications may involve, merely as examples and without limitation, use of the system 10, with possible minor modifications, within a railway car, a semi-truck trailer, an interior or exterior area of marine vessel, or even an aircraft cargo area. The systems 10 and 100 may potentially dramatically improve the useability of space within any of these types of vehicles or structures.

[0060] The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.

[0061] Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and will fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail.

[0062] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having,” are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not precludethe presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.

[0063] When an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0064] Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.

[0065] Spatially relative terms, such as “inner,” “outer,” “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. Spatially relative terms may be intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the example term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:1 . An adjustable load bearing system for use with a load supporting element being used on a motor vehicle, the system comprising: a reversible motor; a pair of track assemblies secured to spaced apart portions of the vehicle, with the track assemblies being secured generally parallel to one another along a length of the vehicle; each said track assembly including: a linear rail element secured to the track assembly; a trolley assembly positioned on the linear rail element and movable linearly, the trolley assembly being used to move the load supporting element lengthwise along the vehicle; and a lead screw in communication with the trolley assembly and with the motor, and configured to translate the trolley assembly along at least a portion of the length of the vehicle in response to signals from the motor.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the track assembly further comprises an elongated channel disposed along one side thereof; wherein the trolley assembly includes a flexible cable carrier having a plurality of electrical conductors, a portion of the flexible cable carrier being positioned within the elongated channel; and the electrical conductors being used to provide power to a component carried on the load supporting element regardless of a position of the trolley assembly.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the track assembly includes: a base portion to which the linear rail element is secured; and an overlapping arm portion configured to cover a portion of the trolley assembly, the linear rail element and the lead screw, without interfering with longitudinal movement of the trolley assembly.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the trolley assembly includes an L-shaped upper portion that extends over and covers a substantial portion of the overlapping arm portion of the track assembly.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the linear rail element comprises a pair of circumferential linear rails disposed parallel to one another.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the trolley assembly includes a rail interface portion having a pair of circumferential spaced apart channels, and each one of said pair of circumferential spaced apart channels including a circumferential bearing making contact with an associated one of the pair of circumferential linear rails.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the trolley assembly includes at least one cutout and a drive nut housed in the at least one cutout, the drive nut receiving the lead screw and enabling longitudinal movement of the trolley assembly in response to rotational movement of the lead screw.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a coil spring disposed over the lead screw and positioned in the at least one cutout adjacent the drive nut, the coil spring configured to take up lash present between the trolley assembly and the drive block.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the reversible motor comprises a reversible DC motor.

10. The system of claim 1 , further comprising: a gear box operably associated with the motor; a pair of drive rod-like elements operably associated with the gear box and with the lead screw of each said track assembly; the pair of drive rod-like elements being configured to transmit rotational force to the lead screw of each said track assembly to simultaneously drive the lead screws rotationally in a common rotational direction.11 . The system of claim 10, wherein one of the lead screws comprises a left hand thread and the other one of the lead screws comprises a right hand thread.

12. An adjustable load bearing system for use with a load supporting element being used over a box of a pickup truck, the system comprising: a reversible motor; a gear box in communication with the motor; a pair of track assemblies secured to spaced apart portions of the box of the pickup truck, with the track assemblies being secured generally parallel to one another along a portion of a length of the pickup truck; each said track assembly including: a linear rail element having a pair of parallel linear rails, the linear rail element being secured to the track assembly; a trolley assembly positioned on the pair of parallel linear rails of the linear rail element and movable linearly, the trolley assembly being used to move the load supporting element lengthwise along the vehicle; a drive nut fixedly disposed in a cutout in the trolley assembly; a lead screw extending through a bore in the trolley assembly and in communication at one end thereof with the gear box and threadably engaged with the drive nut, the lead screw configured to be driven rotationally by the motor via the gear box such that the threaded engagement with the drive nut causes the trolley assembly to be translatable bi-directionally over at least a portion of the length of the vehicle in response to signals from the motor.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the track assembly includes an elongated U- shaped channel extending along one side thereof.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the trolley assembly includes a flexible cable carrier having a plurality of electrical conductors, the flexible cable carrier being positioned within the elongated U-shaped channel; and the electrical conductors being used to provide power to a component carried on the load bearing element regardless of a position of the trolley assembly along the track assemblies.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the linear rails are circumferential in cross- sectional shape.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the trolley assembly includes a rail interface portion having a pair of circumferential spaced apart channels, and: each one of said pair of circumferential spaced apart channels including a circumferential bearing making contact with an associated one of the pair of parallel linear rails.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the reversible motor comprises a reversible DC motor.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein one of the lead screws comprises a left hand thread and the other one of the lead screws comprises a right hand thread.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the trolley assembly comprises a base portion which the pair of linear rail element are secured to; and an overlapping arm portion configured to cover a portion of the trolley assembly, the linear rail element and the lead screw, without interfering with longitudinal movement of the trolley assembly; and wherein the trolley assembly includes an L-shaped upper portion that extends over and covers a substantial portion of the overlapping arm portion of the track assembly.

20. A method for enabling adjustable positioning of a load supporting element being used over a box of a pickup truck, the method comprising: providing a motor; securing a pair of track assemblies to spaced apart portions of the vehicle, with the track assemblies being secured generally parallel to one another along a length of the vehicle; each said track assembly including: a linear rail element secured to the track assembly; a trolley assembly positioned on the linear rail element, the trolley assembly being used to move the load supporting element lengthwise along the vehicle; and a lead screw in communication with the trolley assembly and with the motor;using the motor to drive the lead screw rotationally in a desired rotational direction; and using rotational movement of the lead screw to translate the trolley assembly along at least a portion of the length of the vehicle in response to signals from the motor.

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