Stowable Cross Bar Locking Mechanism for Vehicle Carriers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle article carrier systems face challenges such as wind resistance from cross bars, difficulty in storing them due to length, and issues with securing end supports to support rails, particularly for individuals with limited hand strength, leading to potential loosening and wobbling.
Innovation Solution
The system includes a cross bar with end supports featuring a rotatable locking component with a spring biased ball plunger or structural elements in a circumferential pattern, providing additional holding force and ease of use, allowing for quick deployment and stowing of cross bars without external tools and accommodating varying user strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If cross bars are removed to eliminate wind resistance, then aerodynamic performance is improved, but cross bars cannot be easily stored inside the vehicle due to their length
Solution Approach 1:
The cross bar is nested within a receiving structure formed by the end support and housing when in the stowed position. The end support can rotate to bring the cross bar into alignment with the receiving structure, allowing it to be stored compactly within the vehicle without requiring separate storage space.
2Reliability
If more rotational force is applied to the rotatable locking member to prevent loosening, then security is improved, but individuals with limited hand strength cannot apply sufficient force
Solution Approach 1:
A spring-biased ball plunger acts as an intermediary between the user's manual input and the locking mechanism. The spring provides additional force to ensure secure locking without requiring the user to apply excessive manual force, making the system accessible to individuals with limited hand strength while maintaining reliable locking security.
3Ease of operation
If cross bars are stored inside the vehicle, then storage convenience is improved, but cargo space is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cross bar is nested within the end support assembly itself, which is already mounted on the vehicle. This eliminates the need for separate cargo space for storage, as the cross bar utilizes the existing structural space within the end support and housing when in the stowed position.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If cross bars are made removable to eliminate wind resistance, then aerodynamic performance is improved, but removal requires special tools and time consuming procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The rotatable locking member with spring-biased ball plunger serves as an intermediary mechanism that enables tool-free operation. The spring-biased design automatically provides the necessary locking and unlocking forces, allowing users to quickly remove or install cross bars without requiring special tools or complex procedures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution reduces wind resistance by allowing cross bars to be stowed aerodynamically, enhances security by providing additional holding force to prevent loosening, and simplifies installation and removal, making the system usable by individuals with limited hand strength.
Implementation Method 1
one of the housing and the rotatable locking component having a spring biased ball plunger projecting therefrom
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle article carrier system for use on an outer body surface of a vehicle. The system may have a pair of support rails secured to the outer body surface. At least one cross bar having a pair of end supports extends between the support rails. Each end support has a housing and a rotatable locking component secured to the housing for rotatable movement. One of the housing and the rotatable locking component has a biased implement projecting therefrom, and the other has a plurality of structural elements arranged in a circumferential pattern. The biased implement engages with at least one of the structural elements to provide an additional holding force to the rotatable locking component when the rotatable locking component has been tightened.