Variable Height Load Strips for Roof Rack Bar Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Roof rack kits face issues with load carrying bars not being horizontally aligned, leading to uneven weight distribution and potential displacement of loads during transportation, due to height differences between bars, which can cause noise, wind resistance, and damage to the vehicle or accessories.
Innovation Solution
A roof rack kit with adjustable load strips that protrude vertically from the load carrying bars, allowing for height adjustment to align the load carrying surfaces, reducing play and ensuring secure attachment of loads, while also minimizing wind noise and dirt accumulation in slots.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If load carrying bars are mounted on the vehicle roof, then load capacity is improved, but height difference between bars causes uneven weight distribution and load displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces load strips with variable heights (first load strip with first height, second load strip with second height) to compensate for height differences between load carrying bars. By changing the height parameter of the load strips, the system achieves horizontal alignment of the load carrying surfaces without requiring precise manufacturing of the bars themselves.
2Adaptability or versatility
If slots are provided in load carrying bars for accessory attachment, then adaptability is improved, but wind noise and dirt accumulation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the slot opening from the load carrying bar by providing load strips that cover the slots. The load strips are positioned to extend over the slot openings, removing the harmful exposed slots while preserving the attachment functionality through the load strip interface.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If load carrying bars have wing like cross section, then wind resistance and noise are reduced, but slot attachment problems increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces load strips as intermediary elements between the wing-like load carrying bars and the accessories. The load strips provide a standardized attachment interface that simplifies the attachment system while maintaining the aerodynamic benefits of the wing-like bar cross section.
Data Source
AI summary
A roof rack kit includes at least a first and a second load carrying bar attachable to a vehicle and adapted to extend across the roof of the vehicle. The roof rack kit further includes a first load strip with a first height protruding vertically from the outer periphery of the first load carrying bar and a second load strip having a second height protruding vertically from the outer periphery of the second load carrying bar. The first height of the first load strip is different from the second height of the second load strip, so as to compensate for a height difference between the first and the second load carrying bar when the first and the second load carrying bars are mounted on the vehicle.