TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to ^' an apparatus which is in¬ tended for the pairwise transport of elongate, panel- shaped objects, preferably so-called snow-boards or mono- skis. The apparatus coiήprises a strut extending trans- versely across a vehicle roof and secured in side edge portions of the vehicle roof, the strut being provided with a holder device which holds the objects in at least one accommodation space, with the longitudinal direction in the direction of travel of the vehicle and the lateral direction inclining in relation to the vertical.'

BACKGROUND ART

A plurality of different types of holders intended for the transport of skis are previously known in this Art. Such prior Art ski-racks or ' ski-holders also include such ap¬ paratuses in which the skis lie in the longitudinal di¬ rection of the vehicle and with the lateral direction of the skis inclining in relation to a vertical line. •

For example, DE 2.830 676 discloses a ski-holder in which the skis have the above-mentioned orientation. The holder according to this publication is complex and expensive to manufacture, circumstantial to use and designed in such a way that, in the transport of large and heavy objects, it must be considered as of doubtful reliability in terms of mechanical strength.

PROBLEM STRUCTURE

The present invention has for its object to realise an ap¬ paratus for the transport of elongate, panel-shaped ob¬ jects, primarily quite wide such objects, according to

which the apparatus may be manufactured in a simple and economical manner which is nevertheless satisfactory from the viewpoint of mechanical strength. The present in¬ vention further has for its object to realise an apparatus which possesses good transport capacity so that a plu¬ rality of objects may be transported on one and the same vehicle. The present invention further has for its object to realise an apparatus which permits transport, without any risk that parts projecting from the objects, such as bindings, will come into contact with the vehicle roof. Finally, the present invention further has for its object to realise an apparatus in which loading and unloading of the objects may readily be effected even on very tall ve¬ hicles .

SOLUTION

The objects forming the basis of the present invention will be attained if the apparatus intimated by way of in- troduction is characterised in that the holder is provided with a substantially rigid anchorage portion with at least two, preferably three approximately parallel fingers which incline in relation to the vertical ; that there are pro¬ vided, at least projecting outside the mutually facing surfaces of the fingers, gripping members of resiliently yieldable material; and that the holder further includes devices engaging with the objects and disposed to prevent displacement of the objects in the longitudinal direction of the fingers .

According to a first embodiment of the present invention, the anchorage portion is suitably formed from two outer portions which are in spaced-apart relationship and are manufactured from panel-shaped material, these portions being rigidly interconnected via connection devices ex¬ tending between these outer portions, and the gripping members are provided with parts which are disposed between the outer portions .

This embodiment is also suitably characterised in that the gripping members are provided as a continuous intermediate section of approximately the same configuration as the an¬ chorage portion, the fingers of the intermediate section being wider than the fingers of the anchorage portion.

In one variation of this embodiment, it further suitably applies according to the present invention that the grip¬ ping members are provided in the form of a strap which ex- tends about the connection devices and is held by these in a position where it follows at least along the contour of the fingers.

A second embodiment of the present invention is suitably characterised- in that the anchorage portion is produced as a substantially solid portion manufactured, for example, of plastic; and that the gripping members are applied ex¬ teriorly on this portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described in greater de¬ tail hereinbelow, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings. In the accompanying Drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the embodiment of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial section through one variation of the embodiment according to Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 4 is a section taken along the section line A-A in Fig. 3 of a further modified embodiment of the in¬ vention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the Drawings, in Fig. 1, reference numeral 1 relates to a strut which, by the intermediary of suitable foot arrangements, is secured transversely of the longi¬ tudinal direction of a vehicle, over the vehicle roof. In such instance, the foot arrangements secure the strut to side edge portions of the vehicle roof in a per se known manner. The apparatus according to the invention further includes a holder device 2 which is secured in adjustable position along the strut and which, at its lower end, is provided with anchorage portions 3 which straddle the strut 1 and are securable on the strut 1 by the inter¬ mediary of screws extending through the anchorage portions 3 and cooperating with nuts or cross heads 4. In this in¬ stance, the screws on which the nuts or cross heads 4 are disposed naturally extend more or less closely adjacent the underside of the strut.

The lower anchorage portions 3 of the holder device 2 are further provided with a through hole 5 which is intended for the passage beneath the strut of a so-called cable shackle by means of which a load carried by the holder de¬ vice 2 may be rendered theft-proof.

The holder device 2 is further designed in such a manner as to be provided with at least one but preferably two ac¬ commodation spaces 6 in which the elongate objects, pref¬ erably so-called snow-boards or onoskis, are insertable obliquely from above. Thus, in the mounted state, the transverse direction of the objects will make an angle with a vertical line. Furthermore, the objects will be placed such that parts projecting from the objects such as bindings will be turned in the opposite direction. The ac¬ commodation spaces are further placed so that their upper, obliquely laterally directed openings are located facing outwardly towards the vehicle side.

The holder device 2 is further provided with at least two, but preferably three elongate fingers 7 which are approxi¬ mately parallel to one another and which define the above- -mentioned accommodation spaces 6. At least the fingers 7 are provided with gripping members 8 whose purpose is to abut against the transported objects.

In the embodiment comprising two fingers, the accommo¬ dation space 6 is wider than is apparent from Fig. 1, this accommodation space being intended for two objects lying against one another. In the embodiment according to Fig. 1 , each accommodation space 6 is intended for only one ob¬ ject.

It will further be apparent from the Figure that the holder device 2 is provided with means for fixedly retain¬ ing the transported objects in the accommodation spaces 6, by preventing the objects from moving in the longitudinal direction of the fingers 7. These means consist of two fasteners 9 and 10, respectively, secured in the outer fingers, and of which the fastener 9 serves for permanent anchorage of a strap 11, while the fastener 10 is designed with a catch for permitting removable and adjustable securement of the opposing end of the strap. When the ap- paratus according to the present invention is reduced into practice, the strap 11 will, thus, extend about the edge portions of those transported objects which are not accom¬ modated in the accommodation spaces 6.

Fig. 2 illustrates in detail the design and construction of apparatus according to the invention. It will be ap¬ parent from this Figure that the holder device 2 is pro¬ vided with two spaced-apart outer portions 12 with the fingers 7. The outer portions 12 are produced from panel- shaped, substantially rigid material, ideally sheet metal.

In the mounted state of the apparatus according to the present invention, an intermediate section 13 is located between the outer portions 12 and is produced from an at least partly resiliently yieldable material and which, in the illustrated embodiment, is of one-piece construction. The intermediate section 13 is designed so as simulta¬ neously to constitute the gripping members 8 which, as is apparent from the Drawing, may be grooved or also provided with protruding pins or projections.

In the illustrated embodiment, both the outer portions 12 and the intermediate section 13 are provided with aper¬ tures 14 through which connection devices 15 in the form of screws or rivets are intended to extend in the mounted state of the apparatus according to the invention.

While it is not apparent from Fig. 2, there may suitably be disposed, in the apertures 14, spacers of rigid ma¬ terial through which the connection devices 15 extend so that, after locking thereof, both of the outer portions will constitute a rigid unit substantially without the cooperation of the intermediate section 13.

It will be apparent from both Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 that the outer portions 12 are provided, beneath the fingers 7, with outwardly angled shoulders 16 so that, thereby, the distance between the anchorage portions 3 of the outer portions will be greater than the inner distance between the fingers 7. These shoulders 16 will, in the mounted state of the apparatus according to the invention on the strut 1 , rest on the strut and thereby prevent the holder device 2 from tilting by being twisted or rotated about an axis which is approximately parallel to any of the rivets

15. As a result of this design, material savings will also be made in the intermediate section 13, since this will then be thinner.

DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 3 shows a partial view of a modified embodiment of the present invention, the outer portion 12 facing the ob¬ server having been removed for purposes of clarity.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 3, the gripping mem¬ bers 8 and/or the intermediate section 13 are of a dif¬ ferent design and construction as compared with the em¬ bodiment according to Figs. 1 and 2. Use is also made in the embodiment according to Fig. 3 of two spaced-apart outer portions 12 consisting of panel-shaped substantially rigid material and forming at least two, but preferably three fingers 7 extending approximately in parallel. Also in this embodiment, the outer portions 12 are mutually interconnected by the intermediary of connection devices 15 which, also in this embodiment, may consist of rivets.

As opposed to the disclosure with reference to the above- described embodiment, the gripping members 8 are designed as one elongate belt 17 which, with at least one part 19, is located in between the outer portions 12 and, in par¬ ticular, their fingers 7. In the illustrated embodiment, •the belt extends as an endless loop and is tensioned over the connection devices 15. The belt 17 is arranged in such a manner as to follow the edges of the fingers 7 and has portions 20 which lie outside the cross section of the fingers, these portions being intended to come into con¬ tact with the transported object.

The connection devices 15 are, at the bottom of the accom- modation spaces 6, provided with bushings 18 of yieldable material, or with arrest means ^" of other design,which are intended partly to retain the gripping members 8 in the correct position and partly to_ be capable of abutting ag¬ ainst an edge portion of a transported object located in the accommodation space 6. As shown in Fig. 3, similar bushings may possibly be employed at the outer ends of the

fingers, even though this is not necessary.

If the belt 17 is tightened sufficiently, the gripping members 8 will hereby possess enough resistance against being forced in wholly between the fingers 7 on the outer portions 12 so that thereby the transported object is pre¬ vented from coming into direct contact with the edges of the fingers. In order to strengthen the resistance against such inward forcing of the gripping members in the region in between the fingers, additional connection devices (not shown on the Drawing) may, however, be employed, these being preferably placed at the inner regions of the fingers 7, one on either side of an accommodation space 6.

While it is not apparent from the Drawing, the belt 17' is suitably produced as a long, ^' continuous web which is joined in a suitable manner so as to achieve the closed loop form. In production, the belt may hereby readily be given ridges or grooves extending in the longitudinal di- rection, or projecting strips which correspond to the grooving on the gripping members 8 in the embodiment ac¬ cording to Figs. 1 and 2. Apart from the possible grooving on the sides of the belt facing towards the accommodation spaces 6, the belt may, in the embodiment according to Fig. 3, be of substantially rectangular cross section.

In order to prevent the belt 17 from being forced in bet¬ ween the fingers 7 of the outer portions 12, the belt may have that cross sectional configuration which is shown in Fig. 4. It will be apparent from this ^' Figure that both fingers 7 of the outer portions are in spaced-apart re¬ lationship from one another and that a sleeve 18 is dis¬ posed therebetween, as well as a rivet 15 serving as con¬ nection device. The belt 17 has an inner part 19 which, at the outer ends of the fingers 7, lies 'about the sleeve or bushing 18 or, in the absence thereof, directly against the connection device 15. Along the remaining longitudinal

section of the fingers 7, the inner part 19 of the belt 17 is also located in between the fingers, but is here unsup¬ ported in the transverse direction of the fingers. The belt 17 further has an outer part 20 which is of greater width than the inner distance between the fingers and which may preferably be of the same width as or slightly wider than the outer width over the fingers. Hereby, the belt 17 will have laterally projecting portions 21 which may come into abutment against the edge surfaces 22 of the fingers 7 if the belt were to be exposed to a force ac¬ cording to the arrow B, i.e. transversely of the longi¬ tudinal direction of the fingers 7.

In order to make room for the laterally projecting por- tions 21 of the belt 17 also between the major portions proper of the outer portions 12, i.e. in the region 23 at the bottom of the accommodation spaces 6, the outer por¬ tions 12 may, in this region, be provided with suitable, outwardly directed punched regions so that thereby the bushings or sleeves 18 and the connection devices 15 will, at these regions, be longer than is the case at the outer ends of the fingers 7.

In order to make room for the laterally projecting por- tions 21 on that part of the belt which is located in bet¬ ween the outer portions 12 immediately above the shoulders 16, both of the connection devices 15 which stretch the belt along this part may be placed closer to the shoulders so that, thereby, the projecting portions 21 will be lo- cated beneath the shoulders.

As an alternative to the above-outlined placement of the connection devices 15, the outer portions 12 may, of course, also be provided with corresponding grooves for accommodating the edge portions 21 of the belt.

As an alternative to making the belt 17 in the form of a closed loop, the belt may, of course, also be secured in its outer regions in the area between the bottom of the accommodation spaces 6 and the shoulders 16.

According to a third embodiment of the present invention, the anchorage portion of the holder device 2 may be of one-piece construction, for example by injection moulding of a relatively rigid plastic material. In this embodi- ment, the fingers 7 are included as integral parts in the holder device. Furthermore, this integral part is pref¬ erably provided with downwardly directed anchorage por¬ tions of one-piece manufacture which correspond to the an¬ chorage portions 3 of the outer portions 12.

In the last-described embodiment, the gripping members 8 are applied at least on the mutually facing surfaces of the fingers and may be fixed in place by gluing, or be in¬ jection moulded in a soft, resiliently yieldable material directly against the rigid fingers. In all embodiments, the gripping members 8 may, of course, also be designed as sleeves which are drawn over the fingers and surround them.

The present invention may be further modified without de¬ parting from the spirit and scope of the appended Claims.