The present invention refers to a load carrier for a vehicle, which load carrier having a first part firmly connected with a coupling device for fastening at the vehicle, a thereto displaceable second part movable connected with said first part and having holders for carrying load.

Through US 6 152 341 a load carrier is previously known, which with aid of a arrangement of telescopic tubes can be moved out from the vehicle. It becomes thus possible to get access to a luggage trunk of the vehicle without that the lid of the trunk hit into the load carrier. The previously known device comprising ball bearings for facilitating retraction and extraction of the telescopic tubes. The disadvantage with the previously known load carrier is that the telescopic tubes must be dimensioned in order to be moved out relatively far from the vehicle, so that the lid of the trunk should not hit the load carrier. For example, in connection with a load carrier for bicycles, or other high load, the distance may become so big that the force, which acting on the fastening of the load carrier at the vehicle, becomes to big to carry the load carrier with load via the lever of the telescopic tubes.

Through SE 522 911 a coupling device for a load carrier is previously known. The previously known coupling device comprising gripping means, which enclose a towing hook, wherein a force being applied to clamp the gripping means together. By adapting the force, an intermediate position may be achieved, in which the friction against towing hook is such that the coupling device remains in an adjusted position, but can possible be turned around the ball of the towing hook, by exerting an external force. Thus, it becomes possible to tilt the coupling device downwards, together with the load carrier, at a desired access to a luggage compartment of the vehicle. The previously known device has functioning sufficient, but a disadvantage with this solution and similar previously known solutions, is that it can be hard to get access to operate the devises which control the gripping means, when a load carrier support being loaded, with several bicycles, a box or similar.

The purpose with the present invention is to achieve a compact and easy operated tilting function for a load carrier, which simultaneously increase the access to the trunk of the vehicle.

The present invention overcomes the above described disadvantages with a device of introductory mentioned kind, which being characterised in that the second part is moveable, from a transporting position along an arched path to a loading position, to permit access to the trunk of the vehicle, by achieving a simultaneously extraction and tilting of the second part.

Preferably, the first part comprises at least one curved guiding rail, which extends backwards out of the vehicle, wherein the second part comprises at least one transport device, which runs along said guiding rail.

The first part is formed of an essential rectangular framework, comprising a coupling device fastened to an inner beam, which coupling device is intended to be anchored at a towing hook or similar of the vehicle, and at least one side bracket, which extends out from the vehicle and supports the curved guiding rail.

Suitable, the curved guiding rail is in the shape of a T-profile and preferably said transport device comprising a carriage or a sledge, provided with at least two pair of wheels or similar rolling or sliding devices, which runs on each side of the curved guiding rail. Alternately, the curved guiding rail is in the shape of a C-profile and said transport device comprising a carriage or a sledge, provided with at least two wheels or similar rolling or sliding devices, which runs in the curved guiding rail.

Further, the curved guiding rail having at least one stop notch arranged in each end, which cooperate with at least one recess in the transport device.

By forming said recess with inclined engagement surfaces a centring of the transport device, relatively the curved guiding rail, is achieved, and thereby a stress relieving of the wheels.

Preferably, the load carrier having at least one locking clutch, which fix the second part to the first part in the transporting position. The locking clutch operates suitable by a handle, which is located behind a holder for a licence plate. The handle is in transporting position hidden by the holder, wherein the holder preferably is arranged tiltable and designed in such way that, in a raised position, the holder locks the handle from moving.

The invention will hereafter be described closer with reference to a preferred embodiment, as shown in enclosed figures, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a load carrier according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view in detail of a first part of a load carrier, according to figure 1. Fig. 3 is a view in detail of a second part of a load carrier, according to figure 1. Fig. 4 is a schematic view of a load carrier in a transporting position. Fig. 5 is a schematic view of a load carrier in a tilted loading position mounted on a vehicle.

The figures shows a load carrier 1 , with a first part 2 (fig. 2), intended to be fixed at a towing hook or similar of a vehicle, and a moveable second part 3 (fig. 3). The first part 2 comprising an essential firmly rectangular framework 4 with an inner beam 5 connected with a coupling device 6 for fastening at the vehicle, a outer beam 7 and two side brackets 8 and 9 arranged between the inner beam 5 and the outer beam 7.

A respective curved guiding rail 10 is arranged on the outside of the side brackets 8 and 9. The side brackets and the guiding rails are shown as separate organ, but naturally, it would be possible to manufacture these in one unit. It would also be possible to use only one side bracket, provided with guiding rails on each side of the side bracket. An essential part of the invention is that the guiding rails having an essential length and a relatively the vehicle upwards arched shape. An arched shape refers to a circular arc having a length of the arc, which corresponds to an essential angular change. In the figures, the guiding rails 10 are shown with a constant radius, but within the frame for the present invention, the guiding rails may of course have a varying radius. The guiding rails 10 having a cross-section in the shape of a T-profile,

but also a C-profile would be possible to use. The guiding rails 10 having an inner stop notch 11 , a latch rod 12 and an outer stop notch 13, respectively.

The moveable second part 3 comprising an essential rectangular framework 14, with an inner beam 15, an outer beam 16 and side beams 17 and 18. At the inner side of the side beams 17 and 18 is a respective carriage 19 or sledge arranged close to the inner beam 15. The carriage 19 is provided with two pair of wheels 20a and 20b, and 21a and 21b, respectively, arranged on a distance from each other in the respective end portion 22 and 23 of the carriage 19. In respective end portion 22 and 23, there is a recess 24 and 25, respectively. The carriage 19 has an additional recess 26. At the outer beam 16, an additional recess 27 and a locking clutch 28 are arranged. The locking clutch 28 is operated by a handle 29, which in a transporting position is hidden by a holder 30 for a licence plate. The holder 30 is tillable and in a raised position, the holder locks the ability to move the handle 29. When the carriage 19 is used together with a guiding rail 10, having a C-profile, it is sufficient with two wheels, arranged on a distance from each other.

The second part also comprising fastening means 31 for mounting of holders 32 to carry load. In figure 1 a load carrier 1 with holders 32 for bicycles being shown, in which fastening means 33 being used for firmly tighten the wheels of a bicycle. A load carrier arch 34 is used for firmly tighten the frame of the bicycle by means of a previously known gripping means (not shown).

The load carrier 1 is, in the figures shown, intended to carry three bicycles, but the load carrier can naturally be designed for only one, two or several bicycles. Within the frame for the present invention, different kinds of holders can be mounted at the load carrier, which thereby also may carry other kind of loads, such as a box, ski holders or similar.

The load carrier is preferably made of steel plates and aluminium tubes with circular or other suitable profile. The fastening means for the bicycles and similar details are made of plastic. Naturally, other choice of material is within the frame of the present claims.

Through the present invention, it is thus possible to firmly tighten a load carrier 1 to a towing hook of a vehicle. In a transporting position, as shows in figure 4, the second part 3 is located in its inner position, wherein the carriage 19 via the recess 24 abuts against the stop notch 11 and via recess 27 against the stop notch 13. Through that the recess 24 and 27 are designed with inclined engagement surfaces, the carriage 19 will centring relative to the stop notches and support against these, so that the wheels 20 and 21 will be unloaded. In this transporting position, the second part is being blocked by the locking clutch 28.

By tilting the holder 30 downwards and pulling the handle 29 the locking clutch 28 is opened, wherein the second part 3 can be pulled out from the vehicle. The carriage 19 is moved from the engagement with the stop notches 11 and 13, whereby the wheels 20 and 21 are brought into engagement with the guiding rails 10. By the fact that the guiding rails 10 are curved the second part 3 will successive be moved out from the vehicle simultaneously as it will be tilted downwards. This tilting or turning will proceed until the recess 25 hits the outer stop notch 13 and the recess 26 hits one of the latch pin 12. In addition, in this loading position, shown in figure 5, the inclined engagement surfaces of the recess 25 and 26 will achieve a centring of the carriage 19, whereby the wheels 20 and 21 become unloaded. Through arranging several latch rods 12, it becomes possible to adopt how far a load carrier 1 will be tilted and thereby adopt the load carrier to different car models. It is also possible that the latch rods are designed spring loaded, in such way that the tilting can be performed in several steps. In the loading position, where the load carrier 1 has been pulled out and tilted downwards, as appear from figure 5, a lid of the trunk 35 of the vehicle 36 may be opened without hitting the load carrier 34 or other parts of the load carrier 1.

It would within the frame of the present claims also be possible that the guiding rails 10 are arranged on the inside of the side brackets 8 and 9, or that the second part 3 comprising at least one curved guiding rail 10, which extends backwards out from the vehicle, wherein the first part 2 comprising at least one transport device 19, which runs along said guiding rail 10. The wheels could also be replaced by sliding means, for example, by a combination of a complete C-profile or a part of a C-profile guiding rail with a T-profile guiding rail.

In addition, the load carrier 1 can be provided with a gas spring or similar organ arranged between the first part 2 and the second part 3 for facilitate displacement between the loading position and the transporting position of a loaded load carrier 1. Alternately the load carrier 1 can be provided with a motor operation, for example, the guiding rail may, at least partly, be provided with teeth and that at least one wheel being replaced by a motor operated toothed wheel.