FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is concerned with a roof rack and in particular with a roof rack which is suitable for use on a vehicle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Roof racks for vehicles are well known in various forms. Most recently, roof racks for vehicles have been designed so that they may be locked onto the vehicle roof. Some of these lock into the vehicle roof gutter and some onto channels which have been provided in the vehicle roof for this purpose. Locking roof racks require a key to lock and unlock them.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention, at least in some embodiments, to provide an improved roof rack which may be locked onto a vehicle roof without the need for a key. It is a further object of the present invention, in some embodiments, to provide a roof rack which has a facility for power and/or data feed for accessories which may be mounted on the roof rack and which may require power and/or data.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention provides a roof rack including: a roof rack bar having first and second ends; a locking lever mounted on the first end of the roof rack bar and adapted to be moved between a locked position and an unlocked position, the locking lever having a locking tongue adapted to engage an element on the roof; and a fastener for locking the locking lever in the locked position; wherein the fastener includes material adapted to contract when activated and wherein activation of the material is adapted to unlock the locking lever.

The roof rack bar may be of any suitable configuration, having regard to the nature of the invention.

The locking lever is mounted on the first end of the roof rack bar. Optionally, a second locking lever may be mounted on the second end, although this may not be necessary, since the second end can usually be fitted to the roof and the roof rack is not removable unless the first end is released. The locking tongue is preferably hinged to the roof rack bar or able to pivot in relation to the roof rack bar around a pivot point The locking tongue of the locking lever engages an element on the roof. The element may be an overhang of a channel mounted on the vehicle roof for this purpose. Alternately, the element may be the roof gutter if of appropriate design. The element is not confined to these embodiments. The fastener for locking the locking lever in the locked position includes material adapted to. contract when activated. The material adapted to contract when activated is preferably shape memory alloy wire. Shape memory alloys are known and are usually made predominantly or wholly of titanium and nickel. They may also include other material, such as aluminium, zinc and copper. A shape memory alloy is capable of adopting one shape below a predetermined transition temperature and changing to a second shape once its temperature exceeds the transition temperature. Conversely, when the shape memory alloy cools below the transition temperature, it is capable of adopting the first shape again. In connection with the various aspects of the present invention, the shape memory alloy contracts when heated in situ. Shape memory alloy wire currently available, such as that sold under the name Nitinol, is capable of contracting by about 3% when activated by heating.

Activation of the material adapted to contract when activated is preferably achieved through electrical resistance heating, with a wire feed to the assembly. Activation of the shape memory alloy wire can be initiated from a central location, using the wiring system of the vehicle. Most modern vehicles have computer networks which can be useful for this purpose. It is also within the scope of this invention that the activation is initiated by remote means, preferably using a key fob for the vehicle, through the use of any suitable form of energy, including microwave, electromagnetic, sonic, infrared, radio frequency and so on. Radio frequency is especially preferred. Some suitable fasteners are disclosed in International Patent Application PCT/AU2004/001580 (the "International Application"), the contents of which are imported herein by reference.

The "stud" fastener which is disclosed in the International Application is particularly preferred. In this embodiment, the locking lever preferably includes a stud or pin which can be received in and locked into a stud fastener set into the roof rack bar. Activation

by radio frequency from the key fob can cause activation of the Nitinol material which contracts and allows the stud to be released from the fastener. Preferably, a spring within the fastener helps to eject the stud when unlocked. It is also preferred that the stud may be pushed into the fastener without the need for activation of the Nitinol material, in order to lock the locking lever to the roof rack bar.

It is also preferred that the roof rack bar has incorporated in it power and/or data feeds to enable accessories mounted on the roof rack bar to be connected to power and/or data, preferably controlled via the car dashboard. Thus, for example, lights or illuminated signs may be mounted on the roof rack of the invention. Any message appearing on an illuminated sign may be changed according to a data feed to the sign.

It is also preferred that the roof rack of the invention is connected to a vehicle computer, so that an appropriate signal on the vehicle dashboard may be given to signify locking or unlocking of the roof rack bar.

While it is preferred that the roof rack of the present invention is connected to a vehicle computer, it is not necessary that this be the configuration. For example, power may be supplied to the roof rack of the invention through a separate power supply, such as a battery. It is also within the scope of this invention that power be supplied from a power pack which forms part of the roof rack. The power pack maybe solar trickle charged, for example. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in connection with certain non-limiting examples thereof and compared with the prior art in the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of a prior art keyed roof rack;

Figure 2 shows a detail of the roof rack of Figure 1 with the locking lever in the open position;

Figure 3 illustrates how, in the prior art, a key is used to lock and unlock the roof rack;

Figure 4 shows a cross sectional view of the locking lever in the prior art assembly; Figure 5 is a partial perspective view of a vehicle having an embodiment of roof rack according to the present invention;

Figure 6 shows the roof rack of Figure 5 with the locking lever in the open position;

Figure 7 illustrates the roof rack of Figures 5 and 6 in the locked position; and Figure 8 is a cross sectional view of part of the roof rack of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring first to Figures 1 to 4, vehicle 10 is shown having a prior art roof rack 12 mounted on its roof 14. Roof rack 12 has a roof rack bar 16 with, at one end, a locking lever 18 (refer Figures 2-4).

Locking lever 18 is designed to be received in depression 20. Locking lever 18 is locked and unlocked by inserting key 22 in lock 24. Tt will be appreciated that lock 24 is subject to receipt of dust, insects, etc as vehicle 10 travels.

Vehicle 10 is provided with a pair of channels 26, one of which is shown in Figure 4 (see also Figure 1). Channel 26 includes overhang lip 28. As can be seen from Figure 4, locking lever 18 includes locking tongue 30 which engages overhang lip 28 when locking lever 18 is in the locked position, thus locking roof rack 12 to roof 14 of vehicle 10.

Turning now to the embodiments of the roof rack of the invention in Figures 5 to 8, vehicle 10 is shown with roof rack 42 in place on vehicle roof 14. As was the case with the prior art, vehicle 10 includes a pair of channels 26. Each channel 26 has an overhang lip 28 (see Figure 8).

Roof rack 42 has roof rack bar 46 with, at first end 47, locking lever 18. Locking lever 18 does not however include keyed lock 24 which was shown in Figures 1 and 3. Instead, locking lever 18 has stud or pin 48 (refer Figures 6 and 8) which can be received in and locked into fastener 50. In this embodiment, fastener 50 is of the "stud" type disclosed in the International Application.

Locking lever 18 includes locking tongue 30 adapted to engage overhang lip 28 when locking lever 18 is in the locked position.

In this embodiment, roof rack bar 46 includes power and data nodes 52 (refer Figure 5) for accessories which can be connected to roof rack bar 46, In the embodiment shown in Figures 5 to 7, channel 26 includes power and data tracks 54, for providing power and data to fastener 50 and also to roof rack bar 46.

Locking lever 18 may be locked into fastener 50 by pushing locking lever 18 closed. Further details of this mechanism are given, in the International Application. To release locking lever 18 and to enable roof rack bar 46 to be removed from roof 14, button 55 on key fob 56 (refer Figure 7) is pressed, sending a radio frequency signal to fastener 50. The Nitinol shape memory alloy in fastener 50 is activated and contracts, releasing stud 48 and hence unlocking lever 18.

Light 58 (Figure 5) on the dashboard of vehicle 10 lights up to verify that locking lever 18 has been released.

It will be noted that locking lever 18 has a flush appearance as shown in Figures 5 and 7 and that there is no keyhole to attract dust, insects, etc.

Although in Figures 5 to 8 power and data delivery system 54 is shown, this can be omitted and, instead, a self-contained power pack, which can be solar trickled charged, may be located on roof rack bar 46, for example, at 60 (refer Figure 8). A normal battery may be used instead. This self contained power pack can provide power to fastener 50. If the roof rack of the invention is attached to the vehicle communication and computer system, in the event that locking lever 18 is not properly locked, the vehicle may be programmed to flash a warning light and, in one embodiment, immobilise the ignition so that the vehicle cannot be moved without locking down the roof rack.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the various arts, the invention disclosed herein is not limited to the examples set out and has wide applications in many areas, representing significant advances in the relevant art. In particular, the invention provides a roof rack which is far more sophisticated compared to prior art roof racks, permitting the application of modern technology.