Support for expandable box for vehicles

Field of invention.

The invention is related to a box intended to be fixed to load carriers arranged on a vehicle, where, the volume of the box can be increased from a first smaller volume to a second larger volume when larger objects need to be transported in the box.

Earlier known technique

It is commonly known to arrange boxes on the roof of a vehicle for example to transport skis or other objects. Such boxes have a designated shape and therefore a fixed volume, which results in only objects with a very limited shape can be transported in those boxes. The publication SE 504 607 shows a roof box with a designated shape and a fixed volume.

From the publication FR 2.753.939 it is known to arrange a box so that the volume of the box can be changed from a first smaller volume to a second larger volume by lifting the upper part of the box to an expanded position. The box is held in the expanded position by supports, which consist of two sections connected to each other moveably. The supports are arranged on two opposite sides of the box and moveably arranged on axles fixed to the lower part of the box and the upper part of the box. This will give a design which is complicated and thereby expensive to produce.

The publication FR 1.175.000 is showing a box where the volume can be changed and where the lifting mechanism consists of a link system with crossed link arms.

From the publication WO 92/09454 it is known to equip a platform with an upper part, where the height of the upper part over the platform can be varied. The upper part is held at a distance from the platform by supports and held in position by adjustable straps. Between the platform and the upper part is arranged a flexible material which protects the load from weather and wind. That will give a box without the necessary shape stability.

Brief description of the invention.

The purpose of the invention is to obtain a box intended to be fixed on load carriers on a vehicle where the box in a first position, a retracted position, has a small volume and thereby has a low drag and a second position, an expanded position, has a greater volume so that larger objects can be transported in the box. As the box has a low drag in the retracted position the box can remain on the vehicle even during travel when the box is not in use. In the expanded position the box allows transport of a bulky load, such as, for example, a lower part of a pram. To allow the vehicle to be driven when the box is in the expanded position the box must have supports which keep the upper part of the box well secured to the lower part of the box, in such a manner that the upper part of the box does not move in relation to the lower part of the box during the motion of the vehicle. The supports must also be so designed that the box can take up the force developed by the load in the box, for example, at very hard braking of the vehicle. That is obtained by the supports at two opposite sides of the box being designed as a unit, for example they can be in the form of U-shaped elements.

The purpose is also to obtain a box which is easy to load, even if the load is in the form of a lower part of a pram, that is obtained through the hatches covering the load openings being designed to be a protection, so that damage to the vehicle can be avoided during loading and unloading, especially of larger objects.

The purpose is also to give the box a low air resistance in the retracted position and at the same time obtain load openings with the greatest possible height at the expanded position, this is obtained by arranging recesses in the longer sides of the lower part and the upper part of the box.

Brief description of the drawings.

With reference to the enclosed drawings follows, as examples, detailed description of embodiments of the invention.

On the drawings are shown by figure 1 a view of a box in retracted position, where the box rests on load carriers designed to be fixed on a vehicle, figure 2 a view of a box according to figure 1 in an expanded position with the loading hatches in position for loading, figure 3 a view of a box in expanded position, where sections of the box have been taken away so that the two supports according to the invention can be seen, figure 4 a section of a box in expanded position along the line A-A in figure 3, figure 5 a section of the box according to figure 4 when the box is in retracted position, figure 6 a section of the box according to figure 5, with additional functions, figure 7 a variant of the supports according to figure 4 with a link mechanism, figure 8 the box according to figure 7 when the box is in retracted position, figure 9 variant of the link mechanism according to figure 7 and figure 10 the link mechanism according to figure 9, when the box is in retracted position. Detailed description of preferred embodiments

In figure 1 is shown a box (10) in retracted position where a lower part (11) is arranged on two load carriers (12) designed to be fixed on a vehicle, normally above the roof of the vehicle. On the lower part (11) an upper part (13) is resting. The box (10) is locked in retracted position with a locking arrangement, for example a zip (14) which is fixed to a first part (15) of flexible material and a second part (16) of flexible material which are mounted on the lower part (11) and upper part (13) respectively.

In figure 2 the box (10) is shown in an expanded position where it between the lower part (11) and the upper part (13) of the box is arranged a between part (17) of flexible material such as, for example, neoprene rubber. On the long sides of the box (10), the sides which are in the direction of the vehicle, there are load openings (18, 19). The load openings are covered by load hatches (20, 21) of the same flexible material as in the between part (17). The load hatches (20, 21) are in the closed position fixed to the flexible material of the between part (17) with some suitable fixing element such as a zip. The zip has the advantage that the loading hatches (20, 21) and the between part (17) are connected so that no openings are created.

The load openings (18, 19) stretch from the edge of the lower part (11) upwards towards the edge of the upper part (13). The load hatches (20, 21) are fastened to the edge of the lower part (11) and when the load hatches (20, 21) are separated from the flexible material of the between part (17) the load hatches (20, 21) can be lowered outwardly, thereby the load hatches (20, 21) will cover part of the vehicle where the load for the box shall be handled. The load hatches (20, 21) will thereby function as a protection against damage to the vehicle.

The lower part (11) and the upper part (13) of the box (10) are manufactured from a material which is relatively ridged, such as, for example, ABS plastic. To hold the lower part (11) and the upper part (13) at a predetermined distance from each other in the expanded position the box (10) has four supports (23) arranged at the corners of the box (10). To give the box (10) the necessary stability and possibility to take up the occurring forces the supports (23) have at two opposite sides been connected to one unit. The supports (23) are in one preferred embodiment shaped as U-shaped elements (24), where two supports (23) are connected with a between section (25) so that the supports (23) are the free ends on the U-shaped element (24). The U-shaped elements (24) are preferably arranged at the two sides of the box (10) which are parallel with direction of travel for the vehicle. The fixation of the supports (23) requires a certain height on the box (10) when the box (10) is in the retracted position.

As the lower part (11) and the upper part (13) of the box (10) must be able to maintain the shape, but at the same time be as light as possible the lower part (11) and the upper part (13) have been equipped with side walls (26). At the two sides of the box (10) which are towards the front and the rear in the direction of the vehicle the sides are shaped to give a low drag. The height of the side walls (26) at the box (10) forward as well as rearward ends have a height which is dependent on the space the supports (23) require when the box (10) is in the retracted position. That height is higher than the height of the side walls which is required for the lower part (11) and upper part (13) to maintain the shape. To avoid the box (10) in the expanded position obtaining an unnecessary total height the side walls (26), which are parallel with the driving direction of the vehicle, have been equipped with recesses (27). The design of the side walls (26) at those sides of the box (10) parallel with the direction of travel of the vehicle with recesses (27) will give maximum height of the load openings (18, 19) in relation to the total height of the box (10) in expanded position, with simultaneous maintained required shape stability at the lower part (11) and upper part (13).

The design and function of the supports (23) according to a first preferred embodiment will be described below in detail with reference to the figures 3 to 5.

When the box (10) shall be used for transporting larger objects the upper part (13) is separated from the lower part (11) by opening the zips (14) on both sides of the box (10) which are parallel with the direction of travel of the vehicle, whereby the first part (15) fixed to the lower part (11) and the second part (16) fixed to the upper part (13) will be separated. The upper part (13) of the box (10) is lifted to expanded position as shown in the figures 3 and 4, by at first one side being lifted and then the second side being lifted, whereby the supports (23) will take up a mainly vertical position between the lower part (11) of the box (10) and the upper part (13) of the box (10). In the embodiment according to figures 3 to 5 the two supports (23) are joined by a between part (25) to a U-shaped element (24). The free ends of the U-shaped elements (24), in the described embodiment the supports (23) upper part, are pivotally arranged to the upper part (13) of the box (10) to holding elements (28) via shafts. The between part (25) of the U-shaped element is resting against the floor surface (29) of the lower part (11) of the box (10), so that mainly vertical supports (23) are obtained. To ease the movement of the between part (25) of the U-shaped elements (24) along the floor surface (29) at the movement of the upper part ((13) between expanded position and retracted position two gliding rails (30) are fixed to the floor surface (29). In the expanded position the U-shaped elements (24) with the supports (23) are prevented from moving along the floor surface (29) or the glide rails (30) by stop elements (31) arranged on the floor surface (29) or the glide rails (30). The stop elements (31) can be designed as elevations over which the between parts (25) of the U-shaped elements (24) are lifted when the upper part (13) of the box (10) shall be moved between retracted position and expanded position, or be spring loaded elements which can be moved away when the between parts (25) of the U-shaped elements (24) are moved along the floor surface (29) or on the glide rails (30). Figure 5 is showing the box (10) in the retracted position, where the between parts (25) of the U- shaped elements (24) have been moved along the glide rails (30) towards the centre of the box (10). In the retracted position the upper part (13) is locked to the lower part (11) by the earlier described zips (14) or some other suitable arrangement.

The U-shaped elements (24) which form the supports (23) can be shaped from a suitable profile, for example a hollow profile, such as a tube. The profile can be bent to the U-shape or profile elements can be joined together to a mainly U-shaped element.

In the above described embodiment of the box (10) the upper part (13) is moved between the two positions, expanded position and retracted position, by first moving the U-shaped element (24) at one side of the box (10) along the glide rails (30) and thereafter the other U-shaped element (24) on the other side of the box (10). That requires the one who is moving the upper part (13) between the two positions, expanded position and retracted position, has to move from one side of the vehicle to the other side of the vehicle to be able to complete the action.

Figure 6 shows an embodiment where the upper part (13) of the box (10) can be moved from retracted position to expanded position from one side of the vehicle. In the embodiment the U- shaped elements (23) have been connected by a mechanism (32) which in the shown

embodiment consists of a pulling element such as a wire (33) which is guided via a guide arrangement fixed to the lower part ( 11 ) of the box (10). When the U-shaped element (24) at one side of the box (10), in figure 6 the left U-shaped element (24), is moved from that position the U-shaped element (24) has when the box (10) is in the retracted position to the position the U-shaped element (24) has when the box (10) is in the expanded position the other U-shaped element (24) is moved to the same position. When the upper part (13) is in the expanded position the U-shaped elements (24) are locked by the stop elements (31). The movement of the upper part (13) from expanded position to retracted position can be obtained by a similar arrangement, whereby the movement of the upper part (13) between retracted position and expanded position as well as expanded position to retracted position can be obtained from one side of the vehicle.

With the U-shaped elements (24) arranged at the sides of the box (10) which are parallel with the direction of driving the upper part (13) of the box (10) is locked in relation to the lower part (11) of the box (10) in the direction of the vehicle travel. To obtain a locking of the upper part (13) of the box (10) relative the lower part (11) of the box (10) in a direction across the direction of travel of the vehicle, the lower part (11) of the box (10) and the upper part (13) of the box (10) have stop elements (34) positioned at the side walls (26) at that side of the supports (23) which are towards the outside of the box (10). The supports (23) are locked between stop elements (31) at the floor surface (29) or glide rail (30) and stop elements (34) at the side walls (26) at the lower part (11) and upper part (13) of the box (10).

In a second preferred embodiment each of the supports (23) have been designed as two link arms, a lower link arm (35) and an upper link arm (36) which are connected by a link mechanism (37). The link arms (36, 37) are parts of two U-shaped elements, a lower U-shaped element (38) moveably connected to the lower part (11) of the box (10) and an upper U-shaped element (39) moveably connected to the upper part (13) of the box (10). The U-shaped elements (38, 39) are moveable connected to the lower part (11) and upper part (13) of the box (10) by lower holding elements (40) and upper holding elements (41) respectively. The holding elements (40, 41) are arranged on the between sections (42) of the U-shaped elements (38, 39).

The link mechanism (37) consists of an axle (43) which moveably joins two free ends of the two U-shaped elements (38, 39) as well as a moveable casing (44), which is held against a stop (45) on the upper link arm (36), by a spring (46) arranged at the lower link arm (35). When the moveable casing (44) is over the axle (43) the two link arms (35, 36) are fixed connected with each other and the upper part (13) of the box (10) is locked in expanded position.

To move the upper part (13) of the box (10) to the retracted position, the moveable casing (44) first has to be moved against the spring (46) so that the free ends of the U-shaped elements (38, 39) are exposed whereby the link arms (35, 36) on the U-shaped elements (35, 36) can be moved towards the centre of the box (10). The between sections (42) of the U-shaped elements (38, 39) will thereby rotate in the lower holding elements (40) and the upper holding elements (41 respectively. Figure 8 shows the box (10) in retracted position.

In one embodiment, to facilitate and simplify the movement of the upper part (13) of the box (10) between retracted position and expanded position a power device (47), such as a spring, is positioned so that the force from the power device (47) assists moving the upper part (13) from retracted position to expanded position, or the power device (47) can be so positioned that the force from the power device (47) assists moving the upper part (13) from expanded position to retracted position. In a special embodiment the power device (47) can be positioned so that the force from the power device (47) assists moving the upper part (13) the last distance to the expanded position as well as the last distance to retracted position. In the special embodiment the power device (47) holds the upper part (13) of the box (10) in the retracted position as well as in the expanded position.

Figure 9 shows an embodiment where the power device (47) is a spring positioned so that the power from the power device (47) assists moving the upper part (13) the last distance to the expanded position as well as the last distance to the retracted position. In the current embodiment the link mechanism (37) which connects the lower U-shaped element (38) to the upper U-shaped element (39) is designed so that the power device (47) is positioned between the lower U-shaped element (38) and an extending section (48) on a connecting unit (49) fixed to the upper U-shaped element (39) with, for example, a rivet (50). The movement between the lower U-shaped element (38) and the upper U-shaped element (39) occur via an axle (51) positioned through the lower U- shaped element (38) and the connecting unit (49). The lower U-shaped element (38) has a section (52) after the axle (51), where a part of the section (52) is acting as a stop when the section (52) is in contact with a part of the upper U-shaped element (39) or connecting unit (49) so that the movement between the lower U-shaped element (38) and the upper U-shaped element (39) is prevented, the upper part (13) of the box (10) is held in expanded position. In the retracted position, as shown in figure 10 the power from the power device (47) holds the upper part (13) against the lower part (11) of the box (10). To handle the supports at both sides of the box (10) simultaneously the supports (23) can be connected together, for example, in a manner similar to what has been described with reference to figure 6.

When the box (10) is loaded with, for example, a lower part of a pram and the vehicle on which the box (10) is arranged is braking hard or taking a corner at high speed the box is exposed to a force in the direction of the vehicle and across the direction of the vehicle respectively. With the supports (23) designed as U-shaped elements (24, 38, 39) and placed in the direction of the vehicle very good force absorption is obtained in the direction of the vehicle by the U-shaped elements (24, 38, 39). To also obtain good force absorption in the direction across the vehicle stop devices (53) can be placed at the side walls (26) of the box (10) in the upper part (13) and lower part (11) of the box (10) so that the U-shaped elements (24, 38, 39) are resting against stop devices (53) when the upper part (13) of the box (10) is in expanded position. The stop devices (53) are placed on that side of the U-shaped elements (24, 38, 39) which is towards the outside of the box (10). To obtain an accurate positioning of the stop devices (53) they can be designed as a part of the upper holding elements (43) and lower holding elements (40). The stop devices (53) are preferably arranged in the lower part (11) and upper part (13) of the box (10) at both sides of the box (10), but may be arranged only at one side or on the lower part (11) or upper part (13) of the box (10).

In the above embodiment the power device (47) is described as a pulling spring but the power device (47) may be a push spring or a push spring arrangement such as a gas spring, whereby the fixing points for the power device (47) must be adapted to the changed power direction.

After the box (10) has been used for transporting larger objects the box (10) can be taken down to the retracted position by moving the U-shaped elements (24, 38, 39) towards the centre of the box (10) thereafter if necessary the upper part (13) of the box (10) can be locked towards the lower part (11) of the box (10) by suitable locking elements, for example the zips (14) at the long sides of the box (10). The box (10) according to the above described embodiments will give a box where the volume of the box can be increased so that larger objects can be transported. The box (10) has supports (23) which hold the upper part (13) of the box (10) in relation to the lower part (11) of the box (10) in the expanded position so that the upper part (13) is in a shape stable position in relation to the lower part (11). With the U-shaped elements (24, 38, 39) of a hollow profile a good relation between weight and strength is obtained as well as a unit which is very easy to manufacture.

The box (10) has a maximum height on the load openings (18, 19) in relation to the total height of the box (10) through the side walls (26) of the upper part (13) and the lower part (1 1) of the box (10) having recesses (27)

Damage to the vehicle on which the box (10) has been placed is avoided through the loading hatches (20, 21) which cover the loading openings (18, 19) lowered outwards from the box, whereby the load hatches (20, 21) will protect the vehicle from damage when loading and unloading larger object to and from the box.

Even if the invention has been described with reference to some preferred embodiments the box can be modified in many ways within the frame of the invention idea as it is presented in the present patent claims.