Abstract: A roof rail 10 for a vehicle article carrier, the roof rail consisting of a rail portion 12 and a pair of end supports 14. The end supports 14 or 14′ consist of the same metallic material as the rail portion 12 and are produced from bent tubular metal pieces, which are formed into the end supports 14 or 14′ by an internal high pressure forming process. The forming process does not require prior heating of the bent tubular metal pieces or the forming tool used in the forming process. The end supports (14) each have a neck portion (14a) which includes a connecting peg (16) and a clamping member (18), wherein the clamping member (18) is inserted into a longitudinal groove (20) in the connecting peg (14a) to functionally secure the neck portion to the rail portion (12).
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 20, 2000
Date of Patent:
April 30, 2002
Assignee:
JAC Products Deutschland GmbG
Inventors:
Fritz Fisch, Wilfried Koch, Reinhard Drees
Abstract: A sustainer for a roof rail which can be placed on a vehicle will be described. The sustainer includes a hollow sustaining body (1) with a floor plate (3). The floor plate (3) is engaged by a base (6) which is fastened to the floor plate (3) by a fastener (14), whereby the fastener (14) locally lies on the floor plate (3) and locally engages the base (6). They are held together by a threaded bolt (16) pulling the fastener (14) onto the inner surface of the floor plate (3).