Abstract: Racks are used to carry cargo on top of vehicles. Racks include crossbars and assemblies configured to secure specific cargo items to the crossbars. Clamps for connecting cargo-specific assemblies to the crossbars, include first and second jaws, and an adjustment device for selectively controlling horizontal relative movement between the jaws.

Abstract: An upright bicycle carrier may include an elongate base having a pair of parallel rails and a hoop-style wheel capture device. A rear wheel receiver may be adjustably coupled in sliding engagement with a first slot in each of the rails, and a rear crossbar clamp may be adjustably coupled in a second slot in each of the rails, such that the receiver and the clamp are capable of overlapping adjustment ranges. The wheel capture device may include a pair of hoop structures pivotable on a same axis of rotation and securable by a rotatable locking knob.

Abstract: Rack systems are disclosed for coupling accessories to crossbars on top of a vehicle. A coupling device may include a flexible strap member adjustably anchored at one end of a body. The strap member may be connected to the other end of the body and tightened. A mounting assembly may be provided on the top side of the body for connection to a cargo-specific carrier or accessory. A coupling device may also include a flexible fitting member configured to grip a round or rectangular crossbar. A cap member may be configured to be mounted on the fitting member and have one or more ramp surfaces which form a sliding interface with a corresponding surface on the fitting member, thereby providing a closing or tightening effect on the fitting member with respect to the crossbar. Other coupling devices are configured to grip or clamp a t-slot in the crossbar.

Abstract: An assembly for mounting a platform to a vehicle rooftop is disclosed. The assembly includes a rail mounted on a bottom side of the platform, having a linear track. A clamp assembly is slidably mounted in the linear track, and is configured to grip a crossbar. The clamp assembly includes a fixation device configured to stop movement of the clamp assembly in a selected position along the track.

Abstract: Saddle mounts for supporting a boat, such as a fishing kayak, above a crossbar attached to a vehicle, a vehicle rack including the saddle mounts, and methods of assembling a vehicle rack including the saddle mounts. An illustrative saddle mount may comprise an encircling member configured to be attached to a crossbar. The encircling member may have a horizontal bottom section and a top section. The top section may include a medial portion and a lateral portion. The medial portion may have an incline of less than about ten degrees, and the lateral portion may have an incline steeper than the incline of the medial portion. Another illustrative saddle mount may comprise an encircling member including a rib, such as a recessed rib, for providing load strength. The rib may be elongated along an encircling path followed by the encircling member.

Abstract: A truck rack, including rack components and rack accessories, to support cargo over a bed of a truck, and methods of constructing, assembling, mounting, adjusting, and using the truck rack. An illustrative truck rack comprises a crossbar and a pair of towers. Each tower may include a lower end portion configured to be mounted on an upper wall region of a truck bed, an upper end portion configured to support a crossbar, and a telescoping intermediate portion configured to extend upward with an inward slope and an adjustable length. Another illustrative truck rack comprises first and second crossbar assemblies each including a crossbar and a pair of towers. The truck rack also may comprise a side rail configured to extend between corresponding towers of the crossbar assemblies, and a rack accessory configured to be mounted to the side rail via a slot.

Abstract: A truck rack, including rack components and rack accessories, to support cargo over a bed of a truck, and methods of constructing, assembling, mounting, adjusting, and using the truck rack. An illustrative truck rack comprises a tower and a base. The tower may have a foot and an upper end portion. The upper end portion may be configured to support a crossbar. The base may be configured to mount the tower on an upper wall region of a truck bed. The base may include a deck on which to support the foot and at least one securing device to secure the foot on the deck. In some examples, the at least one securing device may include a clamp configured to engage opposite edge regions of the foot. In some examples, the clamp may be configured to urge the opposite edge regions downward toward the deck.

Abstract: A selectable pitch crossbar-to-vehicle coupler may include a crossbar clamp having a first mating surface that is selectively receivable on a second mating surface of the coupler in a plurality of discrete orientations. Each of the discrete orientations may correspond to a respective angle of the crossbar relative to the coupler. The angle may be a pitch angle.

Abstract: Racks are used to carry cargo on top of vehicles. Racks include crossbars and assemblies configured to secure specific cargo items to the crossbars. Clamps for connecting cargo-specific assemblies to the crossbars, include first and second jaws, and an adjustment device for selectively controlling horizontal relative movement between the jaws.

Abstract: A bicycle rack is disclosed, including a hitch mount device and a mast structure. A proximal portion of the mast structure is connected to the hitch mount device, and a distal portion extends upward from the proximal portion. The bicycle rack further includes an upper beam structure connected horizontally to the distal portion of the mast structure and a first fork crown gripping station mounted on the upper beam structure. The first fork crown gripping station includes a first post structure and a strap configured to cooperatively bind a bicycle front fork crown to the first fork crown gripping station.

Abstract: A fork mount upright bicycle carrier may include an elongate base having a pair of parallel rails and a fork mount device. A rear wheel receiver may be adjustably coupled in sliding engagement with a first slot in each of the rails, and a rear crossbar clamp may be adjustably coupled in a second slot in each of the rails, such that the receiver and the clamp are capable of overlapping adjustment ranges. The fork mount device may include a fixed jaw and a pivoting jaw for clamping onto a transverse member of a bicycle fork.

Abstract: Rack systems are disclosed for coupling accessories to crossbars on top of a vehicle. A coupling device may include a flexible strap member adjustably anchored at one end of a body. The strap member may be connected to the other end of the body and tightened. A mounting assembly may be provided on the top side of the body for connection to a cargo-specific carrier or accessory. A coupling device may also include a flexible fitting member configured to grip a round or rectangular crossbar. A cap member may be configured to be mounted on the fitting member and have one or more ramp surfaces which form a sliding interface with a corresponding surface on the fitting member, thereby providing a closing or tightening effect on the fitting member with respect to the crossbar. Other coupling devices are configured to grip or clamp a t-slot in the crossbar.

Abstract: A crossbar clamp actuator of a crossbar-to-vehicle coupler may include a horizontally traveling wedge block having a ramped, downward-facing first slide surface, and a wedge follower having a second slide surface in frictional contact with the first slide surface of the traveling wedge block. Substantially horizontal repositioning of the traveling wedge block may cause the ramped first slide surface to urge the wedge follower downward, thereby actuating a crossbar clamp.

Abstract: A crossbar-to-vehicle coupler may include one or more locking pins operatively connected to a pivoting cover, such that moving the cover from an open to a closed position causes the locking pins to engage corresponding recesses in a base portion fixed to a vehicle rooftop. The coupler may include a selectable pitch interface for adjusting the pitch angle of the crossbar with respect to the coupler and/or a vehicle on which the coupler is mounted. An actuator of the coupler may convert motion of a tightening screw oriented parallel to the crossbar axis into a clamp tightening force oriented orthogonal to the crossbar axis. The tightening screw may be inaccessible when the cover of the coupler is in the closed position.

Abstract: A crossbar-to-vehicle coupler may include an intra-coupler toe adjustment mechanism. The toe adjustment mechanism may include a pair of structural frames connected at a pivot joint. In some examples, the frames may be secured by a securement mechanism and/or limited in rotation by a mechanical stop. In some examples, an outer housing of the coupler may be fixed to only one of the two frames. A detent mechanism may be provided, including the outer housing and one of the two frames.

Abstract: A coupling assembly for connecting a rooftop cargo carrying system to a vehicle may include a coupler body including a crossbar clamp configured to be coupled to a crossbar. The crossbar may have a long axis oriented transverse to a direction of vehicle travel. The coupling assembly may include a base portion configured to abut a roof of the vehicle and a clip retention and adjustment assembly. The clip retention and adjustment assembly may include (a) a carriage pivotally mounted to the coupler body and configured to rotate around a rotation axis oriented parallel to the direction of vehicle travel, the carriage having a slot for receiving a clip along a translation axis perpendicular to the rotation axis, (b) a catch configured to releasably engage an aperture in the clip, (c) a first actuator configured to rotate the carriage around the rotation axis, and (d) a second actuator configured to move the catch and the clip relative to the coupler body along the translation axis.

Abstract: Racks are used to carry cargo on top of vehicles. Racks include crossbars and assemblies configured to secure specific cargo items to the crossbars. Clamps for connecting cargo-specific assemblies to the crossbars, include first and second jaws, and an adjustment device for selectively controlling horizontal relative movement between the jaws.