Patents by Inventor William Fortune

William Fortune has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7753425
    Abstract: Load carrier mountable above a bed structure of a vehicle having an upper surface and an internal bed rail system is disclosed. The load carrier broadly includes an upright base support member, an internal rail clamping assembly, and a clamp adjustment assembly. The upright base support member rests upon the upper surface of the side wall of the bed structure and connects with the internal rail clamping assembly. The upright base support member has a first clamp surface for asserting a clamping force upon the upper surface of the side wall of the bed structure. The rail clamping assembly is releasably securable to the internal bed rail system and includes a second clamp surface for asserting a clamping force upon the internal bed rail system. The clamp adjustment assembly positionally adjusts the first clamping surface with respect to the second clamping surface between clamped and unclamped positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Thule Sweden AB
    Inventors: Ted Niedziela, William Fortune, Kevin Harris
  • Publication number: 20080054037
    Abstract: Load carrier mountable above a bed structure of a vehicle having an upper surface and an internal bed rail system is disclosed. The load carrier broadly includes an upright base support member, an internal rail clamping assembly, and a clamp adjustment assembly. The upright base support member rests upon the upper surface of the side wall of the bed structure and connects with the internal rail clamping assembly. The upright base support member has a first clamp surface for asserting a clamping force upon the upper surface of the side wall of the bed structure. The rail clamping assembly is releasably securable to the internal bed rail system and includes a second clamp surface for asserting a clamping force upon the internal bed rail system. The clamp adjustment assembly positionally adjusts the first clamping surface with respect to the second clamping surface between clamped and unclamped positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Inventors: Ted NIEDZIELA, William FORTUNE, Kevin HARRIS
  • Patent number: 7296837
    Abstract: Load carrier mountable above a bed structure of a vehicle having an upper surface and an internal bed rail system is disclosed. The load carrier broadly includes an upright base support member, an internal rail clamping assembly, and a clamp adjustment assembly. The upright base support member rests upon the upper surface of the side wall of the bed structure and connects with the internal rail clamping assembly. The upright base support member has a first clamp surface for asserting a clamping force upon the upper surface of the side wall of the bed structure. The rail clamping assembly is releasably securable to the internal bed rail system and includes a second clamp surface for asserting a clamping force upon the internal bed rail system. The clamp adjustment assembly positionally adjusts the first clamping surface with respect to the second clamping surface between clamped and unclamped positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Thule Sweden A.B.
    Inventors: Ted Niedziela, William Fortune, Kevin Harris
  • Publication number: 20070096486
    Abstract: Load carrier mountable above a bed structure of a vehicle having an upper surface and an internal bed rail system is disclosed. The load carrier broadly includes an upright base support member, an internal rail clamping assembly, and a clamp adjustment assembly. The upright base support member rests upon the upper surface of the side wall of the bed structure and connects with the internal rail clamping assembly. The upright base support member has a first clamp surface for asserting a clamping force upon the upper surface of the side wall of the bed structure. The rail clamping assembly is releasably securable to the internal bed rail system and includes a second clamp surface for asserting a clamping force upon the internal bed rail system. The clamp adjustment assembly positionally adjusts the first clamping surface with respect to the second clamping surface between clamped and unclamped positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Applicant: THULE SWEDEN AB
    Inventors: Ted NIEDZIELA, William FORTUNE, Kevin HARRIS
  • Publication number: 20060292915
    Abstract: A vehicular load carrier including a hinge having an open position and a closed position. The load carrier includes a first beam having a first end attached to the hinge, and a second end deploying a projection. A second beam is attached to the hinge for rotation relative to the first beam. The second beam has an edge for mounting a rotatable rod having a handle opposite a curved latch. Upon rotation of the handle, between a first position and a second position, the curved latch moves from a released position to a position where it engages the projection to hold the first beam and the second beam together when the hinge is in its closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Applicant: THULE SWEDEN AB
    Inventors: Kevin Bogoslofski, William Fortune, Theodore Niedziela
  • Patent number: 6460743
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for transporting a bicycle in a substantially upright orientation. The method includes positioning a bicycle in a carrier so that a wheel of the bicycle is located in a trap space of the carrier. The trap space is configured to maintain the bicycle in a substantially upright orientation when the wheel is located therein and the carrier is in a released configuration. This permits the operator to use both hands to secure the bicycle in the carrier. The wheel of the bicycle, and typically the front wheel, is fixed in the carrier by applying a squeeze force upon the wheel and thereby establishing a securing configuration of the carrier. Preferably, the squeeze force is imposed across a perimeter of the wheel and the actuators for imposing the squeeze force are positioned low enough to be within the typical user's reach, also referred to as the reach zone, when the carrier is mounted on the roof-top of a carrying vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Industri AB Thule
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Edgerly, William Fortune
  • Publication number: 20020125279
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for transporting a bicycle in a substantially upright orientation. The method includes positioning a bicycle in a carrier so that a wheel of the bicycle is located in a trap space of the carrier. The trap space is configured to maintain the bicycle in a substantially upright orientation when the wheel is located therein and the carrier is in a released configuration. This permits the operator to use both hands to secure the bicycle in the carrier. The wheel of the bicycle, and typically the front wheel, is fixed in the carrier by applying a squeeze force upon the wheel and thereby establishing a securing configuration of the carrier. Preferably, the squeeze force is imposed across a perimeter of the wheel and the actuators for imposing the squeeze force are positioned low enough to be within the typical user's reach, also referred to as the reach zone, when the carrier is mounted on the roof-top of a carrying vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2001
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Edgerly, William Fortune