Load carrying system for motor vehicles

Abstract

Disclosed is a load carrier made up of a flat tray like body which attaches to a vehicle by load bars. A cargo container attaches to the flat tray-like load carrier body, and is locked in one of several possible positions on the flat tray-like body. The load container may also be removed and the load carrier used without the cargo container. Devices for holding objects such as bicycles, canoes, kayaks, may also be attached to the load carrier.

1 . A load carrier for attachment to a vehicle roof, the load carrier comprising:
 a floor panel for connection to a vehicle roof, wherein the floor panel comprises a planar bottom wall, left and right side walls upending form the bottom wall, and front end and rear end walls upending from the bottom wall, wherein the front end wall has a bottom edge fixed to the bottom wall and a top edge, wherein said front end wall slants rearward so that the top edge is rearward from said bottom edge to create a cavity space between the front end wall and the bottom wall, and wherein the rear end wall has a rear end wall bottom edge fixed to the bottom wall and a rear end wall top edge, wherein said rear end wall slants rearward at an angle to the bottom wall so that the top edge is rearward relative to said rear end wall bottom edge;   a cargo container removably engaging the floor panel and having a front end and a rear end comprising a front lower panel, and the rear end comprising a rear lower panel, wherein the front lower panel is received in said cavity space between the slanting front end wall and the bottom wall of the floor panel, and said rear lower panel is slanted relative to horizontal at an panel angle that is the same as said angle of the rear end wall to the bottom wall, so that said rear lower panel abuts against said rear end wall of the floor panel; and   wherein said cargo container further comprises a top access door and side access doors into an interior cargo space of the cargo container;   wherein the load carrier further comprises a tote wheel assembly removably connectable to said rear end of the cargo container, and handles on said front end, wherein said tote wheel assembly comprises multiple wheels on which the cargo container may be transported by a user grasping said handles and pulling the cargo container on the ground.   
     
     
         2 . The load carrier of  claim 1  in which said angle of the rear end wall to the bottom wall slants is approximately 130 to 150 degrees. 
     
     
         3 . The load carrier of  claim 1  in which said cargo container further comprises one or more removable vertical separators in said interior cargo space. 
     
     
         4 . The load carrier of  claim 1  in which said walls are approximately 2 to 12 inches tall. 
     
     
         5 . The load carrier of  claim 1  which further comprises a plurality of attachment passages in said floor panel for securing objects to be carried on said planar floor panel. 
     
     
         6 . The load carrier of  claim 1  which further comprises a load carrier rail pad configured for attachment to the load carrier body, for support and attachment of large items such as canoes and kayaks. 
     
     
         7 . The load carrier of  claim 1  in which said cavity space between said front end wall and said bottom wall is a wedge-shaped cavity formed by the front end wall sloping backward at approximately 30-50 degrees to the bottom wall. 
     
     
         8 . The load carrier of  claim 1  which includes a cargo container lockdown device for locking the cargo container to the floor panel. 
     
     
         9 . The load carrier of  claim 8 , in which said lockdown device comprises a rear tab attached to the cargo container, which protrudes through a passage in said floor panel for locking said cargo container in place in the floor panel. 
     
     
         10 . The load carrier of  claim 9  which further includes a lock on said rear tab for securing said tab in said passage in said carrier body. 
     
     
         11 . The load carrier of  claim 1  which further comprises removable attachment devices for sports equipment, said attachment devices including one or more cargo towers upending from said floor panel.