Car top equipment rack

Abstract

An equipment rack for use with a vehicle is described having an expandable hinge and latch with a collapsed and an expanded configuration for stowing skis, snowboards, and other equipment. Various configurations of support members are described for securing equipment in the rack, including interlocking protrusions. Various embodiments of the equipment rack are provided with a sliding lower rack and releasable mount assemblies.

1 . A rack for securing sporting equipment on a vehicle, the rack comprising:
 a lower cross member with a first end, a second end, and an upper surface;   an upper cross member with a first end, a second end, and a lower surface;   a plurality of lower protrusions extending upwardly from the upper surface of the lower cross member;   a plurality of upper protrusions extending downwardly from the lower surface of the upper cross member;   wherein the first end of the upper cross member is adjustably attached to the first end of the lower cross member;   wherein the lower protrusions and the upper protrusions longitudinally or transversely interlock when the lower cross member and the upper cross member are disposed in a collapsed configuration.   
     
     
         2 . The rack of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the plurality of lower protrusions is longitudinally offset from at least one of the plurality of upper protrusions. 
     
     
         3 . The rack of  claim 1  further comprising:
 A first group of at least one lower protrusion selected from the plurality of lower protrusions; 
 A first group of at least one upper protrusion selected from the plurality of upper protrusions; 
 Wherein each of the first group of lower protrusions is longitudinally offset from the other protrusions therein; 
 Wherein each of the first group of upper protrusions is longitudinally offset from the other protrusions therein; and 
 Wherein when the upper cross member and the lower cross member are disposed in a collapsed configuration, each of the first group of lower protrusions is longitudinally offset from at least one of the first group of upper protrusions. 
 
     
     
         4 . The rack of  claim 3  further comprising:
 A second group of at least one lower protrusion selected from the plurality of lower protrusions; 
 A second group of at least one upper protrusion selected from the plurality of upper protrusions; 
 Wherein each of the second group of lower protrusions is longitudinally offset from the other protrusions therein; 
 Wherein each of the second group of upper protrusions is longitudinally offset from the other protrusions therein; and 
 Wherein the first group of upper and lower protrusions is at least partially transversely offset from the second group of upper and lower protrusions. 
 
     
     
         5 . The rack of  claim 4  wherein the second group of lower protrusions is longitudinally offset from the first group of lower protrusions; and
 Wherein the second group of upper protrusions is longitudinally offset from the first group of upper protrusions. 
 
     
     
         6 . The rack of  claim 3  wherein when the upper and lower cross members are in the collapsed position, the first group of lower protrusions and first group of upper protrusions substantially fill a plane that intersects the upper cross member and lower cross member. 
     
     
         7 . The rack of  claim 1  wherein each of the upper and lower protrusions has a three-dimensional shape selected from the group consisting of frusto-pyramidal, cubical, cuboid, parallelepiped, frusto-conical, hemispherical, conical, polyhedron, or a combination of the foregoing shapes. 
     
     
         8 . The rack of  claim 7  wherein the upper cross member is pivotally attached to the lower cross member by an expandable hinge assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The rack of  claim 8  further comprising an expandable latch assembly attached to the second ends of the upper cross member and the lower cross member. 
     
     
         10 . The rack of  claim 9  wherein at least one piece of sporting equipment may be secured between the upper protrusions and the lower protrusions when the expandable hinge assembly and the expandable hinge assembly are in an expanded configuration. 
     
     
         11 . The rack of  claim 7  wherein the lower protrusions are formed as part of a lower membrane, and the upper protrusions are formed as part of an upper membrane. 
     
     
         12 . A rack for securing sports equipment on a vehicle, the rack comprising:
 A lower cross member having a first end, a second end, and an upper surface;   An upper cross member having a first end, a second end, and a lower surface;   A first lower protrusion extending upwardly from the upper surface of the lower cross member;   A first upper protrusion extending downwardly from the lower surface of the upper cross member;   Wherein the first lower protrusion and the first upper protrusion longitudinally or transversely interlock when the lower cross member and the upper cross member are disposed in a collapsed configuration.   
     
     
         13 . The rack of  claim 12  further comprising:
 A second lower protrusion extending upwardly from the upper surface of the lower cross member, and transversely offset with respect to the first lower protrusion; and 
 A second upper protrusion extending downwardly from the lower surface of the upper cross member, and transversely offset with respect to the first upper protrusion; and 
 Wherein the second lower protrusion and the second upper protrusion longitudinally interlock when the lower cross member and the upper cross member are disposed in a collapsed position. 
 
     
     
         14 . The rack of  claim 13  wherein the first lower protrusion and the second lower protrusion are at least partially longitudinally offset; and wherein the first upper protrusion and the second upper protrusion are at least partially longitudinally offset. 
     
     
         15 . The rack of  claim 14  wherein each of the upper and lower protrusions has a three-dimensional shape selected from the group consisting of frusto-pyramidal, cubical, cuboid, parallelepiped, frusto-conical, hemispherical, conical, polyhedron, or a combination of the foregoing shapes. 
     
     
         16 . The rack of  claim 14  further comprising at least one additional upper protrusion and at least one additional lower protrusion. 
     
     
         17 . The rack of  claim 16  wherein the upper protrusions and the lower protrusions interlock in the collapsed position to substantially prevent air flow between the upper and lower cross members. 
     
     
         18 . The rack of  claim 14  wherein the upper cross member is pivotally attached to the lower cross member by an expandable hinge assembly at the first ends thereof, and an expandable latch assembly at the second ends thereof. 
     
     
         19 . A rack for securing skis, snowboards, and related sports equipment on a vehicle, the rack comprising:
 An upper cross member having a first end, a second end, and a lower surface;   A lower cross member having a first end, a second end, and an upper surface;   An expandable hinge assembly attached to the first end of the upper cross member, and the second end of the lower cross member, the expandable hinge assembly operable so that the upper cross member and the lower cross member may be pivoted, with respect to each other, from an open position to a collapsed position; and   An expandable latch assembly attached to the second end of the upper cross member and the second end of the lower cross member, the expandable latch assembly operable to selectively secure the seconds of the cross members together in the collapsed configuration, and to allow them to separate to the open configuration;   A plurality of upper protrusions extending downwardly from the lower surface of the upper cross member;   A plurality of lower protrusions extending upwardly from the upper surface of the lower cross member;   Wherein the plurality of upper protrusions are longitudinally offset from the plurality of lower protrusions such that they longitudinally interlock when the cross members are in the collapsed configuration.   
     
     
         20 . The rack of  claim 18  wherein when sports equipment is between the upper cross member and the lower cross member, the expandable hinge assembly expands to position the upper cross member substantially parallel to the lower cross member in an expanded configuration.