Article carrier for automotive vehicles

Abstract

An article carrier is mounted on an exterior automobile body surface. The carrier utilizes special decorative slats for supporting the weight of luggage or the like and also as a means for mounting cross bars, ski racks or tie-down members and similar article securing devices on the automobile body. The devices mounted on the slats are easily removed, interchanged or adjusted in position on the slats in accordance with the needs of the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An article carrier for an automobile comprising a plurality of at least two parallel arranged slats disposed on a generally horizontally extending exterior body surface of the automobile and lying closely against said surface.Iadd., at least two of said slats being fixedly secured directly to said automobile on said surface independently of one another by separate primary fastening means which separately secures each slat directly to said automobile without contact with any other slat; .Iaddend.   each of said .Iadd.at least two .Iaddend.slats having major and minor transverse dimensions, with said major dimension being arranged substantially parallel to said body surface and said minor dimension being arranged substantially perpendicular to said body surface, each of said .Iadd.at least two .Iaddend.slats having a generally horizontally arranged upper article supporting surface adapted to have articles supported directly thereupon, and   a pair of end members disposed one at each end of at least one of said .Iadd.at least two .Iaddend.slats,   at least one of said end members comprising means for securing articles to said article carrier and including means for securing said slat and said end member to said exterior body surface.   
     
     
       2. An article carrier in accordance with claim 1, wherein said article securing means comprises an eyelet within said end member. 
     
     
       3. An article carrier for an automobile comprising at least two parallel arranged slats .[.disposed on.]. .Iadd.fixedly secured independently of one another to .Iaddend.a generally horizontally extending exterior body surface of the automobile .[.and.]. .Iadd.by separate primary fastening elements which project from above the surface of the automobile downwardly through openings in said surface of the automobile to a position subjacent said surface of the automobile, said at least two parallel arranged slats .Iaddend.lying closely against said surface .Iadd.in a low profile configuration, each of said slats having major and minor transverse dimensions, with said major dimension being arranged substantially parallel to said body surface and said minor dimension being arranged substantially perpendicular to said body surface, each of said slats having a generally horizontally arranged upper article supporting surface adapted to have articles supported directly thereupon, and   at least one end member disposed at one end of at least one of said slats, including means for securing an article to said carrier;   means for securing said end member and at least in part said slat to said body surface, and   means for abutting articles disposed on said upper article supporting surface of said slat.     
     
     
       4. An article carrier in accordance with claim 3, wherein said article securing means comprises an eyelet disposed integrally in said end member. 
     
     
       5. The invention as set forth in claim 4 wherein said exterior body surfaces of the automobile comprises the upper surface of the automobile trunk. 
     
     
       6. The invention as set forth in claim 3 which includes at least one intermediate slat disposed between and extending parallel to said first-mentioned two parallel arranged slats, including end cap means fixedly secured to at least one end of said intermediate slat and cooperable therewith for securing articles upon said article carrier. 
     
     
       7. The invention as set forth in claim 6 wherein the height of the upper surface of said end cap means is disposed approximately the same distance above said exterior body surface as said supporting surfaces of the associated pair of said slats. 
     
     
       8. The invention as set forth in claim 6 which further comprises a plurality of three intermediate slats disposed between and arranged generally parallel to said first mentioned slats. 
     
     
       9. The invention as set forth in claim 8 wherein each said end member is secured to the forward longitudinal ends of each of said slats. 
     
     
       10. The invention as set forth in claim 3 wherein each said end member associated with each of said slats is disposed at the same longitudinal ends of said slats. 
     
     
       11. The invention as set forth in claim 10 further comprising at least one intermediate slat provided with an end member at both the forward and rearward ends thereof. 
     
     
       12. The invention as set forth in claim 3 wherein said abutting means comprises an elevated restraining bar extending generally transversely of the automobile adjacent the rearward ends of said slats. 
     
     
       13. The invention as set forth in claim 12 which includes brackets for supporting said restraining bar, said brackets comprising first portions having an outer exterior surface that blends generally into the shape of the outer ends of said slats and second portions directed upwardly from said first portions toward the horizontal plane of said elevated restraining bar. 
     
     
       14. The invention as set forth in claim 13 wherein said second portions of said brackets comprise an outer peripheral portion which blends generally into the cross sectional shape of said restraining bar. 
     
     
       15. The invention as set forth in claim 13 wherein the cross sectional shape of said second portion of each of said brackets is of the same general cross sectional shape as the adjacent end of said restraining bar. 
     
     
       16. The invention as set forth in claim 13 wherein said second portion of each of said brackets is telescopically engageable with the adjacent end of said restraining bar. 
     
     
       17. The invention as set forth in claim 1 which includes at least one intermediate slat disposed between and extending parallel to said first-mentioned two parallel arranged slats, and which further includes end members fixedly secured to at least one end of each of said slats and cooperable therewith for securing articles upon said article carrier. 
     
     
       18. The invention as set forth in claim 17 wherein said end members associated with each of said slats are disposed at the same longitudinal ends of said slats. 
     
     
       19. The invention as set forth in claim 18 wherein said end members are secured to the forward longitudinal ends of each of said slats. 
     
     
       20. The invention as set forth in claim 19 wherein at least one of said intermediate slats is provided with end members at both the forward and rearward ends thereof. 
     
     
       21. The invention as set forth in claim 17 wherein the height of the upper surface of said end members is disposed approximately the same distance above said exterior body surface as said supporting surfaces of the associated pair of said slats. 
     
     
       22. The invention as set forth in claim 1 wherein said exterior body surfaces of the automobile comprises the upper surface of the automobile trunk. 
     
     
       23. The invention as set forth in claim 1 which further comprises a plurality of three intermediate slats disposed between and arranged generally parallel to said first mentioned slats. 
     
     
       24. The invention as set forth in claim 1 which further comprises an elevated restraining bar extending generally transversely of the automobile adjacent the rearward ends of said slats. 
     
     
       25. The invention as set forth in claim 24 which includes mounting brackets for said restraining bar, said brackets comprising first portions having an outer exterior surface that blends generally into the shape of the outer ends of said slats and second portions directed upwardly from said first portions toward the horizontal plane of said elevated restraining bar. 
     
     
       26. The invention as set forth in claim 25 wherein said second portions of said brackets comprise an outer peripheral portion which blends generally into the cross sectional shape of said restraining bar. 
     
     
       27. The invention as set forth in claim 25 wherein the cross sectional shape of said second portion of each of said brackets is of the same general cross sectional shape as the adjacent end of said restraining bar. 
     
     
       28. The invention as set forth in claim 25 wherein said second portion of each of said brackets is telescopically engageable with the adjacent end of said restraining bar. .Iadd. 
     
     
       29.  An article carrier for an automobile comprising a plurality of at least two parallel arranged slats disposed on a generally horizontally extending exterior body surface of the automobile fixedly secured independently of one another to said automobile on said surface by separate primary fastening means for each slat which fastening means does not extend laterally outwardly beyond the laterally outer sides of the two laterally outermost slats of said article carrier extending perpendicular to and through said surface, said at least two slats lying closely against said surface;   each of said slats having a generally horizontally arranged upper article supporting surface means adapted to have articles supported directly thereupon, comprising at least one upper article supporting surface disposed in operable association with each said slat; and   a pair of end members disposed one at each end of at least one of said slats;   at least one of said end members comprising means for securing articles to said article carrier and including means for securing said slat and said end member to said exterior body surface. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       30.  An article carrier for an automobile comprising a plurality of at least two parallel arranged slats disposed on a generally horizontally extending exterior body surface of the automobile fixedly secured to said automobile on said surface independently of one another by separate fastening means for each slat which fastening means extends at least to the surface of said automobile and permits totally uninterrupted view of said automobile surface between any two adjacent slats and at the laterally outer sides of the article carrier, said at least two slats lying closely against said surface;   each of said slats having a generally horizontally arranged upper article supporting surface means adapted to have articles supported directly thereupon;   a pair of end members disposed one at each end of at least one of said slats; and   at least one of said end members comprising means for securing articles to said article carrier and including means for securing said slat and said end member to said exterior body surface. .Iaddend. .Iadd.31. An article carrier for an automobile comprising at least two parallel arranged slats disposed on a generally horizontally extending exterior body surface of the automobile with each slat being fixedly secured directly to said body surface independently of one another by separate primary fastening means solely associated with each separate slat, said at least two slats lying closely against said surface in a low profile configuration, each of said slats having a generally horizontally arranged upper article supporting surface means adapted to have articles supported directly thereupon, and   at least one end member disposed at one end of at least one of said slats, including means for securing an article to said carrier;   means for securing said end member and at least in part said slat to said body surface, and   means for abutting articles disposed on said upper article supporting surface of said slat. .Iaddend.