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US-20260124995-A1 - LOAD CARRIER FOOT WITH COVER PORTION

US20260124995A1US 20260124995 A1US20260124995 A1US 20260124995A1US-20260124995-A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a load carrier foot for attaching a load carrying portion to a vehicle. The load carrier foot has a base portion which has a cover portion which is movably mounted thereon via a bearing device. The bearing device is designed to lock the cover portion in a covering position, wherein the locking presses the cover portion into contact with the base portion. In addition, the load carrier foot has a damping element and an engagement element protruding from the cover portion. When the engagement element engages with the base portion, the damping element is arranged between the engagement element and a wall of the base portion delimiting the recess. The base portion also forms a stop which is designed to block rotation of a lock relative to the base portion. The invention also relates to a vehicle comprising such a load carrier foot.

Inventors

  • Alfred Hägg

Assignees

  • THULE SWEDEN AB

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20250923
Priority Date
20240924

Claims (20)

  1. 1 - 10 . (canceled)
  2. 11 . A load carrier foot configured to attach a cross bar to a vehicle, comprising: a base portion, a cover portion, and a bearing device, wherein the bearing device is configured to couple the cover portion to the base portion, wherein the cover portion is configured to move between an open position and a covering position, and wherein the bearing device is configured to bias the cover portion toward the base portion.
  3. 12 . The load carrier foot of claim 11 , wherein the bearing device comprises a joint element.
  4. 13 . The load carrier foot of claim 12 , wherein the joint element comprises a first end and a second end, and wherein the first end is pivotably coupled to the base portion and the second end is pivotably coupled to the cover portion.
  5. 14 . The load carrier foot of claim 12 , wherein the joint element is metallic.
  6. 15 . The load carrier of claim 12 , wherein the joint element is configured to elastically deform when the cover portion moves between the open position and the covering position.
  7. 16 . The load carrier foot of claim 12 , wherein the bearing device comprises a locking element configured to couple to the joint element in the covering position.
  8. 17 . The load carrier foot of claim 16 , wherein the locking element is configured to elastically deform when the locking element couples to the joint element, and wherein the joint element is configured to elastically deform when the locking element couples to the joint element.
  9. 18 . The load carrier foot of claim 16 , wherein a portion of the locking element protrudes from the cover portion or the base portion in the covering position.
  10. 19 . The load carrier foot of claim 16 , wherein the locking element is integrally formed with the cover portion or the base portion.
  11. 20 . The load carrier foot of claim 16 , wherein the locking element is disposed proximate to the first end of the joint element or the second end of the joint element in the covering position.
  12. 21 . The load carrier foot of claim 11 , wherein the bearing device comprises a locking element configured to couple to a spring.
  13. 22 . The load carrier foot of claim 11 , wherein the cover portion comprises an engagement element and the base portion comprises a recess configured to receive the engagement element in the covering position.
  14. 23 . The load carrier foot of claim 22 , further comprising a damping element, wherein at least a portion of the damping element is disposed between the engagement element and the recess in the covering position.
  15. 24 . The load carrier foot of claim 23 , wherein the base portion comprises a second recess configured to receive a protrusion extending from the damping element.
  16. 25 . A roof rack, comprising: a cross bar and a load carrier foot configured to couple with the cross bar, wherein the load carrier foot comprises a cover portion hinged to a base portion by a bearing device, wherein the bearing device is configured to bias the cover portion toward the base portion.
  17. 26 . The roof rack of claim 25 , wherein the base portion comprises a first locking portion and the cover portion comprises a second locking portion configured to abut the first locking portion in a covering position.
  18. 27 . The roof rack of claim 26 , wherein the first locking portion comprises a first wedge and the second locking portion comprises a second wedge.
  19. 28 . The roof rack of claim 26 , wherein the cover portion is configured to fold over the second wedge in a closing position.
  20. 29 . The roof rack of claim 26 , wherein the first wedge or the second wedge comprises a projection configured to elastically deform when the first locking portion abuts the second locking portion.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of German Patent Application No. 102024127562.6, filed Sep. 24, 2024. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a load carrier foot for attaching a load carrying portion to a vehicle, in particular to a vehicle roof. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a vehicle comprising such a load carrier foot. BACKGROUND Load carrier feet for attaching a profile element to a vehicle roof can have two clamping elements with which the load carrier foot can be clamped to a roof rail. The clamping elements can be adjusted relative to each other via an actuating mechanism. The actuating mechanism may have an actuating element for actuating said mechanism, which can be covered with a cover. For example, the two clamping elements can be clamped to the vehicle roof with a screw. DE 20 2019 100 142 U1 describes a load carrier foot with a cover portion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a load carrier foot with a cover portion in a covering position in a schematic perspective view. FIG. 2 shows the load carrier foot according to FIG. 1 in an open position in a schematic perspective view. FIG. 3 shows the load carrier foot according to FIG. 1 in the open position in a further schematic perspective view. FIG. 4 shows the cover portion according to FIG. 1 with a joint element in a schematic cross section. FIG. 5 shows the load carrier foot according to FIG. 1 in the covering position in a schematic side view. FIG. 6 shows the load carrier foot according to FIG. 1 without the cover portion in a schematic plan view. FIG. 7 shows the load carrier foot according to FIG. 1 in a schematic exploded view. FIG. 8 shows a load carrier foot in an alternative embodiment to the load carrier foot according to FIG. 1 in its covering position in a schematic side view. SUMMARY The present invention relates to a load carrier foot for attaching a load carrying portion to a vehicle. For example, the load carrying portion can be attached to a roof or loading area of the vehicle using the load carrying foot. The load carrying portion can be a profile element, for example a cross member and/or a traverse. Additional components and/or objects can be attached to the load carrying portion. For example, a roof box, a bicycle rack and/or other items, such as skis and/or canoes, can be attached to the load-carrying portion. For this purpose, the load carrying portion can have specific provisions, such as grooves. The vehicle can be a passenger car, a truck, a van, a motor home, a pickup truck, a trailer, such as a caravan, and/or any other vehicle. The load carrier foot can, for example, form part of a roof rack. The load carrier foot has a base portion with a vehicle attachment portion for attaching the load carrier foot to the vehicle. The vehicle mounting portion may have two clamping portions with which the base portion can be clamped to the vehicle. For example, the clamping portions can be adjusted relative to each other via an actuating mechanism, for example a screw. One of the clamping portions can also be a separate component from the base portion. Other designs of the vehicle attachment portion are also possible, for example with only one clamping portion. Alternatively or additionally, the base portion can be designed to be clamped or attached to a roof rail and/or in a groove of the vehicle by means of the vehicle attachment portion. The roof rail can run in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and be mounted on the roof. The roof rails can be spaced from the vehicle roof. The roof rail can also be integrated into the vehicle roof. In addition, the vehicle attachment portion can be designed to clamp the load carrier foot to a vehicle roof without roof rails. For example, it can be anchored to the vehicle via a door opening provided in the vehicle body. It is also conceivable that the load carrier foot can be attached to the loading area of a vehicle, for example a pickup truck, via the vehicle attachment portion. The base portion may have a load carrier attachment area which may be configured to attach the load carrying portion, such as the profile element. For example, the load carrying portion can be attached to the load carrier attachment area. Alternatively or additionally, the load carrying portion can be inserted into the load carrier attachment area. The load carrying portion can be screwed or glued to the base portion, for example. The load carrier base has a cover portion and a bearing device. The cover portion is adjustable between an open position and a covering position. For this purpose, the cover portion is movably mounted on the base portion by means of the bearing device. For example, the cover portion can be folded out towards the vehicle when the load carrier foot is attached to the vehicle. The cover portion may be provided to cover any feature of the load carrier base. For example, the cover portion is movable between