US 11,752,945 B2
Roof rack system for a vehicle
Ian P. Tertuliani, Marysville, OH (US); Jason Scott Borland, Marysville, OH (US); and Jesse W. Schlabach, Marysville, OH (US)
Assigned to Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
Filed by Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Tokyo (JP)
Filed on Feb. 6, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/783,302.
Prior Publication US 2021/0245668 A1, Aug. 12, 2021
Int. Cl. B60R 9/048 (2006.01); B60R 9/052 (2006.01); B60R 9/04 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 9/04 (2013.01) 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A roof rack system for a vehicle comprising:
a bracket base including a bottom flange, and a sidewall portion extending from the bottom flange, the sidewall portion including at least an angled base side surface disposed at an angle relative to the bottom flange and at least one base opening disposed on the angled base side surface;
a roof rail configured to be secured to the bracket base;
a bracket stay secured to an underside of the roof rail, the bracket stay including at least an angled stay side surface disposed at an angle relative to the bottom flange and at least one stay opening disposed through the angled stay side surface, the angled stay side surface engaging the angled base side surface such that the at least one stay opening is aligned with the at least one base opening;
a cover element including at least one cover opening, the cover element being seated within the underside of the roof rail, the bracket stay holding the cover element within the underside of the roof rail such that the at least one cover opening is aligned with the at least one stay opening; and
a fastening mechanism configured to be inserted from an exterior side of the vehicle through the at least one cover opening in the cover element and the at least one stay opening in the bracket stay, and then through the at least one base opening in the bracket base to thereby secure the roof rail onto the bracket base.
 
9. An adapter system for mounting a roof rail on a vehicle, said adapter system comprising:
a bracket base configured to be secured to a roof of the vehicle, the bracket base including a bottom flange including one or more openings configured to receive a fastening mechanism, a lower side surface extending from the bottom flange, and an angled base side surface extending from the lower side surface, the angled base side surface defining an acute angle relative to a plane of the lower side surface, and the angled base side surface including at least one base bolt opening;
a bracket stay configured to be secured to an underside of the roof rail, the bracket stay including an angled stay side surface configured to define an acute angle relative to a plane perpendicular to the roof of the vehicle, the angled stay side surface including at least one stay bolt opening configured to be aligned with the at least one base bolt opening when the bracket stay is positioned over the bracket base;
a cover element including at least one cover access opening, the cover element being configured to be seated within the underside of the roof rail and held in place by the bracket stay such that the at least one cover access opening aligns with the at least one stay bolt opening; and
a fastening mechanism configured to be inserted, from an exterior side of the vehicle, through the at least one stay bolt opening in the bracket stay and then through the at least one base bolt opening in the bracket base to thereby secure the roof rail to the bracket base.