WO1988001580A1

WO1988001580A1 - Improvements to brackets

Info

Publication number: WO1988001580A1
Application number: PCT/SE1987/000385
Authority: WO
Inventors: Leo KOPPELOMÄKI
Original assignee: Koppelomaeki Leo
Priority date: 1986-09-03
Filing date: 1987-08-31
Publication date: 1988-03-10
Also published as: SE8603697D0; SE8603697L

Abstract

A device for mounting extra accessory equipment, such as a radio or the like, in a vehicle includes an arch (6-9) which extends along the roof of the vehicle from side to side and which is fixed thereat, and a bracket (1) disposed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the bracket being, with its forward end (2), fixed in the region of the upper edge of the windscreen of the vehicle, and being, with its rear end (5), connected to the arch. According to the invention, the rear end (5) of the bracket is connected to a longitudinal adjustment device (7) included in the arch (6-9) for adaptation of the arch (6-9) to different vehicle widths. Furthermore, the bracket (1) is provided with a space (3) for mounting the radio (15), and this space (3) is fixed in relation to the forward end of the bracket, while portions (4, 5) of the bracket (1) located behind the space (3) are of adaptable length and are flexible for adaptation of the bracket to the vehicle roof and the positioning of the arch.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS TO BRACKETS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a device for supporting acces¬ sory equipment, for instance a radio set, in a. vehicle, and in¬ cluding a carrier member which extends transversely of the direction of travel of the vehicle, is fixedly retained in the side walls of the vehicle, and which may be in the form of a loudspeaker arch or stereo arch, and a bracket disposed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and being fixed with a forward anchorage portion, in the region of the upper edge of the windscreen of the vehicle and being connected, with a rear portion, to the carriermember.

BACKGROUND ART

Brackets for mounting accessory equipment, for example radio sets, tape recorders, map reading lamps and the like in the roof of a vehicle are previously known in this Art. One such bracket is dis¬ closed in USPS 4,100,372. This bracket is designed in such a manner as to be directly adaptable to the vehicle model in which it is to be mounted, and furthermore requires, for its anchorage in the ve¬ hicle, a special mounting which necessitates physical modification of the vehicle roof. Transverse so-called loudspeaker arches are also known in this Art, these being disposed immediately adjacent the vehicle roof and fitted with loudspeaker units, the arches being self-supporting and only anchored at their ends in the transitional regions between the roof of the vehicle and its side walls. Such an arch may be opti¬ onally placed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and mounted without the need of making any bodywork modifications to the vehicle roof whatsoever.

No interconnection of a longitudinal bracket for accessory equipment and a transverse loudspeaker arch has hitherto been pos¬ sible, particularly not in such a manner that the combination would be universally applicable irrespective of the siting of the arch in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and irrespective of the type of vehicle involved.

PROBLEM STRUCTURE

The object of the present invention is to realise a device of the type disclosed by way of introduction, the device being designed such that it is universally applicable irrespective of the vehicle type and irrespective of where the transverse carrier member is placed in the vehicle.

The present invention particularly has for its object to realise a longitudinal bracket for accessory equipment, the bracket being adaptable to each individual vehicle type and being mountable without the necessity of implementing any physical bodywork modifi¬ cations to the vehicle roof.

SOLUTION

The object forming the basis of the present invention is at- tained if the apparatus intimated by way of introduction is charac¬ terised in that the rear portion of the bracket is connected to an adjustment device included in the support member and designed for length adjustment of the support member; and that the bracket has one position for mounting the accessory equipment, this position being fixed in relation to the forward anchorage portion of the bracket. In one preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention, the portion of the bracket located behind this position is designed to cooperate with an anchorage portion which abuts with one surface against the forwardly facing portion of the adjustment device and is provided with a retainer portion which is located between the adjustment device and the roof of the vehicle.

As a result of these constructional features, the considerable advantage will be attained that the bracket may readily be mounted as a subsequent operation, quite simply in that the anchorage member is inserted in between the adjustment device and the vehicle roof, whereafter the bracket is caused to cooperate with the anchorage member.

According to the present invention, it suitably further applies that the portion of the bracket located behind the above-mentioned position is provided with a rear section of uniform thickness to co¬ operate, by plug connection with the anchorage member, the section of uniform thickness being designed to adapt the length, by cutting, of the bracket in dependance upon the type of vehicle involved and the disposition of carrier member. Further advantages will be attained according to the present invention if the portion of the bracket located behind the above- mentioned position is slightly flexible so as to allow for adap¬ tation to follow the contours of the arching of the vehicle roof.

Yet further advantages will be attained if the subject matter of the present invention is also given one or more of the character¬ ising features as set forth in appended Claims 5 to 9.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

The nature of the present invention and its aspects will be more readily understood from the following brief description of the accompanying Drawings, and discussion relating thereto. In the accompanying Drawings:

Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view, obliquely from beneath, of the subject matter of the present invention, together with the right-hand portion of a so-called loudspeaker arch; Fig. 2 shows the anchorage portion which is employed for inter¬ connecting the loudspeaker arch and the bracket;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the bracket and a loudspeaker arch carrying the bracket; and Fig. 4 shows the subject matter of the present invention and a loudspeaker arch connected thereto, seen straight from beneath.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the Drawings, it will be apparent from Fig. 1 that the present invention comprises a longitudinal bracket 1 which has a forward anchorage portion 2 for anchorage in the vehicle in the re¬ gion immediately above its windscreen. The anchorage portion 2 may be in the form of a projecting plate or plastic panel and is flex¬ ible so as to permit adaptation to follow the different arching con- figurations which occur in different vehicles in the region between the roof of the vehicle and its windscreen.

The longitudinal bracket 1 has one position with an accom¬ modation space 3 for, for example, a radio set or the like. Behind this position, the bracket has, in the embodiment shown on the Drawings, two rearwardly directed arms or rear portions 4. These rear portions have, at least at their rearmost region, sections 5 of uniform thickness which will be described in greater detail below.

A loudspeaker arch or other carrier which, according to the present invention, is employed to support the rear end portion of the bracket 1, includes, in the illustrated embodiment, a loud¬ speaker housing 6, an adjustment device 7 for adjusting the overall length of the loudspeaker arch, and a further loudspeaker housing 8 which is only intimated in Fig. 1.

For securing the loudspeaker arch immediately adjacent the roof of the vehicle and transversely of the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the two loudspeaker housings 6 and 8 are provided, at their end portions facing the side walls of the vehicle, with obliquely downwardly directed and flexible anchorage lugs 9 which are intended to be secured in the beams which, as a rule, are provided in the transitional region between the side wall of the vehicle and its roof. While not being apparent from the drawing Figure, the two loudspeaker housings 6 and 8 are provided with a connection whose length is adjustable, this connection being intimated by the adjust¬ ment device 7. Hereby, effective length may be imparted to the loud¬ speaker arch so as to fit into different vehicle types and, further¬ more, the adjustment device 7 is suitably designed in such a manner that it may be given a permanent curvature so that, by such means, the loudspeaker arch may, seen as a whole, be adapted to suit the arching of the vehicle roof. The details and parts of the adjustment device 7 and its cooperation with the two loudspeaker housings 6 and 8 are not germane to the present invention and will not, therefore, be described in greater detail.

Fig. 2 shows an anchorage member 10 which is employed for co¬ operation with the adjustment device 7. This anchorage member has an upper plate 11 and a forward abutment portion 12 which, at its rear edge, is shaped for cooperation with and adaptation to the configur- ation of the adjustment device 7. On mounting of the anchorage mem¬ ber 10, the upper plate 11 is quite simply inserted in between the adjustment device 7 and the vehicle roof until the abutment portion 12 enters into abutment with the forward edge region bf the adjust¬ ment device 7. Hereby, • he anchorage member 10 will be positionally fixed in the vehicle by cooperation with the adjustment device 7.

It will be further apparent from Fig. 2 that the abutment portion 12 is provided, in its forwardly facing end, with two aper¬ tures 13 which extend inwardly into the abutment portion 12 and which, in configuration, are complementary to the rear, uniformly thick sections 5,^' of the bracket. Hereby, the uniformly thick sec¬ tions 5 may be passed into the apertures 13 in the abutment portion 12 and thereby be interconnected therewith.

According to the present invention, at least the parts of the bracket 1 located behind the position 3 may suitably be manufactured of tubular material which has been coated with a protective foamed plastic layer or the like. With this design, the uniformly thick sections 5 may quite simply be cut to the correct length, such that the bracket 1 may thereby be placed in the correct position in the vehicle irrespective of vehicle type and irrespective of the pos- itioning of the loudspeaker arch in the longitudinal direction in the vehicle. The only critical factor in this context is that the position or accommodation space 3 must always be sited at the in¬ tended position in the vehicle, this being ensured in that the pos¬ ition is fixed in relation to the positioning of the forward an¬ chorage portion 2. The forward anchorage portion 2 will cooperate with the vehicle in that region where the sun visors are normally provided. For this reason, the anchorage portion 2 is considerably narrower than the the accommodation space 3, so that the movements of sun visors will thereby remain unimpaired. ~ In such vehicles where the width of the roof is slight, the ad¬ justment device 7 may be of extremely short length and, furthermore, the rearwardly directed portions 4 and 5 from the position 3 might possibly obstruct the head of the driver or the passenger. For this reason, the rearwardly directed portions 4 and 5 are, as is apparent from Fig. 4, recurved in towards one another so that the rear re¬ gions of the bracket are greatly narrower than is the case for the accommodation space 3.

The above-outlined construction of the rearwardly directed arms 4 also entails that these may, to some extent, be bent such that, thereby, the upper side of the bracket 1 may be adapted to that arching configuration which the vehicle roof may have. In this con¬ text, it should also be observed that the transitional regions bet¬ ween the rearwardly directed arms 4 and the accommodation space 3 for accessory equipment are provided with side protection 14 which may be considered as approximately triangular transitional regions between the rearwardly directed arms and the box-shaped accom¬ modation space 3.

It is apparent from. Fig. 4 that the accommodation space 3 may be given a gently arched configuration on its upper side, but that it may also be fully planar in this region. On the other hand, it will be clearly apparent from this figure that the rearwardly directed arms 4 have been given a gently arched configuration such that thereby the bracket in its entirety may follow the arching configuration of the vehicle roof. The approximately triangular shape of the side protections 14 is further apparent from the figure, it being clear that the radio at broken lines 15 is well protected. DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS

According to the present invention, the anchorage member 10 may be given a different design such that, for example, the apertures 13 are wholly dispensed with. Instead, the anchorage member 10 may be provided with forwardly directed projecting pins which are insert- able in corresponding apertures in the rear ends of the arms 4. Naturally, the arms 4 should, also in this embodiment, be designed with a body of tubular metal material surrounded by a protective foam plastic layer. According to the present invention, a solution is also con¬ ceivable in which the anchorage member 10 is integral in the adjust¬ ment device 7, such that engagement means are provided directly in the adjustment device for cooperation with the rear ends of the arms 4 or corresponding, rearwardly directed members. A further modification of the present invention resides in the fact that the rearwardly directed arms may be replaced by a planar, strip-shaped body which abuts against the vehicle roof and is tele- scopically adjustable or shiftably retainable in the accommodation space 3 and fixable therein. In this embodiment, the rearwardly di- rected strip-shaped portion of the bracket may be designed directly for connection to and retention in the adjustment device. However, the adjustment device could just as well be integrally manufactured with the strip-shaped portion.

In yet a further variation, the forwardly directed arms may be immediately, and possibly permanently, anchorable in the adjustment device 7 or a mounting disposed thereon, these forwardly directed arms being then telescopically interconnected with the accommodation space 3. Such forwardly directed arms may also be designed in such a manner that they may readily be cut to the intended length so as to make for a large degree of length adaptation of the bracket 1.

The present invention should not be considered as restricted to that described above and shown on the Drawings, many modifications being conceivable without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended Claims.

Claims

1. A device for carrying an accessory (15) in a vehicle, essen¬ tially comprising a carrier member (6-9) extending transversely of the direction of travel of the vehicle and secured to the side walls _> of the vehicle, a bracket (1) disposed in the longitudinal direction

5 of the vehicle and being, by means of a forward anchorage portion (2), anchored in the region of the upper edge of the windscreen of the vehicle and connected, by means of a rear portion (5) to the carrier member, characterised in. that the rear portion (5) of the bracket (1) is connected to an adjustment device (7) included in the 10 carrier member (6-9) and designed for length adjustment of the car¬ rier member; and that the bracket is provided with a position (3) for mounting the accessory (15), this position being fixed in rela¬ tion to the forward anchorage portion (2) of the bracket.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in. that the 15. portion (4, 5) of the bracket (1) located behind the position (3) is designed for cooperation with an anchorage member (10) which abuts with one surface against the forwardly facing portion of the adjust¬ ment device (7) and which is provided with a retainer (11) located between the adjustment device (7) and the inner roof of the vehicle.

20 3. The device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the portion (4, 5) of the bracket (1) located behind the position (3) is provided with a rear section (5) of uniform thick¬ ness for cooperation by plug connection with the anchorage member (10), the section of uniform thickness being designed to adapt, by

25 cutting, the length of the bracket in dependance upon the vehicle type and the positioning of the carrier member (6-9).

4. The device as claimed in any one of claims 1-3, charac¬ terised in that the portion (4, 5) of the bracket (1) located behind the position (3) is slightly flexible for adaptation to the arching

30 configuration of the vehicle roof.

5. The device as claimed in any one of claims 1-4, charac¬ terised in that the forward anchorage portion (2) of the bracket (1) is flexible.

6. The device as claimed in any one of claims 1-5, charac¬ terised in that the portion (4, 5) of the bracket (1) located behind the position (3) is telescopic.

7. The device as claimed in any one of claims 1-5, charac- terised in that the portion (4, 5) of the bracket (1) located behind the position (3) is shiftably retained in a part of the bracket accommodating the position.

8. The device as claimed in any one of claims 1-7, charac¬ terised in that the portion (4, 5) of the bracket (1)- located behind the position (3) is narrower than the part accommodating the position.

9. The device as claimed in any one of claims 1-8, charac¬ terised in that the forward anchorage portion (2) of the bracket is narrower than the part accommodating the position.