Vehicle rack
The present disclosure relates to a vehicle rack configured to be mounted to the rear of a vehicle. The vehicle rack includes a plurality of receptacles configured to house recreational items, such as skis or snowboards. The plurality of receptacles are coupled to the vehicle by a hitch arm. The hitch arm and plurality of receptacles form a pivot point so that the plurality of receptacles and be pivoted with respect to the hitch arm and the vehicle.
1 . A rack for attachment to a vehicle, the rack comprising:
a plurality of receptacles;
a vertical adjustment arm coupled to the plurality of receptacles; and
a hitch arm including a first portion coupled to the vertical adjustment arm proximate a first end of the hitch arm via a pivot portion;
wherein a second portion of the hitch arm proximate a second end of the hitch arm is configured to be engaged with a vehicle;
wherein the first portion and the second portion of the hitch arm generally define an L-shape;
wherein the second portion of the hitch arm is adjustable relative to the vehicle to adjust a distance between the first portion of the hitch arm and the vehicle and to selectively bias the first portion of the hitch arm toward a driver side of the vehicle or toward a passenger side of the vehicle;
wherein the plurality of receptacles can be selectively pivoted relative to the hitch arm about a pivot point between the vertical adjustment arm and the pivot portion;
wherein the pivot portion is moveable along the first portion of the hitch arm to adjust a lateral position of the plurality of receptacles and the vertical adjustment arm relative to the hitch arm; and
wherein the pivot portion is releasably couplable with the vertical adjustment arm at an engagement point above the pivot point.
2 . The rack of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of receptacles are received on a planar base.
3 . The rack of claim 2 , wherein the base is coupled to the hitch arm.
4 . The rack of claim 2 , wherein a first end of the plurality of receptacles are contained within a containment ring.
5 . The rack of claim 4 , wherein the vertical adjustment arm is coupled to the base and to the containment ring.
6 . The rack of claim 5 , wherein the vertical adjustment arm comprises a plurality of openings configured to receive a fastener and allow for vertical adjustment of the rack relative to the hitch arm.
7 . The rack of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of receptacles and the vertical adjustment arm are configured to pivot relative to the pivot portion and the hitch arm.
8 . The rack of claim 7 , wherein a first opening of the pivot portion is configured to align with one of the plurality of openings of the vertical adjustment arm at the engagement point and a second opening of the pivot portion is configured to align with another of the plurality of openings of the vertical adjustment arm at the pivot point, wherein fasteners are received through the first opening of the pivot portion and the second opening of the pivot portion to couple the pivot portion to the vertical adjustment arm, and wherein the first opening of the pivot portion is vertically above the second opening of the pivot portion.
9 . The rack of claim 8 , wherein the fastener received through the first opening of the pivot portion is a quick release fastener.
10 . The rack of claim 9 , wherein the fastener received through the second opening of the pivot portion is a fixed fastener.
11 . The rack of claim 9 , wherein the quick release fastener comprises a clasp having openings on a first end and a second end, wherein a pin is fixedly received on one of the first end opening and the second end opening and releasably received on the other of the first end opening and the second end opening.
12 . The rack of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of receptacles is configured to pivot away from the hitch arm upon release of the fastener received through the first opening of the pivot portion.
13 . A container system comprising:
a plurality of containers; and
a hitch arm including a first portion coupled to the plurality of containers proximate a first end of the hitch arm via a pivot point;
wherein a second portion of the hitch arm proximate a second end of the hitch arm is configured to be engaged with a vehicle;
wherein the first portion and the second portion of the hitch arm generally define an L-shape and the first portion of the hitch arm is laterally offset from the second portion of the hitch arm when the second end of the hitch arm is engaged with the vehicle such that the plurality of containers is biased toward a driver side of the vehicle or a passenger side of the vehicle;
wherein the second portion of the hitch arm is adjustable relative to the vehicle to adjust a distance between the first portion of the hitch arm and the vehicle and to selectively bias the first portion of the hitch arm toward the driver side of the vehicle or toward the passenger side of the vehicle;
wherein the plurality of containers is configured to pivot relative to the hitch arm about a pivot axis of the pivot point between: a first configuration, wherein the plurality of containers is generally upright, and a second configuration, wherein the plurality of containers is rotated outwardly and away from the vehicle; and
wherein the plurality of containers is adjustable relative to the hitch arm in a lateral direction generally parallel to the pivot axis and in a vertical direction generally perpendicular to the lateral direction.
14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of containers is received on a planar base coupled to the hitch arm.
15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein a first end of the plurality of containers is contained within a containment ring and wherein a vertical adjustment arm is coupled to the base and to the containment ring.
16 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the vertical adjustment arm comprises a plurality of openings configured to receive a fastener and allow for vertical adjustment of the plurality of containers relative to the hitch arm.
17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the hitch arm is coupled to the plurality of containers via a pivot portion configured to pivot relative to the hitch arm to allow the plurality of containers to adjust from the first configuration to the second configuration.
18 . The rack of claim 1 , wherein:
the pivot portion comprises a first channel sized to slide over the first portion of the hitch arm and a second channel configured to receive the vertical adjustment arm,
the first channel includes a plurality of first openings alignable with a corresponding plurality of through openings in the first portion of the hitch arm,
the second channel includes a lower opening and an upper opening, each of the lower opening and the upper opening being alignable with corresponding openings in the vertical adjustment arm,
each aligned pair of a first opening of the plurality of first openings and a through opening of the plurality of through openings is configured to receive a fastener to secure the pivot portion at a corresponding position along the first portion of the hitch arm for adjusting the lateral position of the plurality of receptacles,
a fixed fastener is inserted through the lower opening of the second channel to pivotably couple the pivot portion to the vertical adjustment arm,
the fixed fastener defines the pivot point,
a releasable fastener is inserted through the upper opening of the second channel to releasably couple the pivot portion to the vertical adjustment arm, and
the releasable fastener defines the engagement point.