NESTABLE CARGO BOX FOR A VEHICLE
Vehicle rack system with a nestable cargo box, including a kit for constructing the cargo box, and methods of making, packaging, shipping, supplying, and assembling the cargo box. The cargo box may include a base portion and a lid portion that can be arranged in (1) a shipping configuration where the base and lid portions are not operatively connected to each other and one of the portions is inverted and nested in the other portion and (2) an operative configuration in which the base and the lid portions are operatively connected to each other to form a box that can be pivoted open and fastened shut.
1 . A method of shipping a cargo carrier for a vehicle, comprising:
creating a package containing a base portion nested with a lid portion such that an outer surface of one of the portions faces the inner surface of the other portion, and also containing one or more clamp devices configured to mount the base portion above a vehicle, and components of one or more hinge assemblies; and
shipping the package,
wherein the base portion is configured to be connected to the lid portion after the step of shipping using the one or more hinge assemblies, to form a cargo box having inner surfaces of the base and lid portions facing each other when the box is closed and that opens by pivoting the lid portion away from the base portion.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lid portion includes an upper shell, further comprising a step of mounting a plurality of snap-fit brackets to the upper shell before the step of shipping.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the base portion includes a lower shell, further comprising a step of mounting only a portion of each of the one or more hinge assemblies to the lower shell before the step of shipping.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the base portion and the lid portion are not operatively connected to each other in the package.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the base portion includes a lower shell, further comprising a step of mounting an end of a strut assembly to the lower shell before the step of shipping.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the end of the strut assembly is a first end, wherein the strut assembly has an opposing second end connected to a snap-fit mounting member configured to be snap-fitted to the lid portion after the package is shipped.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the base portion is nested in the lid portion in the package.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the base portion is at least substantially completely nested in the lid portion in the package.
9 . A method of assembling a top carrier for a vehicle, comprising:
receiving a base portion and a lid portion each having an inner surface and an outer surface, the base portion and the lid portion being arranged in a nested configuration having the outer surface of one of the portions facing the inner surface of the other portion;
connecting the base portion to the lid portion using one or more hinge assemblies, to form a cargo box having the inner surfaces of the base and lid portions facing each other when the box is closed and that opens by pivoting the lid portion away from the base portion; and
mounting the cargo box above a vehicle.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of connecting includes a step of creating a plurality of snap-fit connections.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the lid portion in the nested configuration includes an upper shell and a plurality of brackets mounted to the upper shell, and wherein the step of creating a plurality of snap-fit connections includes a step of snap-fitting an upper portion of each hinge assembly to a bracket of the plurality of brackets.
12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein each hinge assembly is a hinge/latch assembly, wherein the cargo box has opposing lateral sides, and wherein the lid portion can be pivotably opened and releasably latched on each of the opposing lateral sides after the step of connecting.
13 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising a step of connecting the base portion to the lid portion with one or more strut assemblies after the step of receiving.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the step of connecting the base portion to the lid portion with one or more strut assemblies includes a step of mounting a strut assembly to at least one of the portions with at least one snap-fit connection.
15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the base portion, the lid portion, and the hinge assemblies are disposed inside a shipping container when received, and wherein the shipping container has a height that is less than a height of the cargo box.
16 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the base portion includes a lower shell, and wherein the lower shell is at least substantially completely contained in the lid portion in the nested configuration.
17 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the base portion includes a lower shell, and wherein only a lower portion of each of the hinge assemblies is already mounted to the lower shell when the base portion is received.
18 . A kit for constructing a top carrier for a vehicle, comprising:
a base portion including a lower shell;
a lid portion including an upper shell;
one or more clamp devices configured to mount the base portion above a vehicle; and
components of a plurality of hinge assemblies;
wherein the lower shell and the upper shell each have an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the lower shell and the upper shell are nested in the kit with the outer surface of one of the shells facing the inner surface of the other shell, and wherein the base portion and the lid portion are configured to be connected to each other with the hinge assemblies, to form a cargo box having the inner surfaces facing each other when the cargo box is closed and that opens by pivoting the lid portion away from the base portion.
19 . The kit of claim 18 , wherein the hinge assemblies are hinge/latch assemblies each having an upper portion and a lower portion, and wherein the kit provides the lower portion of each hinge/latch assembly pre-mounted to the lower shell.
20 . The kit of claim 18 , wherein the kit provides the upper portion of each hinge/latch assembly not operatively mounted to the upper shell, wherein the lid portion includes a plurality of brackets pre-mounted to the upper shell, and wherein the upper portion of each hinge/latch assembly is configured to be operatively mounted to the upper shell by making a snap-fit connection to a bracket of the plurality of brackets.
21 . The kit of claim 18 , wherein the kit provides the base portion nested in the lid portion, wherein the lid portion includes a plurality of snap-fit brackets pre-mounted to the upper shell, further comprising one or more strut assemblies pre-mounted to the lower shell, wherein each strut assembly includes a mounting member configured to form a snap-fit connection with a snap-fit bracket to mount the strut assembly to the lid portion.