Vehicle article carrier system having stretch rails with stowable cross bars

1. A vehicle article carrier apparatus for securing articles above an outer body surface of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a pair of low profile support rails fixedly secured generally parallel to one another on the outer body surface;

a pair of cross bars configured to be coupled to the support rails in a stowed orientation extending parallel to the support rails, so as to be generally not visible from a side of the vehicle, and an operative orientation extending perpendicularly between the support rails and elevationally above the support rails for supporting articles thereon;

each said cross bar including a pair of end supports for securing the cross bar to the support rails; each said end support including:

a neck portion;

a support element pivotally secured to the neck portion;

a clamp element pivotally secured to the neck portion for assisting in clamping its associated said end support onto one of the support rails when its associated said cross bar is in the operative orientation;

the clamp element further being held in a retracted position generally co-linear with the support element when the support element is positioned generally co-linear with the neck portion, and held in a recessed portion of the neck portion, to facilitate attachment of the end support to one of the support rails when being secured in the stowed orientation; and

a fastening assembly carried by the support element for securing the clamp element in clamping engagement with its associated said support rail when the associated said support rail is in its operative orientation.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

the clamp element including a tab portion; and

the support element including a slot; and

the tab portion being allowed to move into the slot only when the support element is placed in a predetermined angular relationship to the neck portion, to thus permit the clamp element to be used to clamp onto a portion of one of the support rails.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each said support rail further includes a first pair of holes adjacent a forward first thereof, and a second pair of holes adjacent a second end thereof.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the clamp includes a pair of boss portions shaped to engage with either the first pair of holes or the second pair of holes of the support rails, to secure its associated said cross bar at a longitudinal position along the lengths of the cross bars.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the holes in the support rails face each other.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising first a first pair of brackets associated with a first one of the support rails, and a second pair of brackets associated with a second one of the support rails, the first pair of brackets being used to secure a first one of the cross bars in its stowed position and the second pair of brackets being used to secure a second one of the cross bars in its stowed position.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein each said bracket is disposed inboardly of its associated said support rail.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein:

each one of the brackets includes a threaded opening; and

each said fastening assembly includes a threaded shaft for engaging with one of the threaded openings in one of the brackets when securing its associated said cross bar in the stowed orientation.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the neck portion, includes a recessed portion for receiving a portion of the clamp element when the cross bar is secured in the stowed orientation.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the clamp element is pivotally coupled at a first end to the neck portion; and

wherein the clamp element includes a tab portion at the first end, the tab portion limiting pivotal movement of the clamping element to a predetermined degree when the support element is resting on one of the support rails and its associated said cross bar is disposed in its operative position.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the support element includes a recessed portion on an inboard side thereof which is shaped in accordance with a profile of one of the support rails.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cross bars, when secured in their stowed positions, are arranged parallel along inboard sides of the support rails and generally not visible from the sides of the vehicle.

13. A vehicle article carrier apparatus for securing articles above an outer body surface of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

first and second low profile support rails fixedly secured generally parallel to one another on the outer body surface;

a first pair of brackets disposed adjacent an inboard side of the first support rail at opposite ends of the first support rail;

a second pair of brackets disposed adjacent an inboard side of the second support rail at opposite ends of the second support rail;

a pair of cross bars configured to be coupled to the pairs of brackets when the cross bars are each disposed in a stowed orientation extending parallel to the support rails, so as to be generally not visible from a side of the vehicle, and the cross bars being positionable in an operative orientation extending perpendicularly between the support rails and elevationally above the support rails for supporting articles thereon;

each said cross bar including a pair of end supports for securing the cross bar to the support rails; each said end support including:

a neck portion;

a support element pivotally secured to the neck portion;

a clamp element pivotally secured to the neck portion for assisting in clamping its associated said end support onto one of the support rails when its associated said cross bar is in the operative position;

a fastening assembly carried by the support element for securing the clamp element in clamping engagement with its associated said support rail when the associated said support rail is in its operative orientation;

the support element configurable to extend co-linearly with the support element when its associated said cross is placed in a stowed orientation, and to extend non-parallel to the neck portion when its associated said cross bar is placed in the operative orientation to place the cross bar in an elevated position above the support rails.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the clamp element is held in a retracted position generally co-linear with the support element when the support element is positioned generally co-linear with the neck portion, and held in a recessed portion of the neck portion, to facilitate attachment of the end support to one of the support rails when being secured in the stowed orientation.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the support rails each include at least one opening; and

wherein each said clamp includes at least one boss portion for engaging with one of the holes when its associated said support rail is placed in the operative position.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the neck portion includes a recessed portion, and wherein a portion of the clamp element rests in the recessed portion when the cross bar is in the stowed orientation.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the support element is pivotally secured to the neck portion about a first pivot axis, and the clamp element is pivotally secured to the neck portion about a second pivot axis different from the first pivot axis.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the fastening assembly comprises a rotatable component having a threaded shaft, and wherein the clamp element includes a threaded hole which engages with the threaded shaft when the cross bar is clamped to one of the support rails.

19. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the clamp element is limited in its pivotal movement to a predetermined degree by contact with the neck portion; and

wherein the clamp element is shaped in accordance with a profile of the support rail, and wherein the support element includes a recessed portion shaped in accordance with the profile of the support rail.

20. A vehicle article carrier apparatus for securing articles above an outer body surface of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

first and second low profile support rails fixedly secured generally parallel to one another on the outer body surface, each of said support rails including two pairs of holes on inboard sides thereof;

a first pair of brackets disposed adjacent an inboard side of the first support rail at opposite ends of the first support rail;

a second pair of brackets disposed adjacent an inboard side of the second support rail at opposite ends of the second support rail;

a pair of cross bars configured to be coupled to the pairs of brackets when the cross bars are each disposed in a stowed orientation extending parallel to the support rails, so as to be generally not visible from a side of the vehicle, and the cross bars being positionable in an operative orientation extending perpendicularly between the support rails and elevationally above the support rails for supporting articles thereon;

each said cross bar including a pair of end supports for securing the cross bar to the support rails; each said end support including:

a neck portion;

a support element pivotally secured to the neck portion;

a clamp element pivotally secured to the neck portion for assisting in clamping its associated said end support onto one of the support trails when its associated said cross bar is in the operative position, the clamp element having a threaded opening and a boss portion;

a fastening assembly having a threaded shaft and being carried by the support element for securing the clamp element in clamping engagement with its associated said support rail by engagement of the threaded shaft and the threaded opening, when the associated said support rail is in its operative orientation;

the boss portion of the clamping element further engaging with at least one of the holes on one of the support rails when the cross bar is secured in the operative orientation; and

the support element configurable to extend co-linearly with the neck portion when its associated said cross bar is placed in a stowed orientation, and to extend non-parallel to the neck portion when its associated said cross bar is placed in the operative orientation to place the cross bar in an elevated position above the support rails.