Kayak loading system

{
  "publication_number": "US10246025B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Kayak loading system",
  "abstract": "A system and method for loading items onto a vehicle. The system allows a support to be easily lowered from, for example, the roof of a vehicle towards the ground. The items to be loaded are secured in the supports at a much lower height than the roof of the vehicle to reduce the possibility of injury and eliminate the need of an additional person for loading and unloading objects onto the roof of a vehicle. Once the item is loaded onto the supports, the system can raise the item onto the roof and secure it in a safe position for transportation.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A system for loading items onto a roof of a vehicle, comprising: a mounting platform adapted to mount to the roof of the vehicle; a first rotating arm structure including a first arm member, a second arm member, and a third arm member, wherein the first arm member includes a proximal end connected a rotational axle incorporated into at a lateral side of the mounting platform and a distal end pivotally interconnected with a proximal end of the second arm member; a proximal end of the third arm pivotally secured to the mounting platform and a distal end of the third arm pivotally secured to a distal end of the second arm member; a J-shaped support slidably secured to the second arm member, thereby allowing the support to slide along an extent of the second arm member resulting in the support extending closer to the ground; the J-shaped support having a width adjustment to alter a distance of a free end of the J-shaped support from a body of the J-shaped support in a lateral direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the body of the J-shaped support; and a motor adapted to rotate the rotational axle, thereby allowing a user to transition the system between a stored configuration and a loading configuration by controlling the rotation of the rotational axle.",
    "2. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a second rotating arm structure having a first arm member, a second arm member, and a third arm member; the first arm member of the second rotating arm structure having a proximal end connected the rotational axle incorporated into at the lateral side of the mounting platform and a distal end pivotally interconnected with a proximal end of the second arm member of the second rotating arm structure; and the third arm member of the second rotating arm structure having a proximal end pivotally secured to the mounting platform and a distal end pivotally secured to the distal end of the second arm member of the second rotating arm structure.",
    "3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of trusses extending between the second arm member in the first rotating arm structure and the second arm member in the second rotating arm structure.",
    "4. A system for loading items onto a roof of a vehicle, comprising: a mounting platform adapted to mount to the roof of the vehicle; a front rotating arm structure having a first arm member and a second arm member, the first arm member having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the proximal end is rotationally fixed to a rotational axle, such that the first arm rotates in synchronization with the rotational axle and the distal end is rotationally connected to a proximal end of the second arm member; a rear rotating arm structure spaced from the front arm structure in a direction along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, wherein the rear arm structure includes a first arm member and a second arm member, the first arm member having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the proximal end is rotationally fixed to the rotational axle, such that the first arm rotates in synchronization with the rotational axle and the distal end is connected to a support having a shape creating a valley to receive the item to be stored on the vehicle; the support being J-shaped and having a width adjustment to alter a distance of a free end of the J-shaped support from a body of the J-shaped support in a lateral direction with respect to a longitudinal axis of the body of the J-shaped support; a motor in communication with the rotational axle to rotate the first arm members of the front and rear rotating arm structures; a pair of linear guides rotationally disposed on the mounting platform to guide the second arms as they cantilever over a predetermined loading side of the vehicle; a loading position and a stored position, wherein the loading position is achieved when the first arms are rotated towards the predetermined loading side of the vehicle such that the distal ends of the first arm members are located near the guides and the distal end of the second arm member is cantilevered over the predetermined side of the mounting platform with the support closer to a ground than when the system is in the stored position; the stored position is achieved when the first arm is rotated away from the predetermined loading side of the mounting platform and the distal end of the second arm member and the support are positioned over the roof of the vehicle; and the stored position further including the first and second arm structures laterally offset from each other and the first arm structure and the second arm structure both lying flat in the same lateral plane.",
    "5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first arm members have a longitudinal extent equal to a distance spanning between a lateral side of the mounting platform and the rotational axle.",
    "6. The system of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of trusses extending between the second arm member in the front rotating arm structure and the second arm member in the rear rotating arm structure."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "This invention relates to an adjustable and efficient system for loading items onto the roof of a vehicle. More specifically, it relates to a system that can easily raise and lower a kayak from the roof of a vehicle to a more manageable loading/unloading height.\n\nWhile kayaks are easily maneuvered in the water, handling them on land can be quite difficult. The average recreational kayak is between six and twelve feet long, and weighs between forty and eighty pounds. Loading one of these recreational kayaks onto the roof of a motor vehicle can be extremely difficult, especially when the vehicle is tall. Further difficulty arises when an individual attempts to load or unload a kayak without assistance. Such circumstances have an increased risk of injury, especially if the individual is returning from a fatiguing day of kayaking.\n\nAccordingly, what is needed is an adjustable and efficient system for securing and lifting a kayak from a manageable height to the roof of the vehicle. However, in view of the art considered as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the field of this invention how the shortcomings of the prior art could be overcome.\n\nAll referenced publications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Furthermore, where a definition or use of a term in a reference, which is incorporated by reference herein, is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply.",
  "cpc": [
    "B60R 9/042",
    "B60P 3/1016",
    "B60R 9/048",
    "B60R 9/08"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B60R 9/00",
    "B60R 9/042",
    "B60R 9/045",
    "B60R 9/048",
    "B60R 9/08"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "University of South Florida St Petersburg"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Brenden Arthur Knigge",
    "Ricardo Francisco Socci",
    "Matthew Paul Baldwin",
    "Ivan Wain Williams"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2016-06-29",
  "publication_date": "2019-04-02",
  "grant_date": "2019-04-02",
  "priority_date": "2015-07-21",
  "application_number": "US-201615197165-A",
  "family_id": "65898358",
  "cited_by_count": 19,
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}