[0001] The present disclosure relates to a mounting bracket, and in particular, to a reinforced bracket connecting a roof rail to a side body of a vehicle.

BACKGROUND
[0002] Conventional roof mounting bracket structure requires use of two reinforcement brackets to connect a roof with a side body which support the load of roof carrier and luggage. One of the two reinforcement brackets is part of the side body and another is a part of roof structure. These two brackets are connected using bolts. To bolt the brackets on an assembly line, an operator has to enter BIW structure which poses a safety risk. Additionally high height posture to tighten these bolts poses ergonomic issue. Also, conventional structure results in additional cost because of cost of nuts and bolts.
[0003] FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b) illustrate a conventional roof mounting bracket structure 100 in accordance with state-of-the-art. The roof mounting bracket structure 100 comprises two brackets 102, 104 (as illustrated in FIG. 1(b)) where bracket 102 is connected with a roof rail 106 and the bracket 104 is connected with side body part 108 of a vehicle. Also, the brackets 102 and 104 are connected with each other through bolts 110.
[0004] The conventional roof mounting bracket structure of the type as illustrated above, has many disadvantages, such as, but not limited to, the brackets being connected using bolts and to bolt the brackets on an assembly line, an operator has to enter BIW structure which poses a safety risk. Further, high height posture to tighten these bolts poses ergonomic issues. Moreover, the conventional structure results in additional costs owing to the additional costs of nuts and bolts used therein.
[0005] Accordingly, it is a desirable need in the art for providing a simplified structure with increased strength for a roof rail mounting bracket and overcoming the abovementioned structural deformities and deficiencies in the existing designs.

SUMMARY
[0006] This summary is provided to introduce concepts related to a reinforced bracket connecting a roof rail to a side body of a vehicle. The concepts are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
[0007] The subject matter disclosed herein relates to a roof rail mounting bracket including a first face, a second face, a third face, and a fourth face. The roof rail mounting bracket also includes a hat shaped section and an L-shaped bead adjacent to each other, both the hat shaped section and the L-shaped bead are running across the first face and the second face.
[0008] In an aspect, the second face is perpendicular to the first face and the third face is parallel to the first face and perpendicular to the second face.
[0009] In an aspect, the bracket is connected with a roof bracket of a roof rail through spot welds on the first face.
[00010] In an aspect, the hat shaped section is embossed in a vehicle inside direction.
[00011] In an aspect, the L-shaped bead is formed in a vehicle inside direction.
[00012] In an aspect, the bracket is connected with a side body of a vehicle through spot welds on the third face and the fourth face.
[00013] In an aspect, the third face includes a square shaped embossed section.
[00014] In an aspect, a hole allowing a welding gun to weld a roof panel with the side body is defined on the third face.
[00015] In an aspect, the bracket includes flanges running along both side edges of the bracket, defining an “S” shaped contours of the bracket.
[00016] In an aspect, the bracket includes beads at bend portion connecting the second face and the third face in a vehicle outside direction.
[00017] To further understand the characteristics and technical contents of the present subject matter, a description relating thereto will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are illustrative only but not used to limit the scope of the present subject matter.
[00018] Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the inventive subject matter will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, along with the accompanying drawing figures in which like numerals represent like components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
[00019] It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of the present subject matter and are therefore not to be considered for limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. The illustrated embodiments of the subject matter will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. The following description is intended only by way of example, and simply illustrates certain selected embodiments of devices, systems, and methods that are consistent with the subject matter as claimed herein, wherein:
[00020] FIG. 1(a) illustrates a conventional roof mounting bracket structure assembled in a vehicle in accordance with state-of-the-art.
[00021] FIG. 1(b) illustrates a perspective view of the conventional roof mounting bracket structure.
[00022] FIG. 2 illustrates a roof rail mounting bracket connected to a roof rail and a side body of a vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00023] FIG. 3 illustrates a roof rail mounting bracket in connection with a roof bracket in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00024] Fig. 4 illustrates a perspective view of the roof rail mounting bracket in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00025] FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of the roof rail mounting bracket in connection with the roof bracket in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.
[00026] The figures depict embodiments of the present subject matter for illustration only. A person skilled in the art will easily recognize from the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[00027] The detailed description of various exemplary embodiments of the disclosure is described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments are described herein in such details as to communicate the disclosure. However, the amount of details provided herein is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
[00028] It is also to be understood that various arrangements may be devised that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, all statements herein reciting principles, aspects, and embodiments of the present disclosure, as well as specific examples, are intended to encompass equivalents thereof.
[00029] The terminology used herein is to describe particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”, “comprising”, “includes” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof.
[00030] It should also be noted that in some alternative implementations, the functions/acts noted may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two figures shown in succession may be executed concurrently or may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality/acts involved.
[00031] Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
[00032] In the following detailed description of the embodiments of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.
[00033] Hereinafter, a description of an embodiment with several components in communication with each other does not imply that all such components are required. On the contrary, a variety of optional components are described to illustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the present disclosure.
[00034] FIG. 2 illustrates a roof rail mounting bracket 200 connecting a roof rail 202 to a side body 204 of a vehicle, according to an embodiment of the present subject matter. The structural details of the roof rail mounting bracket 200 are described with the help of FIG. 3.
[00035] FIG. 3 illustrates the roof rail mounting bracket 200 in connection with a roof bracket 302 in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The bracket 200 includes a first face 304, a second face 306, a third face 308, and a fourth face 310. The second face 306 is perpendicular to the first face 304. Further, the third face 308 is parallel to the first face 304 and perpendicular to the second face 306. The bracket 200 also includes a hat shaped section 312 and an L-shaped bead 314. The hat shaped section 312 and the L-shaped bead 314 are adjacent to each other and are running across the first face 304 and the second face 306. The hat shaped section 312 and the L-shaped bead 314 are extended from a top edge of the first face 304. The hat shaped section 312 is embossed in a vehicle inside direction and the L-shaped bead 314 is formed in a vehicle inside direction.
[00036] According to an embodiment of the present subject matter, the bracket 200 is connected to the roof bracket 302 with spot welds (as illustrated in FIG. 4) on the first face 304. The connection points 318 are intentionally kept in line with mounting points 320 of the roof bracket 302 such that the bracket 200 is able to bear the carrier load and avoid deflection of the roof panel.
[00037] It is further in accordance to an embodiment of the present subject matter that the bracket 200 is mounted to an inner part of the side body 204 of the vehicle through spot welds 404 (as illustrated in FIG. 4) on the third face 308 and the fourth face 310 (as illustrated in FIG. 4). The bending moment created due to the load transferred through rail mounting points is supported by the spot welds that are on the third face 308 and the fourth face 310.
[00038] Further, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the third face 308 includes a square shaped embossed section 326 that helps to increase stiffness of the bracket 200. Further, a hole 328 is defined on the third face 308 which allows access for a welding gun to weld the roof panel with side body outer and side body inner 204 that is important for increasing torsional stiffness of the vehicle body. Also, the fourth face 310 acts as an additional mounting face with a different plane orientation.
[00039] FIG. 3 further depicts flanges 332 running along both side edges of the bracket 200. The bracket 200 further includes beads 338, 340 at bend portion connecting the second face 306 and the third face 308 in a vehicle outside direction. The beads 338, 340 restrict deformation of the bracket 200 at bend portion connecting the second face 306 and the third face 308.
[00040] FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of the roof rail mounting bracket 200 in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter. FIG. 4 further illustrates spot welds 402 on the first face 304 through which the bracket 200 gets connected to the roof bracket 302 (as shown in FIG. 3). FIG. 4 further illustrates spot welds 404 provided on the third face 308 and the fourth face 310, enabling mounting of the bracket 200 on an inner part 204 of the side body 204 of the vehicle.
[00041] Furthermore, FIG. 5 illustrates a side view of the roof rail mounting bracket 200 in connection with the roof bracket 302, depicting “S” shape of the bracket 200, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.

TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES
[00042] The present disclosure provides a roof rail mounting bracket in the form of a single component used to bear the luggage and carrier weight, thereby eliminating the use of fasteners, reducing the number of components required, which in turn, significantly improves the associated costs and the assembly time.
[00043] The roof rail mounting bracket of the type as described herein in the context of the present subject matter helps significantly reduce the panel and spot weld stresses acting on the bracket structure.
[00044] The roof rail mounting bracket provided with an embossed hat shaped section and a bead imparts stiffness to the bracket in its middle face that is susceptible to bending under the load.
[00045] Furthermore, the roof rail mounting bracket with flanges running along both side edges helps increase bending stiffness of the overall structure of the bracket.
[00046] Furthermore, each of the appended claims defines a separate invention, which for infringement purposes is recognized as including equivalents to the various elements or limitations specified in the claims. Depending on the context, all references below to the “invention” may in some cases refer to certain specific embodiments only. In other cases, it will be recognized that references to the “invention” will refer to subject matter recited in one or more, but not necessarily all, of the claims.
[00047] Groupings of alternative elements or embodiments of the invention disclosed herein are not to be construed as limitations. Each group member can be referred to and claimed individually or in any combination with other members of the group or other elements found herein. One or more members of a group can be included in, or deleted from, a group for reasons of convenience and/or patentability. When any such inclusion or deletion occurs, the specification is herein deemed to contain the group as modified thus fulfilling the written description of all groups used in the appended claims.
[00048] Furthermore, those skilled in the art can appreciate that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure. It will be appreciated that several of the above-disclosed and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be combined into other systems or applications. Various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations, or improvements therein may subsequently be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present disclosure as encompassed by the following claims.
[00049] The claims, as originally presented and as they may be amended, encompass variations, alternatives, modifications, improvements, equivalents, and substantial equivalents of the embodiments and teachings disclosed herein, including those that are presently unforeseen or unappreciated, and that, for example, may arise from applicants/patentees and others.
[00050] While the foregoing describes various embodiments of the present disclosure, other and further embodiments of the present disclosure may be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof. The scope of the present disclosure is determined by the claims that follow. The present disclosure is not limited to the described embodiments, versions or examples, which are included to enable a person having ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention when combined with information and knowledge available to the person having ordinary skill in the art.

Claims:We Claim:
1. A roof rail mounting bracket (200) comprising:
a first face (304);
a second face (306);
a third face (308);
a fourth face (310); and
a hat shaped section (312) and an L-shaped bead (314) adjacent to each other, wherein both the hat section (312) and the L-shaped bead (314) are running across the first face (304) and the second face (306).

2. The roof rail mounting bracket (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second face (306)
is perpendicular to the first face (304); and the third face (308) is parallel to the first face (304) and perpendicular to the second face (306).

3. The roof rail mounting bracket (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bracket (200) is connected with a roof bracket (302) of a roof rail (202) through spot welds (402) on the first face (304).

4. The roof rail mounting bracket (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hat shaped section (312) is embossed in a vehicle inside direction.

5. The roof rail mounting bracket (200) as claimed in clam 1, wherein the L-shaped bead (314) is formed in a vehicle inside direction.
6. The roof rail mounting bracket (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bracket (200) is connected with a side body (204) of a vehicle through spot welds (404) on the third face (308) and the fourth face (310).

7. The roof rail mounting bracket (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third face (308) comprises a square shaped embossed section (326).

8. The roof rail mounting bracket (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a hole (328) allowing a welding gun to weld a roof panel with the side body is defined on the third face (308).

9. The roof rail mounting bracket (200) as claimed in claim 1, comprising flanges (332) running along both side edges of the bracket (200), defining an “S” shaped contours of the bracket (200).

10. The roof rail mounting bracket (200) as claimed in claim 1, comprising beads (338, 340) at bend portion connecting the second face (306) and the third face (308) in a vehicle outside direction.