Cargo carrier

Abstract

A rooftop cargo carrier including a base, a lid, fixation members, and at least two ground contact sections. The base has an interior space for stowing goods. The lid is hingedly coupled with the base, and the lid is configured to open and close. The fixation members are configured to attach the cargo carrier to a vehicle. The at least two ground contact sections are configured to support the cargo carrier on a substantially level ground and configured to protect the fixation members.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A rooftop cargo carrier comprising:
 a base having an interior space for stowing goods;   a lid hingedly coupled with the base, the lid configured to open and close;   fixation members configured to attach the cargo carrier to a vehicle; and   at least two ground contact sections configured to support the cargo carrier on a substantially level ground and configured to protect the fixation members.   
     
     
         2 . The rooftop cargo carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least two ground contact sections are disposed on the base. 
     
     
         3 . The rooftop cargo carrier according to  claim 2 , wherein a distance between two rear ground contact sections disposed at a rear portion of the base is greater than a distance between two front ground contact sections disposed at a front portion of the base. 
     
     
         4 . The rooftop cargo carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the fixation members comprise cross bar attachment clamps configured to attach the cargo carrier to cross bars on the vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The rooftop cargo carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein when the cargo carrier is positioned on a vehicle roof, the fixation members are aerodynamically shielded by the at least two ground contact sections. 
     
     
         6 . The rooftop cargo carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein an underside of the cargo carrier has a concavely curved shape. 
     
     
         7 . The rooftop cargo carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least two ground contact sections are aligned with the fixation members in a longitudinal direction of the lid. 
     
     
         8 . The rooftop cargo carrier according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 four ground contact sections comprising two left ground contact sections and two right ground contact sections; and   four fixation members comprising two left fixation members and two right fixation members,   wherein the two left ground contact sections are aligned with the two left fixation members, and   wherein the two right ground contact sections are aligned with the two right fixation members.   
     
     
         9 . The rooftop cargo carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein the fixation members are configured to move in a direction away from the ground when the fixation members come into contact with the ground. 
     
     
         10 . The rooftop cargo carrier according to  claim 1 , comprising at least three ground contact sections. 
     
     
         11 . The rooftop cargo carrier according to  claim 10 , wherein the at least three ground contact sections are point-type contact sections. 
     
     
         12 . The rooftop cargo carrier according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one ground contact section of the at least two ground contact sections is a line-type contact section. 
     
     
         13 . The rooftop cargo carrier according to  claim 1 , further comprising an add-on portion attached to at least one of the base and the lid and configured to enlarge an overall external volume of the cargo carrier. 
     
     
         14 . The rooftop cargo carrier according to  claim 13 , wherein the at least two ground contact sections are disposed on the add-on portion. 
     
     
         15 . The rooftop cargo carrier according to  claim 13 , wherein the fixation members are each disposed within a concavity of the base, the lid, or the add-on portion. 
     
     
         16 . The rooftop cargo carrier according to  claim 13 , wherein the base or the add-on portion has a curved shape. 
     
     
         17 . The rooftop cargo carrier according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the interior space is accessible through an upper opening defined by a rim portion of the base;   the lid is configured to be positioned in a closed state with an edge portion of the lid contacting the rim portion; and   the add-on portion comprises a bridging portion that provides a transition between the edge portion of the lid and the rim portion of the base when the lid is in the closed state,   wherein the at least two ground contact sections are disposed on the bridging portion.   
     
     
         18 . The rooftop cargo carrier according to  claim 17 , wherein the bridging portion provides a transition between an outer surface of the edge portion of the lid and the rim portion of the base when the lid is in the closed state. 
     
     
         19 . The rooftop cargo carrier according to  claim 17 , comprising at least four ground contact sections, wherein two ground contact sections of the at least four ground contact sections are disposed on a front bridging portion, and wherein two ground contact sections of the at least four ground contact sections are disposed on a rear bridging portion.