Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Enclosed compartment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-30
2001-07-03
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Enclosed compartment
C099S357000, C126S038000, C126S0390BA
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254160
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a catering unit for motor vehicles, and more particularly relates to a catering unit for multi-purpose vehicles (MPVs), 4×4's, estate cars, pick-up trucks, station wagons and other recreational vehicles.
It is well known to provide catering facilities for use in vehicles. Such facilities have long been provided in vehicles such as motor homes, coaches, caravans and trailers. For example, German patent publication number DT 2 605 760 A1 discloses a demountable kitchen unit for a bus. The equipment is bolted to the floor of the bus as a replacement fitting for one pair of seats, and using similar fasteners as the seats. The equipment faces the gangway and provides a simple cooking facility as well as food storage, water heating and washing. Waste paper is collected in a removable container in the bottom of the unit. A refrigerated compartment can also be used. This equipment is large and heavy, and it takes up the space occupied by two normal seats. Although it can be removed from the bus, it is clear that the equipment is not portable, i.e., it can not be easily carried or moved by hand.
In German patent publication number 4 329 105 A1 there is described mobile office system including a purpose made unit for replacing the front passenger seat of a motor vehicle. The unit has a worktop on which the driver can position documentation. The worktop can be provided in hinged sections to extend into a sleeping bunk. The unit has a support console which can be used to carry other equipment such as office machines, a coffee maker, or a cool box.
International patent publication number WO97/41001 discloses a fastening system for removably securing equipment to a motor vehicle. This system is particularly useful for the type of vehicles known as “minivans”. Fastening systems are also disclosed in a number of other documents. For example, German patent publication number DE 2 961 675 discloses a fixing device for mounting a bicycle to a vehicle. UK patent publication number GB 2 197 628 discloses a means to fix a wheelchair to a vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,239 discloses a means to fix a seat to a motor vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a catering unit which is suitable for being transported in non-commercial motor vehicles, such as family automobiles, especially MPVs, 4×4's, estate cars, pick-up trucks, station wagons, and other recreational vehicles. 4×4's are also known as “off-roaders”, and examples of such vehicles are sold under the names Landrover and Rangerover.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a catering unit which is removably securable to a motor vehicle.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a catering unit which is removably securable to a MPV in place of one of the seats of the MPV.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a catering unit comprising; a housing; a sink disposed in one face of the housing; at least one gas burner disposed in said face of the housing; a temperature regulated storage unit disposed within the housing; a water supply reservoir disposed within the housing, for supplying water to the sink; and a waste water reservoir disposed within the housing, for storing waste water from the sink; wherein the size and weight of the catering unit are such that the unit is portable in the sense that it can be placed into and removed from a motor vehicle by hand.
Thus the catering unit according to the invention provides the user with all the essential catering facilities, including a cooking facility, a washing facility, and a facility to keep food and/or beverages at a desired temperature.
It will be appreciated that the size and weight of the catering unit according to the invention may vary over a wide range. The overriding concern is to ensure that the unit is portable. To this end, we prefer that the dimensions of the housing are preferably about 0.7 m×0.7 m×0.7 m or less. A catering unit above this size could not be considered portable . Thus, in order to ensure that the catering unit is portable, the maximum volume of the housing is about 0.343 m
3
. However, in order to provide improved portabilility, we prefer that the volume of the housing is about 0.3 m
3
or less, more preferably about 0.25 m
3
or less, and most preferably about 0.2 m
3
or less. As mentioned above, the maximum length of the housing in any direction should be 0.7 m or less, but we prefer that the maximum length is under 0.66 m. In general the minimum length of the housing would be about 0.4 m, in order to provide sufficient space for all the necessary components; thus, our preferred minimum volume for the catering unit is about 0.064 m
3
. One particularly suitable size for the housing is 0.65 m×0.65 m×0.45 m. Another particularly suitable size Is 0.654 m×0.625 m×0.455 m.
The weight of the unit should be about 30 kg or less, in order to provide adequate portability. Preferably the weight of the unit is about 25 kg or less. The minimum practical weight of the unit is generally about 10 kg. These weights refer to the catering unit when the water supply reservoir, the water waste reservoirs, and the hot and/or cool box are empty, and when the unit does not contain any gas cylinder for the gas burner.
We prefer that the housing includes a compartment which can receive a gas cylinder for supplying gas to the gas burner. The gas cylinder can be conventional, as can the means to supply to gas from the cylinder to the gas burner. The gas burner itself is also conventional. Any suitable gas can be used, including propane, butane, etc. In our preferred embodiment, there are two gas burners provided in said face of the housing. The gas burners can be supplied from a common gas cylinder.
Preferably the water supply reservoir is removable in order to facilitate filling with fresh water. The fresh water can be taken from any suitable source, and would typically be obtained from a domestic tap. We prefer that the capacity of the water supply reservoir is from about 5 litres to about 15 litres, more preferably from about 9 litres to about 15 litres. Most preferably the capacity of the water supply reservoir is about 9 litres.
Preferably the waste water reservoir is removable in order to facilitate discharge of waste water We prefer that the capacity of the waste water reservoir is at least as great as the capacity of the water supply reservoir. We prefer that the capacity of the waste water reservoir is from about 5 litres to about 15 litres, more preferably from about 9 litres to about 15 litres. Most preferably the capacity of the waste water reservoir is about 9 litres.
The temperature-regulated storage unit may simply comprise an insulated container adapted to insulate its contents from ambient temperatures. Thus, the temperature-regulated storage unit may be used to keep chilled food and beverages cool. Or it may be used to keep hot food and beverages warm.
We prefer that the temperature-regulated storage unit comprises an insulated container having a temperature regulating means for maintaining the interior of the container at a desired temperature. The desired temperature may be, for example, within about 26° C. of ambient. The temperature-regulated. storage unit may be a cold box, i.e., it may have means to maintain the temperature be low ambient (e.g. up to 26° C. below ambient), or it may be a hot box, i.e., it may have means to maintain the temperature above ambient (e.g. up to 26° C. above ambient). Preferably the temperature-regulated storage unit is a combined hot/cool box, i.e. it has means to maintain the temperature above or below ambient (eg within ±26° C. of ambient). The temperature-regulated storage unit is preferably powered so that it can provide energy to maintain the temperature at a desired level. Most preferably, the temperature-regulated storage unit is provided with means to connect it to a power source in a vehicle. In the p
Mariner William Edward
Marriott Edgar Aubrey
Pape Joseph D.
Patel Kiran B.
Rankin, Hill Porter & Clark LLP
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