Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Variable capacity of body
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-22
2001-12-04
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Variable capacity of body
C296S026030, C296S026120, C296S165000, C296S172000, C296S176000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325437
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to devices for expanding the useable space within a vehicle and in particular to slide-out compartments for vehicles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known that the interior space of vehicles such as buses and recreational vehicles is limited by the exterior dimensions of the vehicle and in particular the width of the vehicle. In many cases the width of the vehicle is limited by a maximum allowable width for vehicles travelling on conventional roadways as determined and enforced by governmental bodies. As an example, in some jurisidictions, the width of recreational vehicles is limited to approximately 8½ feet. However, when the vehicle has been parked it is desirable to enlarge the useable space of the recreational vehicle beyond the maximum vehicle width allowable during use of the vehicle on the roadways. Thus in the prior art, applicant is aware of awnings and the like which extend laterally outwardly of the side of a parked recreational vehicle so as to provide additional room which is somewhat sheltered from the elements for use by the users of the recreational vehicle.
Also in the prior art, applicant is aware of U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,686 which issued Jan. 19, 1999 to Tiedge for a vehicle with adjustable occupancy space. Tiedge teaches an expandable occupiable section moveably coupled to a fixed section of a vehicle. The expandable section is selectively positionable on a carriage relative to the vehicle so as to adjust the volume of the living space of the vehicle. An actuator such as a threaded shaft and motor, rotates an arm so as to translate the expandable section relative to the vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In summary, the apparatus of the present invention for selectively actuable relative movement in a first direction between a first vehicle compartment mountable or mounted to a second vehicle compartment includes a first actuator mounted to the first vehicle compartment for actuation in a second direction of a follower mounted on a distal end of the actuator. An elongate channel is mounted to the second vehicle compartment in a first plane substantially parallel to a plane containing both the first direction and the second direction. The second direction is angularly offset in the first plane from the first direction. The channel is generally diagonally offset in the first plane from the second direction. The follower is mountable or mounted in the channel for sliding engagement therealong upon actuation of the first actuator. Actuation of the first actuator causes the relative translation between the first and second vehicle compartments.
The first vehicle compartment may be a vehicle and the second vehicle compartment may be a laterally-extendable compartment for the vehicle. The laterally extendable compartment may be laterally translatably mountable or mounted into the aperture in a side of a vehicle for lateral extension therefrom in the first direction into an extended position and for lateral retraction thereinto into a retracted position.
In the retracted position a laterally outer surface of the laterally extendable compartment may be generally flush with a laterally outer surface of the vehicle. In the extended position the laterally extendable compartment is cantilevered laterally outwardly from the aperture and the laterally outer surface of the vehicle.
The channel may be mounted to the laterally extendable compartment wherein the first plane is parallel to the floor. Herein, reference to mounting of the channel is intended to include any manner of mounting of, or forming into, a channel member or channel shape respectively to or into the floor. Actuation of the follower by translation of the follower in the second direction may be generally perpendicular to the first direction. Actuation of the actuator so as to translate the follower in the second direction forces relative lateral translation in the first direction between the laterally extendable compartment and the vehicle.
The channel may be, in plan view, angled generally diagonally from a first end of the channel disposed towards the interior of the vehicle to an opposite second end of the channel disposed towards the exterior of the vehicle. Thus, with the first actuator mounted so that the second direction is substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the first actuator may be adjacent the second end of the channel and retracted when the laterally extendable compartment is in the fully retracted position. The first actuator may be adjacent the first end of the channel and extended when the laterally extendable compartment is in the fully extended position. The channel may be substantially linear and may form an acute angle of generally 60 degrees between the channel and the second direction on a side of the channel opposite from the first actuator.
The first actuator may be mounted to a vehicle frame member extending longitudinally along the vehicle and underneath a floor of the laterally extendable compartment. The first and second ends of the channel may have corresponding first and second notches formed in side surfaces of the first and second ends for parking the follower into the first or second notches. When so parked, the follower is out of operative alignment with the length of the channel extending from the first end to the second end when the laterally extendable compartment is in the fully extended or retracted positions respectively. The first and second notches may be angled end portions of the channel.
The laterally extendable compartment includes a compartment floor. The compartment floor is substantially parallel to at least a portion of the vehicle floor adjacent the laterally extendable compartment when in the retracted position. The vehicle floor includes a retractable floor panel, retractable beneath the compartment floor when the laterally extendable compartment is in the retracted position, and elevatable so as to be flush with the portion of the vehicle floor when the laterally extendable compartment is in the fully extended position. The floor panel may be retractable and extendable by actuation of a second actuator mounted to and between the floor panel and a vehicle frame member. The second actuator may be a linear actuator actuating a pivotal linkage pivotally mounted to the linear actuator and the floor panel.
The laterally extendable compartment may be mountable or mounted in the aperture on rails. The rails may be a pair of rails, one rail of the pair of rails on opposite longitudinal end of the laterally extendable compartment. The pair of rails may be slidably mounted on slides oppositely mounted on either side of each rail. One rail may be mounted to each longitudinal ends of the laterally extendable compartment and corresponding longitudinal ends of the aperture in the side of the vehicle.
The rails may be, in vertical cross-section, generally Z-shaped. The slides may be slidably mountable to ends of the Z-shape so as to mount the slides mounted to the longitudinal ends of the aperture in vertically spaced relation to the slides mounted to the longitudinal ends of the laterally extendable compartment. The slides may be mounted to the longitudinal ends of the aperture so as to generally, that is so as to at least in part, vertically align over the slides mounted to the longitudinal ends of the laterally extendable compartment.
The channel may be a first channel and the follower a first follower, so that the apparatus further includes a second channel parallel to the first channel and lying in the first plane, and a second follower rigidly mounted to, and longitudinally spaced apart from, the first follower by a rigid spacer. The second follower slidably engages the second channel and forceably slides therealong upon actuation of the first actuator.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3719386 (1973-03-01), Puckett et al.
patent: 4133571 (1979-01-01), Fillios
patent: 5237782 (1993-08-01), Cooper
patent: 5248180 (1993-09-01), Hussaini
patent: 5560667 (1996-10-01), Edry
patent: 5567003 (1996-10-01), Gill
pat
Clancy Gerald W.
Hiebert Grant W.
Smith Ewan
Edwards Anthony C.
Pape Joseph D.
Patel Kiran B.
LandOfFree
Slide-out compartment for a vehicle does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Slide-out compartment for a vehicle, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Slide-out compartment for a vehicle will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2578160