Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Variable capacity of body
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-16
2001-07-10
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Variable capacity of body
C296S026080, C296S026130, C296S026010, C052S067000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06257638
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to recreational vehicles and will have specific but not limited application to a travel trailer having a rear wall which houses an extendable or slide-out room.
2. Related Background Art
Slide-out rooms or comparts in travel trailers, motor homes and the like have become increasingly popular. The slide-out rooms allow for increased usable space when the vehicle is parked and are retractable to accommodate length limitations while in transit.
These moveable room portions usually include a floor, a roof, a side wall and one or more end walls. In the retracted positions, the roof and side walls are typically concealed from exterior view and the room end wall forms a portion of the vehicle's side wall. At the same time, the floor of the moveable portion of the room typically rests above the floor of that portion of the room which remains fixed, and may form a portion of the usable interior floor during vehicle transit. Similarly, the ceiling of a moveable roof portion may define the interior ceiling of that part of the vehicle during transit.
The moveable frames used to support these slide-out rooms need to be kept in alignment relative to the fixed frame of the recreational vehicle in order to ensure that the moveable frame extends and retracts smoothly. Unfortunately, because slide-out rooms are heavy and rather cumbersome, the rooms are liable to twist slightly as they are extended or retracted which causes the room to bind or get stuck, thus damaging the room, the support system or the hydraulic cylinders typically used to move the room. Therefore, in order to prevent these problems, complex alignment and synchronization mechanisms have been developed. These mechanisms add significantly to the cost of a recreational trailer and complexity of construction.
Therefore it is an object of the invention to provide a slide-out room that can be extended and retracted easily without binding or twisting. It is a further object of the invention to provide a slide-out room that can accomplish the above using an efficient, relatively inexpensive and simple design. It is a further object of the invention to provide a frame for a slide-out vehicle that is supported both below the room and at an upper end of the room.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The objects of the invention have been accomplished by providing a travel trailer having a rear end wall with an extendable or slide-out room. The vehicle also has a floor and an opening in said rear end wall, such that said slide-out room is fitted in said opening. The vehicle includes an upper means and a lower means for supporting the slide-out room for movement between a retracted position within said vehicle spaced above said floor and an extended position projecting rearwardly of said rear end wall.
Another feature of the invention is to have a ceiling attached to and perpendicular to the rear end wall wherein the upper means includes a guide rail mounted to the ceiling and a hanger attached to the slide-out room for moving within the guide rail.
It is a further feature of the invention that the guide rail has a generally C-shaped cross sectional configuration so as to provide a slot which extends longitudinally along the rail such that the hanger extends through the slot, the hanger having rollers supported within the guide rail to facilitate movement therein.
An additional feature of the invention is that the vehicle further comprises a side wall attached to the floor and the rear end wall in perpendicular orientation to both said end wall and floor such that the upper means alternately includes a guide rail mounted to the side wall and the hanger attached at an inner most end of the slide-out room for moving within the guide rail.
Another feature of the invention is that the slide-out room is elevated above the floor such that furniture can be stored beneath said slide-out room while in the retracted position.
It is also a feature of the invention that the lower means includes hollowed rectangular frame members attached beneath the floor of the vehicle and support rails slidably disposed within the frame member. A spring loaded lock pin is attached to the frame member for interlocking with camming lugs that are mounted for and aft upon the support rail for securing the room in the fully extended and in the fully retracted position. A swing latch is mounted to the frame member and a hook is mounted at the aft end of the support rail for further securing the slide-out room in the fully retracted position.
Also, a feature of the invention is that the vehicle includes a rear bumper assembly mounted to the lower means for supporting the slide-out room.
Lastly, it is a feature of the invention that a curtain is attached to and extends downwardly from the slide-out room when said room is in the extended position such that gear and other articles may be stored beneath said slide-out room and within the curtain.
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Baker & Daniels
Dayoan D. Glenn
K-Z, Inc.
Patel Kiran B.
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