Patent Application
20210387560
The present invention relates to a recreational vehicle trailer chassis structure providing higher weight carrying capacity, lower center of gravity, increased torsional rigidity, optimized handling, with a very large basement storage area allowing for better packaging and layout of utilities, appliances and mechanicals which increases above and below floor storage areas while increasing the vehicle aerodynamics.
A tow-able recreational vehicle referred to as an RV is basically a trailer home on wheels, used for short term vacations, weekends or longer term living quarters for full timers. These RVs provide all the amenities you would have in a permanent home, but on a smaller more compacted scale. The major advantage is they are on wheels and can be easily transported and moved to a RV park with full hook ups to all utilities, or used for what is referred to as dry camping out in the wilderness as they are fully self contained with kitchens, bathrooms, dinettes, bedrooms, couches, chairs, hot and cold running water, water tanks, propane tanks, sinks and toilet holding tanks. They are also equipped with batteries to run lights and water pumps, or generators to do the same with the addition of 110 volt power.
About 25% of tow-able trailers sold are referred to as 5th wheel Trailers with a raised front living section, with a conventional pin or ball style hitch that couples inside a pickup truck box. About 75% of the rest of the tow-able trailers sold are called Travel Trailers and have one level living section, towed using a conventional ball style hitch, also towed mostly with trucks and SUVs. These tow-ables can be up to 45 feet in length, 8.6 feet wide, 13.5 feet in height, with GVWR's of up to 24,000 lbs. The chassis on tow-ables being built today use I beam main frame rails with perpendicular nonstructural web truss cross-members to distribute stationary loads typical of buildings or bridge construction that are permanent structures and do not have a lot of movement which is not the best construction method for over the road vehicles. These simple old design chassis frames experience lots of frame twist and road force jounce being put into the trailer body from too light and poorly designed frames and suspension systems. These current recreational vehicle chassis have vehicle stability issues as they are built too high off the ground affecting aerodynamics, they have unbalanced floor plan designs with improper utility and appliance placement, and are too light GVWR for the loads they carry and dynamic road forces they experience. They also have reduced above floor storage in the living quarters as much of the utility components like water heaters, water pumps, furnaces and ducting, electrical panels/converters, have to be installed above the floor inside the trailer. Furthermore, they have limited below living floor area storage with water tanks placed usually above floor, grey and black holding tanks and generators placed inside the frame rails with propane tanks, spare tires either placed outside the trailer body on hitch framing or below the underbelly as there is not a lot of other space to put them with the current designs.
The present invention includes two main frame rails running front to back with a series of perpendicular connecting main cross-members with a main living area floor framing on top to form a structural configuration designed and engineered to increase the torsional horizontal and vertical rigidity of the frame while reducing the total weight, with axle assemblies below. The main floor and support framing has a front and middle rear living area generally divided by the direction of structural web beam trusses. Above the rearward main frame rails is the rear main floor formed with a plurality of frame members to support RV appliances, equipment, exterior body weight and interior furnishings. Between the rearward main frame rails and below the rear and middle floor support framing are structural web rod beam trusses perpendicular to the main frame rails integrated with vertical support columns that connect the main frame to the rear and middle living area floor framing. Above the forward main frame rails and vertical support columns is the front floor framing with a plurality of frame members along with structural web beam trusses running parallel with the forward living area floor that also further increases horizontal and vertical structural rigidity. The vertical support columns are placed between the main frame rails and the main floor framing adding more height and width to the basement area space. Outward from the main frame outriggers and vertical support columns run front to back side saddle framing to allow access to the large basement storage area internally and externally via access from the outside. The furthermost forward floor framing sections is where the hitch structure and hitch are located.
The present invention further provides more cubic square feet of below floor basement storage space for equipment, utility packaging layouts and placement for electrical panels boxes, power converters/inverters, hot water heaters, pumps and supply lines, furnaces with ducting, air conditioners with ducting, hot and cold water lines, room slide tubes, power generators, propane and gas tanks, fresh water grey and black holding tanks, spare tires, interior and exterior partial or full pass through storage. With all the above RV equipment and utilities placed below the main living area floor, this further allows for additional usable storage space above the main floor interior, in cabinets under beds, under couches and dinettes, and inside closets.
Further objects, features and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent to persons skilled in the art after a review of the following description with reference to the drawings and claims that are appended to and form a part of the specifications.
Referring to
The plural main frame rails 1, la, 3, 3a, 3b run forward to rear with 1a being a frame stiffener sitting on top of 1, and 3b at the rear turning up to allow for more ground clearance that all combine to form a strong structural beam. Attached outward from main frame 1, la, 3, 3a, 3b, are perpendicular 9, 10, 10a, 10b outriggers, attached to 8 outside lower wall support frame rails. Cross-members 2, 4, 6, 7 in varying sizes with 5 support member attached between, further attached between main frame rails 1, 1a, 3, 3a, 3b to cumulatively provide reduced vertical and horizontal torsional frame bending and twisting. Attaching vertically 28, 29, 29a web rods between 4, 6, 7 main rear, middle cross members to 25 upper deck rear main framing become integrated structural web rod trusses that improve floor support load capacity and side to side rigidity. Rear vertical inner columns 12, 14, 16 attach from 1a frame stiffener, 3, 3a, 3b main frame rails to rear, middle, rear upper deck framing 25 that creates the deep rear, middle basement area 30, along with 12, 13, 16 rear, middle vertical outer columns attaching 25 upper deck framing and to 8 rearward outside lower support framing for side saddle interior and exterior storage area 30 access. Rear upper outer floor 24 longitudinal exterior wall support rail is attached to upper deck framing rail 25. Rear and middle upper deck floor support cross-members 26, 27 are attached between rear and middle upper deck 25 cross-members for additional floor support framing.
Moving forward to the front of the recreational vehicle trailer chassis as shown additionally in
The area between the first and the third vertical column 15 and between upper deck rails 17 and lower main frame rail 1 is mostly void of any RV equipment or utilities thus forming a very large amount of cubic foot front basement area space 30 with access from inside and from the exterior.
Outward vertical columns 11 are the exterior side saddle access storage framing, attached to forward upper deck framing 17 and to 8 forward outside lower side saddle support framing, further supported by outriggers 10 also allowing access to 30 interior and exterior storage areas. Forward most upper deck framing as shown in
It is understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.
