Patent Application
20090102231
This application relates generally to recreational vehicles such as motor homes and travel trailers and specifically to self-contained motor homes with an expandable living area.
The most difficult challenge in designing and building a small motor home has always been to provide as many desirable amenities as possible in a one-story vehicle that is small enough to be parked almost anywhere. In particular, what most people would like to have but have so far been unable to obtain is a one-story motor home which can be parked in most public parking spaces and includes a couch, a dinette, a kitchen with a double sink, a stove and a refrigerator, a bathroom with a shower stall or a bathtub, a sink and a toilet, a large open space in the living area, and plenty of room for storage, as well as a walk-in bedroom instead of or in addition to an over-the-cab (“cabover”) bed.
Various types of recreational vehicle are known to have a living area which is expandable in the forward, rearward, sideways or upward direction when the vehicle is not being driven. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,343,261 to Marple (1944) shows a trailer which is expandable in the forward and rearward directions as well as in the upward direction. My U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,678 (2004) discloses multi-story recreational vehicles which are expandable sideways.
Other vehicles, such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,879,081 to Hockley and Rizzi (1975) and Japanese Patent 11-123964 to Katsuaki and Narimichi (1999) have a driver's compartment which can be converted into a sleeping compartment with the use of a retractable bed or cushions.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,946 to Hanemaayer (1985) shows a motor home with a swingable coat rack mounted to pivot into and out of a shower stall. Movable partitions or folding doors are provided for dividing the interior of the motor home into two or three separate compartments including a privacy compartment which is basically a bathroom with the swingable coat rack and kitchen appliances inside.
However, these arrangements cannot be readily combined to create a motor home which is small enough to be parked in most public parking spaces and includes all of the amenities mentioned above.
In accordance with the present embodiments, space-saving features are provided to enable the motor home to be made substantially smaller without sacrificing any of the above-mentioned amenities. One of the space-saving features of the motor home is a retractable couch which can be folded and stored outside the driver's compartment while the vehicle is being driven. The couch can be extended over the front seats while the vehicle is at rest. This arrangement enables the motor home to be made substantially shorter than a similarly equipped motor home with a couch positioned adjacent to one of the vehicle's side walls. Another space-saving feature is a storage compartment which can be moved out of the main section of the motor home into a bedroom slide when the slide is in its extended position.
The first embodiment includes a driver's compartment 101, a main coach section 102, a dinette slide 103, and a bedroom slide 104. Main coach section 102 includes a cabover compartment 105 which is located above driver's compartment 101. Dinette slide 103 is shown in its retracted position in
The floor 106 of driver's compartment 101 is positioned substantially lower than the main floor 107 of main coach section 102. Driver's compartment 101 has a left side door 108 and a right side door 109. It contains a driver's seat 110 and a passenger's seat 111. Driver's seat 110 includes a bottom part 112 and a backrest 113. Passenger's seat 111 includes a bottom part 114 and a backrest 115. Backrests 113 and 115 can be tilted forward in the usual manner. An aisle 116 connects main coach section 102 to the front end of driver's compartment 101. A main entry door 117 is provided on the right side of main coach section 102.
Dinette slide 103 can be extended by approximately 0.7 m (2.3 ft.) to increase the amount of space inside the vehicle. It contains a dinette 118 which includes a retractable dining table 119 and two benches 120 and 121. Dinette 118 is convertible into a bed in the usual manner.
Bedroom slide 104 can be extended by approximately 1.2 m (3.9 ft.) to create a bedroom 122. Bedroom 122 contains a main bed 123 which includes a platform 124 and a mattress 125. Main bed 123 is shown in its extended or lowered position in
A kitchen 128 is provided on the right side of the vehicle. Kitchen fixtures include a refrigerator 129, a counter 130, a stove 131, two sinks 132 and 133, and a cupboard 134. A television 135 is positioned on top of refrigerator 129. A flat-panel television may be installed on the wall aft of dinette slide 103.
A bathroom 136 is provided on the left side of the vehicle. Bathroom fixtures include a sink 137, a toilet 138, and a bathtub 139.
A movable storage container is also provided on the left side of the vehicle in the form of a slidable wardrobe 140. It can be moved between a first position above bathtub 139 inside bathroom 136 and a second position inside bedroom 122 when bedroom slide 104 is in its extended position. Slidable wardrobe 140 is shown positioned inside bathroom 136 in
A sliding door 142 separates bathroom 136 from kitchen 128. A hinged door 143 and a retractable partition 144 separate the rear section of the vehicle from the middle section so that the rear section may serve as an enclosed walk-in bedroom as shown in
A slidable closet 145 is provided on the right side of the vehicle. When bedroom slide 104 is in its retracted position, slidable closet 145 is positioned above counter 130 and sink 133 as shown in
Cabover compartment 105 contains a cabover bed 146 which includes two mattresses 147 and 148. When cabover bed 146 is used for sleeping, mattress 148 is positioned next to mattress 147 as shown in
A retractable couch 151 is provided for use when the motor home is not being driven. With backrests 113 and 115 tilted forward, couch 151 can be extended over driver's seat 110 and passenger's seat 111 as shown in
As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15A-15D, cushions 157 and 158 form the bottom part and the back of couch 151, respectively. Cushions 157 and 158 are pivotally connected to each other by means of locking hinges 159 and 160. Cushion 157 is also pivotally connected to main floor 107 by means of locking hinges 161 and 162.
Electric motors may be used for extending and retracting couch 151, and for opening and closing covers 153 and 154 of couch storage compartment 152. Such motors can also be used for sliding driver's seat 110 and passenger's seat 111 forward and backward, and for moving backrests 113 and 115. Thus the whole process of getting couch 151 ready for use or putting it out of the way can be accomplished with a single push of a button.
Main coach section 102 has a front end wall 163, a left side wall 164, a right side wall 165, and a roof 166. Bedroom slide 104 includes an end panel 167, a left side panel 168, a right side panel 169, a top panel 170, and a collapsible floor 171. Unlike with most conventional slides, such as dinette slide 103, which retract into the interior of the vehicle, left side panel 168, right side panel 169, and top panel 170 remain on the exterior of the vehicle as bedroom slide 104 is retracted. Collapsible floor 171 can be folded in the middle as shown in
Rack-and-pinion systems are used for extending and retracting bedroom slide 104. Horizontal racks 172 and 173 are attached to the top and bottom parts of left side panel 168 in the respective order. Similarly, horizontal racks 174 and 175 are attached to the top and bottom parts of right side panel 169. Rack-and-pinion systems are already widely used for moving slides in conventional recreational vehicles so that it is not necessary to show the details in the drawings.
Referring to
Referring to
As shown in
Stabilizer jacks may be attached to the chassis of the motor home to increase its stability when bedroom slide 104 is in its extended position. Additional jacks or retractable wheels may be attached to the bottom part of bedroom slide 104.
Several other modifications can be made to the motor home of the first embodiment. For example, bedroom slide 104 can be replaced by a retractable sleeping compartment with soft sidewalls similar to those found on conventional trailers; a kitchen slide containing refrigerator 129, counter 130, stove 131, sinks 132 and 133, and cupboard 134 can be provided on the right side of the vehicle; hinged door 143 can be replaced by an accordion door; a curtain can be installed in driver's compartment 101 so that it can be extended around the ends and the back of couch 151 for added privacy; a retractable couch with inflatable or removable cushions can be used in place of couch 151; collapsible floor 171 can be replaced by a non-collapsible platform hinged at one end; bedroom slide 104 can be operated by a hydraulic system or a rack-and-pinion system positioned under main floor 107; a larger bedroom slide or a longer chassis can be used so that more walking space can be provided adjacent to bed 123, etc.
The dimensions, materials, construction, and assembly of these motor homes and their components will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, aluminum, steel or wood framing may be combined with aluminum or fiberglass panels to make the motor home's body. Alternatively, the motor home may have a molded fiberglass body with no framing. The retractable couch may include a metal frame and two or more foam cushions with imitation-leather or fabric covers. The movable wardrobe and movable closet may be made of wood, plastic, fiberglass or any other suitable material.
Although the motor home of the first embodiment may be driven with bedroom slide 104 in its extended position, it is preferably driven in its most compact configuration as shown in
While the motor home is not being driven, dinette slide 103 and bedroom slide 104 may be kept in their extended positions as shown in
The motor home of the second embodiment includes a driver's compartment 201, a main coach section 202, a dinette slide 203, and a bedroom slide 204. Main coach section 202 includes a cabover compartment 205 which is located above driver's compartment 201. Driver's compartment 201 contains a driver's seat 206 and a passenger's seat 207. Driver's seat 206 includes a bottom part 208 and a backrest 209. Passenger's seat 207 includes a bottom part 210 and a backrest 211.
Dinette slide 203 contains a dinette 212 and can be extended by approximately 0.7 m (2.3 ft.) to increase the amount of space inside the vehicle. Bedroom slide 204 can be extended by approximately 1.3 m (4.3 ft.) to create a bedroom 213. A main bed 214 is provided inside bedroom slide 204 and includes a platform 215 and a mattress 216. Main bed 214 can be retracted vertically upwards with the use of electric motors. Main bed 214 is shown in its retracted or raised position in
A kitchen 220 is provided on the right side of the vehicle and includes a refrigerator 221, a counter 222, a stove 223, and sinks 224 and 225. A television 226 is provided on top of refrigerator 221.
A bathroom 227 is located on the left side of the vehicle and contains a shower stall 228, a retractable sink 229, and a toilet 230. A slidable wardrobe 231 is also provided and may be moved between a first position inside bathroom 227 and a second position inside bedroom 213 when bedroom slide 204 is in its extended position. Slidable wardrobe 231 is shown positioned inside bathroom 227 in
Similarly a slidable closet 233 is provided on the right side of the vehicle. It is shown positioned above counter 222 and sink 225 in
As shown in
Slidable wardrobe 231 is slidably attached to cross beams 238 and 239 which are movable along telescopic rails 240 and 241 as shown in
With backrests 209 and 211 tilted forward, mattresses 236 and 237 may be lowered to form a couch as indicated above. This is done by first placing mattress 237 on top of mattress 236 as shown in
The motor home of the third embodiment includes a driver's compartment 301, a main coach section 302, a dinette slide 303, and a bedroom slide 304. Driver's compartment 301 contains a driver's seat 305 and passenger's seat 306. Driver's seat 305 includes a bottom part 307 and a backrest 308. Passenger's seat 306 includes a bottom part 309 and a backrest 310.
Dinette slide 303 may be extended by approximately 0.7 m (2.3 ft.) to increase the amount of space inside the vehicle. Bedroom slide 304 is similar to bedroom slide 204 of the second embodiment and may be extended by approximately 1.3 m (4.3 ft.) to create a bedroom 311.
The motor home of the third embodiment has a kitchen 312 which is similar to kitchen 220 of the second embodiment. Bathroom 313 contains a sink 314, a toilet 315, and a shower stall 316. A slidable wardrobe 317 is also provided and can be moved between a first position above sink 314 and shower stall 316 inside bathroom 313 and a second position inside bedroom 311 when bedroom slide 304 is in its extended position. When slidable wardrobe 317 is stored inside bathroom 313 as shown in
A retractable couch 318 is also provided and can be retracted and stored on one end behind passenger seat 306 as shown in
As shown in
The motor home of the third embodiment is preferably driven with dinette slide 303 and bedroom slide 304 in their retracted positions as shown in
A spring may be used to make it easier for retractable couch 318 to be lifted and placed in its storage position shown in
An advantage that retractable couch 318 has over retractable couch 151 of the first embodiment is that it does not require a storage compartment. Retractable couch 318 can also be made more comfortable than the couch formed by mattresses 236 and 237 of the second embodiment.
The motor home of the fourth embodiment is equipped with a dinette slide 401 on the left side and a bedroom slide 402 at the rear end. Dinette slide 401 contains a dinette 403 and may be extended by approximately 0.7 m (2.3 ft.) to increase the amount of space inside the vehicle. Bedroom slide 402 may be extended by approximately 1.2 m (3.9 ft.) to create a bedroom 404. Bedroom slide 402 contains a main bed 405 which is similar to main bed 123 of the first embodiment.
A kitchen 406 is provided on the right side of the vehicle and includes a counter 407, a stove 408, two sinks 409 and 410, and a refrigerator 411. Refrigerator 411 is positioned under stove 408.
A bathroom 412 is provided on the left side of the vehicle. It contains a toilet 413 and a shower stall 414. A sink is not provided inside bathroom 412 but kitchen sink 410 may be used as a vanity sink.
A pivotally movable wardrobe 415 is provided in this embodiment instead of a slidably movable wardrobe. A partition 416 is connected by means of hinges to pivotally movable wardrobe 415.
A sliding door 417 and a retractable partition 418 are also provided so that the rear section of the motor home may be converted into an enclosed walk-in bedroom as shown in
The motor home of the fourth embodiment also includes a retractable couch 419 which is similar to retractable couch 151 of the first embodiment.
With bedroom slide 402 in its extended position, wardrobe 415 can be moved between a first position above shower stall 414 inside bathroom 412 and a second position inside bedroom 404. Wardrobe 415 is shown positioned inside bathroom 412 in
Since wardrobe 415 does not use telescopic rails for its operation, it can be easier and less expensive to build and install than the slidably movable wardrobes and closets of the previous embodiments.
The motor home of the fifth embodiment has an advantage of being simple and inexpensive to build.
This embodiment is longer than the previous embodiments but is substantially shorter than similarly equipped conventional motor homes with a couch, a separated dinette and a corner bed.
As indicated, the space-saving features of my recreational vehicles make it possible to provide fully-equipped motor homes which are significantly shorter than conventional motor homes with similar amenities.
Since a large number of public parking spaces are approximately 6 m (20 ft.) in length, these motor homes can be parked in many more parking spaces than similarly equipped conventional motor homes which are approximately a meter longer. The shorter length of these motor homes also makes them significantly easier and safer to drive.
These motor homes also have other advantages over conventional motor homes of comparable sizes. For example, all of the embodiments described above have a couch and a separated dinette whereas similarly equipped conventional motor homes of comparable sizes are usually provided without a couch or a dinette.
The movable wardrobes and closets in the first four embodiments also make it possible for these motor homes to have more storage space than conventional motor homes of comparable sizes.
The space-saving features of these motor homes can be easily implemented using existing technologies and allow the motor homes to serve as a fully-functional recreational vehicle while being driven.
Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments but as merely providing illustrations of some of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art will envision many other modifications. For example, the retractable couch can have left and right halves which can be retracted and stored on opposite sides of the main coach section; the type of movable storage compartment shown in the first four embodiments can also be installed in other types of recreational vehicle such as a travel trailer, etc.
Thus the scope of the embodiments should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.
This is a division of patent application Ser. No. 11/043,535, filed 2005 Jan. 26 which claims the benefit of provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/539,759, filed 2004 Jan. 27 by the present inventor.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60539759 | Jan 2004 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 11043535 | Jan 2005 | US |
| Child | 12316773 | US |
