Patent Application
20220297588
The present invention relates to the field of lowboy transport systems coupled to vehicles and more particularly lowboy transport systems for tiny homes.
The background to the invention provides information about the state of the art relating to transport systems for coupling to vehicles. Otherwise known as trailer systems that can be hitched to a vehicle, the prior art is primarily characterized by high and low bed trailers suitable for different applications. Lowboy trailer systems are a type of low bed trailer preferred for transporting heavy cargo where the height of the cargo is a factor and could otherwise exceed vehicle height restrictions during transportation. Other reasons for using lowboy trailer systems relate to mitigating the risks, costs and challenges associated with loading, transporting and unloading certain cargo to and from a trailer.
Lowboy trailer system designs are shown in the convertible trailer systems of U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,663,573 and 8,186,704. Certain simpler lowboy trailer systems are also known, comprising a goose-neck member for hitching the trailer system to a vehicle, a trailer bed and a rear dolly member with wheels. When the goose-neck hitching member and/or rear dolly member are removable from the trailer bed, cargo can be loaded from the ground instead of lifted onto the trailer bed.
U.S. Pat. No. 9,422,013 discloses a modular lowboy trailer system comprising a gooseneck, deck and dolly. The system is configured so that either end of the deck can be connected to the gooseneck or dolly at the user's election. Deck connectors are configured using a cross tube and one or more protruding tabs that mate to gooseneck and dolly connectors, configured with tabs and sockets. When the deck is delivered to a location the gooseneck and dolly can be connected and transported to another location or mated with a new deck.
U.S. patent Ser. No. 10/011,980 discloses a floor system and associated transport apparatus for use with a vehicle. The frame of the flooring system and transport apparatus are configured to accommodate mobile home structures intended to be secured to an on-site foundation. The frame is made with opposing I-beams that each have an upper flange. There are a plurality of bar joists running perpendicular between the opposing I-beams and parallel to one another. There are two tube beams each located interiorly adjacent to an I-beam beneath the upper flange. Each of the tube beams can receive fork members from the front and rear portions of the transport apparatus so that the frame can be transported to an on-site foundation and connected to the foundation. A saddle device is provided for connecting the frame to the on-site foundation.
Tiny homes have been built on and transported using tandem axle trailers. To get the maximum width typical for a tiny home (96 inches), a deck-over style trailer has been used. The trailer bed is elevated higher off the ground than the bed of a lowboy trailer system and as a result creates more limitations for the height of the tiny home.
Low deck trailer options currently available for tiny homes tend to sacrifice on the width of the tiny home (83 inches) that can be transported. This is because the floor of the tiny home must fit between the wheel fenders flanking the trailer deck.
Accordingly, a need remains to improve the transport of tiny homes in a manner that maximizes the available design options for tiny homes, the off-site construction and the on-site delivery process.
The present invention relates generally to a trailer system with a modular design for the transport of tiny homes. A front hitch assembly connects to suitable vehicles such as a tractor-trailer or properly equipped pick-up truck. A rear axle assembly is designed to carry the weight of a tiny home. The trailer bed portion of the trailer system is the tiny house foundation adapted to connect with the front hitch and rear axle assemblies in a lowboy configuration. The tiny house foundation is secured to the front (hitch) and rear (axle) assemblies using peg and channel pairings, wherein each peg is mated to a channel, formed by holes (slots) in the side walls of the foundation defining the width of the tiny home, or by an open-sided channel (groove) provided for in the side walls of the foundation defining the length of the tiny home. The pegs can be secured to the foundation using locking pins (securing pins). After transport of the tiny home to a desired location, the front hitch and rear axle assemblies can be connected to each other for transport to another location by mating the one or more pegs of each assembly with each other or with a connecting member comprising channels that pair with each of the peg, similar to those provided in the foundation.
In one aspect there is provided a trailer system for transporting a foundation of a tiny home, comprising:
In another aspect there is provided a method for transporting a tiny home comprising the step of assembling a trailer system comprising:
In embodiments of the trailer system and method, the hitching member comprises a goose-neck.
In other embodiments of the trailer system and method, the dolly member is a single axle, dual-wheeled member.
In still other embodiments of the trailer system and method, the dolly member comprises an air suspension means for lowering and elevating the trailer system.
In further embodiments of the trailer system and method, each of the hitching and dolly members has two pegs that are each inserted into a groove channel formed by a wall configuration of each of the first or second sides of the foundation.
In other embodiments of the trailer system and methods, a peg and channel pairing is provided with aligning pin holes through the peg and at least one side wall of the channel for receiving a securing pin to lock the peg to the foundation during transport of the assembled trailer system.
In still other embodiments of the trailer system and methods, a slot or groove is formed by a wall configuration of the first and second ends of the foundation.
In other embodiments of the trailer system and method, the hitching and dolly members each have a base, the base having a structure that inserts into the slot or groove formed by the wall configuration of the first and second ends of the foundation.
In yet other embodiments of the trailer system and method, the assembled trailer system can transport the foundation of the tiny home, a partially built tiny home on the foundation or a fully built tiny home on the foundation.
In other embodiments of the trailer system and method, when the assembled trailer system is disassembled, a connecting member comprising one or more channels positioned and sized to each receive one of the one or more pegs of the hitching member, or one of the one or more pegs of the dolly member, is used to connect the hitching member and dolly member by aligning the hitching member, connecting member and dolly member in an end-to-end configuration.
These and other features of the invention will become more apparent in the following detailed description in which reference is made to the appended drawings. For figures that have dimensions generally denoted by letters, such as ‘x’ and ‘y’, said use of letters is specific to each figure. For example, an ‘x’ value in one figure does not necessarily correspond to the same dimension in another figure also labelled using ‘x’.
The present invention relates to the field of lowboy trailer systems and the transport of tiny homes. As disclosed herein, the trailer system comprises three main members that assemble and dissemble from each other, or that otherwise can be coupled and decoupled from one another. These include a front hitch assembly (hitching member), a rear axle assembly (dolly member) and a tiny home foundation that doubles as a trailer bed.
Various features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the illustrations in the Figures. The design factors, construction and use of the devices, structures, members, apparatuses, assemblies, systems, methods, processes and uses disclosed herein are described with reference to various examples representing embodiments and variations thereof, which are not intended to limit the scope of the invention as described and claimed herein. The skilled technician in the field to which the invention pertains will appreciate that there may be other variations, examples and embodiments of the invention not disclosed herein that may be practiced according to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains.
The use of the word “a” or “an” when used herein in conjunction with the term “comprising” may mean “one,” but it is also consistent with the meaning of “one or more,” “at least one” and “one or more than one.”
As used herein, the terms “comprising,” “having,” “including” and “containing,” and grammatical variations thereof, are inclusive or open-ended and do not exclude additional, un-recited elements and/or method steps. The term “consisting essentially of” when used herein in connection with a composition, device, article, system, use or method, denotes that additional elements and/or method steps may be present, but that these additions do not materially affect the manner in which the recited device, article, system, method or use functions. The term “consisting of” when used herein in connection with a device, article, system, use or method, excludes the presence of additional elements and/or method steps. A device, article, system, use or method described herein as comprising certain elements and/or steps may also, in certain embodiments consist essentially of those elements and/or steps, and in other embodiments consist of those elements and/or steps, whether or not these embodiments are specifically referred to.
As used herein, the term “about” refers to an approximately +/−10% variation from a given value. It is to be understood that such a variation is always included in any given value provided herein, whether or not it is specifically referred to.
The recitation of ranges herein is intended to convey both the ranges and individual values falling within the ranges, to the same place value as the numerals used to denote the range, unless otherwise indicated herein.
The use of any examples or exemplary language, e.g. “such as”, “exemplary embodiment”, “illustrative embodiment” and “for example” is intended to illustrate or denote aspects, embodiments, variations, elements or features relating to the invention and not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
As used herein, the terms “connect”, “connecting” and “connected” refer to any direct or indirect physical association between elements or features of the trailer system of the present disclosure. Accordingly, these terms may be understood to denote elements or features that are partly or completely contained within one another, engaged, attached, coupled, mated, inserted, disposed on, secured or joined together, etc., even if there are other elements or features intervening between the elements or features described as being connected.
As used herein, the term “channel” refers to a space into which a peg-like structure or pin according to the present disclosure can be inserted. The space is defined, at least in part by channel walls in order to provide a path for the guided insertion of the peg-like structure or pin, but need not be fully enclosed by one or more channel walls. The end of a given channel opposite from the end into which a peg-like structure or pin is inserted or initially received, may or may not be open. For example, a channel can be a slot, groove, tube, peg hole, pin hole, and the like. Channels can also be aligned or merged with one another to form larger or longer channels in order to facilitate the connection of components of the trailer system. In this regard it is understood that a channel provides a path defined by structures such as those noted and may include spaces in between channel defining/forming structures which provide continuity of the path for the insertion or threading of a peg or pin through channel forming structures.
As used herein, the term “peg’ and variations thereof (e.g. prismatic peg, and peg arm) refer to any peg-like structure that projects from the front hitch and rear axle assemblies for insertion into a channel of the foundation of the trailer system of the present disclosure. Each peg-like structure need only be long enough to be able to be inserted (connected) into a channel of a foundation and secured therein using a suitable securing means. Once inserted into a channel, the peg-like structure provides sufficient support at one end of the tiny home foundation alone, or in conjunction with other similarly connected peg-like structures for transporting the foundation of a tiny home, transporting the tiny home foundation with the shell of a tiny home built on top of it, or a fully constructed tiny home built on the foundation.
It is contemplated that any embodiment of the devices, structures, members, apparatuses, assemblies, systems, methods, processes, and uses disclosed herein can be implemented by one skilled in the art, as is, or by making such variations or equivalents without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.
In one embodiment, the trailer system is a modular or sectional system, comprising at least three members, a trailer hitching member (front hitch assembly), a trailer dolly member (rear axle assembly), and a tiny home foundation configured to function as the trailer bed and connect to both of the front hitch assembly, and rear axle assembly.
In one embodiment, the hitching member is a gooseneck hitching assembly. In another embodiment, the dolly member is a dual axle assembly and may optionally comprise a suspension elevating means (e.g. air suspension system). In other embodiments, a peg and channel system is used to connect a foundation of a tiny home with a hitching assembly at one end and a rear axle assembly at another end. The peg and channel system may comprise pairings of pegs and slots formed into the end walls of the foundation. Alternatively, the peg and channel system may comprise pairings of pegs and grooves formed into the opposing side walls of the foundation. The grooves may be formed into the outer face of the side walls, or into the inner face of the side walls of the foundation. In another embodiment, a groove channel is formed around the outer facing perimeter of the foundation including the side and end walls.
A securing means, such as a securing pin is used to secure the hitching and rear axle assemblies to the ends of a foundation. The securing means (pins) is threaded through aligned pin holes through the side wall of a foundation, channel and peg.
When the foundation is not integrated into a trailer system, the pin holes provided through the pegs and channels may be aligned for receiving the securing means (pins) and connecting the hitching assembly directly to the rear axle assembly. Alternatively, a connecting member may be used (e.g. a spreader bar) be used to indirectly connect the hitching and rear axle assemblies together into a format suitable for transport in the absence of a foundation integrated into the trailer system.
A trailer hitching member is referred to herein as a front hitch assembly (and also alternatively referred to as a “hitching assembly” herein). This is the part of the trailer system that on one end connects (e.g. is hitched) to the vehicle that will tow the trailer system (with or without) a tiny home, and on the other end connects to the tiny home foundation (trailer bed). On this other end of a front hitch assembly, there are one or more pegs that are configured to fit into a similarly dimensioned channel(s) at an end of a tiny home foundation (functioning as a trailer bed). Depending on the placement and dimensions of the one or more pegs and corresponding channel(s), the number of pegs and channels can be selected by one skilled in the art.
In one embodiment the hitching assembly is a gooseneck assembly. The gooseneck assembly will comprise a gooseneck component and a base component. The gooseneck component is adapted to engage with the towing/transport vehicle and may be height adjustable. The base component is adapted to facilitate the engagement with a tiny home foundation and in addition to the one or more pegs needed for this purpose may include other structure features that ensure the stability of the trailer system, and/or provide additional support for the transport of the foundation. In one embodiment (e.g. see
A tiny home foundation is configured for use as a trailer bed in a trailer system as it is being transported and will include a top, bottom, first and second opposing ends defining the width of the foundation and first and second sides defining the length of the foundation.
In an embodiment, a foundation is about 7 to about 8.5 feet wide. In a further embodiment, the foundation is about 8 to about 8.5 feet wide. In a related embodiment, the foundation is 7, 7.25, 7.5, 7.75, 8, 8.25, or 8.5 feet wide. In a further embodiment, the foundation is about 8 to about 8.5 feet wide. In yet another embodiment, the foundation is about 12 to about 30 feet long. In a related embodiment, the foundation is about 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, or 30 feet long. In yet another embodiment, the foundation is about 12 to about 30 feet long. In a yet a further embodiment, the foundation is about 12 to about 20 feet long. In another embodiment, the tiny home is about 12 to about 15 feet long.
Another embodiment of the tiny home foundation is illustrated in
A framing system may be made of steel or another suitably durable and strong material. In another embodiment, the foundation comprises an insulated steel platform upon which the tiny home is built (see
In a further embodiment, a tiny home foundation is configured to integrate into, or be a member part of a trailer system of the present disclosure. The two ends of the foundation defining the width of the tiny home provide access to one or more channels for receiving the pegs of a front hitch assembly and a rear axle assembly, respectively. In one embodiment, the channel(s) are holes (e.g. slots or cavities) with similar dimensions to the pegs and are accessed from the end walls of the foundation defining the width of the tiny home (see
In another embodiment, the channels of a tiny home foundation are defined by groove(s) with dimensions suitable for receiving all or a portion of the pegs of a front hitch assembly and/or rear axle assembly. The channels of this embodiment are accessed from the ends of a foundation along the side walls of the foundation defining the length of the tiny home (see
The recessed walls of groove channels along the side walls of a foundation will each have two or more pin holes positioned along their length to align with pin holes of the pegs when said pegs are partially or fully inserted into their designated side wall channel. The foundation may have more total pin holes along its side walls than needed to align with the pin holes for a given front hitch assembly and rear axle assembly. This design option may be desirable to allow for the interchangeable use of different front hitch and rear axle assemblies with a given foundation.
In one embodiment, the top wall of a foundation may be a surface without flooring component(s) or other coverings for indoor home use. In another embodiment (see
A dolly member of the trailer system according to the present disclosure is referred to herein as a rear axle assembly. This member connects to an end wall of a tiny home foundation opposite an end wall where a front hitch assembly connects to the tiny home foundation, when each of said components is aligned in an end to end configuration. Similar to a front hitch assembly, a rear axle assembly also has pegs that fit into channels formed into, or as part of a wall configuration of the side and/or end walls of a tiny home foundation Depending on the placement and dimensions of the one or more pegs and corresponding channel(s), the number of pegs and channels can be selected by one skilled in the art.
In one embodiment, the axle of the rear axle assembly is a dually wheeled axle, meaning it has four tires for transporting large and heavy items. In a further embodiment the rear axle assembly is a dual axle assembly.
In another embodiment, a suspension of the rear axle assembly is an adjustable air (pneumatic) suspension system. In still another embodiment, a suspension of the rear axle assembly is an adjustable hydraulic suspension system This allows a tiny home to travel on public roads at the lowest possible height off the ground (i.e. with about six inches clearance) and be elevated as necessary upon arriving at a site for delivering the tiny home, in order to reduce the risk of bottoming-out on uneven terrain.
In one embodiment, a suspension of the dolly member can be elevated and lowered to two or more heights off the ground, ranging from about 6 to about 12 inches. The lowest level is to allow for paved road travel. The higher levels will be to facilitate travel over uneven terrains. Different levels (elevations) can also be used to facilitate coupling and decoupling of the hitching and dolly members to and from a trailer bed/tiny home foundation depending on the preference and circumstances of the user. In one embodiment, a lower elevation of a suspension is used to couple hitching and dolly members of a trailer system to a tiny home foundation.
Peg and channel pairings of a trailer system according to the present disclosure provide a peg and channel system for supporting a tiny home foundation and any structure built on it. Each peg and channel may have a variety of shapes and sizes, so long as they are dimensioned to connect, or fit together with one another within side and/or end walls of a tiny home foundation. Each peg and channel pairing can be shorter or less deep than the less versatile fork and tube beams of the prior art that run along a substantial length in the interior of the structure being supported. In a peg and groove embodiment of the present disclosure, the peg and groove remain exterior to the interior region of the foundation found between the side and end walls. Again this increases the design options for both the pegs, channel length and for the framing and insulation of the foundation itself. One reason the present disclosure can provide for peg and channel design variation is because of the smaller dimensions of tiny homes compared to other mobile homes that require longer and wider trailer systems to transport them.
In one embodiment, the pegs of hitching and dolly members are between about 6 inches to about 6 feet long. In another embodiment, the pegs of hitching and dolly members are between about 6 inches to about 1.5 feet long. In still another embodiment, the pegs of hitching and dolly members are between about 4.5 feet to about 5.5 feet long. The corresponding channel for mating to each of the pegs will be of a similar depth to the length of the peg that is intended to be inserted into it, or deeper to accommodate a variety of peg lengths depending on the hitching and dolly members being used in a given situation.
In one embodiment, a hitching or dolly member of one trailer system may be used interchangeably with a dolly and hitching member, respectively of another trailer system because of the numerous options for configuring channels in the foundations of tiny homes such that hitching and rear axle assemblies with different numbers of pegs and/or lengths of pegs can be accommodated by a single foundation design without necessarily always having to engage with all of the channel spaces accessible from around the perimeter of a foundation.
In one embodiment, the pegs have a prismatic configuration and are paired with channels of a similarly prismatic (closed slot or open groove) configuration. In another embodiment, the pegs have a rectangular (prismatic) configuration and are paired with channels of a similarly rectangular configuration. In another embodiment a slot or groove type channel may have annular configurations and be paired with pegs having corresponding annular configurations.
In one embodiment, there are one or more peg and channel pairings for connecting the various members of a trailer system according to the present disclosure. Each peg and channel pairing has dimensions suitable for supporting the weight of the tiny home depending on the number of peg and channel pairings selected by one skilled in the art. Similarly, the placement of peg and channel pairings may be varied. For example,
In one embodiment there is one peg and channel pairing between the front hitch assembly and tiny home foundation, and/or between the rear axle assembly and tiny home foundation. In another embodiment, there are two peg and channel pairings between the front hitch assembly and tiny home foundation, and/or between the rear axle assembly and tiny home foundation (see
In a further embodiment, the number of peg and channel pairings between the front hitch assembly and tiny home foundation, and between the rear axle assembly and tiny home foundation are the same. In still a further embodiment, the number of peg and channel pairings between the front hitch assembly and tiny home foundation, and between the rear axle assembly and tiny home foundation are different. It is also to be understood that the form or configuration of a given peg and channel pairing need not be replicated in an identical manner for other peg and channel pairings used in the trailer system.
For example, in the case of single peg and channel pairing at each of the front hitch assembly/foundation interface and/or rear axle assembly/foundation interface, a peg and hole (e.g. slot) configuration may be provided where the width of the peg and hole run along a more substantial portion of the width (end wall) of the tiny home foundation. By way of another example, when there are two peg and channel pairings at a given hitching or rear axle assembly to foundation interface, a peg and hole configuration (see
In a further embodiment, the tiny home foundation has one or more holes in the end walls defining the width of a tiny home foundation, with dimensions suitable for securely receiving the pegs of a front hitch assembly and/or a rear axle assembly, respectively. In this embodiment the peg surfaces adjacent the channel wall(s) of the hole(s) will be close enough to said channel wall(s), to minimize movement of the peg within the channel once secured, and may or may not contact (abut) one or more surfaces of the channel wall(s).
In still another embodiment, a tiny home foundation has two or four grooves along the side walls defining the length of the tiny home foundation, with dimensions suitable for securely receiving the pegs of the front hitch assembly and rear axle assembly, respectively. In this embodiment the peg surfaces adjacent the channel wall(s) of the grooves will be close enough to said channel wall(s), to reduce destabilizing movement of the peg within the channel once secured, and may or may not contact (abut) one or more surfaces of the channel wall(s). The fit between the peg and groove is such so as to ensure the trailer system can transport a foundation (and tiny home) over various terrains without damaging the foundation or home. This requires being able to maintain the plane of the foundation defined by axes running in between the side and end walls of the foundation in a substantially parallel orientation relative to the ground plane of the terrain when the trailer system is stationary and during transport using the trailer system.
In yet another embodiment, the pegs of a front hitch assembly and a rear axle assembly can be secured in the channels of a tiny home foundation using pins that pass through holes in the peg and channel walls. Each pin is locked into place using one or more structures at an end of the pin cooperating with one more structures of the side wall(s) of the foundation including, at or otherwise adjacent to the pin holes used to receive the pins. For example, see
In one embodiment, there are holes passing through each of the pegs and channel side walls to allow for pins or other securing means (e.g. nut and bolt systems) to secure different component parts of a trailer system. Such sets of holes passing through peg and channel pairings (via channel walls) are in a linear alignment configuration designed to allow the holes of pegs to be aligned with the holes of channel side walls and thereby create a guided passage (channel) for a securing means to be threaded there through and secure the structures of a peg and foundation together.
In a related embodiment, there is one hole through the peg and one hole through a first side wall of a channel (slot or groove) that can be aligned to receive a securing pin or bolt there through. In another related embodiment, there are two holes through first and second opposing channel (slot) side walls that can align with the hole through a peg to receive a securing pin or bolt there through. In a further related embodiment, there are two or more sets of holes in a linear alignment through the walls of a corresponding channel for aligning with the holes of pegs of variable lengths. Longer pegs may have one or more sets of holes along their length in order to provide for multiple points that can be used to secure a trailer system when assembled, depending on the depth of the channels in a tiny home foundation.
In another embodiment, one assembly (of the front hitch or rear axle assemblies) has hollow pegs that are larger than the pegs of the other assembly. In this embodiment, the smaller pegs are configured to fit securely into the channel formed in the larger, hollow pegs.
In one embodiment, when a tiny home foundation is not integrated as part of the trailer system, the front hitch and rear axle assemblies of the trailer system can be connected directly to each other for transport (e.g. see
In another embodiment, the front hitch and rear axle assemblies can be secured for transport or storage in the absence of a foundation (e.g. before or after delivery of the foundation using a connecting member, such as tubing, a (spreader) bar, sleeve, or other structure configured to receive the pegs of the hitching and rear axle assemblies. a connecting member for connecting the hitching and dolly members to each other for transport in the absence of the foundation
In still a further embodiment, the front hitch and rear axle assemblies of a trailer system can be connected to each other using a connecting member configured with channels laid out and dimensioned analogous to those of a tiny home foundation used with said assemblies.
In the embodiment of
In a related embodiment, a connecting member may be a single tube open at both ends into which a peg from both the front hitch and rear axle assemblies of a trailer system may be inserted. In this embodiment, the tube functions as a sort of sleeve for the pegs (see
In yet a further embodiment, front hitch and rear axle assemblies can be secured to each other, or to a connecting member using the same locking (securing) means (e.g. securing pins, or bolts) used to secure said assemblies to a tiny home foundation.
In still a further embodiment, when a connecting (spreader bar) is used for securing pegs and attaching the front hitch and rear axle assemblies for transport in the absence of a foundation, the length of the connecting bar will be a length at least long enough to accommodate the full lengths of the pegs of the two assemblies.
In another embodiment the connecting member will be long enough to accommodate varying peg lengths of different front hitch and rear axle assemblies to accommodate the interchangeability of assemblies for use as part of a trailer system according to the present disclosure.
When a trailer system of the present disclosure is assembled, a tiny home foundation that doubles a trailer bed and home built (in whole or in part) on top of the foundation can be transported riding low to the ground. In one embodiment, a tiny home foundation integrated into a trailer system of the present disclosure rides about 6 inches off the ground. In another embodiment, a rear axle assembly has an adjustable (e.g. pneumatic, hydraulic) suspension in order to ensure the ride height of a tiny home foundation is maintained at a sufficient elevation to clear different road, and off-road ground topologies to minimize the risk of damaging a tiny home on different terrains.
These three member parts of the trailer system can be made using steel to support the tiny home. In one embodiment, the trailer system is used to transport a tiny home that can weigh from about 6000 to about 20000 lbs. In another embodiment, the tiny home weights from about 6000 to about 15000 lbs. In yet another embodiment, the tiny home weighs from about 8000 to about 15000 lbs. In still another embodiment, the tiny home weighs from about 8000 to about 12000 lbs.
In an embodiment, the trailer system is used to transport a tiny home that is about 7 to about 8.5 feet wide. In a further embodiment, the tiny home is about 8 to about 8.5 feet wide. In yet another embodiment, the tiny home is about 12 to about 30 feet long. In a yet a further embodiment, the tiny home is about 12 to about 20 feet long. In another embodiment, the tiny home is about 12 to about 15 feet long.
In another embodiment, the trailer system is used to transport a partially built tiny home, such as the shell or ‘box” of the home without being configured on the inside for occupancy. This option is available for home owners who wish to undertake the interior design and building on site, once the shell of the tiny home has been delivered.
In yet another embodiment, the trailer system is used to transport a tiny home fully configured on the interior and ready for occupancy upon being delivered to a desired location. In a related embodiment, the tiny home once delivered can be further expanded to create a larger footprint for living by building additions on site.
In still another embodiment, the trailer system is used to transport a tiny home that is about 7 to about 8.5 feet wide. In a related embodiment, the tiny home is 7, 7.25, 7.5, 7.75, 8, 8.25, or 8.5 feet wide. In a further embodiment, the tiny home is about 8 to about 8.5 feet wide. In yet another embodiment, the tiny home is about 12 to about 30 feet long. In a related embodiment, the tiny home is about 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, or 30 feet long. In a yet a further embodiment, the tiny home is about 12 to about 20 feet long. In another embodiment, the tiny home is about 12 to about 15 feet long. A tiny home layout based on a width of about 8 feet and length of about 25 feet is shown in
To gain a better understanding of the invention described herein, the following examples are set forth. It will be understood that these examples are intended to describe illustrative embodiments of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.
The following examples provide exemplary, non-limiting embodiments of the trailer system according to the present disclosure.
When using the trailer system 1 of the present disclosure, the front hitch assembly 2 is connected to the vehicle (not shown) that will tow the tiny home. With reference to
In one embodiment, the front hitch assembly 2 is connected to the tiny home foundation 3 first. It is moved close to one end 14 of the tiny house foundation 3 and the rectangular (prismatic) pegs 9 are fitted into the slots (cavities) 12 formed in the tiny home foundation (
An advantage of having the peg and slot configuration of the present disclosure (compared to the fork and tube configuration of the prior art relating to larger mobile homes) is the versatility and ease of aligning the peg and slot pairings for mating to one another. Moreover, the depths of the slots 12 minimally affect the integrity of the foundation's insulation and framing system. This provides for more construction and functionally efficient design options. If the mating of the pegs 9 into the slots 12 is affected by the terrain and/or elevation of the tiny home at a given location, the suspension (not shown) of the towing vehicle can be lowered. In addition, or alternatively, suitable propping/lifting means can be applied by one skilled in the art to facilitate the necessary alignment between the pegs and slots. When the pegs 9 are fully inserted into the foundation slots 12, pins 23 (as shown in
With the front hitch assembly 2 attached to the tiny house 26 (see
Each of the securing pins 23 comprises a pin portion 24 and can be secured in the series of pin holes 11a, 11b, 19a, and 19b forming a channel 31 running through the peg and channel pairings (couplings) when mated. In this embodiment, the series of pin holes 11a line up with the series of pin holes 19a and the series of pin holes 11b line up with the series of pin holes 19b. Pin holes 19a and 19b are the first holes through which the pin portion 24 is inserted from the exterior side walls 15, 17 of the tiny home foundation 3. Pin portion 24 is then threaded through pin holes 11a and 11b, sitting to the interior of the side walls 15, 17 of the tiny home foundation 3, from where the pegs are first inserted.
The securing means may comprise a ring structure 25a threaded through the pin portion 24 through a hole 25b (
Once the front hitch and rear axle assemblies 2, 4 have been fully connected and secured to the tiny home foundation 3, the suspensions (not shown) of the towing vehicle and trailer system are adjusted so that the tiny home is elevated for transport to about 6 inches off the ground on paved roads. When the tiny home 26 (see
The loading crew should be able to move the rear (axle) assembly 4 in order to position it for attachment to the front (hitch) assembly 2. Similar to attaching the assemblies to the tiny house foundation 3, the front (hitch) and rear (axle) assemblies 2, 4 can be reconnected to each other as shown in
In this embodiment of the trailer system shown in
The grooves (channels) 41 are sufficiently deep to accommodate the peg arms 34 as shown in
This configuration of the peg and channel (groove) system, similar to the one described in Example 1, minimally impacts the integrity of the foundation's construction, to provide for an analogous range of design options and efficiencies for the tiny home.
As shown in
In this embodiment, the height of the foundation side walls 15, 17 is defined by both the height of the beams 42 and flooring 43 sitting on top of the beams 42. In
Again, with reference to
In
The front hitch assembly 2 is configured to have the gooseneck 6 be connected to a hitching assembly base 7 via a Y channel 48 provided with a gooseneck hitching hole 59 and a gooseneck guide and deck locking member 63 provided at the back end and underside of the gooseneck 6. The front end of the gooseneck includes rollers, a hitching plate and hitching member for guiding and securing the gooseneck 6 to a towing/transport vehicle. To accommodate different height requirements for the gooseneck 6 when used with different towing/transport vehicles, an adjusting mechanism 49 in the form of a mechanically operated plate is provided.
Both the hitching and rear axle assemblies are provided with pegs 34 inserted into the bases such that the pegs (substantially) provide the side walls for each base. The base 7 of a hitching assembly can be said to have a box frame configuration for receiving the pegs 34. The base 8 of the rear axle assembly can be said to have a bridge configuration for receiving the pegs 34.
The pegs of the hitching and rear axle assemblies have pin holes 11a, 11b for insertion into the grooved sides walls 15, 17 of a tiny home foundation 3. Each peg 34 has two pin holes that align with corresponding pin holes 19a, 19b of the tiny home foundation 3. Optional reinforcement plates (shown in
The securing means 23 for connecting a peg 34 to a side wall 15 or 17 is a pin with a pin portion 24, a handle 54 and flange structure 55. When securing pin 23 is inserted through a pin hole 11a, 11b of a peg 34 the flange structure sits adjacent to a flanged member 56 connected to the outward face of the side wall of the peg 34 that is inserted into the channel (groove) of a side wall 15, 17. The flange structure 55 and flange member 56 each have a hole aligning with one another when the pin portion 24 is fully inserted through a pin hole of the peg 34 (and pin hole of either the foundation 3 or a peg connecting (spreader) bar 52 when no foundation 3 is integrated into the trailer system 1). The two holes form a short channel, which may or may not include threading features for receiving a locking means (bolt, pin or screw) 57 that keeps the securing pin 23 in its fully inserted position during transport of the trailer system 1.
The spreader bar 52 may be constructed and configured to replicate a shorter length of a foundation side wall including the formation of a groove defined by a side wall and opposing top and bottom walls extending out at a 90 degree angle from the top and bottom faces of the side wall to form an open channel of the spreader bar 52. The extended (outward facing) end faces of the top and bottom walls of the spreader bar 52 may optionally include a lip portion extending at a (substantially) 90 degree angle towards the opposing bottom and top wall, respectively. The two lip portions serve to partially enclose the open side of the channel opposite the side wall of the spreader bar 52. Such lip features may also be included as features of the grooved side walls of a foundation and dimensioned to allow for the insertion and removal of the securing pin 23 from the pin holes 11a, 11b. The lip features serve to more securely hold a peg 34 in place when inserted into the channel of a spreader bar or foundation side wall, as the case may be. It is understood that the channels of the spreader bar of this embodiment are analogous to the channels 41 shown in other drawings herein (e.g.
The grooved end walls 14, 16 of a tiny home foundation, according to this embodiment, are mated with weldments 47a, 47b to provide additional stabilization and support for a tiny home foundation 3, and partially constructed, or fully constructed tiny home during transport. The weldments 47a, 47b may be part of a unitarily formed (e.g. using a molding process) rear axle assembly base 8, or a separable component that can be secured to the rear axle assembly base 8 by welding or using bolts, and thereby replaced if damaged during use. Similarly, the pegs 34 may also be removable from the bases 7, 8 of the hitching and rear axle assemblies, respectively to allow for replacement if damaged during use.
The foundation 3 comprises a series of spaced cross (framing) bars (referred to as feature 40 in the Table of Figure Features below) in between and oriented perpendicular to the side walls of the foundation 3. In addition to providing support to, or enhancing the structural integrity of the foundation 3 these bars can be used to secure structurally insulated panels (SIPs) into the cavity or space of the foundation ultimately defined by the side, end and top and bottom walls when finished. Alternatively, this same space or cavity can be filled using alone or in combination spray foam, sheet wood and such other components as may be selected by one skilled in the art to provide a foundation with sufficient structural integrity, strength, rigidity and energy efficiency as may be desired.
In this embodiment, exemplary dimensions of the various member components are about as follows:
1. A foundation 3: 25 feet (L)×8 feet (W)×9.75 inches (H). The height may vary between about 9.5 to 10.5 inches.
2. A hitch assembly base 7: 1 foot, 7.5 inches (L)×8 feet, 0.25 inches (W)×10.5 inches (H) at the front end and 1 foot, 1.25 inches (H) at the back end that interfaces with a foundation when engaged therewith. The length may vary between about 1 foot, 7 inches to about 1 foot, 10 inches. The base height may vary between about 10.5 inches to about 1 foot, 5 inches.
3. A peg 34 of a hitch or rear axle assembly: 5.5 feet (L)×2.25 inches (W)×8 inches (H). The height may vary between about 7.8 inches to about 8.5 inches. The width may vary between about 2.25 inches to about 3 inches.
4. A rear axle assembly base 8: 1 foot (L)×8 feet (W)×1 foot (H). The base length may vary between about 1 foot to about 1 foot, 5 inches. The base height may vary between about 1 foot to about 1 foot, 5 inches.
5. A weldment 47a, 47b for a hitching or rear axle assembly following the same dimension orientation applied to the assemblies above: 4 inches (L)×6 feet (W)×6.75 inches (H).
6. A distance between pin holes 11a and 11b on a peg 34 or pin holes 19a and 19b of a foundation side wall may be 3 feet. The distance between pin holes may vary and be selected by one skilled in the art depending on the length of the peg 34. The pin hole closest to the end of the foundation side wall, or closest to the point where the peg 34 begins to extend beyond a base of an assembly may be positioned 1 foot from said end or point.
7. A spreader bar: 7 feet (L)×3.5 inches (W)×10.5 inches (H); and lip portions extending towards each other, from the top wall and bottom wall of the spreader bar, respectively: 3.25 inches and 3 inches. The lip portions may vary from about 2 inches to about 3.5 inches each.
Other features labelled in
Table of Figure Features: The features shown in all of the figures for the illustrated embodiments disclosed herein are summarized in the table below. The table provides figures in which a given feature is labelled and a brief description of the feature and its relationship with other features as the case may be. It is to be understood that features may appear in other figures without being labelled, or included in the “Figures” column.
The disclosures of all patents, patent applications, publications and database entries referenced in this specification are hereby specifically incorporated by reference in their entirety to the same extent as if each such individual patent, patent application, publication and database entry were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.
Although the invention has been described with reference to certain specific embodiments, various modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such modifications as would be apparent to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63161888 | Mar 2021 | US |
