Accessories to equip and to control the interior environment for vehicle camping

• US 20090212593A1
• Filed: 02/21/2008
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Donald Leroy Larson
• Original Assignee: Donald Leroy Larson
• Inventors: Larson, Donald Leroy
• Application Number:
  US12/070,878
• Publication Number:
  US 20090212593A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/158
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/32 comprising living accommodation for people, e.g. caravans, camping, or like vehicles tents or canopies, in general E04H15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/36 Auxiliary arrangements; Arrangements of living accommodation toilet or washing arrangements B60R15/00; Details

Abstract

A method of equipping a vehicle (10), of the sports utility vehicle, van, or minivan type, with accessories which enables 2 adults to camp in the vehicle. This invention includes equipping vehicles designs that have been manufactured for several years as well as future new designs wherein several features can be designed into the vehicles to make ventilation (86) that is rain and insect proof, provide window covers (58, 60, 62, 64) for total privacy that can be easily installed and removed, as well as interface panel designs (252, 254, 256) that make connecting to external appliances easier and more robust. Bathing (18-24, 274, 286) and cooking with electric appliances on dash-mounted shelf (306) are also functions addressed. All accessories can be installed and removed quickly and do not permanently modify the vehicle.

Claims

1. In a sports utility vehicle, minivan, and van, collectively referred to in these claims as a “

vehicle”

, having a driver'"'"'s seat and a first passenger'"'"'s seat located adjacent said driver'"'"'s seat and having a cargo carrying area provided with additional passenger seats removably mounted to a horizontal floor portion or said additional passenger seats storable under a horizontal floor portion of said vehicle floor located to the rear of said driver'"'"'s seat and said first passenger'"'"'s seat, said vehicle including a tailgate at its rear end and a pair of laterally spaced side walls that include a plurality of louvered windows that swings open at the rear edge and said louvered windows are hinged at the front edge with a vertically mounted hinge, said vehicle also having a driver'"'"'s window that stores inside the lower portion of the driver'"'"'s door when opened, said vehicle removably equipped with accessories to provide camping functions, window covers provide privacy function, tub with splash guards provide bathing function, dash-mounted shelf enables cooking functions, forced ventilation adapters which uses a fan to remove odors, natural ventilation adapters to remove odor without a fan, port adapters which provide ports for conduits, access door adapters that contain doors for human hands to reach through and control an externally mounted appliance, and combination adapters that have one or more functions of the previously mentioned adapters, said vehicle having said driver'"'"'s window completely opened and said combination adapter inserted in said driver'"'"'s window, said combination adapter having said access door and said forced ventilation adapter, said combination adapter consisting of a rigid panel cut slightly larger than said driver'"'"'s window opening to allow for a water seal to be place around the entire perimeter of said driver'"'"'s window opening, said combination adapter install from the outside and aligned by 4 levers, one in each corner of driver'"'"'s window opening, said levers secured by carriage bolt and wing nut, said levers being spaced by 2 inch diameter rod cut to length such that said levers overlap the interior door frame around said driver'"'"'s window opening and holds said rigid panel firmly against said exterior of said driver'"'"'s window opening, said access door being hinged at the top edge allowing access for a human hand to reach controls on an external appliance, additionally said rigid panel may have a fan with a screen on the inside and a rain hood on the outside, said access door also providing a port for said conduit from said external appliance to deliver hot water to a shower head for bathing with the temporary addition of a storage container large enough for an adult to sit in, said storage container previously called said tub is used for catching bathing waste water, said tub having a plurality of sun shades temporarily attached to the perimeter of said tub to prevent splashing of bathing water outside of said tub, thereby protecting said cargo carrying area floor from water damage, said tub and said a plurality of sun shades can be used with the hot water appliance and hand-held shower head outside said vehicle in a stand-alone application if desired, when said external appliance is said hot water heater used for bathing the preferred mounting is on a portable, collapsible support structure, said support structure is preferably a folding step stool for reasons of easy and compact storage, said hot water heater being placed upon said support structure with appropriate spacers to make said hot water heater controls at the same height as said access door opening on said combination adapter, said hot water heater controls positioned at a horizontal distance no greater than 10 inches from said access door opening, alternately, one of said louvered windows can be used with all-weather and insect proof said natural ventilation adapter by cutting commercially available flap seal to a length of said louvered window'"'"'s perimeter less the length of the said louvered window'"'"'s hinge, then installing said flap seal with the said louvered window open, said flap seal being held in place by the push-on clamp channel that has a metal spring, said metal spring being removed from last 4 inches of each end of said flap seal, bottom side of said flap seal has ventilation holes, said ventilation holes being covered with screening material to keep insects and small animals out, additionally, one of said louvered windows can be used with all-weather and insect proof said natural ventilation adapter by cutting a commercially available bulb seal to a length of said louvered window'"'"'s perimeter less the length of the window'"'"'s hinge, then modifying said bulb seal by cutting open the bulb at the line where said bulb meets the body of said push-on clamp channel on one side thereby making said bulb seal have a new flap that resembles the flap of said flap seal, then installing said bulb seal with the window open, said bulb seal being held in place by push-on clamp channel that has a metal spring, said metal spring being removed from last 4 inches of each end of said bulb seal, said new flap is thin and is very flexible, said new flap is then attached to said vehicle'"'"'s existing window seal with rubber cement, bottom side of new flap has ventilation holes, said ventilation holes being covered with said screening material to keep insects and small animals out, most natural ventilation adapters can be used as said port adapters when said screening material applied to the holes on the bottom of said natural ventilation adapters is removed and said ventilation holes are occupied by said conduits, said conduits having the ability to connect to other said external appliances, said vehicle removably equipped with window covers, said functionality also including total privacy with the addition of window covers that can be easily installed and removed without the modification of said vehicle, said total privacy provided by said window covers blocking sight into said vehicle from outside of said windows, all windows include said louvered windows, said driver'"'"'s window, front seat passenger'"'"'s window, windshield, and tailgate windows, said window covers being comprised of a semi-rigid core material roughly the size of the inside area of said all windows and said semi-rigid core being covered on the exterior side by an opaque material, said opaque material preferably being larger than said semi-rigid core so as to provide a visual seal around the perimeter of said all window covers, said semi-rigid core material being held against the inside of said all windows by friction fit, said visual seal formed by folding the extra said opaque material to make a half inch lip when said opaque material is stapled to said semi-rigid core material, said window covers could alternately be a single plastic unit that is molded to fit each said all windows, said single plastic unit may also have a seal attached to it, to facilitate said bathing said external appliance was said hot water heater, an alternate said external appliance can be used to cool or heat the interior of said vehicle, whereas said support structure for said hot water heater was said folding step stool, the preferred said support structure for said external appliance to be used to cool or heat can be mounted at two different locations, said external appliances being preferably mounted on top of said vehicle, said vehicle also being equipped with a hitch receiver, and a removable hitch mounted platform being attached to said hitch receiver as an alternate mounting location for said external appliances, said platform having sufficient area and strength to support said appliance, with ports for said external appliance conduits being provided by a tailgate adapter that is inserted into said tailgate opening when said tailgate is partially opened and said tailgate adapter prevents rain and insects from entering said cargo area, all the above said temporarily added functionality being combined to provide an acceptably small, but private room inside said vehicle for camping functions such as sleeping, bathing, cooking, and private activities while keeping rain and insects out of said vehicle, additional camping functionality includes a dash-mounted shelf to support cooking or fan devices, said dash-mounted shelf made of rigid core material cut in a square approximately 30 inches by 30 inches with the front side next to the windshield being cut to match the curve of said windshield, said dash-mounted shelf sides being parallel to said laterally spaced side walls, said dash-mounted shelf is supported in the front by the dash of said vehicle, the rear edge of said dash-mounted shelf is supported by a leg reaching to said horizontal floor portion, said dash-mounted shelf secured from lateral movements by two or more restraining points, said restraining points being implemented with posts that protrude down into the grate provided for defrosting of said windshield, all items being added to said vehicle to provide said functionality being such that said vehicle has no permanent modifications and can be restored to the original configuration with the removal of most added functional accessories.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 limited to said vehicle having said driver'"'"'s window completely opened and said combination adapter inserted in said driver'"'"'s window, said combination adapter having said access door and said forced ventilation adapter, said combination adapter consisting of a rigid panel cut slightly larger than said driver'"'"'s window opening to allow for a water seal to be place around the entire perimeter of said driver'"'"'s window opening, said combination adapter install from the outside and aligned by 4 levers, one in each corner of driver'"'"'s window opening, said levers secured by carriage bolt and wing nut, said levers being spaced by 2 inch diameter rod cut to length such that said levers overlap the interior door frame around said driver'"'"'s window opening and holds said rigid panel firmly against said exterior of said driver'"'"'s window opening, said access door being hinged at the top edge allowing access for a human hand to reach controls on an external appliance, additionally said rigid panel may have a fan with a screen on the inside and a rain hood on the outside, said access door also providing a port for said conduit from said external appliance to deliver hot water to a shower head for bathing with the temporary addition of a storage container large enough for an adult to sit in, said storage container previously called said tub is used for catching bathing waste water, said tub having a plurality of sun shades temporarily attached to the perimeter of said tub to prevent splashing of bathing water outside of said tub, thereby protecting said cargo carrying area floor from water damage, said tub and said a plurality of sun shades can be used with the hot water appliance and hand-held shower head outside said vehicle in a stand-alone application if desired, when said external appliance is said hot water heater used for bathing the preferred mounting is on a portable, collapsible support structure, said support structure is preferably a folding step stool for reasons of easy and compact storage, said hot water heater being placed upon said support structure with appropriate spacers to make said hot water heater controls at the same height as said access door opening on said combination adapter, said hot water heater controls positioned at a horizontal distance no greater than 10 inches from said access door opening.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 limited to one of said louvered windows can be used with said natural ventilation adapter by cutting a commercially available bulb seal to a length of said louvered window'"'"'s perimeter less the length of the window'"'"'s hinge, then modifying said bulb seal by cutting open the bulb at the line where said bulb meets the body of said push-on clamp channel on one side thereby making said bulb seal have a new flap that resembles the flap of said flap seal, then installing said bulb seal with the window open, said bulb seal being held in place by push-on clamp channel that has a metal spring, said metal spring being removed from last 4 inches of each end of said bulb seal, said new flap is thin and is very flexible, said new flap is then attached to said vehicle'"'"'s existing window seal with rubber cement, bottom side of new flap has ventilation holes, said ventilation holes being covered with said screening material to keep insects and small animals out.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 limited to said vehicle equipped with window covers to provide said total privacy that can be easily installed and removed without the modification of said vehicle, said total privacy provided by said window covers blocking sight into said vehicle from outside of said windows, all windows include said louvered windows, said driver'"'"'s window, front seat passenger'"'"'s window, windshield, and tailgate windows, said window covers being comprised of a semi-rigid core material roughly the size of the inside area of said all windows and said semi-rigid core being covered on the exterior side by an opaque material, said opaque material preferably being larger than said semi-rigid core so as to provide a visual seal around the perimeter of said all window covers, said semi-rigid core material being held against the inside of said all windows by friction fit, said visual seal formed by folding the extra said opaque material to make a half inch lip when said opaque material is stapled to said semi-rigid core material, said window covers could alternately be a single plastic unit that is molded to fit each said all windows, said single plastic unit may also have a seal attached to it.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 limited to a dash-mounted shelf to support cooking or fan appliances, said dash-mounted shelf made of rigid core material cut in a square approximately 30 inches by 30 inches with the front side next to the windshield being cut to match the curve of said windshield, said dash-mounted shelf sides being parallel to said laterally spaced side walls, said dash-mounted shelf is supported in the front by the dash of said vehicle, the rear edge of said dash-mounted shelf is supported by a leg reaching to said horizontal floor portion, said dash-mounted shelf secured from lateral movements by two or more restraining points, said restraining points being implemented with posts that protrude down into the grate provided for defrosting of said windshield.

6. A stand-alone bathing capability consisting of accessories described for the vehicle of claim 1 limited to all accessories being used outside said vehicle, external appliance to deliver hot water to a shower head for bathing with a tub large enough for an adult to sit in used for catching bathing waste water, said tub having a plurality of sun shades temporarily attached to the perimeter of said tub to prevent splashing of bathing water outside of said tub, said tub used with the hot water appliance and hand-held shower head, said hot water heater mounted on a support structure such that said hot water heater controls are at a convenient height and distance for bather to adjust while sitting in said tub and holding said hand-held shower head.

7. A method for equipping a vehicle containing one open said louvered window, said driver'"'"'s window which is totally open and said passenger'"'"'s window with accessories for one or more of the following functions:

bathing, ventilation, privacy and cooking comprising the steps of;

a) install said combination adapter in said driver'"'"'s window, said combination adapter having said access door, said combination adapter consisting of said rigid panel cut slightly larger than said driver'"'"'s window opening to allow for a water seal to be place around the entire perimeter of said driver'"'"'s window opening, said combination adapter installed from the outside of vehicle and aligned by 4 levers, one in each corner of said driver'"'"'s window opening, said levers secured by carriage bolt and wing nut, said levers being spaced away from said rigid panel by 2 inch diameter rod cut to length such that said levers overlap the interior door frame around said driver'"'"'s window opening and holds said rigid panel firmly against said exterior of said driver'"'"'s window opening, said access door being hinged at the top edge allowing access for a human hand to reach controls on an external appliance;

b) install the temporary addition of said tub large enough for an adult to sit in, said tub is used for catching bathing waste water, install said support structure, preferably being said folding step stool for reasons of easy and compact storage;

c) install a plurality of sun shades temporarily attached to the perimeter of said tub to prevent splashing of bathing water outside of said tub, thereby protecting said cargo carrying area floor from water damage;

d) install said hot water heater used for bathing on said folding step stool, said hot water heater being placed upon said support structure with appropriate spacer to make said hot water heater controls at the same height as said access door opening on said combination adapter, said hot water heater controls positioned at a horizontal distance no greater than 10 inches from said access door opening;

said access door also providing a port for said conduit from said external appliance to deliver hot water to a shower head in said tub for bathing, said tub having a plurality of sun shades temporarily attached to the perimeter of said tub to prevent splashing of bathing water outside of said tub;

e) in said louvered window, install said natural ventilation adapter by cutting commercially available flap seal to a length of said louvered window'"'"'s perimeter less the length of the said louvered window'"'"'s hinge, then installing said flap seal, said flap seal being held in place by the push-on clamp channel that has a metal spring, said metal spring being removed from last 4 inches of each end of said flap seal, bottom side of said flap seal has ventilation holes, said ventilation holes being covered with screening material to keep insects and small animals out;

f) install said forced ventilation adapter that allows interior air of said vehicle to be exchanged with outside air with the aid of an electric fan, said forced ventilation adapter covering a portion or all of said front passenger'"'"'s window when said window is opened;

g) on the remaining windows of said vehicle, install said window covers, to provide said total privacy, said total privacy provided by said window covers blocking sight into said vehicle from outside, said window covers being comprised of a semi-rigid core material roughly the size of the inside area of said all windows and said semi-rigid core being covered on the exterior side by an opaque material, said opaque material preferably being larger than said semi-rigid core so as to provide a visual seal around the perimeter of said all window covers, said semi-rigid core material being held against the inside of said all windows by friction fit, said visual seal formed by folding the extra said opaque material to make a half inch lip when said opaque material is stapled to said semi-rigid core material, said window covers could alternately be a single plastic unit that is molded to fit each said all windows, said single plastic unit may also have a seal attached to it;

h) install said dash-mounted shelf to support cooking or fan appliances, said dash-mounted shelf made of rigid core material cut in a square approximately 30 inches by 30 inches with the front side next to the windshield being cut to match the curve of said windshield, said dash-mounted shelf sides being parallel to said laterally spaced side walls, said dash-mounted shelf is supported in the front by the dash of said vehicle, the rear edge of said dash-mounted shelf is supported by a leg reaching to said horizontal floor portion, said dash-mounted shelf secured from lateral movements by two or more restraining points, said restraining points being implemented with posts that protrude down into the grate provided for defrosting of said windshield.

8. A method for equipping the vehicle of claim 7 comprising only the steps of:

i) install said combination adapter in said driver'"'"'s window, said combination adapter having said access door, said combination adapter consisting of said rigid panel cut slightly larger than said driver'"'"'s window opening to allow for a water seal to be place around the entire perimeter of said driver'"'"'s window opening, said combination adapter installed from the outside of vehicle and aligned by 4 levers, one in each corner of said driver'"'"'s window opening, said levers secured by carriage bolt and wing nut, said levers being spaced away from said rigid panel by 2 inch diameter rod cut to length such that said levers overlap the interior door frame around said driver'"'"'s window opening and holds said rigid panel firmly against said exterior of said driver'"'"'s window opening, said access door being hinged at the top edge allowing access for a human hand to reach controls on an external appliance;

j) install the temporary addition of said tub large enough for an adult to sit in, said tub is used for catching bathing waste water;

k) install a plurality of sun shades temporarily attached to the perimeter of said tub to prevent splashing of bathing water outside of said tub, thereby protecting said cargo carrying area floor from water damage;

l) install said support structure, preferably being said folding step stool for reasons of easy and compact storage;

m) install said hot water heater used for bathing on said folding step stool, said hot water heater being placed upon said support structure with appropriate spacer to make said hot water heater controls at the same height as said access door opening on said combination adapter, said hot water heater controls positioned at a horizontal distance no greater than 10 inches from said access door opening;

said access door also providing a port for said conduit from said external appliance to deliver hot water to a shower head in said tub for bathing, said tub having a plurality of sun shades temporarily attached to the perimeter of said tub to prevent splashing of bathing water outside of said tub.

9. A method for equipping the vehicle of claim 7 comprising only one step, in an open said louvered window, install said natural ventilation adapter by cutting commercially available flap seal to a length of said louvered window'"'"'s perimeter less the length of the said louvered window'"'"'s hinge, then installing said flap seal, said flap seal being held in place by the push-on clamp channel that has a metal spring, said metal spring being removed from last 4 inches of each end of said flap seal, bottom side of said flap seal has ventilation holes, said ventilation holes being covered with screening material.

10. A method for equipping the vehicle of claim 7 comprising only the step of:

install said window covers, to provide said total privacy, said total privacy provided by said window covers blocking sight into said vehicle from outside, said window covers being comprised of a semi-rigid core material roughly the size of the inside area of said all windows and said semi-rigid core being covered on the exterior side by an opaque material, said opaque material preferably being larger than said semi-rigid core so as to provide a visual seal around the perimeter of said all window covers, said semi-rigid core material being held against the inside of said all windows by friction fit, said visual seal formed by folding the extra said opaque material to make a half inch lip when said opaque material is stapled to said semi-rigid core material, said window covers could alternately be a single plastic unit that is molded to fit each said all windows, said single plastic unit may also have a seal attached to it.

11. A method for equipping the vehicle of claim 7 comprising only the step of:

install said dash-mounted shelf to support cooking or fan appliances, said dash-mounted shelf made of rigid core material cut in a square approximately 30 inches by 30 inches with the front side next to the windshield being cut to match the curve of said windshield, said dash-mounted shelf sides being parallel to said laterally spaced side walls, said dash-mounted shelf is supported in the front by the dash of said vehicle, the rear edge of said dash-mounted shelf is supported by a leg reaching to said horizontal floor portion, said dash-mounted shelf secured from lateral movements by two or more restraining points, said restraining points being implemented with posts that protrude down into the grate provided for defrosting of said windshield.

12. A method of equipping a vehicle especially a newly manufactured vehicle with the functionality that will facilitate said external appliance interface, said privacy, and rain and insect proof ventilation in a manner that is both easier to implement and a more durable design, where said ports for said conduits will not pass through windows or tailgate but will utilize interface panels mounted in the metal body of said vehicle comprising one or more of the steps:

a) install one or more said interface panels mounted on top, rear, bottom, or sides of said new vehicle which will function to couple one or more said air ducts, one or more water connectors, and one or more electrical connectors, to provide portals from the interior to the exterior of said newly manufactured vehicle, said electrical connectors used for electrical power or electrical control signals to support removably installed said external appliances;

b) install window coverings on said all windows that consist of commercially fabricated single piece plastic molded to fit each of said all window in said newly manufactured vehicle;

c) install a natural ventilation adapter on said louvered windows in said vehicle, which would involve replacing the traditional window seal with a water proof material that encloses the entire opening of said louvered windows with said water proof material, water proof material compresses like an accordion material allowing said window to be completely closed, said accordion material being relatively flat when said louvered window is fully open, said water proof material being not porous to prevent rain from entering said vehicle on the top and rear edge of said window, while said water proof material will have openings on the bottom, said openings covered with insect proof said screening material to allow ventilation, said natural ventilation adapter can be attached to said louvered window glass with an adhesive or using a push-on clamp channel, similarly said natural ventilation adapter can be attached to said vehicle metal part around the said louvered window opening with either said adhesive or said push-on clamp channel, resulting in four possible combinations for attachments, the choice is up to the manufacturer, alternately, said rear edge of said natural ventilation adapter can have one or more overlapping said accordion material with said screening material for additional ventilation;

All three steps thereby allowing said louvered windows to remain open during rain and said interface panels providing the ability to duct fresh or conditioned air or liquid from outside said vehicle to inside said vehicle without the use of said tailgate, or said window openings and said adapters for, said tailgate, or said window openings.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 limited to one step:

install one or more said interface panels mounted on top, rear, bottom, or sides of said new vehicle which will function to couple one or more said air ducts, one or more water connectors, and one or more electrical connectors, to provide portals from the interior to the exterior of said newly manufactured vehicle, said electrical connectors used for electrical power or electrical control signals to support removably installed said external appliances.

14. The vehicle of claim 12 limited to one step:

install a natural ventilation adapter on said louvered windows in said vehicle, which would involve replacing the traditional window seal with a water proof material that encloses the entire opening of said louvered windows with said water proof material, water proof material compresses like an accordion material allowing said window to be completely closed, said accordion material being relatively flat when said louvered window is fully open, said water proof material being not porous to prevent rain from entering said vehicle on the top and rear edge of said window, while said water proof material will have openings on the bottom, said openings covered with insect proof said screening material to allow ventilation, said natural ventilation adapter can be attached to said louvered window glass with an adhesive or using a push-on clamp channel, similarly said natural ventilation adapter can be attached to said vehicle metal part around the said louvered window opening with either said adhesive or said push-on clamp channel, resulting in four possible combinations for attachments, the choice is up to the manufacturer, alternately, said rear edge of said natural ventilation adapter can have one or more overlapping said accordion material with said screening material for additional ventilation.