Motorhomes

• US 4,746,164 A
• Filed: 03/10/1987
• Issued: 05/24/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fleetwood Enterprises Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Fleetwood Enterprises Incorporated
• Inventors: Crean, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Reeves, Robert B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stormer, Russell D.
• Application Number:
  US07/023,959
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 296/37.1, 296/37.2, 296/37.14, 296/37.16, 296/37.6, 296/156, 296/164, 296/203, 296/204, 296/168, 280/5 R, 280/5 A, 280/7, 280/5 D
• US Class Current: 296/164
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/36 Auxiliary arrangements; Arrangements of living accommodation toilet or washing arrangements B60R15/00; Details

Abstract

A conventional motorhome can be improved by using joists to elevate the floor of the living area of the motorhome to the level of the floor in the driver'"'"'s compartment in the motorhome. Preferably tanks as are required in connection with the motorhome are located in spaces between the joists.

Claims

1. In a motorhome including a chassis, said chassis having front and rear ends, sides extending between said ends and a chassis frame extending generally between said ends and located so as to be accessible at the top of said chassis, said motorhome also including wheel means for supporting said chassis on the ground and motor means for use in connection with said wheel means in order to propel said motorhome, said motorhome further including a driver'"'"'s compartment located on said chassis frame adjacent to the front end of said chassis, said driver'"'"'s compartment floor being located higher above the ground that that part of said chassis frame to the rear of said driver'"'"'s compartment floor, said motorhome also including a motorhome floor supported by said chassis frame so as to extend generally from the rear of said driver'"'"'s compartment floor to the rear of said chassis and body means enclosing space above said driver'"'"'s compartment floor and said motorhome floor, the improvement which comprises:

joist means for supporting said motorhome floor located on and secured to said chassis frame to the rear of said driver'"'"'s compartment floor, said joist means including a plurality of vertically oriented joists spaced from one another and extending parallel to one another generally between the sides of said motorhome,

said joist means serving to position said motorhome floor a sufficient distance above the ground so that the said motor home floor is on the same level as said driver'"'"'s compartment floor, and

a series of tanks, each of said tanks serving a function in connection with said motorhome, each of said tanks being located in a space between adjacent joists above said chassis and below said motorhome floor,

door means for enclosing spaces between at least some of said joists so as to enclose at least some of said tanks, said door means providing access to those of said tanks located between joists adjacent to said door means,

storage locker means located at the sides of said body means between some of said joists, said storage locker means extending downwardly from said joists and being accessible from the exterior of said motorhome.

2. A motorhome as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said motorhome includes wheel wells located beneath said motorhome floor,

those of said joists which are located adjacent to said wheel wells do not extend to the sides of said body means so as provide room to accomodate said wheel means, and

said tanks are located in spaces between adjacent joists other than the spaces which do not extend to the sides of said body means.

3. A motorhome as claimed in claim 1 including:

subfloor means located underneath said joist means between said joist means and said chassis frame.

4. A motorhome as claimed in claim 1 including:

air circulation means for circulating air through at least one of said spaces.

5. A motorhome as claimed in claim 4 wherein:

said air circulating means are located in said motorhome floor and permit the circulation of air adjacent to at least one tank.

6. A motorhome as claimed in claim 1 including:

said motorhome includes wheel wells located beneath said motorhome floor,

those of said joists which are located adjacent to said wheel wells do not extend to the sides of said body means so as provide room to accomodate said wheel means, and

said tanks are located in spaces between adjacent joists other than the spaces which do not extend to the sides of said body means,

storage locker means located at the sides of said body means between some of said joists, said storage locker means extending downwardly from said joists and being accessible from the exterior of said motorhome,

subfloor means located underneath said joist means between said joist means and said chassis frame,

door means for enclosing spaces between at least some of said joists so as to enclose at least some of said tanks, said door means providing access to those of said tanks located between joists adjacent to said door means,

air circulation means for circulating air through at least one of said spaces.

7. In a motorhome including a chassis, said chassis having front and rear ends, sides extending between said ends and a chassis frame extending generally between said ends and located so as to be accessible at the top of said chassis, said motorhome also including wheel means for supporting said chassis on the ground and motor means for use in connection with said wheel means in order to propel said motorhome, said motorhome further including a driver'"'"'s compartment located on said chassis frame adjacent to the front end of said chassis, said driver'"'"'s compartment floor being located higher above the ground than that part of said chassis frame to the rear of said driver'"'"'s compartment floor, said motorhome also including a motorhome floor supported by said chassis frame so as to extend generally from the rear of said driver'"'"'s compartment floor to the rear of said chassis and body means for enclosing space above said driver'"'"'s compartment floor and said motorhome floor, the improvement which comprises:

hollow joist means having flat, parallel spaced sides for supporting said motorhome floor located on and secured to said chassis frame to the rear of said driver'"'"'s compartment floor, said joist means including a plurality of vertically oriented joists spaced from one another and extending parallel to one another generally between the sides of said motorhome,

said joist means serving to position said motorhome floor a sufficient distance above the ground so that the said motorhome floor is on the same level as said driver'"'"'s compartment floor, and

a series of tanks, each of said tanks serving a function in connection with said motorhome, each of said tanks being located in a space between adjacent joists above said chassis and below said motorhome floor,

door means for enclosing spaces between at least some of said joists so as to enclose at least some of said tanks, said door providing access to those of said tanks located between joists adjacent to said door means,

storage locker means located at the sides of said body means between some of said joists, said storage locker means extending downwardly from said joists and being accessible from the exterior of said motorhome.