Travel trailer with extendable two level bathroom and bedroom

• US 6,290,284 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2000
• Issued: 09/18/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alfa Leisure Inc
• Original Assignee: Alfa Leisure Inc
• Inventors: Crean, Johnnie R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pape, Joseph D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Patel, Kiran B.
• Application Number:
  US09/704,197
• Time in Patent Office: 322 Days
• Field of Search: 296/168, 296/171, 296/175, 296/176, 296/165, 296/26.12, 296/26.13, 296/26.01, 52/67, 52/66
• US Class Current: 296/168
• CPC Class Codes: B60P 3/34 the living accommodation being expansible, collapsible or capable of rearrangement B60P3/38 takes precedence; tents supported at least partially by vehicles E04H15/06

Abstract

A recreational travel trailer comprising a main housing which encloses a living space having multiple floor levels, and a two level extendable housing having a deployed configuration and an extended configuration. The extendable housing is movably positioned within an opening in the main housing so that a first floor of the extendable housing is positioned adjacent to a first floor of the main housing and so that a second floor of the extendable housing is positioned adjacent to a second floor of the main housing. In the deployed configuration, the extendable housing extends through the opening of the main housing so as to increase the enclosed space within the trailer. In the retracted configuration, the extendable housing is substantially positioned within the main housing so as to provide the main housing with a shape and size that is suitable for being towed on a public road. The trailer is further comprised of an actuator assembly having a linear actuator which moves the two level extendable housing.

Claims

1. A travel trailer comprising:

a chassis;

a set of rotatable wheels attached to the chassis so as to allow the trailer to travel on a roadway;

a floor disposed above the chassis, wherein the floor defines an inner living space of the trailer and wherein the floor has a first vertical level positioned at a first height above the roadway and a second vertical level positioned at a second height above the roadway;

a main housing that comprises a plurality of walls disposed above the chassis so as to enclose the inner living space of the trailer;

an extendable housing disposed adjacent a first wall of the plurality of walls of the main housing, the extendable housing including a floor having a first and second level and a plurality of walls extending from the floor so as to define a supplementary space therein, wherein the first and second level of the floor of the extendable housing are respectively positioned adjacent the first and second vertical levels of the floor of the trailer disposed above the chassis, wherein the extendable housing is movable between (a) a first position such that an outer wall of the plurality of walls of the extendable housing is disposed adjacent a plane of the first wall and (b) a second position wherein the outer wall of the extendable housing is disposed outward from the plane of the first wall; and

a movement mechanism coupled to the extendable housing, said movement mechanism moving the extendable housing between the first and second positions, wherein the movement mechanism comprises a single linear actuator.

2. The travel trailer of claim 1, wherein the single linear actuator comprises a base and a rod that extends from the base in a telescoping manner.

3. The travel trailer of claim 2, wherein the movement mechanism further comprises a drive apparatus for urging the rod to extend from the base.

4. The travel trailer of claim 3, wherein the movement mechanism further comprises a plurality of rotatably mounted rollers interposed between the chassis and the extendable housing, said rollers reducing frictional forces acting on the extendable housing.

5. The travel trailer of claim 3, wherein the extendable housing comprises a rigid plate for rigidifying the extendable housing, said rigid plate attached to a first end of the rod of the linear actuator.

6. The travel trailer of claim 1, wherein the travel trailer includes a main level, a first elevated level corresponding to the first vertical level and a second elevated level corresponding to the second vertical level.

7. The trailer of claim 6, wherein the extendable housing comprises (a) a rear section disposed adjacent the first elevated level and (b) a front section disposed adjacent the second elevated level.

8. The travel trailer of claim 7, wherein the trailer further comprises a bedroom disposed over the second elevated level, said front section of the extendable housing providing a storage area for the bedroom.

9. The travel trailer of claim 8, wherein the bedroom comprises a bed longitudinally disposed therein so as to define a driver-side access lane and a curb-side access lane between the bed and the main housing.

10. The travel trailer of claim 9, wherein the trailer further comprises a bathroom disposed over the first elevated level, said rear section of the extendable housing providing a storage area for the bathroom.

11. The travel trailer of claim 1, wherein the first wall is a curb-side wall.

12. A travel trailer comprising:

a chassis;

a set of rotatable wheels attached to the chassis so as to allow the trailer to travel on a roadway;

a main housing disposed above the chassis so as to define an inner living space of the trailer;

a multilevel floor disposed above the chassis, said multilevel floor comprising first and second floor levels disposed at respective first and second heights above the roadway, said inner living space comprising first and second rooms respectively disposed above the first and second floor levels;

a slide-out assembly having a first and second section, wherein the slide-out assembly is movable between (a) a retracted position such that the first and second sections of the slide-out assembly overlap first and second access spaces of the first and second rooms of the inner living space and (b) a deployed position wherein the first and second sections of the slide-out assembly are respectively displaced from the first and second access spaces of the first and second rooms of the inner living space of the travel trailer; and

an actuator assembly for moving the slide-out assembly between the retracted and deployed positions, wherein the actuator assembly comprises a single linear actuator.

13. The trailer of claim 12, wherein the single linear actuator comprises a base and an elongate rod, wherein the base is fixedly mounted to the chassis and the rod movably extends from the base so as to apply a single laterally directed force onto the slide-out assembly that urges the slide-out assembly to move between the retracted and deployed positions.

14. The trailer of claim 13, wherein the slide-out assembly comprises a rigid plate coupled to the rod of the actuator assembly, said rigid plate rigidifying the slide-out assembly so that the slide-out assembly is less likely to contort when moved between the retracted and deployed positions.

15. The trailer of claim 12, wherein the second section of the slide-out assembly comprises a storage compartment.

16. The trailer of claim 15, wherein the first room is a bedroom disposed at a front end of the trailer and wherein the second room is a bathroom disposed behind the bedroom.

17. The trailer of claim 16, wherein the storage compartment is a chest of drawers for storing clothes, wherein the chest of drawers is disposed adjacent the second access space when the slide-out assembly is in the deployed position.

18. The trailer of claim 17, wherein the multilevel floor further comprises a third floor level disposed at a third height above the roadway, said interior living space further comprising a third room disposed above the third floor level, wherein the third room is disposed behind the second room.

19. The trailer of claim 17, wherein the first section of the slide-out assembly comprises a wardrobe closet for storing clothes, wherein the wardrobe closet is disposed adjacent the first access space when the slide-out assembly is in the deployed position.

20. A fifth wheel trailer comprising:

a set of wheels;

a chassis attached to the set of rotatable wheels so as to permit movement of the chassis over the ground;

a main housing, wherein the chassis and the main housing define a three level enclosed living space with a first level located at a first height above the ground, a second level located at a second height, greater than the first height above the ground and a third level located at a third height, greater than the second height above the ground wherein the second level defines a second area of available floor space and wherein the third level defines a third area of available floor space;

an extendable housing attached to the main housing adjacent the second and third levels of the main housing and defining a second and third extendable floor spaces wherein the extendable housing is movable between a retracted position and an extended position;

a fixture positioned on the second extendable floor space of the extendable housing wherein the extendable housing is attached to the main housing such that the fixture occupies the second area of available floor space when the extendable housing is in the retracted position and wherein the fixture is displaced from the second area of available floor space when the extendable housing is in the extended position.

21. A travel trailer comprising:

a chassis;

a set of rotatable wheels attached to the chassis so as to allow the trailer to travel on a roadway;

a main housing disposed above the chassis so as to define an inner living space of the trailer;

a multilevel floor disposed above the chassis, said multilevel floor comprising first and second floor levels disposed at respective first and second heights above the roadway, said inner living space comprising first and second rooms respectively disposed above the first and second floor levels;

a slide-out assembly comprising an extendable housing and a storage compartment, wherein the slide-out assembly is moveable between (a) a retracted position such that the extendable housing overlaps an access space of the first room and the storage compartment overlaps an access space of the second room, and (b) a deployed position such that the extendable housing is displaced from the access space of the first room and the storage compartment is displaced from the access space of the second room; and

an actuator assembly for moving the slide-out assembly between the retracted and deployed positions, said actuator assembly comprising a single linear actuator that applies a force at a first region on the slide-out assembly when moving the slide-out assembly so that the single linear actuator simultaneously moves the extendable housing and the storage compartment, wherein the single linear actuator comprises a base which is fixedly mounted to the chassis and an elongate rod which movably extends from the base, and wherein the slide-out assembly comprises a rigid plate coupled to the rod of the actuator assembly, said rigid plate rigidifying the slide-out assembly so that the slide-out assembly is less likely to contort when moved between the retracted and deployed positions.

22. A travel trailer comprising:

a chassis comprising first, second, and third horizontal sections vertically offset from each other;

a set of rotatable wheels attached to the chassis so as to allow the trailer to travel on a roadway;

a main housing disposed above the chassis so as to define an inner living space therein, wherein the inner living space comprises a bedroom having occupied and unoccupied portions disposed above the first horizontal section of the chassis, a bathroom having occupied and unoccupied portions disposed above the second horizontal section of the chassis, and a living room disposed above the third section of the chassis, wherein the main housing includes a first longitudinally disposed vertical wall having an opening that extends into the bedroom and bathroom; and

a slide-out housing disposed within the opening of the first vertical wall of the main housing, wherein the slide-out housing comprises a longitudinally disposed vertical wall and a plurality of laterally disposed horizontal walls extending from the vertical wall so as to define an auxiliary space therein, wherein the slide-out assembly is moveable between (a) a retracted position such that the vertical wall of the slide-out housing is substantially aligned with the first vertical wall of the main housing and the unoccupied portions of the bedroom and bathroom are reduced, and (b) a deployed position such that the vertical wall of the slide-out housing is outwardly disposed with respect to the first vertical wall of the main housing, wherein the auxiliary space includes a bedroom section disposed adjacent the bedroom and a bathroom section disposed adjacent the bathroom, wherein the bedroom section comprises a wardrobe closet and the bathroom section comprises a fixture such that deploying the slide-out housing displaces the wardrobe closet away from the bedroom and displaces the fixture away from the bathroom so as to increase the unoccupied portions of the bedroom and bathroom.