Securing mechanism for recreational vehicle slide outs

• US 6,623,058 B1
• Filed: 09/06/2001
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alfa Leisure Inc
• Original Assignee: Alfa Leisure Inc
• Inventors: Crean, Johnnie R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, D. Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Coletta, Lori L
• Application Number:
  US09/949,013
• Time in Patent Office: 747 Days
• Field of Search: 296/26.13, 296/26.12, 296/26.01, 296/165, 296/171, 296/175, 52/67
• US Class Current: 296/26.13
• 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 securing mechanism for use with a recreational vehicle (RV) slide out assembly. The securing mechanism structurally interconnects the slide out assembly to the RV when the slide out assembly is in a retracted position and when it is in an extended position. Specifically, loads in the RV induced from the road, from passengers, from equipment, and other various sources are distributed through the slide out assembly. Advantageously, flexure of the RV walls around the slide out opening is reduced. As a result, walls and their fixtures are less likely to be damaged due to flexure, seals between the RV walls and the slide out are more likely to stay intact, and the size of slide outs can be increased without compromising the structural integrity of the RV.

Claims

1. A recreational vehicle comprising:

a chassis having first and second ends and first and second lateral sides;

a set of wheels attached to the chassis to permit rolling movement over the ground;

a main housing having a floor positioned on the chassis, first and second, side walls and first and second end walls and a roof mounted atop the first side wall, the second side wall, the first end wall and the second end wall so,as to define an interior living space, wherein the first side wall defines an opening therein that extends a lateral, distance in the first side wall and a vertical distance such that the opening in the first side wall defines an upper portion and lower portion of the first-side wall;

a slide out housing that is mounted in the opening in the first side wall, wherein the slide out housing is movable between a retracted position wherein the slide out housing is retracted into the opening so as to be substantially positioned within the main housing and an extended position wherein the slide out housings extended outward from the opening so that a portion of the slide out housing is extended outward from the, first side wall; and

securing mechanism that engages with the slide out housing and the upper, portion and the lower portion of the first side wall such that the securing mechanism, in combination with the slide out housing, inhibits movement between the upper portion of the first side wall and the lower portion of the first side wall of the main housing when the slide out housing is in the retracted position wherein the securing mechanism comprises first and second securing members and first and second receptacles that receive the first and second securing members and wherein the first and second securing members and the first and second receptacles are positioned adjacent the upper and lower edges of the slide out housing-and wherein the first and second securing members extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second side walls.

2. The recreational vehicle of claim 1, wherein the recreational vehicle comprises a trailer.

3. The recreational vehicle of claim 1, wherein the recreational vehicle comprises a motor home.

4. The recreational vehicle of claim 1, wherein the securing mechanism comprises at least one receptacle formed in the upper portion of the first side wall and at least one receptacle formed in the lower portion of the first side wall and at least one, securing member mounted to the slide out housing that is positioned within the at least one receptacle in the upper portion of the first side wall and at least one securing member mounted to the slide out housing that is positioned within the at least one receptacle in the lower portion of the first side wall when the slide out housing is in the retracted position such that the slide out housing is structurally interconnected to the upper and lower portions of the first side wall so that the slide out housing inhibits movement between the upper portion of the first side wall and the lower portion of the first side wall.

5. The recreational vehicle:

of claim 4, wherein the securing mechanism engages with the slide out housing and the upper and lower portions of the first side wall such that the securing mechanism, in combination with the slide out housing, inhibits movement between the upper portion of the first side wall,and the lower portion of the first side wall of the main housing when the slide out housing is in the extended position.

6. The recreational vehicle of claim 5, wherein the securing mechanism comprises at least one receptacle formed in the upper portion of the first side wail and at least one securing member mounted to the slide out housing that is positioned within the at least one receptacle when the slide out housing is in the extended position such that the slide out housing is structurally interconnected to the upper portion of the first side wall so that the slide out housing helps to maintain the upper portion of the first side wall at a selected distance from the lower portion of the first side wall.

7. The recreational vehicle of claim 1, wherein the securing mechanism comprises first and second receptacles formed in upper and lower portions of the first side wall of the main housing and first and second securing members that are mounted to the slide out housing so as to be positionable within the first and second receptacles in the retracted position.

8. The recreational vehicle of claim 7, wherein the securing member comprises a cylindrically shaped post and wherein the at least one receptacle defines an elongated slot having horizontal and vertical dimensions and wherein the horizontal dimension is selected so as to restrict the horizontal movement of the securing member once positioned inside the receptacle.

9. The recreational vehicle of claim 8, further comprising a bolt mounted adjacent the receptacle and adapted to extend horizontally and generally perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical post into the elongated slot thereby reducing the vertical dimension of the elongated slot so as to limit the vertical movement of the securing, member positioned within the receptacle.

10. The recreational vehicle of claim 7, wherein the securing mechanism is located proximate a midpoint of the slide out housing along a direction extending between the first and second ends of the chassis.

17. The recreational vehicle of claim 10, wherein the recreational vehicle comprises a trailer.

18. The recreational vehicle of claim 10, wherein the recreational vehicle comprises a motorhome.

11. A recreational vehicle comprising:

a frame having first and second ends and first and second lateral sides;

a plurality of wheels attached to the frame so as to permit rolling movement of the frame over the ground;

a main housing having a floor positioned on the frame, first and second side walls and first and second end walls and a roof mounted atop the first side wall, the second side wall, the first end wall, and the second end wall so as to define an interior living space, wherein the first side wall defines an opening therein that extends a lateral distance in the first side wall and a vertical distance such that the opening in the first side wall defines an upper portion and a lower portion of the first side wall;

a slide out housing that is mounted in the opening in the first side wall, wherein the slide out housing comprises a plurality of walls, wherein the slide out housing is movable between a retracted position wherein the slide out housing is retracted into the opening so as to be substantially positioned within the main housing and an extended position wherein the slide out housing is extended outward from the opening so that a portion of the slide out housing is extended outward from the first side wall; and

a securing mechanism that structurally interconnects the upper portion of the first side wall of the recreational vehicle to the frame of the recreational vehicle via the walls of the slide out housing, wherein the securing mechanism comprises a first securing component mounted on the upper portion of the first side wall and a second securing component mounted on the slide out assembly such that the second securing component engages with the first securing component when the slide out housing is in the retracted position.

12. The recreational vehicle of claim 11 wherein the first securing component is mounted on the upper portion of the first side wall so as to receive the second securing component which is mounted on the slide out assembly such that the second securing component engages with the first securing component in a substantially perpendicular manner when the slide out housing is in the retracted position.

13. The recreational vehicle of claim 12, wherein the first securing component comprises a receptacle and the second securing component comprises a member that is positionable within the receptacle when the slide out is in the retracted position to thereby structurally interconnect the upper portion of the first side wall of the recreational vehicle to the frame of the recreational vehicle via the walls of the slide out housing.

14. The recreational vehicle of claim 11, further comprising third and fourth securing components mounted on the lower portion of the first side wall and the lower portion of the slide out housing respectively such that the fourth securing component engages with the third securing component when the slide out housing is in the retracted position.

15. The recreational vehicle of claim 14, wherein the third securing component comprises a receptacle and the fourth securing component comprises a member that is positionable within the receptacle when the slide out housing is in the retracted position to thereby structurally interconnect the lower portion of the first side wall of the recreational vehicle to the frame of the recreational vehicle via the walls of the slide out housing.

16. The recreational vehicle of claim 12, further comprising a fifth securing component mounted on the slide out housing that engages with the first securing component so as to structurally interconnect the slide out housing with the upper portion of the first side wall when the slide out housing is in the extended position.