Utilities pod for caravans

• US 9,649,995 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2010
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Munster Simms Engineering Limited (Brunswick Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Munster Simms Engineering Limited (Brunswick Corporation)
• Inventors: Bell, Richard, Smyth, David, Hurst, Patrick, Bovill, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kiran B
• Application Number:
  US13/501,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20130049402A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,407 Days
• Field of Search: 296 3714, 2441181, 2441185, 244 53 R, 244 54, 244 58, 89 34, 89 3722, 340438, 340148, 701 36
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 15/00 Arrangements or adaptations of sanitation devices

Abstract

A utilities pod (10) for a vehicle, especially a caravan. The pod is removably mounted underneath the cabin structure and contains utilities apparatus such as a water heater, space heater (62), battery and water tank (60). The pod is connected to the cabin of the vehicle by an interface unit having multiple ports (18) by which said respective utility services are provided to the cabin. The interface unit is configured for installation in the floor of said cabin such that the ports are exposed to the interior of the cabin structure.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

a chassis;

a cabin structure mounted on the chassis, the cabin structure including a base;

a utilities pod removably mounted on the vehicle beneath the base of the cabin structure;

a plurality of utilities apparatus located inside the utilities pod; and

an interface unit having a plurality of ports, the interface unit being installed in the base of the cabin structure such that the plurality of ports of the interface unit is exposed to the interior of the cabin structure, in order to provide a respective utility service to the cabin structure.

2. A vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the utilities pod further comprises at least one drawer shaped and dimensioned for receiving at least one of the plurality of utilities apparatus.

3. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the utilities pod has a plurality of ports and the interface unit is connected to the utilities pod by a plurality of flexible conduits, a respective conduit extending between a respective one of the ports on the interface unit and a corresponding one of the ports on the utilities pod.

4. The vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein the corresponding ports provided on the utilities pod are located together on said utilities pod.

5. The vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the corresponding ports provided on the utilities pod are located within a recess formed in an exterior surface of the utilities pod.

6. The vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the recess is shaped and dimensioned to receive the flexible conduits when the utilities pod is mounted underneath the cabin structure.

7. The vehicle as claimed in claim 5, wherein the corresponding ports provided on the utilities pod are located substantially at an end of the recess.

8. The vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least some of the flexible conduits are longer than the distance between the interface unit and the corresponding ports provided on the utilities pod to allow the utilities pod to be removed from said chassis without disconnecting the at least some of the flexible conduits.

9. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interface unit is provided on the utilities pod.

10. The vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least some of the ports comprise connectors configured to releasably connect with a respective one or more of the flexible conduits.

11. The vehicle as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least some of the ports define apertures through which a respective one or more of the flexible conduits can pass.

12. The vehicle as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a removable lid to allow access to the utilities apparatus.

13. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the utilities pod is mounted on the chassis.

14. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said chassis includes mutually spaced-apart longitudinal support members, the utilities pod being removably mountable between the longitudinal support members.

15. The vehicle as claimed in claim 14, wherein opposite sides of the utilities pod engage with a respective one of the longitudinal support members when located between the longitudinal support members.

16. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the utilities pod is mounted on the underside of the cabin structure.

17. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the utilities pod is slidably mounted on the vehicle.

18. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the utilities pod includes at least one port for communicating with an external environment.

19. The vehicle as claimed in claim 18, wherein the at least one external environment port includes at least one fluid exhaust port.

20. The vehicle as claimed in claim 18, wherein the at least one external environment port includes at least one fluid inlet port.

21. The vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the utilities apparatus comprises any one of a water tank, a liquid pump, a gas pump, a space heater, a water heater, a grey waste tank, a battery, an electrical generator, air conditioning equipment or electronic control equipment.