AU2012202294B2

AU2012202294B2 - A slide out and a vehicle including a slide out

Info

Publication number: AU2012202294B2
Application number: AU2012202294A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Colin Maclean
Original assignee: Paradise Motor Homes Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Pmh Manufacturing Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2004-12-16
Filing date: 2012-04-19
Publication date: 2017-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 2025-06-01
Also published as: AU2012202294C1; AU2012202294A1; AU2005202366A1; AU2005202366B2

Abstract

A vehicle having a slide out (13) including, a vehicle body defining a slide out opening, a slide out that is moveable between an expanded position during recreational use of the vehicle and a retracted position during use of the vehicle for travel on the roads, wherein the slide out includes at least one service and at least one flexible service connector (54) connecting the service fixture to a service supply element or a service receiving element on the body to the vehicle body through which a service can be conveyed and which accommodates movement of the slide out between the retracted and expanded positions. Figure: 1OB

Description

2012202294 13 Dec 2016

A MOTOR HOME HAVING A SLIDE OUT FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to a motor home including a slide out. 5

DEFINITIONS

In this application the term ‘a motor home’ shall be understood to include a vehicle that is capable of being driven by its own motive power and having a living area behind a driver's seat that is adapted to provide living accommodation. Typically a 10 motor home is made by taking a light commercial vehicle that is a cab chassis or a van type commercial vehicle from a vehicle manufacturer and then modifying the area behind the driver’s seat into a living area.

In this specification the term ‘a caravan’ shall be understood to be a passive vehicle that does not have its own motive power and is required to be towed by a 15 towing vehicle from one location to another. It includes a living area that has been fitted out to provide living accommodation.

Further in this specification the term ‘a slide out’ shall be understood to mean a body member that is mounted over an opening in a side wall of a vehicle that can be moved between retracted and expanded positions. In the retracted position the 20 body member is substantially aligned with the side wall and this position is adopted when the vehicle is used for travelling on roads. In the expanded position the body member is laterally displaced outwardly beyond the side wall to provide a greater interior space inside the vehicle and this position is adopted for camping. The slide out will often but need not always be positioned rearward of a driver’s seat.

25 BACKGROUND TO THE DISCLOSURE

Recreational vehicles which provide living accommodation are known. One type of recreational vehicle is a caravan which is a passive vehicle without motive power and has an interior space that has been fitted out to provide living 1 2012202294 13 Dec 2016 accommodation. A caravan is towed by a towing vehicle such as a family car to a destination where it is detached and used as a compact dwelling. It provides living accommodation with fairly comfortable amenities that is considerably cheaper than a hotel or unit accommodation. 5 Another type of recreational vehicle is a motor home which comprises a vehicle that has its own motive power which is fitted out to provide living accommodation behind the driver’s seat. It has a front seat area or region for a driver and also a passenger and driver's controls that enable it to be driven in the usual way. It also has a living area or region behind the front seat that typically contains a bedroom 10 area including a bed and a wardrobe for clothes, a bathroom area with a basin, and a kitchen area. The living area or region is integral with the vehicle that is driven, which is different from a caravan which is separate and detachable from the drive vehicle. Motor homes are popular with retired couples who want to tour around and move from one place to another. Motor homes are easier to set up for 15 camping than a caravan and they are also easier to pack up for travelling. A constant challenge in designing motor homes is to utilize the limited space that is available to provide a comfortable and functional living environment. There is a continuing need to further improve the utilisation of limited space within the motor home body. This is particularly so as more affluent and discerning customers such 20 as wealthy retirees are using motor homes.

The lateral width of the interior space of a motor home is very limited as the motor home needs to fit in a lane on a public road when travelling on a road. It is known to provide one or more slide outs that are moveable between an expanded position for recreation which expands the lateral width of the interior space for 25 camping and a retracted position for travel on a road. Slide-outs are used to expand the living and bedroom areas laterally.

In addition to the width constraint described above there, is also a strict weight constraint. Vehicle licensing authorities in Australia will only licence a motor home to be driven on a normal car licence if the motorhome does not weigh more than 2 2012202294 13 Dec 2016 4.5 tons and this effectively requires a motor home to meet this weight constraint. It is not practical for many motor home owners to obtain a truck licence. Accordingly there is a strong imperative among motor home builders to provide motor homes that satisfy the weight requirement for being driven on a regular car 5 licence and meet all regulations for road use, while still providing a full range of amenities.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Applicant recognises that slide outs are required in motor homes to confer the required amenity. Applicant has looked for ways to save or reduce the weight of a 10 built motor home to keep it under the weight limit for a car licence. Applicant understands that the weight of a chassis frame and also the weight of a slide out is a significant contributor to the overall weight of the motor home and has recognised that it would be advantageous if the overall weight of these components could be reduced. In this regard applicant has conceived the idea of 15 having the chassis frame and the slide out interacting and engaging with each other in a way that saves weight.

At the same time Applicant has also recognised that sealing of slide outs to the side wall of the motor home is important and cannot be compromised merely to save weight. Thus any system that utilises the chassis frame to support the slide 20 out would need to provide effective sealing of the slide outs. It would also be important that the slide out does not rattle on the motor home during road travel.

In addition to weight constraints applicant has also recognised the importance of motorhome safety. A caravan is designed to break apart on impact but it does not carry any occupants. A motor home however carries occupants within the same 25 interior space as the fittings of the motor home and this is a crucial difference. Motor homes contain a number of fittings that are heavy and if dislodged or released when a motor home has a collision at cruising speed will become dangerous projectiles. This poses a number of safety risks to passengers in motor homes. Applicant has therefore recognised that developments in the structural 3 2012202294 13 Dec 2016 strength of motor homes and fittings contained in the motor home when they are travelling along a road would be beneficial.

According to one aspect of the disclosure there is provided a vehicle that is a motor home, comprising: 5 a vehicle chassis including a chassis frame comprising a plurality of longitudinal frame members and a plurality of transverse frame members extending across the chassis frame, the transverse frame members forming at least two slide out engaging support members having an open end; and at least one slide out mounted on the vehicle chassis, and moveable between an 10 expanded position for recreational use of the vehicle and a retracted position for when the vehicle is travelling, the slide out including at least two chassis engaging support members for supporting the slide out on the chassis, with each chassis engaging support member passed through an open end of a slide out engaging support member, 15 wherein the chassis engaging support members are tightly received within the associated slide out engaging support members and permit sliding of the chassis engaging support members while resisting any lateral movement thereof, and wherein the chassis engaging support members extends parallel to the transverse chassis frame members when being displaced from the retracted to the expanded 20 position, and the chassis engaging support members carry the full weight of the slide out.

Each chassis engaging support member may be substantially fully received in the slide out engaging support member in the retracted position, and partly received in the slide out engaging support member in the expanded position. 25 Each chassis engaging support member and associated slide out engaging support member may have a tight fit along the length of their overlap in the expanded position and in positions between the extended and retracted positons. 4 2012202294 13 Dec 2016

The chassis engaging support members may have a cross-sectional configuration that is configured to complement a cross-sectional configuration of the slide out engaging frame members. The cross-sectional configuration may be rectangular, e.g. square rectangular. 5 Each slide out engaging tubular frame member may be linear and extend substantially horizontally in the retracted and expanded positions. Further each chassis engaging support member may also extend substantially horizontally from the slide out engaging support member in the retracted and extended positions, and also in positions between the retracted and extended positions. 10 The motor home may include a floor mounted on the chassis frame, e.g. directly on top of the chassis frame.

The slide out may include a slide out floor base spaced above the chassis engaging support member, e.g. a short distance above the chassis engaging support member. 15 The slide out floor base may be positioned spaced above the floor in the retracted position and also in the expanded position. Thus the slide out floor base clears the floor in both the retracted and extended positions, e.g. by some distance and also when moving between the retracted and expanded positions.

The slide out may include a slide out support formation extending vertically upward 20 from each chassis engaging support member to the slide out floor base which vertically supports the slide out floor base in its position spaced above the floor. The slide out support formation may have a lower end mounted on the chassis engaging support member and an upper end fixed to the slide out floor base.

The slide out floor base may comprise a substantially planar slide out base frame 25 formed from a plurality of longitudinal and transverse frame members. The planar slide out base frame may be substantially horizontally extending. Further the chassis engaging support members may be formed by the transverse frame members of the slide out base frame. 5 2012202294 13 Dec 2016

The floor may partition the vehicle body into a cabin area above the floor, and a services compartment below the floor. The chassis frame and the chassis engaging support members may be located in the services compartment.

The motor home may also include a vehicle body having a side wall mounted on 5 the vehicle chassis and the side wall may define a slide out opening for receiving each slide out.

The slide out may include a slide out wall mounted on the slide out base frame extending across and closing off the slide out opening in both the retracted and extended positions. 10 Each slide out may include a drive arrangement for driving the slide out between the retracted position for travel use and the expanded position for camping use.

Each drive arrangement may drive its associated slide out between the retracted and expanded positions independently driven of other slide outs.

Each drive arrangement may include at least two linear actuators spaced apart 15 along a length of the slide out.

Each linear actuator may have one end bearing against the chassis frame and an opposite end bearing against the slide out in a position that is separate from the slide out engaging tubular frame members and the chassis engaging support members. 20 Each linear actuator may include limit switches for limiting travel of the linear actuator in one direction when the slide out is in the retracted position and limiting travel in the other direction when the slide out is in the expanded position.

Each linear actuator may include a lead screw that is rotated relative to a passive actuator member which is mounted on the lead screw whereby to effect 25 displacement of the passive actuator member along the lead screw. 6 2012202294 13 Dec 2016

In one form each lead screw is mounted on the chassis and each passive actuator member is mounted on the slide out.

The linear actuators may be located in the services compartment.

The transverse chassis frame members forming the slide out engaging support 5 members may be formed of hollow rectangular tubing suitable for receiving the chassis engaging support member therein.

The chassis engaging support members may also be formed of rectangular tubing.

Advantageously all of the transverse chassis frame members and all of the longitudinal chassis frame members are formed of hollow rectangular tubing, e.g. 10 hollow aluminium tubing. Further advantageously the longitudinal and transverse frame members forming the slide out base frame may be formed of hollow rectangular tubing, e.g. hollow aluminium tubing.

Each slide out may include at least three chassis engaging support members supporting the slide out in a sliding fashion on the chassis, and the chassis 15 engaging support members may be spaced apart from each other along a longitudinal length of the slide out.

According to another aspect of this disclosure there is provided a vehicle having a slide out, the vehicle comprising: a vehicle body having a wall including two side wall sections and defining a vehicle 20 interior; at least one slide out body member extending across an opening in a side wall section of the vehicle body that is capable of movement between a laterally expanded position during recreational use of the vehicle and a retracted position during use of the vehicle for travel on the roads, the slide out body member having 25 a primary wall portion for covering at least a portion of the side wall section of the vehicle body and the body member also including end walls and a bottom and roof extending transverse to the primary wall portion in a direction into the vehicle body 7 2012202294 13 Dec 2016 so that the space defined by the slide out member opens into and forms part of the vehicle interior; a support means for supporting the body member on the body of the vehicle in a way that permits sliding of the slide out relative to the body of the vehicle between 5 the expanded and retracted positions; and a drive means for driving the body member between said expanded and retracted positions on said support means.

The body of the motor home may define a vehicle interior comprising a front seat area including driver's seat space and a living space rear of the front seat. 10 The support means may comprise at least two sets of complementary guide rail formations on each of the slide out body member and the vehicle body, e.g. longitudinally spaced from each other.

The guide rail formations may comprise a female member defining a passage open at one end on one of the slide out body member and the vehicle body, and a 15 male member that is sized to be received within the open end and passage of the female member on the other of the slide out body member and the vehicle body.

The female member/s may be mounted on the vehicle body and the male member/s may be mounted on the slide out member.

The female member may comprise a square tube with an open end. The male 20 member may comprise a length of square rod or square tube. The male and/or female members may be coated with a friction reducing coating to assist sliding movement of the male member relative to the female member.

The coating may be a polymer coating, e.g. a synthetic polymer coating. The coating may be nylon or polyurethane and may have a thickness of 1mm. 8 2012202294 13 Dec 2016

In one particular embodiment there are more than two said engaging male and female members along the length of the slide out member, e.g. four to six said engaging male and female members.

The drive means may comprise at least one linear actuator with a shaft operatively 5 mounted on to either the vehicle body or the slide out body member and a passive actuator element defining an opening through which the shaft of the linear actuator is passed, mounted on to the vehicle body or the slide out body member, whereby rotation of the shaft relative to the passive actuator element effects translational displacement of the passive actuator element in an axial direction along the shaft 10 and thereby lateral displacement of the slide out body member relative to the vehicle body.

Thus the slide out member can be moved laterally outwardly to the expanded position to increase the living space defined within the vehicle interior when the vehicle is being used for recreational use. The space defined by the slide out 15 member is used to increase the interior space within the vehicle body. The slide out member is returned to the retracted position prior to the vehicle being used for road travel.

The support means supports the slide out member on the vehicle body for movement laterally outward into the expanded position on demand. This 20 movement is effected by a linear actuator which is very precise and does not occupy a large amount of space.

The shaft or lead screw of the linear actuator may be mounted on the vehicle body and the passive actuator element or lead nut may have the slide out member mounted thereto. 25 The slide out body member may further include a floor vertically intermediate said bottom wall and said top wall or roof and define a living space between said floor and said roof and a services compartment between said floor and said bottom wall. 9 2012202294 13 Dec 2016

Thus the interior space of the slide out is vertically divided up into a living space which opens into the vehicle interior and forms part of the amenity of the vehicle which can be occupied by people, and a services compartment beneath the living space. Thus the services compartment is located beneath the floor and is 5 immediately above the bottom wall of the slide out.

The male and female members of the sliding arrangement described above may be located in the services compartment. Further any other structural members extending between the vehicle body and the slide out body member may be located in the services compartment. 10 The vehicle may be a motorhome. Instead the vehicle may be a caravan.

The vehicle may include more than one side out, e.g. two or three slide outs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A recreational vehicle that is a motor home having a slide out in accordance with this disclosure may manifest itself in a variety of forms. It will be convenient to 15 hereinafter provide a detailed description of several embodiments of the disclosure with reference to the accompanying drawings. The purpose of providing this detailed description is to instruct persons having an interest in the subject matter of the disclosure how to put the disclosure into practice. It is to be clearly understood however that the specific nature of this detailed description does not 20 supersede the generality of the preceding statements. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a three dimensional view of a motor home with left and right side slide outs showing the slide outs in their retracted positions;

Fig. 2 is a three dimensional view of the motor home of Fig. 1 showing the slide outs in their expanded positions; 25 Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view through the motor home and the associated slide outs of Fig. 1 with the slide outs shown in the expanded position, section through Ill-Ill; 10 2012202294 13 Dec 2016

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the motor home of Fig. 1, section through IV-IV;

Fig. 5 is a schematic sectional plan view of the motor home of Fig. 2 with slide outs in their expanded position, section through V-V; 5 Fig. 6 is a three dimensional view of a sliding arrangement comprising a slide out engaging support member on a vehicle chassis engaging a chassis engaging support member on a slide out;

Fig. 7 is an end view of the engaged male and female members of the sliding arrangement shown in Fig. 6; 10 Fig. 8 is a schematic plan view of a motor home with some details omitted for clarity showing the sliding arrangements and the linear actuators when the slide outs are in the retracted position;

Fig. 9 is a schematic plan view of part of the motor home of Fig. 8 showing the sliding arrangements and linear actuator when the slide outs are in the 15 expanded position;

Fig. 10a is a three dimensional view of part of the motor home of Fig. 8 with some detail omitted for clarity showing a slide out in the retracted position;

Fig. 10b is a three dimensional view of the part of the motor home in Fig. 10a showing the slide out in the expanded position; 20 Fig. 11 is a sectional end view of the motor home in Figure 10a showing the slide outs in the retracted position;

Fig. 12 is a sectional end view of the motor home in Figure 10b showing the slide outs in the expanded position; and

Fig. 13 is a lower perspective view of a motor home in accordance with 25 another embodiment showing the slide out in an expanded position.

The drawings above are schematic and are provided purely for the purposes of illustrating the structure and functioning of the vehicle and slide outs. In some drawings certain details of the slide outs have been omitted for clarity. 11

In Figs. 1 and 2 reference numeral 1 refers generally to a motor home in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure. The motor home is built from a donor vehicle that is a commercially available light commercial van vehicle that can be driven on a car licence.

The motor home 1 comprises broadly a vehicle body 2 having a vehicle side wall 6 and defining a vehicle interior. The vehicle interior is in turn divided up circumferentially into a front seat area or front region 8 having a front seat for a driver and passenger, and a living area or living region indicated generally by reference numeral 9, behind the front seat area 8.

The vehicle body 2 has a chassis including a flat substantially horizontally extending chassis frame indicated generally by reference numeral 60. The chassis frame 60 comprises a plurality of longitudinal frame members 61 extending in a direction of longitudinal length of the motor home 1 and a plurality of transverse frame members 32 extending transversely across the width of the motor home 1. The longitudinal and transverse frame members 61 and 32 are conveniently formed of hollow aluminium tubing. The chassis frame 60 is typically rectangular and Figures 6 and 8 when viewed together show in some detail how the longitudinal and transverse members 61 and 32 are arranged. The body 2 is mounted on the chassis frame 60 in the usual way and the vehicle is powered by an engine typically a petrol or diesel engine located towards the front of the motor home 1. The width of the vehicle body 2 is similar to normal light commercial vehicles to comply with road regulations. The vehicle also includes a suspension with road engaging wheels 3 that is mounted on the chassis and depends down therefrom. The motor home 1 has left and right front doors 4 providing access to the front seat area 8. It also has a side door 5 providing access to the living area 9 rearward of the front seat area 8. It also includes a rear door (not shown) providing access to a rear storage compartment.

The motor home 1 has two slide outs in accordance with the disclosure on the body 2 of the vehicle. One slide out 11 mounted on a left side of the vehicle body 2 and another slide out 12 mounted on the right side of the vehicle body 2. Each 12 2012202294 13 Dec 2016 slide out 11, 12 provides additional width in the living area 9. The slide out 11 can be used for a bedroom area with an island double bed and slide out 12 can be used for a kitchen area.

Each slide out 11 and 12 includes a slide out wall or body member 13 or 14 5 extending across a slide out opening formed in the side wall 6 of the vehicle body 2. Each slide out 11, 12 also includes a plurality of sliding support arrangements (sliding arrangements) which are indicated very generally by the reference numeral 21 for supporting the weight of the slide out and also guiding the slide out between the retracted and expanded positions. Each sliding arrangement 21 is 10 formed by the chassis frame members 32 and members 30 on the slide out, for supporting the slide outs 11 and 12 on the vehicle body 2. The sliding arrangements are shown in a plan view in Figure 5.

Each slide out 11, 12 also includes a drive arrangement which is shown in Figures 8 and 9, for driving the slide out 11, 12 between the expanded and retracted 15 positions.

The slide out wall, the sliding arrangement and the drive means will now be described in more detail.

Each slide out wall 13, 14 comprises a primary wall portion 15 and two end wall portions 17 and 18. It also includes a bottom wall portion 19 and a top wall portion 20 20 extending transverse to the primary wall portion 15 across the top of the slide out. The end wall portions 17 and 18 and the bottom wall and top wall portions 19 and 20 fit into a slide out opening defined in the side wall 6 of the vehicle body 2. The internal space defined by the various wall components of the slide out wall 13, 14 opens into the vehicle interior and specifically the living area 9 thereof. Each 25 slide out wall 13, 14 is moveable between a retracted position in which the primary wall portion 15 thereof is longitudinally aligned with the adjacent side wall 6 of the vehicle body 2 as shown in Fig. 1 and an expanded condition where the primary wall portion 15 projects laterally outward from the adjacent side wall 6 of the vehicle body 2 as illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 5. 13

Each slide out 11, 12 includes a slide out base frame 24 comprising a plurality of horizontally extending frame members and a slide out wall frame extending up from the base frame 24.

The plurality of sliding arrangements for supporting the slide out are longitudinally spaced from each other along the length of the slide out 11, 12. Each sliding arrangement 21, comprises a male member that is a chassis engaging support member 30 projecting laterally out from the slide out 11, 12 having outward facing contact surfaces. Each male member or chassis engaging support member 30 is formed by one of the horizontally extending frame members of the base frame 24 of the slide out 11, 12 and is received within a complementary transverse female member formed by a slide out engaging support member 32 defining an internal passage.

The slide out engaging support member is formed by a transverse frame member 32 of the chassis frame 60 having an open end forming the female formation within which the transverse member 30 on the slide out 11, 12 is received as shown in Figure 6. Figure 8 shows the male frame members 30 on the base frame of the slide out 11, 12 being received in the female members 32 formed by the transverse frame members of the chassis frame 60. The male member 30 is received within the female member 32 in a way that permits the male member 30 to slide relative to the female member 32 between the retracted and expanded positions while providing support. The chassis frame 60 including the transverse chassis frame members 32 is made out of aluminium tube which is a strong but lightweight material. Similarly the frame members of the slide out base frame 24 are also made of aluminium tube. Naturally the male and female members 30, 32 are engineered with a suitable level of mechanical strength to safely and properly support the slide out body member 13, 14 in particular on the vehicle body 2. The members 30, 32 carry the entire weight of the slide out on their own in both the retracted and expanded positions and all positions in between.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 each female member or slide out engaging support member 32 is formed by a square tube of the chassis frame 60 14 having an open end. The chassis engaging support member or male member 30 is formed by the frame member of the slide out base frame 24. The male member 30 is received within the female member 32 with a snug fit that permits sliding of the male and female members 30, 32 relative to each other as will be described in more detail below.

The contact surfaces of the male member 30 are coated with a coating to reduce friction with the female member 32 within the passage. In one form the friction reducing coating is a smooth coating that is a polymer coating such as a nylon or polyurethane coating although clearly many other low friction coatings could also be provided. The thickness of the coating in the illustrated embodiment is very thin being of the order of about 1 mm. The male member 30 is snugly received within the passage of female member 32 with a space of the order of 0.4 mm between the coating and an internal surface of the female member. Thus the male and female members 30, 32 have a very close tolerance and a tight fit which minimises lateral movement of the male member within the female member.

In the illustrated embodiment the male member 30 and the passage defined in the female member 32 has a complementary square rectangular cross-sectional shape. However it will readily be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that other complementary cross sectional configurations could equally be used, such as a non-square rectangular cross section, provided that the cross-sectional shape of the male members 30 and female members 32 complement each other. The male members 30 must be received with a tight snug fit which does not permit any lateral movement of the two members relative to each other to resist the slide outs generally from rattling.

In the embodiments in Figures 5, 8 and 9 each slide out comprises four sliding arrangements 21 that are spaced apart along the length of the associated slide out. The four sliding arrangements provide sufficient support to mount the slide out 11, 12 on the vehicle body 2 with the sliding arrangements carrying the full weight of the slide out. The male members 30 are formed by the transverse members in the base frame 24 of the slide out 11, 12, in a lower region of the slide 15 out body member 13, 14. Further slide out supports are not required at the top of the slide out because of the engineering of the sliding arrangements 21 at the base of the slide out.

Each drive arrangement includes a plurality of linear actuators indicated by numeral 40. In the illustrated embodiment each slide out 11, 12 has two linear actuators 40 that are positioned towards each end of the slide out 11, 12. Each linear actuator 40 includes a shaft or lead screw 42 that rotates to effect translational displacement of a passive actuator member that is a lead nut 44 which is mounted for rotation on the lead screw 42. The lead screw 42 is elongate and has an external screw thread defined on its surface along its length. The lead nut 44 has a complementary internal screw thread that engages the screw thread on the lead screw 42 so that rotation of the lead screw 42 effects linear movement of the lead nut 44 along the lead screw 42. In the illustrated embodiment the lead screw 42 is mounted to the vehicle body 2 and the lead nut 44 is mounted to the slide out body member 13, 14 in a retaining fashion that holds it against rotation. Thus rotation of the lead screw 42 produces linear displacement that moves the slide outs 11, 12 and the associated slide out body members 13, 14 between said retracted and expanded positions. Each linear actuator 40 has a rotational drive arrangement such as an electric motor (not shown) for driving the lead screw 42 to rotate. The motor is energised by power from a battery provided by the standard vehicle battery which supplies electrical energy to the starter motor and the lights.

Further each linear actuator 40 includes limit switches (not shown) at each end of its range of travel; for stopping rotation of the lead screws and thereby advancement of the linear actuators when the slide out is located in each of the retracted and expanded positions. A combination of two linear actuators 40 spaced apart from each other in the direction of length of the slide out 11, 12 is particularly suitable for moving the slide out 11, 12 between the retracted and expanded positions because its movements are very precise. Further each linear actuator 40 is positioned in proximity to a sliding arrangement as shown in the drawings. Each turn of the lead screw 42 16 2012202294 13 Dec 2016 moves the lead nut 44 a very specific incremental amount and this enables the slide outs 11, 12 to be moved very precisely into the retracted and expanded conditions. Another advantage is that each linear actuator 40 only occupies a small amount of space and the electrical cables (not shown) which electrically 5 connect the actuator motor to the battery are passed through the vehicle body 2 in a very unobtrusive and space efficient fashion without encroaching on the living space 9 to any material extent. This is advantageous in motor homes because space is at a premium.

Generally each slide out wall 13, 14 is formed by a sheet material applied to the 10 slide out wall frame. In the illustrated embodiments the sheet material extending across the frame is made of fibre glass although other materials could also be used. These features of the slide out wall are most clearly shown in Figure 4.

The vehicle body 2 has a bottom wall and a floor 58 that is directly mounted on top of the frame 60 and is positioned above the bottom wall. The bottom wall and the 15 floor 58 define a services compartment 59 between the bottom wall and the floor 58. This is shown particularly clearly in Figure 3. The chassis frame 60 is received within the services compartment 59 adjacent the floor 58.

Each slide out 11, 12 further includes a slide out floor 50 mounted on the slide out base frame 24 that is spaced a short distance above its bottom wall portion and 20 below the top wall portion. The floor 50 divides the space defined by the slide out 11, 12 into a slide out living space above the slide out floor and a slide out services compartment 52 beneath the slide out floor 50.

The linear actuators 40 are conveniently located in the services compartment 59 of the vehicle body 2 and extend into the services compartment 52 of the slide out. 25 Further the female members are formed by the transverse chassis frame member 32 and the male members 30 are formed by the frame member of the base frame 24 of the slide out. That is the sliding arrangements 21 that support the slide out body member 13, 14 on the vehicle body 2, are also located in the services compartments 52 and 59. The sliding arrangements 21 are therefore located 17 beneath the floor 50 of the slide out 11, 12 and floor 58 of the vehicle body 2 and do not project into the living area 9 of the motor home 1.

As shown in Figures 10A to 12, the services compartment 52 within each slide out 11,12 also contains one or more service connectors 53 each of which is in the form of a flexible conduit 54 that carries services from the main vehicle body 2 into the slide outs 13, 14 and other services from the slide out 11 or 12 back to the body 2. The conduits 54 have sufficient length to accommodate movement of the slide outs 11, 12 between the retracted and expanded conditions. The type of services that are transferred through the service connectors 53 between the vehicle body 2 and the slide outs 11 and 12 include supply services, such as water, gas, and electricity, and they also include drainage services, e.g. drainage of grey water. Each service supply connector extends from a supply source on the body of the vehicle to a delivery point at a service receiving element such as a bathroom fitting or fixture on the slide out. Each supply and drainage service is directed into the slide out or drained from the slide out through one of the flexible conduits 54. Each conduit 54 has one end operatively coupled to the fitting or fixture associated with that service in the slide out 11, 12 and a corresponding supply or waste disposal facility on the vehicle body 2. Drainage services provided in the slide out 11, 12 include draining grey water from washing or cleaning in a basin or sink housed in the slide out 11, 12. The grey water needs to be transferred from the slide out to the main body where a grey water disposal facility such as a holding tank is located for disposing of the grey water.

Each flexible conduit 54 comprises a flexible pipe or flexible tube having sufficient length to accommodate movement of the slide out 11 or 12 between the retracted and expanded positions without being subjected to tension. Thus the flexible nature of the conduits 54 and their sufficient length enables services to be provided in the slide out 11, 12 notwithstanding that they undergo a fair amount of movement in a lateral direction. The conduits 54 are not visible to a person in the living area 9 of the motor home 1 because they are located in the services compartments 52 and 59. 18 2012202294 13 Dec 2016

The slide out has a partition or conduit organiser 57 that helps to organise the flexible conduit 54 of each service connector 53 and direct the manner in which it folds up when the slide out is moved from the expanded to the retracted positions and also to guide the manner in which the conduit 54 unfolds and extends out 5 when the slide out moves from the retracted to the expanded positions.

Figure 5 shows a motorhome having a floor plan or layout where the slide-out 12 includes a kitchen area and the slide-out 11 includes a portion of the bedroom area with bed 100.

Figure 13 shows a schematic bottom view of another slide out 102 in the 10 expanded position forming a kitchen area. The primary wall portion and opposed end wall portions define a slide out space that opens into the living area of the interior space of the motorhome. The service connector described above enables the kitchen sink and cooking facilities to be housed in the slide outs 11,12 and for the associated services to be connected to fixtures or fittings in the slide outs 11, 15 12.

When the vehicle 1 is in use in a travelling mode the slide out members 13, 14 need to be positioned in the retracted position. In the retracted position the slide out body members 13, 14 do not project outwardly proud of the side wall sections of the vehicle body 2 to any significant extent. In particular the primary wall portion 20 15 is substantially aligned with the side wall 6 of the body 2 and the end walls 17, 18 are received behind the side wall 6. Accordingly if the slide outs 11, 12 are in the expanded position prior to travel they first need to be moved to the retracted position. The linear actuators 40 are used to move the slide outs 11, 12 to the retracted position. 25 In the retracted position the chassis engaging support members 30 on the base frame 24 on the slide out are substantially fully received within the transverse chassis frame members 32 on the chassis frame 60. In this position shown in Figure 8 of the drawings, the two members 30, 32 effectively overlap for most of their length and this confers additional strength on the chassis frame 60. The 19 2012202294 13 Dec 2016 motor home 1 is particularly well suited to two occupants and when s travelling the two occupants will be seated on the front seats in the front seat area 8. They do not occupy the rear living area 9 of the interior.

When the motor home 1 is to be used for camping (herein referred to as 5 recreational or camping mode) it is parked at a suitable site in a stationary position. The linear actuators 40 are then used to move the slide outs 11 and 12 on the side wall 6 into their expanded position. The slide outs 11, 12 are moved out to their expanded position by the linear actuators 40 by operating a manual control. The linear actuators 40 are very precise and reproducibly move the slide 10 outs 11,12 into the expanded or retracted position each time with a great deal of precision and also within a short space of time. The limit switches on the linear actuators stop the advancement or retraction of the linear actuators precisely when the slide outs reach their expanded and retracted positions respectively.

In the expanded position the male chassis engaging support members 30 on the 15 slide out 11, 12 are withdrawn out of the open end of the female transverse chassis frame members 32 as shown in Figure 9. In the expanded position the slide out members 13, 14 considerably enlarge the living area 9 within the motor home 1 particularly in the lateral direction or direction of width. The increased lateral width makes the living space more useful and enables routine activities 20 such as cooking, washing and eating to be carried out in greater comfort than otherwise would be the case.

Applicant has recognised that a particularly limited dimension in a motor home is the lateral width of the living space and that it would be particularly advantageous if a wider living area could be created when the motor home was used in 25 recreational or camping mode. The applicant realised that this needed to be done in a way that provided reliable operation and did not require additional drive systems which use up a significant amount of space within the motor home body 2. 20 2012202294 13 Dec 2016

One advantage of the motor home described above with reference to the drawings which uses the transverse members of the chassis frame to receive the chassis engaging support members results in a considerable weight saving. This weight saving helps the motorhome designer to provide the required amenities while 5 staying under the weight limit for motorhomes to be driven on a car licence. Another advantage is that the chassis frame members are effectively strengthened when the motor home is travelling because the chassis engaging support members are received within the chassis frame providing improved safety in a collision. 10 Another advantage of the slide out described above with reference to the drawings is that the male member is received within the female member with a tight but sliding fit to guide movement of the slide out between the retracted and expanded positions. This close tolerance resists lateral movement of the male and female members relative to each other which in turn avoids rattling. This is advantageous 15 because motor homes travel on rough roads in use, and the sliding arrangements would be susceptible to rattling if they had a loose fit. For example if a roller mechanism was used of the type which are found on drawers or the like there will be a substantially looser fit and this will cause rattling and will also shorten the life of the mechanism. In addition it would be difficult to stop the rattling because the 20 rollers are not readily accessible.

Another advantage of the sliding arrangements comprising female members that are transverse frame chassis members and male members that are slide out frame members that they are of compact construction and occupy minimal space. This is important because space is at a premium in motor homes, particularly in 25 compact motor homes that are driven on a car licence. A yet further advantage of the sliding arrangement described above comprising engaged female slide out engaging support members and complementary male chassis engaging support members is that they are made of aluminium which is light and strong and helps to reduce the overall weight. 21 2012202294 13 Dec 2016

Another advantage of the linear actuators used to move the slide outs in and out is that they are capable of very precise movement. This enables the slide out to be very accurately moved to the same position each time it is displaced into the expanded position. A yet further advantage is that the linear actuator is rotated by 5 an electric motor driven off the existing vehicle battery and the electrical wiring running to the actuators is very space efficient. By contrast a hydraulic system would require hydraulic plumbing, a hydraulic pump, and a hydraulic piston and cylinder which would add weight and occupy space in the motor home. Also its fine movement would not be as precise as with a linear actuator. 10 It will of course be realised that the above has been given only by way of illustrative example of the invention and that all such modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as is herein set forth. 22

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A vehicle that is a motor home, comprising: a vehicle chassis including a chassis frame comprising a plurality of longitudinal frame members and a plurality of transverse frame members extending across the chassis frame, the transverse frame members forming at least two slide out engaging support members having an open end; and at least one slide out mounted on the vehicle chassis, and moveable between an expanded position for recreational use and a retracted position for travel, the slide out including at least two chassis engaging support members for supporting the slide out on the chassis, with each chassis engaging support member passed through an open end of an associated slide out engaging support member, wherein the chassis engaging support members are tightly received within the associated slide out engaging support members and permit sliding of the chassis engaging support members while resisting any lateral movement thereof, and wherein the chassis engaging support members extend parallel to the transverse chassis frame members when being displaced from the retracted to the expanded position, and the chassis engaging support members carry the full weight of the slide out.
2. A motor home according to claim 1, wherein each chassis engaging support member is substantially fully received in the slide out engaging support member in the retracted position, and partly received in the slide out engaging support member in the expanded position.
3. A motor home according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each chassis engaging support member and the associated slide out engaging frame member has a tight fit along the length of their overlap in each of the retracted and expanded positions and in positions between the extended and retracted positons.
4. A motor home according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each chassis engaging support member has a cross-sectional configuration that is configured to complement a cross-sectional configuration of the associated slide out engaging frame member.
5. A motor home according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each slide out engaging tubular frame member is linear and extends substantially horizontally in the retracted and expanded positions, and each chassis engaging support member is also linear and extends substantially horizontally from the slide out engaging support member in the retracted and extended positions.
6. A motor home according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the vehicle includes a floor mounted on top of the chassis frame.
7. A motor home according to claim 6, wherein the slide out includes a slide out floor base spaced above the chassis engaging support member, and the slide out floor base is vertically positioned above the floor and clears the floor in both the retracted and extended positions.
8. A motor home according to claim 7, wherein the slide out includes a slide out support formation extending vertically upward from each chassis engaging support member to the slide out floor base to vertically support the slide out floor base position above the floor.
9. A motor home according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the slide out floor base comprises a substantially planar slide out base frame formed from a plurality of longitudinal and transverse frame members that is substantially horizontally extending.
10. A motor home according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the floor partitions the vehicle body into a cabin area above the floor and a services compartment beneath the floor, and the chassis frame and the chassis engaging support members are located in the services compartment.
11. A motor home according to any one of claims 7 to 10, including a vehicle body having a side wall mounted on the vehicle chassis and the vehicle body includes a slide out opening formed in the side wall, and the slide out includes a slide out wall mounted on the slide out base frame extending across and closing off the slide out opening in both the retracted and extended positions.
12. A motor home according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further including a drive arrangement for driving the slide outs between the retracted position for travel and the expanded position for camping.
13. A motor home according to claim 12, wherein the drive arrangement independently drives each slide out between the retracted and expanded positions.
14. A motor home according to claim 12 or claim 13, wherein the drive arrangement includes at least two linear actuators spaced apart along a length of each slide out, and each linear actuator has one end bearing against the chassis frame and the other end bearing against the slide out away from the slide out engaging tubular frame members and the chassis engaging support members.
15. A motor home according to claim 14, wherein each linear actuator includes limit switches for limiting travel of the linear actuator in one direction when the slide out is in the retracted position and limiting travel in an opposite direction when the slide out is in the expanded position.
16. A vehicle according to claim 14 or claim 15, wherein each linear actuator includes a lead screw that is rotated relative to a passive actuator member mounted on the lead screw whereby to effect displacement of the passive actuator member along the lead screw.
17. A motor home according to claim 16, wherein each lead screw is mounted on the chassis frame and each passive actuator member is mounted on the slide out, and the linear actuators are located in the services compartment.
18. A motor home according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the transverse chassis frame members forming the slide out engaging support members are formed of hollow rectangular tubing, and the chassis engaging support member are also formed of hollow rectangular tubing.
19. A motor home according to claim 18, wherein all of the transverse chassis frame members and all of the longitudinal chassis frame members are formed of hollow rectangular tubing.
20. A motor home according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein each slide out includes at least three chassis engaging support members supporting the slide out in a sliding fashion on the chassis, and the chassis engaging support members are spaced apart from each other along a length of the slide out.