GB2145379A - Extendable caravan or other accommodation - Google Patents

Abstract

A mobile structure is provided with one or more integral foldable extensions which can be erected to double or triple the internal floor space. The floor (13) of the or each extension is constituted by a side or end wall of the caravan which is hingedly connected to the caravan (10) and which can be lowered to form the floor of the extension. A similarly hinged panel (15a, 15b) forms the roof of the extension which is supported by two inwardly foldable end walls (16a, 16b). A further rigid panel (14a, 14b) defines the outer side wall of the extension. in the collapsed condition, the rigid panels all fold inwardly to lie parallel with and to be concealed by the side wall of the caravan when raised to its upright position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Mobile accommodation structure This invention relates to mobile structures of the kind providing temporary or semi-permanent living accommodation, e.g. portable buildings, caravans, camping trailers and the like, including selfpropelled vehicles, and which comprise, in addition to the main fabric a collapsible or foldable extension.

In this context "living accommodation" is to be interpreted in the widest possible sense to include offices, workshops, canteens and other structures in which people may work or occupy for other social or occupational purposes, as well as for living in, in the narrow sense of the word.

Whilst for convenience the invention will be hereinafter described with reference to a particular structure, viz a caravan, it is to be understood that the principles herein described apply equally well to other mobile or portable structures of like kind including buildings not having ground-engaging wheels as such, but nevertheless transportable from one site to another, for example, by being hoisted onto a lorry or other vehicle, rather than towed, as in the case of a caravan ortrailer.

In the art, it is well known to provide caravans and similar structures or vehicles with collapsible or folding extensions which, whilst the vehicle is being towed or moved from one place to another, can be folded or otherwise collapsed back into the main body of the vehicle, but which when the vehicle is parked, can be extended to provide increased accommodation or extra space.

The present invention seeks to provide an improved foldable extension for such structures.

According to the invention a mobile or portable accommodation structure is provided which incorporates, as an integral part thereof, at least one foldable extension which may be erected at will to increase the available floor area within the structure, said extension having a floor and roof, and a rigid exterior wall extending between the floor and roof and forming a boundary to the extension, the said extension being constructed of a plurality of hinged rigid panels which in the non-erected state are folded inwardly one against the other to define a side or end wall of the structure, and which in the erected state are folded outwardly from the structure to provide said extension.

In one arrangement according to this invention, substantially the whole of one side of the caravan, or other such structure, is constructed in such a manner that it can be pivoted outwardly and downwardly into a horizontal position about a hinge connection along its lower edge, thereby to form a rigid extension to the floor of the vehicle. Hingedly connected to its opposite edge is a foldable wall section constructed of two rigid panels hingedly connected together so as to fold inwardly as the side wall of the structure is raised from its horizontal, lowered position, in which it forms the floor of the extension, to its raised, vertical position, in which it forms an outer wall of the vehicle.Also hingedly connected to the inwardly foldable wall section of the extension is a roof section, likewise constructed of two rigid roof panels hingedly connected together and likewise foldable inwardly as the side wall of the structure is raised from its horizontal to its vertical position. As well as being hinged to the upper edge of the wall section of the extension (upper being defined with reference to the extension in its erected state), the roof section is hingedly connected to the caravan body along or adjacent the roof line of the vehicle.Finally, in accordance with this invention, two extension end wall members are provided hingedly connected to the caravan body at or adjacent the front and rear corners of the body and pivotable about a vertical axis from a first, collapsed position in which they lie substantially in a plane parallel with the side wall of the vehicle, to a second, extended position, in which they lie in parallel planes substantially perpendicular to the side of the vehicle and in which extended positions they serve to hold the extension in its erected position by virtue of their interposition between the floor of the extension (i.e.

the normal outer side wall of the caravan, but in its lowered, horizontal position) and the two roof panels.

With such a structure, the extension can be quickly and easily erected, since all the structural members of the extension are rigid structures hingedly connected together, by simply unfastening the catches which will suitably be provided to hold the side wall of the caravan in its upright position, lowering the side panel to its horizontal position, which causes the interconnected wall and roof panels of the extension to unfold automatically, and then unfolding the two end wall members from their first, collapsed position, to their second extended position in which they serve as struts to maintain the extension in its extended state.

The extension may be stowed away in the reverse order, i.e. by first swinging the two end walls back into their original, stowed position inside the caravan body, and then restoring the floor of the extension to its upright position forming the false side wall of the caravan body, which action automatically causes the collapse and inward folding of the side wall and roof of the extension.

Depending, of course, on the relative dimensions, the available floor space within the caravan can be doubled or more than doubled, particularly, if, as is preferred two such extensions are provided on opposite sides of the caravan.

The extension may, of course, be fitted with windows, doors, roof lights etc., such features all being conventional in caravan construction, and not forming any essential part of the concept of this present invention.

Desirably, the mobile structure provided in accordance with this invention, is provided also with an inner wall structure forming an inner fixed wall in the main body of the structure along one or both sides, and which, when the extension, or extensions is or are erected form dividing walls within the extended structure and dividing the accommodation provided therein into several separate intercommunicating rooms.

Whilst the concept of this invention is particularly applied to caravans or like structures providing mobile living accommodation of a mobile or semipermanent nature, the mobile structures provided in accordance with the invention may be readily adapted or modified to a whole variety of different uses such as mobile shops, offices, workshops, libaries, hospitals, school classrooms, canteens and so on, the concept of this invention not being limited to any particular such usage.

The invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate the principles of this invention as applied to a caravan. In the drawings: Figures la-c respectively show the caravan in side elevation, end elevation and plan view; Figure 2 is an isometric view of the caravan fully extended; Figure 3a-c are a side elevation of the extended caravan and sections through the extended caravan taken on lines S-S and T-T respectively; Figure 4 is a detailed section taken on line U-U of Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a detailed section taken on lines V-V of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1a-cshowthe caravan in its folded, or collapsed state. As will be seen it has the outward appearance of a perfectly conventional caravan having a body (10) supported on a chassis (11) and equipped with a tow hook (12) behind a car or other vehicle.

Figure 2 shows the caravan in its fully extended state with a foldable or collapsible extension on each side. The extensions and the method of erecting and collapsing them are identical, and so will be described hereinafter with reference to only one of them. Of course, if desired, the caravan may have only one such extension, but generally two will be provided, one on each side as shown.

Referring now to the construction of the extension, the caravan body (10) is provided with a false side (13) hingedly connected to the caravan body (10) along its bottom edge and lowerable from the vertical, travelling position shown in Figures lea, 4 and 5 to its horizontal, extended position shown in Figures 3b and 3c and in phantom in Figure 4, in which position it forms the floor of the extension.

Suitable stays or supports (not shown) will be provided to support the false side/floor in its horizontal position level with the floor of the caravan proper.

In the drawings, all hinge connections are indicated by the letter H.

Hingedly connected to the distal edge of the false side/floor along a parallel hinge line is a folding extension side wall (14) formed by two rigid panels (14a, 14b) themselves hingedly connected together and which, in the erect position form a rigid side wall to the extension, but which fold inwardly and downwardly inside the false side of the caravan as is its lifted back into its vertical position from its extended, horizontal position, see in particular Figures 4 and 5. Preferably, but not necessarily, the two panels forming the side wall to the extension are of equal widths, and will, as shown usually be formed with one or more windows, and optionally a door (14), which will likewise be formed in two halves, i.e. an upper and lower half.

The roof (15) of the extension is similarly formed by two rigid members (15a, 15b), again preferably but not necessarily of equal width, hingedly connected together at their adjacent edges and at the opposite edges to the upper (in its erect state) edge of the extension side wall, and adjacent the roof line of the caravan body. Once again the hinge lines are indicated by the letter H, and it will be seen that the hinge connections so far described are all parallel. In a similar fashion to the extension side wall, the roof panels are inwardly foldable, see Figures 4 and 5, inside the false side to the caravan as it is raised to its vertical position.

Finally, the extension comprises two end walls (16a, 16b) hingedly connected to the caravan body adjacent the front and rear wings (17a, 17b), the hinge lines H in these two cases being vertical, and not horizontal.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the end walls (16a, 16b) of the extension are normally stowed inside the false side (13). Upon erection of the extension, however, they can be swung outwardly, see in particular Figure 3c, through 90 or thereabouts to form bracing panels or struts that support and brace the roof (15) in its erect position, the two end walls in fact serving to maintain the extension in its erect state.

In case the procedure for the erection of the extension has not been sufficiently understood from the foregoing description and drawings, the following further stepwise instructions is given.

On reaching the desired site, the caravan is parked and secured in a normal manner. Catches (not shown) holding the false side (13) in position are released, and the false side (13) lowered (Figure 4, arrow 1) to its dropped, horizontal position, and supported therein by foldable legs or other suitable supports (not shown). Lowering (and raising) of the false side may be done by hand or with mechanical or motorised aids, depending on the weight of the side.

As will be appreciated, and as shown in phantom in Figure 4, the lowering of the false side/floor (13) causes partial unfolding of the interconnected rigid and interconnected side wall panels (14a, 14b) and roof panels (1 5a, 15b) of the extension,. In steps 2 and 3 indicated by arrows 2 and 3 in Figure 4, this unfolding is completed, manually or with mechanical aids, by lifting up the roof panels (15a, 15b) into their final position. In step 4, the end walls (16a, 16b) of the extension are swung outwards through 90 to support the roof (15), and the whole of the extension in its erected state. To further secure the extension in the erected state, locking catches may be provided as and where necessary.

Stowing of the extension is carried out in reverse order. First the two end walls (1 6a, 1 6b) are swung back into their original position. The floor/false side (13) can then be raised back into its original, vertical position forming the outer wall of the caravan, the wall panels (14a, 14b) and roof panels automatically folding inside the false side/floor (13) as the latter is pivoted upwardly about its hinge connection to the caravan body (10).

To provide additional strengthening of the caravan body, and as shown in Figures 3b, 3c, 4 and 5, a pair of fixed internal central columns (18) are provided along each side of the caravan inwardly of the false side. Besides strengthening the body, such internal columns also serve as room dividers inside the extended structure and effectively dividing the inside of the extended structure into three rooms.

Other rigid, or folding partitions may also be provided if desired to divide the interior of the extended caravan into still smaller rooms.

in a particular embodiment it is envisaged that either the caravan body itself, or one or other or both extensions may be provided with a ramp to give access to handicapped persons, for example, in wheelchairs.

Whilst in the preferred embodiments of the invention the whole of the side wall of the caravan is hinged and lowerable to form the floor of the extension, the same principles can be applied where one section of the side wall is so hinged, the other section being a fixed structure, thus providing a somewhat smaller extension. Also, of course, the end wall(s) of the caravan body may be similarly constructed to provide the or an additional extension.

Many other modifications, additions, variations both in internal and external fitments may of course be provided without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, it is within the scope and concept of the present invention to use single rigid panels to define the roof and side wall of the extension. In such an arrangement the side well is hingedly connected to one or other of the roof or floor panels, but not both, which is the case in the embodiment already described. In the case of single panels defining the roof and side wall, the extension is erected by first swinging the roof and floor panels into position, and then swinging the side wall downwardly into position, if hingedly connected to the distal edge of the roof panel, or upwardly into position if hingedly connected to the distal edge of the floor panel, either before or after swinging the two end walls of the extension into position.

In yet another arrangement, the side wall of the extension can be defined by vertical panels hingedly connected to the distal edges edges of the two end walls and pivotable about vertical hinge axes between their respective folded and extended positions.

Claims (9)

1. A mobile or portable accommodation structure which incorporates, as an integral part thereof, at least one foldable extension which may be erected at will to increase the available floor area within the structure, said extension having a rigid floor and roof, and a rigid exterior wall extending between the floor and the roof and forming a boundary to the extension being constructed of a plurality of hinged rigid panels which in the non-erected state are folded inwardly one against the other to define a side or end wall of the structure, and which in the erected state are folded outwardly from the structure to provide said extension.

2. A mobile structure according to claim 1, comprising two such foldable extensions on opposite sides of the structure.

3. A mobile structure according to claim 1, wherein the or each extension comprises a first panel hingedly connected to the structure and pivotable about a horizontal axis from a first, folded position in which it defines a side or end wall to the structure to a second, extended position in which it defines the floor of the extension, a second panel or panels hingedly connected to the structure and pivotable about a horizontal axis from a first, folded position in which it lies parallel with said first panel when in its folded position, to a second, extended position in which it defines the roof of the extension, a pair of end wall panels hingedly connected to the structure and pivotable about a vertical axis from a first, folded position in which they lie parallel with said first panel when in its folded position, to a second extended position in which they define end walls to said extension extending between the first (floor) panel and second (roof) panel, and a further panel or panels hingedly connected to said first or second panel along the edge thereof remote from the respective hinge connection of that panel to the structure and pivotable from a first, folded position in which it lies flush against said first or second panel when in its respective folded position, to a second extended position in which it is substantially perpendicular with respect thereto, thereby to define a third, side wall to said extension extending between said first (floor) and second (roof) panels and between the said end panels, when in their respective extended positions.

4. A mobile structure according to claim 3, wherein the roof of the or each extension is defined bytwo rigid panels hingedly connected together and hingedly connected along one edge to the structure and along the other edge to the panels defining the side wall, and wherein the side wall of the or each extension is likewise defined by two rigid panels hingedly connected together and hingedly connected along one edge to the said other edge of the roof panel, and along the other edge to the distal edge of the panel defining the floor of the extension, the hinge connections between the two roof panels, the two side panels, the floor panel and the structure all operating along parallel axes, whereby, when the floor panel is raised from its second, extended position in which it defines the floor of the extension, to the first, folded position in which it defines a side or end wall to the structure the said roof and side wall panels collapse inwardly along their respective hinge connections to lie inside the said floor panel when in its folded positon.

5. A mobile structure according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the said end walls of the or each extension serve to support the roof panel or panels when in the extended position.

6. A mobile structure according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the said first panel constituting floor of the or each extension also constitutes substantially the whole side or end of the structure.

7. -A mobile structure according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein one or more fixed partitions are provided inside the structure to provide dividing walls between the inside of the structure and the extra space provided by the or each extension.

8. A mobile structure according to any one of claims 1-7 which is in the form of a caravan or trailer.

9. A mobile structure according to claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.