AU668716B2 - A camper trailer - Google Patents

Description

1

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 P/00/0011 Rcgulation 32 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT ee ,t ooro o o «e a 6af a oa o a a o r a ao a o oo o o o o 6 0 1 a a

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for service JOHN RICHARD FRANKE JOHN RICHARD FRANKE in Australia: CARTER SMITH BEADLE 2 Railway Parade Camberwell Victoria 3124 Australia Invention Title: A CAMPER TRAILER Details of Associated Provisional Application: PL2265 filed 5 May 1992 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us i- -2- The present invention relates to a camper trailer (sometimes called a collapsible caravan) and more particularly to an improved camper trailer which is readily converted from a transport configuration to an accommodation configuration and vice versa.

Known camper trailers generally comprise a rectangular trailer having a hitch arrangement for attachment to a towing vehicle. The trailer stores a canvas tent in collapsed form when the trailer is in a transport configuration and when the conversion to accommodation is effected the tent covers the trailer, which provides a double bed as well as various extensions which conventionally extend either rearwardly or to one or both sides of the trailer. In one particular known arrangement a rigid cover which forms a top over the trailer in the transport configuration is pivoted rearwardly of the trailer to an inverted position and sits on the ground to provide a floor for an extension which provides general living quarters.

iiA canvas tent arrangement is provided to extend over the trailer and extension.

15 Another known form provides a floor to the side of the trailer and similarly a tent *arrangement extends over the trailer and extension.

o Several problems are inherent in the known camper trailers. Generally they suffer the disadvantage that they are complex and time consuming to convert from o" o one form to the other and/or they are expensive to purchase because of the complexity. Those having a flooring which sits on the ground require a level and "smooth site which is not always conveniently available particularly in "off-road" situations or away from organised camping grounds.

:Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved S"camper trailer which avoids or overcomes one or more of the aforementioned problems with existing camper trailers.

Thus, the invention provides a camper trailer comprising a trailer body and a forwardly extending draw-bar for attaching said trailer to a towing vehicle, a collapsible frame on said body for movement between a collapsed position wherein said frame is accommodated substantially within or immediately on top of said body, and an erected position wherein said frame provides a support structure above said i NB-los56L.CAP 29 Apdr 1993 I L9_ -3body and above said draw-bar, a retractable floor normally accommodated within or adjacent said body and extendible to provide a floor over said draw-bar between said body and a forward end of said draw-bar, and a canvas or like cover for extending over said frame whereby in said collapsed position of said frame said cover is folded and provides a cover over the top of said body and in said erected position of said frame said cover forms an accommodation enclosure over said body and said floor, and a front wall of said cover having a panel which can be opened in a manner enabling it to extend the roof of said trailer, in said erected position, over portion of said towing vehicle, In order that the invention may be more readily understood, one particular embodiment will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings Swherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a camper trailer according to the invention shown in the transport or collapsed condition; Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the camper trailer in the erected or accommodation condition; Figure 3 is a plan view of the camper trailer in the transport or collapsed Fucondition; Figure 4 is a side elevation of the camper trailer in the transport 20 condition; I' SFigure 5 is a rear elevation of the camper trailer in the transport condition; Figure 6 is a rear elevation of the camper trailer in the erected condition; Figure 7 is a side elevation of the camper trailer in the erected condition; and SFigure 8 is a perspective view of the camper trailer in the erected condition with the cover removed.

$tic The camper trailer is shown to comprise a body 10 having wheels 11 and a draw-bar 12. The draw-bar is of A-frame construction and extends forwardly of the body to allow the trailer to be attached to a towing vehicle (not shown). Details of the towing hitch at the front end of the draw-bar are also not shown. The body has a number of storage compartments which are accessed via various doors 13 from .A L, lIg:p, 10S61.rs 4 Mach 1996 .CiQ cv| -4either side of the trailer body. On top of the body 10 is a double bed mattress 14 (Figure 8) for providing a double bed when the camper trailer is in the erected or accommodation mode. Around the perimeter of the mattress 14, on three sides, is a channel 15 which is provided between the sides of the trailer body and the mattress. The purpose of the channel 15 will become evident hereinbelow.

Floor panels 16 are provided across the front of the body 10 for providing a floor when the camper trailer is in the erected or accommodation condition. The floor panels 16 are interconnected one to the other by a hinge connection extending transversely of the feiiw and aft direction of the trailer. A first panel is hinged to a narrow floor beam 17 as is shown more clearly in Figure 8 and succeeding panels are hinged together such that in the folded condition of the floor, the panels are in a concertina arrangement. The length of the panels is about equivalent to the width of the trailer body.

A sub-frame (not shown) is provided to support the floor panels 16 when the flooring is in the accommodation configuration. The sub-frame is retracted, in the transport mode, into chassis rails (not evident in the drawings) which constitute the chassis of the body 10. In the extended position the sub-frame provides a support structure under the flooring and over the draw bar 12. The forward most corners of the sub-frame are provided with telescoping legs 32 (Figure 8) whereby when the sub-frame is in the extended position the forward end may be height adjustably supported on the ground by telescoping the respective legs downwardly. In the retracted position of the sub-frame the legs (not shown) extend upwardly in front of the folded floor panels and retain the panels in the folded condition.

collapsible frame is attached to the body at opposite front corners of the4 body as is shown more clearly in Figures 7 and 8. The frame consists of a number of U-shaped hoops 18, 19 and 20 which, in the collapsed position are generally accommodated within the aforementioned channel 15. The hoops 18 and 19 are connecteu to a common pivot point 21 at each front corner of the body 10 and the hoop 19 is equivalent in size to the channel 15. The hoop 18 is slightly smaller and in the folded condition has its base extending across the top of the mattress 14 as Z)NN1OS61.CA1- 29 Apofl 1993 1

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F \$NJ shown by the broken lines 22. The third hoop 20 is pivotally connected to brackets 23 which slide on respective sides of the hoop 18. A pair of straps 24 formed of polyester webbing extend over the hoops 18, 19 and 20 and are attached thereto by rivets. In the erected condition of the frame the straps 24 extend over the base of hoop 18 and support the hoop 19 in the angular position shown. The straps 24 also serve to support a canvas or other weatherproof cover 25 (FiAgures 2 and Means (not shown) may be provided to lock the hoop 18 in the erected position whereby the position of the other hoops 19 and 20 is also fixed. The brackets 23 are lockable onto the sides of the hoop 18. The ends of the straps 24 extend to the bottom of the cover 25 at the front of the erected tent and each strap is provided with a loop 31 at the end thereof. The loops 31 enable a person to pull on the straps 24 when the trailer is in the collapsed or transport mode so as to cause it to convert to the erected condition. Such pulling on the straps 24 causes the hoops and the cover to be raised into the erected condition in a simple operation. The free ends of the straps at the 15 rear end attach to the body 10 adjacent the bottom end of the cover and at the front end the ends of the straps remain free.

It will be noted that when the floor panels 16 are extended to provide a flooring over the draw-bar 12, a further pair of doors 26 is exposed at the front of the body 10 again to provide access to a storage compartment. A series of legs 27 which are adjustable in length are provided at the four corners of the body 10 to provide full support when the trailer is used as accommodation. The legs slide upwardly into tubes located within the respective corners of the body The canvas cover 25 extends over the frame structure formed by the hoops Olt 18, 19 and 20 when the camper trailer is in the erected condition. The cover forms an enclosure over the trailer body 10 as well as over the erected floor. The cover is attached around the bottom edge to the trailer body and to the floor by studs or clips 28. A zip fastener 29 provides an access door in one side of the erected unit and a further pair of zip fasteners 30 allows the front wall of the erected unit to be opened up whereby the roof may be extended over a towing vehicle to which the trailer is attached. In the ca~se where the towing vehicle has a van or like body, the NB-#1056.CAP 29 APdl 1993

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44 4 A 4 41 44 4 .4 rear door of the van may be opened to allow access from the van into the camper trailer. In this way further sleeping accommodation may be provided within a single accommodation unit by placing beds in the rear of the van. In the collapsed or transport mode, the cover 25 folds down and is basically accommodated within the channel 15 although portion of the cover 25 provides a canopy over the top of the body to protect the frame and the mattress 14.

The trailer body is formed of metal and is of sturdy construction and the floor panels 16 may be panel board or timber or any other suitable material. The sturdy construction enables the trailer to be used in off-road conditions and the compact and relatively lightweight provides a very convenient camper trailer for the more rugged terrain which is encountered in off-road situations. The fact that the trailer is extended in a forward direction over the draw-bar when in the erected condition means that it never occupies any additional space above that which it requires in the transport condition. Furthermore, because the floor is supported on the draw-bar, it is not necessary to have a level surface when using the camper trailer as accommodation since the adjustable legs allow the entire unit to be supported on an uneven surface.

It will be readily apparent that the camper trailer according to the invention may be easily and quickly converted from the transport to accommodation mode, or vice versa. In order to convert from the transport mode to the accommodation mode it is merely necessary to firstly withdraw the sub-frame so that it extends over the draw bar 12 and level the sub-frame using the adjustable legs 32. The floor panels 16 are then unfolded to provide a flooring over the sub-frame and the user then stands on the floor and pulls the loops 31 of straps 24 in a forward direction. Of course, the canvas is firstly released around the perimeter of the body 10 where it is usually attached by a zig-zag rope 33 (Figures 1 and The pulling on loops 31 causes the hoops 18 and 19 to move to the position shown in Figure 8 whereby the hoop 20 is also moved to a position where it extends forwardly of the body 10. The hoop 20 is then slid up the hoop 18 and the brackets 23 are locked in position. With the hoop 20 in the position shown in Figure 8, the straps 24 ensure that the hoop 19 NB-010561.CAP 29 AprU 1993 -7- 7 assumes the orientation shown. As a consequence of this conversion the cover is caused to withdraw from the channel 15 and extend over the frame structure to the erected condition. It is then only necessary to attach the bottom edge of the cover around the perimeter of the floor in order to provide the fully constructed unit and the entire procedure takes only a matter of minutes. The legs are then affixed in position to provide stability.

It will be appreciated that in the erected condition the floor, at the lowest point is approximately 450 mm-600 mm above the ground, and therefore there is no possibility of the cover contacting the ground. Therefore dampness is prevented from contacting the cover and small ground creatures, spiders and other crawling things are unable to enter the accommodation urit.

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Claims (3)

1. A camper trailer comprising a trailer body and a forwardly extending draw-bar for attaching said trailer to a towing vehicle, a collapsible frame on said body for movement between a collapsed position wherein said frame is accommodated substantially within or immediately on top of said body, and an erected position wherein said frame provides a support structure above said body and above said draw-bar, a retractable floor normally accommodated within or adjacent said body, said floor extendible to provide P. floor bearing on said draw-bar, extending between said body and a forward end of said draw-bar and having a width substantially the same as the width of the trailer body, and a canvas or like cover for extending over said frame whereby in said collapsed position of said frame said cover is folded and provides a cover over the top of said body and in said erected position of said frame said cover forms an accommodation enclosure over said body and said floor, and a front wall of said cover having a panel which can be opened in a manner enabling it to extend the roof of said trailer, in said erected position, over portion of said towing vehicle.

002. A camper trailer as defined in claim 1 wherein said frame is pivotally connected to said body for pivotal movement between said collapsed position and said erected position.

23. A camper trailer as defined in claim 1lor 2 wherein said frame includes a first frame member in the form of a U-shaped hoop the free ends of which are attached to said body adjacent respective first corners of said body, said frame member being pivotal through about 900 between a collapsed position wherein said 0000 frame member is substantially in a horizontal plane over the top of said body and an erected position wherein said frame is substantially in a vertical plane transverse to the fore aft direction of said body at the front end of said body. 4. A camper trailer as defined in claim 3 wherein other frame members depend from said first frame member. A camper trailer as defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein said retractable floor comprises a plurality of panels, each joined along a transverse .A Li lg:ps 10561.res 4 March 1996 -9- edge to another said panel whereby said panels are capable of being stacked in concertina across the front said body when retracted and pulled out over said draw- bar to form a planar floor when extended, said panels having a length substantially equal to the width of said body. 6. A camper trailer as defined in claim 1 or 5 wherein legs are provided for supporting said body and said floor when said camper trailer is in said erected position. 7. A camper trailer as defined in claim 6 wherein said draw-bar is an A- frame. 8. A camper trailer as defined in any one of the preceding claims wherein said body has upwardly extending sides which enclose a double bed mattress to form a double bed substantially occupying the t- of said body at a height above the height of said floor. 9. A camper trailer as defined in claim 4 wherein said other frame members comprise a second U-shaped member which is mounted on said first frame member and a third U-shaped frame member the ends of which are connected to a common pivot point with said first frame member, said second member extending forwardly in a horizontal plane near the tope of said first frame member in said S: erected position and said third frame member extending rearwardly in a plane angled 20 between 300 and 600 to the horizontal in said erected position, said trailer further including straps attached to said frame members and which, in said erected position of said frame, extend over said frame in said fore aft direction. 0:4 10. A camper trailer substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED: 4 March 1996 CARTER SMITH BEADLE Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: JOHN RICHARD FRANKE INAL/ Ig:ps 105l61.r 4 Mr h 1996 t~c I- r i i: L.o i ABSTRACT A camper trailer comprises a body (10) with wheels (11) and draw-bar (12). A collapsible frame is pivotally attached to the body at opposite front corners and consists of a first U-shaped hoop (18) which in a collapsed position fits inside the perimeter of the body in a horizontal plane and in an erected position is in a vertical plane and is inverted such that the base of the hoop supports a cover (25) which elands over the frame. The frame has a second hoop (20) which extends from the first hoop in a forward direction and a third hoop (19) which is inclined rearwardly when in the erected position. Floor panels (16) are interconnected by hinge connections which extend transversely of the trailer such that the panels form a concertina arrangement and r.,ay be unfolded to provide a floor extending over the draw-bar and having a width equal to the body width of the trailer. In the erected position the frame supports the cover to form an enclosure over the trailer body and floor. C 0 4440 a.a a CC 0 CC0 NB-#10561.CAP 29 April 1993 -r