GB2493178A

GB2493178A - Inflatable caravan wheelarch cover

Info

Publication number: GB2493178A
Application number: GB1112891.5A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Davies
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-07-27
Filing date: 2011-07-27
Publication date: 2013-01-30
Also published as: GB201112891D0

Abstract

An inflatable wheel arch enclosure 1 for at least partially enclosing the otherwise exposed side of a caravan 10 wheel has a generally flat ground-engaging lower end and a generally domed upper end for filling the void between the wheel and the wheel arch 14. The domed upper end extending at least partially over the top of the wheel such that, upon inflation of the enclosure that part of the dome becomes trapped between the rim of the wheel and the wheel arch such that the enclosure is thereafter self supporting until deflated after use. The enclosure may have a rigid or semi rigid support plate with a bead receiving grooved channel 9 for receiving the bead of a flexible skirt 11 of a caravan awning. The support plate may be adjustably mounted onto the cover via hook and look fasteners 7, 8.

Description

INTELLECTUAL

*. . PROPERTY OFFICE Applicalion No. GBI 112891.5 RTM Date:30 October 2012 The following terms are registered trademarks and should be read as such wherever they occur in this document: Velcro Intellectual Properly Office is an operaling name of Ihe Patent Office www.ipo.gov.uk Inflatable Wheel Arch Enclosure This invention relates to wheel arch enclosures for vehicles such as caravans although the invention is intended for use in other applications as required.

Modern caravans have a facility for erecting an awning on one side, a beaded edge of the awning being threaded into a correspondingly shaped bead receiving channel extending around the front, rear and upper edges of the sidewall of the caravan and by which the awning can be removably anchored in position before being extended away from the caravan with a support framework. The awning acts as a shelter for that side of the caravan on which it is erected and can be fully enclosed in inclement weather. However, the space between the side wall of the caravan and the ground remains open and some caravans are therefore provided with a draught excluder skirt with a beaded edge which can be releaseably slid into a correspondingly shaped groove or channel running along the lower end of the sidewall of the caravan parallel to the ground, leaving only the area around the wheel arch uncovered and therefore requiring to be filled in order to prevent a draught from entering the space afforded by the awning. Various ways are known to achieve this, including domed, flat wheel covers supported on a wire frame which are fitted underneath the wheel arch of the caravan, with the remainder resting on the ground behind the draught excluder skirt which, in this region, is otherwise unsupported.

Another solution is to fasten plastic sheeting to the side of the caravan by the use of press stud fittings, but this requires holes to be drilled into the caravan side-wall which can be problematic and also allows moisture to enter. Neither solution supports the draught excluder skirt in this region.

The present invention is derived from the realisation that there is a need for a solution to the problem of excluding draughts which enter around the wheel arch of a caravan which is simple to use and which can, in one embodiment, also provide support for the otherwise unsupported region of the draught excluder skirt.

According to the invention there is provided an inflatable wheel arch enclosure for at least partially enclosing the otherwise visible side of a caravan wheel, the enclosure having a generally flat ground-engaging lower end and a generally domed upper end for filling the void between the wheel and the wheel arch, the domed upper end extending at least partially over the rim of the wheel such that, upon inflation of the enclosure that part of the dome becomes releaseably trapped between the rim of the wheel and the wheel arch such that the enclosure is thereafter self supporting until deflated after use.

With this arrangement the inflatable nature of the wheel arch enclosure means that it can automatically adjust between different sizes of wheels and respective wheel arches, including the spaces between the wheels and the wheel arches, whilst still fulfilling the main function of acting as a draught excluder so that, in conjunction with the use of a draft excluder skirt the inside of the awning can be made substantially draught free.

Conveniently, the inflatable wheel arch enclosure also includes a rigid or semi rigid support plate with a bead-receiving grooved channel for receiving the bead of a flexible draught excluder skirt, which can therefore be supported substantially over the width of the wheel and wheel arch such that little or no gap is present therebetween, with the inflated wheel arch enclosure therefore acting essentially as a continuation of the sidewall of the caravan in this region.

Preferably, the support place for receiving the bead of a draught excluder skirt is adjustable in height, such as by having a Velcro strip on that side remote from the bead-receiving groove, the Velcro strip being co-operable with a broader Velcro strip on the front of the wheel arch enclosure so that the bead-receiving groove in the support plate can be aligned with corresponding grooves on the sidewall of the caravan after the wheel arch enclosure has been fully inflated, whereafter the draught excluder skid may be fitted generally continuously along the entire length of the sidewall of the caravan.

The wheel arch enclosure may conveniently be formed from welded plastic sheet inter-connected at spaced intervals to provide a series of elongate pillows which may conveniently be pneumatically inter-connected so that they may all be filled from a single inlet valve. However, more than one inlet valve may be used to inflate separate compartments, such as a compartment for enclosing the front of a wheel and another compartment for filling the void between the wheel and the arch, as the case may be.

Alternatively, the inflatable wheel arch enclosure may be constructed from drop stitch material to provide, when inflated, a substantially flat outer surface i.e. not in the form of a series of pillows laid side-by-side. This may present a more pleasing appearance and, because of the generally resilient nature of drop stitch material, it may be inflated to the extent that presents a substantially rigid, flat, outer surface corresponding to the sidewall of the caravan in this region.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view from the front and one side of an inflated wheel arch enclosure; Figure 2 is an end view of the enclosure of Figure 1 mounted against a wheel, and Figure 3 is a partial front view of the inflated wheel arch enclosure of Figure 1 in situ under the wheel arch of a caravan and associated draught excluder skirt.

In Figure 1 a wheel arch enclosure shown generally at 1 comprises a plurality of inflatable elongated pillows 2 pneumatically inter-connected in the manner as schematically shown in Figure 2 by the presence of air transfer holes 3 so that when the wheel arch enclosure 1 is inflated via a valve 4 it can be fitted against and over one side of a wheel 5 forming part of a caravan (not shown).

The wheel arch enclosure 1 has a generally flat ground engaging lower end 6 and a generally dome-shaped upper end 7 formed by the expedient of the length of the pillows 2 at the upper end of the enclosure 7 being progressively shorter to correspond with the shape of a wheel arch (not shown) of a caravan.

As will be seen from Figure 2 one of the topmost pillows 2a extends partially over the upper part of the wheel 5 which therefore helps to support the wheel arch enclosure in this region.

One of the pillows 2b at the front of the wheel arch enclosure 1 includes a Velcro strip 7 for releaseably securing a metal or rigid plastic support plate 8 for supporting a draught excluder skirt, on the reverse side of which support plate 8 is a corresponding Velcro strip by which it may be releaseably secured to the Velcro strip 7 on the pillow 2b.

At the lower end of the support plate 8 is an actuate groove 9 of shape corresponding to the bead of a draught excluder skirt (not shown), by which the latter may be slid along from one end and retained in a position in which it can support the weight of the draught excluder skirt in this region.

Figure 3 shows a partial view of a caravan side-wall 10 and a draught excluder skirt 11 having a beaded upper edge 12 receivable in actuate bead-receiving grooves 13 fixed to the side of the caravan 10.

The caravan side-wall 10 includes a wheel arch mudguard 14 extending slightly outwardly from the plane of the caravan wall in this region and into and underneath which is positioned the wheel arch enclosure 1 shown in its inflated condition behind the draught excluder skirt 11. The draught excluder skirt 11 is also shown supported between the mudguard 14 via the grooved metal plate 8 after having been threaded onto the bead 12, the provision of the Velcro strip 7 allowing for adjustment in height so that the grooved support plate 8 is aligned with the fixed grooves 13. As will be apparent, substantially no gaps exist as a result of the presence of the inflated wheel arch enclosure 1, which tends to fill in any gaps there may otherwise be between the end of the pillows 2 immediately below the mudguard 14, so that they grip the underside of the mudguard 14 and the wheel arch and also the top of the wheel 5 thereby providing enough mechanical support for the grooved plate 8 and the draught excluder skirt 11 in this region.

As will be apparent, other shapes of inflatable pillows may be used in any convenient orientation and instead of pillows, the wheel arch enclosure may instead be formed from one or more pieces of inflatable drop stitch material where a smooth, continuous outer surface is required.

The invention therefore provides an elegantly simple solution to the problem of ensuring that the interior of an awning is substantially draught free, with the wheel arch enclosure 1 itself being able to conform to the shape and space between the wheel and the wheel arch of a caravan.

Claims

<claim-text>Claims 1. An inflatable wheel arch enclosure for at least partially enclosing the otherwise visible side of a caravan wheel, the enclosure having a generally flat ground-engaging lower end and a generally domed upper end for filling the void between the wheel and the wheel arch, the domed upper end extending at least partially over the rim of the wheel such that,. upon inflation of the enclosure that part of the dome becomes releaseably trapped between the rim of the wheel and the wheel arch such that the enclosure is thereafter self supporting until deflated after use.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. An inflatable wheel arch enclosure according to claim 1 further including a c'J 1_ rigid or semi rigid support plate with a bead-receiving grooved channel fEw N receiving the bead of a flexible draught exclUder skirt of a caravan awning.</claim-text> <claim-text>(0 3. An inflatable wheel arch enclosure according to claim 2 wherein the support plate for receiving the bead of a draught excluder skirt is adjustable In height.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. An inflatable wheel arch enclosure according to claim 2 or $ including a Velcro strip on that side of the support plate remote from the bead-receMng groove, the Velcro strip being co-operable with a broader Velcro strip On the front of the wheel arch enclosure so that the bead-receiving groove in the support plate can be aligned with corresponding grooves on the sidewafi of a caravan after the wheel arch enclosure has been fully inflated, whereby the draught excluder skirt may be fitted generally continuously along the entire length of the sidewall of the caravan, 5. An inflatable wheel arch enclosure according to any preceding claim formed from welded plastic sheet inter-connected at spaced intervals to provide a series of elongate pillows.6. M inflatable wheel arch enclosure according to claim 5 wherein the pHlows are pneumatically inter-connected so that they may all be filled from a S single inlet valve.7. An inflatable wheel arch enclosure according to claim S wherein the pillows comprise a compartment for enclosing the front of a wheel and another compartment for filling the void between the wheel and the arch.& An inflatable wheel arch enclosure according to any one of claims I to 4 constructed from drop stitch material to provide, when inflated, a substantially 1 flat outer surface N'. 9. An inflatable wheel arch enclosure substantially as hereinbefore described With refereN to FigMres I and 2,</claim-text>