GB2572687A

GB2572687A - Locker door

Info

Publication number: GB2572687A
Application number: GB1902650.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Cunningham Paul
Original assignee: Swift Group Ltd
Current assignee: Swift Group Ltd
Priority date: 2018-02-27
Filing date: 2019-02-27
Publication date: 2019-10-09
Also published as: GB201803140D0; GB201902650D0

Abstract

A locker door 10 for a caravan or motorhome comprising an injection moulded structural portion 12 and an injection moulded cover portion 14, the cover portion being attached to the structural portion such that a major surface of the cover portion faces a major surface of the structural portion. The locker door may have a cavity between a series of projections 16 that project from the major surface of the structural portion and may further have at least one fitting integrally injection moulded in the structural portion for receiving fixtures such as a lock 27. A feature for receiving a device for controlling the opening of the door, such as handle 24, may be integrally molded with the structural portion. There may be a hinge portion 22 integrally moulded into the structural portion of the door for pivotally attaching the door to a locker frame (30, Fig.4). Also claimed is a method of manufacturing a locker door using injection moulding.

Description

[001] The present invention relates to locker doors, in particular locker doors for lockers in caravans and motorhomes.

[002] Caravans and motorhomes typically comprise several lockers and other storage means for storing a user’s possessions and items for use in the caravan or motorhome. Lockers may also be used to site equipment such as power supply units, microwave ovens, etc. It is desirable to maximise living space in a caravan or motorhome by providing appropriate storage solutions that do not impose on the living space. Furthermore, it is an aim to reduce the weight of the interior modules of a caravan or motorhome, such as the lockers, in order to reduce the overall weight of the caravan or motorhome. It is also not desirable to have weight concentrated at a high level within the caravan or motorhome as this can have a significant impact on overall vehicle dynamics, making weight saving in these areas even more critical.

[003] Conventionally, the doors for lockers and other storage units in caravans and motor homes are solid doors, typically formed of solid polyurethane or solid timber. Other conventional doors comprise a sandwich construction. During manufacture, a bar of a material forming the door is cut into parts according to the desired sizes of the doors. Conventional manufacturing methods require numerous steps including adhesive application, material lay-up, vacuum press forming, cutting to length and edging. Some door designs require further intermediate steps, whereby after forming, the rear of the door is cut to remove material, such that two halves can be “cranked” relative to one another and the cut edges bonded together such that the door maintains its new shape. A disadvantage arises in this method of manufacture in that the fittings for receiving fixtures for attaching the door to the locker must be provided along the entire length of the bar, so that the bar can be cut to any desired length with fittings provided on the door, thereby increasing the amount of materials required to produce the bar and generating waste because the production of various different door sizes has the effect that full material utilisation is never achieved. Further disadvantages associated with conventional locker doors include the doors being heavy and lacking strength. The weight of the materials for the doors can bring a size limitation on the doors, when using conventional hinges.

[004] According to an aspect of the invention there is provided a locker door for a caravan or motorhome comprising an injection moulded structural portion and an injection moulded cover portion, the cover portion being attachable to the structural portion, with a major surface of the cover portion facing a major surface of the structural portion.

[005] The cover portion may be generally planar and rectangular in shape, although some doors with shaped ends may be required in specific locations. Similarly, the structural portion may be shaped to correspond to the cover portion, so that the cover portion covers the major surface forming an exterior surface of the structural portion. The cover portion may be attachable to the structural portion using adhesives or mechanical connections or welding.

[006] The structural portion may be compatible with a plurality of different cover portions, said plurality of different cover portions having different contouring.

[007] At least one fitting for receiving a fixture may be provided in the door, preferably positioned towards what is, in use, an upper edge of the door. The at least one fitting may be integrally injection moulded in the structural portion. The door may comprise two fittings for receiving a fixture. Providing a fitting that is integrally moulded with the structural portion simplifies the manufacturing process because it is not necessary to machine the fixtures after the moulding of the structural portion. Furthermore, providing the fitting in only the desired position, rather than along the entire upper length of the door provides the advantage of reducing the weight of the door, because the door would not comprise unused fittings.

[008] The door may comprise at least one hinge portion, which may be a fixture for attaching the door to a locker frame structure. The at least one hinge portion may be receivable in the at least one fitting. Alternatively, at least one hinge may be integrally moulded with the structural portion. The door may comprise two hinge portions. Integrally moulding the hinge portion with the structural portion provides the advantage that the number of parts of the locker door is reduced, thereby simplifying the method of manufacturing the locker door.

[009] The door may comprise at least one cavity between the structural portion and the cover portion. The at least one cavity may be an air-filled cavity. The door may comprise a plurality of cavities. The at least one air-filled cavity in the door provides the advantage of reducing the weight of the door, in comparison to solid doors.

[0010] The at least one cavity may be filled with a component suitable to control resonance. The filling component may be a foam or a rubber based matting or a cork based matting or a felt based matting or a cellular foam sheet or a non-woven polyester matting. The filling component may also be a multi-layer laminate comprising any of the mentioned filling components.

[0011] The structural portion may comprise a plurality of projections that project from the major surface of the structural portion towards the cover portion. The projections may form walls of the cavities. The projections may extend laterally and longitudinally along the major surface side of the structural portion, forming a lattice structure. The projections may be integrally moulded with the major surface of the structural portion. The projections may provide the advantage of improving the strength of the door.

[0012] The structural portion may comprise at least one aperture to allow routing of wiring into the cavity. The structural portion may also comprise a plurality of LEDs to illuminate the locker when the door is open. The structural portion may comprise a switch for operating the plurality of LEDs. The switch may be hidden from view of a user.

[0013] The cover portion may be visible in normal use, when the door is attached to a locker in the caravan or motorhome. The cover portion may comprise a decorative finish according to the design of the caravan or motorhome.

[0014] The door may comprise a door handle for opening the door and a latch for securing the door in a closed position. The latch may be part of the door handle. The latch may be receivable in an opening in the door, for securing the door in a closed configuration in use. The door handle may be injection moulded or die cast.

[0015] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method for manufacturing a caravan or motorhome locker door, the method comprising injection moulding a structural portion of the door and injection moulding a cover portion of the door, and attaching the cover portion to the structural portion.

[0016] The injection moulding the structural portion may comprise integrally moulding at least one fitting for receiving a fixture for attachment of the door to a locker frame. The method may comprise integrally moulding a plurality of fittings for receiving fixtures for attachment of the door to the locker frame. The method may comprise attaching a hinge portion to the fitting.

[0017] The injection moulding the structural portion may comprise integrally moulding at least one hinge portion with the structural portion. The injection moulding of the structural portion may comprise integrally moulding at least one feature suitable to receive a device for controlling the opening of the door. The device for controlling the opening of the door may be a spring or a stay or a damper.

[0018] The injection moulding the structural portion may comprise integrally moulding a plurality of projections that project from a major surface of the structural portion.

[0019] The cover portion may be attached to the structural portion at a late stage in the manufacturing process. This may allow a plurality of the structural portions to be manufactured, and then the door to be customised according to a design requirement by attaching a cover portion of the desired colour, texture, etc.

[0020] For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:

[0021] Figure 1 shows an exploded view of a locker door.

[0022] Figure 2 shows the locker door and a locker door frame in a closed configuration.

[0023] Figure 3 shows a cross-section of the locker door and the locker frame in a closed configuration.

[0024] Figure 4 shows the locker door and the locker frame in an open configuration.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, a locker door 10 comprises an injection moulded structural portion 12 and an injection moulded cover portion 14. The cover portion 14 is substantially planar and is attachable to the structural portion 12 such that it faces a major face of the structural portion. The structural portion 12 has a lattice of projections 16, which form a plurality of cavities 18 between the cover portion and the structural portion. Although the door is substantially planar in shape, in more detail the shape maybe made up of two sub-parts that are substantially planar, but at a slight angle to each other, which angle may from a shallow ridge parallel to a top edge of the door 10. The shallow ridge maybe located in a lower half of the door 10.

[0026] The structural portion 12 comprises holes 20 which are fittings for receiving fixtures for attaching the door 10 to a locker frame 30. The fittings 20 are integrally moulded in the structural portion. The door 10 comprises hinges 22 for attaching the door to the locker frame 30. Fixtures from the hinges 22 may be received within the fittings 20 on the structural portion 12. In some embodiments, part of the hinge 22 may be integrally moulded with the structural portion 12.

[0027] The door comprises a handle 24, which projects from an outer surface 26 of the cover portion 14, for allowing a user to open and close the door 10. The handle 24 comprises a latch 25 that is receivable in an opening in the locker frame 30 by a retaining piece 27, so that the door 10 may be secured in a closed position unless it is opened by a user.

[0028] The door 10 may be constructed by injection moulding the structural portion 12 including the fittings 20 and the projections 16, attaching the hinges 22 to the fittings 20, injection moulding the cover portion 14, attaching the cover portion 14 to the structural portion 12 and attaching the handle 24.

[0029] The cover portion 14 may include an upper lip 13, designed to wrap around a top edge of the structural portion 12. The cover portion 14 may include a lower lip 15, designed to wrap around a bottom edge of the structural portion 12.

[0030] The cover portion 14 maybe secured to the structural portion 12 by adhesives or mechanical connections or welding.

[0031] Figures 2-4 show another example of a locker door having many of the same features as that shown in Figure 1. Like reference numerals have been used for like parts. The locker door 10 is secured in the locker frame 30. The locker frame 30 is included to give context to the locker door 10. As above, the door 10 comprises a handle 24, which projects from an outer surface 26 of the cover portion 14, for allowing a user to open and close the door 10. The handle 24 comprises a latch 25 that is receivable in an opening in the locker frame 30, so that the door 10 may be secured in a closed position unless it is opened by a user.

[0032] Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0033] All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

[0034] Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

[0035] The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A locker door for a caravan or motorhome comprising an injection moulded structural portion and an injection moulded cover portion, the cover portion being attached to the structural portion such that a major surface of the cover portion faces a major surface of the structural portion.

2. The locker door according to claim 1, comprising a cavity provided between the structural portion and the cover portion, wherein the cavity is formed between a series of projections that project from the major surface of the structural portion to the major surface of the cover portion.

3. The locker door according to any preceding claim, wherein the door comprises at least one fitting for receiving fixtures, wherein the at least one fitting is integrally injection moulded in the structural portion.

4. The locker door according to any preceding claim, wherein the door comprises a hinge portion for pivotally attaching the door to a locker frame, wherein the hinge portion is integrally moulded with the structural portion.

5. The locker door according to any preceding claim, wherein the door comprises at least one feature suitable to receive a device for controlling the opening of the door, wherein the feature is integrally moulded with the structural portion

6. A method of manufacturing a caravan or motorhome locker door, the method comprising injection moulding a structural portion of the doorand injection moulding a cover portion of the door, and attaching the cover portion to the structural portion such that a major surface of the cover portion faces a major surface of the structural portion.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the injection moulding the structural portion comprises integrally moulding a plurality of projections to project from the major surface of the structural portion.

8. The method according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the injection moulding the structural portion comprises integrally moulding at least one fitting for receiving a fixture for attachment of the door to a locker frame.

9. The method according to any of claims 6 to 8, wherein the injection moulding the structural portion may comprise integrally moulding at least one hinge portion with the structural portion.

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10. The method according to any of claims 6 to 9, wherein the injection moulding the structural portion may comprise integrally moulding at least one feature suitable to receive a device for controlling the opening of the door.