WO2001092058A1 - Self-supporting, removable, fitted-out unit for a vehicle - Google Patents

Self-supporting, removable, fitted-out unit for a vehicle Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2001092058A1
WO2001092058A1 PCT/IT2001/000279 IT0100279W WO0192058A1 WO 2001092058 A1 WO2001092058 A1 WO 2001092058A1 IT 0100279 W IT0100279 W IT 0100279W WO 0192058 A1 WO0192058 A1 WO 0192058A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
unit according
vehicle
canopy
loading
walls
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IT2001/000279
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Stefano Franceschini
Original Assignee
Stefano Franceschini
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Stefano Franceschini filed Critical Stefano Franceschini
Priority to AU66313/01A priority Critical patent/AU6631301A/en
Publication of WO2001092058A1 publication Critical patent/WO2001092058A1/en

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60P—VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS
    • B60P3/00—Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects
    • B60P3/32—Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects comprising living accommodation for people, e.g. caravans, camping, or like vehicles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60P—VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS
    • B60P3/00—Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects
    • B60P3/32—Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects comprising living accommodation for people, e.g. caravans, camping, or like vehicles
    • B60P3/34—Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects comprising living accommodation for people, e.g. caravans, camping, or like vehicles the living accommodation being expansible, collapsible or capable of rearrangement

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to travelling leisure- time activities such as, for example, camping or caravanning and in particular relates to a fitted-out unit, in particular for living purposes, which can be transported in a van, is self-contained and can be separately removed from the said van.
  • camping tents of various shapes and sizes tent trailers which can be towed by an associated vehicle and also living units which can be mounted on a self-propelled vehicle, such as campers (dormobiles, motor-homes, vans, semi-converted vehicles, etc.) or small dwellings which can be transported on trailers or mounted in the bodies of lorries and trucks (including so-called pick-ups) are known.
  • campers dimobiles, motor-homes, vans, semi-converted vehicles, etc.
  • small dwellings which can be transported on trailers or mounted in the bodies of lorries and trucks (including so-called pick-ups) are known.
  • the said living units which may be classified as transportable, irrespective of their specific name or design category, are associated with the corresponding vehicle by means of conversion and adaptation operations which are fairly major, in terms of both aesthetic and functional requirements, so much so that obtaining approval for roadworthiness is secondary to the need to comply with the specific constructional standards and type-approval requirements.
  • the object of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks by means of a fitted-out unit which can be associated with a vehicle provided with a loading compartment, but which is self-contained and separate from the latter so that it can be rapidly and easily removed from the said vehicle, whenever required.
  • a fitted-out unit according to the preamble of Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a self- supporting, removable, variable-volume shell structure which can be inserted into the loading compartment of the vehicle via the associated doors, in its contracted state, and which can then be expanded inside the loading compartment until it occupies the maximum space permitted and vice versa.
  • the shell structure is formed so that it can be associated with the compartment, being able to be adapted easily to the internal obstacles which, in particular, consist of the top part of the vehicle's wheels which project above the loading surface and towards the inside of the compartment.
  • the fitted-out unit is designed such that it can be introduced into the compartment via the doors, its width then varied horizontally so to overcome the internal obstacles of the wheels, and can then be expanded heightwise, above the upper level of the door, until it reaches the maximum height permitted by the loading compartment of the van. Since the vans made by various manufacturers have dimensions which are very similar, the shell structure can be easily made with shapes and modular dimensions such that it can be housed inside the compartments of different vans.
  • the unit can be removed from the van whenever required means, on the one hand, that all the intrinsic transportation requirements of the van may be left unchanged and, on the other hand, that the unit may be used, if necessary, as a fitted-out unit placed on the ground, i.e. the van and the fitted-out unit may be used together or separately, depending on requirements, without the need for particular assembly or reassembly operations, without the need to comply with particular type-approval requirements and without tying up a significant amount of capital.
  • FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional van which can be used as a vehicle for transporting the fitted-out unit provided in accordance with the invention
  • FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are overall elevation, rear and front views, respectively, of the unit shown in a first reduced-volume configuration
  • FIG. 5 is overall elevation, rear and front views, respectively, of the unit in a second maximum- olume configuration
  • FIG. 8 is a schematic plan view, on a smaller scale, of the unit associated with the transportation van;
  • Figure 13 is a plan view of two different configurations of a detail of the unit structure shown in continuous and broken lines, respectively;
  • FIGS. 14 and 15 are perspective views of an example of the interior of the unit, in which some significant details of the invention may be seen;
  • FIG 16 is a schematic partially sectioned view of a detail of the invention along the cross-sectional line XVI-XVI in Figure 8;
  • - Figure 17 is a schematic overall view of some constructional details of an example of a unit according to the invention. Detailed description of the preferred embodiment (s)
  • 1 denotes in its entirety a unit fitted-out for a vehicle 2, such as a conventional van, provided with a closed loading compartment 3 which is accessible from the outside via associated doors 4.
  • a vehicle 2 such as a conventional van
  • a closed loading compartment 3 which is accessible from the outside via associated doors 4.
  • the fitted-out unit 1 essentially comprises a self- supporting, removable, variable-volume shell structure 5 which can be inserted into the loading compartment 3 of the vehicle 2 via the doors 4, in its contracted state, and which may then be expanded inside the loading compartment 3 until it occupies the maximum space permitted and which, vice versa, may be removed from the van with exactly the reverse sequence of operations.
  • the shell structure 5 is provided in particular ( Figures 8 and 13) with a base 6 designed to rest on a loading surface 7 of the vehicle 2; in the base 6 three main characteristic parts, indicated by 8, 9 and 10, respectively, may be distinguished.
  • a first part 8 thereof may be associated with the loading surface 7, relative to the direction of travel of the vehicle 2, in front of the planwise volume 11 of the wheels 12 in the said loading plane 7; as is known, said wheels 12 project with their upper part towards the inside of the loading compartment 3 ( Figure 1) .
  • a second part 9 may be associated with the loading surface 7 at the rear of the planwise volume 11 of the wheels 12 in the said loading plane 7.
  • a third part 10, located in between the first two, may be associated with the loading surface 7 by means of its part 13 which projects towards the underlying loading surface 7 ( Figure 16) and which has a width 16 not greater than the distance 14 lying, transversely with respect to the direction of travel 15, in the loading plane 7, between the planwise volumes 11 of the wheels 12 of the vehicle 2.
  • the height 17 of the projecting part 13, on the other hand, is not less than the maximum heightwise dimension 18 of the wheels 12 which project from the loading surface 7 towards the inside of the loading compartment 3 of the vehicle 2.
  • the first part 8 and the third part 10 of the base 6 are designed to have a variable geometry, at least as regards their horizontal planwise dimension which can be measured transversely with respect to the direction of travel 15 of the vehicle 2.
  • This dimension may be selectively varied between a maximum width x2, corresponding to the maximum expansion of the base 8 permitted by the dimensions of the loading compartment 3, and a minimum width xl, not greater than the distance 14 lying, in the loading plane 7, between the planwise volumes 11 of the wheels 12 ( Figure 1) .
  • the maximum width x2 relates to the condition where the fitted-out unit 1 is used as an area for housing persons, while the minimum width xl relates to the need to make the unit 1 more compact so as to allow it to be freely slidable horizontally, on the loading surface 7, without being hindered by the wheels 12.
  • the first part 8 of the base 6 comprises two vertical, separate, rigid structures 19 which are oriented parallel to the side walls 31 of the loading compartment 3, namely are facing each other and situated on either side of a vertical plane parallel to the direction of travel 15.
  • Guide means 30 are envisaged for translation of said structures 19, horizontally and transversely with respect to the loading compartment 3, in a condition arranged as close as possible to each other or as far away as possible from each other, corresponding to the said minimum width xl and maximum width x2 of the first part 8 of the base 6.
  • Walls ' 22 conveniently equipped with various furnishing and functional accessories intended for the particular use of the unit 1 - shown by way of example also in the cross-sections thereof illustrated in Figures 9-12 - are incorporated into the vertical structures 19 mounted above the base 6.
  • a canopy 20, which is supported by the vertical structures 19 forms the upper roofing of the unit 1. Said roofing is therefore entirely separate and physically isolated from the surrounding walls of the loading compartment 3 of the vehicle 2 or the van. In the case where the latter is provided, as is frequently the case, with access doors 4 which at the top are lower than the roof 32 of the loading compartment 3, the unit 1 comprises means for raising or lowering the canopy 20 above the vertical structures 19 previously described.
  • these raising means include top surfaces of the inclined and converging walls 21 and the matching, sloping, i.e. diverging side sections 23 of the canopy which rest slidably on the inclined top surfaces 21.
  • the inclined top surfaces 21 of the walls 22 interact with the side sections 23 so as to raise the canopy 20 when the walls 22 are moved away from each other into the fully expanded condition of the unit 1 and, vice versa, so as to cause lowering of the canopy 20 when they are moved towards each other.
  • a different constructional form of the raising means which is particularly advantageous for a canopy 20 which includes a support structure 25 and a covering canvas ( Figures 14 and 15) , envisages the use of upright elements 24 arranged between the canopy 20 and the walls 22.
  • These upright elements 24, which support the structure 25, are slidably fastened to the walls 22, or differently - but in an equivalent manner from a functional point of view - may be made in telescopic form.
  • the upright elements 24 are selectively displaceable with respect to the walls 22 so as to move the canopy 20 away from or vice versa towards the associated top surfaces, thus allowing the fitted-out unit 1 to expand or contract along the vertical .
  • Another possible embodiment of the canopy 20 and the associated raising means may be obtained by means of a tensile structure which incorporates at least one or more inflatable air chambers 27.
  • the means for raising the canopy 20 may be in this case actuated by compressed air which, introduced into the chamber 27 at a suitable pressure, rigidifies the structure, expands it as required and provides it with the capacity to support itself above the rigid walls 22 of the fitted-out unit 1.
  • the fitted-out unit 1 may be made more compact ( Figures 2, 3 and 4) until has minimum dimensions suitable for allowing it to pass through the doors 4 towards the loading compartment or be extracted from the said loading compartment 3; then, once it has been inserted into the loading compartment 3, it may be expanded up to the maximum dimensions permitted, as shown by way of example in Figures 5, 6 and 7.
  • the base 6 of the fitted-out unit 1 is provided with legs 28 for resting the shell structure 5 on the ground.
  • the legs 28 are permanently connected to the base 6 and are made as a folding structure so that they may be extracted from the said base during use and concealed inside the latter when not used.
  • the legs 28 are provided finally with wheels 29 for the rolling displacement, on the ground, of the shell structure 5.
  • the invention therefore fully achieves the predefined objects and offers many advantages.
  • One of the advantages consists in the fact that the van does not require any external or internal modification. In its travelling state it retains all the characteristics for which it was built: it has a convenient design, without projecting parts,, offers full visibility and does not have any of the classic unaesthetic features of vans which have been converted into campers. Finally, the unit 1 does not interfere with the driver's cab.
  • the empty van is the same van used for business and trading activities or services and therefore there is no variation in the costs for road tax, insurance and maintenance.
  • the unit 1 in the "expanded" state ( Figures 9, 11) , in addition to being housed independently inside the van, may be parked in camping sites ( Figures 5, 6) and lived in, thereby freeing the van for use.
  • the unit 1 described, in particular intended for living purposes may be used for other purposes, such as, for example, as an office, gym or small workshop, albeit while remaining within the scope of protection of the present patent. It is evident that the invention thus conceived may be suitable for applications on an industrial scale and may be subject to numerous modifications and variations all falling within the scope of the inventive idea. Moreover, all its details may be replaced by technically equivalent elements.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Public Health (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)
  • Battery Mounting, Suspending (AREA)
  • Apparatus Associated With Microorganisms And Enzymes (AREA)
  • Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)

Abstract

A fitted-out unit (1) for a vehicle (2) provided with a closed loading compartment (3) accessible by means of associated doors (4) comprises a self-supporting, removable, variable-volume shell structure (5) which can be inserted into the loading compartment (3) of the vehicle (2) via the doors (4), in its contracted state, and which can then be expanded inside the loading compartment (3) until it occupies the maximum space permitted and which, vice versa, after contraction, can be extracted again from the loading compartment (3).

Description

- 1 -
SELF-SUPPORTING, REMOVABLE, FITTED-QUT UNIT FOR A
VEHICLE.
Description
Technical Field
The present invention relates to travelling leisure- time activities such as, for example, camping or caravanning and in particular relates to a fitted-out unit, in particular for living purposes, which can be transported in a van, is self-contained and can be separately removed from the said van. Background Art
At present, camping tents of various shapes and sizes, tent trailers which can be towed by an associated vehicle and also living units which can be mounted on a self-propelled vehicle, such as campers (dormobiles, motor-homes, vans, semi-converted vehicles, etc.) or small dwellings which can be transported on trailers or mounted in the bodies of lorries and trucks (including so-called pick-ups) are known.
The said living units, which may be classified as transportable, irrespective of their specific name or design category, are associated with the corresponding vehicle by means of conversion and adaptation operations which are fairly major, in terms of both aesthetic and functional requirements, so much so that obtaining approval for roadworthiness is secondary to the need to comply with the specific constructional standards and type-approval requirements.
Consequently the vehicles must be designed for a particular and exclusive use and cannot be used for purposes other than this: all this has negative repercussions on the construction, insurance, operating and running costs and the effective use of the capital invested for the purchase of said vehicle. Disclosure of invention
The object of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks by means of a fitted-out unit which can be associated with a vehicle provided with a loading compartment, but which is self-contained and separate from the latter so that it can be rapidly and easily removed from the said vehicle, whenever required.
In accordance with the invention, this object is achieved by a fitted-out unit according to the preamble of Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a self- supporting, removable, variable-volume shell structure which can be inserted into the loading compartment of the vehicle via the associated doors, in its contracted state, and which can then be expanded inside the loading compartment until it occupies the maximum space permitted and vice versa.
The shell structure is formed so that it can be associated with the compartment, being able to be adapted easily to the internal obstacles which, in particular, consist of the top part of the vehicle's wheels which project above the loading surface and towards the inside of the compartment. For this purpose, the fitted-out unit is designed such that it can be introduced into the compartment via the doors, its width then varied horizontally so to overcome the internal obstacles of the wheels, and can then be expanded heightwise, above the upper level of the door, until it reaches the maximum height permitted by the loading compartment of the van. Since the vans made by various manufacturers have dimensions which are very similar, the shell structure can be easily made with shapes and modular dimensions such that it can be housed inside the compartments of different vans. The fact that the unit can be removed from the van whenever required means, on the one hand, that all the intrinsic transportation requirements of the van may be left unchanged and, on the other hand, that the unit may be used, if necessary, as a fitted-out unit placed on the ground, i.e. the van and the fitted-out unit may be used together or separately, depending on requirements, without the need for particular assembly or reassembly operations, without the need to comply with particular type-approval requirements and without tying up a significant amount of capital.
Brief description of the drawings
The technical features of the invention, in accordance with the abovementioned objects, may be clearly determined from the contents of the claims indicated below and the advantages thereof will emerge more clearly from the detailed description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings which show a purely exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, in which:
- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional van which can be used as a vehicle for transporting the fitted-out unit provided in accordance with the invention;
- Figures 2, 3 and 4 are overall elevation, rear and front views, respectively, of the unit shown in a first reduced-volume configuration;
- Figures 5, 6 and 7 are overall elevation, rear and front views, respectively, of the unit in a second maximum- olume configuration;
- Figure 8 is a schematic plan view, on a smaller scale, of the unit associated with the transportation van;
- Figures 9, 10, 11 and 12 are cross-sections, along the lines IX-IX; XI-XI of Figure 13, corresponding to the expanded and contracted conditions of the unit, respectively;
Figure 13 is a plan view of two different configurations of a detail of the unit structure shown in continuous and broken lines, respectively;
- Figures 14 and 15 are perspective views of an example of the interior of the unit, in which some significant details of the invention may be seen;
- Figure 16 is a schematic partially sectioned view of a detail of the invention along the cross-sectional line XVI-XVI in Figure 8; - Figure 17 is a schematic overall view of some constructional details of an example of a unit according to the invention. Detailed description of the preferred embodiment (s)
With reference to Figures 1 to 7 of the attached drawings, 1 denotes in its entirety a unit fitted-out for a vehicle 2, such as a conventional van, provided with a closed loading compartment 3 which is accessible from the outside via associated doors 4.
The fitted-out unit 1 essentially comprises a self- supporting, removable, variable-volume shell structure 5 which can be inserted into the loading compartment 3 of the vehicle 2 via the doors 4, in its contracted state, and which may then be expanded inside the loading compartment 3 until it occupies the maximum space permitted and which, vice versa, may be removed from the van with exactly the reverse sequence of operations.
The shell structure 5 is provided in particular (Figures 8 and 13) with a base 6 designed to rest on a loading surface 7 of the vehicle 2; in the base 6 three main characteristic parts, indicated by 8, 9 and 10, respectively, may be distinguished.
A first part 8 thereof may be associated with the loading surface 7, relative to the direction of travel of the vehicle 2, in front of the planwise volume 11 of the wheels 12 in the said loading plane 7; as is known, said wheels 12 project with their upper part towards the inside of the loading compartment 3 (Figure 1) .
A second part 9 may be associated with the loading surface 7 at the rear of the planwise volume 11 of the wheels 12 in the said loading plane 7. Finally, a third part 10, located in between the first two, may be associated with the loading surface 7 by means of its part 13 which projects towards the underlying loading surface 7 (Figure 16) and which has a width 16 not greater than the distance 14 lying, transversely with respect to the direction of travel 15, in the loading plane 7, between the planwise volumes 11 of the wheels 12 of the vehicle 2.
The height 17 of the projecting part 13, on the other hand, is not less than the maximum heightwise dimension 18 of the wheels 12 which project from the loading surface 7 towards the inside of the loading compartment 3 of the vehicle 2.
The first part 8 and the third part 10 of the base 6 are designed to have a variable geometry, at least as regards their horizontal planwise dimension which can be measured transversely with respect to the direction of travel 15 of the vehicle 2.
This dimension may be selectively varied between a maximum width x2, corresponding to the maximum expansion of the base 8 permitted by the dimensions of the loading compartment 3, and a minimum width xl, not greater than the distance 14 lying, in the loading plane 7, between the planwise volumes 11 of the wheels 12 (Figure 1) . As will be clarified more fully below, the maximum width x2 relates to the condition where the fitted-out unit 1 is used as an area for housing persons, while the minimum width xl relates to the need to make the unit 1 more compact so as to allow it to be freely slidable horizontally, on the loading surface 7, without being hindered by the wheels 12.
More particularly (Figure 14) , the first part 8 of the base 6 comprises two vertical, separate, rigid structures 19 which are oriented parallel to the side walls 31 of the loading compartment 3, namely are facing each other and situated on either side of a vertical plane parallel to the direction of travel 15. Guide means 30 are envisaged for translation of said structures 19, horizontally and transversely with respect to the loading compartment 3, in a condition arranged as close as possible to each other or as far away as possible from each other, corresponding to the said minimum width xl and maximum width x2 of the first part 8 of the base 6.
Walls ' 22 conveniently equipped with various furnishing and functional accessories intended for the particular use of the unit 1 - shown by way of example also in the cross-sections thereof illustrated in Figures 9-12 - are incorporated into the vertical structures 19 mounted above the base 6. A canopy 20, which is supported by the vertical structures 19 forms the upper roofing of the unit 1. Said roofing is therefore entirely separate and physically isolated from the surrounding walls of the loading compartment 3 of the vehicle 2 or the van. In the case where the latter is provided, as is frequently the case, with access doors 4 which at the top are lower than the roof 32 of the loading compartment 3, the unit 1 comprises means for raising or lowering the canopy 20 above the vertical structures 19 previously described.
In accordance with a first embodiment - shown schematically in Figure 17 in which the rigid walls 22 of the loading compartment 3 extend over most of the height of the said loading compartπtent 3 and the canopy 20 is also constructed in rigid form - these raising means include top surfaces of the inclined and converging walls 21 and the matching, sloping, i.e. diverging side sections 23 of the canopy which rest slidably on the inclined top surfaces 21. The inclined top surfaces 21 of the walls 22 interact with the side sections 23 so as to raise the canopy 20 when the walls 22 are moved away from each other into the fully expanded condition of the unit 1 and, vice versa, so as to cause lowering of the canopy 20 when they are moved towards each other.
A different constructional form of the raising means, which is particularly advantageous for a canopy 20 which includes a support structure 25 and a covering canvas (Figures 14 and 15) , envisages the use of upright elements 24 arranged between the canopy 20 and the walls 22. These upright elements 24, which support the structure 25, are slidably fastened to the walls 22, or differently - but in an equivalent manner from a functional point of view - may be made in telescopic form. In either case the upright elements 24 are selectively displaceable with respect to the walls 22 so as to move the canopy 20 away from or vice versa towards the associated top surfaces, thus allowing the fitted-out unit 1 to expand or contract along the vertical . Another possible embodiment of the canopy 20 and the associated raising means may be obtained by means of a tensile structure which incorporates at least one or more inflatable air chambers 27.
The means for raising the canopy 20 may be in this case actuated by compressed air which, introduced into the chamber 27 at a suitable pressure, rigidifies the structure, expands it as required and provides it with the capacity to support itself above the rigid walls 22 of the fitted-out unit 1. To summarise, the fitted-out unit 1 may be made more compact (Figures 2, 3 and 4) until has minimum dimensions suitable for allowing it to pass through the doors 4 towards the loading compartment or be extracted from the said loading compartment 3; then, once it has been inserted into the loading compartment 3, it may be expanded up to the maximum dimensions permitted, as shown by way of example in Figures 5, 6 and 7.
In order to facilitate extraction of the unit 1 from the loading compartment 3 or insertion thereof into the same loading compartment 3, the base 6 of the fitted-out unit 1 is provided with legs 28 for resting the shell structure 5 on the ground. Preferably, the legs 28 are permanently connected to the base 6 and are made as a folding structure so that they may be extracted from the said base during use and concealed inside the latter when not used. The legs 28 are provided finally with wheels 29 for the rolling displacement, on the ground, of the shell structure 5.
The invention therefore fully achieves the predefined objects and offers many advantages. One of the advantages consists in the fact that the van does not require any external or internal modification. In its travelling state it retains all the characteristics for which it was built: it has a convenient design, without projecting parts,, offers full visibility and does not have any of the classic unaesthetic features of vans which have been converted into campers. Finally, the unit 1 does not interfere with the driver's cab.
During use of the unit 1, the rear doors must simply be opened (Fig. 12) together with the side door of the parked van so as to free the door for access to the unit and the windows of the bathroom and kitchen/dinette zone (parts 8-10 in Figure 8) .
The empty van is the same van used for business and trading activities or services and therefore there is no variation in the costs for road tax, insurance and maintenance. The unit 1 in the "expanded" state (Figures 9, 11) , in addition to being housed independently inside the van, may be parked in camping sites (Figures 5, 6) and lived in, thereby freeing the van for use. The unit 1 described, in particular intended for living purposes, may be used for other purposes, such as, for example, as an office, gym or small workshop, albeit while remaining within the scope of protection of the present patent. It is evident that the invention thus conceived may be suitable for applications on an industrial scale and may be subject to numerous modifications and variations all falling within the scope of the inventive idea. Moreover, all its details may be replaced by technically equivalent elements.

Claims

Claims
1. Fitted-out unit for a vehicle (2) provided with a closed loading compartment (3) accessible by means of associated doors (4) , characterized in that it comprises a self-supporting, removable, variable-volume shell structure (5) which can be inserted into the loading compartment (3) of the vehicle (2) via the doors (4), in its contracted state, and which can then be expanded inside the loading compartment (3) until it occupies the maximum space permitted and vice versa.
2. Unit according to Claim 1, characterized in that the shell structure (5) is provided with a base (6) designed to rest on a loading surface (7) of the vehicle (2) and having: a first part (8), which may be associated with the loading surface (7), relative to the direction of travel of the vehicle (2) , in front of the planwise volume (11) of the wheels (12) in the said loading plane
(7); a second part 9, which may be associated with the loading surface (7) at the rear of the planwise volume (11) of the wheels (12) in the said loading plane (7); and a middle part (10), which may be associated with the loading surface (7) by means of its projecting part (13) having a width 16 not greater than the distance (14) lying, transversely with respect to the direction of travel (15), in the loading plane (7), between the planwise volumes (11) of the wheels (12) of the vehicle
(2) and a height not less than the maximum heightwise dimension (18) of the wheels (12) in the loading plane
(7) and towards the inside of the loading compartment (3) of the vehicle (2) .
3. Unit according to Claim 2, characterized in that at least the first part (8) of said base (6) is designed to have a variable geometry, at least as regards its horizontal planwise dimension which can be measured transversely with respect to the direction of travel (15) of the vehicle (2) , said dimension being selectively variable between a maximum width (x2) and a minimum width
(xl) , said minimum width (xl) being not greater than the distance (14) lying, in the loading plane (7), between the planwise volumes (11) of the wheels (12) .
4. Unit according to Claim 3, characterized in that at least the first part (8) of said base (6) comprises two vertical, separate, rigid structures (19) which are facing each other and situated on either side of a vertical plane parallel to the direction of travel (15) ; and guide means (30) for translation of said structures (19) , horizontally and transversely with respect to said loading compartment (3), in a condition arranged as close as possible to each other or as far away as possible from each other, corresponding to said minimum width (xl) and maximum width (x2) of said first part (8) .
5. Unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises fitted-out walls (22) incorporated into said vertical structures (19) and mounted above said base (6) .
6. Unit according to Claim 5, characterized in that it comprises a canopy (20) supported by said vertical structures (19) .
7. Unit according to Claim 6, characterized in that it comprises raising means for raising or lowering the canopy (20) above said vertical structures (19) .
8. Unit according to Claim 7, characterized in that the raising means include converging inclined top surfaces (21) of said walls (22) and matching slanting side sections (23) of said canopy (20) resting slidably on said inclined top surfaces (21) , said inclined top surfaces (21) interacting with the side sections (23) so as to raise the canopy (20) when the walls (22) are moved away from each other and, vice versa, so as to cause lowering of the canopy (20) when they are moved towards each other.
9. Unit according to Claim 7, characterized in that said raising means comprise upright elements (24) located between the canopy (20) and the walls (22) as well as slidably fastened to the walls (22) , said upright elements (24) being selectively translatable with respect to the walls (22) so as to move the canopy (20) away from or vice versa towards the associated top surfaces.
10. Unit according to Claim 9, characterized in that the canopy (20) includes a support structure (25) and a covering canvas (26) , the structure (25) being supported by said upright elements (24) and being displaceable upon relative actuation thereof.
11. Unit according to Claim 7, characterized in that the canopy (20) is actuated by a tensile structure incorporating at leaqt one inflatable air chamber (27), the means for raising the canopy (20) being actuated by compressed air introduced into the chamber (27) at a pressure suitable for providing the tensile structure with a self-supporting capacity above the walls (22) .
12. Unit according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises legs (28) for resting the shell structure (5) on the ground during insertion into, or during extraction from, the loading compartment (3) of the vehicle (2) .
13. Unit according to Claim 12, characterized in that said legs (28) are fastened to the base (6) of the shell structure (5) so as to be able to be extracted from the latter during use and so as to be concealed inside the latter when not used.
14. Unit according to Claim 12, characterized in that said legs (28) are provided with wheels (29) for rolling displacement, on the ground, of the shell structure (5) .
PCT/IT2001/000279 2000-06-02 2001-05-31 Self-supporting, removable, fitted-out unit for a vehicle WO2001092058A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU66313/01A AU6631301A (en) 2000-06-02 2001-05-31 Self-supporting, removable, fitted-out unit for a vehicle

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT2000RN000025A ITRN20000025A1 (en) 2000-06-02 2000-06-02 SELF-SUPPORTING, REMOVABLE, VARIABLE VOLUME EQUIPPED CELL, FOR A MEANS OF TRANSPORT, PROVIDED WITH A LOAD COMPARTMENT, CLOSED
ITRN2000A000025 2000-06-02

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2001092058A1 true WO2001092058A1 (en) 2001-12-06

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ID=11456607

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/IT2001/000279 WO2001092058A1 (en) 2000-06-02 2001-05-31 Self-supporting, removable, fitted-out unit for a vehicle

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AU (1) AU6631301A (en)
IT (1) ITRN20000025A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2001092058A1 (en)

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2865632A1 (en) * 2004-02-02 2005-08-05 Lagrange Renaud Marc Chaumet Adaptable and reusable medical cell assembly for motor vehicle, has bottom and top shells constituting self-supporting structure, and openings receiving frames for closing space between medical cell and lateral windows of vehicle
EP2123509A1 (en) * 2008-05-19 2009-11-25 Burkhard Rüther Exchangeable fitting for vehicles
FR2940938A1 (en) * 2009-01-15 2010-07-16 Plf Camping module for vehicle i.e. van, utilized for transporting horses to horse-riding competition place, has movable wall defining camping volume in useful transport volume of vehicle and extending camping volume in deployed position
WO2017174870A1 (en) * 2016-04-04 2017-10-12 Flx-Frame Oy A removable and adaptable module for a vehicle comprising a loading compartment
DE102019100264A1 (en) 2019-01-08 2020-07-09 Jörg Kortmann Equipment system for equipping a motor vehicle
DE102019009268B3 (en) 2019-01-08 2022-10-13 Jörg Kortmann Equipment system for equipping a motor vehicle

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4093302A (en) * 1976-02-02 1978-06-06 Robert Michael Adams Vehicle cover assembly
FR2398639A1 (en) * 1977-07-27 1979-02-23 Heuliez Sa Louis Camping conversion kit for van - has frame and two half shells slidable into and out of body to form camper unit
US4163577A (en) * 1978-05-12 1979-08-07 Vanderslice Ira C Camper module
FR2497164A1 (en) * 1980-12-31 1982-07-02 Wittendal Benoit Interior container for camping-vehicle - contains camping gear in fitting which withdraws through rear doors
FR2521928A1 (en) * 1982-02-25 1983-08-26 Gehin Helene Living accommodation cell for back of utility vehicle - has vertical side which unfolds to form roof and floor
US4458864A (en) * 1978-01-31 1984-07-10 Hosp. Ital Ll. E.M. S.P.A. Medical complex for installation in a standard aircraft to convert it into an ambulance aircraft
DE9306823U1 (en) * 1993-05-06 1993-10-07 Lefebre, Stefan, 66386 St Ingbert Installation kit for campers
FR2722741A1 (en) * 1994-07-25 1996-01-26 Bourasseau Dominique Removable equipment module for use in utility vehicle

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4093302A (en) * 1976-02-02 1978-06-06 Robert Michael Adams Vehicle cover assembly
FR2398639A1 (en) * 1977-07-27 1979-02-23 Heuliez Sa Louis Camping conversion kit for van - has frame and two half shells slidable into and out of body to form camper unit
US4458864A (en) * 1978-01-31 1984-07-10 Hosp. Ital Ll. E.M. S.P.A. Medical complex for installation in a standard aircraft to convert it into an ambulance aircraft
US4163577A (en) * 1978-05-12 1979-08-07 Vanderslice Ira C Camper module
FR2497164A1 (en) * 1980-12-31 1982-07-02 Wittendal Benoit Interior container for camping-vehicle - contains camping gear in fitting which withdraws through rear doors
FR2521928A1 (en) * 1982-02-25 1983-08-26 Gehin Helene Living accommodation cell for back of utility vehicle - has vertical side which unfolds to form roof and floor
DE9306823U1 (en) * 1993-05-06 1993-10-07 Lefebre, Stefan, 66386 St Ingbert Installation kit for campers
FR2722741A1 (en) * 1994-07-25 1996-01-26 Bourasseau Dominique Removable equipment module for use in utility vehicle

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2865632A1 (en) * 2004-02-02 2005-08-05 Lagrange Renaud Marc Chaumet Adaptable and reusable medical cell assembly for motor vehicle, has bottom and top shells constituting self-supporting structure, and openings receiving frames for closing space between medical cell and lateral windows of vehicle
EP2123509A1 (en) * 2008-05-19 2009-11-25 Burkhard Rüther Exchangeable fitting for vehicles
FR2940938A1 (en) * 2009-01-15 2010-07-16 Plf Camping module for vehicle i.e. van, utilized for transporting horses to horse-riding competition place, has movable wall defining camping volume in useful transport volume of vehicle and extending camping volume in deployed position
WO2017174870A1 (en) * 2016-04-04 2017-10-12 Flx-Frame Oy A removable and adaptable module for a vehicle comprising a loading compartment
DE102019100264A1 (en) 2019-01-08 2020-07-09 Jörg Kortmann Equipment system for equipping a motor vehicle
DE102019100264B4 (en) 2019-01-08 2022-01-05 Jörg Kortmann Equipment system for equipping a motor vehicle
DE102019009268B3 (en) 2019-01-08 2022-10-13 Jörg Kortmann Equipment system for equipping a motor vehicle

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU6631301A (en) 2001-12-11
ITRN20000025A1 (en) 2000-09-02

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