Patent ID: 6345471
Filing Date: 2002-02-12
Classification: E04B

Abstract:
An expandable, mobile accommodation structure comprising:a central structure comprising a floor, a roof, front and rear end walls, and at least one longitudinal side wall that is movable out from the central structure from a non-expanded state to an expanded state to create an expanded accommodation; rigid floor and roof panels that are each connected by respective hinges to both the central structure and to the longitudinal side wall; and front and rear side walls that are hinged to the central structure and pivotal outwards to close the expanded accommodation; wherein the floor and roof panels are each dimensioned such that the longitudinal side wall is positioned essentially in a vertical position in the expanded state; wherein a length of the roof panel between the hinge connecting the roof panel to the longitudinal side wall and the hinge connecting the roof panel to the central structure is at least equal to a height of the longitudinal side wall, so that the roof panel and the longitudinal side wall are permitted to hang down double-folded in the non-expanded state; wherein one edge of at least one of the front and rear end walls of the central structure supports a rod member that exerts a lifting force to the roof panel during swinging up and down of the roof panel as the mobile accommodation structure is moved between the expanded and non-expanded states; wherein an upper end of the rod member is pivoted to the roof panel and a bottom end of the rod member is journalled so as to be vertically movable by a vertically acting lifting mechanism; and wherein a draw rope member is attached to an outer end portion of the floor panel and extends to a vicinity of the hinge connecting the roof panel to the central structure.