Abstract:
A conversion system for a vehicle or trailer especially for vans, having a track system comprising rails secured to the floor and sidewalls of the vehicle for customizing the vehicle with modular components which can be positioned and secured within the vehicle by fasteners that releasably secure the components to a portion of the track system. Each modular component has a corresponding track along at least one of the bottom or side of the modular component for matingly connecting to a portion of one of the rails.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is a track system installed within a vehicle for receiving releasably attachable modular component therein for customizing vehicles. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many people today lead busy lives where their time is strictly regulated between work, their children&#39;s activities, and other family responsibilities. As a result many people do not have or take the time for extended vacations. When time allows, most people escape for quick long weekend vacations. Many of these people take their mini-vacations with their family to a nearby park or campground. People in these situations may not want to invest in a vehicle used exclusively for recreational purposes, because the vehicle may stand idle during most of the year. 
     Typical recreational vehicles and especially conversion vans are customized with bedding and eating facilities to accommodate at least short camping trips. Unfortunately, typical conversions of vans which accommodate recreational features therein, include components which are fixed in place at a specific location and which cannot be easily removed by the owner. As a result, the conversion van or other converted vehicle is limited in its use, and does not allow the vehicle to be used for other purposes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the desire of the present invention to provide a conversion system for a vehicle that addresses the aforementioned concerns. In particular, it is desirable to provide a conversion system that provides versatility for the vehicle. The present invention provides a conversion system for a vehicle for installing modular and changeable components in the vehicle. The conversion system comprises a track system located along at least one of the side walls or floor of the vehicle. Each modular component has at least a corresponding track or plate secured to the modular component and positioned on the modular component to matingly connect to a portion of the rail in the track system when installed in the vehicle. The conversion system further includes fastening means which releasably secures the track of the modular component to the rail of at least a portion of the track system. 
     In another aspect of the invention, the sidewalls and floor of the vehicle, the rail of the track system, and the track of the modular components will have a plurality of aligned apertures extending therethrough to allow a modular component to be releasably secured at incremental locations along the track system. 
     In another aspect of the invention, to provide added security of the modular component within the vehicle, a modular component may be integrally fitted with both a floor track and a sidewall track so that the modular component is releasably secured to the track system in both vertical and horizontal locations. 
     In a further aspect of the invention, the fastening means allows for easy removal and fastening of a modular unit to the track system by hand. 
     Other objects, advantages and applications of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description of the best mode contemplated for practicing the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The description herein makes reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a rear of a vehicle such as a van showing a track system of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the rear of the vehicle as shown in FIG. 1 showing modular components secured within the vehicle along the track system; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a frame of a dinette component showing a portion of the frame aligned with the track system for securing the dinette frame to the vehicle; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded prospective view of a portion of the frame and track system; and 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a portion of the track system in the rear of the vehicle. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Looking first at FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a modular and changeable conversion system for a vehicle  10 , and especially for a vehicle such as a van/trailer etc. having an open area behind the driver&#39;s seat  11 . The present invention includes a track system  8  installed in the open area of the vehicle. The track system includes a pair of rails  12  each fixedly secured to opposing sidewalls  14  of the vehicle  10  and a pair of rails  16  secured on the floor  18  of the vehicle  10 . The sidewall rails  12  are preferably each positioned along the sidewalls  14  at the same height above the floor  18 . The pair of rails  16  in the floor  18  are each positioned a predetermined distance from their adjacent sidewall  14 . Maintaining the same height locations of the rails  12  along the two sidewalls and maintaining the same distance from the sidewalls  14  of each floor rail  16  allows a modular component  20  to be positioned along either sidewall  14  of the vehicle. Each of the rails  12  and  16  have a plurality of threaded through apertures  25 . The rails  12  and  16  are secure to the respective sidewall  12  and floor  16  so that the through apertures  25  align with apertures  29  formed into the sidewalls  14  and floor  18  of the vehicle  10  (shown in FIG.  4 ). The apertures  29  in the sidewalls  14  and floor  18  are optional. 
     FIG. 2 shows only one typical configuration of modular components  20  installed within the vehicle  10  and secured to the vehicle  10  along the track system  8 . The modular components  20  may include a wardrobe closet  22 , a dinette seating apparatus  24  that can be converted into a bed, a portable toilet  26 , a small refrigerator  28  and a sink  30 . The modular components  20  may also comprise other items not shown in FIG. 2, such as a desk, bookcase, storage cupboards, and others. The track system  8  allows for a multiple number of conversion configurations within a vehicle  10  with just a small number of modular components. Each owner of a vehicle having a track system  8  can determine which modular components  20  are beneficial for his needs. Other modular components  20  may also be purchased later. 
     FIGS. 3 through 5 illustrate the track system  8  in more detail. FIG. 3 shows the dinette seating apparatus  24  to illustrate the track system  8  and the means for securing a modular component  20  as represented by the dinette seating apparatus  24  to the vehicle  10  using the track system  8 . FIG. 3 shows the frame  36  for the dinette seating apparatus  24 , and shows the padding  27  for the dinette seating apparatus  24  in phantom. The frame  36  for the dinette seating apparatus  24  includes a lower track  38  positioned along the base of the dinette seating apparatus  24  and spaced from the back  42  of the dinette seating apparatus  24  a predetermined distance to correspond with the location of the rail  16  located on the floor  18  of the vehicle  10 . Therefore, when the lower track  38  is connected to one of the rails  16 , the back  42  of the dinette seating apparatus  24  is positioned adjacent to sidewall  14 . The lower track  38  of a modular component  20  includes a plurality of spaced apertures  44  therein. Apertures  44  are spaced a distance to correspond with the spacing of the apertures through rail  16 . 
     Some modular components  20  having a height extending above a predetermined distance will also include a wall track  48  secured to a vertical portion of the modular component  20 . As shown in FIG. 3 the dinette seating apparatus  24  includes the wall track  48  positioned on the frame  24  at a height to correspond with the sidewall rail  12 , the wall track  48  may extend the entire length of the particular modular component  20  or may only extend a portion of the length of the modular component  20 . The wall track  48  also includes a plurality of space apertures  50 , which are spaced at a predetermined distance from each other to correspond with the apertures  25  located in the wall rail  12 . 
     Although FIG. 3 shows one particular modular component  20  as a dinette seating apparatus  24  having both a lower track  38  and a wall track  48 , other modular components  20  may only have one of the aforementioned tracks incorporated or secured within the framework of the modular component  20 . Other modular components may have floor or wall plates  52  and  54  respectively, extending outwardly from the modular component  20 . The plates  52  and  54  will also include at least one through aperture  56  and  58  respectively for aligning with an aperture  25  in the floor rail  16  or wall rail  12 . The extending plates  52  and  54  are rigidly affixed to the modular component  20 . The plates  52 ,  54  provide alignment and fastening locations for modular components  20  that do not have accessible internal tracks attached to the modular component  20 . It is to be understood that the dinette seating apparatus  24  shown in FIG. 3 is just one example of a modular component  20  that incorporates the track system to provide releasable attachment means to at least one of the floor  18  or walls  14  of the vehicle  10 . 
     The apertures  29  may be formed in the sidewall  14  and floor  18  at locations predetermined for placement of rails  12  and  16  for desired locations of the modular components. The rails  12  and  16  are fixedly secured to the sidewalls  14  and floor  16  so that apertures within the rails overlay the apertures  29  formed in the sidewalls  14  and floor  18  of the vehicle. The spacing of all the apertures are preferably kept uniform to be located at six to twelve inch increments. Generally the location of the rails  12  and  16  are the same from one vehicle to another vehicle  10 . This allows for uniformity in the manufacture of the various modular components  20 . In addition, the rails used as a sidewall rail  12  or a floor rail  16  are preferably identical to each other to maintain a minimum of inventory. The lengths of the rails  12 ,  16  may vary for a particular vehicle or application. 
     FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of a portion of the track system  8  including the alignment means and fastening means for the installation of a modular component  20  into a vehicle  10 . The modular component  20  is positioned on the floor  18  of the vehicle  10  or against one of the sidewalls  14  such that the apertures  44  or  50  in the tracks  38  or  48 , or the apertures  56  or  58  in plates  52  or  54  are aligned with the respective apertures  25  in the rails. The modular component  20  is positioned along the rails  16  or  20  such that at least one of the apertures in the tracks or plates of the modular component  20  aligns with an aperture in the rail. Preferably, the spacing between apertures in the tracks or plates of the modular component  20  correspond to the spacing of the apertures  44 ,  50  in the rails of the vehicle  10 . Therefore the modular component  20  may be secured to the vehicle  10  at more than one location. 
     A fastening means  60  may include a threaded screw having a threaded end  62  size to be threadably accommodated within the threaded aperture  25  of the rail  12 ,  16 . At the other end of the screw  60  is preferably a knob  64  to allow for manual threading of the screw  60  into the apertures of the modular component  20  and the rails  12 ,  16  without the use of tools, such as a screwdriver. Therefore it is preferred that the fastening means can be threaded and un-threaded by means of a person&#39;s hand. FIG. 4 shows the fastening means for insertions within a floor track  38  and floor rail  16 . It is to be understood that this is for example only and that the fastening means is also applicable for fastening a wall track  48  to a wall rail  12 , or one of the plates  52  and  54  into the respective rails. 
     One of the advantages of using a track system  8  for securing modular components  20  within a vehicle  10  is that the track system  8  can be used for other purposes, such as an anchor to tie down other articles transported within the vehicle  10  when the vehicle  10  is not being used for recreation. For example, if the owner wishes to transport an item such as a motorcycle, lawnmower, or storage boxes  66 , the fastening screws  60  can anchor a tie down strap  68  to a rail and onto or around the particular articles  66  to prevent movement of the article  66  during transport. During these occasions, either all or a portion of the modular components can be easily removed from the interior of the vehicle to allow the article  66  to be tied down and secured in place to prevent movement of the article while in transport. 
     While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is permitted under the law.