VEHICLE BODY UNIT

Abstract: The body unit is in the form of an independent self-contained unit arranged for mounting to a vehicle and is designed for easy convertability to a specific purpose. It comprises a first side, a second side, a top including a ceiling (3), a bottom including a floor (4), a front wall (5), and a rear wall (6) defining an access opening. The first side comprises a first side wall (10) and an elongate platten (14) extending therealong and providing a first surface parallel to, and spaced from, the floor (4), the width and length of said surface being such that the surface can support a stretcher. The second side comprises a second side wall (30) and a box-like structure (37) extending therealong.

Description: VEHICLE BODY UNIT The invention relates to a vehicle " body unit designed as an independent self-contained unit which can be mounted behind the cabin of a vehicle having an independent driver's cabin e.g. a * oick-up, rest either on the platform of that vehicle or chassis (or frame) of that vehicle and be fixed to the vehicle by known means, such as over-centre fasteners, rigging screw assembly or straps and buckles. A body unit according to the invention can also be used elsewhere, e.g. on a boat. Known vehicle body units have various disadvantages known to persons skilled in the art, one of them being that they are either insufficiently specialised and can be converted for a speci ic purpose only with difficulties and considerable expense, if at all, or they are excessively specialised and cannot be converted for other uses. The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows the basic form of a right- hand side of a unit; Figure 2 shows the right-hand side of Figure 1 with a worktop module added thereto; Figure 3 shows the basic form of a left- hand side of a unit and a removable platten; Figure 4 shows the left-hand side of Figure 3 with the platten in position; Figure 5 shows the left-hand side of Figure 4 with a worktop module situated on top of the stretcher platten; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a unit adapted as a dental suite; Figure 7 shows a unit adapted as an ambulance " ; Figure 8 shows a unit adapted as a clinic; and Figure 9 shows a unit adapted as an X-ray unit The overall shape of a unit according to the invention is best apparent from Figures 6 to < ?• As can be seen from those Figures every unit comprises a right-hand side, a left-hand side, a top including a ceiling 3 » a bottom including a floor 4, a front wall 5 and a rear wall 6. As is shown in Figure 1, the right-hand side comprises a right-hand side wall 10 including a window 11 and carrying a cabinet 12 which is moulded integrally with the wall 10 and a paper towel dispenser 13 attached to the wall 10. Moulded integrally with the walls 5 and 10 and the bottom is a fixed platten 14 which comprises a planar main top 15 which extends up to the rear wall 6 and a raised top 16 which extends up to the front wall 5, the top 16 being preferably provided with an upwardly open cavity 17. The tops 15 and 16 rest on a downwardly receding support 18 which is spaced from the rear wall 6 and provided with a laterally open cavity 19- Along the upper part of the wall 10 and the adjacent part of the ceiling 3 (Figures 1 and 2) extends a panel 20, a part of which is oblique to the ceiling 3 and wall 10 and which is integral with both, whereby a hollow (not shown) is defined between the panel 20 and the associated portions of the ceiling 3 and wall 10 behind it. The panel 20 is provided with openings 21 in which may be mounted e.g. lamps or parts of a ventilating or air conditioning equipment. Figure 2 shows the right-hand side illustrated in Figure 1 provided with a worktop module 24 resting on the main top 15 (Figure 1 ) and extending between the raised top 16 and the rear wall 6. The module 24 is υrovided with a top 25 and laterally open cavities 26A and 26B. Figure 3 shows the left-hand side of the unit which is in many respects similar to the right- hand side described in connection with Figure 1. It comprises a left-hand side wall 30 which may be provided with a window (not shown) or an area of reduced thickness (not shown) which can be easily cut out when a window is desired to be fitted at a later stage. The wall 30 carries a cabinet 32 integrally moulded therewith. Moulded integrally with the walls 5 and 30 and the bottom is a short fixed platten 34 having a planar top 35 resting on a downwardly receding support 38. Along the upper part of the wall 30 and the adjacent part of the ceiling 3 extends a panel 40 arranged. in the same way as the panel 20 described earlier and provided with openings (see Figures 3 "to 5) having a similar purpose as the openings 21. Along the wall 30 is provided a long support step 36 which extends between the fixed platten 34 and the rear wall 6 and is slightly lower than the fixed platten 34. Along the long step 36 extends a lower short support step 37 which extends from the fixed platten 34 in the direction to the rear wall 6 but ends a certain distance from the wall 6. A removable platten 41 may be fitted and fixed on the step 36 to extend between the short fixed platten 34 and the rear wall 6 as shown in Figure 4. In the illustrated embodiment the removable platten 41 is substantially a mirror image of the part of the fixed platten 14 provided with the main top 15 at the right-hand wall 10. It has a top 43 which is situated at the same height as, and forms continuation of, the top 35 of the platten 34, extends from the short platten 34 to the rear wall 6, is supported by a receding support 42 provided with a laterally o ien cavity and is spaced from the rear wall. As shown in Fig. 5, the left-hand side may be provided with a worktop module 44, provided with a top 45 and laterally open cavities 46A and 46B. In the illustrated embodiment the worktop module 44 is a mirror image of the worktop module 24 shown in Figure 2. In this arrangement a "recess" is provided between the worktop module 44 and the front wall 5 below the cabinet 32. All the removable parts mentioned, namely the worktop modules 24 and 44 and. the removable platten 41, are fixed by means of quick-release attachment means (not shown) known per se. As can be seen from the drawings the receding supports 18, 38 and 42- are provided at the floor 4 with a recess to accommodate the feet of persons working at the plattens and facing the associated side walls. To the unit may be attached at its front part a so-called Luton front 51 (Figure 6) which may be made accessible through a first opening (not shown) in the front wall 5 - A second opening (not shown) in the front wall 5, situated below the first opening, may serve for direct communication between the body unit and driver's cabin. The rear wall 6 is provided with a large opening providing access to the unit. The opening is closable e.g. by a double door (not shown). At the rear bottom corner parts of the body unit are situated two substantially I-shaped elements 52A and 52B connected to the unit e.g. by bolts and each comprising a direction indicator and stop and tail lamp unit . Figure 6 shows diagrammatically a body unit according to the invention adapted as a dental suite. In this variant the left-hand side is without a removable platten (as shown in Figure 3) while the fixed platten 14 of the right-hand side carries a worktop module 54, so that the arrangement is similar to that shown in Figure 2. The worktop module 54 is substantially the module 24 (Figure 2) adapted for the needs of a dentist. In this embodiment the cavity in the raised top 16 accommodates a wash basin 55« All water, air and electric services are contained within the dental worktop module 54 and connected by an umbilical cord to the rear wall 6 to allow external connection to main services outside the body unit. Central system is available for dental equipment, such as syringes, suction and air turbines. In the variant shown in Figure 7 the body unit is adapted to serve as an ambulance. In this variant the right-hand side is arranged as shown in Figure 1 and the left-hand side is shown as arranged in Figure 4 (but may be arranged as shown in Fig. 3). A stretcher rests on the platten 14 and is retained thereon by known mechanical means (not shown) . In the variant shown in Figure 8 the body unit is adapted as a clinic. In this variant the right-hand side is arranged as shown in Figure 2 and the left-hand side as shown in Figure 4 or 5< The illustrated worktop module 64 may comprise a refrigeration equipment and electric sockets. In the variant shown in Figure 9, the body unit is adapted to serve as an X-ray unit. For this purpose the right-hand side is arranged as shown in Figure 1 and the left-hand side as shown in Figure 3-

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A vehicle body unit in the form of an independent self-contained unit arranged for mounting to a vehicle and designed for easy convertability to a specific purpose, the unit comprising a first side, a second side, a top including a ceiling (3), a bottom including a floor (4), a front wall (5), and a rear wall (6) defining an access opening, the first side comprising a first side wall (10) and an elongate platten (14) extending therealong and providing a first surface parallel to, and spaced from, the floor (4), the width and length of said surface being such that the surface can support a stretcher, the second side comprising a second side wall (30) and a box-like structure (37) extending therealong. 2. A unit according to Claim 1 , wherein the elongate platten (14) is a long fixed platten extending between the front wall (5) and the rear wall (6), and the second side comprises a short fixed platten (34) and a first supporting step (36) extending between the short fixed platten (34) and the rear wall (6) and a second support step (37) extending along the first supporting step and formed by said box-like structure. 3- A unit according to Claim 2, comprising a removable platten (41) sized, shaped and adapted to be positioned on, and fixed to, the first support step (36) to form continuation of the short fixed platten (34) while extending from the short fixed platten (34) to the rear wall (6), the removable platten (41) providing a second surface parallel to, and spaced from, the floor (4) and being similar to the first surface. 4. A unit according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein the first surface of the long fixed platten (14) is stepped and provides a main top (1 ) and a raised top (16), the platten (14) having a downwardly receding support (18). 5 * A unit according to Claim 2 and any claim appended thereto, wherein the short fixed platten (34) has a planar top (35) and a downwardly receding support (38). 6. A unit according to Claim 2 and any claim appended thereto, comprising on at least one side a panel (20,40) oblique to the ceiling (3) and one of the side walls (10,30) and integral therewith. 7. A unit according to Claim 2 and any claim appended thereto, wherein the first and/or second side wall includes a window (11). 8. A unit according to Claim 2 and any claim appended thereto, comprising a module (24) which is sized, shaped and adapted to be positioned on the main top (15) to form continuation of the raised top (16) and extend from the raised top to the rear wall (6). 9. A unit according to Claim 2 and any claim appended thereto, wherein the long fixed platten (14) is moulded integrally with the front wall and the first side wall and the short fixed platten (34) is moulded integrally with the front wall and the second side wall. 10. A unit according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and/or second side wall carries a cabinet (12,32) moulded integrally therewith.

Inventors: DYMOND ROGER KEITH, DYMOND, ROGER, KEITH
Applicants: POD LTD, POD LIMITED
Application year: 1987
Main classification: B60P3
IPC codes: A61B6, A61G3, B60P3