MANUFACTURED ARTICLE WHICH IS SELF-BEARING, TRANSPORTABLE BY VEHICLE, AND INCREASABLE IN VOLUME

Abstract: A hollow manufactured article, which is self-bearing, cartransportable and increasable in volume, consisting essentially in the combination of the following parts: - a hollow main body 2 which is substantially in form of a parallelepiped lying on one of its bigger faces; - at least a sliding superstructure 3 consisting of at least a rigid panel, housed onto the roof of the main body, which is capable of sliding parallel to the roof by means of guides to arrange itself laterally over the main body; - optionally a side panel 4, hinged to the bigger free side of the last sliding superstructure, which is optionally provided with at least a door and/or a window; - additional panels 5, optionally provided with at least a door and/or a window 7, hinged to said superstructures or integral in a sliding way therewith, the additional panels lying on substantially the same plane as the superstructures and sliding in a direction at 90° over that of the superstructures; - optionally, between the main body and the side panel at least a horizontal surface hinged to the main body and supported by feet; - optionally, means for stabilizing the article as a whole during increasing in volume thereof; and - means for driving the panels and, optionally, for supporting them.

Description: The subject matter of the present invention is a manufactured article which, in spite to the reduced dimensions under normal conditions, can be increased in such an extent to give a space, to be used for a number of activities, the maximum closing or in particular covering possibility. The above article, in the widest definition thereof including any embodiment suggested by particular needs of operation or transport, is a closed structure parallelepiped-shaped, self-bearing and transportable by vehicle, which is capable of being used autonomously or in combination with any kind of vehicle or means of transport. FR-A-2 388 963 discloses a hollow manufactured article, which is self-supporting, transportable by vehicle and increasable in volume, comprising the following parts: a hollow main body which is substantially in the form a parallelepiped lying on one of its bigger faces; at least one sliding superstructure consisting of at least one rigid panel, housed onto the roof of the main body and capable of sliding parallel to the roof by means of guides to arrange itself laterally to the main body; and an additional panel integral in a sliding way with said superstructure, said panel lying on substantially the same plane as the superstructure and sliding in a direction at 90° to that of the superstructure. US-A-3 226 890 discloses an article (in this case a house trailer) which is increasable in volume and comprises "inter alia" a sliding superstructure consisting of a rigid panel which is capable of sliding parallel to the roof by means of guides, and a means for driving said panel (in this case rack teeth, gears, shafts and a removable handle). The hollow manufactured article according to the present invention which is self-bearing, transportable by vehicle and increasable in volume, comprises the following parts: a hollow main body which is substantially in form of a parallelepiped lying on one of its bigger face; at least a sliding superstructure consisting of at least a rigid panel, housed onto the roof of the main body, which is capable of sliding parallel to the roof by means of guides to arrange itself laterally over the main body; at least a side panel, hinged to a superstructure, and optionally additional panels integral in a sliding way with a superstructure, the sliding additional panels lying on substantially the same plane as the superstructure(s) and sliding in a direction at 90° over that of the superstructure(s); and means for driving the panels; and is characterized in that, for the movement of the panels, there are present at least two devices connected with the roof, which are positioned laterally over the main body and comprise the following parts: a guide for the transversal sliding of the superstructure which is manually driven by a first actuator of hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical type; a telescopic support which supports an extremity of a second actuator of hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical type, said actuator driving the rotation of the hinged side panel; a telescopic support which supports an extremity of a kinematic system, said system being driven by the second actuator and in turn transmitting rotation movement to the structure of the hinged side panel. The side panel can be hinged to the bigger free side of the sliding superstructure. The side panel as well as the additional panels can be provided with at least a door and/or a window. Between the main body and the side panel there can be provided at least a horizontal surface, hinged to the main body and supported by feet. Means for stabilizing the article as a whole during the increase in volume thereof can be further provided. The side panel can be hinged to the free bigger side of the last sliding superstructure in such a way to be capable of staying vertical, horizontal or oblique over it. The means for stabilizing the article as a whole during the increase in volume thereof are struts. The struts can be telescopic. The present invention refers also to current (production) means of transport equipped with the hollow article as disclosed hereinabove. So far, a general description has been given of the hollow article according to the invention which is self-bearing, transportable by vehicle and increasable in volume. The embodiments shown in the figures annexed herewith will now give further details relevant to the objects, features, operating conditions and advantages of the present invention. Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the hollow article of the present invention when mounted onto a motor vehicle. Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention, in which the additional panels are integral in a sliding way with the superstructure and are shown in open position. Figure 3 and 4 show a perspective view of further embodiments of the invention, in which the additional panels are hinged to the superstructure in closed position and are provided with a door. Figure 5 is a side-view of the smaller face of the parallelepiped of which consists the article of the present invention, showing the driving device. With reference to figure 1, (1) is the motor vehicle on which is mounted the hollow article (2) of the present invention. The numerals (3) and (4) show the sliding superstructure and the side panel respectively. With reference to figure 2, (2) is the manufactured article of the present invention from which slide the two sliding superstructures (3), the last of them bearing the side panel (4) hinged thereto vertically. From the sliding superstructures (3) come out the sliding additional panels (5) which are kept in open position by means of supporting struts (6). The embodiments shown in figure 3 and 4 differ from the embodiment of figure 2 only because the sliding additional panels (5) shown in the closed position are hinged to the superstructure and are equipped with at least a door (7). With reference to figure 5, the running of the panels is driven by at least two devices connected with the roof, which are positioned laterally over the main body and comprise the following parts: a guide (8) for the transversal sliding of the superstructure (3) which is manually driven by the actuator (9) of hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical type; a telescopic support (10) for supporting an extremity of the actuator (11) of hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical type which drives the rotation of the side panel (4); a telescopic support (12) for supporting an extremity of the kinematic system (13) which is driven by the actuator (11) and in turn transmits movement to the structure of the side panel (4). Depending on the dimension of the volume and the actuators employed, the above parts can be combined in a pair of devices with a more complex form, which are suitable for assembling the various parts shcematically shown in figure 4 in a single driving apparatus. Among the possible uses of the article according to the present invention, attention is drawn to the following which represent a non-exhaustive exemplification thereof: carshop for itinerant trade; itinerant handicraft laboratory; movable workshop; movable office; movable house or shelter; movable out-patient's department; movable kitchen with canteen annexed thereto. For its versatility, the present invention is suitable for private and public applications, for touristic, working and social purposes, thus resulting in use to individuals, dealers, artisans, institutions, communities, industries, enterprises, military corps and civil protection corps.

Claims: A hollow manufactured article (1), which is self-bearing, transportable by vehicle and increasable in volume, comprising the following parts: a hollow main body (2) which is substantially in form of a parallelepiped lying on one of its bigger faces; at least a sliding superstructure consisting of at least a rigid panel (3), housed onto the roof of the main body, which is capable of sliding parallel to the roof by means of guides (10, 12) to arrange itself laterally over the main body; at least a side panel (4), hinged to a superstructure, and optionally additional panels (5) integral in a sliding way with a superstructure, the sliding additional panels (5) lying on substantially the same plane as the superstructure(s) and sliding in a direction at 90° over that of the superstructure(s); and means for driving the panels, characterized in that, for the movement of the panels, there are present at least two devices connected with the roof, which are positioned laterally over the main body and comprise the following parts: a guide (8) for the transversal sliding of the superstructure (3) which is manually driven by a first actuator (9) of hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical type; a telescopic support (10) which supports an extremity of a second actuator (11) of hydraulic, pneumatic or mechanical type, said actuator (11) driving the rotation of the hinged side panel (4); a telescopic support (12) which supports an extremity of a kinematic system (13), said system (13) being driven by the second actuator (11) and in turn transmitting rotation movement to the structure of the hinged side panel (4). The hollow article according to claim 1, wherein the side panel (4) is hinged to the bigger free side of the sliding superstructure. The hollow article according to claim 2, wherein the side panel (4) is provided with at least a door and/or a window. The hollow article according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the additional panels (5) are provided with at least a door and/or a window. The hollow article according to any of the preceding claims, wherein between the main body and the side panel (4) is provided at least a horizontal surface (5), hinged to the main body and supported by feet (6). The hollow article according to any of the preceding claims, wherein means for stabilizing the article as a whole during the increase in volume thereof are further provided. The hollow article according to claims 2 to 6, wherein the side panel is hinged to the free bigger side of the last sliding superstructure in such a way to be capable of staying vertical, horizontal or oblique over it. The hollow article according to claims 6 to 7, wherein the means for stabilizing the article as a whole during the increase in volume are struts. The hollow article according to claim 8, wherein the struts are telescopic.

Inventors: PISTERZI, SILVIO
Applicants: PISTERZI, SILVIO
Application year: 1990
Main classification: E04B1
IPC codes: E04B1