Abstract:
A slidable room assembly comprises a vehicle body having an opening formed in an exterior wall, and a reciprocable slideout unit or compartment disposed in the opening and slidable between a retracted position and an extended position. A cable support system supports the slidable room during movement of the slideout unit. Sliding movement of the slideout unit is controlled by a drive mechanism separate from the cable support system.

Description:
[0001]    This application is continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/061,958, filed Apr. 3, 2008, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/742,176, filed Apr. 30, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,354,088, which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/381,378, filed May 3, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,210,269, which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/723,649, filed Nov. 26, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,040,689, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/668,038, filed Sep. 22, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,073,844. Application Ser. Nos. 12/061,958, 11/742,176, 11/381,378, 10/723,649 and 10/668,038. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to a slidable room assembly, particularly to a slidable room for a vehicle for a vehicle having a slidable room or compartment that is retracted when the vehicle is in motion and may be extended to afford more room when the vehicle is parked. 
         [0003]    Recreation vehicles including motor homes, fifth wheel trailers and travel trailers may be provided with an extendable slidable unit for increasing the vehicle&#39;s living space. This slidable unit may be extended for use when the vehicle is parked and is retracted in a telescoping manner when the vehicle is to be moved. 
         [0004]    The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present slidable room assemblies. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    In one aspect of the present invention, this is accomplished by providing a vehicle comprising: at least one wall having an opening therein; a room inserted into the opening of the at least one wall, the room being reciprocable between an extended position and a retracted position; a cable support system attached to the at least one wall and the room; a means for timing the reciprocation of the room; and a means for reciprocating the room between the extended position and the retracted position. 
         [0006]    In another aspect of the present invention, this is accomplished by providing a vehicle comprising: at least one wall having an opening therein; a room inserted into the opening of the at least one wall, the room being reciprocable between an extended position and a retracted position; and a cable support system attached to the at least one wall and the room, the cable support system comprising: four pairs of cables, a plurality of pulleys attached to the vehicle, first ends of each cable being attached to the room, second ends of the cables of a pair of cables being connected together, the connected together second ends of one pair of cables being connected to the connected together second ends of another pair of cables forming a connected set of cables, each cable extending about at least one of the pulleys, the first end of one cable of a pair of cables is connected to an upper portion of the room and the first end of the other cable of a pair of cables is connected to a lower portion of the room, the first end of one cable of a pair cables is connected to an outside portion of the room and the first end of the other cable of a pair of cables is connected to an inside portion of the room, two first ends of the connected set of cables are connected to a left side of the room and the other two first ends of the connected set of cables are connected to a right side of the room. 
         [0007]    In a further aspect of the present invention, this is provided by a vehicle comprising: at least one wall having an opening therein; a room inserted into the opening of the at least one wall, the room being reciprocable between an extended position and a retracted position; and a cable support system attached to the at least one wall and the room, and a latch mechanism capable of latching the room in a fixed position, the latch mechanism including two strikes, an inside strike attached to an inside portion of the room and an outside strike attached to an outside portion of the room, the latch mechanism engaging the inside strike when the room is in the extended position and the latch mechanism engaging the outside strike when the room is in the retracted position. 
         [0008]    The foregoing and other aspects will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective exterior view of a portion of a vehicle having a slidable room according to the present invention, showing the slidable room in a fully extended position; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective interior view of the slidable room showing a first embodiment of a cable support system; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the slidable room shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a schematic representation of the cables, chains and cable chain connectors shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of a portion of the schematic representation shown in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a perspective interior view of the slidable room showing a second embodiment of a cable support system; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the slidable room shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a schematic representation of the cables shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a further perspective interior view of the slidable room shown in  FIG. 5  showing an alternative drive mechanism; 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a further perspective interior view of the slidable room shown in  FIG. 5  showing a further alternative drive mechanism; 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is a bottom perspective of a latching system for use with a slidable room; 
           [0020]      FIG. 12  is a top perspective view of the latching system shown in  FIG. 11 , the slidable room being removed to more clearly illustrate portions of the latching system; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 13  is a bottom perspective view of the latching system shown in  FIG. 11  showing the slidable room in place. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0022]      FIG. 1  shows a portion of a vehicle  10  with a slidable room  20  in an extended position. During movement or transport of the vehicle, the slidable room  20  is normally fully retracted into the vehicle  10 . The vehicle wall  13  has an opening  12  into which the slidable room  20  fits. Positioned about the edges of the opening  12  is a frame  14 . Frame  14  consists of two jambs  15 , a header  17  and sill  19 . Preferably, one or more rollers are attached to sill  19  and room  20  rolls on these rollers when room  20  is extended or retracted. Optionally, seals, such as a polymeric strip, can be provided on the inside of frame  14  to provide a weather tight seal between the frame and the room  20 . Room  20  can include a dinette, wardrobe, library, storage, bedroom, closet, kitchen, etc. compartment. A plurality of cables  40  are attached to the slidable room  20  and pass about pulleys attached to the vehicle wall  13 . 
         [0023]    The vehicle  10  may be a self-powered vehicle, such as a recreational vehicle, or may be a trailer that is adapted to be towed, e.g., by an automobile or a truck tractor. The vehicle may be one that is designed for living (as a house trailer), or may be a work vehicle (e.g., a mobile library). The slidable room  20  can also be used with fixed structures such as modular housing or vacation homes. 
         [0024]      FIGS. 2 through 5  illustrate a first embodiment of a cable support system  21 . Cable support system  21  is interconnected to provide timing of the cables  40  to maintain the slidable room  20  aligned as the room is extended and retracted. A single rack and pinion drive system  101  is shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Other drive systems, such as a linear actuator or ball screw actuator  102  shown in  FIGS. 3 and 10  or a hydraulic drive system  103  shown in  FIG. 9  can be used with the cable support system  21  shown in  FIGS. 2 through 5 . Room  20  with cable support system  21  shown in  FIGS. 2 through 5  may also be manually moved. 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , cable support system  21  is divided into left side cables and right side cables. Each side is further divided into inside cables and outside cables. Each pair of inside cables and each pair of outside cables includes a top cable and a bottom cable. Each pair of top and bottom cables are connected by a cable connector  28   a ,  28   b ,  28   c  and  28   d . Cable connector  28   a  connects left side top and bottom inside cables together. Cable connector  28   b  connects left side top and bottom outside cables together. Cable connector  28   c  connects right side top and bottom outside cables together. Cable connector  28   d  connects right side top and bottom inside cables together. Cable connector  28   a  (left side inside cables) is connected to cable connector  28   c  (right side outside cables) by joiner  29 . Joiner  29  can be a threaded rod, a chain or a flexible cable. Cable connector  28   b  (left side outside cables) is connected to cable connector  28   d  (right side inside cables) by joiner  29 . 
         [0026]    The free ends of cables  40  are attached to room  20  by anchors  30 . The bottom cables on each side pass around direction changing pulleys  32 ,  36 . In one embodiment, pulleys  32  and  36  are double pulleys or sheaves. The top cables on each side pass around direction changing pulleys  32  and  34 . In one embodiment, as shown in the FIGURES, pulleys  32  are two double pulleys. Also, as shown in the FIGURES, pulleys  34  are a double pulley and an offset single pulley. Other arrangements of the pulleys can be used depending upon the size and shape of the room and the space available in the vehicle wall  13 . 
         [0027]    Each set of interconnected cables, a pair of left side cables connected to a pair of right side cables, can also be described as a double ended cable. The two pairs of cables being connected by joiner  29  to form the double ended cable. 
         [0028]    When room  20  is moved from the retracted position to the extended position by drive  101 ,  102 ,  103 ,  104 , the outside cables, attached to room  20 , extend, which in turn pulls on connectors  28   b  and  28   c . Connectors  28   a  and  28   d , respectively, are pulled by joiners  29 , which in turn, retracts the inside cables. When room  20  is moved from the extended position to the retracted position, the inside cables extend, which in turn pulls on connectors  28   a  and  28   d . Connectors  28   b  and  28   c  are then pulled by joiners  29 . Connectors  28   b  and  28   c  in turn pull on the outside cables to retract the outside cables. 
         [0029]    To prevent the room  20  from being cocked or twisted as the room  20  is being extended or retracted, a means for timing should be provided. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2 through 5 , timing is provided by interconnecting the left side cables to the right side cables by joiners  29 . For example, if the left side of room  20  begins to extend faster than the right side of room  20 , left side outside cables will extend further than the right side outside cables. This will pull connector  28   b  faster than connector  28   c  is being pulled, and in turn, pull on connector  28   d  causing the right side inside cables to be pulled or retracted faster, which will move the right side of room  20  faster until the right side catches up with the left side. Joiners  29  can be thought of as a force equalizer. When the force of extension is more on one side than the other, joiner  29  transfers that force to opposite cables on the other side, equalizing the forces on the room  20 . 
         [0030]      FIGS. 6 through 10  illustrate a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, cable support system  21  does not include a means for timing the movement of room  20 . The means for timing is provided by using a plurality of drives  101 ,  102 ,  103  with a timing connection  104  between the drives.  FIG. 6  shows two rack and pinions drives  101 . A mechanical connection  104  between the two drives provides the means for timing the movement of the room.  FIG. 9  shows two hydraulic drives  103  with a hydraulic control system  104  for timing the movement of the room.  FIG. 10  shows two linear actuators  103  with a mechanical linkage  104  for timing the movement of the room. In operation, room  20  with cable system  21  shown in  FIGS. 6 through 10  may also be manually driven. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , the operation of cable system  21  is illustrated. Two cables  40  are provided for each side of room  20 . One cable  40   a  is connected to the outside top of room  20  and the inside bottom of room  20 . The other cable  40   b  is connected to the inside top of room  20  and the outside bottom or room  20 . Both cables pass around two pulleys  36 ,  37  to change the direction of cables  40   a ,  40   b  and to support room  20 . Pulleys  36 ,  37  can be double pulleys or sheaves as shown in the FIGURES or can be two single pulleys. 
         [0032]    In operation, as room  20  is extended by drivers  101 ,  102 ,  103 , the outside top of cable  40   a  extends and the inside bottom of cable  40   a  retracts. Correspondingly, the outside bottom of cable  40   b  extends and the inside top of cable  40   b  retracts. The operation of cables  40  for the right side is the same as the operation of cables  40  for the left side. When the room  20  is retracted, the opposite motion of the cables  40   a ,  40   b  occurs. The inside bottom of cable  40   a  extends and the outside top of cable  40   a  retracts. The inside top of cable  40   b  extends and the outside bottom of cable  40   b  retracts. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 11 through 13  illustrate a latching system for use with cable supported slidable rooms. In particular, this latching system can be used with the slidable room shown in  FIGS. 2 through 5 . A latch mechanism  90  is provided beneath the floor  18  of slidable room  20 . As shown, latch mechanism  90  is mounted to sill  19 . In one embodiment, two latches  91  are provided, one latch  91  for latching room  20  in the extended position and the other latch  91  for latching room  20  in the retracted position. Two strikes  80  are provided on the underside of floor  18 . A latch  91  engages the corresponding strike  80  to latch room  20  in the desired position. 
         [0034]    Each latch  91  has a release lever  92  to release strike  80  from latch  91 . In the embodiment shown in the FIGURES, each latch  91  has a separate release lever  92 . However, release levers  92  can be interconnected such that operating one release lever  92  operates both latches  91  to a released condition. In the alternative, latch mechanism  90  can have both latches  91  integrated into a single mechanism with a single latch release  92 . 
         [0035]    One type of latch  91  is an automotive door lock or spring cam latch where, through the operation of cams and springs, latch  91  automatically engages strike  80  when latch  91  and strike  80  move into engagement with one another. Other types of latches that can be used or cam lock, strap locks or retractable pins.