Patent Publication Number: US-2018050628-A1

Title: Slide-out room with collapsible walls and roof and operating mechanism therefor

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119 of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/378,019, filed on Aug. 22, 2016, and incorporates by reference the disclosure thereof in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     A recreational vehicle (RV) may be provided with a slide-out room that may be extended through an opening in a side wall of the RV to provide additional living space inside the RV. The slide-out room may be retracted through the opening to reduce the footprint of the RV while in transit. Such a slide-out room typically is configured as a five-sided box, having a floor, a ceiling, first and second side walls, and an end wall. The sixth side of the box is open to provide access to the room from the interior of the RV. 
     Each of the floor, the ceiling, the first and second side walls, and the end wall of a typical slide-out room is rigid and fixed with respect to all of the others of the floor, the ceiling, the first and second side walls, and the end wall. As such, each of the floor, the ceiling, the first and second side walls, and the end wall of a typical slide-out room contributes to the structural integrity of the room as a whole. Removal of any of the floor, the ceiling, the first and second side walls, and the end wall of the slide-out room, or replacement thereof with a non-rigid and/or non-fixed counterpart could adversely affect the structural integrity of the slide-out room. 
     In some applications, particularly in narrow vehicles, the side walls of the slide-out room can adversely affect mobility within the RV when the slide-out room is retracted. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative slide-out room including a floor fixed to and end wall according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the slide-out room of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the slide-out room of  FIG. 1  with a first drive rack or driven member attached to a first side edge of the floor thereof; 
         FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of the slide-out room of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the slide-out room of  FIG. 3  in combination with a first drive member engaged with the first driven member and a second drive member engaged with a second driven member attached to a second side edge of the floor, with the slide-out room in an extended position; 
         FIG. 6  is a side elevation view of the slide-out room of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the slide-out room and a first embodiment of the drive members of  FIG. 5  wherein each of the first and second drive members includes a first cable guide or pulley proximate a first or lower end thereof and a second cable guide or pulley proximate a second or upper end thereof, with the slide-out room in an extended position; 
         FIG. 8  is a side elevation view of the slide-out room of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the slide-out room and drive members of  FIG. 7  further including a first cable attached to the end wall and the floor proximate first sides and free ends thereof and routed over the upper pulley and under the lower pulley of the first drive member, and a second cable attached to the end wall and the floor proximate second sides and the free ends thereof and routed over the upper pulley and under the lower pulley of the second drive member, with the slide-out room in an extended position; 
         FIG. 10  is a side elevation view of the slide-out room of  FIG. 9 , with the slide-out room intermediate the extended position and a retracted position; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the slide-out room and drive member of  FIG. 9 , with the slide-out room intermediate the extended position and a retracted position; 
         FIG. 12A  is an interior perspective view of the slide-out room and the drive members of  FIG. 5 , with the drive members attached to an opening an a side wall of an RV, and with the slide-out room in an extended position; 
         FIG. 12B  is another interior perspective view of the slide-out room and the drive members of  FIG. 5 , with the drive members attached to an opening an a side wall of an RV, and with the slide-out room in an extended position; 
         FIG. 13A  is an exterior perspective view of the slide-out room and the drive members of  FIG. 5 , with the drive members attached to an opening an a side wall of an RV, and with the slide-out room in a retracted position; 
         FIG. 13B  is an interior perspective view of the slide-out room and the drive members of  FIG. 13A ; 
         FIG. 14A  is an exterior perspective view of the slide-out room and the drive members of  FIG. 5 , with the drive members attached to an opening in a side wall of an RV, and with the slide-out room in an intermediate position; 
         FIG. 14B  is an interior perspective view of the slide-out room and the drive members of  FIG. 14A ; 
         FIG. 15A  is an exterior perspective view of the slide-out room and the drive members of  FIG. 5 , with the drive members attached to an opening an a side wall of an RV, and with the slide-out room in an extended position; 
         FIG. 15B  is an interior perspective view of the slide-out room and the drive members of  FIG. 15A ; 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view of the slide-out room and a second embodiment of the drive member of  FIG. 5  wherein each of the first and second drive members includes a spool or take-up roller proximate a second or upper end thereof, and further including a first cable attached to the end wall proximate a first side and free end thereof and to the spool of the first drive member, and a second cable attached to the end wall proximate a second side and free end thereof and to the spool of the second drive member, with the slide-out room in an extended position; 
         FIG. 17  is an end elevation view of the slide-out room and drive members of  FIG. 13 , with the slide-out room intermediate the extended position and a retracted position; 
         FIG. 18  is a detail perspective view of a portion of the slide-out room, first drive member, and first cable of  FIG. 13 ; 
         FIG. 19  is another detail perspective view of the portion of the slide-out room, first drive member, and first cable of  FIG. 13 ; 
         FIG. 20  is a further detail perspective view of the portion of the slide-out room, first drive member, and first cable of  FIG. 13 ; 
         FIG. 21  is a perspective view of the slide-out room and drive member of  FIG. 13 , with the slide-out room intermediate the extended position and a retracted position; 
         FIG. 22  is a perspective view of an operating mechanism for a slide-out room according to the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 23  is a cross-sectional end view of a portion of the operating mechanism of  FIG. 20 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The drawings show illustrative embodiments of a slide-out room or compartment  10 . As best shown in  FIGS. 12A and 12B , the slide-out room  10  may be received in an opening defined by a wall W of a structure, for example an RV. One or more operating mechanisms may be connected between the slide-out room  10  and the wall W of the RV and operable to extend and retract (or reciprocate) the slide-out room through the opening. 
     The slide-out room  10  may include a floor  12  and an end or outer wall  14  connected to each other. Typically, the floor  12  and the end wall  14  would be rigid, and the two would be rigidly connected to each other. In an embodiment, the floor  12  and the end wall  14  may be attached to an underlying framework (not shown) supporting the floor and the end wall. The framework may include, for example, a rigid floor support portion rigidly connected to a rigid end wall support portion. An outwardly-extending flange  16  may be provided about the periphery of the end wall  14 . The flange  16  may engage a corresponding portion of the side wall W when the slide-out room  10  is retracted, either directly or through an intervening seal or other member (not shown). 
     As best shown in  FIGS. 14A-15B , the slide-out room  10  may also include one or more of a first sidewall  18 , a second sidewall  20 , and a ceiling (or roof)  22  connected or connectable to one or more of the rigid wall  14 , the floor  12 , and the wall W. One or more of the first sidewall  18 , the second sidewall  20 , and the ceiling  22  may be collapsible. In an embodiment, such a collapsible sidewall or ceiling may be made of a flexible material, for example, a flexible plastic or other polymeric material, canvas or another fabric. 
     As shown, the first sidewall  18 , the second sidewall  20 , and the ceiling  22  are embodied as an accordion-pleated fabric structure having a first end connected to the wall W or other portion of the structure and a second end connected to the end wall  14  or other portion of the slide-out room  12 . The foregoing accordion-pleated fabric structure extends to form the first sidewall  18 , the second sidewall  20 , and the ceiling  22  when the slide-out room  10  is extended, and compresses into a narrow stack  26  when the slide-out room is retracted. The stack  26  may be disposed between the wall W of the RV and the end wall  14  of the slide-out room  10  or at least partially within the opening defined by the wall of the RV. 
     In other embodiments, one or more of the first sidewall  18 , the second sidewall  20 , and the ceiling  22  could be foldable, rollable, or nestable panels or other materials, or they could be pleated in other ways. In an embodiment, any or all of the first sidewall  18 , the second sidewall  20 , and the ceiling  22  could be removable from the slide-out room  10  and the RV or other structure. In an embodiment, one or more, but not all, of the first sidewall  18 , the second sidewall  20 , and the ceiling  22  could be rigid and fixed. 
     The illustrated embodiments include a first operating mechanism connected between the slide-out room  10  and a first jamb of the opening in the wall W of the RV. The illustrated embodiments also include a second operating mechanism connected between the slide-out room  10  and a second jamb of the opening in the wall W of the RV. The first and second operating mechanisms may be identical to or mirror images of each other. (Portions of the second operating mechanism corresponding to portions of the first operating mechanism may be referred to or identified herein and in the drawings using primed reference signs.) As such, only the first operating mechanism will be discussed in detail. 
     As illustrated, the first operating mechanism includes a driven portion attached to the slide-out room  10  and a drive portion attached to the wall W of the RV. As shown, the driven portion includes a gear rack  24  attached to a first side edge of the floor  12 . As best shown in  FIGS. 22 and 23 , the drive portion includes a pinion gear  26  engaged with the gear rack. The pinion gear  26  is keyed to or otherwise disposed on a torque shaft  28  for rotation therewith. With reference to, for example,  FIGS. 12A and 12B , the torque shaft  28  is disposed on or in an elongated column or housing  30  attached to a first jamb of the opening in the wall W of the RV. The torque shaft  28  may be carried by a first (or lower) bearing block  32  and a second (or upper) bearing block  34  in rotating engagement therewith. A driver  36 , for example, a hand-operated crank or a bi-directional motor, may be engaged with the torque shaft  28  to selectively rotate the torque shaft in first and second directions of rotation. 
     In a first embodiment, as best shown in shown in  FIGS. 7-11 , the drive portion may further include a first or lower cable guide  38  attached to the column  30  near a first or lower end thereof and a second or upper cable guide  40  attached to the column near a second or upper end thereof. The first and second cable guides  38 ,  40  may be embodied as fixed guides or as pulleys rotatably mounted to the column  30 . 
     In pulley embodiments, one or both of the first and second pulleys  38 ,  40  may be passive (or undriven). Alternatively, one or both of the first and second pulleys  38 ,  40  may be driven. More specifically, the lower pulley  38  may be engaged with the gear rack  24  or the pinion gear  26  or another gear (not shown) driven by the torque shaft  28 , such that rotation of the torque shaft or displacement of the gear rack with respect to the column  30  results in rotation of the lower pulley. The upper pulley  40  may be similarly engaged with another gear (not shown) driven by the torque shaft  28 . 
     A cable  42  has a first end that may be connected to the end wall  14  proximate the first side and the free end thereof. The cable  42  has a second end that may be connected to the floor  12  proximate the first side and free end thereof. An intermediate portion of the cable  42  may be routed over the upper cable guide or pulley  40  and under the lower cable guide or pulley  38 . The term “cable” as used herein may refer to any form of flexible member capable of tensioning, suspending, or otherwise stabilizing the slide-out room  10  with respect to the RV or other framework in which it may be installed to thereby mitigate a tendency for the slide-out room to tip out of the RV or other framework in which it may be installed. For example, the cable may be embodied as a wire rope, a chain, a polymeric belt or strap. 
     In use, the motor  36  may be energized to run in a first or extend direction of rotation, thereby causing the pinion gear  26  to rotate in a first direction and to drive the gear rack  24  in a first or outward or extend direction with respect to the wall W of the RV. In embodiments wherein one or both of the first and second cable guides  38 ,  40  are driven pulleys, the pulley(s) may drive the cable  42  so that the second end of the first cable pulls the free end of the floor  12  toward the lower pulley and the wall W of the RV. In embodiments wherein one or both of the first and second cable guides is a fixed guide or a passive pulley, the cable  42  may simply be directed by the respective guide or pulley. In any event, the cable  42  may serve to maintain the structural relationship between the floor  12  and the end wall  14 . 
     Similarly, the motor  36  may be energized to run in a second or retract direction of rotation to cause the reverse effect. For example, operation of the motor  36  in the second direction causes the pinion gear  26  to rotate in a second direction and thereby drive the gear rack  24  in a second or inward or retract direction with respect to the wall W of the RV. In embodiments wherein one or more of the first and second cable guides  38 ,  40  are driven pulleys, the pulleys may drive the cable  42  so that the first end of the first cable pulls the end wall  14  toward the upper pulley and the wall W of the RV. 
     In an embodiment, one or both of the first and second cable guides  38 ,  40  may be embodied as driven sprockets, and the cable  42  may be embodied as a chain engaged with the sprockets. 
     In an embodiment, the column  30  may be omitted and one or more of the torque shaft  28 , the bearing blocks  32 ,  34 , the driver  36 , and the cable guides  38 ,  40  could be connected to the RV or other structure directly or through another intervening component. 
     In a second embodiment, as best shown in  FIGS. 16-21 , the first end of the cable  42  is connected to the end wall  14  in a manner similar to that of the first embodiment. Rather than being attached to the floor  12 , as in the first embodiment, the second end of the cable  42  is connected to a take-up spool  44  disposed on the torque shaft  28  for rotation therewith. The cable  42  is attached to the torque shaft  28  at an anchor point  46 . Rotation of the motor  16  in the first or extend direction unwinds the cable  42  from the take-up spool  44 , thereby slackening the cable. Rotation of the motor  16  in the second or retract direction winds the cable  42  onto the take-up spool  44 , thereby tensioning the cable so that it draws the end wall  14  toward the take-up spool and the wall W of the RV. 
     The second embodiment may further include a guide block  48  received in and configured to slide axially within the column  30 . The guide block  48  may define an aperture therein or extending there through and configured to receive a threaded end of the torque shaft  28  so that rotation of the torque shaft  28  in the first or extend direction causes the guide block  48  to move in a first or extend direction, and so that rotation of the torque shaft  28  in the second or retract direction causes the guide block to move in a second or retract direction. When the guide block  48  moves in the first or extend direction, a guide face  50  of the guide block moves toward the anchor point  46 . When the guide block  48  moves in the second or retract direction, the guide face  50  of the guide block moves away from the anchor point  46 . As such, when the motor  36  is operated to retract the slide-out room  10 , the rotation of the torque shaft  28  causes the cable  42  to be wound onto the take-up spool  44 , and the guide face  50  of the guide block  48  directs the cable further and further away from the anchor point  46  so that the cable  42  does not become wound upon itself. That is, the guide face  50  of the guide block  48  directs the cable  42  so that it may be wound onto the take-up spool  44  in a single layer. 
     In all of the foregoing embodiments, extension of the slide-out room  10  results in expansion of those of the first sidewall  18 , the second sidewall  20 , and the ceiling  22 , that may be collapsible. Similarly, retraction of the slide-out room  10  results in collapsing of those of the first sidewall  18 , the second sidewall  20 , and the ceiling  22 , that may be collapsible. 
     As best shown in  FIGS. 12B and 16 , the floor  12  may be supported by one or more rollers  52  carried by the RV, for example, by the floor of the RV near the wall of the RV or by a sill of the opening in the wall of the RV. 
     In alternative embodiments, the driver  36  could be eliminated, back drivable, or disengageable from the operating mechanism(s), and the slide-out room  10  could be reciprocated manually. In such embodiments, a handle could be provided on the slide-out room  10 , for example on an inner or outer portion of the slide-out room. A user could grasp the handle and push or pull on it to extend or retract the slide-out room  10 . Such manual displacement of the room could back drive the drive portion of the operating mechanisms discussed above. 
     Latches could be provided to secure the slide-out room  10  in the extended and/or retracted positions. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the operating mechanism discussed above could be augmented or replaced with a drive mechanism including one or more driven portions, for example, gear racks mounted to an underside of the floor  12  of the slide-out room  10 , and one or more corresponding drive portions, for example, one or more corresponding pinion gears driven by one or more corresponding torque shafts, engaged with the one or more driven portions. The one or more drive portion could be mounted to the floor of the RV or to a sill of the opening in the wall W. The one or more drive portion could be disposed in one or more respective enclosures similar to the housings  30 . Such drive mechanism could retain one or more of the column  30 , cable  42 , and cable guides  38 ,  40  as discussed above to stabilize the slide-out room. In pulley embodiments, an intervening drive member, for example, an endless cable, could mechanically couple one of the torque shafts to one or more of the pulleys. 
     Features disclosed in connection with any embodiment may be combined with any other embodiment to the greatest extent possible.