Patent Publication Number: US-2022234485-A1

Title: Accessory mounting to a recreational vehicle

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to structural arrangements for mounting accessories to vehicles, and more particularly, to recreational vehicles (“RVs”), such as travel trailers, toy haulers, fifth wheel trailers, motor homes, and like vehicles having at least living quarters therein (and as otherwise defined by the Recreational Vehicle Industry Association). Additional information about RVs can be found on the internet at www.rvia.orq. 
     RVs are typically versatile vehicles which may be used for concurrently or separately hauling or storing equipment, other vehicles, personal property, people, and animals. RVs are often used for camping and/or recreation, or as temporary living quarters for an extended period of time. As such, a number of accessories, including accessories of different types, can be employed with a RV in order to enhance the functionality and attractiveness of the RV. It is often desirable and/or advantageous to mount accessories directly to the exterior of the RV, either for storage or use. Such accessories include bar-b-que grills, stoves, kitchenettes, hammocks, tables, seating, storage racks, televisions, audio entertainment systems, and the like. 
     At the same time, a RV is a vehicle, and must be suitable for travel on roads and highways. Certain accessories cannot be safely or efficiently mounted to the vehicle when it is moving. Accordingly, it is typically desirable that accessories be selectively removable from the RV, and with relative ease by a typical RV user. Removability is also desirable for certain types of accessories, since it facilitates cleaning and/or maintenance of that accessory. 
     Further, RVs are often used in campgrounds and wilderness environments where the ground is uneven or sloped, even with respect to the ground adjacent the RV where the accessory would be in use. In such situations, certain accessories and/or the RV must accommodate elevational variations in order for optimal accessory use. Similarly, since the ground adjacent to the RV is exposed to weather, the RV and/or certain accessories typically must accommodate the impact of weather conditions, which produce mud and/or snow on the ground, and rain, high winds, etc. in the area of accessory use. 
     Also, RVs are usually manufactured according to certain prescribed floor plans, and on specific framework and chassis structure. Accordingly, mounting structure for supporting accessories typically can only be securely placed at certain locations on the exterior of the RV. Further, over the useful life of a given RV, it may be desirable to use a wide variety of different accessories on its exterior. However, at the time of its manufacture, which accessories the end user may desire to employ are not known. Accordingly, it is most efficient to form mounting structure for supporting accessories such that it can accommodate a wide variety of different types of accessories. 
     To some extent, prior devices have succeeded in achieving these requirements by the use of standard towing hitch receivers to support certain types of accessories, such as those found on pick-up trucks to mount bar-b-que grills, bicycle racks, storage boxes and the like. However, bumper mounting of accessories is not always a desirable location, since the accessory cannot take advantage of the placement of other accessories and RV features, such as adjacent storage compartments, entry doors, and protective awnings (typically mounted only on the sides of an RV), and extension of feed lines of electricity, water, fuel and the like, as well as any drain lines, are more costly, if not precluded by other structural requirements of the RV. Further, bumper mounting of accessories can interfere with other RV features, such as the ramp door of a toy hauler-type of RV. In addition, certain accessories, such as tables and hammocks, can require multiple mounting points on the vehicle, not merely a single hitch receiver. 
     Further complications with respect to commercial acceptability of accessory mounting arrangements arise when the vehicular nature of the RV is taken into account. In order to avoid adverse impact on fuel economy, all additions to RV structure must minimize weight requirements and avoid impairment of the other structural integrity of the RV. Also, overall vehicular cost is a serious restriction on the structure usable for accessory mounting. At the same time, the accessory mounting structure needs to be sufficiently robust to provide the necessary safety when the accessory is being used. 
     In addition, certain accessories have special use limitations which must be taken into account in construction of the mounting arrangement. For example, gas grills produce heat during use which can adversely affect the RV is the gas grill is mounted too close to the RV. Accordingly, prior gas grills have typically included a substantial heat shield between the flame and the wall of the RV to which it is mounted and/or have required the use of spacing structure to keep the grill a pre-set distance from the RV. Also, gas grills typically use a fuel line connected to the fuel supply in the RV, and that fuel line must be protected from inadvertent adverse contact during use (such as by users tripping over or snagging an exposed fuel line when the grill is set up for use). 
     Another important consideration with respect to accessory mounting structure is the aesthetic acceptability of the structure during non-use. RVs are often specifically designed for attractive exterior appearance, and the commercial value of an RV can easily be degraded by incongruous application of exterior structure. This is especially true where that structure is not protected from adverse deterioration over time (such as by weather rusting of a conventional hitch receiver). 
     OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, a primary objective of the invention is to provide improved accessory mounting arrangements for vehicles, such as RVs. These improvements include providing such arrangements which:
         a. are inexpensive to manufacture, install, maintain, and repair,   b. increase floor plan optimization when used in a vehicle, such as an RV,   c. minimize component weight,   d. accommodate a variety of different accessories,   e. increase accessory accessibility and vehicle user convenience,   f. permit multiple accessory mountings on a vehicle,   g. facilitate mounting accessories on the sides of vehicles, and.   h. increase the aesthetic appeal of RVs.       

     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These and other objectives of the present invention are achieved by the provision of an accessory mounting arrangement for vehicles wherein a removable accessory is mounted to the vehicle via a projecting arm which is slidably received within a tubular element, attached to the chassis and floor structure of the vehicle along a vehicle side, and abutting a structural wall which limits sliding motion of the projecting arm. Preferably, the tubular element is formed as a conventionally sized hitch receiver, and the projecting arm is telescopically received in the tubular element at one end of the arm, while the other end of the arm includes a vertical adjustment structure which supports a platform for positively locating and supporting devices for supplemental function, such as a bar-b-que grill. Multiple tubular elements can be so mounted along the side of the vehicle, so as to provide multiple alternative and cooperative accessory ports, and removable covers are provided for aesthetic benefits when a given port is not in use. 
     Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following drawings and detailed description of certain preferred and alternative embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic side view of a fifth wheel-type travel trailer incorporating a preferred embodiment of the present invention, with the accessory elements removed. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic rear view of the travel trailer of  FIG. 1  with a preferred embodiment of the accessory elements installed. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic top view of a portion of the travel trailer of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic side view of the accessory elements along lines  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3  with elevational fasteners removed for clarity. 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view from of a portion of the travel trailer of  FIG. 2  along lines  5 - 5  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 6  is an upper, second opposing side, front perspective view of the tubular receiver assembly of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a lower, first opposing side, rear perspective view of the tubular receiver assembly of  FIG. 6  as mounted to structural elements of a travel trailer. 
         FIG. 8  is an upper, first opposing side, rear perspective view of a travel trailer having a preferred embodiment of the present invention with the accessory elements installed. 
         FIG. 9  is an enlarged, lower, first opposing side, rear perspective view of a portion of the present invention shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  is an enlarged, lower, first opposing side, rear perspective view of another portion of the present invention shown in  FIG. 8  with the conduit fitting to the travel trailer disconnected. 
         FIG. 11  is an enlarged, upper first opposing side rear perspective view of the portion of the present invention shown in  FIG. 10  with the grill removed and the conduit fittings disconnected. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The figures show schematically, and in best mode versions, embodiments of the present invention, as applied to a fifth wheel travel trailer-type of RV, both generically and specifically. The drawings are not to scale from one view to the next. 
     The following numbered and lettered features are illustrated in the drawings:
         Vehicle  10 , having:
           front  12 ,   rear  14 ,   first opposing side  16  (left hand side as viewed from the vehicle front),   second opposing side  18  (right hand side as viewed from the vehicle front),   top  20 ,   bottom  22  (or underside),   towing hitch  24 ,   tires  26 ,   chassis frame  28 , having:
               lower flange  29 ,   upper flange  29   a      
               floor frame  30 ,   
           Ground G,   Spaced apart distance D (selected to be sufficient to avoid adverse impact of use of the supplemental function apparatus upon vehicle  10 ),   Conduit receiver for gas, electric power, or water  32 , leading to interior vehicular supply,   An accessory mounting arrangement, comprising:
           a tubular receiver  40  (connected to first opposing side  16  of vehicle  10 , mounted to chassis frame  28 , mounted to floor frame  30 ), having:
               First open end  42 ,   Second open end  44 ,   First longitudinal length L1 between first end and second end   
               a mounting assembly for tubular receiver, having:
               L shaped wall plate  46  (or, alternatively, a flat plate)(removably or fixed to I beam), having optional apertures  47 ,   outer end plates  48 ,   L shaped hanger bracket  52 , having top plate  53 ,   fastener bolt  54 ,   fastener nut  56 ,   
               
           An accessory  70  (removably mounted to vehicle  10 ) having:
           extending element  72  (removably received and closely fitting within the tubular receiver), having:
               a first end  74 ,   a second end  76 ,   a second longitudinal length L2 between first end and second end,   elevational adjustment means, having
                   second tubular receiver  78 , having    apertures  80 ,    Elevational fasteners  82 ,   
                   flexible conduit or hose  84 , such as for gas, electric power, or water,   conduit fittings  86 ,   platform  88 , having
                   apertures  90 ,   extending arm  92 , having    apertures  94 ,   
                   
               
           Supplemental function apparatus  96 , to be mounted on platform  88 , such as a bar-b-que grill, having:
           control knobs  98     lower projections or supporting feet  100  closely received within apertures  90 ,   
           Wall fitting  50  with opening sufficiently large to receive extending element  72  therethrough, having
           hinged or movable cover  60 , and   
           Chamfer edge  62 , on especially preferred embodiments of tubular receiver  40 .       

     In general, the present invention may be applied to any vehicle, but the illustrations for a RV shows the connection of the tubular receiver to multiple locations, adjacent each end of the tubular receiver, one to the chassis and one to the floor frame as illustrated. Alternatively, a cantilevered connection of the tubular receiver is acceptable for the present invention where that connection is sufficient and safe for the weight and use of the accessory and the supplemental function apparatus to be supported thereon. L shaped wall plate  46  can be secured to the chassis frame by welding or by conventional fasteners through apertures  47 . Where a flat plate is used instead of that L shaped plate, the chassis frame can form the end wall which the tubular receiver abuts against at its first open end  42 , and that end wall serves as a stop for movement of extending element  72  into tubular receiver  40 , instead of the vertical wall of plate  46 . 
     In addition, the figures show the present invention being available at multiple locations along the RV side, so as to support a different accessory arrangement at each location and/or provide alternative locations for a given accessory arrangement and/or to provide multiple support locations for a single accessory arrangement (such as a fully supported hammock, bench, or table). 
     Although the figures show supplemental function apparatus  96  to be a grill, the present invention contemplates a wide variety of other devices, being alternatively employed, either supported directly on platform  88  or directly on extending arm  92  or directly on second tubular receiver  78  or directly on extending element  72 , according to the shape and purpose of that device. Such devices can include, for example, hammocks, tables, benches, stoves, kitchenettes, televisions, audio entertainment centers, at the like. Similarly, the shape, number and size of apertures  90  on platform  88  can be readily adapted to corresponding projections on such devices, so as to restrict sliding or inadvertent movement of such devices when supported on platform  88 . Also, conduit  84  is shown in the figures to be a gas fuel line having conventional connection fittings  86  for use with a convention conduit receiver  32 , the present invention contemplates use of whatever support lines are needed for the supplemental function apparatus, such as water, electricity, air, and the like. The orientation of the present invention and the use of extending element  72  serve to protect conduit  84  from inadvertent or unintentional interaction with users and the environment. Further, the positive location of supplemental function apparatus  96  on platform  88  can prevent inadvertent damages to conduit  84 , such as might otherwise occur if apparatus slid off of platform  88 . 
     Elevational fasteners  82  are preferably conventional in nature, being, for example, threaded bolts or pins to support the relative positions of extending arm  92  with respect to second tubular receiver  78 , through the alignable apertures  80  and  94  in each of those elements. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , second tubular receiver is connected to extending element  72  by welding toward one end of the second tubular receiver, rather than at its longitudinal midpoint, thus forming a unitary, L shaped member. Where additional vertical adjustability of platform  88  is desired, this unitary, L shaped member can be slid out of tubular receiver  40  and flipped or rotated upwards 180 degrees (about the axis of length L2) from the orientation shown in  FIG. 9 , so as to provide higher connectivity of extending arm  92  within second tubular receiver  78 . 
     Wall fitting  50  preferably allows the accessory receiving structure to be substantially flush with the exterior surface of the vehicle, and yet readily accessible when needed by the hinged connection of cover  60 . Alternatively, cover  60  can be snap fit or threaded to fitting  50 , as desired in a given application. 
     Although the present invention has been shown and described herein with respect to certain preferred embodiments and alternative configurations, those were by way of illustration and example only. For example, tubular receiver is illustrated as resembling a conventional hitch receiver tube in its configuration and dimensions. However, the present invention expressly contemplates other configurations for that receiver, such, as a round tube or U-shaped (open top) tube cross-sectional shape. Accordingly, the spirit and scope of the present invention is intended to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims.