Abstract:
A flexible extension storage enclosure for folding travel trailers that is selectively secured to the underside of a folding trailer extension after it has been deployed from the main body of the travel trailer. The storage extension enclosure provides additional usable weather tight storage area beneath the extension by using a combination of track insertable support rails and a plurality of wall surface mounted snaps to define selectively accessible integrated storage compartment there beneath with a selective access closure.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
     This invention relates to travel trailers that extend and unfold to provide a usable interior space for camping and the like. More specifically, to trailers and vehicle expansion enclosure systems that are connected to and primarily supported by the trailer or the vehicle to which it is attached. 
     2. Description of Prior Art 
     Prior art trailer enclosure attachments have been directed to collapsible enclosures for shelters and storage that have been secured to and extend beyond the supportive surface of the trailers or vehicles. See for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,923,336, 4,065,166, 4,457,553, 6,871,896 and U.S. Publication 2009/0159108. 
     In U.S. Pat. No. 3,923,336 a tent accessory for a truck is disclosed having a tent configuration with a sealing, sidewalls and floor for use as a room addition for the camper. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,553 is directed to a portable shower for a van having a slidably disposed upper tubular frame from which are selectively secured depending side and end walls to form and open top shower enclosure against the back end of the van. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,166 is directed to a demountable extension enclosure for motor vehicles having a tent-like structure that extends up from a floor board that extends from the doorway of the loading door of the vehicle. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,871,896 claims a temporary vehicle enclosure expansion system that uses the vehicle&#39;s door to support an enclosure extending therebetween. 
     Finally, in U.S. Patent Publication 2009/0159108 a storage facility is illustrated that extends from the rear of a vehicle having bag bins and boxes therewithin. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A slide and snap easy installation storage enclosure formed of flexible collapsible integrated fabric walls, door and floor that suspends from the extension platform and frame of a fold-up travel trailer. The storage enclosure has wall support rods which are slidably engaged into permanently affixed tracks on the bottom of the fold-up trailer extension and a series of interconnecting snaps on the storage enclosure&#39;s front and back wall to support same when secured therewith. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the portable storage extension for a travel trailer in installed format. 
         FIG. 2  is a partial front elevational view thereof. 
         FIG. 3  is an enlarged partial exploded end elevational view of the side wall mounting tracks. 
         FIG. 4  is a partial side elevational view of the slide mounting track. 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the slide mounting channel with an enclosure wall support rod positioned therewithin. 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom plan view of the installed sidewall mounting tracks on the trailer extension. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the portable storage extension independent of the trailer. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the drawings, a storage enclosure  10  of the invention can be seen attached to a travel trailer  11 . The storage enclosure  10  is designated in this application to add auxiliary storage compartment to a folding travel trailer that has a main wheel trailer section  12  with a top cap  13  that is raised into a locked use position as seen in  FIG. 1  of the drawings. A combination of structural support elements and flexible fabric panels are arranged to define sidewalls  14  that define the main trailer enclosure. As such, an end trailer extension  15  is slidably disposed from the main trailer section  12  with a base support platform  16  and extending flexible sides  17  and  18  and end wall  19  with an integrated top  20  as is typical in the art. Such slide out extensions  15  are typically supported by a pair of angular extending rod braces  20 A secured to the main trailer section  12  and to the underside of the support platform  16  again as is well known and understood within the art. 
     The storage enclosure  10  of the invention is of an overall fabric construction with oppositely disposed spaced parallel fabric sidewalls  21  and  22  with interconnecting end wall  23  and a front access wall  24  as will be described in greater detail hereinafter. 
     A fabric floor panel  25  interconnect the respective side, ends and access walls  21 - 24  respectively as best seen in  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  6  of the drawings. The respective sidewalls of the enclosure  21  and  22  each have elongated tubular sewn upper edges  21 A and  22 A extending their respective lengths. The tubular upper edges  21 A and  22 A define receivable passageways for corresponding pairs of rigid wall support rods  26  and  27  which are inserted and secured respectively therewithin as best seen in  FIG. 5  of the drawings. 
     The end wall  23  has a plurality of longitudinally aligned and spaced snap fastener assemblies  28  secured along its upper free edge  29  which will correspond to registerable snap fastener fittings  30  secured to the underside of the trailer end extension  15  on its base support platform  16  as shown in  FIG. 6  of the drawings for installation as hereinbefore described. 
     The front access wall  24  of the storage enclosure  10  has an access door panel  31  which is selectively secured within a correspondingly shaped opening  32  of the front access wall surface  33 . A progressively engagement closure zipper  34  is secured around the perimeter edge  35  of the opening  32  and the edge  36  of the door access panel  31  so as to provide a continuous engagement and retainment therebetween as will be well understood in the art. 
     The door panel  31  can be “unzipped” allowing access to the storage enclosure  10  when in use and attached to the travel trailer  11 . A number of “snap” fasteners  37  are attached to the upper free edge perimeter of the front wall  24  for aligned registration with fastener base  37 A secured, in this example, to a front end frame rail  38  of the trailer extension  15 . 
     It will be seen that the primary compartment engagement securement and support to the underside of the support platform  16  of the extension  15  is enabled by a pair of elongated slotted guide wall support channel fittings  39  and  40 , best seen in  FIGS. 3-6  of the drawings. The support channel fittings  39  and  40  can be seen as having a mounting flange  41  with a plurality of longitudinally spaced and aligned fastener apertures A therewithin. A slotted cylindrical receiving channel  42  extend integrally therealong. The guide wall support channel fittings  39  and  40  are secured to the underside of the base support platform  16  in spaced parallel relation to one another inwardly of the respective sides and ends of the platform and frame  43  as best seen in  FIGS. 4 and 6  of the drawings via multiple fasteners F through the respective hereinbefore defined apertures A therewithin. 
     To attach and deploy the storage enclosure  10  of the invention, the respective sidewall upper edges with rod inserts  21 A and  22 A are slidably disposed within the respective wall support channel fittings  39  and  40  with the respective end wall and front wall snap fittings engaged onto the corresponding aligned registration snaps as hereinbefore described. 
     It will be seen that in order to achieve installation, a pair of openings OP are formed in the end wall  23  as seen in broken lines in  FIG. 2  to allow for the passage therethrough of the support platform  16 &#39;s angular rods  20 A in such a deployment representation as illustrated in this example. 
     It will be evident from the above description that as so deployed the storage enclosure  10  of the invention is now ready for use by selective access thereto via the zipper access door panel  31  as hereinbefore described. 
     It will thus be seen that a new and novel storage enclosure for a travel trailer has been illustrated and described and it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.