Abstract:
A Level Floor Room Extension for expandable and retractable rooms in vehicles employs a subfloor movable from a horizontal stored position beneath the vehicle floor, through an intermediate horizontal position, to an elevated horizontal position, to provide a continuously level floor extending from the interior vehicle floor, over the subfloor, to the slide out room floor.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of copending application Ser. No. 08/774,326, filed Nov. 27, 1996, the contents of which are incorporated by reference.  
     
    
     
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    Not Applicable.  
         AUTHORIZATION PURSUANT TO 37 C.F.R. § 1.71 (d) (e)  
         [0003]    A portion of the disclosure of this patent document, including appendices, may contain material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0005]    This invention relates to motor homes and recreational vehicles, and more particularly to extendable rooms, and associated extension mechanisms, therefor.  
           [0006]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0007]    A number of units have been developed for motor homes and the like, whereby, when the vehicle is parked, wall portions may be moved to provide an enlarged room area within the vehicle. Fitting various floor parts together to provide an enlarged contiguous floor area has been and remains a problem. Uneven surfaces occur during usage. Gaps in the floor occur. Carpeting can overlap and bunch up at seams and otherwise be worn by operation of the units.  
           [0008]    Those concerned with these and other problems recognize the need for an improved Level Floor Room Extension.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The present invention discloses a level floor construction which then is separable into parts in forming an extended room. A subfloor is movable from a horizontal stored position beneath the vehicle floor, through an intermediate horizontal position, to an elevated horizontal position, to provide a continuously level floor extending from the interior vehicle floor, over the subfloor, to the slide out room floor.  
           [0010]    Therefore, an object of the present invention is the provision of an improved Level Floor Room Extension.  
           [0011]    Another object is to provide an improved extension which provides a better seal at corners where the wall meets the floor.  
           [0012]    Also an object is provision of a room extension having improved fitting floor parts such that gapping is reduced.  
           [0013]    A further object is to provide an improved extension which minimizes wear on floor carpeting by avoiding scraping movements across the surface of the carpet.  
           [0014]    Another object is to minimize uneven or stepped surfaces, that is, to provide an extension such that the floor area exposed is level whether the slide out room is extended or retracted.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    Other objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, side elevational view showing a vehicle side wall with a moveable slide out room side wall;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken along Line A-A in FIG. 1;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken along Line B-B in FIG. 1;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional view also taken along Line  4 - 4  in FIG. 1 but with the slideout room extended;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 5 is a view as in FIG. 3 but with some floor components removed to show support structures;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 6 is a view as in FIG. 5 but with additional components removed to show underlying structures;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 7 is an elevational view taken along line D-D in FIG. 6;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 8 is an elevational view taken along line E-E in FIG. 6;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIGS. 9A, 9B,  9 C and  9 D are fragmentary sectional views taken along line C-C in FIG. 1 showing operation of the level floor room extension;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 10 is an enlarged portion of FIG. 9A showing the slideout room retracted with subfloor stored;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 11 is an enlarged portion of FIG. 9B showing the slideout room extended with subfloor positioned for elevation;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 12 is an enlarged portion of FIG. 9C showing the outer end of the subfloor elevated;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 13 is an enlarged portion of FIG. 9D showing the subfloor fully elevated;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIGS. 14A, 14B,  14 C, and  14 D are enlarged views of the rack members;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIGS. 15A, 15B,  15 C, and  15 D are enlarged views of an alternate rack member;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIGS. 16A and 16B are enlarged views of the subfloor lifter; and  
         [0032]    [0032]FIGS. 17A and 17B are enlarged views of the floor lifter cam.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0033]    Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 shows the invention depicted generally at  10  deployed in a coach or vehicle  11 . The vehicle sidewall  12  has a cutout opening  13  with generally arcuate corners  14 . An interior tube brace  15  is disposed about the periphery of opening  13  and bears a mounting surface  16 . A peripheral seal member  17  is disposed on surface  16 . The vehicle interior floor  18 , comprised of framework  19 , flooring  20  and carpet  21  layers, has a three-sided cut out area  22  opening toward the sidewall  12 . An overlap area  23  is formed by flooring  20  and carpet  21  extending into the cut out area  22 .  
         [0034]    The level floor room extension  10  has a support assembly  30  which includes a front or outwardly disposed tubular support  31  fixed to brace  15  below opening  13 . Slide bearing pads  32  are fixed to the top surface of support  31 . See FIG. 2. The assembly  30  also has inwardly disposed support structure  33  fixed to the vehicle  11  below floor  18  inwardly of the cut out area  19 . A pair of guide channels  34  are mounted to vehicle chassis components  24 , in parallel fashion, transverse to the long axis of the vehicle  11 , and spaced apart the width of the area  19 . The channels  34  are c-shaped in cross section, opening toward each other, and have internal bearing surfaces. Hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders  35  of well known type are mounted to vehicle chassis component  25 .  
         [0035]    The level floor room extension  10  has a slide out room assembly  40 . The framework  41  (see FIG. 6) includes two outside tubes  42  which extend into guide channels  34  and are attached to hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders  35 . The plurality of interior tubes  43  are disposed between tubes  42 . The tubes  42 ,  43  carry pivot support pins  44 . Cross member  45  connects tubes  42 ,  43  and carries slide blocks  46 . The tubes  42 ,  43  extend forward to a front peripheral tube brace  47  which supports the slide out exterior sidewall  48 .  
         [0036]    Intermediate cross member  45  and front peripheral tube  47  is a second cross member  49  extending upwardly from tubes  42 ,  43 . This member  49  includes a flange plate  50  which projects rearwardly. Several upper tubes  51  extend from member  49  forward to attachment with tube brace  47 . Slide out room flooring  52  and carpet  53  are supported by tubes  51 .  
         [0037]    The level floor room extension  10  further has a movable subfloor assembly  60 . A top carpet layer  61  is supported by flooring  62  which in turn is mounted on a framework  63 . The framework includes an outer or front flange surface  64  and a rear or inner shoulder surface  65 . A plurality of plates  66  are arranged along the front part of, and depend downwardly from, the framework  63 . Along the rear of framework  63  the series of links  67  are pivotally attached to, and swing downwardly from, the framework  63 .  
         [0038]    Referring to FIG. 5, a second hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder  70  is mounted to member  49  and extends to main crank  71 . Couplings  72  extend from crank  71  to additional cranks  73 . Crank pin  74  pivotally attach the crank  71 ,  73  to crank pivot  75  on tubes  42 ,  43 . Drive pins  76  extend downwardly from the cranks  71 ,  73 .  
         [0039]    The plurality of racks  80  each have a front bore  81  for receiving drive pin  76 , and intermediate longitudinal slots  82  and rear longitudinal slots  83  for receiving pivot support pins  44 . Each rack  80  carries three longitudinally spaced transverse pins  84  adjacent and below slots  82  and two longitudinally spaced transverse pins  85  adjacent and below slots  83 . The flat subfloor lifters  86  are mounted between the two forward pins  84 . Cam floor lifters  87  are mounted on each pivot pin  44  and extend upwardly to pivotal connection with depending links  67 . A plurality of lobes  88  are formed at the lower ends of lifters  87 .  
         [0040]    As shown particularly in FIGS.  9 A- 9 B and FIGS.  10 - 13 , actuation of the cylinders  35  causes slide out room assembly  40  to move outwardly. Actuation of cylinder  70  then causes the racks  80  to engage the cam floor lifters  88  in the sequence depicted, causing elevation of the subfloor  60 .  
         [0041]    Although only an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims.  
         [0042]    In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. Thus although a nail and a screw may not be structural equivalents in that a nail employs a cylindrical surface to secure wooded parts together, whereas a screw employs a helical surface, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail and a screw may be equivalent structures.