Patent ID: 7055890

Claim:
A recreational vehicle comprising: a chassis with wheels mounted thereto so as to allow rolling motion of the recreational vehicle; a main housing mounted to the chassis, the main housing having a front wall, a rear wall, and at least two side walls interposed between the front and rear walls so as to define an interior space having a roof and a floor; an awning assembly having a first end that is hingeably mounted adjacent a top portion of the front wall and a second end that swings about the first end so as to be movable between a closed configuration and an open configuration, wherein the awning assembly has a side profile shape that has a front contour and a rear contour wherein the front contour is separated from the rear contour by varying thickness so that when in the closed configuration the rear contour conforms to the profile of the front wall and the front contour provides an aerodynamic shape to a front portion of the recreational vehicle, and wherein the awning assembly in its open configuration provides a cover for at least a portion of the front wall from external elements; wherein the awning assembly comprises a shell structure that is substantially non-collapsible such that the shell structure in its closed configuration provides the aerodynamic shape, and the shell structure in its open configuration provides a cover above and in front of the front wall.