EP0203128B1 - Dwelling place of the foldable and/or dismountable type - Google Patents

Abstract

Foldable and/or dismountable dwelling place comprising a floor (2), a roof (7) and, arranged therebetween, sidewalls (4, 5, 6), at least one of the sidewalls (5) presenting an outer bulging (13) intended to house, in the folded position, on the floor (2) at least some of the panels forming the other walls (4, 6).

Description

The present invention relates to a cabin of the folding and / or removable type of which at least some of the panels forming its walls can occupy a deployed position and a folded position in order to occupy in the latter position a reduced volume.

Many devices of the collapsible type are currently known, particularly in the field of caravanning. In these known devices, the panels forming the walls are flat and are, in the folded position, one on top of the other so that the volume determined by the panels when they are in the unfolded position is consequently direct of the facing surfaces. opposite the panels when the latter are in the folded position.

Also known from US Pat. No. 3,359,693 is a collapsible cabin which comprises two transverse walls which can be folded inwards, two longitudinal walls forming over their entire height bulges and capable of being folded one inside the other around the folded transverse panels, as well as a roof in two parts which are respectively folded over the upper edge of the swollen longitudinal panels, these roof parts folding over the longitudinal panels.

Also known, from patent AU-B-20,711, a device which comprises two transverse panels foldable upwards in its roof and two longitudinal panels in two mutually articulated parts and respectively articulated on its roof and on its bottom so to be foldable like an accordion.

These known compartments also have a ratio between their volume in the unfolded position and their volume in the folded position which remains significant.

The present invention aims, on the contrary, to considerably increase, compared to existing devices, the ratio between the volume of the passenger compartment when it is in the deployed position and the volume occupied by the panels which constitute it when the latter are in the folded position.

As claimed, the foldable and / or dismountable type passenger compartment according to the invention comprises two transverse panels and two longitudinal panels, a roof and a bottom. Said panels can occupy a deployed position in which they form, between the bottom and the roof, side walls and an inwardly folded or stowed position in which they extend above said bottom. Said longitudinal panels each have a bulge which, in their deployed position, constitutes a bulge towards the outside, these bulges being such that in the folded or stored position, their lower walls being one opposite the other, they penetrate one inside the other, the smallest bulge being able to accommodate, in the folded or stored position, said transverse panels above said bottom.

According to the invention, the lower part of each of said longitudinal panels constitutes the aforementioned bulge, each longitudinal panel further comprising an upper longitudinal part adjacent to the bulge of its lower part and foldable on one of the faces of the latter, said roof being separable so as to allow the folding or storing of the panels constituting said side walls.

In a variant according to the invention, the upper longitudinal part of the longitudinal panel having the smallest bulge is foldable on the external face of the longitudinal wall of the latter and the upper longitudinal part of the longitudinal panel having the largest bulge is foldable on the inner face of the longitudinal wall of the latter, the upper longitudinal parts of the longitudinal panels extending, in the folded position, between the longitudinal walls of said bulges.

In a preferred embodiment according to the invention, the transverse panels, the longitudinal wall of the bulge of the longitudinal panel with the smallest bulge, the upper parts of the longitudinal panels, the longitudinal wall of the bulge of the longitudinal panel with the largest bulge and the upper face of the roof are flat and stacked above the bottom.

Preferably, according to the invention, said bulges are, in vertical section, perpendicular to the panels, of L-shaped section, one of the walls of said bulges of L-shaped section being able to constitute said longitudinal wall while the other constitutes a lower wall.

In a preferred variant of the invention, said roof is in the form of a cover so as, in the folded or stored position above said bottom, to wrap said side panels, its peripheral edge joining the peripheral edge of said bottom, and so as to , in the deployed position, wrap the upper part of said side panels.

According to the invention, said longitudinal panels can advantageously have opposite edges on which the transverse panels bear.

In a variant, said bottom is formed by a horizontal plate. In another variant, said bottom is in the form of a bowl, said side panels extending from the upper edges of the walls of this bowl.

• la figure 1 ;eprésente, à échelle réduite, une vue extérieure en perspective d'un habitacle selon la présente invention ;
• la figure 2 représente une coupe transversale en position déployée, de l'habitacle représenté sur la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 représente une coupe transversale correspondant à la figure 2 et repérée sur la figure 3 montrant l'habitacle de la figure 1 en position repliée ;
• la figure 4 représente une coupe longitudinale, repérée sur la figure 3, de l'habitacle représenté sur les figures précédentes, en position repliée ;
• les figures 5 et 6 montrent en coupe longitudinale, en position déployée et en vue agrandie, la partie haute et au coin de l'habitacle représenté sur les figures précédentes, montrant un moyen de verrouillage du toit.

The present invention will be better understood from the study of an autonomous passenger compartment of the folding and / or dismountable type described by way of nonlimiting example and illustrated diagrammatically in the drawing in which:

• Figure 1; shows, on a reduced scale, an external perspective view of a passenger compartment according to the present invention;
• Figure 2 shows a cross section in the deployed position, the passenger compartment shown in Figure 1;
• 3 shows a cross section corresponding to Figure 2 and identified in Figure 3 showing the passenger compartment of Figure 1 in the folded position;
• Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section, identified in Figure 3, of the passenger compartment shown in the previous figures, in the folded position;
• Figures 5 and 6 show in longitudinal section, in the deployed position and in an enlarged view, the upper part and at the corner of the passenger compartment shown in the previous figures, showing a roof locking means.

The passenger compartment shown in the figures and generally identified by the reference 1 is substantially in the shape of a parallelepiped having two opposite lateral bulges and comprises, as can be seen in particular in Figures 1 and 2 and marked in a way general, a horizontal bottom 2, two transverse walls 3 and 4, two longitudinal walls 5 and 6 as well as a roof 7.

Referring in particular to Figures 1 and 2, we will now describe the structure of the passenger compartment 1 in its deployed position.

The bottom 2 is constituted by a substantially rectangular plate intended to come to bear on the ground by means of feet 8 distributed over its lower surface.

The transverse walls 3 and 4 are formed by substantially rectangular flat panels which extend vertically and upwards from two opposite edges of the bottom 2 and which respectively carry two gussets 9 and 10 of triangular shape, which extend towards the interior and which are articulated on the bottom 2 at a distance from their interior face so that the panels 3 and 4 can be folded inwards. In the transverse walls 3 and 4 are provided access doors 3a and 4a.

The longitudinal walls 5 and 6 are constituted respectively by lower elements 11 and 12 determining lateral outward bulges 13 and 14 and by vertical rectangular panels 15 and 16 which extend elements 11 and 12 upwards. Elements 11 and 12 which delimit the outward bulges 13 and 14 are in L-shaped vertical section whose branches are respectively formed by rectangular panels 17a and 18a whose end edges are adjacent to the other two edges of the bottom 2 and by two rectangular panels 17 and 18, the upper edges of which carry the panels 15 and 16 by means of hinges 19 and 20. The elements 11 and 12 also include opposite transverse panels 21 and 22 which longitudinally delimit the bulges 13 and 14 and whose vertical edges 23 and 24 constitute rims against which the vertical edges of the outer faces of the panels 3 and 4 come to bear. The opposite vertical edges of the panels 15 and 16 also carry opposite transverse edges 25 and 26 against which also the vertical edges of the outer face of the transverse panels 3 and 4 come to bear, the edges 23, 25 and 24, 26 being in the same vertical plane.

The edges 23 and 24 of the transverse walls 21 and 22 of the elements 11 and 12 have notches 27 and 28 opening out on their vertical face and facing upwards and in which the axes of buttons 29 and 30 are respectively disposed, carried by the transverse panels. 3 and 4 and extending outwards, each of the flanges 23 and 24 having two notches 27 and 28 associated with two buttons 29 and 30 of the panels 3 and 4, the elements 11 and 12 thus being carried by the transverse panels 3 and 4.

The roof 7 is bowl-shaped and comprises a rectangular horizontal panel 31 and, to form its downward-facing side walls, two rectangular longitudinal panels 32 and two rectangular transverse panels 33.

The transverse panels 3 and 4 extend inside the cover 7, the inner face of its horizontal panel 31 being in abutment against the upper edge of these transverse panels 3 and 4. The upper end of the longitudinal panels 15 and 16 slightly penetrates inside the cover 7, the transverse panels 3 and 4 being in abutment against the inner face of the transverse walls 33 of the cover 7 and the panels 15 and 16 being in abutment against the inner face of the longitudinal walls 32 of the cover 7 .

Referring to Figures 2, 5 and 6, we see that the transverse panels 3 and 4 have rectangular recesses 34 open upwards and that two rectangular panels 35 whose surface is slightly less than the surface of the rectangular recesses 34 are associated. These rectangular panels 35 can occupy a first position in which they extend inside the recesses 34 and extend the transverse panels 3 and 4 as seen in FIG. 5 and a second position in which they extend horizontally to from the horizontal lower edge of the recesses 34 of the transverse panels 3 and 4 for example constituting shelves as seen in FIG. 6. In addition, when the panels 35 are brought into their horizontal position, they can be pushed back towards the outside through recesses 34 so that lugs 36 which they carry can penetrate into recesses 37 formed in the inner face of the transverse walls 33 of the cover 7 to constitute means for locking the cover 7, these lugs 36 being able to enter recesses 38 open towards the top of the transverse panels 3 and 4 when the panels 35 are in their vertical position so as to keep them in alignment with the panels 3 and 4. In order to be able to carry out the displacements of the panels 35 relative to the transverse panels 3 and 4, it can be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 that devices have been provided generally identified by the reference 39 which comprise horizontal and transverse axes 40 integral with the panels 3 and 4 and plates 41 integral with the panels 35 and having oblong recesses 42 into which the axes 40 penetrate. Of course, other systems ensuring the same movements and interlocks could be provided.

We will now describe how it is possible to dismantle and fold up the passenger compartment 1 so that it reaches its folded and stored position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, from its deployed position visible in FIGS. 1 and 2.

First of all, the panels 35 are pulled inwards and horizontally so as to release the pins 36 from the recesses 37 provided in the transverse panels 33 of the cover 7 and these panels 35 are pivoted upwards so as to arrange them in the recesses 34 of the transverse panels 3 and 4 and in alignment with the latter. The roof 7 is thus unlocked.

The cover 7 is separated by moving it upwards. The longitudinal walls 5 and 6 formed by the elements 11 and 12 and the panels 15 and 16 are dismantled and separated, lifting them so as to release the axes 29 and 30 carried by the transverse panels 3 and 4 of the panels 27 and 28 provided in the transverse walls 21 and 22 of the elements 11 and 12, the transverse panels 3 and 4 remaining vertical taking into account the fact that they are carried by the bottom 2 via gussets 9 and 10.

Then, the transverse panel 3 is folded inwards so as to bring it into a horizontal position, this panel 3 pivoting around the axes of the gussets 9 which make it possible to provide a space in which between the folded panel 3 and the bottom 2 for example staying permanently a mattress 43.

The other transverse panel 4 is folded down so as to bring it into abutment against the upper face of the folded panel 3, the axes of articulation of the gussets 10, by means of which it is articulated on the bottom 2, being, perpendicularly to the panel 4, more offset than the axes of articulation of the gussets 9 on the bottom 2 so as to allow such stacking.

Next, the panel 16 is folded around the hinge 20 so as to bring it against the outside face of the panel 18 of the element 12 and this assembly is placed above the panel 4 as if it had pivoted around the edge. longitudinal end of the panel 18a. Thus, the inner face of the panel 18 comes to bear on the panel 4, the panel 18a extends vertically along the initially vertical field of the panels 3 and 4 and walls 22 extend vertically along and on each side of the edges corresponding to panels 3 and 4 initially arranged at the top and bottom.

The panel 15 is folded against the inner face of the panel 17 of the element 11. This assembly is stacked on top of the assembly formed by the elements 12 and the panel 16 already stacked as if it had pivoted around the longitudinal edge. end of the panel 17a. Thus, the panel 15 extends in the extension of the panel 16 and above the panel 16 carried by the panel 18 and of the panel 15 which it carries, the panel 17a extends vertically opposite the panel 18a of the element 12 and the transverse panels 21 extend vertically outside the vertical transverse panels 22 of the element 12.

It should be noted that the different panels must be sized to allow this stacking. In particular, the bulge 14 delimited by the element 12 must have, in the longitudinal direction, between its transverse walls 22, an internal dimension slightly greater than the height of the panels 3 and 4 in the deployed position, the bulge 13 delimited by the element 11 must have between its transverse walls 21, an internal longitudinal dimension slightly greater than the external longitudinal dimension of the bulge 14 delimited by the element 12. In order to make up for the differences in dimension, it can be seen in particular in FIG. 4 that the gussets 9 and 10 have recesses 44 which are parallel to the panels 3 and 4 which are crossed by the hinge pins 45 carried by the bottom 2, these oblong recesses 44 allowing the transverse panels 3 and 4 to be moved horizontally after they have been in the horizontal folded position.

To complete the folding of the passenger compartment 1, the cover 7 is placed on the assembly already stored in such a way that its horizontal panel 31 extends horizontally above the panel 17 of the element 11 and that these vertical side walls 32 and 33 extend outside to the peripheral edge of the bottom 2 and surrounds the folded panels stored above the bottom 2.

Of course, means for locking the cover 7 on the bottom 2 are provided, these locking means possibly being conventional means and have not therefore been shown.

Thus in the folded position, the passenger compartment 1 is in the form of a compact parallelepiped occupying only substantially the volume of the cover 7.

To deploy and reassemble the passenger compartment 1 so as to bring it into its position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it suffices to operate in the other direction. In summary, the cover 7 is separated, the assembly formed by the element 12 and the panel 16 is separated, the assembly formed by the element 11 and the panel 15 is separated, the transverse panels 3 and 4 are deployed so as to bring them vertical, the panels 15 and 16 are deployed and the assemblies formed by the elements 11 and 12 and the panels 15 and 16 are assembled to the transverse panels 3 and 4 by virtue of the notches 27 and 28 provided on the elements 11 and 12 and to the axes 29 and 30 provided on the panels 3 and 4, this assembly thus formed by the cover 7 is covered and the panels 35 are folded down so as to lock the cover 7 by means of the pins 36 on the transverse panels 3 and 4.

Of course, it is advantageous to provide seals at all the necessary places between the different panels, in particular between the side walls 3, 4, 15 and 16 and the cover 7, between the side walls 3 and 4 and the side walls 11, 15 and 12, 16 , between the side walls 3, 4, 17a and 18a and the bottom 2, between the panels 15 and 16 and the elements 11 and 12, and between the edges of the bottom 2 and the lower edges of the side walls 32 and 33 of the cover 7 when the passenger compartment 1 is in the folded position.

The cabin which has just been described makes it possible, thanks to the structure of the bulges 13 and 14 provided in the two opposite longitudinal walls 5 and 6, to obtain a large interior space in the cockpit and a ratio of its volume in the deployed position. at its volume in the folded position also important.

In addition, as several of its elements are separable, it is easily removable and easily reassembled. It can therefore be assembled and disassembled as well as transported without particular difficulties, for example on a motor vehicle.

The present invention is not limited to the example described above. Many other alternative embodiments are possible without departing from the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims (9)

1. Dwelling place of the foldable and/or dismountable type comprising two transverse panels (3,4) and two longitudinal panels (5,6), a roof (7) and a base (2), the said panels of which can assume an opened-out position in which they form, between the base and the roof, sidewalls and a folded-in or stored position in which they extend above the said base, the said longitudinal panels each having a bulge (13,14) which, in their opened-out position, constitutes an outward bulge, these bulges being such that in the folded or stored position, their lower parts being opposite one another, they penetrate one another, the smallest bulge (14) being capable of accommodating in the folded or stored position, the said transverse panels (3,4) on top of the said base, characterized in that the lower part of each of the said longitudinal panels (5,6) constitutes the abovementioned bulge (13,14), each longitudinal panel (5,6) additionally comprising a longitudinal upper part (15,16) adjacent to the bulge of its lower part and foldable onto one of the faces of the latter, the said roof (7) being separable so as to allow the folding or storage of the panels constituting the said sidewalls (3,4,5,6).

2. Dwelling place according to Claim 1, characterized in that the longitudinal upper part (16) of the longitudinal panel (6) having the smallest bulge (14) is foldable onto the outer face of the longitudinal wall (18) of the latter and the longitudinal upper part (15) of the longitudinal panel (5) having the largest bulge (13) is foldable onto the inner face of the longitudinal wall (17) of the latter, the longitudinal upper parts (15,16) of the longitudinal panels extending, in the folded position, between the longitudinal walls (17,18) of the said bulges (13,14).

3. Dwelling place according to one of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the transverse panels (3,4), the longitudinal wall (18) of the bulge (14) of the longitudinal panel (6) with the smallest bulge, the upper parts (15,16) of the longitudinal panels (5,6), the longitudinal wall (17) of the bulge (13) of the longitudinal panel (5) with the largest bulge and the upper face (31) of the roof (7) are plane and stacked on top of the base (2).

4. Dwelling place according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said bulges (13,14) are, in vertical section, perpendicular to the panels, of L-shaped cross-section.

5. Dwelling place according to Claim 4, characterized in that one of the walls (17,18) of the said bulges (13,14) of L-shaped cross-section constitutes the said longitudinal wall whereas the other (17a, 18a) constitutes a lower wall.

6. Dwelling place according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said roof (7) is in the form of a cover so that, in the folded or stored position on top of the said base, it envelops the said side panels, its peripheral edge joining the peripheral edge of the said base, and so that, in the opened-out position, it envelops the upper part of the said side panels.

7. Dwelling place according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said longitudinal panels (5,6) have opposite shoulders (23,25 ; 24,26) against which the transverse panels (3,4) rest.

8. Dwelling place according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said base (2) is formed by a horizontal plate.

9. Dwelling place according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the said base (2) is basin-shaped, the said side panels extending from the upper edges of the walls of this basin.

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