Expandable Shelter Shell Layout for Larger RV Living Space
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Recreational vehicles face a disadvantageous ratio of comfort to cost, necessitating improvements in expandable shelter designs.
Innovation Solution
A chassis-mounted expandable shelter system with movable shells and a bearing arrangement, along with a platform and levelling apparatus, to enhance comfort and functionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the shelter is designed to be expandable to increase living space, then the comfort is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shelter is divided into a central body and multiple detachable shells that can be independently assembled and disassembled. Each shell is a self-contained module with its own structural integrity, allowing the overall shelter volume to be expanded by adding shells without requiring a completely complex integrated structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The shells are designed to nest within or adjacent to the central body and each other when collapsed, maximizing space efficiency during transport. When expanded, the shells unfold or attach to create additional living space, effectively transitioning from a compact nested configuration to an expanded modular configuration.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the shells are made movable between collapsed and expanded positions, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The shells are mounted on movable connections that allow dynamic transition between collapsed and expanded positions. The bearing arrangement enables the shells to move relative to the central body, providing adaptability for different living configurations while using standardized mechanical components rather than complex control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The bearing arrangement and mounting mechanisms are designed to be universal, allowing the same structural components to serve multiple functions: supporting the shell weight, enabling movement between positions, and providing stable connections when expanded. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized components for each function.
3Reliability
If the bearing arrangement is designed to handle complex movement paths, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing arrangement incorporates elements that cushion and absorb shocks during the movement of shells between collapsed and expanded positions. By providing beforehand cushioning for the movement paths, the system ensures reliable operation under varying loads and conditions without requiring overly complex control or compensation mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for use with a road transportable chassis comprises a body and a pair of shells. The body is connected in use to the chassis and defines a floor and a ceiling disposed in stacked spaced relation, the floor being horizontal and above the chassis. Each shell comprises: a floor and a ceiling disposed in stacked spaced relation; and a wall from which the floor and ceiling protrude. The shells are moveable between: a collapsed position, wherein the shells are relatively proximal, the walls are disposed in flanking relation to the body, the ceilings of the shells overly the ceiling of the body and the floors of the shells overly the body floor; and an expanded position, wherein the shells are relatively distal, the ceilings of the shells define extensions of the ceiling of the body and the floors of the shells define extensions of the body floor.