Internal Jack System for Wheel-less Truck Camper
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Solution Overview
Problem
External jacks on pick-up truck campers are unsightly, susceptible to damage, and inconvenient to attach and remove, as they are mounted outside the camper and exposed to the elements.
Innovation Solution
Internal jack system where jacks are mounted between the inner and outer walls of the camper, allowing them to be completely or partially hidden from view and protected from damage, with pull-out jacks that extend from the sidewalls for lifting and lowering the camper.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If external jacks are mounted on the outside of the camper, then the lifting function is achieved, but the aesthetic appeal deteriorates and susceptibility to damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The jack is nested within the camper's wall structure, specifically positioned between the inner wall and outer wall. This nesting arrangement protects the jack from external damage and environmental exposure while maintaining its lifting function, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and exposure to harmful factors.
2Reliability
If external jacks are mounted on the camper, then the lifting function is achieved, but the aesthetic appeal deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The jack is concealed within the wall cavity between inner and outer walls, making it invisible from the exterior. This nesting approach maintains the camper's aesthetic appearance while preserving the lifting function, resolving the contradiction between reliability and shape/aesthetics.
Solution Approach 2:
The jack is designed to be dynamically extendable and retractable. When not in use, it remains concealed within the wall; when needed, it extends outward to perform the lifting function. This dynamic behavior allows the system to maintain aesthetic appeal while ensuring lifting capability.
3Shape
If removable external jacks are used, then the aesthetic appeal is improved when not attached, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to attachment and removal requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The jack is pre-installed and permanently integrated into the camper's wall structure during manufacturing. This preliminary action eliminates the need for users to attach or remove the jack, significantly improving ease of operation while maintaining aesthetic appeal through the concealed design.
Solution Approach 2:
The jack is merged with the camper's wall structure, becoming an integrated part of the overall design rather than a separate removable component. This merging eliminates attachment/removal operations while maintaining the aesthetic benefits of a streamlined appearance.
Data Source
AI summary
The wheel-less camper comprises at least one jack mounted to the camper, the first jack being disposed inside the first sidewall. The camper may include a second jack, the second jack being disposed inside the second sidewall. Each wall of the camper may have an inner wall and an outer wall, the first jack being disposed between the inner and outer wall of the first sidewall and the second jack being disposed between the inner wall and outer wall of the second sidewall. The camper may also include third jack and a fourth jack. In one embodiment, the inner walls are omitted. In another embodiment, the inner wall includes a bulged area or an unevenness to accommodate one or more of the jacks. In another embodiment, the first jack may be a pull-out jack that is movable between a first position in which it is disposed inside the first sidewall and a second position in which it extends out from the first sidewall. The camper may include a second pull-out jack.