Retractable Double-Width Camper Shell for Low-Drag Vehicle Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Camper shells and tents affixed to vehicles increase drag, reducing vehicle efficiency and limiting storage space, particularly in electric vehicles, which affects range and convenience.
Innovation Solution
A retractable camper shell and tent system integrated into a vehicle compartment using a rail system, with collapsible materials and rigid structures, expands to create space while maintaining a low drag coefficient by folding within the vehicle's compartment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If camper shells or tents are affixed to vehicles to provide resting space, then passenger comfort and convenience are improved, but vehicle drag increases and fuel efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The camper shell is designed to be retractable and transformable, allowing it to dynamically change between extended and retracted states. The side walls are configured to slide relative to each other, enabling the shell to expand for passenger comfort and retract to minimize drag, thus resolving the contradiction between comfort and energy efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The camper shell is divided into multiple separable components including first and second side walls that can move independently, a roof structure, and a retractable mechanism. This segmentation allows the shell to be compressed into a compact form within the vehicle compartment when retracted, reducing drag while maintaining full functionality when extended
2Strength
If rigid support structures are used to create expanded interior space, then the stability and strength of the camper shell are improved, but the difficulty of collapsing and storing the shell increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid side walls are designed with sliding mechanisms that allow them to move dynamically between extended and retracted positions. The walls can slide along guides or tracks to expand the shell, and the same mechanism enables them to be compressed back for storage, maintaining structural integrity while enabling easy collapse
Solution Approach 2:
The side walls are configured to nest within each other when retracted, with the first side wall and second side wall positioned to slide into one another or into designated storage spaces within the vehicle compartment. This nesting arrangement allows the rigid structures to be compacted efficiently without compromising their strength when extended
3Volume of moving object
If the camper shell is designed to expand to provide large interior space, then passenger capacity and comfort are improved, but the storage space required when collapsed increases
Solution Approach 1:
The camper shell employs a dynamic expansion mechanism where the side walls slide outward to increase interior volume when needed, and slide inward to compress the shell into a compact form for storage. This dynamic transformation allows the shell to provide large interior space during use while occupying minimal storage space when retracted
Solution Approach 2:
The side walls are designed to move along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, utilizing the length of the vehicle compartment for storage rather than occupying cross-sectional space. This dimensional approach allows the shell to expand in volume when extended while maintaining a low-profile compact form when retracted along the vehicle's length
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are embodiments for providing an apparatus including a platform configured to be supported by a side of a vehicle and one or more actuators configured to support a roof structure, wherein the roof structure is coupled with the platform to support the platform over the side of the vehicle.