Foldable Sunken Floor Expansion for Support-Free Living Space

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional expandable structures, such as recreational vehicle slide-outs, often require supports that add complexity, weight, and maintain a raised floor level, limiting the expansion of living space and increasing maintenance costs.

Innovation Solution

An expandable home structure with a main section and an outwardly expandable section, featuring a foldable floor that lowers to a sunken position, supported by foldable coverage walls locked into slots on the floor, allowing the floor to transition to ground level.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If supports are added to support the outer edge of the expansion section on the ground, then the expansion section can be stabilized, but the device complexity and weight increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestability of expansion sectionVSAvoidcomplexity of expansion section

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention removes the need for external supports by extracting the support function from separate components and integrating it into the floor structure itself. The floor is designed to extend downward and rest directly on the ground, eliminating the requirement for additional support elements while maintaining stability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The support function is merged with the floor structure. Instead of having separate supports and floor, the floor itself serves as the support element by extending downward to contact the ground, combining multiple functions into a single integrated component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Stability of the object's composition

If supports are added to support the outer edge of the expansion section on the ground, then the expansion section can be stabilized, but the weight of the vehicle increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestability of expansion sectionVSAvoidweight of vehicle

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the floor is raised to permit sliding inward over the main section floor, then the expansion section can be integrated with the main structure, but the living space is reduced and the floor level is elevated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintegration of expansion sectionVSAvoidliving space

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of raising the floor to achieve integration, the invention inverts the approach by lowering the floor structure downward to rest on the ground. This allows the expansion section to be integrated with the main structure while maintaining or even increasing living space volume, as the floor does not need to be elevated.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

4Volume of moving object

If a foldable floor structure is used that can lower to ground level, then living space can be expanded with a sunken room, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveliving spaceVSAvoidcomplexity of floor structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The floor structure is segmented into multiple foldable sections that can be collapsed and stored within the main structure when not in use. This segmentation allows the floor to be deployed to create sunken rooms and then conveniently stowed away, managing complexity through modular design.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The foldable floor sections are designed to nest within each other or within the main structure when collapsed. This nesting capability allows the expandable floor to be stored compactly when not in use, reducing the overall footprint and managing the complexity of having a movable floor system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS12570202B2Foldable sunken house structure

Publication Date: 2026.03.10 A&C FUTURE INC

AI summary

An expandable home structure includes a main structure and a first expansion section that is expandable outward in a first direction from a first side of the main structure. Once the expansion section is expanded, coverage members can unfold from a bottom of the floor member and the floor member can be lowered within the unfolded coverage members, thus providing a sunken floor for the expanded section. The floor member may fold vertically against the main section in the folded configuration. After the front and rear walls are unfolded from the main section, the outer wall of the expansion section can be moved outward from the main section to cause the floor member to lower into its horizontal, expanded, and raised position. The coverage members can be unfolded from the bottom of the floor member and the floor member can be lowered.