Telescopic Habitable Cell With Rotating Floor Panel
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing expandable and transportable habitable cells, such as caravans, face limitations due to their small size, which restricts vehicle width and requires complex manual handling to transition between extended and retracted positions while maintaining interior furnishings.
Innovation Solution
A telescopic habitable cell design featuring two modules that slide one inside the other, with a rotating bottom panel and integrated sliding mechanism, allowing for easy extension and retraction with a single command, maintaining interior furnishings in place.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the habitable cell is made extendable with telescopic modules, then the living space volume is increased, but the device complexity and maneuver difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing one habitable module inside another module in a telescopic arrangement. The inner module can be inserted into and extracted from the outer module, allowing the living space volume to be variable while keeping the transport configuration compact. This nested structure enables volume expansion without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the module connection reversible and movable. The modules can transition between fixed and movable states, allowing the habitable cell to dynamically change its configuration between extended (higher volume) and retracted (compact) positions. This dynamic capability enables adaptive volume adjustment while maintaining operational simplicity through standardized connection interfaces.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the modules are made movable and extendable, then the adaptability is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to complex maneuvering requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the habitable cell into separate, independent modules that can be individually maneuvered and connected. Each module is a self-contained unit with standardized connection interfaces, allowing them to be easily coupled and decoupled. This segmentation enables high configuration adaptability while maintaining ease of operation through simple, repeatable connection actions rather than complex integrated maneuvers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies universality by designing modules with standardized, interchangeable connection interfaces that can be used in various configurations. The same module type can be connected to different module types in different orientations and arrangements, enabling multiple living space configurations from a set of identical or similar modules. This universal interface design simplifies operation by providing consistent coupling procedures regardless of the desired final configuration.
3Ease of operation
If the cell is designed for transportability, then the ease of transport is improved, but the living space volume is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by designing the habitable cell with variable volume capability. The modules can be connected in different configurations to provide either a compact form for transport or an extended form for living. The same physical modules serve dual purposes: they form a small package during transport and can be arranged to create larger living spaces when deployed, enabling the cell to dynamically adapt its volume based on operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses nesting to achieve compact transport configuration by placing smaller modules inside larger ones or arranging them in a nested hierarchy. This nesting allows the habitable cell to be reduced to a minimal transport footprint while preserving the full living space volume capability when modules are extended and arranged in the deployed configuration. The nested structure enables efficient space utilization during transport without permanently reducing the potential living volume.
Data Source
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AI summary
The cell has a wall including a vertical bottom panel (18) formed of a single plate, and mounted movably relative to a floor panel (17). The bottom panel forms a floor of a habitable module (2) when the module is fully extended with respect to another habitable module (1). A mounting unit mounts the bottom panel by an edge (30) with respect to an edge of the floor panel. The mounting unit mounts another edge (31) of the bottom panel of the wall with another vertical bottom panel (23) of another wall.