Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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This is a divisional of Canadian Patent Application
Serial No. 403,776 filed May 25th,1982.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a motor van, and more
particularly, to a motor van having separable compartments
creating integrated mohile living quarters.
Although large motor homes and trailers have been
in use for a number of years, recent increases in fuel costs have
created a need for more compact motor homes capable of providing
all of the amenities of the larger motor homes but at a saving
in fuel cost and space. Other considerations are greater
10 flexibility and greater ease of handling. The ideal motor home
would represent a compromise of these features and contain an
interior allowing for both a single living space during the
major part of the travelling day and division of that living
space during the remainder of the day into separated compartments
15 for specialized activities such as sleeping, cooking and personal
hygiene.
Certain features are essential in a motor van being
utilized as a motor home. It must contain comfortable seating
for travelling, suitable kitchen facilities such as a stove and
20 fridge, a toilet, a shower or similar wash facility, and sleeping
quarters. Depending upon the space available in the motor van,
one or more of these features may be placed in the same section
of the van.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention is a motor van having an
interior arranged to form a motor home that takes optimum
advantage of the available space. Such vans may be provided in
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various lengths, their interior being separable into either
two or three compartments depending upon available space. The
forward compartment would generally contain a seating arrangement
optionally convertible into several beds. In that same
compartment, a stowable, overhead bed may be provided, that bed
in its extended position resting on support means above the
seating arrangement. If the length of the van allows, a fixed
bed may also be installed in the separable rear compartment.
In the longest version of the motor van of the
10 subject invention, both central and rear separable comPartments
are provided. In the shortest version of the motor van only
forward and rear separable compartments are provided. Intermediate
size versions of the motor van are also available. A kitchen
facility, toilet, and shower stall occupy the central separable
15 compartment in the longest version of the motor home, such
facilities being in the rear compartment in the shortest version
of the motor van. The kitchen facility has a balanced weight
distribution and a preferred embodiment of the invention
comprises a sink, a grill area, a fridge, kitchen cabinets
20 and overhead cupboards. The toilet is preferably of the
conventional type for motor homes and connects to a waste
storage tank mounted under the floor of the van. The shower
stall is of a unique construction and has a fold-sut coat rack
assembly pivotally connected to its frame so as to double as
25 a storage closet. The toilet and shower stall are located in
what is broadly termed a toilet region and are associated with
attractive cabinet coverings which double as foldable partitions
to isolate those facilities in use from the remaining space
in the van. The
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creation of privacy areas by the use of these dual function
partitions is an important aspect of the invention.
The longest version of the motor van has a third
separable compartment at the rear, the compartment housing a
fixed bed or a dinette arrangement convertible into a bed. The
bed formed in this compartment may be either additional to or
in replacement of the bed formed by the convertible seating arrange-
ment or the stowable, overhead bed. In this regard, it should
be mentioned that in the shortest version of the van there is
10 no room for a rear bed facility, the forward separable compartment
of the van having both the convertible seating arrangement and
the stowable, overhead bed.
The invention of the present divisional
is particularly directed to a motor van having in a forward
section thereof a convertible sleeping area, the sleeping
area comprising a pair of front seats and a pair of rear
; seats, each of the seats having a seating portion and said
rear seats each including a movable backing portion; means
for supporting each of the front seats for rotation about a
vertical axis; means for supporting each of the rear seats
so that their seating portions are linearly movable in a
front-to-back direction; means for releasably retaining the
` backing portions of the rear seats in an upright position;
the front and rear seats being adapted to assume either a
sitting position or a sleeping position so that when in the
sitting position each of the front seats~faces forwardly of
the vehicle body with each rear seat being situated behind and
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suitably spaced from each front seat and when in the sleeping
position, each of the front seats having been rotated so as to
face the adjacent side of the vehicle with each rear seat
having been moved forward so that the seating portion thereof
is adjacent the seating portion of the seat in front, and
each said backing portion having been released from the upright
position and located horizontally immediately behind the
seating portion thereof, the seating portion of the rear seat
being located intermediate the backing portion and the
seating portion of the front seat and all being arranged to
lie in generally co-planar relation to one another such that
two beds are formed extending from front to back on either
side of the sleeping area.
Further aspects of the invention will be apparent
from the following description and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Ox THE DRAWINGS
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The subject invention will now be described in
greater detail by way of example. In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective cutaway view of the right
side of the longest version of the motor van;
: Figure 2 is a cutaway perspective view of the left
side of the motor van of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a plan view of the motor van interior
illustrating a seating arrangement convertible to a pair of beds
and also illustrating the toilet and shower stall covering pivoted
to form a privacy compartment:
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Figure 4 is a plan view of a motor van interior
as in Figure 3, and additionally illustrating a rear dining
compartment which is convertible to a double bed as shown
in Figure 5;
Figure 5 is a plan view of the motor van
interior of Figure 4 illustrating a pair of beds formed by the
convertible
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seating arrangement in the frDnt area an either a fixed double ked in the
rear area or a bed which is conver~ble to dinette as shcwn in Figure 4,
Figure 6 is a cutaway view through the right side
of the motor van illustrating the convertible seating arrangement
and also illustrating the stowable, overhead bed;
Figure 7 is a perspective forward view of the forward
compartment lllustrating the stowable, overhead bed in the
retracted position;
Figure 8 is a perspective forward view of the
forward compartment illustrating the stowable, overhead bed in the
10 extended position;
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the covered
toilet and shower stall facility of the motor van, illustrating
in outline a partial fold-out position for the covering;
Figure 10 is a perspective view of the toilet and
15 shower stall facility after movement of the covering to a
position to form a separated privacy compartment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
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A preferred embodiment of the motor van of the
subject invention will next be described utilizing the accompany-
20 ing drawings.
Motor van 11 has the chassis and body of one ofthe vans commercially available in the marketplace. The van
interior fixtures of the subject invention are adopted to be
placed in a Dodge "Ram Series 250" van, although other vans
25 available in the marketplace could be utilized to house the same
or similar fixtures. Preferably, the chosen van will have an
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engine economic on gas, power steering, power brakes, and
other features that contribute to a smooth comfortable ride, such
as cruise control, steel belted tires, and a stabilizer bar.
The van of the preferred embodiment has side doors
12 and a rear door 13 to allow passengers rapid access to the van
interior. Three separable sections or compartments are created
in the motor van of Figures 1 and 2: a forward compartment 14, a
central compartment 15, and a rear compartment 16, such sections
or compartments being serially arranged in the lengthwise
10 direction of the van body and being in close juxtaposition to one
another. In a shorter version of the motor van of the subject
invention there are only two compartments: a forward seating
compartment and a rear compartment, the rear compartment containing
fixtures similar to those that will subsequently be described in
15 central compartment 15.
Forward compartment 14 represents approximately
half of the interior space of the van and has side windows 17 and
18 in addition to the standard windows to allow passengers
seated in the forward compartment a panoramic view outside.
Figures 1 and 2 illustrate four swivel seats 19 mounted in the
forward compartment; however, as illustrated in Figures 5 to 8
inclusive, the two rear swivel seats may each be replaced by a
fixed seat 20 which, in conjunction with the swivel seat forward
thereof, may be ccnverted into a bed as will subsequently be
more fully explained. A table 25 is removably mounted in the
forward compartment 14 such that it is central to either of the
four swivel seats 19 or of the pair of front swivel seats 19
and the pair of fixed rear seats 20. The table may be
eccentrically mounted to its support post and off centered
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relative to the floor to provide extra room when rotated out
of its normal position. For driving all swivel seats are in
the forward position and table 25 could be detached from the
floor and stored if desired.
Figures 3 to 6 illustrate a seating arrangement
convertible to a pair of beds. Each bed 19' is formed by a
forward swivel seat 19 and the associated fixed seat 20 located
at the rear thereof. To form a bed, the swivel seat is rotated
such that its bark portion is proximate of the other swivel seat
10 and its arms, which are pivotally connected to the back portion,
are in the raised position (see Figure 6). The fixed seat 20
which is behind the particular swivel seat 19 is modified to
form an extended horizontal platform for the bed, as shown in
; outline in Figure 6. Seat 20 has a seating portion 23 to which
15 is rigidly secured at the forward end a vertical front plate 24.
The side edges of seating portion 23 rest on a pair of
; forwardly extending vertical frame walls 31. A back rest
27 is provided with loops on its upper edge which fasten to
hooks mounted on partition 26. Back rest 27 slopes downwardly
20 away from partition 26, its lower portion being spaced from
partition 26 by a cushion 28. As shown in Figure 6, seating
portion 23 of each rear seat 20 may be moved forward such that
its front edge is adjacent to a side do of the rotated swivel
seat forwardly thereofD The rear edge of seating portion 23 in
?~ such forward position is supported by vertical frame support 30,
that support sitting proximate of vertical front plate 24 when
seating portion 23 is in the retracted position. With seating
portion 23 in the forward position, back rest 27 is dislodged
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from the hooks that hold it to partition 26 and laid on a
horizontal strip 25 rigidly secured to the partition 26 which
separates the forward compartment from the adjoining compartment.
The top edges of the pair of forwardly extended vertical frame
walls 31 are covered by seating portion 23 and support the
latter when in the retracted position. On the driver's side of
the van, the two cushions 28 are placed on a support bridging
the span between side walls 31 between seating portion 23 in
its forward position and back rest 27 to form the bed; the
driver's swivel seat is positioned slightly forwardly of the
other swivel seat and the other bed does not require similar
cushions. Figure 6 illustrates in outline the bed formed on the
driver's side by the rear seat in the extended position and by
the rotated swivel seat forward thereof, that swivel seat having
been rotated counterclockwise one-quarter turn and its arms
pivoted to the raised position. Figure 5 illustrates the two
beds 19' that are thus formed in the forward compartment, the
bed on the driver 15 side bring of slightly greater length. The
relatively wide seating portion 23 which forms the central
2D portion of the bed provides extra room for the sleeper where it
is most needed. Suitable means, not shown, are provided to
lock the swivel seats 19 in their forward, driving positions
whereby to prevent unwanted turning of same about their vertical
swivel axes. The space between vertical walls 31 under seating
portion 23 in the retracted position is normally used to store
bedding and similar items.
An alternate bed arrangement for the forward
compartment of the van is illustrated in Figures 6, 7, and 8.
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The alternate arrangement, which finds greater application to
a van housing four swivel seats in the forward compartment, is a
stowable overhead bed comprising three boards 35, 36, and 37,
each of similar length but of different width, board 37 being
wider than board 36 which is wider than board 35. The three
boards together form the base of the stowable bed, the boards
being supported by three fold-down support members, two of
which are each pivotally secured to a respective side of the van
above the windows and the third of which is pivotally secured to
10 a horizontal shelf at the forward end of the van. The support
members pivotally secured to the side walls of the van are boards
41 and 42 which are hinged to boards 43 and 44, respectively,
the latter pair of boards being permanently mounted to a respective
one of the side walls of the van. The support member at the
15 forward end of the van is pivotably mounted to the rearward edge
of horizontal shelf member 45 which extends laterally across
the van proximate of the top of the windshield. The forward
support member consists of two boards hinged together such that
in their retxacted position a first one of the boards 47 extends
20 generally vertically and the other board 48 extends generally
horizontally. The hinges on boards 47 and 48 are positioned
such that with boards 35, 36, and 37 unstowed, boards 47 and 48
may be pivoted as a unit on the hinge connecting board 47 to
the rearward edge of horizontal ledge 45. That hinge, which in
25 the stowed bed position is on the lower edge of board 47, is
on the upper edge of board 47 aster such rotation. Board 47
is then rotated relative to board 48 until the two boards hank
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in vertical planar alignment (as shown in dashed lines in
Fig. 6). Boards 41 and 42 may assume either a raised position,
as shown in Figure 7, or a lowered position, as shown in
Figure 8; the two boards have angle iron members 51 and 52,
respectively, secured to their lower edges as those edges are
defined in the lowered position. This arrangement is illustrated
in Figures 7 and 8. Board 48 also has a length of angle iron
48a extending along its lower edge and best seen in the lowered
position (shown in dashed lines in Fig.6). The boards 35, 36
10 and 37 rest upon the three sections of angle iron 48a, 51 and 52,
as illustrated in outline in Figure 6. Of boards 35, 36 and 37,
the board placed in the forward position has holes extending
- through its thickness on one of its longer edges and on the two
corners facing that edge. Pins 39 located to correspond to the
15 holes in the forwardly positioned board extend from the three
sections of angle iron such that placement of the pins 39 into the
holes on the forwardly positioned board locks the forward and
side support members in a defined spatial relationship. Boards
41 and 42 are thus prevented from moving laterally outward and
20 board 48 is prevented from moving forwardly. The position of
pins 39 and the corresponding holes in the forwardly positioned
board are illustrated in Figure 6. Stops 55 and 56 are each
fastened to partitions 29 and 26 respectively at the rear edges
of boards 41 and 42, respectively, to further prevent those
25 boards from moving outwardly.
Boards 41 and 42 serve a double purpose for the
storable bed. Not only do they support boards 35, 36 and 37
when those three boards are in their lowered position, but
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they also prevent those three boards from sliding back when
in their raised position. As shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8,
boards 41 and 42 are cut such that their forward ends are of
decreased depth to match with a ledge defined by strips 38;
boards 35, 36 and 37 rest upon these strips 38 which are
permanently mounted to the forward ends of permanently mounted
boards 43 and 44. All of the-hinges used in the stowable bed
assembly are preferably of the piano hinge variety and extend
the length of the hinged surfaces thus providing ample support
10 when the bed is in use.
The separable privacy compartment behind the forward
compartment, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 9 and 10, will
now be described in detail. For better clarification, the
separable privacy compartment is designated as region 15 of the
15 van of Figure 1. That compartment defines on one side a toilet
region which contains a flush toilet and an adjoining shower
stall and coat rack facility, as well as an oppositely disposed
kitchen facility all of which are mounted either to or alongside
the side walls of the van body A longitudinally extending
passageway 15a(Fig.5) extends through such compartment and
provides communication between the main compartments or sections
14, 15 and 16 of the van. The toilet region may be considered
as extending the full length of the central compartment 15
adjacent an associated sidewall of the van. The folding doors
which define partitions movable from positions covering and
concealing this toilet region (and the facilities therein)
from view, to other positions wherein such toilet region, and
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its facilities, are opened and exposed for use, will now be
described. The upper portion of the toilet is covered by a
folding door 60 having a pair of panels of substantially similar
size hinged together along their long edges by hinge 60a and
which can be unfolded, as shown in Figures 3 and 10 to extend
from partition 26 (to which door 60 is hinged as seen in Figs.
3, 9 and 10) by hinge 60b to partition 29 which abuts the
forward end of the kitchen facility. With folding door 60 in
the folded condition its two panels overlie one another
in a plane recessed from the front of the toilet,
and blocking use of the toilet, with the hinges
which support the two panels being located at opposite sides of
the toilet region as seen in Figs. 3 and 9. With folding door
60 in the extended position, front cabinet panel 61 may be
; - 15 pivoted on the hinge extending vertically on its edge to assume
a position in coplanar alignment with the extended folding door
60. This is illustrated in Figure 10. A sliding panel (not
shown) can be slidably secured to the front cabinet panel 61
such that extended folding door 60 and front cabinet panel 61
essentially present a uniform wall to the forward compartment
of the van. As mentioned, this wall extends laterally in the van
such that its outer edge is proximate the edge of the fixed
partition 29 (see Fig.3). Flush toilet 62 is of a conventional
design for motor homes and is connected to a waste storage tank
located under the floor of the motor van. Top cabinet panel 63
of the toilet is rigidly secured to the toilet seat and can be
pivoted to an open position when folding door 60 is in the
extended position. As shown in Figure 10, the toilet has shelves
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64 mounted thereabove, those shelves being utilized for
storing toiletries and similar materials.
When the folding doors 60, 67, are in their
extended positions to form the central privacy compartment, the
space in front of the toilet region, including the passageway
15a and the kitchen facility, is effectively converted into
useable space, providing extra room for person(s) using the
privacy compartment.
The central compartment 15 is also separable from
the rear compartment 16 of the van by means of a foldable door
67 as shown in Figures 3, 9 and lO and comprising a large door
panel 66 and a small panel or leaf 73. Foldable door 67 is
pivotally connected to fold-out coat rack assembly 68 by
vertically extending piano hinge 69 which extends parallel to the
hinge 60b of folding door 60. Coat rack assembly 68 is in turn
pivotally connected to the frame of shower stall 70 by vertically
extending piano hinge 71 which extends parallel to and slightly
rearwardly on the van from hinge 69. Foldable door panel 66
has the leaf 73 pivotally connected thereto by a piano hinge 73a,
leaf 73 extending vertically along the outer edge of foldable
door panel 66 and a wedge shaped panel 73b is fixed to the same
edge as hinge 73a is fixed but it is on the outside. Panel 66
is sufficiently wide as to cover the entire front face of the
shower stall. Leaf 74 extends horizontally along the upper edge
of the foldable base portion 78 of the shower stall and is
connected thereto by a piano-type hinge. When foldable door 67
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is in its closed position, its leaf 73 folds in behind the door
panel 66,as shown in Figure 9, and wedge-shaped panel 73b butts up
to the sloping partition 75 which separates the toilet from the
shower stall. A deep tray 76 is secured to the back surface of
folding door 67.
Fold-out coat rack assembly 68 consists of a shelf
surrounded by a pair of side panels 68a, 68b and a rear panel 68c,
as shown in Figure 10. The side panel 68b to which piano hinge
69 is fastened extends approximately two-thirds the height of
the shower stall, the other side panel 68a extending only up-
wardly from the shelf to the top of the shower stall. The back
panel extends downwardly behind the shelf at an angle, as
shown in Figure 10, all of the panels of the coat rack assembly
being so positioned to fit into the shower stall, which is shaped
to conform to the side of the van. A coat rack 68d (shown in
dashed lines in Fig.10) is secured to the underside of the shelf
of the coat rack assembly.
Shower stall 70, as shown in Figure lO,may be of
a moulded rigid plastic construction or of a plastic-ply-wood
laminate. The shower stall has an integral foldable base portion
78 connected to its main portion by a flexible piece of vinyl 79.
The flexible vinyl piece extends across a V-shaped cut in each
side of the lower part of the shower stall. The front base
portion of the shower stall is rotatable between an upper
retracted position (wherein it is located generally below the
foldable door 67 to form a lower cover for the shower stall)
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along a fold line connecting the apices Gl the V-shaped cuts,
to an extended horizontal position for use closely adjacent
to or on the floor of the motor van. The fold line is defined by
a hinge and the vinyl 79 is of one piece and extends completely
5 across the assembly to cover the hinge and prevent leakage of
water. The lower main portion of the shower stall has a seat 81
integrally former therein, shower head 82 being mounted on a
flexible shower hose for ease of handling by a person seated on
seat 81. A shower curtain (not shown) is detachably secured to
a plurality of clips (which may be Velcro-covered knobs) on the
ceiling of the van and hangs such that its lower end is inside
of the base portion of the shower stall. When the shower stall
is no longer required, coat rack assembly 68 is rotated back into
its position in the shower stall and the shower curtain (not
shown) rests against the back panel of the coat rack assembly.
Fasteners are employed to hold folding door 60, foldable door
67 and fold-out coat rack assembly 68 in either their closed or
; extended positions.
The rear compartment of the van may be utilized
2Q for several different functions. Firstly, it may house a fixed
bed as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Alternatively, it may house a
bed convertible into a central table with a bench along each side
of the van (see Figs. and 4). It is also possible to have a
permanent dinette arrangement in the rear portion of the van.
In that compartment, overhead cabinets are provided for storing
bedding, table linen and similar items.
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The foregoing description has related to the longest
version of the van to which the features of the subject inven-tion
are applicable. However, it should be obvious that the features
of the invention could also be repositioned so as to be
accommodated in a van of shorter length. For instance, a shorter
van might have only the contents of the forward and central
compartments of the described embodiment. Or a shorter version
of the van might not have a shower stall in the toilet region,
instead having a regular clothes closet or other feature. It
should be noted that when no shower is installed, door 67 and
leaf 73 extend all the way to the floor. In that situation,
door 60 is brought forward several inches into line with door
67 and wedge panel on leaf 73 omitted as the sloping partition
73 is not there. The toilet is then moved back the same distance;
the shelves behind it and the partition separating the toilet
and shower stall are eliminated and door 60 brought down to the
floor all the way as well so that lower door 61 can be eliminated
also. In other words, the toilet and clothes closet are both
placed in the same enclosure or toilet region with the two sets
of folding doors being used to create the partitions. It is
also possible for a dinette to be placed along one of the side
walls of the van, replacing one of the rear seats in the forward
compartment and also a portion of the central compartment.
In summary, there has been described a motor van
having an interior space which can be quickly converted from
what is effectively a single room into two and/or three private
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compartments with little or no effort. A center compartment
which can be quickly created by means of movable partitions (in
turn automatically creating two more compartments, one in the
front and one in the rear) has a number of facilities. On one
side adjacent the van wall there is provided a kitchen facility
and on the other side there is provided toilet and shower stall
facilities, the shower stall doubling as a coat closet without
sacrificing valuable space. This center utility compartment
is always available for active use in that it is never
occupied by seats, table or beds. The movable partitions
perform a unique dual function in that when in their extended
positions to create the center privacy compartment, the fixtures
in such compartment are effectively uncovered and ready for use
while in the retracted conditions, at least portions of such
facilities are effectively concealed or hidden from view. The
quickly creatable front compartment may contain four wide
comfortable passenger seats which are convertable in a unique
way to two relatively wide single beds having sufficient space
between them for moving about and providing quick access to the
central utility-privacy compartment. These seats and beds are
rapidly interchangeable one to the other. This front compartment
also contains a stowable overhead double adult size bed which can
also be extended or stored away very quickly. When in use, the
mattress support base is suspended in mid-air via flanges
fastened to the bottom edges of elongated horizontal members
when they are in the downwardly pivoted positions. These
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elongated members present a neat and attractive appearance when
in the up position with the mattress support means being stored
closely adjacent the front end of the front compartment so as
not to lose any of the ceiling height available thus enabling
adults to stand upright within the van. The instantly createable
rear compartment may contain a standard adult size dbuble bed
or a chesterfield in a transverse direction or a dinette capable
of seating several people. Both chesterfield and dinette are
convertible to the same sized bed.
