GB2205535A - Vehicle having sleeping arrangements - Google Patents

Abstract

A motorised caravan has a floor to the caravan body provided with a box assembly 22 therein, which box assembly is of a size sufficient to accommodate a conventional interior-sprung mattress 25. Two floor sections 26 and 27 are hinged to the two ends respectively of the box assembly 22, each floor section being in two parts 28, 29 and 30, 31 respectively, hinged together about lines parallel to the ends of the box assembly 22. When the caravan is to be used for sleeping purposes, the floor sections may be hinged from their first positions where the mattress is covered to their second positions where the floor sections define a head board and a foot board and the mattress is exposed. <IMAGE>

Description

VEHICLE HAVING SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS This invention relates to a vehicle (as defined hereinafter) having a body in which is provided a bed arrangement suitable for providing sleeping accommodation. The invention is applicable to various kinds of vehicle where bed arrangements are to be provided for sleeping accommodation, including vans, caravans and motorised caravans. In this specification, the term "vehicle" is therefore to be construed as extending to all kinds of mobile transport having a body which is adapted to provide non-permanent sleeping accommodation therewithin, as well as allowing other uses to be made of the space available within the body.

For the designer of a vehicle (as defined above) having a body which is adapted to provide at least temporary living accommodation for occupants, the optimum usage of the severely restricted space which may be available within the vehicle body presents significant problems. In particular, the provision of a double bed which is of a size sufficient to permit the comfortable accommodation of two adults and which does not encroach unduly on the available space when the bed is not required has proved to be a particularly difficult problem. There have been proposed many solutions to this problem, most which have relied on the bed being collapsible, foldable or otherwise capable of being dis-assembled at least to some extent; in may of these solutions, the bed may be converted to seating accommodation, when the bed is not to be occupied for sleeping purposes.A consequence of these arrangements is that it is not possible to provide a one-piece mattress of comparable quality to that which normally would be employed in connection with a bed in a dwelling-house. Instead, a mattress in at least two pieces must be used, often the mattress being relatively thin to permit the storage of at least one of the parts, when not required for sleeping.

In some vehicles, if of a sufficiently large size, it has been possible to dedicate an area permanently to the provision of a bed. However, that area within the vehicle body cannot then be used for any other purpose, and that design is impractical for vehicles such as caravans and motorised caravans which are intended to be moved frequently from one place to another.

The present invention stems from a fresh approach to the difficulty of providing sleeping accommodation within a vehicle body, and the realisation that when sleeping accommodation is to be provided, normally there is no need for there also to be provided room for the free movement of occupants about the space within the vehicle body.

Accordingly, this invention provides a vehicle (as defined herein) having a body in which there is provided a bed arrangement, which bed arrangement comprises a box assembly disposed below the general floor level of the vehicle body, the box assembly being configured to be able to accommodate a mattress, and at least a pair of floor sections which may be moved between respective first positions where the mattress is covered thereby with the floor sections being supported by their edge margins to extend substantially co-planar with the general floor level of the vehicle body, and respective second positions where a mattress within the box assembly is exposed for use as a bed.

It will be appreciated that in the vehicle body arrangement of this invention, use of the available floor space is optimised in that when a bed is to be provided within the vehicle body, the principal floor area of the vehicle body is removed to expose the mattress; conversely, when the bed is not required, the mattress may wholly be covered to provide an area of useful floor space, without the need to dismantle the bed, or fold the mattress. This configuration therefore allows a conventional mattress to be employed, comparable to a mattress such as would normally be used for a bed in a dwelling-house. Thus, because there is no need for the mattress to be moved, folded or otherwise packed away, the mattress may typically comprise a conventional one-piece interior sprung mattress.As a consequence, the arrangement of the present invention is most advantageous for it allows the provision of a bed within a vehicle body, which bed may be as comfortable as a conventional domestic bed.

Most preferably, each floor section of the pair thereof is hinged to the vehicle body along one edge of the respective section, whereby each section may be moved between its two said positions by a pivoting action. Conveniently, each floor section when in its second position extends generally vertically and so, by providing the hinged connections of the floor sections respectively at the head and foot ends of the mattresscontaining box assembly, the floor sections may serve as a headboard and a footboard for the mattress when exposed.

In such an arrangement, the vertical extent of each floor section when moved to its second position may be reduced by forming each section in two parts, hinged together about a line extending parallel to the hinge connection of the section to the vehicle body. In this way, the two parts of a floor section may be hinged to lie against one another, on moving that floor section to its second position.

The arrangement of the present invention finds particular use in a relatively small vehicle, such as in a motorised caravan. Here the total floor area may be extremely restricted, and there is the possibility of using the vehicle seats in the driving compartment of the vehicle to provide the principal or sole seating accommodation. Cupboards, cooking, washing and toilet facilities may be provided in the vehicle body, primarily against the sides of the vehicle body with access to these being gained over the floor area defined by the floor sections when covering the mattress. Then, when sleeping accommodation is to be provided, the mattress may be exposed by moving the floor sections to their second positions so converting the floor area to a bed.

By way of example only, one specific embodiment of a vehicle having a body within which there is a bed arrangement constructed in accordance with the present invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a vehicle body converted for use as a motorised caravan, the body including a bed arrangement according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a general perspective view of the bed arrangement provided within in the vehicle body illustrated in Figure 1; and Figures 3 to 5 are side views on the bed arrangement, with the floor sections in three different positions.

The embodiment of vehicle body incorporating a sleeping arrangement as described hereinafter and as illustrated in the drawings is a typical layout which may be employed in a motorised caravan, produced for example by a conversion of a so-called box van - that is, a motor vehicle having a generally box-like body provided integrally with the driving compartment.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a diagrammatic plan view of the conversion as applied to the van body behind the driving position, which would be located to the left of Figure 1, but still within the body.

Behind the driving position, on the left-hand side (near-side) of the vehicle body 10, there may be provided a door (not shown) leading into the vehicle body, which door opens on to a step 11, allowing easy access to the interior of the body. To the right of the step 11, along the left-hand side of the vehicle body, there is provided in sequence a cupboard 12, a cooker 13 and a sink unit 14, preferably provided with a suitable water supply from a water carrier, and an appropriate waste water drainage arrangement. Along the rear of the body, adjacent the sink unit 14, there may be provided a gas or electric refrigerator 15, and in the right-hand rear corner of the vehicle body, there may be provided a separate compartment 16 for toilet and washing purposes. If the vehicle has one or more rear doors, that door may give access from the rear of the vehicle into the compartment 16; alternatively, or in addition to such access, a further door 17 may be provided to gain access to the compartment 16 from the interior of the vehicle body. Within the compartment 16, a suitable toilet - for example a chemical toilet may be provided, along with a sink 18, which also should have a suitable water supply and waste water arrangements. The vehicle's spare wheel and water carriers may conveniently also be stored within the compartment 16.

On the right-hand side of the vehicle body next to the compartment 16, there may be provided cupboards 19 and hanging stores 20, as required.

The main floor area 21 of the vehicle body is configured to allow a mattress to be located therebelow, in accordance with the present invention, so that sleeping accommodation may be provided within the vehicle body. As illustrated in Figure 2, there is constructed below the main floor level of the vehicle body a box-like structure 22, defined by four generally vertical side elements (only two of which elements 23 and 24 can be seen in Figure 2) and a base board (again not shown) from which the side elements upstand.The box assembly 22 may be provided below the main floor area of the vehicle body by cutting an opening in the original vehicle body floor during the conversion of the vehicle body and then letting the box assembly 22 into the opening in the vehicle body floor; alternatively, the box assembly may be provided on the.original vehicle body floor and then during the conversion, the floor level of the remainder of the body may be raised so as to be on the same level as the upper surface of the box assembly 22.

The box assembly 22 should be of such a size, shape and depth that it may accommodate a conventional interior sprung double mattress 25. Typically therefore the box assembly 22 may have a head-to-toe dimension of 190 cm and a side-to-side dimension of 135 cm, with a depth of about 15 cm, to accommodate such a mattress.

When the sleeping accommodation is not required within the vehicle body, the mattress may be covered over by two floor sections 26 and 27, each comprising two parts 28, 29 and 30, 31, respectively. The two parts of each section are hinged together as illustrated in the drawings, and each section is hinged to an end element of the box assembly 22, again as illustrated in the drawings. The floor sections are of such a width that when laid flat to extend over the mattress 25, the mattress is wholly covered thereby with the floor sections 26 and 27 supported by the side elements of the box assembly 22, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.

However, when it is desired to expose the mattress 25 for the purpose of providing a bed within the vehicle body, part 28 of floor section 26 is first hinged back so as to overlie part 29 of that section, this hinging process being illustrated in Figures 2 and 4. When that hinging movement of part 28 has completed, that latter part 29 is then hinged so as to extend vertically, and so to provide a headboard for the exposed mattress, as illustrated in Figure 4. Part 30 of floor section 27 is then hinged generally upwardly, at the same time allowing part 31 of the same section to hinge downwardly, again as illustrated generally in Figure 4.

This hinging action is continued until part 31 wholly overlies part 30, these two section parts then both extending generally vertically as illustrated in Figure 5, so providing a footboard for the exposed mattress.

In order to assist the hinging movement of the floor sections as described above, suitable lifting tabs 32 and 33 may be provided, as illustrated in Figure 2.

It will be appreciated that the floor sections must be constructed of a sufficiently strong and rigid material to allow the sections to be walked upon, when the sections cover the mattress 25. If required, those sections may be provided with carpeting or other suitable floor covering, as illustrated in Figure 2.

The box assembly 22 may have air vent apertures along the upper edges of the side elements, as illustrated in Figure 1, so as to reduce the likelihood of condensation causing problems within the box assembly 22. Other venting arrangements for the mattress 25 may of course be provided, as required.

The cupboards and other items provided within the vehicle body must give sufficient clearance to perform their pivoting moving, as described above. Insofar as the cupboard 12, the cooker 13 and the sink 18 within the compartment 16 overlaps the main floor area 21, the overlapping portions must be cut away to give enough vertical clearance to permit the hinging action of the sections 26 and 27.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that by the arrangement of the present invention makes it is possible to provide an extremely comfortable, full-sized bed within the very restricted space available in a motor caravan, produced for example by the conversion of a conventional box-van body.

Claims (8)

1. A vehicle (as defined herein) having a body in which there is provided a bed arrangement, which bed arrangement comprises a box assembly disposed below the general floor level of the vehicle body, the box assembly being configured to be able to accommodate a mattress, and at least a pair of floor sections which may be moved between respective first positions where the mattress is covered thereby with the floor sections being supported by their edge margins to extend substantially co-planar with the general floor level of the vehicle body, and respective second positions where a mattress within the box assembly is exposed for use as a bed.

2. A vehicle according to claim 1, wherein each floor section of the pair thereof is hinged to the vehicle body along one edge of the respective section, whereby each section may be moved between its two said positions by a pivoting action.

3. A vehicle according to claim 2, wherein each floor section when in its second position extends generally vertically, the hinged connections of the two floor sections being respectively at the head and foot ends of the mattress-containing box assembly, so that the floor sections may serve as a headboard and a footboard for the mattress when exposed.

4. A vehicle according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein at least one floor section is formed in two parts, hinged together about a line extending parallel to the hinge connection of that section to the vehicle body.

5. A vehicle according to any of claims 1 to 4, in combination with an interior-sprung mattress disposed within the box assembly.

6. A vehicle having a body in which there is provided a bed arrangement according to claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

7. A motorised caravan whenever provided with a body having a bed arrangement according to any of the preceding claims.

8. A motorised caravan according to claim 7 and in which the floor sections when in their first positions define substantially all of the free floor space of the vehicle body, with other required facilities being provided against the sides of the vehicle body clear of said floor sections.