DE29803983U1 - Kit of a roll-up slatted frame for caravans and boats - Google Patents

Description

PATENT ATTORNEYS ·..·*..· *..*·..* ..**.·* D-33330 Gütersloh, Vennstraße

Telephone: (0 52 41) 1 30 54 Fax: (0 52 41) 1 29 61

DiRi.-ing. Gustav Meldau

Dipl.Phys. Dr. Hans-Jochen Strauß Date: 5.03.98

Dipl.-Ing. Hubert FlÖtOttO Our reference: E 621 hF

company

E-CON Consulting GmbH & Co.KG

South Street 26

0-59557 Lippstadt

Kit of a rotatable slatted frame for caravans and boats

The invention relates to a kit for a roll-up slatted frame for caravans and boats, consisting of individual slats and end caps, whereby the individual slats can be adjusted in length to the variable space available in the vehicles, and the individual slats are connected to one another and are inserted at the ends into blind-hole-shaped pockets in the head of end caps, whereby the end caps rest on a base in the vehicle.

In the known kits, the kit essentially consists of individual battens and end caps, whereby the individual battens are adapted to the room

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can be adapted to the situation. They can simply be shortened so that the individual slats can be fitted into the arch or the narrow area of a bunk, or into a bow bunk, in order to create a comfortable sleeping area. Caps are arranged on the ends of the individual slats, which have blind hole-shaped pockets to accommodate the front sides of the individual slats, and these are connected to one another. This creates a roll-up slatted frame that can be easily removed from the support in order to use the storage space underneath.

According to DE 197 11 641.8, a slatted frame described in this way is known from the prior art, whereby the end caps in particular are connected to one another in an articulated manner by means of connecting pieces in the form of pendulum supports. In order to enable the offset of the adjacent end caps in the known embodiment, pins of variable length are used to adapt to the increasing or decreasing length of the slats along the support. This results in joints arranged offset from one another. A major problem with this solution known from the prior art is that, particularly with large offsets, correspondingly long pins must be used to ensure the flexibility of the roll-up slatted frame on the one hand, but also the stabilization of the frame on the other. This type of construction of roll-up slatted frames also results in a very high assembly effort, which can be seen in the attachment of these connecting pieces using pins. This type of kit is therefore very complex to build, with the assembly work being particularly laborious, as each individual end cap must be provided with a hinge point by pressing the pins into the existing openings in the end caps.

It is therefore the object of the invention to develop a kit in the light of the state of the art shown, which is significantly easier to assemble and handle.

This object is achieved according to the invention in that, in order to connect the slats to one another to form a roll-up slatted frame, connecting elements in the form of eyelets can be pushed onto the end sides of the slats, which are connected to one another in an articulated manner. This design simplifies the assembly work, since only these connecting elements have to be pushed onto the individual slats in order to create a rollable connection of the slatted frame. The end caps are then simply pushed onto the ends of the adapted slats, whereby these then lie directly as a support on the base in the bunk. Another advantage is that the rubberized end cap in particular has direct contact with the support surface in the caravan or boat, so that a non-slip support is provided.

In a practical further development, the connecting element comprises two eyelets with a flexible tab. The connecting element is molded in one piece. The design of the connecting element in the form of two eyelets connected to one another by a tab as a one-piece part brings a significant advantage for assembly, as the user only needs two parts to complete the entire system simply by plugging them together. When preparing the slatted frame, it only requires that the slats be cut to length, the slats are connected to one another with the flexible connections, and the last step is to attach the end caps as spring elements for the support. The slatted frame prepared in this way has an inherent stability thanks to the tabs, which on the one hand ensures that the parallel distance between the individual slats is kept at a distance, so that compression of the rolled-out slatted frame is prevented. On the other hand, the eyelets that are connected to the tab prevent the slats from moving parallel to each other.

According to a particularly advantageous development of the invention, the connecting element can also consist of two eyelets, each of which has a molded arm with a joint block, and wherein

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articulated connection, the arms are connected by means of a hinge pin. According to another embodiment of the invention, the connecting element is connected in the form of a plate to the end cap in one piece, with eyelets being formed on the front side of the plate to form a joint by means of a hinge pin.

An embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail using the following figures, in which:

Figure 1: A plan view of a slatted frame according to the invention;

Figure 2: A rolled up slatted frame according to Figure 1;

Figure 3: A partially sectioned plan view of the slatted frame according to Figure 1;

Figure 4: A side view according to Figure 3;

Figure 5: A connecting element according to the invention in individual representation in the side, top and front view;

Figure 6: Another embodiment of a connecting element according to Figure 5 in side and top view;

Figure 7: Another embodiment according to the invention in top view and side view.

Figure 1 shows a kit of a roll-up slatted frame 1, which is intended in particular for caravans, boats, or the like. The kit essentially consists of individual slats 2 and end caps 3, which accommodate two individual slats 2.1 and 2.2, and the adjacent individual slats 2.1 and 2.1 or 2.2 and 2.2 create the connection of the slatted frame 1 by means of a connecting element 4. As can be seen from the top view of Figure 1, the roll-up slatted frame can be assembled using this kit.

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The slatted frame 1 can be adapted to rising or falling conditions by simply shortening the individual slat 2 to match the contour. This allows the individual slats 2 to be adapted in length to the changing space conditions in the vehicles. The end caps 5 arranged on the front have blind-hole-shaped pockets 6.1 and 6.2 at the end, into which the individual slats 2.1 and 2.2 are inserted. Once the slatted frame 1 has been assembled accordingly, it is placed in its given shape with its end caps 5 on a base in the vehicle.

Figure 2 shows in particular how the slatted frame 1 can be rolled up according to Figure 1. According to the invention, in particular shown in the detailed view in Figures 3, 4 and 5, the connecting element 4 in the form of eyelets 7.1, 7.2 is pushed onto the end sides of the slats 2, which are connected to one another in an articulated manner. In the individual representation according to Figure 5, such a connecting element 4 according to the invention is shown in detail both in the side view and in the top view. It is easy to see that the connecting element 4 has two eyelets 7.1 and 7.2 lying next to one another, which are connected by means of a flexible tab 9. These parts are molded in one piece, so that the tab 9 acts like a kind of film hinge between the arranged individual slats 2. This keeps the slatted frame 1 flexible, so that on the one hand it can be easily rolled up, while its volume can be kept as small as possible. The prepared slatted frame 1 has an inherent stability due to the tabs 9, which on the one hand ensures that the parallel distance between the individual slats 2 is kept apart, so that compression of the rolled-out slatted frame 1 is prevented. On the other hand, the eyelets 7.1 and 7.2, which are connected to the tab 9, prevent the slats 2 from moving parallel to one another.

According to a further development of the invention, shown in Figure 6, the connecting element 4 also consists of two eyelets 7.1 and 7.2. wherein the individual eyelets each have molded arms 10.1 and 10.2, at the free end of which there is a joint point 11.1 and 11.2

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is molded in. If the two joints 11.1 and 11.2 are aligned, the arms 10.1 and 10.2 are connected to one another by means of a hinge pin 12.

According to a further development of the invention, particularly shown in Figure 7, the end cap 5 has a molded-on plate 13, whereby plate 13 and end cap 5 are molded as one piece. On the front side of the plate 13 there are also eyelets 7.1 and 7.2, which can be moved offset from one another to a joint point 14. In order to adapt the position of the end caps 5 to the given space, a hinge pin 15 is also used to form the joint point 14, which can be made long or short depending on the variably designed end caps 5 that are placed next to one another.

Claims (1)

01. Kit for a roll-up slatted frame for caravans and boats, consisting of individual slats and end caps, the length of the individual slats being adjustable to the changing space available in the vehicles, and the individual slats being connected to one another and being inserted at the ends into blind-hole-shaped pockets in the head of end caps, the end caps resting on a base in the vehicle, characterized in that in order to connect the slats (2) to one another to form a roll-up slatted frame (1), connecting elements (4) in the form of eyelets (7.1 and 7.2) which are articulated to one another can be pushed onto the ends of the slats (2). 02. Kit according to claim 1, characterized in that a connecting element (4) comprises two eyelets (7.1) and (7.2) with a flexibly designed tab (9). 03. Kit according to claim 2, characterized in that the connecting element (4) is injection-molded in one piece. 04. Kit according to claim 1 , characterized in that the connecting element (4) consists of two eyelets (7.1) and (7.2), each of which has a molded-on arm (10.1) and (10.2) with a hinge point (11.1) and (11.2), and wherein the arms (10.1) and (10.2) are connected by means of a hinge pin (12) for the articulated connection. 05. Kit according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting element (4) in the form of a plate (13) is connected in one piece to the end cap (5), and wherein eyelets (7.1) and (7.2) are formed on the front side of the plate (13) to form a joint (14) by means of a hinge pin (15).