Convertible van

In a van vehicle of the type having a forward cab section and a rear passenger/cargo section enclosed by upstanding side walls, an overhead roof section and rear doors which open and close a rear entrance to the passenger/cargo section, and an overhead opening formed in said roof along the length of the passenger/cargo section, the improvement comprising:

• a first overhead roof panel removably covering the forward portion of said overhead opening, the first overhead panel being releasably engaged with said roof section and being supported for rotation from the position overlying and covering the roof to a substantially vertical position wherein the aft portion of the first roof panel projects vertically into the van interior and a forward portion of the first roof panel projects through the roof opening above the van, and wherein the first roof panel is mounted for sliding movement forward to a position adjacent the cab section thereby forming a vertical, tall wall partition between the cab section and the rear passenger/cargo section;
• a retractable sub floor panel movably received within the floor of the van and horizontally movable along the longitudinal axis of the van to provide an extension of the van floor beyond the end of the van, and said rear doors being engagable with the sub floor panel in its extended position to form upstanding side walls for the extended floor region, and said rear doors each receiving in sliding engagement a retractable door which is movable from a fully retracted position in which it is totally enclosed within the rear door to a fully extended position, each retractable door being pivotally mounted on its associated rear door for swinging movement and to closing engagement with the sub floor panel, thereby defining a rear closure for the augmented passenger/cargo space;
• a second movable roof panel section pivotally mounted between the van side wall sections for rotational movement from a position overlying the van interior to a position overlying the sub floor panel in its extended position and engagable with the top edges of the rear door, thereby enclosing the augmented passenger/cargo section;
• a boat overlying the van interior and augmented passenger/cargo section, said boat having side edge portions disposed in slidable engagement with the roller channels and having a substantially vertical nose panel disposed in abutting engagement with the vertically projecting portion of the first roof panel wherein the boat defines an elevated roof for the van interior and completely overlies the augmented passenger/cargo section.

In a van vehicle of the type having a forward cab section and a rear passenger/cargo section enclosed by upstanding side walls, an overhead roof section and rear doors which open and close a rear entrance to the passenger/cargo section, and an overhead opening formed in said roof along the length of the passenger/cargo section, the improvement comprising:

• a first overhead roof panel removably covering the forward portion of said overhead opening, the first overhead panel being releasably engaged with said roof section and being supported for rotation from the position overlying and covering the roof to a substantially vertical position wherein the aft portion of the first roof panel projects vertically into the van interior and a forward portion of the first roof panel projects through the roof opening above the van, and wherein the first roof panel is mounted for sliding movement forward to a position adjacent the cab section thereby forming a vertical, tall wall partition between the cab section and the rear passenger/cargo section;
• a retractable sub floor panel movably received within the floor of the van and horizontally movable along the longitudinal axis of the van to provide an extension of the van floor beyond the end of the van, and said rear doors being engagable with the sub floor panel in its extended position to form upstanding side walls for the extended floor region, and said rear doors each receiving in sliding engagement a retractable door which is movable from a fully retracted position in which it is totally enclosed within the rear door to a fully extended position, each retractable door being pivotally mounted on its associated rear door for swinging movement and to closing engagement with the sub floor panel, thereby defining a rear closure for the augmented passenger/cargo space;
• a second movable roof panel section pivotally mounted between the van side wall sections for rotational movement from a position overlying the van interior to a position overlying the sub floor panel in its extended position and engagable with the top edges of the rear door, thereby enclosing the augmented passenger/cargo section;
• a frame housing mounted on the van roof above the cab compartment, a winch mounted on the portion of the roof overlying the cab section, a cable guide formed on the frame housing, and said winch having a cable extending along the cable guide and connected to a plurality of upstanding arched support frames having opposite end sections slidably disposed within said channels on each side of the roof top opening;
• and, at least one arched support frame fastened in upstanding relation to the second roof panel section overlying the augmented passenger/cargo section, and a flexible, waterproof covering overlying the arched support frames and secured to the roof of the van.

For use in a recreational van, a combination shower/toilet bucket seat assembly comprising, in combination:

• a drainage tank formed beneath the floor of the van;
• a stool mounted on the van floor above the drainage tank having a fluid drainage passage connected to the tank;
• a toilet housing including a bowl connected to the opposite end of the stool;
• first and second cushion sections mounted on the toilet housing for pivotal movement from a closed position overlying said bowl, to an open position providing access to the bowl;
• each cushion section having an outer cushion layer and a water spray housing carried beneath the cushion layer, each water spray housing having a plurality of fluid discharge openings for directing a shower of water into the zone above the bowl when the cushion sections are fully open.