Expandable enclosure
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorSyed M. Hussaini
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is an expandable enclosure suitable for a cargo vehicle, a passer vehicle, a stationary shelter or a stationary storage facility. An expansion unit is outwardly translatable from the enclosure by racks fixed to the unit. The expansion unit has first uprights fixed between the racks and second uprights fixed to the enclosure but having a sliding connection with the racks. Third uprights are disposed between the first and second uprights and are slidingly connected between the racks. The expansion unit may be mounted to the enclosure by the gears alone or may additionally be supported by a cantilever beam when the expansion unit is being deployed.
Claims19
A vehicle having an expandable housing, comprising:
- a vehicle body defining an opening;
- an expansion unit translatable into and out of the opening;
- a first rack fixed to the expansion unit;
- a second rack fixed to the expansion unit parallel to the first rack;
- a first gear rotatably mounted to the vehicle and engaged with the first rack;
- a second gear rotatably mounted to the vehicle and engaged with the second rack;
- a panel disposed between the first rack and the second rack;
- a first elongate member of the panel fixed between the racks;
- a second elongate member of the panel fixed to the trailer and connected between the racks such that the racks slide on the second elongate member;
- a third elongate member of the panel slidingly connected between the racks and disposed between the first elongate member and the second elongate member, the third elongate member being mobile relative to the vehicle;
- a flexible wall of the panel bordered by the racks, and engaged to the first elongate member and the second elongate member.
The vehicle of claim 2 wherein the panel further includes a linkage subassembly, the linkage subassembly comprising:
- a first linkage member pivotally connected to the first elongate member;
- a second linkage member pivotally connected to the second elongate member;
- a pivotal connection between the first linkage member and the second linkage member;
- a translatable carriage member engaging both the third elongate member and one of the linkage members.
An enclosure having an expandable housing, comprising:
- a body defining an opening;
- an expansion unit translatable into and out of the opening;
- a rack fixed to the expansion unit;
- a gear rotatably mounted to the enclosure and engaged with the rack;
- a panel disposed the rack;
- a first elongate member of the panel fixed on the rack;
- a second elongate member of the panel fixed to the enclosure and connected to the rack such that the rack slides on an end of the second elongate member;
- a third elongate member of the panel slidingly connected the rack and disposed between the first elongate member and the second elongate member, the third elongate member being mobile relative to the enclosure;
- a flexible wall of the panel whose edges run along the rack, the first elongate member and the second elongate member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.