US 6,669,269 B1Granted

Multipurpose working, load carrying and camping platform structure

OwnerTruc Tran-Ngocinventor

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Abstract

This patent describes a platform structure, which can be used either as a stand-alone unit, or as part of the body of a wheeled vehicle such as a trailer. As part of the body of a trailer its multipurpose feature allows the trailer to be easily converted into different modes of usage including: an extended platform, a flat-bed trailer with side walls, an open-top utility box trailer, or a compact highway trailer. The highway trailer, with a compactly collapsed body equipped with a cargo-rack, is intended to offer the best possible towing performance at highway speed. The cargo-rack has a screen enclosure for the containment of small or loose cargo items. When used as a stationary platform, said structure has a center portion with adjustable leg assemblies that can support and level the entire structure above the ground. Side sections are cantilevered on opposite sides of the center portion to form extensions to the main platform area. Fastening means for the erection of a camping tent on said platform are also disclosed. The side sections can also be firmly erected in an upright position to form side walls of an open ended utility trailer. Here the end sections can be easily attached to convert the latter into an open-top utility box trailer.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A multipurpose structure convertible between different utility modes including an open ended U-shaped assembly for use mainly as a stand-alone load-carrying platform or as a platform on a wheeled vehicle comprising:

a center portion having a flat surface with a length and a width that defines a flatbed area, a pivotal connecting means that connects side sections in a coplanar relationship to said center portion near the upper edges, a plurality of lower load bearing surfaces disposed on the connected sides of said center portion and located at a vertical distance below said connecting means to receive and support the bottom edges of said side sections, said connecting means in combination with said lower load bearing surfaces connect and support said side sections in a fully cantilevered manner on opposite sides of said center portion while allowing substantial load-carrying capacity to said side sections,
said center portion having a plurality of adjustable posts engaging the ground to firmly support and level said structure in a stationary and leveled plane above the ground, each of said adjustable posts having an upper end portion that protrudes above the flat bed area, a holding means to releasably connect the freely swinging sides of said side sections to said upper end portions of said posts to hold said side sections in an upright position forming an open ended U-shaped assembly.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.