Synchronized slide-out mechanism
AssigneeActuant Corporation
InventorRobert H. Schneider
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An operating mechanism for extending a slide-out section of a vehicle includes a pair of rail supports secured to a vehicle frame and a pair of rail members connected to the slide-out section with one rail member slidably engaging each rail support. Each rail member is driven by its own rack and pinion arrangement. A shaft connects the pinions so that movement of the rail members is synchronized using a single drive unit. A pair of rollers are mounted to each rail support, one roller on each side of the racks, to support the rack relative to the associated pinion.
Claims6
An operating mechanism for extending a slide-out section of a vehicle, said operating mechanism comprising;
- a pair of rail supports spaced apart and secured to a vehicle frame;
- a pair of rail members connected to the slide-out section, one rail member moveably mounted to each rail support to extend and retract;
- a pair of racks, each rack being a separate component from the rail members with one rack being mounted on a longitudinal surface of each rail member;
- a pair of pinions, one pinion rotatably mounted to mesh with each rack;
- a pair of anti-friction members, at least one anti-friction member mounted to support each rail member in a direction away from the associated pinion;
- and
- a shaft connecting the pinions so as to synchronize movement of the rail members with respect to the rail supports.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.