COMBINED BUNK AND STORAGE SPACE FOR VEHICLE

COMBINED BUNK AND STORAGE SPACE FOR VEHICLE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to bunks intended to be fitted in vehicles. The invention relates in particular to an upper retractable bunk for trucks which is preferably fitted to the rear wall of the vehicle cab and is not only usable for resting but is also intended to be usable for storage purposes without traffic safety hazard when the vehicle is in motion.

STATE OF THE ART

Particularly in heavy/commercial vehicles such as trucks, it is desirable to provide at least one bunk, a main bunk, in the cab behind the front row of seats, to make it possible for the driver and any passenger to rest during runs and on long-haul assignments. Many truck owners also choose to have their vehicles equipped with an extra bunk, usually situated above the main bunk, so that a further driver or passenger may be carried and may rest between runs. It is usual, however, that trucks are used without any further driver or passenger, so in practice the upper bunk is rarely used for resting and is therefore often turned upwards against the rear wall of the cab to create more space and standing height in the cab.

As the cab serves in practice as the driver' s home during long haulage assignments, it is desirable for there to be practical storage spaces in the cab, especially in the immediate

vicinity of the driving seat, so that they are easy to reach during driving. Vehicle cabs are at present rarely provided with sufficient storage spaces for various objects such as bags, clothing, tools, folders, books etc. For want of such storage spaces, many drivers use the bunks for storage, particularly the upper bunk, so that the main bunk can be used for resting without having to move such objects. This solution is not good or safe from the traffic safety point of view, since heavy objects may fall down and injure a driver or passenger when for example powerful braking or a near-accident occurs. Storage facilities also need to be suited to and capable of being organised in such a way as to be usable for both large and small objects which a driver or passenger need to keep readily accessible in the vehicle cab.

Attempts have previously been made to create and provide safe storage spaces in combination with, inter alia, retractable vehicle bunks in truck cabs. Patent application EP1632425 refers for example to a bunk intended to be fitted in a vehicle cab, preferably at the rear wall of the cab. The bunk in one variant version is divided horizontally into upper and lower portions articulated to one another at the rear edge of the bunk so that, for example, the upper portion may be turned upwards and kept turned up by means of gas springs. The lower portion of the bunk is substantially box-shaped and its internal space defines the accessible storage space. As the bunk has to be closed to keep objects safely in place, which is done by turning the upper portion downwards, the volume of the storage space in the bunk becomes very limited. Bulky objects cannot be stored in this storage space unless the bunk as a whole is made very thick. Unfortunately, a thick bunk occupies too much space in the cab and reduces available volume in the cab. Cab volume is therefore occupied irrespective of whether there are objects stored in the bunk or not. One way of trying to create as much storage space as possible is to reduce the thickness of the mattress, which does of course result in inferior comfort for anyone needing to use the bunk for resting. Patent application WO2006/101427 refers to another attempt to create a storage space in combination with an upper

retractable bunk fitted in a truck cab. In this case the bunk is divided vertically and in its longitudinal direction into two portions, an outer and an inner. The two portions are mechanically and pivotably connected to one another along the dividing line by a hinge mechanism so that the outer portion can be turned upwards to a substantially vertically upright position relative to the inner portion. When the bunk is not used for storage, its outer portion can be turned down to a position in which the two portions together form a

substantially planar bunk surface. A disadvantage of this configuration is that the surface made available for storage is only half the size of the whole surface of the bunk.

Another disadvantage is that the hinge mechanism needs to be robust enough to prevent any risk that it might break when a person tries to climb up and lie on the bunk. A usual

requirement is that bunks of this type have to cater for persons who weigh 140 kg. This entails stringent requirements for the hinge mechanism or alternative suspension devices. A further disadvantage of this solution involving a

longitudinally divided bunk is that comfort is affected in that the joint in the lying surface is perceptible to anyone resting on the bunk.

Known bunks usable as storage spaces are thus not configured in such a way as to effectively combine a comfortable bunk with, when the bunk is not used for resting, a storage space which is capacious, easy to use, readily accessible and safe in case of vehicle crash/collision.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to solve the problems indicated above and propose a flexible upper bunk module which can easily be fitted in a vehicle cab at the same location and using the same brackets as an ordinary upper bunk, is of compact lightweight construction and which, when turned down to the position of use from the wall, can be switched quickly from serving as an ordinary bunk to serving as a storage space which is readily accessible, capacious and safe in case of vehicle crash/collision.

Another object of the invention is that it should be possible for the bunk module and its storage space, when not in use, to be turned upwards against the rear wall of the vehicle cab and thereby create more interior volume and clear roof height in the cab.

A further object of the invention is that the parts which constitute the wall elements of the storage space should provide mechanical reinforcement for the bottom of the bunk module, which is advantageous when the bunk is in the position of use for resting. These and further objects and advantages are achieved

according to the invention by a bunk configured in accordance with the features indicated in the characterising part of claim 1. The invention thus relates to a bunk or bunk module, mainly intended for fitting in a vehicle cab. The bunk module is so constructed that it can serve as a normal bunk when an extra sleeping place is needed, or as a storage space which is readily accessible and safe in case of vehicle

crash/collision, to accommodate objects which the driver may need to have within reach in the vehicle cab in the vicinity of the driving seat when the bunk does not need to be used for resting. When not in use, the bunk module is also easy to turn upwards against the rear wall of the vehicle cab to create more interior space and standing height in the cab. The bunk module comprises a load bearing frame and, placed on it, a mattress element which is preferably connected to the frame via a hinge. The bunk module can be switched from serving as a bunk by the mattress element being pivoted or turned upwards from the lower frame of the bunk, and by wall elements which serve as wall surfaces in the storage space being deployed or retracted by means of a mechanical

arrangement provided for the purpose. The result is not only safety in case of vehicle crash/collision but also organised and visually acceptable storage protected from exterior view. The bunk module is also so configured that it does not limit the space for the sleeping location on the lower bunk, the vehicle's main bunk. The greatest advantages of the bunk module according to the invention are that it is lightweight, compact, easy to install and easy to use while at the same time affording flexibility in that the same unit can be used either for resting or as a storage space which is readily accessible and safe in case of vehicle crash/collision, and also that, when not in use, it can easily be pivoted and turned upwards against the rear wall of the cab, thereby creating more space and standing height in the cab. The flexible bunk module results in greater

convenience for the driver and also increases the vehicle's second-hand value. The various parts and wall elements of the storage space occupy no extra space in their retracted state. The storage space also provides scope for storage to be more organised by the storage space being delineated. For example, the storage space may be divided into, for example, three sections, e.g. a left section, a middle section and a right section. Large heavy bags may be placed in the middle

section, which is provided with the main aperture, and smaller objects in the side sections. The lateral storage spaces may be provided with smaller dividers or bulkheads for more appropriate storage of small objects, e.g. folders. As many major truck manufacturers use similar solutions for suspension and fitting of upper bunks in vehicle cabs, this bunk module according to the invention, which may be fitted at the same location as ordinary stationary bunks, using the same fitting interfaces and brackets, results in a cost reduction in the vehicle's construction and manufacture. Such a bunk module is also easy to retrofit. The bunk module according to the invention is also so configured as to be easy to adapt to most cab types and truck models.

Further features and advantages of the invention are indicated by the more detailed description of it set out below and the attached drawings and other claims. BRIEF LIST OF DRAWINGS

The invention is described below in more detail in the form of some preferred embodiment examples with reference to the attached drawings .

Figure 1 depicts an interior of a vehicle cab as seen from the side, provided with a bunk module according to the invention which is fitted behind the front seats. Figure 2 depicts in more detail an upper bunk module according to the invention in a turned-up state against the rear wall of the vehicle cab.

Figure 3 depicts the bunk module according to Figure 2 but turned down to a position of use.

Figure 4 depicts the bunk module according to Figures 2 and 3 but with its mattress element partly turned upwards from the bunk's lower bottom element or frame. Figure 5 depicts the bunk module in an intermediate position in which the mattress element has been turned all the way up against the rear wall of the cab. Figure 6 depicts an alternative embodiment of the bunk module whereby the wall elements of the storage space are deployed in a partly different way from Figures 4 and 5.

Figure 7 depicts the bunk module according to Figure 6 but in a fully turned-up state in which the mattress element has assumed a substantially vertical position and the wall elements of the storage space are fully deployed.

Figures 8a-d depict more clearly an embodiment of the

mechanical arrangement which may be used to control the retraction and deployment of the wall elements of the storage space .

Figures 9a-c depict a further alternative embodiment of a mechanical arrangement which can be used to regulate the retraction and deployment of the wall elements of the storage space .

Figure 10 is a view as seen from in front of a bunk module according to the invention with the storage space fully deployed and provided with a hatch.

Figure 11 depicts the bunk module according to the invention in the vehicle cab as seen from the side, with the storage space deployed in a position of use.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The invention relates to a bunk or bunk module, mainly intended for fitting in a vehicle cab. The bunk module, which may be arranged retractably in the vehicle cab, is usable either as a normal upper extra bunk or as a practical storage space which is safe in case of vehicle crash/collision and appropriate for objects which a driver may need to have readily accessible in the vehicle cab, close to the driving seat. The bunk module may be turned up against the rear wall of the vehicle cab when not in use.

Figure 1 depicts a section through a vehicle cab 1 as seen from the side, with a bunk module 2 according to the invention fitted behind the front seats 3 in the vehicle cab. The bunk module 2 has here been turned downwards from the cab wall 4 and is so configured that it does not restrict the sitting height of the driver or the passenger, nor the lying space for anyone using the lower bunk 5.

Figure 2 depicts in more detail a turned-up bunk module 2 according to the invention, fitted in a vehicle cab 1. The bunk module 2 is illustrated schematically from its side end and is suspended or pivotably supported via hinges 6 disposed in purpose-made wall brackets 7 fitted in the rear wall 4 of the vehicle cab 1. The bunk module 2 can be deployed manually about 90 degrees from the cab wall 4 to a horizontal position of use and can maintain this deployed position of use as a result of stops 8 at the rear edge 9 of the bunk module 2 coming into contact with stop surfaces 10 at the bottom of the wall brackets 7, in combination with the bunk module 2 being supported by suspension tapes 11 fastened to the cab roof 12. The suspension tapes 11 may for example run down from the cab roof 12 to the forward edge 13 of the bunk module 2 and thence either to the rear edge 9 of the bunk module 2 for fastening in the latter' s frame close to the wall brackets 7, or run to undepicted brackets in the cab wall. The bunk module 2 is held firmly in a deployed state by means of, for example, an undepicted bracket or lock provided for the purpose. Figure 3 depicts the bunk module 2 as in Figure 2 but turned down to a position of use. The suspension tapes 11 have here been wound out so that their length corresponds to the

distance between the roof 12 and the bunk module's bottom element 14. The bunk module 2 is thus safely supported by the suspension tapes 11.

Figure 4 depicts the bunk module 2 according to Figures 2 and 3. The bunk module 2 comprises an upper mattress element 15 and a preferably textile-clad lower bottom element 14 or carrier. The bottom element 14 or carrier comprises mainly a frame 16, e.g. made of rolled steel sections and fastened in the rear wall 4 of the cab 1 via said brackets 7. The frame 16 is also provided with a bottom 17, e.g. in the form of a planar sheet of plastic or similar material, which is fastened against or in the frame 16. The mattress element 15 can be pivoted upwards via a hinge 18 situated in the bunk module frame 14. First and second movable and/or tiltable wall elements 19a, b are adapted, by means of a gas spring 20 and an operating lever 21, to pushing the mattress element 15 upright and serving as delineating surfaces for a storage space 22 in which the mattress element 15 forms the rear boundary surface and the frame 14, with its bottom 17, forms the bottom of the storage space 22.

Figure 5 depicts the bunk module 2 according to Figures 2-4 but in a state in which the mattress element 15 has been fully turned up against the cab rear wall 4. The wall elements 19a, b of the storage space 22, which may be made of flexible and/or soft material such as plastic or fabric or of rigid panels of suitable material, plastic material or wood etc., have not yet been fully deployed to their final positions, which are represented in the diagram by broken lines. Figure 6 depicts an alternative embodiment of the bunk module 2 in which the wall elements 19a-c of the storage space are deployed and retracted in a partly alternative way. This involves the use of three sections or wall elements 19a-c, viz. first and second wall elements 19a, b serving as the roof of the storage space 22 and a forward wall element 19c serving as the forward wall of the storage space 22. A gas spring 20 is provided to push the wall elements 19a-c out to their final positions, and the forward wall element 19c slides in grooves 23 provided in the bunk's frame 14. Figure 7 depicts the bunk module 2 according to Figure 6 but with the storage space 22 fully deployed, with the mattress element 15 in a substantially vertical position and the wall elements 19a-c serving as the outer boundary surfaces of the storage space 22.

Figures 8a-d depict a further embodiment of the mechanical arrangement which may be used to control the deployment and retraction of the wall elements 19a-b of the storage space 22. This involves the use of rails 24 provided with grooves 23 for protrusions 25 in adjoining rails 24 to run in. Wall elements 19a-b in the form of panels are disposed adjacent to the rails 24. Figure 8a shows the wall elements 19a-b lying retracted under the mattress element 15, between the mattress element 15 and the frame bottom 17, and thereby providing mechanical reinforcement or mechanical support for the mattress element 15 so that it can withstand greater loads.

It is of course also conceivable here that the wall elements 19a-b may take the form of flexible or soft material such as fabric or the like.

Figures 9a-c depict a further conceivable embodiment of a mechanical device which may be used for controlling the retraction and deployment of the wall elements 19 of the storage space 22. This involves using rails 26a-d which can be retracted into one another by means of recesses 27 provided in the rails 26. The bottom rail 26d is also provided with a longitudinal groove 28 in which the adjoining rail 26c runs by means of a protrusion 29. Using this mechanical device in the bunk module 2 results in wall elements, which may take the form of panels or flexible or soft material, being fastened to the rails 26a-d.

Figure 10 depicts a view as seen obliquely from in front of a bunk module 2 according to the invention with the storage space 22 in a fully deployed state. An easily openable hatch 30 for access to the storage space 22 is provided in at least one wall element, here in two wall elements 19a-b. The hatch 30 may take the form of louvres which can be moved

upwards/rearwards or to one side or the other. Lateral wall elements 19d are here provided to limit the storage space 22 sideways. These wall elements 19d may be turned in under the mattress element 15 when the storage space 22 is retracted.

Figure 11 depicts, as seen from the side, the bunk module 2 according to the invention, fitted in place in the vehicle cab 1, with the storage space 22 activated and deployed in a position of use.

The above description is primarily intended to facilitate comprehension of the invention. Consequently, the invention is of course not limited solely to the embodiments indicated, as other variants of the invention are also possible and conceivable within the scope of the concept of the invention and the protective scope of the claims set out below.