Vehicular Camp and Method
20210309132 · 2021-10-07
Inventors
Cpc classification
B60R7/04
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60N2/79
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60R7/10
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60N2/0224
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
International classification
B60N2/02
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
B60N3/00
PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
Abstract
An in-cabin convertible bed apparatus for vehicles comprising the combined, substantially flat or level surface of a trunk floor, a folded rear seat with a flat back, a parcel shelf to extend the bed surface and may comprise a container used to contain a mattress or elevate the level of the trunk floor providing elevated ergonomics for better quality relaxation or sleep is determined. A method comprises: Optionally folding down a rear seat of a vehicle; folding of a parcel shelf and placing it with one end on about the back of the rear seat of the vehicle and placing the other end on the central console or the central console armrest of the vehicle; partly securing it from sliding or tipping by the back of a seat of a subsequent seat row of the vehicle.
Claims
1. An apparatus in a vehicle comprising: at least one seat base connected in a foldable fashion to a seat top with a substantially flat back; a trunk with substantially flat floor divided from the cabin of the Consumer Vehicle by the at least one seat base and/or the seat top of the at least one seat base; at least one panel which may serve as a parcel shelf and a substantially flat, level and/or level extension of the surface of the back of the seat top folded down; at least one substantially vertical and/or horizontal support mechanism to support the at least one panel substantially at the at least one other edge of the panel.
2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one panel comprises of at least one additional panel connected to the at least one panel by at least one hinge mechanism.
3. An apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the at least one hinge mechanism, when folded, may take the substantially similar angle of the angle of the back of the seat top folded down.
4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the substantially vertical support mechanism is a center console.
5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one panel is secured by the back of at least one seat of a subsequent seat row.
6. An apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein the at least one seat of a subsequent seat row is slidable and/or reclinable and comprises at least one electrically controlled sliding mechanism and at least one electrically controlled reclining mechanism to automatically adjust position and/or recline.
7. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one vertical support mechanism is at least one rope or similar article attached or tied to the at least one panel by at least one end and to at least one coat hook or to any other substantially similarly located interior parts of the vehicle or thereof at the at least one other end.
8. An apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein the apparatus comprises a processor; and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor, the logic being configured to cause the at least one electronical component to automatically adjust the position and/or recline the at least one slidable and/or reclinable seat to secure the at least one panel by the back of the at least one seat of the subsequent seat row.
9. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the trunk with substantially flat floor is elevated and/or made substantially level with the back of the at least one seat top when folded on the seat base by a container of at least two members, one member of the at least two members of which having an external volume to cover substantially at least half of the surface of the trunk floor, a height to reduce the level difference between the seat back and the seat floor to substantially at least half and an empty space inside of a volume sufficient to contain at least one other member of the at least two members of the container, and the at least one other member also having an external volume to cover at least substantially one half of the surface of the trunk floor, a height to reduce the level difference between the seat back and the seat floor to substantially at least half and a substantially similar empty space inside.
10. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the apparatus comprise at least one self-inflatable mattress of substantially a surface size of at least one side substantially similar to the combined surface size of the substantially flat floor of the trunk, the substantially flat back of the seat top, and the panel for or any other material, solution and/or mechanism to furnish the purpose of providing cushion and may be contained within the container of at least two members.
11. A method of extending the back of at least one foldable seat at the rear compartment and/or trunk of a vehicle, the method comprising: placing at or about one end of the at least one panel, which may serve as a parcel shelf, on or about the back of the seat top of the foldable seat folded down; placing at or about at least one other end of the at least one panel on at least one substantially vertical support mechanism, surface and/or article of the vehicle and against the back of at least one seat of a subsequent seat row.
12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one seat of a subsequent seat row is slidable and/or reclinable; and comprising: adjusting the position and/or angle of the back of at least one seat of the subsequent seat row to one of the points of security of the at least one other end of the at least one panel on at least one vertical support mechanism, surface and/or article.
13. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one panel comprises of at least one additional panel connected to the at least one panel by at least one hinge mechanism; and comprising: folding the at least on panel and the at least one additional panel up around the at least one hinge mechanism before or after placing one or the other panel on the at least one vertical support mechanism, surface and/or article.
14. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one hinge mechanism, when folded, may maintain the substantially similar angle of the angle of the back of at least one foldable seat folded down; and comprising: folding the at least one panel and the at least one additional panel up around the at least one hinge mechanism to the maximum extent before or after placing one or the other panel by at least one unhinged end on the at least one support mechanism, surface and/or article.
15. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one support mechanism is at least one center console or the back of at least one armrest of the at least one center console.
16. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the at least one support mechanism is the top of the at least one center console and the bottom of the at least one armrest of the at least one center console; and comprising: wedging the at least one panel between the top of the at least one center console and the bottom of the at least one armrest at the end of the at least one center console and the top of the at least one center console at the end of the at least one center console.
17. A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the at least one slidable and/or reclinable seat comprises at one electrically controlled sliding mechanism and at least one electrically controlled reclining mechanism to automatically adjust position and/or recline; and comprising: actuating the at least one electronically controlled sliding and/or reclining mechanism to adjust the position of and/or recline the back of at least one slidable and/or reclinable seat to contact at least one other end of the at least one panel after placed on the at least one vertical support mechanism, surface and/or article.
18. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the at least one electronical component of the at least one slidable and/or reclinable seat to automatically adjust position and/or recline comprises a processor; and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor, the logic being configured to cause the at least one electronical component to adjust the position and/or recline the at least one slidable and/or reclinable seat to secure the at least one panel by the back of the at least one seat of the subsequent seat row; and comprising: detecting input; determining the position of the back of the at least one slidable and/or reclinable seat; adjusting the position of the back of the at least one slidable and/or reclinable seat based on the determined position thereof.
19. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein the at least one panel is secured by the at least one substantially horizontal support mechanism is at least one center console and a substantially vertical support mechanism, surface and/or article is the back of the at least one armrest of the at least one center console; and comprising: adjusting the position of the at least one armrest of the at least one center console about, but not completely, to the rear end of the at least one center console.
20. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one support mechanism comprises at least one rope or similar article and at least one coat hook or any at least one other substantially similarly located and functioning interior part of the vehicle, and comprising: attaching or tying the at least one rope or similar article to the at least one panel by at least one end; attaching the at least one other end of the at least one rope or similar article to the at least one coat hook or any at least one other substantially similar and similarly located and functioning interior part of the vehicle.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] Preferred and alternative examples of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings:
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0022] A The following description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the present invention and is not meant to limit the inventive concepts claimed herein. Further, particular features described herein can be used in combination with other described features in each of the various possible combinations and permutations.
[0023] Unless otherwise specifically defined herein, all terms are to be given their broadest possible interpretation including meanings implied from the specification as well as meanings understood by those skilled in the art and/or as defined in dictionaries, treatises, etc.
[0024] It must also be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless otherwise specified.
[0025] The following description discloses several preferred embodiments of extensions of folded rear seats of vehicles into elongated flat surfaces and/or related systems and methods.
[0026] A system according to one embodiment includes a foldable parcel shelf of a vehicle. The parcel shelf comprises of two panels covered connected with at least one hinge. The at least one hinge is preventing the at least two panels from completely folding and effecting them to substantially maintain a significant distance between at least one end of the panels. The system further includes rear seats which have substantially flat backs which connect the trunk floor or floor into a substantially flat and/or level bed surface. The system further includes a central console. The central console provides support to the folded parcel shelf from one end to extending the bed surface. The system further includes at least one electronically controlled, slidable and/or reclinable seat of a subsequent seat row to secure the parcel. The system further includes a processor, and logic integrated with and/or executable by the processor. The logic is configured to determine the position of the at least one electronically controlled slidable and/or reclinable seat of the subsequent seat row as well as the tilt angle thereof. The logic is further configured to cause the at least one electronically controlled slidable and/or reclinable seat of the subsequent seat row to slide to a position and/or tilt in an angle to secure the parcel shelf in position.
[0027] In one general embodiment, A method includes folding at least one rear seat of a vehicle down. The at least one rear seat have a substantially flat back which connect the trunk floor into a substantially flat and/or level surface, hereinafter referred to as bed surface, when folded down. The method further includes the folding of a foldable parcel shelf. The parcel shelf includes at least two panels connected with at least one hinge preventing at least two the panels from completely folding and effecting them to substantially maintain a significant distance between at least one end of the panels. The method further includes folding the parcel shelf and placing it by at least one end on the back of the at least one foldable rear seat along the edge of the at least one hinge and on a center console extending the bed surface.
[0028] In another general embodiment, a computer program product according to one embodiment includes a computer readable storage medium having stored thereon computer readable program instructions configured to cause a processor of a computer system to instruct a vehicle to slide and/or tilt one or more seats to secure at least one folded parcel shelf placed on the back of the headrests of at least one foldable rear seat of a vehicle with one of its end on a center console of the vehicle on the other.
[0029] Conventional vehicles, and particularly conventional passenger vehicles, commonly implement foldable seats to provide additional functionality for extended storage of articles or sleeping people. For an owner, operator or occupant, hereinafter user, these surfaces often provide for space only sufficient to sleep a person significantly shorter than an average user that is about 5′6″. This is because the length of the bed surface is not long enough for the height of an average user.
[0030] Accordingly, for the average user to stretch their body out while lying on the bed surface is typically not possible. Moreover, even lying diagonally causes extreme discomfort for the user since lying diagonally renders a user's feet to be confined by the interior of the trunk of and/or the interior panel(s) of one side of the vehicle, in other words, effectively rendering the user to sleep within a diamond floor-mapped surface with the head in one corner and the feet in another. This can be very unpleasant, and unergonomic, and may lead to long-term, adverse effects on the health of an average user or cause injuries. Moreover, since sleeping in a vehicle often occurs during long distance travelling when other accommodations or arrangements may not be due to the distance between the user and such accommodations or the user's need for sleep, sleep poor in quality may result in subsequent accidents causing injuries or fatalities especially on roads where pulling over and resting is not feasible or permitted. Addressing this issue, users typically have to rely on using items not inherent to their vehicles leaving them with the choice of having to of use up precious and typically rather limited cargo space or risking being left without means to quality sleep on longer trips.
[0031] Various embodiments described herein include extending the bed surface with the parcel shelf typically inherent to vehicles for providing such a bed surface that is longer than the typical height of an adult male user even when lying perpendicular to the width or parallel to the length of the bed surface resulting in lying and resting of elevated comfort and higher quality for the user while saving them from having to load into and keep additional cargo within their vehicle.
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[0033] Now referring to
[0034] In other embodiments, referring to
[0035] In other embodiments, if a foldable seat to leave more space for at least one seat 110 of the subsequent seat row, the at least one panel of the parcel shelf 140 may be the rear panel 142 being positioned on the level surface 502 of the central console 130.
[0036] In other embodiments, for e.g. to leave more space for at least one seat 110 of the subsequent seat row, the at least one panel of the parcel shelf 140 may be the rear panel 142 being positioned on the level surface 502 of the central console 130.
[0037] In other embodiments, in order for the user to lay their head on the parcel shelf 140 extending the in-cabin convertible bed 150 comfortably, cushion may be provided by using at least one wedge 144 made of softer materials such as foam or cushion mechanisms like inflatable pillows or any material or mechanism known in the art to maintain the angle of the panels 140 may be used.
[0038] In other embodiments, the at least one fabric hinge 143 may be at least one metal hinge or any mechanism known in the art to furnish such purpose of securing at least two panels to each other and limiting their motion relative to each other to substantially a radial motion of less than 360 degrees of the front 141 and the rear panel 142 of the parcel shelf 140 or folding around the at least one mechanism or folding.
[0039] In other embodiments, in order to maintain the desired angle of the front 141 and rear 142 panel of the parcel shelf 140 relative to each other while using at least one wedge 144 of cushion, the lowest angle of the triangular wedge may be higher than the desired angle in order to provide a level in-cabin convertible bed between the parcel shelf 140 and the back of the rear seats 150.
[0040] In other embodiments, now referring to
[0041] In some other embodiments, alternatively to or in joint with the subsequent seat row 110 providing support to the parcel shelf 140 at the point of contact with the back of such subsequent seat row 111, now referring to
[0042] In other embodiments, now referring to
[0043] In other embodiments, protrusions (not shown here) or railings carved out of or attached to the back of at least one seat of the subsequent seat row (not shown here) or any mechanism or solution known in the art may be used to secure and/or support at least one unhinged edge of the panels 140 instead of, or in joint with the central console 130.
[0044] In other embodiments with certain benefits, now referring to
[0045] Referring now to
[0046] In other embodiments, securing the parcel shelf 140 in the desired position may be achieved by at least one electronically retractable armrest of the central console (not shown here) and by substantially similar by at least one computer-executable instruction residing on a storage medium such as a physical (e.g., non-transitory) computer-readable medium. Details of such retractable armrests (e.g., fasteners, railings, electric motors, pneumatic actuators, wiring, electric supply, processors, data storages, buttons, knobs, and/or switches) are well known and are omitted for the sake of clarity. The at least one computer-executable instruction in some specific embodiments of the inventions may employ complex, object-oriented software programming concepts; the invention is not so limited and is easily adapted to employ other forms of directing the operation of a computer.
[0047] It is to be noted that such computer-executable instructions may be implemented in a series of computer-executable instructions aimed comprehensively exhausting the capabilities of a vehicle to provide a quick, seamless transition from, for e.g., a transportational use case of such vehicle to a camping use case of such vehicle (hereinafter referred to as “Camp Mode”). Accordingly, in one preferred embodiment of the inventions, Camp Mode may comprise of such at least one computer-executable instruction which, before or after other instructions, may review and/or continuously monitor the state of the battery and/or other supplies of energy (e.g., gasoline, diesel, hydrogen etc.); based on the level of such energy supplies—typically at low levels—terminate Camp Mode, or at levels deemed sufficient, check and/or continuously monitor the external temperature and turn either the heating or the air conditioning system on—typically at external temperatures differing from levels deemed optimal inside the cabin of such vehicle—while typically at similar external temperatures Camp Mode may enable air circulation from between the cabin and the outside environment of such vehicles by instructing at least one electronically controlled fan (not shown here) to turn on, at least one electronically controlled window (not shown here) to roll down (typically partially), the electronically controlled automatic trunk gate to lift (not shown here) or at least one electronically controlled automatic sunroof to retract of such vehicle; additionally, Camp Mode may utilize sensors (e.g., microphones, cameras, ultrasound sensors etc.) or retrieve location-based online information via means of wireless communication (e.g., 5G, 4G, LTE, 3G, 2G, W-CDMA, CDMA, GSM, WLAN, Satellite data connection etc.) to monitor real-time precipitation and execute instructions and during active precipitation to terminate instructions to roll down the at least one electronically controlled window (not shown here), to lift the trunk gate (not shown here) or to retract at least one electronically controlled automatic sunroof of such vehicle or to instruct, with exception to the at least one electronically controlled fan, windows to roll up or close any electronically controlled automatic windows, doors, gates or sunroofs respectively.
[0048] Moreover, in some approaches, vehicles furnished with at least one accelerometer, 2-axis or 3-axis gyroscope and/or two digital levels perpendicular to each other and set up to monitor the horizontal level, (hereinafter collectively referred to as a “Level Meter”), as well as at least one adjustable suspension, Camp Mode may at least upon on each activation, request data from at least one Level Meter pertaining the relative 2-axis horizontal angle of the floor of such vehicle to water level, and adjust at least one such adjustable suspension of such vehicle to adjust the 2-axis horizontal angle of the in-cabin convertible bed to an angle either defined manually by the user or preset and residing on a storage medium such as a physical (e.g., non-transitory) computer-readable medium pertinent to the operation of Camp Mode.
[0049] Moreover, Camp Mode may comprise of a series of additional computer-executable instructions to monitor sensors (e.g., microphones, generic cameras, infrared camera, and/or ultrasound sensors etc.) to identify general motion, and by utilizing data models, differentiating between inanimate objects and sentient beings; between animals and humans; between predators exposing a threat to humans and animals of prey or predators harmless to humans in order to adjust, typically to instruct at least one electronically controlled window to roll up or close any electronically controlled automatic windows, doors, gates or sunroofs respectively.
[0050] The program environment in which one embodiment of the invention may be executed illustratively incorporates one or more general-purpose computers or special-purpose devices such as in-seat computers (not shown here), in-car computers (not shown here), or hand-held computers (not shown here). Details of such devices (e.g., processor, memory, data storage, input and output devices) are well known and are omitted for the sake of clarity.
[0051] The inventive concepts disclosed herein have been presented by way of example to illustrate the myriad features thereof in a plurality of illustrative scenarios, embodiments, and/or implementations. It should be appreciated that the concepts generally disclosed are to be considered as modular, and may be implemented in any combination, permutation, or synthesis thereof. In addition, any modification, alteration, or equivalent of the presently disclosed features, functions, and concepts that would be appreciated by a person having ordinary skill in the art upon reading the instant descriptions should also be considered within the scope of this disclosure.
[0052] While various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Thus, the breadth and scope of an embodiment of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.