Putting an entry door in a slideout above the right rear wheels ?

[Catmobile]

Hello Everyone,

I thought I had finished my design work last year but then decided to add another embodiment to my patent application. This embodiment has an entry door in a slideout above the right rear wheels which makes the interior of the motorhome even bigger when the slideouts are extended.

This idea was introduced by Peterson Industries in 2013 for their fifth-wheel trailers.
https://rvbusiness.com/peterson-unveils-slideout-entry-door-on-excel/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GE8BJ8wr8X0&t=306s

However, this company is no longer in business and I don't see anybody else using this idea so I'm wondering if it's because most people didn't like it.

One problem is that it takes a lot of room to lower the steps and the door can only be opened with the steps lowered but this problem is less serious for a motorhome with two more entry doors in the front.

Also if the steps can be swung by 180 degrees into a storage space rearward of the entry door it would be possible to open the door even when there is no room to lower the steps. Then a step ladder can be used to enter and exit the vehicle.

I also prefer having the awning mounted to the slideout above the entry door to having it mounted to a fixed side wall of the motorhome because it's nice to be able to lower the awning to block the sun with the slideout extended.

Please let me know what you think if anybody here is still interested in RV's.

BTW, this is what my design looks like on the outside.
www.atardis.com/atardis.jpg

It also has a slideout on the left side but it's not possible to tell from looking at this AutoCAD rendering.

Catmobile :-)
www.atardis.com

[Technobarbarian]

Slideouts are all the rage right now. It seems like just about any
rig of any size can have at least two or three slideouts. I'm not a fan.
I belong to the KISS school of engineering.

I probably should pay more attention to these things, but, IIRC, my
brother-in-law's fiver has the main entrance in the front side of a
slideout. That slideout is his porch and part of his living room. It has
an unusually large and sturdy set of aluminum steps with a guardrail on
the outside. You don't need a guardrail on the other side because part
of the Fiver that doesn't move is there. I think he has at least three
slideouts.

Looking at the picture of this design I suspect that it wasn't
popular because those steps aren't sturdy enough to satisfy older RVers.
I'm pretty spry for my age and I don't think I'd be happy with them.
This design also makes it expensive and difficult to significantly beef
up the steps.

I looked at your jpeg. There's no design there. That's just a box
diagram of a basic small class C.

TB

[Catmobile]

On Monday, June 13, 2022 at 9:36:25 PM UTC-7, Technobarbarian wrote:
> ...

> I looked at your jpeg. There's no design there. That's just a box
> diagram of a basic small class C.
> TB

Yes but I told you at the beginning of the year that my design could look a lot like other small motorhomes on the outside.

Catmobile :-)
www.atardis.com

[film...@gmail.com]

Don't make excuses! You asked for honest opinions. It's not TB's fault that his POV wasn't more favorable to your presentation....

Miss Manners Jr.

[Technobarbarian]

Maybe so, but your "diagram" doesn't convey any information about
your design. Looking at it is a complete waste of time.

TB

[Catmobile]

On Tuesday, June 14, 2022 at 8:13:48 PM UTC-7, Technobarbarian wrote:
> ...

> Maybe so, but your "diagram" doesn't convey any information about
> your design. Looking at it is a complete waste of time.
> TB

Sorry I was just kidding.

Here is another embodiment included in my patent application that looks a little more interesting on the outside.
www.atardis.com/atardis.jpe

The deck cover can be partially lowered so that it rests on top of the four hinged panels to provide another enclosed sleeping compartment. This makes it possible to have 13 people sleeping in 7 beds on the inside.

Catmobile :-)
www.atardis.com

[Technobarbarian]

hmmmmm, odd concept. So you thank people for their opinions by
wasting their time? You might want to look up "passive/aggressive" some
time. It's one of those jokes that's only funny for the person telling it.

As with many of your designs, it raises more questions than it
answers. Will there be seating for all 13 people with seat belts when
that thing is going down the road? Do you envision a support vehicle to
carry their clothing, food and gear? Have you settled on a vehicle to
carry all that weight? Is there a vehicle that will handle all that
weight and a high center of gravity? What sort of idiot do you imagine
buying this thing? Big families with money to burn? Some sort of crazy
RV club?

TB

[Catmobile]

On Wednesday, June 15, 2022 at 7:16:01 PM UTC-7, Technobarbarian wrote:
> hmmmmm, odd concept. So you thank people for their opinions by
> wasting their time? You might want to look up "passive/aggressive" some
> time. It's one of those jokes that's only funny for the person telling it.
>
> As with many of your designs, it raises more questions than it
> answers. Will there be seating for all 13 people with seat belts when
> that thing is going down the road? Do you envision a support vehicle to
> carry their clothing, food and gear? Have you settled on a vehicle to
> carry all that weight? Is there a vehicle that will handle all that
> weight and a high center of gravity? What sort of idiot do you imagine
> buying this thing? Big families with money to burn? Some sort of crazy
> RV club?
> TB

I was kidding but not lying when I said I had told you so, i.e. that my designs could look a lot like other small motorhomes on the outside.

The AutoCAD rendering I posted (atardis.jpg) shows the exterior of my actual design that contains everything mentioned on my website so it wasn't a joke.

The law firm that worked for me advised me not to disclose the details until after filing my regular patent application. The deadline for that is coming up in a few months and the patent office will publish my designs early next year.

I put a king-size mattress on the roof deck because there is enough room for it but it is more important to be able to set up a table and chairs up there. The retractable rear enclosure with a double bed is included because it can also accommodate cats and dogs and doesn't take up that much space when it's retracted. Without these extra beds and with the over-cab compartment used for storage there are only enough beds left for 6 people.

It's the same thing with the 15 sq.ft. worksurface area. Some people may say that nobody needs it in a 20-foot motorhome but if there is room for it in the kitchen then I think it should be made available for those who really like to cook.

I have seen small motorhomes that are more top heavy such as the SAIC Maxus V90 Villa Edition with a retractable fully-enclosed second story accessible by an elevator. I think it's just as good to have a partially enclosed covered roof deck accessible by a ladder although it would be easy to provide additional side enclosures as seen on boats everywhere.

Atardis Motorhome Design
www.atardis.com

[Technobarbarian]

IOW you have no idea whether or not this RV will be stable going
down the road. If this idea ever gets past the dream stage someone will
have to sit down and figure this out for real.

For now I have one last question. Why in the world are you spending
money on this ridiculous idea? I'm wildly assuming you have something
patent-able here? Unless you have a new design the slides are not and
it's unlikely that a novel arrangement of slides could be patented. Who
do you think will buy this idea? What do you think they would be willing
to pay? And who do you think they would sell those RVs to?

TB

[Catmobile]

On Thursday, June 16, 2022 at 10:22:29 AM UTC-7, Technobarbarian wrote:
> ...

> IOW you have no idea whether or not this RV will be stable going
> down the road. If this idea ever gets past the dream stage someone will
> have to sit down and figure this out for real.
>
> For now I have one last question. Why in the world are you spending
> money on this ridiculous idea? I'm wildly assuming you have something
> patent-able here? Unless you have a new design the slides are not and
> it's unlikely that a novel arrangement of slides could be patented. Who
> do you think will buy this idea? What do you think they would be willing
> to pay? And who do you think they would sell those RVs to?
> TB

Others have built more top heavy motorhomes so they have already done a lot of work for me.

SAIC Maxus V90 Villa Edition

Protec Q18 (2.3 m - 3.5 m W x 3.35 m H)
Beauer Cell-car 3XC (single or double cab)
Host Custom Expedition Camper (3 slideouts)
And many other expedition trucks

My deck cover and the four hinged panels won't weigh that much because they don't have to support anything other than solar panels. The deck cover is not meant to be walked on and will break if somebody tries to walk on it.

But my deck design isn't even a feature I'm trying to patent. I just included it in my patent application as a free gift for anybody who wants to use this idea. I can only patent one thing at a time so if I want to patent two or three different things it will cost twice or 3 times as much. The retractable rear enclosure is not patentable because it has been built for other motorhomes, trailers and truck campers in the same way.

I still haven't shown the feature I want to patent for the reason stated earlier. The law firm that did the patent search for me didn't find anything close to it and said that it should be patentable unless somebody else has come up with a similar idea just before I filed my patent application last year. It's just another feature that enables the total length to be substantially reduced while keeping all of the amenities I would like to have. It won't cost that much to make and won't add that much weight to the motorhome.

Even though it can sleep up to 13 people in 7 beds, I think my designs will be more suitable for 2 people who want to be in separate rooms from time to time, as well as for a family of up to 6 people on short vacations who want a small vehicle that is easy to drive and park.

Atardis Motorhome Design
www.atardis.com

[Technobarbarian]

IOW, so far all of this is just noise that has nothing to do with
whatever you think you invented. I hope you can understand my
skepticism. You have been, by far, this group's biggest supplier of
vaporware.

For me the scariest part is that I now sound like Will Sill.

TB

[Don Lampson]

Lots of people believe that everything comes full circle in human behavior... Who knows? BTW, you're not nearly as stuck on yourself as Will, formerly of Sill Hill, was, nor as nasty in his condescending comments... Because of Catmobile's dream to gaffle up 13 people for an RV adventure, he seems to be rejecting any constructive criticism, probably thinking, "They said the Wright Bros were NUTZ, too!"

I enjoy his perseverance, and feel guilty naysaying his project... The most disturbing part, is where are the cats of those 13 people? Nobody seems to care about the cats, now days... HawHawHaw!

Ol' Boss Puff

[bfh]

Of course they do.
--------------------------------------------------------
Author: Bill Strande
Published: 10:42 AM CDT June 15, 2022
Updated: 11:02 AM CDT June 15, 2022

HARRIS, Minnesota — A crew from the Animal Humane Society (AHS) helped
rescue 47 cats from what they called "sweltering heat" inside a
vehicle at a rest stop in Harris, Minnesota Tuesday.

The Chisago County Sheriff's Office and Minnesota State Patrol
deputies asked for help from AHS after finding a SUV full of cats at
the rest area, with temperatures hovering in the mid-90s.

The owner of the 47 cats gave the animals to AHS employees. That
person had been living with cats in the vehicle "for some time,"
according a news release from AHS.

Before Tuesday's incident, the owner had already surrendered 14
additional cats that had been living in the car to a local rescue
organization.
---------------------------------------------------------------
https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/47-cats-rescued-from-sweltering-suv-at-minnesota-rest-stop-harris/89-f1e6729e-2195-485b-af04-f5828bb3a543
--
bill
Theory don't mean squat if it don't work.

[Technobarbarian]

eh, I dunno. 'Idiot' is probably showing up in my posts about as
often as it did in Sill's. The only difference is that he preferred to
spell it idjit and I sometimes lapse into that version. Post it often
enough and you start to wonder who the idjit is. I think I'm ready to
make some small changes. We'll see.

Our cats have never had much opportunity to travel and don't
appear to enjoy it when they do. The result is that we hired a
cat-sitter check in on our spoiled darlings every now and then while
we're out running around central Oregon. If they had a choice I know
that's what they would vote for. (And I tell my wife *she's* a crazy cat
lady.)

TB

[Catmobile]

On Thursday, June 16, 2022 at 7:22:00 PM UTC-7, Technobarbarian wrote:
> ...

> IOW, so far all of this is just noise that has nothing to do with
> whatever you think you invented. I hope you can understand my
> skepticism. You have been, by far, this group's biggest supplier of
> vaporware.
>
> For me the scariest part is that I now sound like Will Sill.
> TB

I don't mind if anybody is skeptical right now because I only have to wait a few more months to show that my designs are real.

Catmobile :-)
www.atardis.com

[Technobarbarian]

Oh, I tend to suspect that you have something. My doubt is that
you have something you can sell and that we'll ever see it produced. You
know, like your previous RV designs.

To be fair, my assessment is based more on the history of patents
than Catmobile's history.

"It’s a well-known fact that a vast majority of patents are worthless.
Around 97% of all patents never recoup the cost of filing them. That
figure has been floating around for years. There’s other compelling
evidence."

"It’s extremely difficult to quantify the true value of invention and
how costs are recouped. (And indeed, some argue that the business model
of technology transfer is actually to ‘create impact.’)

But, it’s also safe to assume it's very low.

These statistics are readily available, but entrepreneurs continue to
misperceive how filing intellectual property can be beneficial to them.
Contrary to popular belief, a patent does not protect your technology
from being infringed upon by a competitor. It merely affords you with
legal recourse in the event that someone does. Congratulations! You can sue.

Silicon Valley patent attorney Damon Kali, whom I have known for many
years, puts it to his clients this way.

“A patent gives you a seat at the table, both offensively and
defensively. That’s it. In other words, a patent gets you some relevance
and some leverage. How much relevance and leverage depends on how you
play your hand and how deep your pockets are.”

If you intend on enforcing your patent rights in court, plan on spending
three to five years. Getting to a judgment — any judgment — costs
millions of dollars these days. Unfortunately, recent changes to our
patent system have made the process of defending one’s intellectual
property even lengthier and more costly, which the intellectual property
law blog IPWatchdog has detailed at length.

Simply put: Most small businesses and startups don't have the time or
the financial resources to defend their intellectual property. Apple
continues to fight Samsung in court five years after a jury awarded the
company one billion dollars in damages over patents."

https://www.forbes.com/sites/stephenkey/2017/11/13/in-todays-market-do-patents-even-matter/?sh=507e938056f3

I'd suggest that you read the whole thing and maybe do what I did.
Google for patents lose money. This was just my first hit.

From a distance you sound like someone who is being scammed and
has been told not to tell anyone else about it, because the scammer
knows that if other people hear about it they will recognize the scam.
Just sayin'.

TB

[Catmobile]

On Friday, June 17, 2022 at 9:34:31 AM UTC-7, Technobarbarian wrote:
> ...

> Oh, I tend to suspect that you have something. My doubt is that
> you have something you can sell and that we'll ever see it produced. You
> know, like your previous RV designs.
>
> To be fair, my assessment is based more on the history of patents
> than Catmobile's history.
>
> "It’s a well-known fact that a vast majority of patents are worthless.
> Around 97% of all patents never recoup the cost of filing them. That
> figure has been floating around for years. There’s other compelling
> evidence."

> ...
> TB

I'm not doing this for money and won't try to recover the cost of getting my patents.
It's like writing a scientific paper and I actually look at this problem as a mathematical puzzle.

Catmobile :-)
www.atardis.com

[Technobarbarian]

We still disagree on the value of a patent, but I spend enough
money foolishly that I'm not going to argue with other people about the
way they spend their money.

My custom dyed shirt is supposed to finally arrive today, from,
seriously, The Crunch Fairy. I consider it $65 well spent. Our cat
sitter made a preliminary visit today. Those aren't even the craziest
things I've bought lately.

TB

[bfh]

Catmobile wrote:
> On Friday, June 17, 2022 at 9:34:31 AM UTC-7, Technobarbarian
> wrote:
>> ... Oh, I tend to suspect that you have something. My doubt is
>> that you have something you can sell and that we'll ever see it
>> produced. You know, like your previous RV designs.
>>
>> To be fair, my assessment is based more on the history of
>> patents than Catmobile's history.
>>

>> "It’s a well-known fact that a vast majority of patents are

>> worthless. Around 97% of all patents never recoup the cost of
>> filing them. That figure has been floating around for years.

>> There’s other compelling evidence." ... TB

>
> I'm not doing this for money and won't try to recover the cost of
> getting my patents. It's like writing a scientific paper and I
> actually look at this problem as a mathematical puzzle.
>
> Catmobile :-) www.atardis.com
>

So. What you're saying is you're doing thought engineering? However
comma if you tell me that you literally have a drafting table and
chair, I'll transitorily accept your word, and retract that insinuation.

Note: I don't care if you have some hotshit computer drafting/design
program, because then the AI gets the credit for any subsequent
success at the end of the day going forward.

[Catmobile]

On Friday, June 17, 2022 at 5:01:26 PM UTC-7, bfh wrote:
> ...

> So. What you're saying is you're doing thought engineering? However
> comma if you tell me that you literally have a drafting table and
> chair, I'll transitorily accept your word, and retract that insinuation.
>
> Note: I don't care if you have some hotshit computer drafting/design
> program, because then the AI gets the credit for any subsequent
> success at the end of the day going forward.
> --
> bill
> Theory don't mean squat if it don't work.

Sometimes I wondered if this problem or puzzle could have been solved by a computer. Somebody would have to write a program or algorithm to consider all the different ways of arranging all the amenities in a given space of about 12' x 12' not including the overcab bed.

Catmobile :-)
www.atardis.com

[Jerry]

On Fri, 17 Jun 2022 14:13:15 -0700 (PDT), Catmobile
<atardism...@gmail.com> wrote:

>I'm not doing this for money and won't try to recover the cost of getting my patents.
>It's like writing a scientific paper and I actually look at this problem as a mathematical puzzle.
>
>Catmobile :-)
>www.atardis.com
>

Unless you have been able to construct a Tesseract that actually extends
into the fourth dimension the inside will not be larger than the outside
dimensions can accommodate.

(Spoiler Alert) I assume that you know that Dr. Who was a fictional
character in a British Sci-Fi TV series and the TARDIS was just a prop.

If you are not doing it for money why the teasers? Why not go straight
to the reveal because I'm pretty sure that RV manufacturers aren't
lurking here to pick up innovative design ideas - and if they are
lurking - the only ideas they will get is that Biden is the worst
President we've had in the last 100 years.

Besides, your "Pat Pending" precludes anyone slipping in front of you.
Filing dates count.
--

Jerry O.

[Don Lampson]

I doubt any lurkers look at RORT for political ideas, especially after they'd perused the posts of Georgie, and Honk, unless they were Texas Republican Party stalwarts?

Diamond Joe Jr.

[George.Anthony]

Right, like they would be interested in your inane, sophomoric posts.

--
-
"Ain't no fuckin' way that whole Siberian Orchestra is trans" -Paulie
"walnuts" Gualtieri

[George Antphony]

On Tuesday, June 21, 2022 at 3:22:35 PM UTC-7, George.Anthony wrote:
> On 6/21/2022 4:19 PM, Don Lampson wrote:
> > On Tuesday, June 21, 2022 at 1:28:20 PM UTC-7, Jerry wrote:
> >> On Fri, 17 Jun 2022 14:13:15 -0700 (PDT), Catmobile
> >> <atardism...@gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >>> I'm not doing this for money and won't try to recover the cost of getting my patents.
> >>> It's like writing a scientific paper and I actually look at this problem as a mathematical puzzle.
> >>>
> >>> Catmobile :-)
> >>> www.atardis.com
> >>>
> >> Unless you have been able to construct a Tesseract that actually extends
> >> into the fourth dimension the inside will not be larger than the outside
> >> dimensions can accommodate.
> >>
> >> (Spoiler Alert) I assume that you know that Dr. Who was a fictional
> >> character in a British Sci-Fi TV series and the TARDIS was just a prop.
> >>
> >> If you are not doing it for money why the teasers? Why not go straight
> >> to the reveal because I'm pretty sure that RV manufacturers aren't
> >> lurking here to pick up innovative design ideas - and if they are
> >> lurking - the only ideas they will get is that Biden is the worst
> >> President we've had in the last 100 years.
> >>
> >> Besides, your "Pat Pending" precludes anyone slipping in front of you.
> >> Filing dates count.
> >>

> >> Jerry O.
> >
> > I doubt any lurkers look at RORT for political ideas, especially after they'd perused the posts of Georgie, and Honk, unless they were Texas Republican Party stalwarts?
> >
> > Diamond Joe Jr.
> >
> >
> Right, like they would be interested in your inane, sophomoric posts.
>

>Fido is so judgmental... I can’t tell just by looking at myself
>
Lot more then would be in your moronic drivel
--

[Catmobile]

On Tuesday, June 21, 2022 at 1:28:20 PM UTC-7, Jerry wrote:

> ...

> Unless you have been able to construct a Tesseract that actually extends
> into the fourth dimension the inside will not be larger than the outside
> dimensions can accommodate.
>
> (Spoiler Alert) I assume that you know that Dr. Who was a fictional
> character in a British Sci-Fi TV series and the TARDIS was just a prop.
>
> If you are not doing it for money why the teasers? Why not go straight
> to the reveal because I'm pretty sure that RV manufacturers aren't
> lurking here to pick up innovative design ideas - and if they are
> lurking - the only ideas they will get is that Biden is the worst
> President we've had in the last 100 years.
>
> Besides, your "Pat Pending" precludes anyone slipping in front of you.
> Filing dates count.

> Jerry O.

It's called transdimensional engineering.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvnKXOGYKM8

You're right unless something goes wrong and I cannot file my regular patent application within one year after filing my provisional application. In that case my provisional application will be useless as if it never existed.

After I disclose an idea or design on the web, others will not be able to patent the same thing but they may still be able to patent some variations of it that have not been disclosed.

I have asked one of my brothers to publish all of my designs on the web if I happen to die unexpectedly before filing my regular patent application.

Catmobile :-)
www.atardis.com

[Jerry]

There is a village somewhere...
--

Jerry O.

[Frank Tabor]

Add Limpson to the list.

[Catmobile]

On Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 12:22:25 AM UTC-7, Jerry wrote:
> ...

> There is a village somewhere...

> Jerry O.

If I wasn't an idiot it wouldn't have taken me 20 years to solve this simple problem.

Catmobile :-)
www.atardis.com

[Jerry]

The problem has yet to be defined -- and the proposed solution yet to be
seen.
--

Jerry O.

[Catmobile]

On Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 3:03:36 PM UTC-7, Jerry wrote:
> ...

> The problem has yet to be defined -- and the proposed solution yet to be seen.

> Jerry O.

The problem or puzzle is to arrange these things :
• Bedroom with double bed accessible from 3 sides, overhead and under-bed storage, TV, table and chairs
• Bathroom with sink, toilet, 30" x 27" shower with 52" foldable bathtub, 20-cu.ft. closet and medicine cabinet
• Lounge with main entry door, dinette for four convertible into couch or bed, 55" sofa bed, TV and coffee table
• Kitchen with sink, 3-burner stove, 10-cu.ft. fridge, 4-in-1 oven, storage cabinets and 15-sq.ft. worksurface area
in a motorhome approximately 20' (6.1 m) long, 7.6' (2.3 m) wide and 10.5' (3.2 m) high.
www.atardis.com/atardis.jpg

The main entry door, dinette, kitchen, fridge, bathroom and 3 beds must be usable in the retracted configuration.
I can do a few renderings to show how it looks on the inside without showing the features I'm trying to patent.

Catmobile :-)
www.atardis.com