Vehicle mountable reconfigurable shelter

Claim 2

A readily reconfigurable shelter mountable on a vehicle, the vehicle normally including an uncovered transporting structure at the time of vehicle manufacture, said shelter comprising: a cover portion connectable at one end thereof to the transporting structure for pivoting movement of said cover portion between a first relative position and a second relative position covering the transporting structure; and shelter walls connected with said cover portion and securable to the vehicle when said cover portion is moved to said first relative position, one of said shelter walls having an access defined thereat configured to permit occupant access therethrough, said shelter walls and the transporting structure defining a lodging area when said cover portion is at said first relative position, and said shelter walls being configured for storage adjacent to said cover portion when said cover portion is at said second relative position so that said shelter walls occupy substantially no space in the transporting structure when said cover portion is at said second relative position.

Claim 3

The shelter of claim 1 further comprising retaining means for securing said shelter walls to the vehicle and for retaining said shelter walls when stored.

Claim 4

The shelter of claim 1 wherein the vehicle is a truck and the uncovered transporting structure is a truck bed having bed walls and a tailgate, and wherein said cover portion includes a framework structure having members configured to rest on the bed walls and tailgate when in said second relative position.

Claim 5

The shelter of claim 1 wherein said cover portion includes a shell configured so that when said cover portion is at said second relative position a relatively rigid cover for said transporting structure is provided.

Claim 6

The shelter of claim 4 wherein said shell includes first and second sections, said second section being selectively movable relative to said first section.

Claim 7

The shelter of claim 1 further comprising means for maintaining said cover portion at said first relative position.

Claim 8

The shelter of claim 1 wherein the transporting structure is a truck bed having bed walls, the shelter further comprising a relatively rigid truck bed liner having said cover portion pivotably connected adjacent thereto.

Claim 9

A readily reconfigurable shelter mountable at the cargo carrying area of a truck, the cargo carrying area begin defined by a truck bed, first, second and third walls, and a movable tailgate opposite said third wall and extending between said first and second walls, said shelter comprising: a plurality of pliant walls, one of said pliant walls having an access thereat configured to permit occupant access therethrough, said pliant walls including means for releasable securement to one another; a pivotable portion pivotably connected adjacent to one end thereof with one of the walls defining the cargo carrying area for movement thereof between first and second relative positions, said pivotable portion begin made of material that is relatively rigid relative to said pliant walls and of a size sufficient to cover the cargo carrying area when said pivotable portion is at said second relative position, said pliant walls being connected with said pivotable portion; retaining means for securing said pliant walls to the truck when said pivotable portion is in said first relative position thus defining an accessible lodging area at the cargo carrying area of the truck; and securing means connected with at least one of said pivotable portion and any of said pliant walls for securement of said pliant walls adjacent to said pivotable portion so that said pliant walls occupy no space on the truck bed when said pivotable portion is at said second relative position.

Claim 10

A readily reconfigurable shelter mountable at the cargo carrying area of a truck, the cargo carrying area begin defined by a truck bed, first, second and third walls, and a movable tailgate opposite said third wall and extending between said first and second walls, said shelter comprising: a plurality of pliant walls, one of said pliant walls having an access thereat configured to permit occupant access therethrough, said pliant walls including means for releasable securement to one another; a pivotable portion pivotably connected adjacent to one end thereof with one of the walls defining the cargo carrying area for movement thereof between first and second relative positions, said pivotable portion begin made of material that is relatively rigid relative to said pliant walls and of a size sufficient to cover the cargo carrying area when said pivotable portion is at said second relative position, said pliant walls being connected with said pivotable portion; retaining means for securing said pliant walls to the truck when said pivotable portion is in said first relative position thus defining an accessible lodging area at the cargo carrying area of the truck; and securing means connected with at least one of said pivotable portion and any of said pliant walls for securement of said pliant walls adjacent to said pivotable portion so that said pliant walls occupy no space on the truck bed when said pivotable portion is at said second relative position.

Claim 11

The shelter of claim 8 further comprising a canopy connected with said pivotable portion adjacent to said pliant wall having said access.

Claim 12

The shelter of claim 8 further comprising a framework structure having said pivotable portion connected thereto and including members configured to rest on different ones of said tailgate and said first and second walls when said pivotable portion is in said second relative position.

Claim 13

The shelter of claim 8 further comprising a mesh material wall at said pliant wall having said access for allowing ventilation of said lodging area while preventing ready passage thereinto by insects when said access is retained in an open position.

Claim 14

The shelter of claim 8 wherein said plurality of pliant walls includes first and second side walls and said one of said walls, each of said first and second side walls having first, second, and third edges, said first edges each having a length about the same as a distance defined between said one end and an opposite end of said pivotable portion, sad second edges each having a length at least equalling a distance defined between said one end of said pivotable portion and the tail gate, and said third edges each having a length at least equaling a distance defined between the truck bed and said opposite end of said pivotable portion when said pivotable portion is at said first relative position.

Claim 15

The shelter of claim 12 wherein the tailgate has a top edge and is pivotable to an open position with the top edge space from, and in substantially the same plane as, the truck bed, and wherein said second and third edges of said side walls each have a length sufficient to extend to the top edge of the tail gate when in the open position.

Claim 16

A readily reconfigurable shelter mountable at the cargo carrying area of a truck, the cargo carrying area being defined by a truck bed, first, second, and third walls, and a movable tailgate opposite said third wall and extending between said first and second walls, said shelter comprising: a framework pivotably connected at one end thereof adjacent to the third wall of the cargo carrying area nd pivotable between first and second relative positions, said framework having first, second and third framework members configured for contact adjacent to the first and second walls and tailgate, respectively, of the cargo carrying area; a shell connected to said framework and of a size sufficient to cover the cargo carrying area when said framework is in said second relative position; pliant wall means connected with one of said framework and said shell for defining shelter walls when said framework is in said first relative position, said wall means having a first section having an access configured to permit occupant access therethrough; retaining means connected with said wall means for securing said wall means to the truck when said framework is in said first relative position; and securing means connected with at least one of said framework, said shell and said pliant wall means for securing said pliant wall means adjacent to said framework and said shell so that said pliant wall occupy no space on the truck bed when said framework is at said second relative position.

Claim 17

A readily reconfigurable shelter mountable at the cargo carrying area of a truck, the cargo carrying area being defined by a truck bed, first, second, and third walls, and a movable tailgate opposite said third wall and extending between said first and second walls, said shelter comprising: a framework pivotably connected at one end thereof adjacent to the third wall of the cargo carrying area nd pivotable between first and second relative positions, said framework having first, second and third framework members configured for contact adjacent to the first and second walls and tailgate, respectively, of the cargo carrying area; a shell connected to said framework and of a size sufficient to cover the cargo carrying area when said framework is in said second relative position; pliant wall means connected with one of said framework and said shell for defining shelter walls when said framework is in said first relative position, said wall means having a first section having an access configured to permit occupant access therethrough; retaining means connected with said wall means for securing said wall means to the truck when said framework is in said first relative position; and securing means connected with at least one of said framework, said shell and said pliant wall means for securing said pliant wall means adjacent to said framework and said shell so that said pliant wall occupy no space on the truck bed when said framework is at said second relative position.

Claim 18

The shelter of claim 14 wherein said wall means includes second and third sections each having a triangular configuration, one edge of each of said second and third sections having a length greater than a distance defined between said one end of said framework and the tailgate, said retaining means extending at least said length of said edges of said second and third sections.

Claim 19

The shelter of claim 14 wherein said framework and said shell each include first and second sections, said second sections being selective movable relative to said first sections.

Claim 20

The shelter of claim 14 further comprising a canopy connected with one of sad framework and said shell adjacent to said first section of said wall means, said first section of said wall means including a mesh material portion.

Claim 21

The shelter of claim 14 further comprising a relatively rigid truck bed and bed wall liner having said framework pivotably connected adjacent thereto.

Claim 22

The shelter of claim 14 wherein said wall means includes releasable connecting means for releasably connecting said wall means with one of said framework and said shell.