Thermo Tex

The instant invention relates generally to mobile homes and more specifically it relates to a skirting system for enclosing an air space beneath a mobile home.

Numerous mobile homes have been provided in prior art that are adapted to include skirting assemblies installed beneath the mobile homes in order to prevent drafts underneath and to improve the appearance thereof. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,753,323; 4,107,888 and 4,549,378 all are illustrative of such prior art. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a skirting system for enclosing an air space beneath a mobile home that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.

Another object is to provide a skirting system for enclosing an air space beneath a mobile home that includes a plurality of insulation material panels fabricated out of all weather plastic for water vapor barrier protection thus making it cooler in summer and warmer in winter.

An additional object is to provide a skirting system for enclosing an air space beneath a mobile home in which the finished product is streamlined and attractive to the eye, yet simple enough for the average person to be able to apply alone.

A further object is to provide a skirting system for enclosing an air space beneath a mobile home that is simple and easy to use.

A still further object is to provide a skirting system for enclosing an air space beneath a mobile home that is economical in cost to manufacture.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention installed to a mobile home.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along line 2--2 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of a top corner of the panel showing the double bevel push button in greater detail.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the bottom track with parts broken away showing a pivotable support arm with a wedge on front surface thereof.

FIG. 5 is a front view taken in direction of arrow 5 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a bottom view taken in direction of arrow 6 in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a top view of the panels just in the lower track and a corner member in place with parts broken away.

Turning now descriptively to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a skirting system 10 for enclosing an air space beneath a mobile home 12 that consists of an elongated upper track 14 mountable with scres 16 to exterior 18 of the mobile home 12. An elongated lower track 20 is mountable with stakes 22 to a support surface 24, such as a concrete pad or apron. A plurality of insulation material panels 26 are provided, each of which has a grooved grip 28 formed on rear surface 30 thereof for assisting the panels 26 to slide into the upper and lower tracks 14 and 20. A plurality of hook and loop fastener strips 32 are also provided. Each of the strips 32 is affixed to one side edge 34 of each of the panels 26 to hold the mating side edges 34 of the panels 26 together. The panels are maintained in an enclosing position about the mobile home 12 for a water vapor barrier protection thus making it cooler in summer and warner in winter.

The skirting system 10 further contains a plurality of vertical corner members 36 one of which is shown in FIG. 7. The corner member 36 includes the hook and loop fastener strips 32 for engagement with the mating strips 32 on the side edges 34 of the adjacent panels 26 at a corner of the mobile home in oppositely oriented conterminous relationship. The side edge 34 can be stepped as shown so as to hide the strips 32 in back.

The upper and lower tracks 14 and 20 can optionally have a plurality of spaced apart apertures 38 formed in front thereof. Each of the panels 26 can also optionally have four double bevel spring biased push buttons 40. Each push button (see FIG. 3) is placed into each front corner 42 thereof, whereby when the panel 26 slides into the upper and lower tracks 14 and 20 the push buttons 40 will enter the respective apertures 38 to lock therein.

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 show a support arm 44 pivotable on pin 46 to front surface 48 of the lower track 20. A wedge member 50 is formed on the front surface 48 of the lower track 20 and positioned so that when the support arm 44 pivots down to make contact with the support surface 24, lower portion of the support arm 44 will move away from the front surface 48 of the lower track 20 by bearing against the wedge member 50. Support arms 44 can be on the front and back surface of the lower track 20 and spaced apart therealong.

While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.