The present patent application refers to a multi-functional apparatus for motorists, which can be used as anti-skid ramp, leveller, parking block, portable step board.

Motorists travelling in camper vans or trailers can appreciate and benefit from the great versatility of use of the apparatus of the invention, As a matter of fact, in the aforementioned cases special needs are added to the ordinary emergency situations that may occur when using an ordinary car, because of the peculiar ways in which this special category of vehicles is used.

For instance, reference is made to the need to level the walking surface of a trailer or camper van, once they are parked for a long time.

In such a case, and especially in the case of earth or grass surfaces, the ground is not perfectly levelled and one or more shims with suitable height must be inserted under one or more wheels, in order to compensate the difference in height between the wheels and give a perfectly horizontal position to the walking surface.

To that end, users of camper vans and trailers are usually provided with a set of plates with different thickness, to be selectively used according to the specific need.

Another indispensable tool for camper van or trailer drivers is a anti- skid ramp used in case of sinking in sand, mud or snow.

This tool is rather bulky, being normally composed of a metal plate, with minimum one meter length, used to create a provisional platform where the skidding wheel can be placed and adhere.

In case of extended emergency parking uphill, in high slope roads, in order to prevent the vehicle from accidentally moving backwards without control, parking blocks made of shims are inserted on the back of the wheel, between tyre and ground.

Finally, to ensure easier access when getting on or off the camper van or trailer, a small mobile tool is provisionally situated under the door, in order to halve the difference in height between the ground and the door threshold, thus allowing easier and safer movement, because of the presence of the intermediate step.

In order to find a solution to every requirement as illustrated above, motorists have to be provided with one specific, dedicated tool, with two types of inconvenience: the first inconvenience is an economic one, being it necessary to buy four different devices, and the second inconvenience is a practical one, caused by the dimensions and volumes of the four devices, which need to be stored in the vehicle in suitable spaces that could be otherwise advantageously used.

As mentioned above, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a multi-functional apparatus that can be used as anti-skid ramp, leveller, parking block and portable step board, as necessary,

A further purpose of the invention is to provide a multi-functional tool that is characterised by compact size and reduced volume, when not used, in order to be stored in narrow spaces.

The apparatus of the invention consists in a concatenated series of rectangular plates with different length, connected by means of double-hinged unions that allow a plate to rotate by 360° with respect to the other plate, until they are overlapped and engaged.

The free ends of the first and last plate are pivoted to a cuneiform appendix, which can be overturned by approximately 90° in the two rotation directions, in order to be aligned or inclined, for the maximum value of a right angle, with respect to the relevant support plate.

When the apparatus of the invention is to be used as anti-skid ramp, the series of plates is aligned to form a long platform articulated in the double- hinged unions. When the apparatus of the invention is to be used as leveller, all or some of the plates are overturned to form a stack with suitable height according to the difference in level to be compensated.

When the apparatus of the invention is to be used as parking block, the last three plates are overturned in order to form the three sides of a wedge, whose vertex is attached to the remaining plates, which are aligned, in order to be surmounted by the wheel, in reverse gear, until the wheel touches and stops against the shim.

It must be noted that in this case this special parking block cannot be accidentally moved or voluntarily removed, since the wheel surmounts part of the tool.

When the apparatus of the invention is to be used as step board, all plates are overturned and placed one on top of the other, thus forming a stack with the maximum height, which can be used as step when getting on or off the vehicle.

For purposes of clarity the description of the apparatus of the invention continues with reference to the enclosed drawings, which are intended for purposes of illustration only and not in a limiting sense, whereby:

- fig. 1 is a side view of the apparatus of the invention, in maximum compaction condition;

- fig. 2 is a side view of the apparatus of the invention, in maximum extension condition; - fig. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus of the invention, in maximum extension condition;

- fig. 4 is a side view of the apparatus of the invention, in partial extension condition;

- fig. 5 is a side view of the apparatus of the invention, folded in such a way as to be used as parking block;

- fig. 6 is a side view of the apparatus of the invention, shown with all its constructive elements;

- fig. 7 is an axonometric view of the apparatus of the invention.

With reference to the aforementioned figures, the multi-functional apparatus of the invention consists in a concatenated series of rectangular plates (P), with identical width and different height.

The series comprises four plates (1, 2, 3 and 4) connected by means of

double-hinged unions (G) that allow to rotate each plate by 360° with respect to the adjacent one, until they are overlapped and engaged, as shown in fig. 1.

More precisely, all plates (P) are provided with two comb-shaped transversal borders (B), formed of teeth (5) with identical number, distance and dimensions.

The two consecutive plates (P) are connected by a spaced series of unions (G), each formed of a flat connection rod (6) provided with two ending holes (6a), suitable to be inserted edgeways between the teeth (5) of two interfaced borders (B) of a consecutive pair of plates (P).

All teeth (5) are provided with a transversal hole (5a) used to insert the same pin (7) used to pivot all the connection rods (6) of the same row to the teeth (5) of the same border (B).

The free ends of the first (1) and last (4) plate are pivoted to a cuneiform appendix (A), composed of a fin (8) with a comb-shaped transversal border (B1), identical to the aforementioned borders (B), in such a way that the connection between the cuneiform appendixes (A) and the relevant support plates (1 and 4) is made without the interposition of a series of unions (G) of the afore-illustrated type. This means that all teeth (8a) of the said border (B 1) have a transversal hole (8b) used to insert the same pivoting pin (7) used to connect the border (B1) to the border (B) in the front.

Due to the fact that it is not necessary to interpose a series of unions

(G) between border (B1) and border (B), the cuneiform appendix (A) can be overturned by 90° only in the two rotation directions, in order to be aligned or inclined, for the maximum value of a right angle, with respect to the relevant support plate, as shown in fig. 1.

Attention is now drawn on the logical principles that determine the different lengths of the plates (P), which have the following values: - the first plate (1 ) is the longest plate

- the third plate (3) is the shortest plate

- the second (2) and the last (4) plate have the same length, being an

intermediate value between the first (1) and the third (3) plate.

Because of the aforementioned dimensions of the plates (P), in case of partial or total overlapping of the different plates, each connection section between the plates (P) finds a stable support plate on the plate immediately below, as shown in fig. 1.

Evidently, in load conditions the connection sections are the most critical resistance area, due to the fact that the structure of the plates (P) in the said sections is lighter and less rigid thanks to the presence of the toothed borders (B). Based on this consideration, the intention was to avoid that, once the plates (P) are overlapped, the sections could assume a vertical aligned position, in which each section would inevitably be charged by the load that insists on the section immediately above, with higher risk of damage for the teeth (5) or the pivoting pins (7). When the apparatus of the invention is to be used as leveller, all or some of the plates (P) are overturned to form a stack with suitable height according to the difference in level to be compensated, as shown in figure 4. When the apparatus is to be used as parking block, the last three (2, 3 and 4) of the plates (P) are overturned, as shown in figure 5. To that end, it must be noted that in this case this special parking block cannot be accidentally moved or voluntarily removed, since the wheel surmounts the first plate (1).

When the apparatus is to be used as step board, all plates (P) of the series are overturned and engaged one above the other, as shown in fig. 1 , which also shows the most compacted configuration of the apparatus for storage purposes in narrow spaces.

When the apparatus of the invention is to be used as anti-skid ramp, the series of plates (P) is aligned to form a long platform articulated in the double-hinged unions, as shown in figures 2 and 3.