Vehicles equipped with exoskeletons

Abstract

To provide a vehicle having an exoskeleton exterior panel that provides crash resistance.SOLUTION: An exterior panel 502 may be formed from a monolithic metal sheet and attached to an exterior portion of the vehicle frame, and the exterior panel does not comprise an additional support structure. At least one component may be directly attached to the exterior panel, and the exterior panel may bear the load of the at least one component. Methods of manufacturing the vehicle are also described.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a vehicle. More specifically, this disclosure relates to an exoskeleton outer vehicle panel that is attached to a vehicle frame and provides anti-collision characteristics and may be load-bearing. 。

Background Art

[0002] Conventional vehicles, such as automobiles, generally have doors formed from a paneling assembly that includes an outer panel, an inner panel, and a plurality of punched reinforcements that are welded to the inner panel, and the plurality of punched reinforcements are then bordered on the outer panel. In a paneling assembly such as a door assembly, intrusion prevention bars, which are generally thick, durable steel or aluminum bars, may be included to help protect the occupants from side or rear impacts by other vehicles or the like. Conventional outer panels that make up the conventional paneling assembly have less strength, so intrusion prevention bars are included to provide collision protection. However, such additional components that make up the paneling assembly add additional cost and time to the entire manufacturing process. Further, they increase the assembly requirements for installing and maintaining the components that are attached within such a paneling assembly.

[0003]

[0004] [[ID=X]]

Summary of the Invention

[0004] For the purpose of summarizing the advantages obtained over the prior art with this disclosure, specific objects and advantages of this disclosure are described herein. Not all such objects or advantages may be achieved in any particular embodiment. Thus, for example, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art The present invention does not necessarily achieve any other object or advantage that may be taught or suggested herein. Without doing so, achieve or optimize one or a group of advantages as taught herein. It can be materialized or implemented in this manner.

[0005] All of these embodiments are intended to fall within the scope of the invention disclosed herein. These and other embodiments are described in detail below in the following description of preferred embodiments relating to the attached figures. As will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, the present invention is an embodiment of any particular preferred embodiment disclosed. Not limited to this.

[0006] In one embodiment, a vehicle having a vehicle frame is described. The vehicle is a monolithic metal sheet An outer panel formed from a material and attached to the exterior of the vehicle frame, and a direct connection to the outer panel. The outer panel includes at least one component to be attached, and the outer panel includes at least one component The outer panel supports the load of the constituent elements and does not have any further supporting structures.

[0007] In some embodiments, the monolithic metal sheet is made of steel, aluminum, and It comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of these combinations. In some embodiments, At least one component includes at least one hinge, at least one handle, and At least one bolt, motor, internal trim panel, windshield, and those Selected from a group consisting of combinations. In some embodiments, further support structures are , further metal panels, support beams, punched reinforcements, intrusion prevention bars, and combinations thereof Selected from the group consisting of .

[0008] In some embodiments, the outer panel provides side impact protection to the vehicle. In this configuration, the outer surface of the outer panel is paint-free. In some embodiments, the outer panel is Door panels, roof panels, hood panels, fender panels, trunk panels, lift Selected from a group consisting of gate panels and combinations thereof. In this configuration, the outer panel is the door panel. In some embodiments, the vehicle has an electric motor. Prepare for it.

[0009] In other embodiments, a method for manufacturing an automobile is described. The method uses a monolithic metal sheet. The intended step is to use the initial monolithic metal sheet. The intended steps are to cut the initial monolithic metal sheet and cut the monolithic metal sheet. The steps involve forming a sheet and shaping the cut monolithic metal sheet into a monolithic metal A step of manufacturing a member sheet and at least one configuration The steps include attaching the elements directly to a monolithic metal sheet to form the outer panel, and A step of attaching the side panel to the exterior of the vehicle body, wherein the outer panel has an additional support structure. Includes steps that are not added.

[0010] In some embodiments, the initial monolithic metal sheet is a rolled metal sheet. In some embodiments, the monolithic metal sheet is not heat-treated. In some embodiments, The side panel is not joined to other metal panels. In some embodiments, cutting is done by laser cutting. Therefore, it will be carried out. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0011] [Figure 1]Shows an exploded view of the components in a conventional prior art door assembly.

[0012] [Figure 2] Shows a prior art door assembly including a conventional B-pillar assembly.

[0013] [Figure 3] Is a perspective view of one embodiment of a pickup truck with an outer panel exoskeleton.

[0014] [Figure 4] Is a side view of one embodiment of a pickup truck with an outer panel exoskeleton.

[0015] [Figure 5] Shows an exploded view of one embodiment of a door with an exoskeleton outer panel.

[0016] [Figure 6] Shows one embodiment of a door assembly including an exoskeleton version of the B-pillar.

[0017] Embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages will be best understood by referring to the following detailed description. Similar reference numbers are used to identify similar elements shown in one or more of the figures, and the illustrations in the figures are for the purpose of explaining embodiments of the present disclosure and are not to be construed as limiting the present disclosure.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] The present disclosure can be understood by referring to the following detailed description. To clarify the description for the sake of, certain elements of the various drawings may not be drawn to scale and are schematic or This may be expressed conceptually, or otherwise, in a specific physical form of the embodiment. Please note that we may not always be able to provide a satisfactory solution.

[0019] The embodiments relate to vehicles, and in particular to automobiles including outer panels that provide collision resistance (e.g.) This relates to trucks and cars. In some embodiments, the outer panel is similar to that of a conventional vehicle. It has collision resistance similar to or exceeding that which can be provided by an intrusion prevention bar. In some embodiments, the exterior panels contribute to the vehicle's primary structural performance. For example, In some embodiments, the outer door panel has structural properties that protect the door area from side impacts. This brings about the majority of the problem. In some embodiments, the vehicle is equipped with an electric motor. In one embodiment... In this vehicle, the truck, for example, has an all-electric propulsion system connected to a battery pack. It is a pickup truck.

[0020] In contrast to the embodiments of this disclosure, Figure 1 shows the complexity of the parts used in a conventional door 100. The exploded view is shown. As can be seen from the diagram, the outer door panel 102 covers the intrusion prevention bar 104. The intrusion prevention bar 104 provides resistance to lateral impacts for people inside the vehicle. - On the inner surface of 104 is an intermediate panel 106 that supports the load of one or more door components, and the door There is an internal trim panel 108 used to cover the internal mechanism of 100.

[0021] Figure 2 shows a conventional B-pillar of a vehicle located between or adjacent to a pair of doors. The diagram shows a conventional door assembly 200, including the frame 202. , including two door openings. The outer portion of frame 202 is attached to the internal B-pillar support 204. And by fitting with the intermediate B-pillar support 206 using a set of brackets, It forms a structural protective unit. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the conventional vehicle exterior panel The structure provides structural support, supports the load of the components, and provides collision resistance. It requires further components of the number.

[0022] Embodiments of this disclosure are designed so that the exterior panels of the vehicle also contribute to the structural performance of the vehicle. Regarding vehicle architecture. Such outer panels of a vehicle are called "exoskeleton (outer) It is sometimes referred to as the "skeleton" or "exoskeleton." Figures 3 and 4 show the outer panel. This is a diagram of a pickup truck embodiment with an exoskeleton configuration. Some of the disclosures The embodiment eliminates the intrusion prevention bar and instead provides durable protection to deliver impact protection. An integrated exterior panel (e.g., door panel) is used. Therefore, the following is described herein. The damn skeleton form eliminates the inner door structure and protection system, leaving a single outer panel. Only the hinges and latches for opening and closing the door, as well as the window, are used. The door components, such as the motor, are mounted directly to the outer panel. This method is used in the vehicle. Side door, roof, hood, fenders, and trunk (or liftgate) assembly It may also be applied to the exoskeleton method significantly reduces the manufacturing footprint and cost. This could lead to significant reductions.

[0023] One embodiment of a vehicle exoskeleton structure is designed to respond to the opening and closing load of a door. This is a configured side door system. In some embodiments, the door is, among other things, Over-opening, slam closure, torsional load acting on the door, reaction force in the seal, and Furthermore, it can withstand abuse loads in the reaction window operation load. In other embodiments, other external parts of the vehicle The exoskeleton concept is also used for the parts that face the surface. For example, in a typical conventional vehicle, the vehicle The welded closed vertical section between the side doors is impacted by the vehicle. Responding to the side impact force applied to the body, it evenly resists the vertical load applied to the roof. In addition to other smaller forces, the seatbelt load on the passenger in the front seat is particularly significant. It acts as a beam to react to gravity. In contrast, the structural configuration of this vehicle body is structural A closed section (generally one or more outer punched sections welded together) It is customary to have a thin decorative outer panel welded to the upper inner punched section. However, embodiments of the present disclosure are similar to conventional structures in which the external structural reinforcement is more complex. A single structural panel that provides load-bearing advantages while also serving a decorative function in the customer-facing areas of the vehicle. Regarding the exoskeleton structure created from this material.

[0024] Therefore, a vehicle having a vehicle frame is disclosed, in which case the vehicle comprises outer panels. In some embodiments, the outer panel is attached to the exterior of the vehicle frame. In some embodiments, the outer panel is attached to the vehicle due to its composition and / or structural characteristics. It provides collision resistance. In some embodiments, the outer panel provides the vehicle with side impact protection. In some embodiments, the outer panel is a monolithic metal sheet or mono It is formed from a monolithic metal sheet. In some embodiments, a monolithic metal sheet The material is made of a metal selected from the group consisting of steel, aluminum, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the corrosion resistance of a monolithic metal sheet is determined by the corrosion-resistant coating. To allow the exterior panels of a vehicle to be used without applying a coating (e.g., paint). Several practical applications In this application method, the outer surface of the outer panel does not contain paint.

[0025] The outer panel provides collision resistance to the vehicle without the need for additional support structures required in conventional vehicles. This can be achieved. In some embodiments, the outer panel may have a further support structure. In some embodiments, further support structures include further metal panels, support beams, and other materials. The group consists of reinforcement materials, intrusion prevention bars, and combinations thereof.

[0026] The outer panel is designed so that further components can be attached to and supported by the outer panel. It can have sufficient structural support. In some embodiments, at least one component is It is attached to the outer panel. In some embodiments, at least one component is on the outside It is mounted directly to the panel. In some embodiments, the outer panel has at least 1 To support or substantially support the load of one component. In some embodiments, at least Another component is at least one hinge, at least one handle, at least One bolt, motor, internal trim panel, windshield, and combination thereof Selected from the group consisting of .

[0027] In some embodiments, the vehicle is an automobile. In some embodiments, the automobile is a truck. It is a car or a vehicle (e.g., a sedan). In some embodiments, the outer panel is the door panel. Roof panel, hood panel, fender panel, trunk panel, liftgate panel Selected from the group consisting of Nell and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the outer The side panel is the door panel.

[0028] Figure 5 is an exploded view of one embodiment of a door 500 having an exoskeleton outer panel 502. This shows that the outer panel 502 is mounted directly to the vehicle body via hinges (not shown). The structure consists of an electric window assembly 5 comprising a window 512 and a motor 514 on the outer door panel. 10 are adjacent. The electric window assembly 510 is secured by an internal latching mechanism (not shown). The outer panel 502 is directly attached, and the inner trim panel 508 is attached to the door 500. It is used to cover the internal mechanism. The outer panel 502 is made of a durable material (for example, Since it is made from steel, aluminum or other metals, the intrusion prevention bar 104 and intermediate panel Conventional vehicle door assembly, such as the door shown in Figure 1, including further components such as the Ru 106. Interior intrusion prevention bars or other features found in the side doors to protect occupants from collisions. The element is not needed.

[0029] Figure 6 shows one unit of door assembly 600 with an exoskeleton version of the B-pillar. The installation configuration is shown. The door assembly 600 is located on the outer part of the frame 602, which includes two door openings. This includes the outer portion of frame 602 to form a structural protective unit. Only a single internal B-pillar support 604 attached to the outer part of M 602 is required. The structural strength and impact resistance of the door assembly 600 provide a protective barrier against side impacts. The outer part of frame 602 is designed and constructed from materials such as aluminum or steel. This is due to the parting. Therefore, the door assembly 600 is located on the side of the outer part of the frame 602. The intermediate B-pillar support in Figure 2 already includes sufficient structural support to protect occupants from a collision. It does not require a second B-pillar section such as body 206.

[0030] Some advantages of the exoskeleton form over the manufacturing process include the body / underbody structure. This includes reducing the assembly line required to join various reinforcing materials before joining them together. In terms of form, this concept is a frame in which the side structure of the vehicle body is joined to the lower vehicle body structure. It can replace the mixing process. In some embodiments, the outside of the vehicle Nell is designed to replace both structural internal and external reinforcements with a single panel. It can be measured.

[0031] Methods for manufacturing vehicles such as automobiles are also disclosed. In some embodiments, monolithic A metal sheet is prepared, and at least one component is directly attached to the monolithic metal sheet. They are attached to form the outer panel, and the outer panel is attached to the exterior of the vehicle body. In some embodiments, no further support structures are added to the outer panel. In some embodiments, The outer panel is not joined to other metal panels.

[0032] The monolithic metal sheet is prepared by preparing the initial monolithic metal sheet, and the initial monolithic Cutting a metal sheet to form a cut monolithic metal sheet, cut monolithic It can be manufactured by shaping metal sheets to form monolithic metal sheets. In several embodiments, the monolithic metal sheet is in the shape of a door panel. In its form, a monolithic metal sheet forms the outer shape of the frame. Several embodiments In this case, the initial monolithic metal sheet is a rolled metal sheet. In some embodiments, The Norlithic metal sheet is not heat-treated. In some embodiments, cutting is done by laser cutting. This is how it is done.

[0033] While specific embodiments have been described, these embodiments are presented merely as examples. This disclosure is intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. In fact, this specification is not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. The novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in various other forms. Within the bounds of the intended concept, various omissions and substitutions may be made in the systems and methods described herein. The claims attached hereto and their equivalents may be replaced or modified. It is intended to encompass forms or modifications that fall within the scope and ideas of [the subject].

[0034] Features, materials, properties, or groups described in connection with a particular aspect, embodiment, or example are , any other aspect, embodiment, or example described in this section or elsewhere in this specification It should be understood that it is applicable unless it is incompatible with this specification. All of the features disclosed in (including the attached claims, abstract, and drawings), and / or Any method or step of process disclosed in this manner is not such a characteristic. Any combination except one in which at least some of the steps are mutually exclusive. They can be combined in various ways. Protection is not limited to the details of any of the aforementioned embodiments. No. Protection is disclosed in this specification (including the attached claims, abstract, and drawings). Any novel one or any novel combination of the features described, or in such a way Any new one or any new step of any disclosed method or process It can result in a variety of combinations.

[0035] Furthermore, certain features described in this disclosure in relation to separate implementations may differ in a single implementation. They can also be implemented in combination. Conversely, various characteristics can be described in relation to a single implementation. This can be implemented separately or in any appropriate combination of parts in multiple implementations. Furthermore, although the above may describe the characteristics as acting in specific combinations, One or more features from the combination described in the claims may, in some cases, be combined It can be removed from the combination, and the combination can be a partial combination or a partial combination It can be claimed as a variation of the above.

[0036] Furthermore, the operation may be depicted in a specific order in the drawings or described herein, Such actions, in order to achieve the desired result, are performed in a specific or sequential order as indicated. It does not need to be executed, or any of its actions do not need to be performed. Not depicted. Alternatively, other actions not described may be incorporated into the examples of methods and processes. For example, Perform one or more additional actions before, after, simultaneously with, or in between any of the listed actions. This is possible. Furthermore, in other implementations, the actions may be rearranged or reordered. As any professional would know, in several embodiments, exemplified and / or disclosed The actual steps taken in the process may differ from those shown in the diagram. Accordingly, certain steps among the steps described above may be deleted, and other steps may be added. Further features and attributes of the specific embodiments disclosed above may be further implemented. They may be combined in different ways to form a shape, all within the scope of this disclosure. Enter. Also, the separation of various system components in the above implementation is in all implementations. It should not be understood that such a separation is necessary, and the components and the described components and Stems can generally be incorporated together into a single product or packaged into multiple products. It should be understood that it can be integrated. For example, the energy storage systems described herein Any of the components for the system are separately designed to form an energy storage system. They may be separated or integrated with each other (for example, packaged together or (They can be attached to each other.)

[0037] For the purposes of this disclosure, specific aspects, advantages, and novel features are described herein. Not all of these advantages can necessarily be achieved according to any particular embodiment. This is not the case. Therefore, for example, as those skilled in the art will see, this disclosure is not limited to the Specified. Without necessarily achieving other advantages that may be taught or suggested elsewhere, as taught herein It may be embodied or implemented to achieve one or a group of advantages.

[0038] "can do," "could do," "may do." Conditional language such as "ight)" or "may" should not be specifically stated. To the extent that, or unless otherwise understood in the context in which it is used, a particular implement The embodiment includes certain features, elements, and / or steps, but other embodiments do not include them. It is intended to convey. Therefore, such conditional language generally refers to features, essentials. The elements and / or steps are required in some way in one or more embodiments, One or more embodiments, with or without user input or prompts, these features, The elements and / or steps may be included in or performed in any particular embodiment. This does not necessarily mean that it includes the logic for determining that.

[0039] Conjunctions such as the phrase "at least one of X, Y, and Z" are treated as clauses unless otherwise specified. It is commonly used to indicate that an item, term, etc., could be X, Y, or Z. It is understood in the context of. Therefore, such conjunctions are generally understood in a particular embodiment of X. It requires the presence of at least one of Y and at least one of Z. It is not intended to mean that.

[0040] The terms "approximately" and "about" are used in this specification. )", "generally", and "substantially" The language used herein, such as "y)", still performs the desired function or This represents a value, quantity, or characteristic close to the stated value, quantity, or characteristic that achieves the desired result. For example, "approximately," "about," "generally" The usage of "(generally)" and "substantially" The word may be used in amounts less than 10%, less than 5%, or 1% of the stated quantity, depending on the desired function or desired result. This can refer to amounts less than 0.1%, less than 0.01%, and less than 0.01%.

[0041] Where there are headings included in this specification, they are for convenience only and are not disclosed herein. This does not necessarily affect the scope or meaning of the apparatus and methods being used.

[0042] The scope of this disclosure is limited to specific embodiments described in this section or elsewhere in this specification. This is not intended to be limited by the indications shown, and is not intended to be limited to those shown elsewhere in this section or specification. As shown or to be presented in the future, it may be defined by the claims. The language of the claims should be interpreted broadly based on the language used in the patent claims. The examples described herein or during the examination of an application are not limited to those described herein, and the examples are non-exclusive. It should be interpreted as such.

Claims

1. It is a vehicle, A vehicle frame equipped with exterior parts, A side door, the side door includes an outer door panel comprising a single metal sheet not bonded to any other metal panel, the outer door panel being located in the door opening of the exterior part and adjacent to the B-pillar of the vehicle, and being directly attached to the exterior part of the vehicle frame via a coupling, An electric window assembly directly attached to the outer door panel, wherein the outer door panel supports the load of the electric window assembly, Equipped with, A vehicle in which the outer door panel forms a structural part of the vehicle's exoskeleton, and the outer door panel functions as a load-bearing member supporting the electric window assembly.

2. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the outer door panel is not provided with any further support structure selected from the group consisting of support beams, intrusion prevention bars, and combinations thereof.

3. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the metal sheet comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of steel and aluminum.

4. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising additional components selected from the group consisting of a motor, an internal trim panel, and combinations thereof.

5. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the outer door panel provides side impact protection to the vehicle.

6. The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the outer door panel provides more side impact protection than other parts or structures of the vehicle.

7. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the outer door panel provides collision resistance at least equivalent to that provided by a conventional vehicle intrusion prevention bar.

8. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the outer door panel is not painted.

9. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising an electric motor.

10. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the outer door panel is configured to define a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

11. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the outer door panel is a passenger door panel.

12. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the outer door panel is attached at one end to the pillar of the exterior part of the vehicle frame, so that the outer door panel rotates around the pillar.

13. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle frame comprises a pillar assembly, the pillar assembly essentially consisting of an internal support structure and pillars of the exterior portion of the vehicle frame.

14. The vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion includes a hinge, a latch, or a bolt.

15. A method for manufacturing a vehicle, The step of preparing an outer door panel comprising a single metal sheet that is not joined to other metal panels, The single metal sheet mentioned above The steps include cutting an initial single metal sheet to form a cut metal sheet, The manufacturing process includes the step of shaping the cut metal sheet to form the single metal sheet, A step of directly attaching an electric window assembly to the outer door panel, wherein the outer door panel supports the load of the electric window assembly, and thereby the outer door panel functions as a support structure for the electric window assembly. A step of directly attaching the outer door panel to the exterior of the vehicle frame via a connecting portion, wherein the outer door panel is located in the door opening of the exterior portion and adjacent to the B-pillar of the vehicle, Methods that include...

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the initial single metal sheet is a rolled metal sheet.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the step of heat-treating the single metal sheet is not included.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the cutting is performed by laser cutting.

19. The method according to claim 15, wherein the method does not consist of the step of attaching a further support structure to the outer door panel, and the further support structure is selected from the group consisting of support beams, intrusion prevention bars, and combinations thereof.

20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the outer door panel is configured to define a passenger compartment of the automobile.

21. The method according to claim 15, wherein the connecting portion includes a hinge, a latch, or a bolt.

22. The method according to claim 15, wherein the step of installing the outer door panel includes attaching one end of the outer door panel to a pillar of the exterior part of the vehicle frame, so that the outer door panel rotates about the pillar.

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