Deployable Canopy Sliding Side Panels for Cargo Bay Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing deployable canopies for vehicles face issues such as obstruction by wind shear, interference with cargo, and poor sealing due to hingedly coupled side panels, which limit their effectiveness in enclosing cargo bays.
Innovation Solution
A deployable canopy system with a roof portion and rearward columns that slide along tracks, featuring horizontally stowed rigid side panels that rotate vertically for deployment, using a combination of horizontal and vertical tracks and electromechanical actuation to ensure tight sealing and avoid obstructions, along with a removable cassette for additional coverage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If side panels are hingedly coupled and pivot downwardly for deployment, then the canopy can be deployed, but the side panels are obstructed by wind shear and interfere with cargo
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of hinged panels that pivot downward, the patent uses sliding panels that move horizontally along tracks. The panels are guided by vertical tracks on columns and horizontal tracks on the roof, inverting the traditional hinge mechanism to eliminate wind shear obstruction and cargo interference while maintaining deployment functionality
2Ease of operation
If side panels are hingedly coupled and swing down for deployment, then the canopy can enclose the cargo bay, but the sealing performance is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces weather seals as intermediary elements between the sliding panels and the cargo bay structure. These seals engage with the panel edges during horizontal sliding deployment, providing continuous contact and effective sealing while the panels move along the track system, thereby improving reliability without compromising ease of operation
3Adaptability or versatility
If removable windows are used in the canopy, then the canopy can be adapted to different needs, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the canopy into modular components including removable windows that can be independently taken out or installed. This segmentation allows the canopy to be adapted to different needs (improving versatility) while each module remains relatively simple in design (managing complexity). The windows are integrated into the sliding panel system, sharing the same track interface, which minimizes additional complexity
Data Source
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AI summary
There is provided herein improvements in deployable canopies for utility vehicles having a cabin and a cargo bay. According to one aspect, the system comprises a deployable canopy which has a roof portion and rearward columns extending downwardly therefrom. The roof portion slides along cabin roof tracks and the columns slide along cargo bay edge tracks longitudinally from stowed to deployed positions for selectively enclosing the canopy bay. The deployable canopy may stow side panels horizontally therein, which when the canopy is deployed, the side panels slide therefrom transitioning from horizontally to vertically, typically under automatic mechanical actuator control, using an arrangement of tracks. According to another aspect, the system has a removable cassette that selectively engages longitudinally between forward and rearward builder bars and have longitudinal lateral openings from which side covers unfurl slide within builder bars tracks.