Internal Support System for Removable Vehicle Canopy Load Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Removable vehicle canopies lack structural reinforcement to support significant loads, and existing mounting solutions are cumbersome, difficult to install, and may damage the canopy or increase wind resistance.
Innovation Solution
A support system comprising interfitting support frames and feet installed on the internal surfaces of the canopy, with mounting elements affixed by mechanical fasteners, allowing load distribution into the vehicle without transferring forces through the canopy, enabling installation while the canopy is mounted.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If an external frame is used to support loads on the canopy, then the load capacity increases, but wind resistance increases and aesthetic appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The support frame is nested inside the canopy structure, with internal side walls and feet positioned within the canopy's internal space. This allows the load-bearing structure to be hidden from external view, eliminating the aesthetic deterioration and wind resistance problems of external frames while maintaining high load capacity.
2Strength
If mounting elements are installed on the canopy, then load capacity increases, but the canopy may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
Mounting plates are introduced as intermediary elements that distribute mounting forces across larger areas of the canopy. These plates are positioned at strategic locations and provide a broader load distribution surface, reducing point-load stress concentrations that could damage the canopy while enabling secure attachment of the support frame.
3Manufacturing precision
If the canopy is removed for installation of support elements, then installation accuracy improves, but installation complexity and time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support frame components are designed with pre-formed mounting plates and pre-positioned internal side walls that align with the canopy's internal structure. The feet are configured with mounting elements that can be attached from the external surface while the canopy remains in place, eliminating the need for canopy removal while maintaining installation accuracy through pre-engineered alignment features.
4Strength
If mounting elements are affixed to the canopy, then load support capability increases, but the canopy's aesthetic appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The support frame and mounting elements are nested within the canopy's internal space, making them invisible from the external view. The internal side walls and feet are positioned inside the canopy, preserving the clean external aesthetic while providing robust load support capability through the hidden structural elements.
Data Source
AI summary
In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a support system for mounting a load to a removable vehicle canopy on a vehicle, comprising a pair of support frames configured to be installed on opposing internal side walls of the removable vehicle canopy, a pair of support feet configured to be installed on an internal surface of the removable vehicle canopy, and a plurality of mounting elements on an external surface of the canopy and arranged for mounting the load thereto, each of the support frames and support feet having one of the plurality of mounting elements affixed thereto by a mechanical fastener extending through a hole in the canopy, wherein the support system is configured to be installable onto the removable vehicle canopy while the canopy is mounted to the vehicle, such that when the canopy having the support system installed is mounted to the vehicle, the support system substantially distributes the mounted load into the vehicle and substantially inhibits distribution into or through the canopy. The invention further includes a second aspect being a method of installation of an embodiment of the first aspect.