Composite Monocoque Electric Flatbed With Low-Floor Cargo Layout

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems for manufacturing utility and delivery vehicles face limitations, including poor thermal insulation, elevated floor levels, and reduced storage capacity due to internal chassis and powertrain components, which affect efficiency and accessibility.

Innovation Solution

The use of a monocoque structure made from composite materials, eliminating the internal chassis and powertrain components, and incorporating a modular mold system to form a single-piece, monolithic structure with a low floor design, improved insulation, and increased storage capacity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If internal chassis and powertrain components are used, then structural support is provided, but storage capacity is reduced and floor level is elevated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural supportVSAvoidstorage capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the internal chassis and powertrain components from the vehicle structure, extracting these elements to create additional storage space and lower the floor level while maintaining structural integrity through alternative design approaches

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If internal chassis and powertrain components are used, then structural support is provided, but floor level is elevated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural supportVSAvoidfloor level

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the powertrain components from the traditional under-chassis location, removing the elevation requirement and enabling a lower floor design while maintaining all necessary structural support functions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If conventional manufacturing systems are used, then production capability is maintained, but thermal insulation is poor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduction capabilityVSAvoidthermal insulation

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs composite material construction for the vehicle body, integrating materials with superior thermal insulation properties while maintaining manufacturing efficiency and production capability through adapted manufacturing processes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentUS11891120B2Electric vehicles incorporating flatbeds and methods associated therewith

Publication Date: 2024.02.06 WORKHORSE GROUP INC

AI summary

In certain embodiments, an electric vehicle includes a front cage, a rear floor, an intermediate section, a utility cabinet, and a flatbed. In other embodiments, an electric vehicle includes a front cage, a rear floor, an intermediate section, and a flatbed. In some embodiments, the front cage at least partially defines an operator cabin, the rear floor is positioned rearward of the front cage in a longitudinal direction, and the intermediate section is disposed at least partially between the front cage and the rear floor in the longitudinal direction.