Modular Canopy Upper Shell With Adjustable Edge Elements
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing manufacturing process for pop-up roofs in recreational vehicles requires individually tailored upper shells for each vehicle model, leading to increased component diversity, storage space, and assembly complexity, along with high costs due to specialized tooling.
Innovation Solution
A modular upper shell design comprising a base shell and adjustable or interchangeable edge elements that can be connected to extend or adjust dimensions, allowing adaptation to various vehicle models and roof geometries, reducing the need for multiple components and simplifying assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If individually manufactured upper shells are produced for each vehicle model, then the upper shell can be precisely adapted to specific vehicle dimensions and roof geometries, but the variety of components increases and storage space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The upper shell is divided into a base shell and separate edge elements that can be independently manufactured and then assembled. This segmentation allows a single base shell design to be used across multiple vehicle models by simply changing the edge elements, thereby reducing component variety while maintaining adaptability to different vehicle dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The base shell is designed as a universal component that can serve multiple vehicle models. By making the base shell multi-functional and compatible with different edge elements, the system reduces the need for individually manufactured upper shells for each vehicle model, thus decreasing component variety and storage requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If individually manufactured upper shells are produced for each vehicle model, then the upper shell can be precisely adapted to specific vehicle dimensions and roof geometries, but the storage space required increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the upper shell into a base shell and separate edge elements, the storage space requirement is reduced. Instead of storing multiple complete upper shell assemblies for different vehicle models, only one base shell and a limited set of edge elements need to be stored, significantly reducing the volume of stationary storage space required.
Solution Approach 2:
The edge elements can be designed to nest within or attach to the base shell, allowing compact storage. When not in use, edge elements can be stored within the base shell structure or attached in a space-efficient manner, reducing the overall storage volume needed for the modular components.
3Manufacturing precision
If specifically designed tooling is required for each vehicle model, then the upper shells can be manufactured with precise dimensions, but cost-efficiency decreases and production speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
A single set of manufacturing tooling can produce the universal base shell that fits multiple vehicle models. This eliminates the need for separately designed tooling for each vehicle model, thereby maintaining dimensional accuracy through precise tooling while improving production speed and cost-efficiency by reducing tooling changes and setup time.
4Manufacturing precision
If specifically designed tooling is required for each vehicle model, then the upper shells can be manufactured with precise dimensions, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The universal base shell design allows a single set of expensive manufacturing tooling to produce components for multiple vehicle models. This amortizes the tooling cost across a larger production volume and multiple product variants, significantly reducing the manufacturing cost per unit while maintaining dimensional accuracy through the precise, dedicated tooling.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an upper shell for a pop-up roof or a sleeping roof, comprising at least one base shell and at least one edge element, wherein the at least one edge element is configured to extend the base shell along at least one spatial direction at its edge, wherein the at least one edge element is adjustable relative to the base shell along at least one spatial direction and/or the at least one edge element is replaceable and connectable to the base shell. The invention further relates to an arrangement and a method.