Modular Vehicle Roof Frame for Compact Shipping and Rigid Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle frames are not efficiently modular or collapsible, making them difficult to disassemble and ship, and they lack the flexibility to fit within standard shipping containers, limiting their transportation options.
Innovation Solution
A modular vehicle roof frame with axially assembled and releasably coupled support members and top frame members, allowing for disassembly into a compact planar configuration that can be shipped through standard ground parcel carriers, while maintaining structural rigidity through mechanically secured joints.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the vehicle frame is designed as a modular structure with releasably coupled support members and top frame members, then the frame can be easily disassembled and shipped through standard ground parcel carriers, but the structural rigidity and strength may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle frame is divided into multiple discrete components including support members, top frame members, and coupling members that can be independently assembled and disassembled. Each support member includes coupling members at its upper end for attaching to top frame members, enabling modular construction that facilitates easy disassembly while maintaining structural integrity when assembled
Solution Approach 2:
The disassembled frame components are designed to nest within each other, with support members and top frame members configured to fit together in a compact arrangement. This nesting capability allows the disassembled frame to fit within small sized containers suitable for ground shipping services, resolving the contradiction between modularity and shipping efficiency
2Strength
If the frame members are designed to be axially assembled with mechanically secured joints, then structural integrity is maintained, but the complexity of assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is segmented into standardized components with coupling members designed for axial assembly. Each support member includes coupling members at its upper end that interface with top frame members through simple axial insertion and mechanical securing, maintaining structural integrity while keeping assembly straightforward through standardization
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling members are designed with universal functionality to attach support members to various top frame members through a standardized axial assembly interface. This universal coupling design simplifies assembly complexity by using the same mechanical securing mechanism across all frame connections, while maintaining consistent structural integrity
3Volume of moving object
If the frame is designed to collapse into a compact planar configuration, then shipping space is minimized, but the structural stability during operation may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is designed with dynamic configurability, allowing it to transition between a compact planar configuration for shipping and a rigid three-dimensional structure for operation. The support members and top frame members are arranged to collapse into a planar configuration that minimizes shipping volume while maintaining the capability to assemble into a stable operational structure with proper geometric arrangement and mechanical securing
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and associated methods relate to a modular vehicle roof frame with at least two support members having at an upper end at least one coupling member through which the support member is axially assembled and releasably coupled to a plurality of top frame members such that each top frame member is releasably coupled to a plurality of support members. In an illustrative example, when the frame is assembled the support members may be substantially vertical and the top frame members may be substantially horizontal. When the frame is coupled to a vehicle the coupling members may, for example, be oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle. The frame may be assembled, for example, by alternately assembling top frame members and support members. Various embodiments may advantageously allow a disassembled frame to be stored within a small sized container suitable for various ground shipping services.