Modular Vehicle Body with Adjustable Outer Frames

Solution Overview

Problem

The current vehicle body design process is labor-intensive and costly due to the need for frequent redesigns and re-molding to accommodate different wheelbases and widths, leading to increased manufacturing costs and time-consuming strength verification.

Innovation Solution

A modular vehicle body design featuring adjustable outer frames with interchangeable components, such as vertically and horizontally extending boards, a cross beam, and modular compartments, allowing for adaptation to various vehicle classes without significant redesign, thereby reducing manufacturing costs and shortening the design cycle.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If vehicle body is redesigned for different wheelbases and widths, then vehicle design adaptability is improved, but labor costs and manufacturing costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle design adaptabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle body is divided into modular components including a reusable base body and different outer body shells. The base body contains common structural elements such as the floor, dashboard, and mechanical systems, while outer body shells can be swapped to create different vehicle configurations. This segmentation allows the same base body to support multiple vehicle designs with different wheelbases and widths without requiring complete redesign.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The base body is designed as a universal platform that can accommodate multiple outer body shells and configurations. The standardized interface and mounting structures allow the same base body to serve multiple vehicle classes, making the manufacturing process more efficient and reducing costs associated with designing and building entirely new vehicle bodies for each configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If vehicle body is redesigned for different wheelbases and widths, then vehicle design adaptability is improved, but design time increases due to repeated strength verification

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle design adaptabilityVSAvoiddesign time

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle body is divided into modular components including a reusable base body and different outer body shells. The base body contains common structural elements such as the floor, dashboard, and mechanical systems, while outer body shells can be swapped to create different vehicle configurations. This segmentation allows the same base body to support multiple vehicle designs with different wheelbases and widths without requiring complete redesign.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Strength verification and structural validation are performed in advance on the base body design before specific outer body shells are attached. The pre-validated base body serves as a proven platform, eliminating the need to repeat time-consuming strength verification processes when adapting the vehicle to different configurations, thus significantly reducing design time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If vehicle body is re-molded for different configurations, then vehicle design adaptability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle design adaptabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle body is divided into modular components including a reusable base body and different outer body shells. The base body contains common structural elements such as the floor, dashboard, and mechanical systems, while outer body shells can be swapped to create different vehicle configurations. This segmentation allows the same base body to support multiple vehicle designs with different wheelbases and widths without requiring complete redesign.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The manufacturing system is designed to be dynamic and flexible, allowing easy swapping of outer body shells on the standardized base body. This dynamic approach enables rapid reconfiguration of vehicle designs without requiring complex re-molding processes, simplifying the manufacturing system while maintaining high adaptability to different vehicle configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11548578B2Modular vehicle body and method for manufacturing modular vehicle body

Publication Date: 2023.01.10 FOXTRON VEHICLE TECH CO LTD

AI summary

A modular vehicle body includes a pair of outer frames. An inner board space with a fixed width is defined between the outer frames. Each outer frame includes a front side board and a door sill. The front side board includes a main board provided with a vertical board having a predetermined width. A first flange is provided on a side of the vertical board. The door sill includes an inner board provided with a horizontal board having a predetermined width. A second flange is provided on a side of the horizontal board. The inner board is fixedly coupled to the main board. The first flange and the second flange form an outer edge. A width between the outer edges of the pair of outer frames is set to correspond to a width of a vehicle body.