Modular Vehicle Upper Body Assembly Without Pressing or Welding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing vehicle body manufacturing processes require significant investment in facilities and result in low design flexibility, with rapid increases in mold numbers and production costs due to the need for various product types. Additionally, the complexity of manufacturing processes hinders the ability to quickly adapt to changing market demands and customer needs, especially in the context of autonomous vehicles without a driver.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle upper body structure composed of modularized pipe components that are mechanically assembled through bolting or riveting, eliminating the need for pressing, welding, and painting processes. This design allows for easy assembly, disassembly, and modification, enabling cost reduction and improved manufacturing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional pressing and welding processes are used to manufacture vehicle bodies, then structural strength and integrity are improved, but manufacturing complexity and investment costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle body is divided into modular components (upper body, lower body, door assemblies, cargo box) that can be independently manufactured and assembled. Each module is constructed from standardized pipe components that can be bolted together, eliminating the need for complex pressing and welding facilities while maintaining structural integrity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical pressing and welding processes with a bolted assembly system using standardized pipe components. This substitution eliminates the need for expensive pressing factories and welding equipment, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining vehicle body strength through mechanical fastening of modular sections.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple molds are used to manufacture various types of vehicle bodies, then product variety is improved, but production costs increase rapidly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs universal standardized pipe components and connection fittings that can be configured to create different vehicle body types. The same basic pipe modules and connection hardware can be assembled in various configurations to produce delivery vehicles, passenger vehicles, or specialized vehicles, eliminating the need for dedicated molds for each product type while maintaining design variety.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle body design allows for dynamic reconfiguration of modular components to adapt to different market demands. Standardized pipe sections can be rearranged, added, or removed to create different vehicle configurations without requiring new tooling or molds, enabling cost-effective production of various vehicle types.
3Reliability
If traditional vehicle body manufacturing processes are used, then structural integrity is maintained, but assembly efficiency and manufacturing speed decrease
Solution Approach 1:
Modular vehicle body components are pre-assembled and pre-tested as complete units before final vehicle assembly. The standardized pipe modules are manufactured separately with all necessary connections and fittings pre-installed, allowing for parallel production of multiple components simultaneously, which significantly improves overall assembly efficiency while maintaining structural integrity through controlled pre-assembly procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment upper body for a vehicle includes an upper main body extending in a longitudinal direction from two opposite sides of the vehicle, the upper main body comprising a plurality of transverse members, a plurality of upper body pillar units each comprising a central portion bent and protruding upward and two opposite ends respectively connected to two opposite sides of the upper main body, the plurality of upper body pillar units being disposed to be spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction, and an upper body connection member extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, spaced apart upward from a side of the upper main body, and connecting sides of the plurality of upper body pillar units.