Multi-tiered Body Frame for Off-Road Vehicle Load Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Off-road vehicles require a structural load path that efficiently manages various loads, including cradle, control arm, shock, and towing loads, while maintaining durability and stiffness, especially with high mass due to battery packs, and existing solutions struggle to effectively distribute these loads around structurally compromised areas.
Innovation Solution
A structural load path assembly featuring interconnected rails, brackets, and a box section that routes loads through and around compromised areas, incorporating a trailer hitch and load dispersion bracket to disperse loads and enhance structural integrity, allowing for high travel suspension and off-road durability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If a high mass battery pack is installed in the vehicle, then the vehicle can achieve higher power and energy storage, but the structural loads and stress on the body frame increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The body frame is divided into multiple load-bearing rails (upper and lower) with distinct load paths. The upper rail handles suspension and shock loads while the lower rail manages cradle and towing loads, segmenting the structural load management to handle the increased mass from battery packs effectively
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple load paths and structural elements (upper rail, lower rail, brackets, box sections) into an integrated body frame assembly that works together to distribute and manage the increased structural loads from the high mass battery pack configuration
2Adaptability or versatility
If the body frame structure is designed to handle multiple loads (cradle, control arm, shock, towing), then the vehicle achieves versatility and durability, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The upper and lower rails serve multiple functions simultaneously - they provide structural support, define load paths for different types of loads (suspension, shock, cradle, towing), and work together to manage the combined stress from various operational conditions, reducing the need for separate dedicated structures for each load type
Solution Approach 2:
Brackets serve as intermediary elements that connect and transfer loads between the upper and lower rails. These brackets mediate the load transfer from suspension components, control arms, and towing hardware to the main rail structure, simplifying the overall load path management
3Reliability
If loads are routed through box sections and around compromised areas, then the structural integrity is maintained, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The body frame is constructed from modular components (separate upper and lower rails, brackets, and box sections) that can be manufactured independently and then assembled. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function and load path while simplifying manufacturing and assembly processes
Solution Approach 2:
The brackets act as intermediary connection elements that simplify the assembly process by providing pre-fabricated connection points between the rails and other components. These intermediaries enable straightforward bolting or welding operations rather than requiring complex integrated structures
Data Source
AI summary
A structural load path assembly includes an upper rail configured to be coupled to a suspension system, a lower rail spaced apart from the upper rail along a vertical direction, a first outer bracket interconnecting the upper rail and the lower rail, a second outer bracket interconnecting the upper rail and the lower rail, a first inner bracket interconnecting the upper rail and the lower rail, wherein the first inner bracket is spaced apart from the first outer bracket along a horizontal direction, and the horizontal direction is perpendicular to the vertical direction, a second inner bracket interconnecting the upper rail and the lower, and a box section sized to receive a shock absorber.