Removable Cargo Box Mounting for Off-Road Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Off-road recreational vehicles lack a cargo box design that is easily removable and securely attachable without requiring a large number of fasteners, compromising convenience and ease of use.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a cargo box with a floor and upwardly extending sidewalls that extend over a cargo box support member, allowing for removability with fewer than eight fasteners, enhancing ease of use and versatility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a cargo box is securely attached to the vehicle frame, then structural integrity and security are maintained, but the number of fasteners required increases, reducing ease of operation
Solution Approach 1:
The cargo box attachment system is divided into multiple attachment points distributed along the support members. The floor portion attaches at multiple locations, distributing the load and providing secure attachment while allowing the box to be removed in one piece without requiring disassembly of multiple individual fasteners simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment mechanism combines the floor portion and sidewall portions into a single integrated cargo box assembly that attaches and detaches as one unit. The fasteners engage multiple components simultaneously, allowing the entire cargo box to be secured or removed with a single operational action rather than requiring separate attachment steps for different components
2Ease of operation
If a cargo box is designed for easy removal with fewer fasteners, then ease of operation is improved, but the structural integrity and security may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment system uses strategically positioned attachment points located at critical stress areas where the cargo box interfaces with the vehicle frame. The fasteners are placed at locations that maximize structural support while minimizing the total number needed, concentrating fastening power where it is most needed rather than distributing fasteners uniformly across all surfaces
Solution Approach 2:
The cargo box design incorporates pre-positioned attachment features and support members that are permanently mounted to the vehicle frame in advance. These pre-installed components are positioned to optimize attachment efficiency, allowing the removable cargo box to engage with minimal fasteners while maintaining structural integrity through proper load distribution at the attachment interface
3Strength
If the cargo box floor extends over the support member, then structural support is improved, but the complexity of the support member structure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The support members serve multiple functions: they provide structural support for the cargo box floor, act as attachment points for fasteners, and serve as mounting structures for the removable cargo box. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate support structures, brackets, and mounting hardware, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining structural integrity
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments relate to an off-road vehicle comprising a frame, including at least one cargo box support member, a suspension movably coupled to the frame, a passenger compartment, an engine, a transmission operatively coupled to the engine, and a cargo box. The cargo box includes a floor and a plurality of upwardly extending sidewalls, wherein at least a portion of the cargo box floor extends over the at least one cargo box support member and wherein the cargo box is removably coupled to the at least one cargo box support members and is removable from the off-road vehicle via the removal of fewer than eight fasteners.