Electric Vehicle Nesting System with Retractable Axles

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current motor vehicles designed for nesting, like the one described in DE102015213118, offer limited space for occupants and luggage due to their tapered shape and lack of a rear floor, which complicates parking and increases congestion in urban areas.

Innovation Solution

An electric motor vehicle with a tapered front part and a rear part featuring a chassis, floor, and body with a roof and tailgate, allowing the front axle to fold down and the rear part to open, providing a larger passenger compartment and storage space by enabling the front vehicle to nest inside the rear one, with guide pieces and rails for smooth insertion and detection systems for precise alignment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the vehicle adopts a streamlined tapered shape to facilitate nesting, then the nesting capability is improved, but the passenger compartment space and storage space are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenesting capabilityVSAvoidpassenger compartment space
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle is divided into a front section and a rear section with distinct functions. The front section is tapered for nesting, while the rear section maintains a boxier shape to provide adequate passenger and storage space. This segmentation allows each part to optimize its shape for its specific purpose without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The vehicle employs a multi-level floor structure with a first floor and a second floor that can be selectively deployed. This vertical dimension expansion increases the usable passenger compartment volume without increasing the horizontal footprint, thereby maintaining nesting capability while providing more space for occupants.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the vehicle adopts a streamlined tapered shape to facilitate nesting, then the nesting capability is improved, but the storage space for luggage is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenesting capabilityVSAvoidstorage space
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle is divided into a front section and a rear section with distinct functions. The front section is tapered for nesting, while the rear section maintains a boxier shape to provide adequate passenger and storage space. This segmentation allows each part to optimize its shape for its specific purpose without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The vehicle employs a multi-level floor structure with a first floor and a second floor that can be selectively deployed. This vertical dimension expansion increases the usable passenger compartment volume without increasing the horizontal footprint, thereby maintaining nesting capability while providing more space for occupants.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the rear seat is suspended from the roof and folds down to free up space, then the nesting space is improved, but the passenger comfort and support are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenesting spaceVSAvoidpassenger comfort
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle is divided into a front section and a rear section with distinct functions. The front section is tapered for nesting, while the rear section maintains a boxier shape to provide adequate passenger and storage space. This segmentation allows each part to optimize its shape for its specific purpose without compromising the other.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The vehicle employs a multi-level floor structure with a first floor and a second floor that can be selectively deployed. This vertical dimension expansion increases the usable passenger compartment volume without increasing the horizontal footprint, thereby maintaining nesting capability while providing more space for occupants.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Volume of moving object

If the vehicle provides a floor extending over its entire length, then the storage capability is improved, but the nesting capability is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestorage capabilityVSAvoidnesting capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The vehicle floor is designed to be dynamically adjustable rather than fixed. The second floor can be deployed or retracted based on whether the vehicle is in nesting mode or normal operation mode. This dynamic adaptability allows the floor to extend over the entire length during normal use for storage, while being retractable to facilitate nesting when required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3976446B1Electrical vehicle comprising a nesting system of several successive vehicles in parking mode
Publication Date: 2023.06.21 CARON JEAN MICHEL
  • EP3976446B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3976446B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3976446B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to an electric motor vehicle (1) comprising: a floorpan (5) and a body (6) provided with a roof (11) and a tailgate (10), the floorpan and the body defining a passenger compartment (12); a front axle (13) comprising two directional wheels (14, 15); a rear axle comprising two driving wheels (20, 21). The directional wheels can be retracted to reduce the space required at the front. The tailgate and the roof can be raised to access and flare the rear of the passenger compartment. The vehicle comprises a guide piece at the front and a guide rail at the rear of the floorpan, so as to allow the front portion (2a, 2b) of a vehicle (1a, 1b) of which the directional wheels are retracted, to be inserted inside the rear portion (3b, 3c) of a preceding vehicle (1b, 1c) of which the passenger compartment is open and flared, the guide piece of the leading vehicle being guided in the guide rail of the trailing vehicle during insertion.