Vehicle Slide-Up Roof With External Support Rails
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing slide-up roof designs for vehicles suffer from small interior volumes, limited lift capacities, poor stability, manual operation, and multiple single points of failure, with a need for improved structural integrity and increased interior space without increasing exterior dimensions.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle slide-up roof system featuring a lift-up roof with a support portion comprising upper and lower rails, scissor mechanisms, and lift mechanisms, where the lift-up roof consists of multiple layers with a core sandwiched between them, providing enhanced structural integrity and allowing for increased interior height and width when stationary while maintaining a lower profile during motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a slide-up roof is added to increase interior volume, then interior space is improved, but exterior height increases
Solution Approach 1:
The roof is designed to be dynamic rather than static, allowing it to transition between a lowered position (during motion) and an elevated position (when stationary). This dynamic configuration enables the vehicle to achieve increased interior volume only when parked, while maintaining a compact exterior profile during transportation.
Solution Approach 2:
The roof assembly is segmented into multiple independent components including the lift-up roof section, support mechanisms, and rail systems. This segmentation allows the roof to be raised and lowered independently without affecting the overall vehicle structure, enabling volume expansion without permanent increase in exterior dimensions.
2Ease of operation
If manual operation is used to lift the slide-up roof, then device complexity is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The manual mechanical lifting system is replaced with an automated lift mechanism that can be electrically or hydraulically actuated. This substitution eliminates the need for manual cranking or physical effort while maintaining a relatively simple mechanical structure through the use of automated actuators.
Solution Approach 2:
The lift mechanism is designed to automatically perform the lifting and lowering functions without requiring continuous human intervention. Once activated, the system self-regulates to raise or lower the roof section, providing ease of operation through automated control.
3Reliability
If a single lift mechanism is used, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lift system is segmented into multiple independent lift mechanisms rather than using a single mechanism. Each mechanism operates independently to support specific portions of the roof assembly, creating redundancy where the failure of one mechanism does not compromise the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The design incorporates redundant lift mechanisms as a form of beforehand cushioning against potential failures. By having multiple independent mechanisms, the system provides a safety buffer that ensures continued functionality even if one mechanism fails, thereby improving overall reliability.
4Volume of moving object
If support mechanisms are positioned inside the slide-up walls, then structural integrity is improved, but interior volume is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The support mechanisms are repositioned from an interior location to an exterior location along the sides of the vehicle. This dimensional relocation moves the support structures outside the interior volume envelope, allowing the mechanisms to provide necessary structural support while preserving maximum interior space.
Solution Approach 2:
The support mechanisms are extracted from the interior space and positioned externally along the vehicle sides. This extraction eliminates the intrusion of support structures into the interior volume while maintaining their load-bearing function through proper external positioning and design.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle slide-up to increase interior space within a vehicle, the vehicle slide-up comprising: a vehicle roof with an aperture; a lift-up roof that covers the aperture; a support portion for raising and lowering the lift-up roof, the support portion comprising: an upper pair of rails and a lower pair of rails; a plurality of support mechanisms; and at least one lift mechanism; a plurality of slide-up walls, wherein a top portion of the plurality of slide-up walls is attached to an underside of the lift-up roof and a bottom portion of the plurality of slide-up walls is attached to a rim of the aperture; wherein the support portion is positioned outside of the plurality of slide-up walls. Wherein the lift-up roof is comprise of a first layer, a second layer, and a core; wherein the core is sandwiched between the first and second layers.