Rolling chassis and assembled bodies
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of assembling a vehicle, the method comprising:
- providing a preassembled chassis having a structural frame, at least three wheels operable with respect to the frame, an energy conversion system responsive to non-mechanical control signals and operatively connected to the structural frame and to at least one wheel, a steering system responsive to non-mechanical control signals and operatively connected to the structural frame and to at least one wheel, and a braking system responsive to non-mechanical control signals and operatively connected to the structural frame and to at least one wheel; and
mounting a vehicle body at an upper face of the preassembled chassis, the body having at least one seating apparatus adapted to be operably connectable to the chassis, a body frame adapted to be operably connectable to the chassis, and a plurality of body panels adapted to be operably connectable to the body frame.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of assembling vehicles includes providing an X-by-wire chassis and mounting a vehicle body at an upper face of the chassis. The vehicle body includes a body frame, a seating apparatus and one or more body panels, and may include a floor. The vehicle body may include one or more preassembled body modules. The invention contemplates that the body may be operatively connected to the chassis when it is mounted at the upper face of the chassis so that one or more of the systems in the chassis that are responsive to non-mechanical control signals will respond to such signals.
-
Citations
39 Claims
-
1. A method of assembling a vehicle, the method comprising:
-
providing a preassembled chassis having a structural frame, at least three wheels operable with respect to the frame, an energy conversion system responsive to non-mechanical control signals and operatively connected to the structural frame and to at least one wheel, a steering system responsive to non-mechanical control signals and operatively connected to the structural frame and to at least one wheel, and a braking system responsive to non-mechanical control signals and operatively connected to the structural frame and to at least one wheel; and
mounting a vehicle body at an upper face of the preassembled chassis, the body having at least one seating apparatus adapted to be operably connectable to the chassis, a body frame adapted to be operably connectable to the chassis, and a plurality of body panels adapted to be operably connectable to the body frame. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
-
-
33. A method of assembling vehicles, the method comprising:
-
providing a first preassembled chassis;
providing a second preassembled chassis, wherein the first and second preassembled chassis are substantially identical and each has a structural frame, at least three wheels operable with respect to the frame, an energy conversion system responsive to non-mechanical control signals and operatively connected to the structural frame and to at least one wheel, a steering system responsive to non-mechanical control signals and operatively connected to the structural frame and to at least one wheel, and a braking system responsive to non-mechanical control signals and operatively connected to the structural frame and to at least one wheel;
mounting a first body at the upper face of the first preassembled chassis;
mounting a second body at the upper face of the second preassembled chassis, wherein the bodies each have at least two preassembled body modules, the preassembled body modules including a body frame portion at least partially forming a body frame, and at least one body panel operatively connected to the body frame portion; and
wherein the configuration of at least one of the preassembled body modules of the first body is sufficiently different than at least one of the preassembled body modules of the second body, such that the first body is different from the second body. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
-
39. A method of assembling vehicles, the method comprising:
-
providing a preassembled chassis having a structural frame, at least three wheels operable with respect to the frame, an energy conversion system responsive to non-mechanical control signals and operatively connected to the structural frame and to at least one wheel, a steering system responsive to non-mechanical control signals and operatively connected to the structural frame and to at least one wheel, and a braking system responsive to non-mechanical control signals and operatively connected to the structural frame and to at least one wheel;
mounting a body at an upper face of the preassembled chassis, the body having a floor, at least one seating apparatus adapted to be operably connectable to the floor, a body frame adapted to be operably connectable to the chassis, and a plurality of body panels adapted to be operably connectable to the body frame, wherein at least a portion of the body is formed through a quick plastic forming method and the body includes at least two preassembled body modules, each of said at least two body modules having a floor portion at least partially forming the floor, a body frame portion at least partially forming the body frame, and at least one body panel operatively connected to the body frame portion, wherein at least one of the at least two preassembled body modules includes the at least one seating apparatus operatively connected to the floor portion;
positioning the body above the preassembled chassis prior to mounting the body at the upper face of the chassis; and
connecting the body to the upper face of the chassis.
-
Specification