Vehicle body interchangeability

• US 20050049944A1
• Filed: 10/15/2004
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Shabana, Mohsen D., Chernoff, Adrian B., Borroni-Bird, Christopher E., Vitale, Robert Louis, Johnson, Tucker J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,104,581 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 2700/50 Other automobile vehicle parts, i.e. manufactured in assembly lines
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 13/14 having dampers accumulating utilisable energy, e.g. compressing air fluid springs with an accumulator B60G11/30
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/015 the regulating means comprising electric or electronic elements B60G17/002, B60G17/005 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0195 characterised by the regulation being combined with other vehicle control systems conjoint control of vehicle sub-units including control of suspension systems B60W10/22
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/10 Independent suspensions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/144 with two lateral arms forming a parallelogram
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/18 Multilink suspensions, e.g. elastokinematic arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/44 steerable
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/46 camber angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/462 Toe-in/out
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/40 Type of actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/42 Electric actuator
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/10 Mounting of suspension elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/11 Mounting of sensors thereon
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/14 Mounting of suspension arms
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/16 Mounting of vehicle body on chassis
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/20 Mounting of accessories, e.g. pump, compressor
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/202 of cables
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/011 Modular constructions
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/0114 Independent suspensions on subframes
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/50 : Constructional features of wheel supports or knuckles, e.g. steering knuckles, spindle attachments
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/99 : Suspension element selection procedure depending on loading or performance requirements, e.g. selection of damper, spring or bush
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/45 : Rolling frame vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/50 : Electric vehicles; Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/60 : Vehicles using regenerative power
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/21 : Traction, slip, skid or slide control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/802 : Diagnostics
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/90 : System Controller type
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/91 : Suspension Control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/92 : ABS - Brake Control
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2800/963 : Steer-by-wire
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 3/18 : with two or more pivoted arms, e.g. parallelogram
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/003 : of adjustable length
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/004 : for vehicles having a combustion engine and electric drive means, e.g. hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/00 : Arrangement or mounting of electrical propulsion units B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00; electric transmission arrangements B60K17/12; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles per se B60L; current-collectors for power supply lines of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 : of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/07 : of gas tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/001 : one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/005 : the electric storage means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 7/0007 : the motor being electric
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/065 : employing disc B60T1/062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/10 : by utilising wheel movement for accumulating energy, e.g. driving air compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/66 : Electrical control in fluid-pressure brake systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/662 : characterised by specified functions of the control system components
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/74 : with electrical assistance or drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2270/82 : Brake-by-Wire, EHB
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/00 : Brake-action initiating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/042 : by electrical means, e.g. using travel or force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/00 : Arrangements for adjusting wheel-braking force to meet varying vehicular or ground-surface conditions, e.g. limiting or varying distribution of braking force by changing number of effective brake cylinders in power brake systems B60T17/10
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/00 : Understructures, i.e. chassis frame on which a vehicle body may be mounted combined frame and vehicle body B62D23/00 ; characterised by the material thereof B62D29/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/07 : wide-hipped frame type, i.e. a wide box-shaped mid portion with narrower sections extending from said mid portion in both fore and aft directions
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/10 : in which the main member is plate-like
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 24/02 : Vehicle body, not intended to move relatively to the vehicle frame, and mounted on vibration absorbing mountings, e.g. rubber pads
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 29/008 : predominantly of light alloys, e.g. extruded
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 5/00 : Power-assisted or power-driven steering for non-deflectable wheels B62D11/00; fluid-pressure servomotors in general F15B
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 65/04 : Joining preassembled modular units composed of sub-units performing diverse functions, e.g. engine and bonnet B62D65/06 - B62D65/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 7/18 : Steering knuckles; King pins
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 : Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 : Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A method is provided for providing vehicle reconfigurability. The method includes maintaining an inventory containing vehicle body pods each having a substantially identical interface at which each of the body pods is connectable to a chassis such that the body pods are interchangeable on the chassis. The body pods include at least one body pod characterized by a first body pod style and at least one body pod characterized by a second body pod style. The method also includes granting possession to a customer of a vehicle body pod from the inventory independent of a chassis.

Claims

1. A method for providing vehicle reconfigurability, the method comprising:

maintaining an inventory containing vehicle body pods each having a substantially identical interface at which each of the body pods is connectable to a chassis such that the body pods are interchangeable on the chassis, said body pods including at least one body pod characterized by a first body pod style and at least one body pod characterized by a second body pod style; and

granting possession to a customer of a vehicle body pod from the inventory independent of a chassis.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising attaching said vehicle body pod from the inventory to the customer'"'"'s chassis.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising granting possesion of the chassis to the customer;

wherein said body pod from the inventory is connectable to the chassis.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of granting possession of a vehicle body pod is performed in exchange for returning a different vehicle body pod which had been previously attached to said chassis.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of granting possession of a vehicle body pod is performed after removing a different vehicle body pod which had been previously attached to said chassis.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising purchasing, exchanging, disposing of, or storing said different vehicle body pod of the customer.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second body pod styles are selected from the group consisting of sedans, pickup trucks, convertibles, coupes, vans, station wagons, sport-utility vehicles, and other types of transports.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising offering the customer a club membership wherein dues are paid for selective access to the vehicle body pod inventory.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the club membership enables the customer to order, reserve, rent, lease or exchange vehicle body pods on demand.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the customer is an individual end user of the chassis and body pod.

11. A method of conducting a vehicle business transaction with a customer, comprising:

maintaining an inventory having a plurality of vehicle body pods of varying styles based upon aesthetics or functionality, each of said body pods being unattached to a chassis and having an interface sufficiently configured to enable the selective attachment of each of the body pods to a common chassis;

offering to grant possession of any of said plurality of vehicle body pods in the inventory independent of a chassis to a customer; and

granting possession to the customer of a body pod selected by the customer from the inventory.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising mating the body pod selected by the customer to the customer'"'"'s chassis.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising purchasing, exchanging, disposing of, or storing a vehicle body pod of the customer.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising offering the customer a club membership wherein dues are paid for selective access to the vehicle body pod inventory.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the club membership enables the customer to order, reserve, rent, lease or exchange vehicle body pods on demand.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising attaching the selected body pod to the cutomer'"'"'s chassis without subjecting the interface on the selected body pod to value-added manufacturing operations.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising delivering the body pod selected by the customer to a location selected by the customer.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein said body pod selected by the customer is selected via the internet.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising manufacturing the vehicle body pods in the inventory.

20. The method of claim 11, wheren said granting possession includes selling or leasing.

21. A method comprising:

maintaining an inventory having a plurality of vehicle body pods of varying styles based upon aesthetics or functionality, each of said body pods having an interface sufficiently configured to enable the selective attachment of each of the body pods to a common chassis;

offering a club membership to a customer wherein dues are paid for selective access to the vehicle body pod inventory; and

granting possession of a body pod selected by the customer from the inventory independent of a vehicle chassis.