VEHICLE BODY STRUCTURE AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME

• US 20110245950A1
• Filed: 04/06/2011
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: CVG Management Corporation (Commercial Vehicle Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CVG Management Corporation (Commercial Vehicle Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Overton, Keith A.
• Application Number:
  US13/080,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20110245950A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/98
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 27/02 rigid
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/00 Superstructures for load-carrying vehicles having impact absorbing means B62D21/15; in which a load-carrying element is movable B60P; liners B60R13/00 ; joining sheets or plates to one another or to strips or bars parallel to them F16B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/15 Vehicle, aircraft or watercraft design

Abstract

A system and method of design and construction of an interlocking vehicle body structure is provided. Each of the braces can be laser or water cut to enhance efficiency, and accuracy, of the design. Additionally, the braces can be equipped with notches, slots or tabs as appropriate so as to effect ease of construction and installation.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates vehicle structure, comprising:

a processor that executes computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium to implement the following components;

an inner structure design component that evaluates an outer vehicle design and thereafter models an inner vehicle structure that comprises a plurality of interconnected members, wherein at least a subset of the interconnected members comprise a notch or a slot capable of accepting a disparate one of the plurality of members.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an analysis component that evaluates the outer vehicle design based at least in part upon industry standard engineering principals.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a bracing layout component that identifies configuration, placement and interconnection of each of the plurality of members based at least in part upon a desired rigidity and the industry standard engineering principals in view of the evaluation.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising an assembly generation component that marks each of the plurality of members with indicia that facilitates the identified placement and interconnection.

5. The system of claim 3, further comprising an assembly generation component that communicates with a machine that manufactures each of the plurality of members.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the machine is a laser cutting apparatus.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the machine is a water cutting apparatus.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of members are aluminum alloy members.

9. A system that facilitates vehicle body structure, comprising:

a first member having at least one notch or slot that is strategically positioned in accordance with an overall structure design that comprises a plurality of interconnected members; and

a second member that is sizably configured to be inserted into or through the at least one notch or slot, wherein the overall structure comprises a plurality of interconnected members, at least a subset of which include at least one notch or slot configured to accept another of the subset of interconnected members.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of members are flat plate members.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of members are aluminum alloy members.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one notch or slot is created via laser cutting.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one notch or slot is created via water cutting.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein each of the plurality of members comprise indicium that facilitates assembly of the overall structure.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the overall structure is an overall vehicle inner structure that supports an outer vehicle skin.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the overall structure is not a space frame designed structure.

17. A method of constructing a vehicle inner body structure, comprising:

positioning a first member, wherein the first member includes at least one of a notch or slot;

attachably connecting a second member to the first member by positioning the second member into or through the at least one of the notch or slot; and

repeating notch or slot assembly for a plurality of interconnected members in accordance with the inner body structure.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein each of the first member, second member and plurality of members are flat plate members.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising welding each of the plurality of interconnected members to a respective member.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising utilizing indicium on each of the plurality of interconnected members to facilitate proper assembly.