Method of constructing a modular vehicle

• US 8,528,680 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2012
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Florus, Howard C., Hall, David E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIGGS, JAMES J
• Application Number:
  US13/730,955
• Publication Number:
  US 20130118000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 255 Days
• Field of Search: 180/68.2, 180/68.5, 180/65.235, 180/65.21, 180/65.22, 180/165, 903/907
• US Class Current: 180/68.5
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/17 forming fluid or electrical conduit means or having other means to accommodate the transmission of a force or signal
• 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: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A method of constructing a modular vehicle is provided. A modular vehicle includes a chassis and a plurality of docking fixtures carried by the chassis. The docking fixtures may include an electrical power connection, a fluid connection and a data communication connection. The modular vehicle may also include a plurality of modules removably connected to respective ones of the docking fixtures. The plurality of modules may include at least an energy supply module, such as a fuel cell, an energy storage module and a cooling module. At least one module may include an electrical power connection coupled to the electrical power connection of a docking fixture, at least one module may include a fluid connection coupled to the fluid connection of a docking fixture and at least one module may include a data communication connection coupled to the data communication connection of a docking fixture.

Claims

1. A method of constructing a modular vehicle comprising:

providing a chassis that carries a plurality of docking fixtures, wherein at least one of the docking fixtures comprising an electrical power connection, at least one of the fixtures comprising a fluid connection, and at least one of the fixtures comprising a data communication connection; and

removably connecting a plurality of modules to respective ones of the docking fixtures, wherein the plurality of modules comprise at least an energy supply module and an energy storage module, and wherein removably connecting the plurality of modules comprises coupling an electrical power connection of at least one of the modules to the electrical power connection of at least one docking fixture, coupling a fluid connection of at least one of the modules to the fluid connection of at least one docking fixture, and coupling a data communication connection of at least one of the modules to the data communication connection of at least one docking fixture.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein removably connecting a plurality of modules to respective ones of the docking fixtures further comprises facilitating removable connection of at least one module to a respective docking fixture with at least one guide pin.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein removably connecting a plurality of modules to respective ones of the docking fixtures further comprises coupling a fluid connection of a cooling module to the fluid connection of a respective docking fixture.

4. A method according to claim 1 further comprising sharing a common fluid between the plurality of docking fixtures and the plurality of modules.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein removably connecting a plurality of modules to respective ones of the docking fixtures further comprises removably connecting a crew compartment load to a respective docking fixture.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein removably connecting a plurality of modules to respective ones of the docking fixtures further comprises removably connecting an external power consumption load to a respective docking fixture.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the energy supply module comprises a fuel cell.

8. A method according to claim 1 further comprising providing for data communication via the respective electrical power connections of the at least one docking fixture and the at least one module.

9. A method of constructing a modular vehicle comprising:

providing a chassis;

providing a plurality of docking fixtures carried by the chassis with each docking fixture comprising at least one of an electrical power connection, a fluid connection and a data communication connection;

connecting an energy supply module to a respective docking fixture, the energy supply module comprising an electrical power connection coupled to the electrical power connection of the respective docking fixture and a data communication connection coupled to the data communication connection of the respective docking fixture;

connecting an energy storage module to a respective docking fixture, the energy storage module comprising an electrical power connection coupled to the electrical power module of the respective docking fixture; and

connecting a cooling module to a respective docking fixture, the cooling module comprising a fluid connection coupled to the fluid connection of the respective docking fixture.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein at least one of the docking fixtures, energy supply module, energy storage module or cooling module further comprises at least one guide pin for facilitating removable connection of the docking fixture and a respective module.

11. A method according to claim 9 further comprising sharing a common fluid between the plurality of docking fixtures, the energy supply module and the cooling module.

12. A method according to claim 9 further comprising providing a crew compartment load.

13. A method according to claim 9 further comprising providing an external power consumption load.

14. A method according to claim 9 wherein the energy supply module comprises a fuel cell.

15. A method of constructing a modular vehicle comprising:

providing a chassis that carries a plurality of docking fixtures, wherein at least one of the docking fixtures comprising an electrical power connection, at least one of the fixtures comprising a fluid connection, and at least one of the fixtures comprising a data communication connection; and

removably connecting a plurality of modules to respective ones of the docking fixtures, wherein the plurality of modules comprise at least an energy supply module and an energy storage module, wherein the energy supply module comprises a fuel cell, wherein the plurality of modules comprise at least one of a crew compartment or a power consumption load, and wherein removably connecting the plurality of modules comprises coupling an electrical power connection of at least one of the modules to the electrical power connection of at least one docking fixture, coupling a fluid connection of at least one of the modules to the fluid connection of at least one docking fixture, and coupling a data communication connection of at least one of the modules to the data communication connection of at least one docking fixture.

16. A method according to claim 15 wherein removably connecting a plurality of modules to respective ones of the docking fixtures further comprises facilitating removable connection of at least one module to a respective docking fixture with at least one guide pin.

17. A method according to claim 15 wherein removably connecting a plurality of modules to respective ones of the docking fixtures further comprises coupling a fluid connection of a cooling module to the fluid connection of a respective docking fixture.

18. A method according to claim 15 further comprising sharing a common fluid between the plurality of docking fixtures and the plurality of modules.

19. A method according to claim 15 further comprising providing for data communication via the respective electrical power connections of the at least one docking fixture and the at least one module.