Modular vehicle platform and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10086874-B2
Application number	US-201615365542-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2016
Priority date	Nov 30, 2016
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

Modular vehicle platforms are disclosed. An example modular platform includes a frame to couple to a body of a vehicle. A first bracket is coupled to the frame. One of a second bracket or a third bracket is coupled to the frame. The first bracket is spaced from the second bracket or the third bracket. The first bracket and the second bracket enable attachment of a first suspension to the frame. The first bracket and the third bracket enable attachment of a second suspension to the frame. The first suspension has a first geometry that is different than a second geometry of the second suspension.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a frame including a first longitudinal rail to couple to a body of a vehicle;
a first bracket coupled to the first longitudinal rail of the frame; and
one of a second bracket or a third bracket to couple to the first longitudinal rail of the frame, the first bracket having a first geometry different than a second geometry of the second bracket and a third geometry of the third bracket, the second geometry of the second bracket being different than the third geometry of the third bracket, the first longitudinal rail configured to receive a first suspension when the first bracket and the second bracket are coupled to the first longitudinal rail of the frame, and the first longitudinal rail configured to receive a second suspension when the first bracket and the third bracket are coupled to the first longitudinal rail of the frame, the first suspension having a first geometry that is different than a second geometry of the second suspension.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frame includes a second longitudinal rail spaced from the first longitudinal rail and a lateral rail connecting the first longitudinal rail and the second longitudinal rail.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first bracket is spaced from the second bracket or the third bracket.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second bracket is to project from the first longitudinal rail at a first angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the first longitudinal rail when the second bracket is coupled to the first longitudinal rail.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the third bracket is to project from the first longitudinal rail at a second angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the first longitudinal rail when the third bracket is coupled to the first longitudinal rail.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first bracket is to receive a first control arm of the first suspension or a first control arm of the second suspension.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the first bracket includes a first leg and a second leg projecting from a plate of the first bracket, the first leg being spaced from the second leg to define an opening to receive an end of the first control arm of the first suspension or an end of the first control arm of the second suspension.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the second bracket is to receive a second control arm of the first suspension.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the second bracket includes a first body and a second body, the first body being spaced from the second body to form an opening to receive an end of the second control arm of the first suspension.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the third bracket is to receive a second control arm of the second suspension.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the third bracket includes a first body and a second body, the first body being spaced from the second body to form an opening to receive an end of the second control arm of the second suspension.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first suspension includes a MacPherson strut and the second suspension includes a Short-Long Arm suspension.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first, second, and third brackets each have different mounting features.

14. A method comprising:
attaching a first bracket to a first longitudinal rail of a frame;
selecting a first suspension or a second suspension different than the first suspension to be received by the first longitudinal rail of the frame;
obtaining a second bracket if the first suspension is selected or a third bracket if the second suspension is selected, the first bracket having a first geometry different than a second geometry of the second bracket and a third geometry of the third bracket, the second geometry of the second bracket being different than the third geometry of the third bracket; and
attaching the second bracket to the first longitudinal rail of the frame when the first suspension is selected or attaching the third bracket to the first longitudinal rail of the frame when the second suspension is selected, the first bracket and the second bracket to couple the first suspension to the first longitudinal rail of the frame, and the first bracket and the third bracket to couple the second suspension to the first longitudinal rail of the frame.

15. The method of claim 14 , further including coupling a first control arm of the first suspension or a first control arm of the second suspension to the first bracket.

16. The method of claim 15 , further including coupling a second control arm of the first suspension to the second bracket.

17. The method of claim 15 , further including coupling a second control arm of the second suspension to the third bracket.

18. An apparatus comprising:
a frame including a lateral frame connecting a first longitudinal rail and a second longitudinal rail spaced from the first longitudinal rail; and
a first set of brackets including a first bracket and a second bracket to couple to the first longitudinal rail, the first set of brackets to couple lower suspension links of a first suspension to the frame; or
a second set of brackets including the first bracket and a third bracket, the first bracket having a first geometry different than a second geometry of the second bracket and a third geometry of the third bracket, the second geometry of the second bracket being different than the third geometry of the third bracket, to couple to the first longitudinal rail, the second set of brackets to couple lower suspension links of a second suspension to the frame, the first suspension having dimensions that are different than dimensions of the second suspension.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein each of the first set of brackets and the second set of brackets includes a ride link attachment bracket to support a first control arm of the lower suspension links of the first suspension or a first control arm of the lower suspension links of the second suspension, and a lateral link attachment bracket to support a second control arm of the lower suspension links of the first suspension or a second control arm of the lower suspension links of the second suspension.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the first set of brackets includes a first ride link attachment bracket and a lateral attachment bracket, the first ride link attachment bracket to support a first control arm of the lower suspension links of the first suspension and the lateral attachment bracket to support a second control arm of the lower suspension links of the first suspension.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the second set of brackets includes a second ride link attachment bracket and the lateral attachment bracket, the second ride link attachment bracket to support a first control arm of the lower suspension links of the second suspension and the lateral attachment bracket to support a second control arm of the lower suspension links of the second suspension.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the first set of brackets includes a ride link attachment bracket and a first lateral attachment bracket, the ride link attachment bracket to support a first control arm of the lower suspension links of the first suspension and the first lateral attachment bracket to support a second control arm of the lower suspension links of the first suspension, or wherein the second set of brackets includes the ride link attachment bracket and a seco

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Lipa Jeffrey
• Allen Steve Scott
• Lazarevski Peter Simeon
• Bell Scott J
• Foley Shane Edward
• Dockstader Stephen
• Skynar Joseph

Classifications

• B60G2204/128

  Damper mount on vehicle body or chassis · CPC title

• B60G2206/0114

  Independent suspensions on subframes · CPC title

• B60G2206/604

  with two parallel beams connected by cross members · CPC title

• B60G2204/143

  on the vehicle body or chassis · CPC title

• B60G7/001

  Suspension arms, e.g. constructional features (B60G7/006 takes precedence) · CPC title