Method of assembling vehicle including an integrated interior module and top-hat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11130536-B2
Application number	US-201816190284-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 14, 2018
Priority date	Nov 14, 2018
Publication date	Sep 28, 2021
Grant date	Sep 28, 2021

Abstract

A vehicle assembly method includes assembling a chassis platform, mounting a floor pan to the platform, mounting a modular interior to the floor pan, assembling a body top-hat separate from the platform and the floor pan, and mounting the body top-hat to the platform and the floor pan after mounting the modular interior to the floor pan.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle assembly method comprising:
assembling a chassis platform;
mounting a floor pan to the platform;
mounting a lower interior component to the floor pan;
assembling a body top-hat separate from the platform and the floor pan, the body top-hat including a left sill member and a right sill member, the left sill member defining a bottom of a door opening on a left side of the body top-hat, the right sill member defining a bottom of a door opening on a right side of the body top-hat;
mounting an upper interior component to the body top-hat;
mounting the body top-hat to the platform and the floor pan after mounting the lower interior component and the upper interior component.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lower interior component is mounted to the floor pan before the floor pan is mounted to the platform.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the lower interior component is mounted to the floor pan after the floor pan is mounted to the platform.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of mounting the lower interior component includes mounting at least one of a seat, a carpet, and an instrument panel to the floor pan.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of mounting the lower interior component includes mounting a carpet, an instrument panel, and a plurality of seats to the floor pan.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of mounting the upper interior component includes mounting at least one of a headliner, an airbag, and a finish trim piece to the body top-hat.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is an electric vehicle and the method further comprises mounting a plurality of electric storage devices to the platform before mounting the floor pan to the platform.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the body top-hat is a space frame.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coating the floor pan with a corrosion resistant coating before mounting the body top-hat to the platform and the floor pan.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Hosbach Christian
• Caliskan Ari
• Jaranson John
• Bondanza Christopher
• Weiler Jonathan
• Friedman Peter A

Classifications

• B62D63/025 Primary

  Modular vehicles (superstructures for busses having modular sections B62D31/025) · CPC title

• B62D65/024

  Positioning of sub-units or components with respect to body shell or other sub-units or components · CPC title

• B62D65/14

  the sub-units or components being passenger compartment fittings, e.g. seats, linings, trim, instrument panels · CPC title

• B62D65/04 Primary

  Joining preassembled modular units composed of sub-units performing diverse functions, e.g. engine and bonnet (B62D65/06 - B62D65/16 take precedence) · CPC title

• B23P2700/50

  Other automobile vehicle parts, i.e. manufactured in assembly lines · CPC title