Universal platform for lightweight vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11148517-B2
Application number	US-201916383073-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 12, 2019
Priority date	Apr 12, 2019
Publication date	Oct 19, 2021
Grant date	Oct 19, 2021

Abstract

A universal assembly platform for lightweight vehicles including a main vehicle chassis structure, a floorboard disposed over a top of the main vehicle chassis structure. The floorboard defines a floor surface of a lightweight vehicle that is subsequently assembled utilizing the universal assembly platform. The platform additionally includes at least one energy cell reservoir disposed below the floorboard. The at least one energy cell reservoir is structured and operable to retain at least one prime mover energy cell that will provide electrical energy to power an electric motor of the lightweight vehicle subsequently assembled utilizing the universal assembly platform.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A universal assembly platform for lightweight vehicles, said platform comprising:
a main vehicle chassis structure;
a floorboard disposed over a top of the main vehicle chassis structure and defining a floor surface of a passenger compartment of a lightweight vehicle assembled utilizing the universal assembly platform, wherein the floorboard and main vehicle chassis are structured to support at least one passenger seating structure; and
at least one energy cell reservoir disposed below the floorboard, the at least one energy cell reservoir structured and operable to retain at least one prime mover energy cell.

2. The platform of claim 1 wherein the main vehicle chassis structure comprises a frame, and the floorboard comprises the at least one energy cell reservoir recessed therein such that the at least one energy cell reservoir is disposed beneath the floor surface.

3. The platform of claim 1 , wherein the main vehicle chassis structure comprises a corrugated unibody floor pan having a plurality of raised ridges with recessed channels formed therebetween, and wherein the at least one energy cell reservoir comprises at least one of at least one of the channels and at least one of the ridges such that the at least one energy cell reservoir is disposed beneath the floor surface.

4. The platform of claim 3 , wherein when the at least one energy cell reservoir comprises at least one of the ridges, the universal assembly platform further comprises at least one energy cell retention panel connectable to a bottom of the floor pan and structured and operable to retain the at least one energy cell within the at least one of the ridges.

5. The platform of claim 1 further comprising at least one vehicle component mounting structure at least one of integrally formed with and mounted to the main vehicle chassis structure, the at least one vehicle component mounting structure structured and operable to enable at least one vehicle component to be mounted thereto during assembly of a lightweight vehicle utilizing the universal assembly platform.

6. The platform of claim 1 , wherein the main vehicle chassis structure is structured to be connectable to at least one of a front bulkhead and a rear bulkhead.

7. A lightweight vehicle, said lightweight vehicle comprising:
a universal assembly platform, the universal assembly platform comprising:
a main vehicle chassis structure;
a floorboard disposed over a top of the main vehicle chassis structure and defining a floor surface of a passenger compartment of the lightweight vehicle, wherein the floorboard and main vehicle chassis are structured to support at least one passenger seating structure; and
at least one energy cell reservoir disposed below the floorboard,

a front suspension connected to the universal assembly platform;
a rear suspension connected to the universal assembly platform;
at least one prime mover energy cell disposed within the at least one energy cell reservoir such that the at least one prime mover energy cell is disposed beneath the floorboard; and
an electric motor electrically connected to the at least one prime mover energy cell.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 wherein the main vehicle chassis structure comprises a frame, and the floorboard comprises the at least one energy cell reservoir recessed therein such that the at least one energy cell is disposed beneath the floor surface.

9. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the main vehicle chassis structure comprises a corrugated unibody floor pan having a plurality of raised ridges with recessed channels formed therebetween, and wherein the at least one energy cell reservoir comprises at least one of at least one of the channels and at least one of the ridges such that the at least one energy cell is disposed beneath the floor surface.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein when the at least one energy cell reservoir comprises at least one of the ridges, the universal assembly platform further comprises at least one energy cell retention panel connectable to a bottom of the floor pan and structured and operable to retain the at least one energy cell within the at least one of the ridges.

11. The vehicle of claim 7 further comprising at least one vehicle component mounting structure at least one of formed within and mounted to the main vehicle chassis structure, the at least one vehicle component mounting structure structured and operable to enable at least one vehicle component to be mounted thereto during assembly of the lightweight vehicle utilizing the universal assembly platform.

12. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the vehicle further comprises at least one of:
a front bulkhead mounted to the main vehicle chassis structure and to which the front suspension is mounted, and
a rear bulkhead mounted to the main vehicle chassis structure and to which the rear suspension is mounted.

13. A lightweight vehicle, said lightweight vehicle comprising:
a universal assembly platform, the universal assembly platform comprising:
a main vehicle chassis structure;
a floorboard disposed over a top of the main vehicle chassis structure and defining a floor surface of the lightweight vehicle; and
at least one energy cell reservoir disposed below the floorboard,

a front suspension connected to the universal assembly platform;
a rear suspension connected to the universal assembly platform;
at least one prime mover energy cell disposed within the at least one energy cell reservoir such that the at least one prime mover energy cell is disposed beneath the floorboard;
an electric motor electrically connected to the at least one prime mover energy cell;
a forward facing front seat mounted to universal assembly platform; and
a forward facing rear seat mounted to the universal assembly platform rearward of the forward facing front seat.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 wherein the main vehicle chassis structure comprises a frame, and the floorboard comprises the at least one energy cell reservoir recessed therein such that the at least one energy cell is disposed beneath the floor surface.

15. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the main vehicle chassis structure comprises a corrugated unibody floor pan having a plurality of raised ridges with recessed channels formed therebetween, and wherein the at least one energy cell reservoir comprises at least one of at least one of the channels and at least one of the ridges such that the at least one energy cell is disposed beneath the floor surface.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein when the at least one energy cell reservoir comprises at least one of the ridges, the universal assembly platform further comprises at least one energy cell retention panel connectable to a bottom of the floor pan and structured and operable to retain the at least one energy cell within the at least one of the ridges.

17. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the vehicle further comprises at least one of:
a front bulkhead mounted to the main vehicle chassis structure and to which the front suspension is mounted, and
a rear bulkhead mounted to the main vehicle chassis structure and to which the rear suspension is mounted.

18. The vehicle of claim 13 further comprising at least one vehicle component mounting structure at least one of formed within and mounted to the main vehicle chassis structure, the at least one vehicle component mounting structure structured and operable to enable at least one vehicle component to be mounted thereto during assembly of the lightweight vehicle utilizing the universal assembly platform.

Assignees

• Textron Inc
• Textron Innovations Inc

Inventors

• Hammond Jr Donny Lee
• Smith Sam Dean
• Roebuck Trevor Douglas
• Ball Landon Niles

Classifications

• B62D25/20 Primary

  Floors or bottom sub-units {(sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11; drip trays F16N31/006)} · CPC title

• B62D29/008

  predominantly of light alloys, e.g. extruded · CPC title

• B60K2001/0438

  Arrangement under the floor · CPC title

• B60K1/04 Primary

  of the electric storage means for propulsion · CPC title

• B60Y2200/23

  Ridable golf cars · CPC title