Military vehicle with reconfigurable compartment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11712381-B2
Application number	US-202117477309-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 16, 2021
Priority date	Oct 24, 2019
Publication date	Aug 1, 2023
Grant date	Aug 1, 2023

Abstract

A reconfigurable compartment for a military vehicle. The reconfigurable compartment includes a floor, a front, a rear, a roof, and sides. The floor, the front, the rear, the roof, and the sides are removably coupled with each other to define the reconfigurable compartment. At least one of the floor, the front, the rear, the roof, or the sides are function-specific and replaceable with a different function-specific at least one of the floor, the front, the rear, the roof, or the sides and thereby facilitate transitioning an overall function of the military vehicle to accommodate a variety of different vehicle applications.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A military vehicle comprising:
a frame;
a cab coupled with the frame, the cab comprising a first plurality of panels configured to define a first interior volume for a driver of the military vehicle; and
a vehicle body supported by the frame, the vehicle body including a compartment comprising a second plurality of panels, the second plurality of panels removably coupled with each other to cooperatively define a second interior volume, the second interior volume physically separated from the first interior volume by at least one physical barrier;
wherein at least one of the second plurality of panels of the compartment are replaceable with function-specific panels to transition the compartment between at least a troop carrier compartment and an ambulance compartment to change an application of the military vehicle, each of the function-specific panels having a different structure specific for at least the troop carrier compartment or the ambulance compartment, wherein the first interior volume of the cab is physically separated from the second interior volume of the compartment when the compartment is transitioned into the troop carrier compartment and when the compartment is transitioned into the ambulance compartment, and both the troop carrier compartment and the ambulance compartment include a ceiling panel that extends a longitudinal length substantially equal to the vehicle body.

2. The military vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the second plurality of panels comprise a floor, a front, a rear, the ceiling panel, and sides.

3. The military vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the rear is replaceable to transition the overall function of the vehicle between the plurality of overall functions.

4. The military vehicle of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the floor, the front, the rear, the ceiling panel, or one or the sides are universal and configured for use with all of the plurality of overall functions of the vehicle.

5. The military vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the troop carrier compartment comprises seating for at least six passengers for transportation in the troop carrier compartment.

6. The military vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the ambulance compartment comprises:
a litter lift system positioned at least partially within the ambulance compartment comprising:
a motor-driven winch having a rotatable spool; and
a lifting strap having one end coupled to the rotatable spool and being movable in response to rotation of the rotatable spool, the lifting strap having a first lifting segment and a second lifting segment positioned away from the end of the lifting strap coupled to the rotatable spool, wherein the first lifting segment and the second lifting segment are each forked to define two separate lifting loops;
wherein rotation of the rotatable spool in a first direction raises the first lifting segment and the second lifting segment; and
wherein rotation of the rotatable spool in a second direction different from the first direction lowers the first lifting segment and the second lifting segment.

7. A reconfigurable compartment for a military vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body including a floor, a front, a rear, a roof, and sides, wherein the floor, the front, the rear, the roof, and the sides are removably coupled with each other to define the reconfigurable compartment and an interior volume of the compartment, the interior volume of the compartment physically separated from an interior volume of a cabin for a driver of the military vehicle, the cabin comprising a plurality of panels different than the vehicle body that define the interior volume of the cabin;
wherein at least one of the floor, the front, the rear, the roof, or the sides are function-specific and replaceable with a different function-specific at least one of the floor, the front, the rear, the roof, or the sides to change an overall function of the military vehicle between at least an ambulance compartment and a troop carrier compartment, wherein the function-specific or the different function specific at least one of the floor, the front, the rear, the roof, or the sides comprise a different structure for at least the ambulance compartment or the troop carrier compartment, wherein the interior volume of the cabin is physically separated from the interior volume of the compartment when the compartment is transitioned into the ambulance compartment and when the compartment is transitioned into the troop carrier compartment, and both the ambulance compartment and the troop carrier compartment include the roof that extends substantially an entirety of a longitudinal length of the vehicle body.

8. The reconfigurable compartment of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the floor, the front, the rear, the roof, or the sides are universal and configured for use with all of the plurality of overall functions of the vehicle, regardless of which of the function-specific at least one of the floor, the front, the rear, the roof, or the sides is installed.

9. The reconfigurable compartment of claim 7 , wherein replacing the at least one function-specific floor, front, rear, roof, or sides with the different function-specific at least one floor, front, rear, roof, or sides changes a function of the reconfigurable compartment to change the overall function of the military vehicle.

10. The reconfigurable compartment of claim 7 , wherein the troop carrier compartment comprises seating for at least six passengers for transportation in the troop carrier compartment.

11. The reconfigurable compartment of claim 7 , wherein the ambulance compartment comprises:
a litter lift system positioned at least partially within the ambulance compartment comprising:
a motor-driven winch having a rotatable spool; and
a lifting strap having one end coupled to the rotatable spool and being movable in response to rotation of the rotatable spool, the lifting strap having a first lifting segment and a second lifting segment positioned away from the end of the lifting strap coupled to the rotatable spool, wherein the first lifting segment and the second lifting segment are each forked to define two separate lifting loops;
wherein rotation of the rotatable spool in a first direction raises the first lifting segment and the second lifting segment; and
wherein rotation of the rotatable spool in a second direction different from the first direction lowers the first lifting segment and the second lifting segment.

12. A method of transitioning a military vehicle between a plurality of different modes, the method comprising:
providing a military vehicle comprising a reconfigurable compartment having a floor, a front, a rear, a roof, and sides, wherein the front, the rear, the roof, and the sides are removably coupled with each other to define the reconfigurable compartment and a completely enclosed interior volume of the reconfigurable compartment, the reconfigurable compartment separate from a cab of the military vehicle that provides seating for a driver of the military vehicle, the cab of the military vehicle defined by a plurality of panels that are different from the reconfigurable compartment, an interior volume of the cab physically separated from the enclosed interior volume by at least one physical barrier;
removing a function-specific one of the floor, the front, the rear, the roof, or the sides, the function-specific one of the floor, the front, the rear, the roof, or the sides having ambulance structure so that the reconfigurable compartment is an ambulance compartment;
replacing the function-specific one of the floor, the front, the rear, the roof, or the sides with a different function-specific one of the floor, the fr

Assignees

• Oshkosh Corp

Inventors

• Malcolm Gregory D
• Vetting Matthew B
• Miller Rodney M

Classifications

• A61G3/085 Primary

  on support, which can be brought into a different position, when not in use, e.g. foldable, collapsible, retractable support · CPC title

• A61G3/0825

  using support rack, frame · CPC title

• A61G3/0833

  using other support · CPC title

• A61G3/0841 Primary

  on lateral support arms · CPC title

• A61G3/0858

  on support for multiple stretchers · CPC title