Method of assembling a truck

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12077233-B1
Application number	US-202318338660-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 21, 2023
Priority date	Jun 21, 2023
Publication date	Sep 3, 2024
Grant date	Sep 3, 2024

Abstract

A method of assembling a truck includes assembling a cab structure that includes a rear roof rail coupling a top portion of a rearmost left pillar to a top portion of a rearmost right pillar to cooperate with the rearmost left pillar and the rearmost right pillar to at least partially define a rear opening of the cab structure. The rear opening extends in a vertical direction of the cab structure from the rear roof rail downward beyond a vertical midpoint of the rearmost left and right pillars. The method includes inserting first interior components through the rear opening into an interior of the cab structure and attaching the first interior components to the cab structure. The method includes attaching a rear panel to the rearmost left pillar and the rearmost right pillar after attaching the first interior components to the cab structure, the rear panel spanning the rear opening.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of assembling a truck, the method comprising:
assembling a cab structure of the truck, the cab structure including:
a plurality of left pillars and a plurality of right pillars; and
a rear roof rail coupling a top portion of a rearmost left pillar of the plurality of left pillars to a top portion of a rearmost right pillar of the plurality of right pillars to cooperate with the rearmost left pillar and the rearmost right pillar to at least partially define a rear opening of the cab structure, the rear opening extending in a vertical direction of the cab structure from the rear roof rail downward beyond a vertical midpoint of the rearmost left and right pillars;

inserting a plurality of first interior components through the rear opening into an interior of the cab structure and attaching the first interior components to the cab structure;
attaching a rear panel to the rearmost left pillar and the rearmost right pillar after attaching the first interior components to the cab structure, the rear panel spanning the rear opening; and
mounting the cab structure to a pair of longitudinal frame rails after attaching the plurality of first interior components to the cab structure.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first interior components includes at least one of a seat, seat belt components, interior trim panels, ducting, cables, wires, a headliner, a floor covering, and an instrument panel.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first interior components includes a plurality of seats, wherein the method further comprises:
mounting the plurality of seats to a floor pan before inserting the plurality of seats through the rear opening, wherein inserting the plurality of first interior components through the rear opening includes inserting the plurality of seats through the rear opening while the plurality of seats are mounted to the floor pan; and
attaching the floor pan to the cab structure.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the rear panel is attached to the rearmost left pillar and the rearmost right pillar by a plurality of fasteners and a seal is disposed between the rear panel and the rearmost left pillar and the rearmost right pillar.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cab structure further includes:
a left sill coupling respective bottom portions of the left pillars to define a bottom of at least one door opening on a left side of the cab structure;
a right sill coupling respective bottom portions of the right pillars to define a bottom of at least one door opening on a right side of the cab structure;
a left roof rail coupling respective top portions of the left pillars to define a top of the at least one door opening on the left side of the cab structure; and
a right roof rail coupling respective top portions of the right pillars to define a top of the at least one door opening on the right side of the cab structure.

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
attaching a plurality of second interior components to the rear panel before attaching the rear panel to the rearmost left pillar and the rearmost right pillar.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the plurality of second interior components includes at least one of a subwoofer, ducting, an electronic control module, an amplifier, a speaker, cables, wires, a power window module, seat belt components, and an electric motor.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
painting the cab structure before inserting the plurality of interior components through the rear opening.

9. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:
applying a coating to the rear panel before attaching the rear panel to the rearmost left pillar and the rearmost right pillar, the coating including at least one of a corrosion resistant e-coat and a paint coat.

10. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
attaching a rear cross-brace to the rear panel before attaching the rear panel to the rearmost left pillar and the rearmost right pillar, wherein attaching the rear panel to the rearmost left pillar and the rearmost right pillar includes attaching the rear cross-brace to the rearmost left pillar and the rearmost right pillar.

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
attaching a rear window pane to the rear panel before attaching the rear panel to the rearmost left pillar and the rearmost right pillar.

12. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
attaching a rear window pane to the rear panel after attaching the rear panel to the rearmost left pillar and the rearmost right pillar.

13. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
attaching a rear cross-brace to the cab structure before attaching the rear panel to the rearmost left pillar and the rearmost right pillar, wherein the rear cross-brace extends from the rearmost left pillar to the rearmost right pillar and spans the rear opening.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the rear cross-brace is attached to the cab structure before inserting the plurality of first interior components through the rear opening.

15. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
applying a coating to the cab structure and the rear cross-brace with a corrosion resistant material after attaching the rear cross-brace to the cab structure and before inserting the plurality of first interior components through the rear opening.

16. A method of assembling a truck, the method comprising:
assembling a cab structure of the truck, the cab structure including:
a plurality of left pillars and a plurality of right pillars; and
a rear roof rail coupling a top portion of a rearmost left pillar of the plurality of left pillars to a top portion of a rearmost right pillar of the plurality of right pillars to cooperate with the rearmost left pillar and the rearmost right pillar to at least partially define a rear opening of the cab structure, the rear opening extending in a vertical direction of the cab structure from the rear roof rail downward beyond a vertical midpoint of the rearmost left and right pillars;

mounting a seat to a floor pan;
moving the floor pan with the seat mounted thereto into position relative to the cab structure such that at least a portion of the seat is inserted through the rear opening into an interior of the cab structure;
attaching the floor pan to the cab structure; and
attaching a rear panel to the rearmost left pillar and the rearmost right pillar after moving the floor pan into position relative to the cab structure, the rear panel spanning the rear opening.

17. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising:
painting the cab structure before inserting the plurality of interior components through the rear opening; and
applying a coating the rear panel before attaching the plurality of second interior components to the rear panel.

18. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising:
attaching a rear window pane to the rear panel before attaching the rear panel to the rearmost left pillar and the rearmost right pillar.

19. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising:
attaching a rear cross-brace to the cab structure before attaching the rear panel to the rearmost left pillar and the rearmost right pillar, wherein the rear cross-brace extends from the rearmost left pillar to the rearmost right pillar and spans the rear opening.

20. A method of assembling a truc

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Schluentz Daniel
• Sanborn Kirk E
• Midbo Jon
• Deinek Daniel J

Classifications

• B62D27/023

  Assembly of structural joints · CPC title

• B62D33/06

  Drivers' cabs {(overhead guards, e.g. against loads falling down B60R21/11; roll-over protection B60R21/13)} · CPC title

• B62D65/02 Primary

  Joining sub-units or components to, or positioning sub-units or components with respect to, body shell or other sub-units or components · CPC title

• B62D65/06

  the sub-units or components being doors, windows, openable roofs, lids, bonnets, or weather strips or seals therefor {(assembling sealing arrangements with vehicle parts, e.g. doors, windows B60J10/45)} · CPC title

• B62D65/14 Primary

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