US 10,737,737 B2 · Vehicle with interchangeable drive modules

Abstract

Vehicles may be composed of a relatively few number of “modules” that are assembled together during a final assembly process. An example vehicle may include a body module, a first drive module coupled to a first end of the body module, and a second drive module coupled to a second end of the body module. One or both of the drive modules may include a pair of wheels, a battery, an electric drive motor, and/or a heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. One or both of the drive modules may also include a crash structure to absorb impacts. If a component of a drive module fails or is damaged, the drive module can be quickly and easily replaced with a new drive module, minimizing vehicle down time.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A vehicle comprising:

a body module having a first end and a second end, the body module comprising:
a passenger compartment to house one or more passengers;
and
a vehicle computing device to control operation of the vehicle;
a drive module removably coupled to the body module at the first end of the body module,
wherein the drive module comprises:
a drive module frame;
first and second wheels;
a propulsion system coupled to the drive module frame and to the first and second wheels to drive at least one of the first and second wheels;
and
a crash structure coupled to the drive module frame and comprising one or more brackets to couple the crash structure to the body module of the vehicle, the crash structure configured to absorb an impact force imparted to the first end of the vehicle.

8 more elements

A drive module for a vehicle, the drive module comprising:

a drive module frame;
first and second wheels;
a propulsion system coupled to the drive module frame and to the first and second wheels to drive at least one of the first and second wheels;
and
a crash structure coupled to the drive module frame and comprising one or more brackets to couple the crash structure to a body module of a vehicle, the crash structure configured to crumple responsive to an impact force exceeding an impact threshold to absorb the impact force.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

15/674,688Filed 11 Aug 2017 · us provisional application

Priority

31 May 2017

Published

US 2018/0345777 A16 Dec 2018

Granted

11 Aug 2020

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification88 codes

B62D 65/12
Joining sub-units or components to, or positioning sub-units or components with respect to, body shell or other sub-units or components: the…
B60H 1/00392
For vehicles having an electrical drive, e.g. hybrid or fuel cell: for electric vehicles having only electric drive means
B60H 1/00564
Details of ducts or cables: of air ducts
B60H 1/00642
Heating, cooling or ventilating devices: control systems or circuits; Control members or indication devices for heating, cooling or ventilating…

Vehicle with interchangeable drive modules

Life of this patent

Vehicle with interchangeable drive modules

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21