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US 11,938,796 B2Granted
Vehicle with exoskeleton
AssigneeTesla, Inc.
InventorsAlan Paul Clarke, Xiaoping Cai, Lars Moravy, Ted Antony
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle having an exoskeleton exterior panel that provides crash resistance is described. The exterior panel may be formed from a monolithic metal sheet and attached to an exterior portion of the vehicle frame, and the exterior panel does not comprise an additional support structure. At least one component may be directly attached to the exterior panel, and the exterior panel may bear the load of the at least one component. Methods of manufacturing the vehicle are also described.
Claims20
A vehicle, comprising:
- an internal structural vehicle framework comprising an exterior portion;
- an exterior panel formed from a monolithic metal sheet and mounted to the exterior portion of the internal structural vehicle framework directly through a joint, wherein the exterior panel acts as a support structure for at least one component;
- and
- the at least one component directly attached to the exterior panel,
- wherein the exterior panel is a passenger door panel,
- wherein the exterior panel bears the load of the at least one component, and
- wherein the exterior panel does not consist of an additional support structure selected from the group consisting of an additional metal panel, a support beam, a reinforcement, an anti-intrusion bar, and combinations thereof.
4 more elements
A method of manufacturing an automotive vehicle, comprising:
- providing a monolithic metal sheet, wherein the monolithic metal sheet is manufactured comprising the steps of:
- providing an initial monolithic metal sheet;
- cutting the initial monolithic metal sheet to form a cut monolithic metal sheet;
- and
- shaping the cut monolithic metal sheet to form the monolithic metal sheet;
- attaching at least one component directly to the monolithic metal sheet to form an exterior panel, wherein the monolithic metal sheet bears the load of the at least one component thereby acting as a support structure;
- and
- mounting the exterior panel to an exterior portion of an internal structural vehicle framework directly through a joint;
- wherein the method does not consist of attaching an additional support structure to the exterior panel, the additional support structure selected from the group consisting of an additional metal panel, a support beam, a reinforcement, an anti-intrusion bar, and combinations thereof, and
- wherein the exterior panel is configured to define a passenger compartment of the vehicle.
7 more elements
A vehicle, comprising:
- an internal structural vehicle framework comprising an exterior portion;
- an exterior panel formed from a monolithic metal sheet and mounted to the exterior portion of the internal structural vehicle framework directly through a joint, wherein the exterior panel acts as a support structure for at least one component;
- and
- the at least one component directly attached to the exterior panel,
- wherein the exterior panel bears the load of the at least one component,
- wherein the exterior panel does not consist of an additional support structure selected from the group consisting of an additional metal panel, a support beam, a reinforcement, an anti-intrusion bar, and combinations thereof, and
- wherein the internal structural vehicle framework is a unibody internal structural vehicle framework.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.