# US 12,005,958 B2 · Universal chassis frame with variable rear axle positions for medium/heavy duty configurable electric trucks > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,005,958 B2 - Document ID: US12005958B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/881,384 - Filed: 2022-08-04 - Published: 2023-06-29 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-08-05 - Assignees: Zeus Electric Chassis, Inc. - Applicants: Zeus Electric Chassis, Inc. - Inventors: Robert L. Grinstead - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005958B2 ## CPC - B62D 21/14: of adjustable length or width - B62D 21/02: comprising longitudinally or transversely arranged frame members - B62D 21/12: assembled from readily detachable parts - B62D 27/06: readily releasable - Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A universal chassis frame is disclosed having a ladder-frame construction configurable to position a rear axle(s) at variable distances from a back of a vehicle's cab to provide customized rail/bed lengths for different electric truck classes. The chassis frame includes a central frame having a pair of main frame rails to support at least two battery modules substantially within an intra-frame space. A front subframe supports the cab, a front portion including a pair of upper frame members mounted above the corresponding main frame rails, and a front axle unit mounted under the front subframe. A rear subframe supports at least one rear axle unit mounted under the rear subframe and any of multiple configurable rear payload units via a common connection interface affixable to the main frame rails so the rear subframe's location with respect to the main frame is longitudinally variable from the back of the cab. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A universal chassis frame for a configurable electric truck having a gross vehicle weight rating in a range above 10,000 lbs with the chassis frame configured to interface with any of a set of multiple configurable rear payload modules, the universal chassis frame comprising: a central frame having a pair of main frame rails configured to support at least two battery modules within an intra-frame space defined between the pair of main frame rails and between at least a pair of cross members transversely interconnected to the pair of main frame rails; a front subframe configured to support a front axle assembly and a cab, the front subframe including a pair of upper frame members operably connected to the corresponding pair of the main frame rails; and a rear subframe configured to support at least one rear axle assembly having an electric motor powered by the battery modules and any of the set of multiple configurable rear payload modules via a common connection interface, the rear subframe including a pair of rear frame rails transversely connected by at least a pair of cross members and operably connected to the corresponding pair of main frame rails, the rear subframe further including a set of pre-drilled mounting holes in each rear frame rail at a plurality of predetermined longitudinal positions such that a mounted location of the rear axle assembly is longitudinally variable at different predetermined distances from a back of the cab corresponding to different ones of the set of pre-drilled mounting holes, wherein at least one of the front subframe and rear subframe includes an axle mount box structure formed of a pair of secondary frame rails each having a C-shaped cross-section oriented inwardly and a pair of cross-members each having an I-shaped cross-section, wherein the corresponding axle assembly is only mounted to the axle mount box structure. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The universal chassis frame of claim 1, wherein each of the pair of main frame rails and the pair of rear frame rails has a C-shaped cross-section oriented inwardly, and each of the at least pair of cross members have an I-shaped cross-section. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The universal chassis frame of claim 1, wherein the pair of main frame rails and the pair of rear frame rails are operably connected by a set of plates extending horizontally therebetween on an outer side of both of the corresponding frame rails. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The universal chassis frame of claim 1, wherein the common connection interface comprises a standard set of mounting holes in each of a pair of secondary frame rails that are operably connectable by a set of plates extending horizontally above and on an outer side of both of the corresponding rear frame rails. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The universal chassis frame of claim 1, wherein the rear subframe is configurable to accommodate at least one axle rear assembly in at least two different predetermined distances from the back of the cab to change an unloaded center of gravity of the configurable electric truck. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The universal chassis frame of claim 5, wherein the at least two different predetermined distances from the back of the cab correspond to at least two subsets in the set of multiple configurable rear payload modules, each subset having a different predetermined distance corresponding to an unloaded center of gravity of the rear payload modules in that subset. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The universal chassis frame of claim 1, wherein for different ones of the set of multiple configurable rear payload modules a range of dimensions from the back of the cab to the rear axle is between 60″-200″ and a range of dimensions from the rear axle to the back of the rear frame is between 30″-80″. ### Claim 8 A universal chassis frame for a configurable electric truck having a gross vehicle weight rating in a range above 10,000 lbs with the chassis frame configured to interface with any of a set of multiple configurable rear payload modules, the universal chassis frame comprising: a central frame having a pair of main frame rails configured to support at least two battery modules within an intra-frame space defined between the pair of main frame rails and between at least a pair of cross members transversely interconnected to the pair of main frame rails; a front subframe configured to support a front axle assembly and a cab, the front subframe including a pair of upper frame members operably connected to the corresponding pair of the main frame rails; and a rear subframe configured to support at least one rear axle assembly having an electric motor powered by the battery modules and any of the set of multiple configurable rear payload modules via a common connection interface having a standard set of mounting holes in each of a pair of secondary frame rails that are operably connectable by a set of plates extending horizontally above and on an outer side of both of the corresponding rear frame rails, and the pair of main frame rails and the pair of rear frame rails are operably connected by a set of plates extending horizontally therebetween on an outer side of both of the corresponding frame rails, wherein the rear subframe includes a pair of rear frame rails transversely connected by at least a pair of cross members and operably connected to the corresponding pair of main frame rails, the rear subframe further including a set of pre-drilled mounting holes in each rear frame rail at a plurality of predetermined longitudinal positions such that a mounted location of the rear axle assembly is longitudinally variable at different predetermined distances from a back of the cab corresponding to different ones of the set of pre-drilled mounting holes. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The universal chassis frame of claim 8, wherein the rear subframe is configurable to accommodate at least one axle rear assembly in at least two different predetermined distances from the back of the cab to change an unloaded center of gravity of the configurable electric truck. ### Claim 10 A universal chassis frame for a configurable electric truck having a gross vehicle weight rating in a range above 10,000 lbs with the chassis frame configured to interface with any of a set of multiple configurable rear payload modules, the universal chassis frame comprising: a central frame having a pair of main frame rails configured to support at least two battery modules within an intra-frame space defined between the pair of main frame rails and between at least a pair of cross members transversely interconnected to the pair of main frame rails; a front subframe configured to support a front axle assembly and a cab, the front subframe including a pair of upper frame members operably connected to the corresponding pair of the main frame rails; and a rear subframe configured to support at least one rear axle assembly having an electric motor powered by the battery modules and any of the set of multiple configurable rear payload modules via a common connection interface, the rear subframe including a pair of rear frame rails transversely connected by at least a pair of cross members and operably connected to the corresponding pair of main frame rails, the rear subframe further including a set of pre-drilled mounting holes in each rear frame rail at a plurality of predetermined longitudinal positions such that a mounted location of the rear axle assembly is longitudinally variable at different predetermined distances from a back of the cab corresponding to different ones of the set of pre-drilled mounting holes, wherein the pair of main frame rails and the pair of rear frame rails are operably connected by a set of plates extending horizontally therebetween on an outer side of both of the corresponding frame rails. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The universal chassis frame of claim 10, wherein at least one of the front subframe and rear subframe includes an axle mount box structure formed of a pair of secondary frame rails each having a C-shaped cross-section oriented inwardly and a pair of cross-members each having an I-shaped cross-section, wherein the corresponding axle assembly is only mounted to the axle mount box structure. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The universal chassis frame of claim 10, wherein the common connection interface comprises a standard set of mounting holes in each of a pair of secondary frame rails that are operably connectable by a set of plates extending horizontally above and on an outer side of both of the corresponding rear frame rail. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The universal chassis frame of claim 10, wherein each of the pair of main frame rails and the pair of rear frame rails has a C-shaped cross-section oriented inwardly, and each of the at least pair of cross members have an I-shaped cross-section. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The universal chassis frame of claim 10, wherein the rear subframe is configurable to accommodate at least one axle rear assembly in at least two different predetermined distances from the back of the cab to change an unloaded center of gravity of the configurable electric truck. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The universal chassis frame of claim 10, wherein for different ones of the set of multiple configurable rear payload modules a range of dimensions from the back of the cab to the rear axle is between 60″-200″ and a range of dimensions from the rear axle to the back of the rear frame is between 30″-80″. ### Claim 16 A universal chassis frame for a configurable electric truck having a gross vehicle weight rating in a range above 10,000 lbs with the chassis frame configured to interface with any of a set of multiple configurable rear payload modules, the universal chassis frame comprising: a central frame having a pair of main frame rails configured to support at least two battery modules within an intra-frame space defined between the pair of main frame rails and between at least a pair of cross members transversely interconnected to the pair of main frame rails; a front subframe configured to support a front axle assembly and a cab, the front subframe including a pair of upper frame members operably connected to the corresponding pair of the main frame rails; and a rear subframe configured to support at least one rear axle assembly having an electric motor powered by the battery modules and any of the set of multiple configurable rear payload modules via a common connection interface, the rear subframe including a pair of rear frame rails transversely connected by at least a pair of cross members and operably connected to the corresponding pair of main frame rails, the rear subframe further including a set of pre-drilled mounting holes in each rear frame rail at a plurality of predetermined longitudinal positions such that a mounted location of the rear axle assembly is longitudinally variable at different predetermined distances from a back of the cab corresponding to different ones of the set of pre-drilled mounting holes, wherein the common connection interface comprises a standard set of mounting holes in each of a pair of secondary frame rails that are operably connectable by a set of plates extending horizontally above and on an outer side of both of the corresponding rear frame rails. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The universal chassis frame of claim 16, wherein at least one of the front subframe and rear subframe includes an axle mount box structure formed of a pair of secondary frame rails each having a C-shaped cross-section oriented inwardly and a pair of cross-members each having an I-shaped cross-section, wherein the corresponding axle assembly is only mounted to the axle mount box structure. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The universal chassis frame of claim 16, wherein the pair of main frame rails and the pair of rear frame rails are operably connected by a set of plates extending horizontally therebetween on an outer side of both of the corresponding frame rails. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The universal chassis frame of claim 16, wherein each of the pair of main frame rails and the pair of rear frame rails has a C-shaped cross-section oriented inwardly, and each of the at least pair of cross members have an I-shaped cross-section. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The universal chassis frame of claim 16, wherein for different ones of the set of multiple configurable rear payload modules a range of dimensions from the back of the cab to the rear axle is between 60″-200″ and a range of dimensions from the rear axle to the back of the rear frame is between 30″-80″.