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US 12,485,967 B2Granted
Carrier to reinforce a frame of a vehicle and method of making
AssigneeZephyros, Inc.
InventorsNuria Ignes, Bill Barz, Manuel Kesseler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present teachings generally relate to a carrier and method of making the carrier, the carrier comprising: a periphery having: an outer edge, arranged distally along a transverse axis of the carrier, configured to be oriented away from a frame enclosure of a vehicle, an inner edge, arranged distally along the transverse axis, configured to be oriented toward the frame enclosure of the vehicle, and distal ends arranged opposite each other along a longitudinal axis of the carrier; one or more series of ribs having: a cross-sectional pattern, and an orientation along the longitudinal axis, the transverse axis, or both.
Claims19
A carrier to reinforce a frame of a vehicle comprising:
- a) a first portion having:
- i) an inner face, configured to be oriented toward a frame enclosure of the vehicle, and
- ii) a first end and a second end arranged opposite each other along a longitudinal axis of the carrier;
- b) a second portion adjacent to the first portion, the second portion having:
- i) an outer face configured to be oriented away from the frame enclosure of the vehicle, wherein the outer face is opposite and distanced from the inner face along a transverse axis, and wherein the outer face is configured to be further from the frame enclosure than the inner face;
- ii) a first end and a second end arranged opposite each other along the longitudinal axis of the carrier;
- wherein the first portion and the second portion each include a first series of ribs and a second series of ribs which form a rectangular cross-sectional pattern and extend perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
- wherein in both the first portion and the second portion, the first series of ribs has a vertical orientation, and the second series of ribs has a horizontal orientation perpendicular to the vertical orientation;
- wherein in both the first portion and the second portion, the rectangular cross-sectional pattern forms a plurality of rectangles aligned to form a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns;
- wherein in the first portion, the first series of ribs and the second series of ribs are located within a periphery of the first portion defined as between the first end and the second end and the inner face of the first portion;
- wherein in the second portion, the first series of ribs and the second series of ribs are located within a periphery of the second portion defined as between the first end and the second end and the outer face of the second portion, and
- wherein the rectangular cross-sectional pattern of both the first portion and the second portion spans an entirety of a length of the first portion and the second portion, respectively.
9 more elements
A vehicle comprising:
- a) a frame having a rocker, a sill, and a floor pan;
- wherein the sill extends adjacent to the floor pan;
- b) a battery tray attached to or part of the frame and configured to secure a battery within the vehicle, wherein the sill also extends adjacent to the battery tray;
- c) a carrier configured to reinforce the frame and the battery tray of the vehicle, the carrier comprising:
- i) a first portion having:
- i-a) an inner face, configured to be oriented toward a frame enclosure of the vehicle, and
- i-b a first end and a second end arranged opposite each other along a longitudinal axis of the carrier;
- ii) a second portion adjacent to the first portion, the second portion having:
- ii-a) an outer face configured to be oriented away from the frame enclosure of the vehicle, wherein the outer face is opposite and distanced from the inner face along a transverse axis, and wherein the outer face is configured to be further from the frame enclosure than the inner face;
- ii-b) a first end and a second end arranged opposite each other along the longitudinal axis of the carrier;
- wherein the first portion and the second portion each include a first series of ribs and a second series of ribs which form a rectangular cross-sectional pattern and extend perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
- wherein in both the first portion and the second portion, the rectangular cross-sectional pattern forms a plurality of rectangles aligned to form a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns;
- and
- wherein the rectangular cross-sectional pattern of both the first portion and the second portion spans an entirety of a length of the first portion and the second portion, respectively, wherein the length is a distance between the first end and the second end of each of the first portion and the second portion.
11 more elements
A vehicle having:
- a) a frame having a rocker, a sill, and a floor pan;
- wherein the sill extends adjacent to the floor pan;
- b) a battery tray attached to or part of the frame and configured to secure a battery within the vehicle, wherein the sill also extends adjacent to the battery tray;
- c) a carrier configured to reinforce the frame and the battery tray of the vehicle, the carrier comprising:
- iii) a first portion having:
- iii-a) an inner face, configured to be oriented toward a frame enclosure of the vehicle, and
- iii-b) a first end and a second end arranged opposite each other along a longitudinal axis of the carrier;
- iv) a second portion adjacent to the first portion, the second portion having:
- iv-a) an outer face configured to be oriented away from the frame enclosure of the vehicle, wherein the outer face is opposite and distanced from the inner face along a transverse axis, and wherein the outer face is configured to be further from the frame enclosure than the inner face;
- iv-b) a first end and a second end arranged opposite each other along the longitudinal axis of the carrier;
- wherein the first portion and the second portion each include a first series of ribs and a second series of ribs which form a rectangular cross-sectional pattern and extend perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;
- wherein in both the first portion and the second portion, the rectangular cross-sectional pattern forms a plurality of rectangles aligned to form a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns;
- wherein the rectangular cross-sectional pattern of both the first portion and the second portion spans an entirety of a length of the first portion and the second portion, respectively, wherein the length is a distance between the first end and the second end of each of the first portion and the second portion;
- and
- wherein the carrier comprises one or more base materials which include one or more polymers, and the one or more polymers include polyamide, polyvinyl chloride polyetherimide, polycarbonate, poly(methyl methacrylate), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyetherketoneketone, polyaryletherketone, polyether ether ketone, polyphenylene sulfide, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyethylene, or any combination thereof.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.