Vehicle body structure having interchangeable panels
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsSteven Frank, Adam Weyrauch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle body includes an underlying framework and a plurality of exterior panels. The underlying framework has a rear-door region and a rear-side region. The plurality of exterior panels is secured to the underlying framework. The plurality of exterior panels includes one or more selectable and interchangeable panels secured to the rear-side region and the rear-door region. The selectable and interchangeable panels include a first panel and a second panel, or a third panel. In the first instance, the first panel is rotatably secured to the rear-door region and the second panel is secured to the rear-side region. In the second instance, the third panel is secured to each of the rear-door region and the rear-side region.
Claims20
A vehicle comprising:
- a body framework having a rearward side region;
- a hinge secured to the rearward side region;
- and
- a plurality of panels secured to the body framework, wherein the plurality of panels includes one or more interchangeable panels secured to the rearward side region, wherein a first set of the interchangeable panels includes (i) a door panel rotatably securable to the hinge along a first portion of the rearward side region such that the door panel is operable to rotate relative to the hinge and (ii) a rear panel securable to a second portion of the rearward side region, and wherein a second set of the interchangeable panels includes an integrated panel (i) rotatably securable to the hinge along the first portion of the rearward side region and (ii) rigidly securable to the second portion of the rearward side region such that rotation of the integrated panel about the hinge is inhibited.
A vehicle comprising:
- a body framework having a rear-door region and a rear-side region, wherein the rear-side region is adjacent to and rearward from the rear-door region;
- a hinge secured to the rear-door region;
- and
- a plurality of exterior panels secured to the body framework, wherein the plurality of exterior panels includes one or more interchangeable panels secured to the rear-side region and the rear-door region, wherein the interchangeable panels include a first panel having (i) a forward region rotatably secured to the hinge and (ii) a rearward region secured to the rear-side region such that first panel is inhibited from rotating about the hinge.
A vehicle body comprising:
- an underlying framework having a rear-door region and a rear-side region;
- and
- a plurality of exterior panels secured to the underlying framework, wherein the plurality of exterior panels includes one or more selectable and interchangeable panels secured to the rear-side region and the rear-door region, wherein the selectable and interchangeable panels include,
- a first panel rotatably secured to the rear-door region and a second panel distinct from the first panel and secured to the rear-side region, or
- a third panel secured to each of the rear-door region and the rear-side region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.