Recyclable, low-cost, collision-resistant automobile chassis and body

An integrated automobile chassis and body comprising:

• a plurality of generally parallel planar bulkheads, each bulkhead fabricated from a single common type of metal alloy and perpendicular to and aligned generally transversely and symmetrically relative to a common generally horizontal longitudinal axis, and including a first outer portion terminating in a generally vertical first outer edge, a second outer portion terminating in a generally vertical second outer edge, a central portion disposed between the first and second outer portions, and a base portion terminating in a generally horizontal lower edge, the first outer portion including therethrough a first plurality of holes disposed generally vertically, the second outer portion including therethrough a second plurality of holes disposed generally vertically, the central portion including therethrough first and second central holes disposed vertically, the base portion including therethrough a third plurality of holes disposed generally horizontally, corresponding holes in successive bulkheads being aligned congruently along a common horizontal axis;
• a plurality of tubes fabricated from the metal alloy, each tube closely received within and disposed through a plurality of successive congruently and horizontally aligned holes, the bulkheads and tubes comprising a chassis frame including an engine enclosure module;
• first and second pluralities of contiguous structures disposed generally vertically and interposed between, respectively, the first and second outer portions of consecutive pairs of bulkheads;
• a third plurality of contiguous structures disposed generally vertically and interposed between the central portions of consecutive pairs of bulkheads;
• fourth and fifth pluralities of contiguous structures disposed generally horizontally and interposed between the base portions of consecutive pairs of bulkheads;
• a unitary body rotomolded from a single type of thermoplastic, superposed upon and closely receiving and enclosing the chassis frame, the body comprising a plurality of interior panels and a cockpit exterior to the chassis frame, and an underbody disposed generally horizontally beneath the chassis frame;
• and
• a layer of the thermoplastic interposed between and bonding the body to the chassis frame.

An integrated automobile chassis and body comprising:

• serially disposed first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh generally planar bulkheads fabricated from a single type of aluminum alloy, the bulkheads being mutually parallel and aligned generally transversely with and perpendicular to a common generally horizontal longitudinal axis;
• the first, second and seventh bulkheads being identical one-piece cast moldings comprising opposed first and second outer portions each terminating in a generally horizontal upper edge and each including therethrough an upper, middle and lower tubing section hole, a central portion disposed between the outer portions and including therethrough a lower and an upper backbone tube hole and a first and second tubing section hole, the tubing section holes symmetrically disposed with respect to the lower backbone tube hole, and first and second shock tower assembly portions generally orthogonal to the upper edges of the outer portions;
• the third bulkhead comprising a cast-molded W-shaped section and a generally horizontal cross-piece section, the W-shaped section including opposed first and second arcuately-shaped outer portions each including therethrough an upper, middle and lower tubing section hole, a trapezoidal-shaped central portion including therethrough a lower and an upper backbone tube hole and a first and second tubing section hole, the tubing section holes symmetrically disposed with respect to the lower backbone tube hole, and a generally horizontal base portion including therethrough two pairs of tubing section holes disposed symmetrically with respect to the central portion, the W-shaped and cross-piece sections being rigidly joined by adhesives and a plurality of pop-rivets;
• the fourth bulkhead comprising a central portion identical to the W-shaped Section of the third bulkhead, and opposed first and second angle-shaped frame support members, each member including a base segment and a bracket segment both orthogonal to the central portion, and a brace segment disposed diagonally between the brace and bracket segments;
• the fifth bulkhead comprising a W-shaped section and a horizontal cross-piece section identical to the third bulkhead sections, and first and second X-shaped ribbing sections disposed between, respectively, the central portion and first and second outer portions of the W-shaped section, the W-shaped section, cross-piece and first and second ribbing sections rigidly joined by adhesives and a plurality of pop-rivets;
• the sixth bulkhead comprising a U-shaped section including opposed first and second outer portions each including therethrough an upper, middle and lower tubing section hole, a base portion including a first and second tubing section hole, and a generally horizontal cross-piece section including opposed first and second shock tower assembly portions, the U-shaped and cross-piece sections rigidly joined by adhesives and a plurality of pop-rivets;
• opposed arcuately-shaped first and second upper thinwall tubing sections and opposed arcuately-shaped first and second middle thinwall tubing sections fabricated from the aluminum alloy, each tubing section closely received within and disposed through, respectively, the upper tubing section hole of the first and second outer portions of the first, second and third bulkheads, and the middle tubing section hole of the first and second outer portions of the first, second and third bulkheads;
• opposed arcuately-shaped third and fourth upper thinwall tubing sections and opposed arcuately-shaped third and fourth middle thinwall tubing sections fabricated from the aluminum alloy, each tubing section closely received within and disposed through, respectively, the upper tubing section hole of the first and second outer portions of the fifth, sixth and seventh bulkheads, and the middle tubing section hole of the first and second outer portions of the fifth, sixth and seventh bulkheads;
• opposed arcuately-shaped first and second lower thinwall tubing sections fabricated from the aluminum alloy, each tubing section closely received within and disposed through, respectively, the lower tubing section hole of the first and second outer portions of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh bulkheads;
• opposed pairs of relatively short, straight thinwall tubing sections fabricated from the aluminum alloy, each tubing section closely received within and disposed through, respectively, one of said tubing section holes disposed symmetrically with respect to the central portion in the third, fourth and fifth bulkheads;
• opposed third and fourth relatively long, arcuately-shaped thinwall tubing sections fabricated from the aluminum alloy, each tubing section disposed between a pair of said short, straight tubing sections and closely received within and disposed through one of said tubing section holes in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh bulkheads;
• first and second backbone tubes fabricated from the aluminum alloy, the tubes closely received within and disposed through, respectively, the lower and upper backbone tube holes in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and seventh bulkheads;
• a unitary body rotomolded from a single type of thermoplastic, superposed upon and closely receiving and enclosing the seven bulkheads, thinwall tubing sections and backbone tubes, the body comprising a plurality of interior panels and a cockpit exterior to the chassis frame, and an underbody disposed generally horizontally beneath the chassis frame;
• and
• a layer of the thermoplastic interposed between and bonding the body to the bulkheads, thinwall tubing sections and backbone tubes.

A method of assembling a recyclable automobile chassis highly resistant to high-load impacts, which comprises:

• fabricating a plurality of generally planar bulkheads from a single common type of metal alloy, each bulkhead including a lower portion terminating in a generally horizontal lower edge, a first outer portion having a first plurality of vertically spaced holes therethrough, the first outer portion terminating in a first vertical outer edge, a second outer portion having a second plurality of vertically spaced holes therethrough, the second outer portion terminating in a second and opposite vertical outer edge, and a middle portion having first and second vertically spaced central holes therethrough, the middle portion disposed between the first and second outer portions;
• disposing the bulkheads in a generally and mutually parallel orientation, each bulkhead perpendicular to and aligned generally transversely and symmetrically relative to a common horizontal longitudinal axis, corresponding successive ones of said holes being aligned congruently and horizontally;
• rigidly maintaining a preselected separation between each successive pair of bulkheads by passing a plurality of tubes fabricated from the metal alloy through respective successive congruent and horizontally aligned holes, and fixing said bulkhead portions to said plurality of tubes;
• and
• interposing and rigidly attaching pluralities of contiguous structures between the first outer portions, second outer portions, middle portions, and lower portions of successive pairs of bulkheads, the contiguous structures between said bulkhead portions preventing compression deformation of the bulkheads and tubes due to high-load impacts on the chassis applied parallel to the horizontal axis and transverse to the horizontal axis.