Composite land vehicle frame
AssigneeBoulder Electric Vehicle
InventorCarter Brown
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A composite frame for vehicles formed with a honeycomb or similar core laminated on the top and bottom sides with a layer of material joined by an adhesive layer. One or more structural beams or stringer are interposed between the top and bottom layer of the composite frame running part or all of the length or width of the composite frame. Each of these structural members may also be joined to the top and bottom material as well as the adjacent honeycomb or by a layer of adhesive or by other means. One embodiment of the frame may be perfectly flat along a horizontal axis. A second embodiment may conform to any curvature, angle or combination specified.
Claims38
A composite vehicle frame, comprising:
- an upper layer of a first material;
- a lower layer of a second material;
- a core material interposed between the upper layer and the lower layer having a core thickness wherein the core material is joined to the upper layer and lower layer by a connecting means;
- at least one stringer interposed between the upper layer and the lower layer wherein the at least one stringer is joined to the upper layer and lower layer by a connecting means and wherein the at least one stringer is operative to distribute structural loads throughout the composite vehicle frame and
- whereby suspension components may be affixed to said lower layer of said composite vehicle frame and upper body components may be affixed to said upper layer of said composite vehicle frame.
A method of forming a composite vehicle frame comprising:
- providing a honeycomb core having a plurality of cells;
- attaching a lower outer sheet to the honeycomb core;
- providing at least one stringer within the honeycomb core;
- attaching an upper outer sheet to the honeycomb core
- providing for affixing suspension components to said lower outer sheet of said honeycomb core;
- and
- providing for affixing upper body components to said upper outer sheet of said honeycomb core.
A composite vehicle frame, comprising:
- a core material interposed between an upper layer and a lower layer, each layer having a thickness of 0.0024 to 0.125 inches, wherein the core material is joined to the upper layer and lower layer by a connecting means and wherein the core material is a cellular structure having a plurality of geometric shaped cells and whereby suspension components may be affixed to said lower layer of said composite vehicle frame and upper body components may be affixed to said upper layer of said composite vehicle frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.