A passenger compartment of the modular vehicle, such as a bus, includes a roof panel and sandwich-type side panels coupled to structural joiners to form the passenger compartment. The side panels and the joiners may include pultruded beams for increased structural integrity. A chassis of the vehicle has channels integrated therein for coupling of the side panels and passenger compartment to the chassis. This coupling to the chassis channel may also include the use of a bonding agent.
Modular vehicles and methods for assembling a modular vehicle are disclosed. The method includes: providing a driver compartment including beam receivers; providing a chassis that includes protruding beams configured to engage the beam receivers of the driver compartment, the chassis further including a first channel that extends along a first edge of the chassis; coupling the driver compartment to the chassis using the beam receivers of the driver compartment and the protruding beams that extend from the chassis; coupling a first side panel to the first channel of the chassis, the first side panel including pultruded beams that bear weight; coupling a first joiner to the first side panel at a location of the first side panel distal from the first channel; and coupling a roof panel to the first joiner.
B62D 31/02 - Superstructures for passenger vehicles for carrying large numbers of passengers, e.g. omnibus
B60P 3/42 - Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects convertible from one use to a different one
B62D 25/00 - Superstructure sub-unitsParts or details thereof not otherwise provided for
B62D 47/02 - Motor vehicles or trailers predominantly for carrying passengers for large numbers of passengers, e.g. omnibus
B62D 65/02 - Joining sub-units or components to, or positioning sub-units or components with respect to, body shell or other sub-units or components
B62D 65/14 - Joining sub-units or components to, or positioning sub-units or components with respect to, body shell or other sub-units or components the sub-units or components being passenger compartment fittings, e.g. seats, linings, trim, instrument panels
A passenger compartment of the modular vehicle, such as a bus, includes a roof panel and sandwich-type side panels coupled to structural joiners to form the passenger compartment. The side panels and the joiners may include pultruded beams for increased structural integrity. A chassis of the vehicle has channels integrated therein for coupling of the side panels and passenger compartment to the chassis. This coupling to the chassis channel may also include the use of a bonding agent.
A structural joiner including one or more box beams disposed between inner and outer arcuate surfaces and methods of assembling are described. The extrusions delineate various channels for structural considerations. In an implementation, the joiner may be implemented on a multi-passenger vehicle, such as a bus.
B62D 24/00 - Connections between vehicle body and vehicle frame
B62D 21/00 - Understructures, i.e. chassis frame on which a vehicle body may be mounted
B62D 21/18 - Understructures, i.e. chassis frame on which a vehicle body may be mounted characterised by the vehicle type and not provided for in groups
A panel construction including one or more pultruded box beams disposed between first and second outer sheets at selected locations. A core or filler material may also be disposed between the first and second outer sheets at selected locations. For example, the core material may be disposed between the first and second outer sheets and fill in the space between the box beams. In another example, the core material may include channels or recesses and the box beams may be positioned in the channels or recesses in the core material.
E04C 2/24 - Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by specified materials of wood, fibres, chips, vegetable stems, or the likeBuilding elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by specified materials of plasticsBuilding elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by specified materials of foamed products laminated and composed of materials covered by two or more of groups , ,
B62D 25/00 - Superstructure sub-unitsParts or details thereof not otherwise provided for
A panel construction including one or more pultruded box beams disposed between first and second outer sheets at selected locations. A core or filler material may also be disposed between the first and second outer sheets at selected locations. For example, the core material may be disposed between the first and second outer sheets and fill in the space between the box beams. In another example, the core material may include channels or recesses and the box beams may be positioned in the channels or recesses in the core material.
B32B 1/04 - Layered products essentially having a general shape other than plane characterised by feature of form at particular places, e.g. in edge regions
B32B 3/02 - Layered products comprising a layer with external or internal discontinuities or unevennesses, or a layer of non-planar shapeLayered products comprising a layer having particular features of form characterised by features of form at particular places, e.g. in edge regions
B62D 29/04 - Superstructures characterised by material thereof predominantly of synthetic material
B32B 5/18 - Layered products characterised by the non-homogeneity or physical structure of a layer characterised by features of a layer containing foamed or specifically porous material
B32B 7/12 - Interconnection of layers using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
B32B 27/06 - Layered products essentially comprising synthetic resin as the main or only constituent of a layer next to another layer of a specific substance
E04B 2/02 - Walls, e.g. partitions, for buildingsWall construction with regard to insulationConnections specially adapted to walls built-up from layers of building elements
E04C 2/34 - Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by the shape or structure composed of two or more spaced sheet-like parts
E04C 2/06 - Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by specified materials of concrete or other stone-like materialBuilding elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by specified materials of asbestos cement reinforced
E04C 2/20 - Building elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by specified materials of wood, fibres, chips, vegetable stems, or the likeBuilding elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by specified materials of plasticsBuilding elements of relatively thin form for the construction of parts of buildings, e.g. sheet materials, slabs, or panels characterised by specified materials of foamed products of plastics
