GB2169566A

GB2169566A - Vehicle body construction

Info

Publication number: GB2169566A
Application number: GB08529771A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Derrick Bertram Rose
Original assignee: Albion Ltd
Current assignee: Albion Ltd
Priority date: 1984-12-05
Filing date: 1985-12-03
Publication date: 1986-07-16
Also published as: GB2169566B; GB8529771D0; GB8430672D0

Abstract

A vehicle body, e.g. for a trailer, comprises plastics panels that may form the sides 14, front 20, rear 26 and roof 24, and which are mutually connected at coincident edges via overlapping complementary portions 50, 60. The connections may be reversible, e.g. using double sided adhesive tape and/or rivets, so that panels can be removed and replaced. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Vehicle body construction The present invention relates to a vehicle body construction.

In one aspect the invention provides a vehicle body construction comprising an assembly of panels wherein contiguous edges of adjacent panels have mutually complementary regions whereby they are engageable. Preferably the complementary formations comprise male and female channel and/or angled formations. They may be secured by adhesion and/or by fixing elements such as rivets or screws.

Preferably the panels are detachably connectable.

In another aspect the invention provides a vehicle body having panels that are removable and replaceable.

In a third aspect the invention provides a vehicle body kit comprising an assembly of panels, the kit being sufficient to constitute a vehicle body together with alternative panels. Thus, for example, there may be a vehicle body with optional panels which may allow the vehicle body to be converted from one with plain sides to one with windows or a hatch, or to change the type of rear door, or to change the roof from opaque to translucent, or to alter the ventilation arrangements.

The invention may be particularly applicable to construction of a vehicle trailer, but it is not limited thereto. Indeed, structures other than vehicle bodies may be produced in a similar way.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side elevaton of a trailer vehicle embodying the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of a side panel (external face) of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a vertical section on Ill-Ill in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a partial vertical section on IV-IV; Figures 5-8 are partial horizontal sections on V-V to VIII-VIII; Figure 9 is a perspective view of a detail of the front bottom corner region of the side panel; Figure 10 is a view like that of Figure 9 of the rear bottom corner region; Figure 11 is an exploded perspective view of a rear panel; Figure 12 is a rear elevation of the vehicle; and Figure 13 is a front elevation of the vehicle.

As can be seen from Figures 1, 12 and 13, the exemplified vehicle is a trailer built on a chassis 10, which may be generally conventional, and which is not shown in detail. It has a floor 12 which is generally rectangular, and from which rise four upright panels. An opposed pair of these are side panels 14. Each of these has a vertical bottom portion 16 and a main portion 18 which is substantially planar and slopes slightly inwardly. The front panel 20 also stands on the floor 12. It connects front edges 22 of the side panels 14. It is bowed forwardly. At the top, it curves over smoothly to meet the roof panel 24. At the rear, there is a rear panel 26 which stands on the floor 12, and has edge portions which connect with the rear edges 28 of the side panels 14, and the rear edge 30 of the roof panel 24. The rear panel 26 is somewhat rearwardly bowed.As can be seen from Figure 11, the illustrated panel 26 comprises a frame portion 82 in which a door 34 is hinged at its top edge 36.

Turning now to Figures 2 to 8, it can be seen that a side panel 14 has a main, planar portion 18 which has a channel formation 42, 44, 46 at its front, upper and rear sides. At its bottom edge it passes into a lower angled portion 16. As can be seen from Figure 4 the upper channel portion 44 is formed by an inwardly extending flange 50 having three angled portions 52, 54, 56 which define an upwardly-open channel 58. As shown in dasheddotted lines, the roof panel 24 has a complementary edge portion 60 which overlies much of the flange 50. Similarly, as shown in Figure 5, the front edge channel portion 42 is defined by an inwardly extending flange 62 which bends back outwardly to define an outwardly open channel 64. The front panel 20 has a corresponding complementary edge portion 66 which overlies much of the flange 62.

As shown in Figure 6, the rear channel portion 46 is slightly different, the inwardly directed flange 68 defining merely an angle, and there being a complementary edge portion 70 of the rear panel 26.

The channel portion 42, 44, 46 of the side panel 14 is smoothly continuous, the channel portion 42 at the front edge rolling over on the smooth radius to the top edge 44, and similarly over the smooth radius to the rear edge 46.

The lower portion 16 of a side panel 14 is arranged for connection to the chassis 10. There is a central void 80 to allow for the mounting of one or more wheels. On either side, in a lower region there is an outer step 82 leading to a bottom vertical portion 84. The step 82 is supported on the edge of the floor 12. At the front (Figure 9), the floor terminates at the front edge of the step 82, where the panel 14 rolls inwardly in a continuation of the channel portion 42. At the rear (Figure 10), the floor continues rearwardly of the side panel 14.

The roof panel 24 is substantially planar and rectangular, and has appropriate formations for mating with the contiguous edges of the upright panels 14, 20, 26. As can be seen from Figure 1, the front and rear panels 20, 26 curve over to meet the roof panel 24.

Each panel may be made of a plastics material, suitably glass-reinforced plastics (GRP) or ABS.

Whereas quite complex shapes can be formed from GRP without difficulty, it would be difficult to produce, for example, the illustrated front panel 20 from ABS in a single vacuum-forming step. Therefore, we form it in two parts with a central overlap joint.

In order to connect adjacent panel edges, double-sided adhesive tape is applied to one of the mating surfaces. Preferably the tape is of a certain thickness, so that it acts as a sealant as well as an adhesive. The mating surfaces are then pressed together, and may be further secured by rivetting.

This provides a very secure and watertight connection. Nevertheless, it is comaratively easy to disconnect panels by first breaking out the rivets and then releasing the adhesion, possibly after heating or application of solvents.

To assemble the illustrated trailer, the side panels 14 are first placed on the chassis 10 and secured in place by screwing through the portions 84 and/or the steps 82. Next the rear panel 26 (or at least the frame portion 32) is attached. Next comes the roof panel 24, and finally the front panel 20.

This assembly order is dictated by the nature of the flanges: the front panel 20 has a flange designed to overlap that of the roof panel 24, which in turn has a flange for overlapping one on the rear panel 26; and all (20, 24, 26) have flanges which overlap those on the side panels 14.

The individual panels are preferably constructed to be sufficiently strong and rigid to be self-supporting, and assembleable together to create a structure (particularly a vehicle body) without the need for a sub-frame or other structural members (with the possible exception of a separate base).

Claims

1. A vehicle body comprising an assembly'of panels connected to one another to define at least part of the body, and wherein contiguous edges of adjacent panels have mutually complementary regions which overlap and are mutually connected.

2. A vehicle body according to claim 1 wherein the complementary formations comprise male and female channel and/or angled formations.

3. A vehicle body according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the mutual connection of panels is effected by adhesion andlor by fixing elements.

4. A vehicle body according to any preceding claim wherein the panels are detachably connectable.

5. A vehicle body according to any preceding claim wherein the assembly of panels, opitonally on a base, is self-supporting.

6. A vehicle body according to any preceding claim which is generally polyhedral, with panels constituting respective faces and being connected along vertices.

7. A vehicle body according to any preceding claim comprising panels that are removable and replaceable.

8. A vehicle body according to any preceding claim wherein each panel comprises a plastics moulding.

9. A vehicle body substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

10. A vehicle including a body according to any preceding claim.

11. A vehicle body kit comprising a multiplicity of panels, the kit being sufficient to constitute a vehicle body according to claim 7 together with at least one alternative panel.