GB2107258A - Vehicle bodies - Google Patents

Abstract

An insulated vehicle body is assembled from a plurality of preformed modules. The wall modules each comprise inner and outer skins (2, 3) secured to metal extrusions (9) at the edges thereof. The metal extrusions (9) of each module are interconnected by plastics extrusions (12) to form a box section which is filled with in situ cured polyurethane foam. Adjacent modules (1A, 1B) are secured to each other by a metal extrusion (13) rivetted to extrusions (9). The walls include no structural pillars as such. The floor and roof may be of modular design. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Vehicle bodies This invention relates to the construction of vehicle bodies, and in the preferred embodiment provides an improved method of constructing insulated vehicle bodies e.g. for the refrigerated transport of food stuffs.

The usual method of constructing refrigerated vehicle bodies at present in use is to manufacture sides, roof, floor, and bulk heads individually to fulfil each required order. The particular components are tailored to the exact requirements of the user of the vehicle and accordingly each successive vehicle which is built will in general have different components designed to different specifications. This technique requires extensive design work for each vehicle together with associated detailed paperwork to control production.

Whiist the standard technique outlined above produces excellent vehicle bodies ideally suited to the particular requirements of the individual customer for the body, it is advantageous in that it does not readily adapt itself to mass production of pre-formed components, and is accordingly expensive to operate.

According to one feature of the present invention there is provided a method of building a vehicle body comprising pre-forming a plurality of substantially identical wall modules; providing a vehicle body floor; erecting walls on said floor by assembling together a plurality of said wall modules; and securing a roof to said walls.

According to a further feature of the present invention there is provided a vehicle body comprising a floor; walls erected on said floor, said walls each comprising a plurality of substantially identical pre-formed wall modules assembled together; and a roof secured to said walls.

Preferably, the floor of the vehicle body is constructed of a plurality of substantially identical floor modules and the roof is constructed from a plurality of substantially identical roof modules.

By producing a small range of substantially identical pre-formed components vehicle bodies can rapidly be assembled from stock items.

Although vehicle bodies assembled by this method cannot be built as precisely to the particular requirements of customers as those built by the prior art techniques, by manufacturing modules in for example two different thicknesses and two or three different widths the vast majority of orders can be fulfilled at a reasonable approximation to the precise requirements of the purchaser. In general, the costs savings which can be effected by the modular construction proposed more than compensate for any small departures from the ideal body construction which are necessitated by the modular construction method.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention structural members will be formed integrally with the modules and the modules will be assembled together utilizing the structural members incorporated within the modules. This is particularly advantageous in the case of the wall modules where structural members incorporated in the edges of the modules can be designed to obviate the use of separate structural members in the walls of the vehicle body. This results in a simplified construction using less material than would be required if wall panels were secured to a separate structural frame. Further, since each wall module is complete in itself a damaged module can, in the preferred embodiment, be removed and readily replaced with a new module, thereby reducing repair cost of vehicles and making it feasible for body manufacturers to offer a comprehensive body spares range.

The wall modules are preferably formed by an outer and an inner skin of suitable material, for example aluminium or aluminium alloy, the skins being interconnected at the lateral edges of the modules. In this way each wall module is a box shape in transverse cross-section. Preferably, the box is filled with in situ formed polyurethane foam. The in situ forming of polyurethane foam not only provides excellent thermal insulation properties, but effectively bonds the outer and inner skins to each other over the entire area thereof, thereby producing a particularly rigid panel requiring only relatively thin outer and inner skins. Preferably the lateral edges of the modules are formed by material having a low coefficient of thermal conductivity, for example a plastics material.In the preferred embodiment an aluminium alloy extrusion is secured to each lateral edge of each skin of a wall module, and opposing extrusions are connected together by an extruded polypropylene or PVC member which is slid into interlocking engagement with the extrusions it connects.

The above and further features and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a horizontal cross-section through one embodiment of a wall module; Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-section illustrating a joint between adjacent wall modules, the wall modules being a modified version of that illustrated in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view of a vehicle floor; Figure 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a section on the line V-V of Figure 3; Figure 6 is a view corresponding to Figure 5 and showing a single floor module; and Figure 7 is a vertical cross-section through one side of a vehicle body, details of construction of the wall module being omitted in the interests of clarity.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 there is shown in horizontal cross-section a wall module 1 comprising an inner skin 2 and an outer skin 3 each formed of suitable material, for example, 20 SWG pre-painted sheet aluminium. Each lateral edge of each skin 2, 3 is formed with a joggle 4 whereby the extreme edge portion 5 of each skin is offset relative to the main part of each skin. An extruded aluminium angle member 6 is secured, e.g. by rivetting, to each edge portion 5. Adjacent angle members 6 are interconnected at each lateral edge of the module 1 by a strip 7 of plastics material, for example polypropylene. The skins 2,3 and strips 7 accordingly form a hollow box-section when viewed in horizontal crosssection.After the strips 7 have been secured in place, for example by rivetting through the angle members 6 the space 8 within the module is filled with in situ cured rigid polyurethane foam. As the polyurethane foam 9 cures its forms a bond with the skins 2, 3, the angles 6, and the strips 7 such that after curing the entire module is rigidly braced with all external members of the module bonded to a rigid foam core.

Referring now to Figure 2 the opposite lateral edges of two adjacent wall modules 1 A, 1 B are shown. The modules 1 A, 1 B are similar to those illustrated in Figure 1 except that the edge portion 5 of each skin 2, 3 is secured by rivetting to a generally L-shaped aluminium alloy extrusion 9.

Each extrusion is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 10 communicating with an enlarged longitudinally extending passage 11.

Adjacent extrusions 9 of each module are interconnected by a plastics extrusion 12 having a relatively thin central web portion and enlarged lateral edges complementary to the passage 11. It will be appreciated that to assemble a wall module as illustrated in Figure 2 extrusions 9 are first secured to edge portions 5 of the skins, and thereafter two skins are assembled together by sliding a plastics extrusion 1 2 into the aligned passages of the skins. Further, it will be appreciated that the lefthand edge of the module 1 A which is not shown in Figure 2 is identical to the lefthand edge of the module 1 B as illustrated in Figure 2, and similarly the righthand lateral edge of the module 1 B is the same as the righthand edge of the module 1A illustrated in Figure 2.

The joint between the modules 1 A, 1 B is formed by a generally T-shaped aluminium alloy extrusion 1 3 which is secured by rivets through the edge portions 5 of the skins to the extrusions 9. The extrusion 13 is located on the exterior of the vehicle body and presents a neat appearance to the joint between adjacent wall modules. The joint on the interior of the vehicle may be formed similarly to the exterior joint, or may simply be formed by means of a cap member 14 of extruded aluminium alloy or plastics material which is snapped into place to cover the joint.

It will be appreciated from Figure 2 that no structural pillar spanning the thickness of the wall is required at the joint between adjacent wall modules, and that the thermal conductivity of the joint is low because no metal member bridges the gap between the interior and the exterior skins of the wall at the joint.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4 there is shown a portion of a floor for a vehicle body. The floor is formed from a plurality of floor modules 1 5 each extending across the fuli width of the vehicle floor and each having a length, measured in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, equal to the length of the wall modules which are secured in plate along opposite lateral edges of the floor during assembly of the vehicle.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6, it will be seen that each floor module 1 5 comprises an inner skin 16 and an outer skin 17, the skins being interconnected by timber rails 18 which span the fuli width of the vehicle. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings each floor module incorporates a central rail and one longitudinal edge rail, the opposite longitudinal edge of each module being formed with a recess 1 9 complementary to the projecting portion of the leading rail 20 so that in the assembled floor, as illustrated in Figure 5, the joint 20A between adjacent floor modules is spanned by a timber rail.

Body mounting angles 21 are secured to the central portion of each rail 18 and, in the assembled floor, are secured to load bearing plates 22 which in turn are mounted on longitudinally extending chassis members 23 of the vehicle provided with the body. The space between the inner skin 1 6 and the outer skin 1 7 of each module is filled with a suitable insulating material, for example foam plastics material, and all exposed edges of each floor module are suitably sealed, for example with a bituminous sealing compound.

Referring now to Figure 7 a vertical section through the wall of an insulated vehicle body is shown, the wall module 1 of the wall being shown schematically only.

It will be observed that the wall module 1 is supported on the lateral edge of the floor module 15 and in turn supports a roof module 23 generally similar in construction to the wall module 1. A generally L-shaped aluminium alloy section 24 extending along the entire length of the vehicle body is secured by suitable means to channel members 24A provided on opposite lateral edges of the floor modules 1 5. Thus, the aluminium alloy section 24 secures together the free edges of all the floor modules to provide a structural member extending along the length of the floor at each edge of the vehicle body. The wall modules 1 stand on the inner skin 16 of the floor modules 15 and are secured in place by an aluminium alloy plate 25 secured to the section 24 and to the wall modules 1, the plate 25 extending the entire length of the vehicle body.

At the upper end of each wall module 1 a roof module 23 is secured in position by being rivetted to a top rail section 26 which in turn is secured to the upper edge of the wall module 1 by a plate member 27. A waterproof skin 28 is also secured to the top rail 26 as by rivets 29 in order to provide a waterproof top to the vehicle body.

It is envisaged that for any particular vehicle body the floor modules 15, wall modules 1, and roof modules 23 will be of substantially the same thickness. These modules will be pre-formed in at least two thicknesses in order to provide two different standards of structural strength and insulation. It is envisaged that standard thicknesses of 75 mm and 100 mm will be produced. Similarly, the modules 1, 15, 23 will be manufactured in a range of lengths, length being measured in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. Accordingly, by selecting modules of a suitable length vehicle bodies can be built up having a range of sizes, the steps between adjacent sizes being determined by the number of different length modules which are produced.

The front bulk head of a vehicle body can be constructed of modular panels 1 identical to those used for constructing the walls of the vehicle, or can be constructed from a combination of standard module panels 1 and special bulk head panels pre-formed to receive refrigeration equipment.

In addition to providing a relatively inexpensive technique of vehicle body building utilizing preformed mass produced modules, the present invention is particularly advantageous in that it enables final assembly of refrigerated vehicles to be accomplished without need for extensive workshop and fabrication facilities. Further, the modules can be packed in to a compact space for transport purposes, and this fact combined with the ease of final assembly makes the vehicle bodies of the present invention particularly suitable for export to countries not having a sophisticated indigenous refrigerated vehicle assembly business.

Carious modifications may be made to the above design without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the floor of the vehicle need not be manufactured from modular units as described above but could be the existing floor of a vehicle, suitably insulated, or a purpose built insulated floor of other design. Further, if a smooth uninterrupted finish is required for the inside or the outside of the walls of the vehicle, a continuous sheet of cladding material can be secured, e.g. by bonding, to the surface of the assembled modules. Finally, if additional structural strength is required for any particular purpose, e.g. to support meat hanging rails, suitable reinforcing members can be included at desired locations within the body structure.

In the case when a continuous cladding is used the individual modules may be manufactured without cladding skins, and the cladding may then be secured to the modules after the modules have been assembled together.

Claims (9)

Claims

1. A method of building a vehicle body, comprising pre-forming a plurality of substantially identical wall modules; providing a vehicle body floor; erecting walls on said floor by assembling together a plurality of said wall modules; and securing a roof to said walls.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of providing a vehicle body floor comprises assembling together a plurality of substantially identical pre-formed modules, each spanning the width of the vehicle body; and securing the ends of the modules to structural members which extend the length of the vehicle body.

3. A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the step of securing a roof to the walls comprises mounting a plurality of substantially identical preformed roof modules on said walls, and mounting a waterproof skin on top of the roof modules.

4. A method according to any preceding claim including providing a smooth uninterrupted surface to the walls by securing a continuous sheet of cladding to the surface of the assembled modules.

5. A vehicle body comprising a floor; walls erected on said floor, said walls each comprising a plurality of substantially identical pre-formed wall modules assembled together; and a roof secured to said walls.

6. A vehicle body according to claim 5 wherein the floor comprises a plurality of substantially identical pre-formed floor modules assembled together, and the roof comprises a plurality of substantially identical pre-formed roof modules assembled together, the length of each wall, floor, and roof module, when measured in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the vehicle body, being the same.

7. A vehicle body according to claim 5 or claim 6 wherein each wall module comprises an inner skin; an outer skin; a pair of plastics members interconnecting the inner and outer skins at the lateral edges thereof to define with the skins a hollow box section; and a rigid in situ cured foam filling the box section and bonded to the skins and the plastics members.

8. A vehicle body according to claim 7 wherein the plastics members are connected to the skins by means of metal extrusions secured to the skins and to the plastics members.

9. A vehicle body according to claim 8 wherein the wall modules are secured to each other by bridging pieces which are secured to adjacent metal extrusions of adjacent modules but which do not span the thickness of the wall.

1 0. A vehicle body according to any of claim 5 to 9 wherein a continuous cladding is secured to at least one wall of the vehicle body to provide a smooth continuous surface to said wall.