Hyundai Motor Company

Kia Corporation

Sebastian Kluh

Bahman Moarefi

Rolf Verhoeven

Vincent Laurent

Andrew Vaughan

Jelle Tjebbes

Ameya Karmarkar

Kadir Oguzcan Ger

Miroslav Kropac

A vehicle platform for a vehicle is provided. The platform includes a platform base extending in a longitudinal direction, and a loading system for laterally loading and unloading an upper body structure onto the platform base. The loading system includes first and second fork arms supporting the upper body structure with respect to a vertical direction, and a lifting mechanism coupled to the platform base and the first and second fork arms. The lifting mechanism moves the first and second fork arms relative to the platform base along the vertical direction. The first and second fork arms are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction and each are movable along a lateral direction between a retracted position, in which the fork arms completely overlap with the platform base, and an extended position, in which the fork arms protrude in the lateral direction from a lateral side of the platform base.

Vehicle platform, motor vehicle, and method for loading and unloading an upper body structure onto and from a vehicle platform of a motor vehicle

A loading system laterally loads and unloads an upper body structure onto a vehicle platform of a motor vehicle. The system includes two loading arms pivotably mounted on lengthwise ends of the vehicle platform. The loading arms jointly swivel between upward and lateral orientations with respect to the vehicle platform and jointly extend and retract. Each loading arm has an engaging portion at a distal end of the respective loading arm to engage a corresponding support portion at a respective lengthwise end of the upper body structure. The loading arms engage and release the upper body structure by swiveling into the lateral orientation and extending and retracting within the lateral orientation. The loading arms mount the engaged upper body structure on top of the vehicle platform by swiveling with the engaged upper body structure into the upward orientation and retracting with the engaged upper body structure within the upward orientation.

Loading system and method for laterally loading and unloading an upper body structure onto and from a vehicle platform of a motor vehicle

Growing community of inventors

Gimbsheim, Germany

Sebastian Kluh