The present invention relates to remote controlled model vehicles and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for mounting a model vehicle body to a vehicle platform.
Vehicle bodies for remote controlled vehicles may vary with different designs, shapes, and sizes. Traditionally, variations in vehicle bodies require a unique and different body mounting system for each of the various vehicle bodies to be mounted on the same vehicle platform. Therefore, a vehicle body mounting system capable of allowing various adjustments of the body mount in three dimensions is desirable and may refine body fitment of multiple different vehicles body on a single vehicle platform.
A body mount system for a model vehicle comprising a body post attachable to a model vehicle platform including a plurality of vertical mounting locations and a body slide removably attachable to the body post in a fixed body slide configuration and a movable body slide configuration. The body mount system further includes a first body post cap removably attachable to one end of the body slide in a fixed first body post cap configuration and a movable first body post cap configuration, wherein the first body post cap includes a first body support rotatively coupled to the first body post cap and a second body post cap removably attachable to another end of the body slide in a fixed second body post cap configuration and a movable second body post cap configuration, where the second body post cap includes a second body support rotatively coupled to the second body post cap. Wherein the movable body slide configuration permits adjustment of the body slide in a first horizontal direction relative to the body post and wherein the movable first and second body post cap configurations permit adjustments to the first and second body post caps in a second horizontal direction relative to the body slide.
A method for mounting a model vehicle body comprising attaching a body post relative to a model vehicle platform and attaching a body slide to the body post in a fixed or movable body slide configuration. The method further includes attaching a first body post cap to one end of the body slide in a fixed or movable first body post cap configuration and attaching a second body post cap to another end of the body slide in a fixed or movable second body post cap configuration. In addition, the method includes adjusting the body post vertically to correspond to mounting locations of the model vehicle body. Wherein the body slide is mounted in the fixed body slide configuration for standard model vehicle body mounting locations and in the movable body slide configuration for non-standard model vehicle body mounting locations and wherein the first and second body post caps are mounted in the fixed first and second body post cap configurations for standard model vehicle body mounting locations and in the movable first and second body post cap configurations for non-standard model vehicle body mounting locations.
Reference is now made to the following Detailed Description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
In the following discussion, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known elements have been illustrated in schematic or block diagram form in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. Additionally, for the most part, specific details, and the like, have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not considered necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention, and are considered to be within the understanding of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art.
Multi-position body mounting systems have traditionally allowed movement of the body mount in all three axis directions (X, Y, Z). However, each of the varied positions in the X and Y directions were fixed and did not allow for specific fine adjustments and movements of the mounts in any one direction only. Furthermore, a body mounting system using multiple fixed locations for mounting a vehicle body would not be able to account for mis-drilled body holes in the vehicle body.
Turning to
Turning to
When mounting the vehicle body using the body mount 200, the body mount 200 may be configured by a user between a “fixed” configuration and a “movable” configuration prior to the mounting. As shown in
Alternatively, the body mount 200 may be readjusted and the fasteners installed such that the body mount 200 is configured to the “movable” configuration. When this alternative configuration is used, the first and second body post caps 206, 208 and the body post slide 204 may move in the X and Y directions independent of the body post 204 held by the body mount retainer 106. When mounting the vehicle body using the body mount 200 in the “movable” configuration, the user may finely adjust the X and Y position of the first and second body supports 210, 212 such that they may better align with the vehicle body being mounted.
Turning to
Each of the vertical post members 230, 232 may comprise a channel cutout 236 extending across two surfaces of the member 230, 232. The channel cutouts 236 may begin from a free end 235 of each the members 230, 232 and extend across the body of the members 230, 232 just right before contacting the horizontal supporting member 238. The channel cutout 236 may be formed in both a first surface 231 and a second surface 233 of each of the vertical members 230, 232. The first surface 231 and the second surface 233 may be on opposite sides of the vertical members 230, 232 such that the channel cutout 236 may cut into the body of each the members 230,232 towards one another. The depth of each of the channel cutouts in each of the members 230, 232 may be less than half the thickness of the members 230, 232 such that a panel 237 may still remain between the channel cutout 236 made in the first surface 231 and the second surface 233. As shown in
Turning to
For adjusting the height or initiating movement of the body mount 200 in the Z direction, the vertical post members 230, 232 directly contacting the body mount retainer 106 may be adjusted accordingly. As shown in
As shown in
Moving from the first and second cap pockets 240, 242 at the edges of the horizontal post member 238, the member 238 may further comprise a first bore 244A and a second bore 244B between the first and second cap pockets 240, 242. The first bore 244A may be close to and adjacent to the first cap pocket 240, and the second bore 244B may be close to and adjacent to the second cap pocket 242. The horizontal post member 238 may further comprise a third bore 244 C and a fourth bore 244D between the first and second bores 244A, 244B. The third bore 244C may be close to and adjacent to first bore 244A on the opposite side of the first cap pocket 240. The fourth bore 244D may be close to and adjacent to second bore 244B on the opposite side of the second cap pocket 242. Bores 244A-D may be positioned such that the first bore 244A is between the first cap pocket 240 and third bore 244C. The second bore 244B may be positioned between the second cap pocket 242 and the fourth bore 244D. Each of the bores 244A-244D may comprise an opening extending through the entire body of the horizontal post member 238 from the top surface 281 to the bottom surface 246. Each of the bores 244A-244D may be configured to receive fasteners later described herein to secure the body post slide 204 to the body post 202.
As shown in
Aside from the difference in the formation of the vertical post members 230, 232 in relation to the horizontal post member 238, the body post 203 may still comprise the horizontal post member 238 with the first cap pocket 240, the second cap pocket 242, and four bores 244A-D each formed in the top surface 248. The body post 203 may also be similarly used as the body post 202 within the body mount 200 to mount the vehicle body to the vehicle platform 100. As shown in
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Between the first and second elongated openings 304, 306, the body post slide 204 may further comprise a third elongated opening 308 and a fourth elongated opening 310. The third elongated opening 308 may be closer to the first elongated opening 304 such that the third elongated opening 308 is between the first elongated opening 304 and the fourth elongated opening 310. The fourth elongated opening 310 may therefore be positioned between the third elongated opening 308 and the second elongated opening 306. Each of the third and fourth elongated openings 308, 310 may extend and stretch along the body of the slide 204 in the X direction such that the third and fourth openings 308, 310 may be substantially perpendicular to the first and second elongated openings 304, 306.
The body post slide 204 may further comprise a first bore 312 and a second bore 314 on each side of and adjacent to the third elongated opening 308 such that the first bore 312 may be positioned between the first elongated opening 304 and the third elongated opening 308. The slide 204 may further comprise a third bore 316 and a fourth bore 318 on each side of and adjacent to the fourth elongated opening 310 such that the fourth bore 318 may be positioned between the fourth elongated opening 310 and the second elongated opening 306. The second and third bores 314, 316 may be positioned between the third and fourth elongated openings 308, 310 towards the center of the slide 204.
As shown in
The third elongated opening 308 adjacent the second bore 314, and the fourth elongated opening 310 adjacent the third bore 316, may each further comprise a boss or a raised perimeter 303 extending from the top surface 301 of the slide 204. The boss around each of the respective aforementioned elongated opening and bore placements may extend longitudinally across the body of the slide 204 creating an elevated raised surface between the second and third bores 314, 316. The elevated raised surface may further comprise an elongated concave depression 320 around the center portion of the slider 204 extending between the second and third bores 314, 316. The depth of the elongated depression 320 may substantially match the height of the boss around each of the respective aforementioned elongated opening and bore placements such that the base of the depression 320 may substantially match height of a top surface 301 of the slide 204. In the example shown, the elongated depression 320 may be formed in the shape of a rectangular cutout with rounded corner. Alternatively, the elongated depression 320 may be formed in other shapes including but not limited to elongated ovals.
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Turning to
The body slide 204 may be moved by sliding the interior contacting surface of the third and fourth elongated openings 308, 310 against the first and second fasteners 214A, 214B. The body slide 204 may be moved to the extent where the first and second fasteners 214A, 214B may contact each of the opposite ends of the elongated openings 308, 310 each of the respective fasteners are threaded through. The extent of the movement of the body slide 204 in the X direction relative to the body post 202 may therefore depend on the size of the third and fourth elongated openings 308, 310. The movement of the body slide 204 using the elongated openings 308, 310 may allow for minute adjustments in the X direction of the position of the body mount 200.
In order to allow for the elongated openings 308, 310 to better slide and move around the fasteners 214A, 214B, there may be limited contact between the interior surface of the elongated openings 308, 310 and the fasteners 214A, 214B to allow for controlled and intentional movement of the slide 204 by the user. There may still be enough contact or friction such that the position of the fasteners 214A, 214B within the respective elongated openings 308, 310 may be retained and not easily moved when a selected position is set. In an embodiment, the interior surface of the elongated openings 308, 310 may be smooth and not threaded. The fasteners 214A, 214B may also be configured such that only the tip of the fasteners contacting the bores in the body 202 may be threaded.
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As shown in
The cap retainer 404 may be formed extending from a bottom surface 403 of the body post caps 206, 208. The cap retainer 404 may comprise a retainer bore 412 extending from the slide opening 400 into the cap retainer 404. The cap retainer 404 may be positioned below the cap bore 402 such that the cap bore 402 may be lined up with the opening of the retainer bore 412. The cap bore 402 and the retainer bore 412 may be lined up such that a fastener from the top surface 401 may be threaded through the cap bore 402, the slide opening 400, and into the retainer bore 412. In an embodiment, the interior surfaces of the cap bore 402 and the retainer bore 412 may be threaded to contact and secure an inserted fastener.
The cap mount 406 may comprise a first pivot member 414, a second pivot member 416, and a cap opening 418. The first and second pivot members 414, 416 may extend from the outer surface of the cap mount 406. The first pivot member 414 and the second pivot member 416 may be positioned on opposite sides of the cap mount 406 such that the first pivot member 414 may extend towards the first end 408 of the body post caps 206, 208 and the second pivot member 416 may extend towards the second end 410. The cap opening 418 may comprise a tunnel extending through the body of the cap mount 406 parallel to the extrusions of the first and second pivot members 414, 416. Each end of the cap opening 418 may be adjacent to one of the pivot members 414, 416 on opposite sides of the cap mount 406. The cap opening 418 may be positioned above the extrusions of the pivot members 414, 416 such that the cap opening 418 is farther away from the top surface 401 of the body post caps 206, 208. The cap opening 418 may be used in securing the vehicle body to the body mount 200.
As shown in
The body post caps 206, 208 may be slidably connected to the body slide 204 by inserting the first end 300 of the body slide 204 into the slide opening 400 of the first post cap 206, and inserting the second end 302 of the body slide 204 into the slide opening 400 of the second post cap 208. The ends 300, 302 of the body slide 204 may be inserted into either the first end 408 or the second end 410 of the body post caps 206, 208 depending on the configuration of the body mount 200 being used. For the fixed configuration of the body mount 200, the user may insert the ends 300, 302 of the body slide 204 into slide opening 400 through the second end 410 of the body post caps 206, 208 first. In this position, the cap mount 406 may be farther away from the center of the body slide 204 than the cap retainer 404. If the movable configuration is desired, the user may alternatively insert the ends 300, 302 of the body slide 204 through the first end 408 of the body post caps 206, 208 first. In this position, the cap mount 406 may be closer than the cap retainer 404 towards the center of the body slide 204.
As shown in
As shown in
With the first and second body post caps 206, 208 secured to the body post slide 204, the body post slide 204 may then subsequently be secured to body post 202. As previously described, in order to prevent movement of the body slide 204 in the X direction relative to the body post 202, the first and second fasteners 214A, 214B may be threaded through the second and third bores 314, 316 in the body slide 204 and into the third and fourth bores 244C, 244D in the body post 202. However, in order to prevent movement of the body post caps 206, 208 in the Y direction relative to the body post 202, the cap retainers 404 extending from the first and second body post caps 206, 208 may then be fitted into the first and second cap pockets 240, 244 of the body post 202. The cap retainers 404 may first be aligned and fitted into the cap pockets 240 before the first and second fasteners 214A, 214B are used to secure the body slide 204 to the body post 202. In the fixed configuration, the third and fourth elongated openings 308, 310 may be aligned with first and second bores 244A, 244B in the body post 202 without any fasteners threaded.
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When the body post caps 206, 208 are secured to the body slide 204 in this moveable configuration, the body post caps 206, 208 may be moved and shifted in the Y direction relative to the body slide 204. The body post caps 206, 208 may be moved by sliding the third and fourth fasteners 214C, 214D from one end of the elongated openings 304, 306 to the other. The extent of the movement in the Y direction by the body post caps 206, 208 may depend on the size of the first and second elongated openings 304, 306. The body post caps 206, 208 may be moved to the extent where the third and fourth fasteners 214C, 214D may contact each of the opposite ends of the elongated openings 304, 306 each of the respective fasteners 214C, 214D are threaded through.
The body post slide 204 and the body post caps 206, 208 may then be slidably secured to the body post 202 by threading the first and second fasteners 214A, 214B through the third and fourth elongated openings 308, 310 in the body slide 204 and the first and second bores 244A, 244B in the body post 202, respectively. As previously mentioned, in this configuration, the body slide 204 may be moved in the X direction relative to the body post 202, thereby allowing the body post caps 206, 208 secured to the body slide 204 to also be moved in the X direction relative to the body post 202. With the body slide 204 secured to the body post 202 and limited to movement in the X direction relative to the body post 202, the body post caps 206, 208 capable of movement in the Y direction relative to the body slide 204 may also be moved in the Y direction relative to the body post 202.
The ends of the horizontal post member 238 at the opening of the cap pockets 240, 242 on the body post 202 may optionally comprise an indented cut so as to receive the bottom portion of the body post caps 206, 208 when the body post caps 206, 208 are moved in the Y-direction towards the center of the body slide 204 and the body post 202. The need and size of the indented cutout may depend on the extent of the movement of the body post caps 206, 208 allowed by the size of the first and second elongated openings 304, 306.
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The snap receivers 504 may comprise a cavity 508 that the pivot members 414, 416 may rotate within. The cavity 508 may therefore be shaped substantially similar to the outer shape of the pivot members 414, 416 to allow for the rotation of the pivot members 414, 416. The cavity 508 of the snap receivers 504 may further comprise an opening for inserting the pivot members 414, 416 to couple the pivot members 414, 416, and the snap receivers 504 together. The opening may be sized slightly smaller than the diameter of the pivot members 210, 212 such that the pivot members 210, 212 may be coupled with slight force by the user. This may also prevent the body supports 210, 212 from inadvertently detaching from the body post caps 206,208 when assembled.
As shown in
Turning to
Having thus described the present invention by reference to certain of its exemplary embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range of variations, modifications, changes, and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and, in some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features. Many such variations and modifications may be considered desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the foregoing description of exemplary embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that any claims supported by this description be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.
This application is a National Stage Entry of PCT/US18/1455, filed Jan. 19, 2018, entitled “MULTI-POSITION BODY MOUNT FOR MODEL VEHICLE,” to Casey Christen Jens CHRISTENSEN, et al., which claims the benefit of a related U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/448,011, filed Jan. 19, 2017, entitled “MULTI-POSITION BODY MOUNT FOR MODEL VEHICLE,” to Casey Christen Jens CHRISTENSEN, et al., which the disclosure of both of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US2018/014555 | 1/19/2018 | WO | 00 |
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WO2018/136813 | 7/26/2018 | WO | A |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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62448011 | Jan 2017 | US |