"MODULAR PROCESS TO MANUFACTURE AND ASSEMBLE AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE STRUCTURE, FOR PASSENGER AND LOAD TRANSPORTATION, AND RESULTING BODY AND CHASSIS".

The present invention relates to the development of a modular process to manufacture and assemble an automotive vehicle structure, for passenger and load transportation, and resulting body.

There are, currently in the art, buses, midibuses, microbuses, mini-buses, manufactured with a metallic structure distributed along their extension, composing structural rings, and internally and externally coated with plastic and metallic materials and woods. Consequently, this system has an inconvenient complex assembly process, comprising templates and devices preparation along assembly, resulting in high financial investment for it to be built, in addition to a large building area. The current process also uses chemical products in the production line, such as anticorrosive agents and thermal treatments as body isolation, which are highly toxic and harmful to health, generating a large amount of non-recyclable residues harmful to the environment.

Another aggravating factor in the current manufacturing process is the complex metallic structure used, resulting in a very heavy vehicle. The tubular structure, or structure formed by profiles conformed in several shapes, "U", "C", among others, of vehicles in the known system, requires angle cuts in some points, which are weld-jointed, and also require sanding on those weld points. Thus, high noise level and gases emission are generated in the work environment, impairing workers health and greatly reducing manufacturing productivity, considering the previously described welding and sanding steps.

Displacing, storing and moving the large amount of parts during the manufacturing and assembly process is difficulty, representing, thus another inconvenience, as the parts feature complex geometric shapes with large dimensions.

The object of the present invention effectively overcomes the limitations found in the existing manufacturing process of the automotive vehicle for passenger and load transportation, previously described. That is achieved by means of a new conception for modular bodies construction, comprising a modular structure on an automotive vehicle chassis, with an assembly process allowing effective bodies manufacturing by means of a panels joining procedure, using as

few components as possible. The novel modular process to manufacture and assemble an automotive vehicle structure is able to allow dynamic and fast manufacturing, not requiring welding upon components joining, featuring a totally modular structure, joint by screws, rivets, chemical lock or fitting systems.

The following are advantages of the present invention, when compared to the known manufacturing process and bodies:

A) works tubes with plain cut;

B) does not require any welding point in the assembly line;

C) as there is no welding, no sanding is required;

D) does not expose operators to gases from welding;

E) as it does not require welding or sanding, industrial waste is reduced;

F) clue to reduced parts size, productivity grows;

G) the reduction in the size of the parts to be produced makes it easier to move and store them upon transportation inside and outside the plant;

H) reduces steps in the manufacturing process.

In order to allow full understanding of the proposed modular process and the resulting body, object of the present invention, it is herein described in detail, based on the following figures: Figure 1 - body perspective; Figure 2 - body exploded view; Figure 3 - body upper view; Figure 4 - body side view; Figure 5 - perspective of the body front module; Figure 6 - perspective of the body front module tubular structure; Figure 7 - exploded perspective of the body side module; Figure 8 - perspective of the rear body module; Figure 9 - perspective of the body rear module tubular structure; Figure 10 - exploded perspective of the body ceiling; Figure 11 - perspective of the body lower side skirt module; Figure 12 - perspective of the body side structure profile; Figure 13 - perspective of the body ceiling structure profile; Figure 14 - front view of chassis and components; Figure 15 - window perspective; Figure 16 - window side profiles perspective;

Figure 17 - window upper profile perspective; Figure 18 — window lower profile perspective;

The modular manufacturing process for the proposed body, object of the present descriptive report, comprises separate manufacturing of front, side, ceiling, rear, skirt, floor and windows modules. At first, there is a first vehicle front module (1) assembly step, comprising a structure (6), manufactured from metallic profiles distributed according to their functions, aiming at providing as much mechanical strength to the assembly as possible. The front module (1) is entirely covered with fiber plates, ferrous and non-ferrous material, wood or plastic (7), or compatible material, allowing thereinafter the specific external drawing of the vehicle front body, as well as other parts of the assembly, such as driver post, windshield, doors, rear- view mirror, externa! hood and internal cover, as a front panel, held in place by means of screwed, riveted, glued devices, using also as an alternative, components fixation with adhesive tape. The procedure that follows relates to left and right sides (2) and (2') assembly, manufactured from metallic profiles (8) and (26), provided with an area (9) to allow fast fitting of modules (10), whose structure is characterized in that their internal and external faces are already painted with the vehicle color. Thus, it is possible to get, with the modules (10), to the assembly line both with the cocoon interior and the body external face already painted. Thereafter, the ceiling (4) is assembled, which is formed from a structure made of profiles (11) and curve profile (19), which is provided with rims (12), to allow fast module (13) fitting, this latter having the same structure and characteristic of modules (10), allowing, thus, simultaneous finishing to the ceiling (4) interna! and external structure. Thereafter, there is the vehicle rear module (3) assembly, which comprises a structure (14) manufactured from metallic profiles, distributed according to their functions, aiming at providing as much mechanical strength to the assembly as possible. The rear module (3), among other parts that may result from this assembly, is entirely covered with fiber plates, ferrous and non-ferrous material, wood or plastic (15), or compatible material, allowing thereinafter the specific external drawing of the vehicle rear body. This rear module (3) comprises rear signalers, inspection port, porthole for baggage and internal finishing. Thereafter, there is the lower side skirt (22) assembly, comprising a tubular structure (24) and modules (25), covered with fiber, ferrous and nonferrous material, wood or plastic plates. There is also the windows

assembly (28), comprising a side (29), upper (30) and lower (31) profiles structure, provided with finishing rims (33).

The whole structure described above is assembled on a chassis (5), which is provided with tripartite cross members (16), with slots (17) on the upper end, to receive a joining screw for the profile (23) rails (26) and cushion (18).

In the assembly line there is the merely illustrative and preferential sequence for joining and assembling the modules described above, in which the modules described above are fixed on a chassis (5), provided with cross members (16), distributed in three segments, with slots (17) on their upper end, starting from the vehicle front module (1) fixation on the cushion (18), the chassis (5), with screws, rivets or a gluing process. Thereafter, sides (2) and (2') are mounted on the chassis (5), fixed by means of tripartite cross members (16), slots (17) joint by a joining screw to the rail (23) existing in the profile (26) of sides (2) and (2 ¹ ), held also by structural components (20), (21 ), (34) and (35), and joint to front module

(1) by means of screws, rivets or a gluing process. Thereafter, the ceiling (4) is fixed to sides (2) and (2'), by means of curve profile (19), which is provided with fitting areas (12) and curve structural elements (21) on their ends, as well as their joining to the vehicle front module (1), by means of screws, rivets or a gluing process. As the following procedure, there is the rear module (3) joining to sides

(2) and (Z) and to ceiling (4), by means of structural components (20) and curve structural elements (21 ). Also as a way to allow full finishing of the modular structure for the proposed vehicle body, there is the lower side skirt (22) assembly next to sides (2) and (2'), by means of profile (26), which is provided with a side rim (32). The lower side skirt (22) comprises a tubular structure (24) and modules (25). Thereafter, there is the floor (27) assembly inside the structure described, comprising modules with the same features of modules (10) and (13), allowing simultaneous internal finishing of the cocoon and external of the body, mounted on chassis (5) and cross member (16), held to lower rim (36) of profile 26. At last, there is the windows (28) assembly, which comprise a structure formed by side (29), upper (30) and lower (31) profiles, joint by means of structural components (35) with shapes similar to letter "L", and (34), with shapes similar to letter ¹ T". The already assembled windows (28), with the respective glasses, are characterized in that their assembly process occurs from inside the "cocoon" (body) outwards, providing, by means of side (29), upper (30) and lower (31) profiles and respective

finishing rims (33), perfect internal finishing on sides (2) and (2') ₇ and to the respective panels (10).

The resulting body has a modular structure comprising a front module (1), sides (2) and (2'), ceiling (4), rear module (3), chassis (5), lower skirt (22), floor (27) and windows (28), joint by means of screws, rivets or a gluing process, as well as by metallic profiles (26), provided with rim (9), side rim (32) and rail (23), by curve profile (19), which is provided with fitting areas (12), by structural components (20) and curve structural elements (21) and structural components (35) and (34).

The present descriptive report relates to a peculiar and original productive process for manufacturing and modular assembly of automotive vehicle structure, for passenger and load transportation, establishing a new conception for constructing bodies, using as few components as possible.