File(s) under permanent embargo
Chassis for pneumatic vehicle
standard
posted on 2012-11-20, 00:00 authored by Bernard RolfeBernard Rolfe, Timothy De Souza, Gregory Pitts, S Hanafin, Steven Agius, B Adamson, M Pereira, T Black, C Hurren, Noel MillerA pneumatic vehicle is provided with a first sub-assembly with a chassis, part of the vehicle body, a pair of B-pillars, a pair of rear rails, wheels, an elongate aluminum compressed load bearing air tank oriented longitudinally in the chassis, side panels connected to the tank and the wheels, a heat exchanger to heat the compressed air, and an air motor driven by the heated, compressed air and connected to a wheel. A ventilation system has a restrictive solenoid valve for directing air to the heat exchanger. The air tank is provided with a carbon filament reinforced plastic layer, and a fiberglass and aramid-fiber layer. A second sub-assembly includes part of the vehicle body bonded to the first-sub-assembly using a structural adhesive, a pair of A-pillars, and a pair of roof rails. Seating includes inflatable components for adjustment.