Articulating vehicle bellows

摘要

A bellows for an articulating vehicle has improved performance by using fewer discrete pieces of flexible material, and a multi-piece frame. By using fewer pieces of flexible material, less stitching is required, which results in improved performance and ease of manufacture.

主权项

1. A bellows for an articulating vehicle comprising:
an assembled flexible material layout comprising: a left bottom corner flexible portion having an internal and an external side; a left side flexible portion having an internal and an external side; a left top corner flexible portion having an internal and an external side; a top flexible portion having an internal and an external side; a right top corner flexible portion having an internal and an external side; a right side flexible portion having an internal and an external side; and a right bottom corner flexible portion having an internal and an external side; wherein the portions of the assembled flexible material layout are attached as follows: one end of the left bottom corner flexible portion is attached to a first end of the left side flexible portion; a second end of the left side flexible portion is attached to a first end of the left top corner flexible portion; a second end of the left top corner flexible portion is attached to a first end of the top flexible portion; a second end of the top flexible portion is attached to a first end of the right top corner flexible portion; a second end of the right top corner portion is attached to a first end of the right side flexible portion; a second end of the right side flexible portion is attached to a first end of the right bottom corner flexible portion; and wherein a plurality of support frames are attached to the portions of the flexible material layout as follows: a plurality of external side support frames are attached to the external sides of the right and left side flexible portions; a plurality of internal side support frames having a top connecting plate and a bottom connecting plate are attached to the internal sides of the right and left side flexible portions; a plurality of top support frames are attached to the external side of the top flexible portion and further attached to the top connecting plates; and a plurality of bottom support frames are attached to the external sides of the left bottom corner and right bottom corner flexible portions and further attached to the bottom connecting plates.