Patent ID: 11945505
Assignee: WORKHORSE GROUP INC.
Field: Mechanical elements (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B  F | IPC B

Claim 9:
10. An electric vehicle comprising:
a frame structure including a pair of rails that each extends in a longitudinal direction;
at least one electric motor supported by the frame structure to generate rotational power to drive movement of the electric vehicle; and
an impact management system supported by the frame structure that is configured to deform in response to impact forces applied thereto in use of the electric vehicle to maintain structural integrity of the pair of rails,
wherein the impact management system comprises:
a pair of upright outer posts each arranged outward of a corresponding one of the pair of rails in a lateral direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction,
a first outrigger structure that extends from a first upright outer post of the pair of upright outer posts to a crash wall located adjacent a forward-most point of the vehicle to define a first arc between the first upright outer post and the crash wall,
a second outrigger structure that extends from a second upright outer post of the pair of upright outer posts to the crash wall to define a second arc between the second upright outer post and the crash wall,
a first upper beam coupled to one of the pair of rails and arranged above the one of the pair of rails in a vertical direction,
a second upper beam coupled to the other of the pair of rails and arranged above the other of the pair of rails in the vertical direction,
a first reinforcement brace coupled in the lateral direction between the first outrigger structure and the first upper beam, and
a second reinforcement brace coupled in the lateral direction between the second outrigger structure and the second upper beam.