Patent ID: 8240748

Claim:
A modular motorized vehicle, comprising: a base body having a frame, a driver compartment, a chassis, a motor adapted to propel the vehicle, and a cavity region adapted to accommodate a removable modular component; a plurality of wheels coupled to said base body and adapted to facilitate the movement of said vehicle over a ground surface, wherein at least one of said plurality of wheels is adapted to be driven by said motor; a first removable modular component adapted to be locked and unlocked from said cavity region of said base body, wherein said first removable modular component provides added structural rigidity to the frame when installed within the base body, and wherein said first removable modular component comprises at least 20 percent of the overall volume and at least 20 percent of the overall weight of the entire modular motorized vehicle; one or more locking mechanisms that fasten said first removable modular component within said base body and that permit said first removable modular component to be removed and replaced with a second removable modular component when said one or more locking mechanisms are unlocked; and a vehicular support system having a primary tube arrangement having a plurality of primary tubes arranged in a triangular pattern, wherein said plurality of primary tubes is adapted to run along at least one dimension of the modular motorized vehicle, a plurality of secondary tubes arranged in triangular patterns between said primary tubes, wherein at least some of said secondary tubes are coupled to two or more of said primary tubes and are arranged at an angle with respect to at least one of said two or more coupled primary tubes, one or more diaphragms coupled to said primary tube arrangement and adapted to deflect outward in response to a concentrated outside force incumbent thereupon, and one or more bulkhead fittings located at one or more distal ends of said primary tubes, wherein said one or more bulkhead fittings are adapted to couple the vehicular support system to a frame or chassis of the modular motorized vehicle, and wherein said one or more bulkhead fittings are adapted to absorb stress in response to said concentrated outside force.