US 11,938,796 B2
Vehicle with exoskeleton
Alan Paul Clarke, Long Beach, CA (US); Xiaoping Cai, San Francisco, CA (US); Lars Moravy, Oakland, CA (US); and Ted Antony, Playa Del Rey, CA (US)
Assigned to Tesla, Inc., Austin, TX (US)
Filed by Tesla, Inc., Austin, TX (US)
Filed on Nov. 19, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/953,036.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/938,735, filed on Nov. 21, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0155292 A1, May 27, 2021
Int. Cl. B60J 5/04 (2006.01); B60K 1/00 (2006.01); B62D 21/15 (2006.01); B62D 23/00 (2006.01); B62D 29/00 (2006.01); B62D 65/02 (2006.01)
CPC B60J 5/0415 (2013.01) [B60J 5/045 (2013.01); B60J 5/0463 (2013.01); B60K 1/00 (2013.01); B62D 21/157 (2013.01); B62D 23/00 (2013.01); B62D 29/00 (2013.01); B62D 65/02 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle, comprising:
an internal structural vehicle framework comprising an exterior portion;
an exterior panel formed from a monolithic metal sheet and mounted to the exterior portion of the internal structural vehicle framework directly through a joint, wherein the exterior panel acts as a support structure for at least one component; and
the at least one component directly attached to the exterior panel,
wherein the exterior panel is a passenger door panel,
wherein the exterior panel bears the load of the at least one component, and
wherein the exterior panel does not consist of an additional support structure selected from the group consisting of an additional metal panel, a support beam, a reinforcement, an anti-intrusion bar, and combinations thereof.