US 12,420,879 B1
Automated exterior vehicle part assembly using global datum
Hunter Robert Normandeau, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Theodore Antony, Cypress, CA (US); Patrick Worley, Newark, CA (US); Brian Paul Greviskes, Chicago, IL (US); Adrian Matthias Grossman, Palatine, IL (US); Mitchell Nollar, Austin, TX (US); and Kevin Joseph Curtis, Riverside, CA (US)
Assigned to Tesla, Inc., Austin, TX (US)
Filed by Tesla, Inc., Austin, TX (US)
Filed on May 29, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/677,172.
Int. Cl. B62D 65/16 (2006.01); B62D 65/02 (2006.01); B62D 65/06 (2006.01); B62D 27/02 (2006.01)
CPC B62D 65/16 (2013.01) [B62D 65/028 (2013.01); B62D 65/06 (2013.01); B62D 27/026 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for attaching exterior vehicle parts to a vehicle assembly structure, the system comprising:
an automated assembly cell with a respective fixture for each exterior vehicle part;
a global datum for aligning the exterior vehicle parts within the automated assembly cell;
a securing mechanism for holding an exterior vehicle part to a respective fixture using a vacuum clamp or other clamping means;
a robotic adhesive arm for applying a structural adhesive to a clamped exterior vehicle part or to a part-receiving location on the vehicle assembly structure; and
a robotic part positioner for moving the clamped exterior vehicle part into a nominal position relative to the global datum to compress the structural adhesive and complete installation of the clamped exterior vehicle part to the vehicle assembly structure, wherein the system is configured to provide an adhesive a to compensate for irregularities in an exterior vehicle part a fixture, or a substructure of the vehicle assembly structure.