Description:FORM 2

THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
The Patents Rules, 2003

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10 and Rule 13)

A CARRIAGE ASSEMBLY FOR A VEHICLE

APPLICANT:

TVS MOTOR COMPANY LIMITED, an Indian Company at: “Chaitanya”, No.12 Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai 600 006.

The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present subject matter relates generally to a load carrying vehicle. More particularly but not exclusively, the present subject matter relates to a carriage assembly of a load carrying vehicle.

BACKGROUND
[0002] With the advent of multiple trade and business agreements along with reduced tariffs across multiple jurisdictions of the world, there has been a strong push for the logistics and supply chain management. Logistics and shipping affect the cost of the shipping which consequentially affects the profitability in the export market. Vehicles, especially load carrying vehicles, are shipped to export markets using shipping containers of pre-defined sizes. The regular design of a load carrying vehicle with a carriage assembly consumes more volume of packaging compared to a vehicle without the carriage assembly. This increases the landing cost of a vehicle with the carriage assembly.
[0003] Further, vehicles being transported along with the carriage assembly integrated onto the vehicle body may face transportation damages, poor NVH performance and alignment issues in transit due to various tolerances/ clearances which further exacerbate the problems that affects the shipping cost and customer feedback in the export market.
[0004] Various attempts to address the above problems have been made but that only increased the effort of regular opening and closing of carriage/storage containers for the end customer. Attempts were also made to have collapsible configurations in the prior art, but the same lead to increased effort, time and costs of installation at the dealer’s end in the export market which is not desirable. Further, many such known collapsible arrangements of carriage assembly required specific skills and specialized equipment without which the user or dealer may assemble a faulty carriage which may have NVH issues or worse, have improper joining leading to leakages from or seepages into the cargo carriage. Lastly, the need of the art is also that the carriage assembly must have a permanent type of assembly or joining process and long life so that the user does not have the apprehension of the above-mentioned problems during usage.
[0005] Therefore, there is a need for a collapsible carriage assembly with fixed panel dimensions that reduces the overall cost associated with the export of load carriers of the vehicle to the customer by increasing the number of vehicles to be sent for export via shipping. At the same time, the collapsible carriage assembly must also be easy to assemble at the user or dealer end after shipping and remain durable and reliable upon installation. Thus, it is the objective of the present invention to provide a collapsible carriage assembly to overcome the above- mentioned problems elucidated in the preceding paragraphs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] The details are described with reference to an embodiment of a carriage assembly along with the accompanying figures. The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference similar features and components.
[0007] Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a carriage assembly of a vehicle in one embodiment of the invention.
[0008] Figure 2 illustrates an exploded view of the carriage assembly in one embodiment of the invention.
[0009] Figure 3 illustrates a rear view of the carriage assembly having a rear member in one embodiment of the invention.
[00010] Figure 4 illustrates a side view of the carriage assembly in one embodiment of the invention.
[00011] Figure 5 illustrates a top view of the carriage assembly in one embodiment of the invention.
[00012] Figure 6 illustrates a rear view of the carriage assembly without the rear member in one embodiment of the invention.
[00013] Figure 7 illustrates a perspective view of the bottom panel of the carriage assembly in one embodiment of the invention.
[00014] Figure 8a illustrates a top view of the bottom panel having axes AA and BB defining section A-A and section B-B respectively of the carriage assembly in one embodiment of the invention. Figure 8b illustrates a side view of the bottom panel of the carriage assembly in one embodiment of the invention.
[00015] Figure 9a, Figure 9b and Figure 9c illustrate front, side and top view respectively of one of a pair of side panels of the carriage assembly in one embodiment of the invention.
[00016] Figure 10a, Figure 10b and Figure 10c illustrate a perspective, side and top view respectively of one of a top frame member of the carriage assembly in one embodiment of the invention.
[00017] Figure 11a, Figure 11b and Figure 11c illustrate side, top and front view respectively of the top panel of the carriage assembly in one embodiment of the invention.
[00018] Figure 12a and Figure 12b illustrate a perspective and front view respectively of one of a rear member of the carriage assembly. Figure 12c and Figure 12d illustrate a top and side view respectively of the rear member of the carriage assembly in one embodiment of the invention.
[00019] Figure 13 illustrates an expanded view of the carriage assembly having an interfacing portion with adhesion medium and a plurality of fasteners and one or more edges of a plurality of panels in one embodiment of the invention.
[00020] Figure 14 illustrates a method of assembling the carriage assembly in one embodiment of the invention.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[00021] The present subject matter relates generally to a carriage assembly for a vehicle and a method of assembly thereto. The carriage assembly comprises a plurality of panels comprising a bottom panel being configured to connected to a frame assembly of the vehicle and to carry a load. A pair of side panels are configured to be connected to the bottom panel and the same being disposed upwardly from the bottom panel. A front panel is provided which is connected to the bottom panel and the pair of side panels. A top panel is disclosed that is configured to be connected to the front panel and the pair of side panels. The plurality of the panels are configured to be connected by a combination of an adhesion medium and a plurality of fasteners thereby enabling the carriage assembly to be transported in a dismantled condition. The present subject matter further discloses a vehicle that is capable of carrying a load. The vehicle includes the carriage assembly summarised above. The present subject matter also discloses a method for assembling the carriage assembly. The method comprises steps of disposing and aligning the plurality of panels in a predefined manner to form a secure and enclosed storage space. The method also comprises a step of providing the adhesion medium along one or more edges of the each of the plurality of panels and connecting the plurality of panels to form secure and enclosed storage space in a sandwiched configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[00022] The present invention therefore discloses a carriage assembly along with method of assembling the carriage assembly. The carriage assembly is a permanent type structure for the end user as it uses the combination of fastening units and adhesive medium in achieving the collapsible nature of the carriage assembly. Also, the additional qualities of vibration absorption and water proofing is inculcated in the present invention.
[00023] Conventionally, the joints between panels of the carriage assembly are attained by welding. Welding creates a permanent type of joint with minimalized chances of percolation or seepage of water through the joints.
[00024] During transport, the carriage assembly of the vehicle occupies a humongous volume of space. Additionally, after the export, the dealer in the export market, at the most, has bolting nuts and screws that involve larger clearances between the fastening units and the holes leading to possibility of gaps in installation that may cause percolation of water as well as create unnecessary noises. Additionally, owing to the impermanent nature that processes like bolting involve, there is a natural apprehension leading to concerns of durability, strength, rigidity and even seepage. Thus, requirement of a permanent type joint existent between the panels of the carriage assembly is indispensable.
[00025] Further, owing to cost constraints a dealer is not equipped with welding equipment to ensure secure assembly of the carriage assembly. Even if dealer may have welding equipment, the lack of properly trained personnel will adversely affect the quality and finishing required in the product.
[00026] The present invention addresses this exact limitation of assembly processes available in the background art. In accordance with the present disclosure, the plurality of panels of the carriage assembly can be dismantled and can be easily transported across thereby saving transportation cost thereby significantly reducing cost of export. Then the entire carriage assembly can be assembled at the dealer’s end. Additional cost reduction can be attained because the invention does not require welding of panels which is cost intensive and thus, other problems like finishing issues due to welding at the dealer’s end can be eliminated.
[00027] In accordance with the present disclosure, the adjacent panels of the carriage assembly are configured to structurally connect with each other such that an adhesion medium is provided between the mating panels along interfacing portions. Further, a plurality of fastening units is passed through a sandwiched configuration formed between mating panels thereby addressing the requirement of easier assembling whilst reducing exporting cost.
[00028] The present subject matter further addresses issues of water percolation and vibrational shocks by providing the adhesion medium between the panels that minimizes any clearance and dampens the vibrations and noises. The collapsible yet rigid carriage assembly also has temperature bearing abilities and durable structure.
[00029] Thus, the present subject matter results in a carriage assembly that is not only compact and relatively much smaller to export, but is also robust, water proof and durable. In addition, the present invention also improves ease of handling because the carriage assembly and consequently the vehicle is in a much smaller size during transport.
[00030] Additionally, since the plurality of panels are collapsible in nature, the vehicle, upon manufacture can be transported in a shipping container or otherwise along with the carriage assembly in a dismantled condition. This configuration saves substantial amount of space because the volume occupied by the assembled carriage assembly is substantially reduced. The plurality of panels can be practically stacked like plates and exported. Upon reaching the shipment destination, the user or dealer of the vehicle can be given basic instructions on how to assemble the carriage assembly in a ‘do-it-yourself’ manner by aligning the panels and applying the adhesion medium such as the industrial adhesive tape as described herein and thereafter reinforcing using fasteners of known nature. The adhesion medium provides a sealable connection between the panels and use of fasteners further flattens the adhesion medium thereby covering any minor clearance between the mating panels. This provides a robust and long-lasting sandwich configuration of the panels which can withstand environmental elements, jerks and successfully eliminate any NVH issues.
[00031] As per one embodiment of the invention, a carriage assembly for a vehicle is disclosed. The carriage assembly comprises a plurality of panels which further comprises a bottom panel being configured to carry a load and the bottom panel is connected to a frame assembly of the vehicle; a pair of side panels being configured to be connected to the bottom panel and the pair of side panels being disposed upwardly to the bottom panel; a front panel being configured to be connected to the bottom panel and the pair of side panels; and a top panel being configured to be connected to the front panel and the pair of side panels. The plurality of the panels are configured to be connected by a combination of an adhesion medium and a plurality of fasteners thereby enabling the carriage assembly to be transported in a dismantled condition.
[00032] As per one embodiment of the invention, in the carriage assembly, each of the plurality of the panels comprise one or more edges. The one or more edges is configured to interface with each other, thereby defining a plurality of interfacing portions between the plurality of panels and the adhesion medium being disposed in the plurality of interfacing portions.
[00033] As per one embodiment of the invention, in the carriage assembly, the plurality of fasteners is fastened through the plurality of interfacing portions after disposition of the adhesion medium.
[00034] As per one embodiment of the invention, in the carriage assembly, each edge of the one or more edges comprises a bent profile thereby forming the plurality of interfacing portions with an L-shaped profile.
[00035] As per one embodiment of the invention, the carriage assembly is configured to be reinforced by a top frame member. The top frame member is being configured to be attached on at least one edge of each of the pair of side panels, at least one edge of the top panel and at least one edge of the front panel.
[00036] As per one embodiment of the invention, in the carriage assembly, a rear member is being configured to be attached to one or more edges of at least one of the bottom panel, the top panel, the pair of side panels and the rear member. The rear member is installed in an openable configuration to allow ingress and egress of the load in the carriage assembly from the vehicle.
[00037] As per one embodiment of the invention, in the carriage assembly, the plurality of fasteners can be one or more of rivets, nuts, bolts, screws and water-proof fasteners. The adhesion medium is one or more of single sided acrylic foam tape, double sided acrylic foam tape, butyl tape, silicone adhesive, permanent type adhesion tape, Very High Bonding (VHB) type adhesives, waterproof adhesives, polymer-based adhesives and a combination thereof.
[00038] In yet another embodiment of the invention, a vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle comprises a frame assembly for providing a structural support to the vehicle; a carriage assembly being configured to be disposed on the frame assembly. The carriage assembly comprises a plurality of panels. The plurality of panels comprises a bottom panel for carrying the load. The bottom panel is connected to the frame assembly of the vehicle. The carriage assembly also comprises a pair of side panels being configured to be connected to the bottom panel and the pair of side panels being disposed upwardly from the bottom panel; a front panel being configured to be connected to the bottom panel and the pair of side panels; and a top panel being configured to be connected to the front panel and the pair of side panels. The plurality of the panels are configured to be connected by a combination of an adhesion medium and a plurality of fasteners by a user of the vehicle thereby enabling the carriage assembly to be transported in a dismantled condition.
[00039] As per one embodiment of the invention, the vehicle is a cargo vehicle which comprises a front portion being configured to install a passenger cabin; and a rear portion being configured to install the carriage assembly.
[00040] In yet another embodiment of the invention, a method for assembling a carriage assembly is disclosed. The method involves steps of disposing a plurality of panels to form the carriage assembly. The plurality of panels comprises a bottom panel, a pair of side panels, a front panel and a top panel; providing an adhesion medium along one or more edges of each of the plurality of panels. The one or more edges of each of the plurality of panels is configured to form a plurality of interfacing portions between the plurality of panels. The method further involves aligning the plurality of panels in a predefined manner, the predefined manner forming a secure and a substantially enclosed space; and connecting the plurality of panels to each other along one or more edges of each of the plurality of panels using a plurality of fasteners to form the secure and the substantially enclosed space in a sandwiched configuration of the plurality of interfacing portions.
[00041] In another embodiment of the invention, in the method for assembling, the aligning of the plurality of panels in the predefined manner comprises aligning the pair of side panels with the bottom panel and thereafter aligning the front panel with the pair of side panels and the bottom panel.
[00042] In another embodiment of the invention, in the method for assembling, the connecting of the plurality of panels comprises interfacing the one or more edges with each other to form a plurality of interfacing portions between the plurality of panels; applying the adhesion medium over the plurality of interfacing portions; and securing and fixing the plurality of panels by fastening the plurality of fasteners through the sandwiched configuration of the plurality of interfacing portions.
[00043] The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to an embodiment in a carriage assembly along with the accompanying drawings. However, the disclosed invention is not limited to the present embodiments.
[00044] Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3, Figure 4, Figure 5 and Figure 6 have been taken together for discussion. Figure 1, 4 and 5 illustrate perspective, side and top view of a carriage assembly 100 of a vehicle 200 respectively. Figure 2 illustrates an exploded view of the carriage assembly 100 in one embodiment of the invention. Figure 3 and Figure 6 illustrate rear views of the carriage assembly with a rear member 106 and without the rear member 106 respectively in one embodiment of the invention. The vehicle 200 can be a multi-wheeled cargo with a load carrying capacity. The vehicle 200 comprises a front portion (not shown) which is configured to install a passenger cabin (not shown) and a rear portion (not shown) which is configured to install the carriage assembly 100. Such types of vehicle 200 can be a three wheeler, four wheeler, or other types of multi wheeled vehicles. The carriage assembly 100 comprises a plurality of panels 101, 102, 102, 103, 104, 105. A bottom panel 101 is connected to a frame assembly (not shown) of a vehicle and is configured to carry a load. The frame assembly provides a structural support to the vehicle 200. In another embodiment, the bottom panel 101 can also be integrated with the frame assembly of the vehicle 200. A pair of side panels 102, 103, the pair of side panels 102, 103 being configured to be connected to the bottom panel 101 be disposed upwardly from the bottom panel 101. A top panel 105 is configured to be connected to a front panel 104 and the pair of side panels 102, 103. The front panel 104 is disposed behind a front portion (not shown) of the vehicle 200 (shown in Figure 1). In another embodiment, the front panel 104 can also be integrated with the front portion of the vehicle 200. The front panel 104 is disposed upwardly from the bottom panel 101 (as shown in Figure 2) to the top panel 105. The front panel 104 is configured to be connected to the bottom panel 101 and the pair of side panels 102, 103. The plurality of panels 101, 102, 102, 103, 104, 105 are configured to be connected by a combination of an adhesion medium 107 and a plurality of fasteners 108 (shown in Fig. 13) by a user of the vehicle 200.
[00045] Thus, the plurality of panels 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 can be transported along with the remaining passenger cabin and frame assembly in a dismantled condition. This substantially reduces the dimensions of the vehicle 200, thereby enabling the carriage assembly 100 to be transported in a dismantled condition which goes on to save over 40% space in the vehicle 200. Upon reaching the desired destination, the carriage assembly 100 can be re-assembled and acquires a shape which can be at least one of cuboidal, rhomboid, trapezoidal, polyhedron and a combination thereof. These shapes can change based on configuration, shape and size of the vehicle 200.
[00046] Figure 7 and Figure 8a and 8b have been taken together for discussion. Figure 7 illustrates a perspective view of a bottom panel 101 of the carriage assembly 100 in one embodiment of the invention. Figure 8a illustrates a top view of the bottom panel 101 having axes AA and BB defining section A-A and section B-B respectively of the carriage assembly 100 in one embodiment of the invention. Figure 8b illustrates a side view of the bottom panel 101 of the carriage assembly 100 in one embodiment of the invention. A longitudinal central plane AA is a central plane of symmetry that extends from front F to rear R direction of the vehicle 200 (shown in Fig. 1). Similarly, a transversal central plane BB is a central plane of symmetry that extends horizontally along the width of the vehicle 200. An upper portion of the bottom panel 101 facing the top panel 105 is being configured to have an uneven profile. The uneven profile of the upper portion of the bottom panel 101 is configured to have a plurality of projections. The projections include protrusions and recessions in order to control the sliding friction of the load of the vehicle 200. This would ensure that the load placed on the bottom panel 101 has sufficient traction such that it does not slide away upon minor jerks during motion of the vehicle 200.
[00047] Figure 9a, Figure 9b and Figure 9c illustrate front, side and top view respectively of one of a pair of side panels 102, 103 of the carriage assembly 100 in one embodiment of the invention. One representative panel (102 or 103) is shown in the above figures to depict both of the pair side panels 102, 103. The pair of side panels 102, 103 include a left side panel 102 and right side panel 103. The figure also shows one or more edges 102e, 103e of the pair of side panels along which the side panels 102, 103 interface with the respective edges of the front panel 104, the top panel 105, and the bottom panel 101.
[00048] Figures 10a, 10b, 10c, 11a, 11b and 11c have been taken together for discussion. Figure 10a, Figure 10b and Figure 10c illustrate front, side and top view respectively of one of a top frame member 110 of the carriage assembly 100 (shown in Fig. 1) in one embodiment of the invention. The top frame member 110 is configured to be attached on at least one edge 102e, 103e of each of the pair of side panels 102, 103 (shown in Fig. 9), at least one edge 105e of the top panel 105 and at least one edge 105e of the front panel 104 (shown in Fig. 6). The top frame member 110 is configured to reinforce the carriage assembly 100 by providing support to the carriage assembly 100. Figure 11a, Figure 11b and Figure 11c illustrate side, top and front view respectively of the top panel 105 of the carriage assembly 100 in one embodiment of the invention. The top panel 105 is configured to be connected to the front panel 104 and the pair of side panels 102, 103.
[00049] Figure 12a and Figure 12b illustrate a front view of one of the rear members 106 of the carriage assembly 100. Figure 12c and Figure 12d illustrate a top and side view respectively of the rear members 106 of the carriage assembly 100 in one embodiment of the invention. In a preferred embodiment, the rear member 106 is configured to act as an entry and an exit point for load to be placed in the carriage assembly 100. In an alternative embodiment, the entry point can also be facilitated in one of the pair of side panels 102, 103. The rear member 106 is being configured to be attached to the bottom panel 101 (shown in Fig. 7), the top panel 105 (shown in Fig. 11), and the pair of side panels 102, 103 (shown in Fig. 9). The rear member 106 is installed in an openable configuration to allow ingress and egress of the load in the carriage assembly 100 from a rear side of the vehicle 200 (shown in Fig. 1). The rear member 106 can be a door that is hingably attached only to the pair of side panels 102, 103. The rear member 106 can also be configured as a rolling shutter attached to the top panel 105 and sliding along the edge 102e, 103e of the pair of side panel 102, 103. Alternatively, the rear member 106 can also be shutter attached to the bottom panel 101 and partially attached to the pair of side panels 12, 103. Further, the rear member 106 can be a rolling curtain, a collapsible side door, a collapsible single door, a sliding door, a side-hinged doors, a pocket door, a barndoors, a tailgate, a swing-door, a roll-up door and a three-piece swinging door.
[00050] Figure 13 illustrates an expanded view of the carriage assembly 100 (shown in Fig. 1) having an interfacing portion 109 with the adhesion medium 107 and the plurality of fasteners 108 and one of the one or more edges 101e, 102e, 103e, 104e, 105e of the plurality of panels 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 in one embodiment of the invention. The one or more edges 101e, 102e, 103e, 104e, 105e are configured to interface with each other, thereby defining a plurality of interfacing portions 109 between the plurality of panels 101, 102, 103, 104, 105. The adhesion medium 107 is disposed in the plurality of interfacing portions 109. The adhesion medium 107 can be a single sided acrylic foam tape, double sided acrylic foam tape, butyl tape, silicone adhesive, permanent type adhesion tape, very high bonding (VHB) type adhesives, waterproof adhesives, polymer-based adhesives and a combination thereof which makes the connection among the plurality of panels 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 strong and water-proof. The plurality of fasteners 108 are fastened through the plurality of interfacing portions 109 after disposition of the adhesion medium 107 wherein each edge of the one or more edges 101e, 102e, 103e, 104e, 105e have a bent profile thereby forming the plurality of interfacing portions 109 with an L-shaped profile. In another aspect of the invention, the plurality of interfacing portions 109 can be along the one or more edges 101e, 102e, 103e, 104e, 105e of one of the plurality of panels 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 while the plurality of interfacing portions 109 can be along the thickness of another panel. Thus, the said configuration, in some aspects, can work without the requirement to have the top frame member 110. The plurality of fasteners 108 can be one or more of one or more of rivets, nuts, bolts, screws and water-proof fasteners. In an alternative embodiment, the carriage assembly 100 can be formed using exclusively of adhesion medium such 107 such as but not limited to Very High Bonding (VHB) type adhesive. In this embodiment, however, the selection of the type and amount of VHB and the appropriate surface area has to be adjusted so as to compensate for the lack of plurality of fasteners 108. This may significantly increase the quantity of adhesion medium 107. In another alternative embodiment, the carriage assembly 100 can be formed exclusively using plurality of fasteners 108 like waterproof bolts. The waterproof bolts ensure that the carriage assembly 100 remains leakage/seepage proof at least from the region where the water proof fasteners are inserted. This also mean that the number waterproof fasteners required in this scenario would be much higher than when plurality of fasteners 108 were used along with adhesion medium 107. In other embodiments, the plurality of fasteners 108 can include rivets made of metals such as but not limited to aluminium thereby providing rust proof joints. It is known in the art that rivets made of steel or iron tend to rust and over a period of time corrode or shrink thereby creating a undesirable gap or lack of strength in the joint between the mating surfaces. The aluminium rivets can overcome this problem. In other embodiments, a primer can be added to the plurality of interfacing portions 109 for joining the plurality of panels 101, 102, 103, 104, 105. The primer will help in avoiding rusting or corrosion of plurality of panels 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 at the interfacing portions which may trap moisture or other contaminants. The primer will therefore help in prolonging the life of the carriage assembly 100.
[00051] Figure 14 illustrates steps of assembling the carriage assembly 100 in one embodiment of the invention. A method for assembling 300 the carriage assembly 100 comprises firstly, disposing 301 the plurality of panels 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 to form the carriage assembly 100. The plurality of panels 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 comprises a bottom panel 101, a pair of side panels 102, 103, a front panel 104 and a top panel 105. Secondly, the method involves the step of providing an adhesion medium 107 along the one or more edges 101e, 102e, 103e, 104e, 105e (shown in Figure 13) of each of the plurality of panels 101, 102, 103, 104, 105. The one or more edges 101e, 102e, 103e, 104e, 105e of each of the plurality of panels 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 are configured to form a plurality of interfacing portions 109 (shown in Figure 13) between the plurality of panels 101, 102, 103, 104, 105. Thirdly, the method involves the step of aligning the plurality of panels 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 in a predefined manner. This alignment of the plurality of panels 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 in the predefined manner is such that it forms a secure and substantially enclosed space. Further, the method involves the step of connecting the plurality of panels 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 to each other along the one or more edges 101e, 102e, 103e, 104e, 105e of each of the plurality of panels 101, 102, 103, 104, 105. This connection of the plurality of panels 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 is done using the plurality of fasteners 108 which enables in forming the secure and substantially enclosed space in a sandwiched configuration of the plurality of interfacing portions 109. In another aspect of the invention, the step of aligning the plurality of panels 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 in the predefined manner further comprises aligning the pair of side panels 102, 103 with the bottom panel 101 and thereafter aligning the front panel 104 with the pair of side panels 102, 103 and the bottom panel 101. The step of connecting 302 comprises interfacing the one or more edges 101e, 102e, 103e, 104e, 105e with each other to form a plurality of interfacing portions 109 between the plurality of panels 101, 102, 103, 104, 105. Thereafter, the step of connecting 302 involves applying the adhesion medium 107 over the plurality of interfacing portions 109 and securing and fixing the plurality of panels 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 by fastening the plurality of fasteners 108 through sandwiched configuration of the plurality of interfacing portions 109.
[00052] The embodiments of this invention are not limited to particularly load carrying vehicle and can cover any type of load carrying assembly involving the transport of loaded goods. For example, as used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an” and ““they”” can include plural referents unless the content clearly indicates otherwise. Further, when introducing elements/components/etc. of the assembly/system described and/or illustrated herein, the articles “a”, “an”, “the”, and “said” are intended to mean that there is one or more of the element(s)/component(s)/etc. The terms “comprising”, “including”, and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional element(s)/component(s)/etc. other than the listed element(s)/component(s)/etc.
[00053] This written description uses examples to provide details on the disclosure, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the disclosure is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
[00054] It is to be understood that the aspects of the embodiments are not necessarily limited to the features described herein. Many modifications and variations of the present subject matter are possible in the light of above disclosure.

List of Reference numerals:
100 Carriage assembly
101, 102, 103, 104, 105 A plurality of panels
101 Bottom panel
102, 103 Pair of side panels
104 Front panel
105 Top panel
101e, 102e, 103e, 104e, 105e One or more edges
106 Rear member
107 Adhesion medium
108 A plurality of fasteners
109 A plurality of interfacing portions
110 Top frame member
200 vehicle
300 method of assembling carriage assembly
301 step of disposing plurality of panels
302 Step of connecting the plurality of panels , Claims:We Claim:
1. A carriage assembly (100) for a vehicle (200), the carriage assembly (100) comprising:
a plurality of panels (101, 102, 103, 104, 105), the plurality of panels (101, 102, 103, 104, 105) comprising:
a bottom panel (101), the bottom panel (101) being configured to carry a load, and the bottom panel (101) being connected to a frame assembly of the vehicle (200);
a pair of side panels (102, 103), the pair of side panels (102, 103) being configured to be connected to the bottom panel (101), the pair of side panels (102, 103) being disposed upwardly from the bottom panel (101);
a front panel (104), the front panel (104) being configured to be connected to the bottom panel (101) and the pair of side panels (102, 103); and
a top panel (105), the top panel (105) being configured to be connected to the front panel (104) and the pair of side panels (102, 103); and
the plurality of the panels (101, 102, 103, 104, 105), being configured to be connected by a combination of an adhesion medium (107) and a plurality of fasteners (108) thereby enabling the carriage assembly (100) to be transported in a dismantled condition.
2. The carriage assembly (100) for the vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of the panels (101, 102, 103, 104, 105) comprises one or more edges (101e, 102e, 103e, 104e, 105e), the one or more edges (101e, 102e, 103e, 104e, 105e) being configured to interface with each other, thereby defining a plurality of interfacing portions (109) between the plurality of panels (101, 102, 103, 104, 105); and the adhesion medium (107) being disposed in the plurality of interfacing portions (109).
3. The carriage assembly (100) for the vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the plurality of fasteners (108) being fastened through the plurality of interfacing portions (109) after disposition of the adhesion medium (107).
4. The carriage assembly (100) for the vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the one or more edges (101e, 102e, 103e, 104e, 105e) comprises a bent profile thereby forming the plurality of interfacing portions (109) with an L-shaped profile.
5. The carriage assembly (100) for the vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carriage assembly (100) being configured to be reinforced by a top frame member (110), the top frame member (110) being configured to be attached on at least one edge (105e) of each of the pair of side panels (102, 103), at least one edge (105e) of the top panel (105), and at least one edge (104e) of the front panel (104).
6. The carriage assembly (100) for the vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carriage assembly (100) comprising a rear member (106), the rear member (106) being configured to be connected to one or more edges of at least one of the bottom panel (101), the top panel (105), the pair of side panels (102, 103); and the rear member (106) being installed in an openable configuration to allow ingress and egress of the load in the carriage assembly (100) from the vehicle (200).
7. The carriage assembly (100) for the vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of fasteners (108) being one or more of rivets, nuts, bolts, screws and water-proof fasteners; and the adhesion medium (107) being selected from a group consisting of single sided acrylic foam tape, double sided acrylic foam tape, butyl tape, silicone adhesive, permanent type adhesion tape, Very High Bonding (VHB) type adhesives, waterproof adhesives, polymer-based adhesives and a combination thereof.

8. A vehicle (200) for carrying a load, the vehicle (200) comprising:
a carriage assembly (100), the carriage assembly (100) comprising:
a plurality of panels (101, 102, 103, 104, 105), the plurality of panels (101, 102, 103, 104, 105) comprising:
a bottom panel (101), the bottom panel (101) being configured to carry the load, the bottom panel (101) being connected to the frame assembly of the vehicle (200);
a pair of side panels (102, 103), the pair of side panels (102, 103) being configured to be connected to the bottom panel (101), the pair of side panels (102, 103) being disposed upwardly from the bottom panel (101);
a front panel (104), the front panel (104) being configured to be connected to the bottom panel (101) and the pair of side panels (102, 103); and
a top panel (105), the top panel (105) being configured to be connected to the front panel (104) and the pair of side panels (102, 103); and
the plurality of the panels (101, 102, 103, 104, 105), being configured to be connected by a combination of an adhesion medium (107) and a plurality of fasteners (108) thereby enabling the carriage assembly (100) to be transported in a dismantled condition.
9. The vehicle (200) as claimed in claim 8, wherein the vehicle (200) being a cargo vehicle (200), the cargo vehicle (200) comprising:
a front portion, the front portion being configured to install a passenger cabin; and
a rear portion, the rear portion being configured to install the carriage assembly (100).

10. A method for assembling (300) a carriage assembly (100) for a vehicle (200), the method for assembling (300) comprising:
disposing (301) a plurality of panels (101, 102, 103, 104, 105) to form the carriage assembly (100), the plurality of panels (101, 102, 103, 104, 105) comprising a bottom panel (101), a pair of side panels (102, 103), a front panel (104) and a top panel (105);
providing an adhesion medium (107) along one or more edges (101e, 102e, 103e, 104e, 105e) of each of the plurality of panels (101, 102, 103, 104, 105), the one or more edges (101e, 102e, 103e, 104e, 105e) of each of the plurality of panels (101, 102, 103, 104, 105) being configured to form a plurality of interfacing portions (109) between the plurality of panels (101, 102, 103, 104, 105);
aligning the plurality of panels (101, 102, 103, 104, 105) in a predefined manner, the predefined manner forming a secure and a substantially enclosed space; and
connecting (302) the plurality of panels (101, 102, 103, 104, 105) to each other along the one or more edges (101e, 102e, 103e, 104e, 105e) of each of the plurality of panels (101, 102, 103, 104, 105) using a plurality of fasteners (108) to form the secure and the substantially enclosed space in a sandwiched configuration of the plurality of interfacing portions (109).
11. The method for assembling (300) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the aligning the plurality of panels (101, 102, 103, 104, 105) in the predefined manner comprises aligning the pair of side panels (102, 103) with the bottom panel (101) and thereafter aligning the front panel (104) with the pair of side panels (102, 103) and the bottom panel (101).
12. The method for assembling (300) as claimed in claim 10, wherein the connecting (302) the plurality of panels (101, 102, 103, 104, 105) comprising:
interfacing the one or more edges (101e, 102e, 103e, 104e, 105e) with each other to form a plurality of interfacing portions (109) between the plurality of panels (101, 102, 103, 104, 105);
applying the adhesion medium (107) over the plurality of interfacing portions (109); and
securing and fixing the plurality of panels (101, 102, 103, 104, 105) by fastening the plurality of fasteners (108) through the sandwiched configuration of the plurality of interfacing portions (109).

Dated this the 14th day of July 2023
(Digitally Signed)
Sudarshan Singh Shekhawat
IN/PA-1611
Agent for the Applicant