Body mounting system for a model vehicle

Abstract

A body mounting assembly, model vehicle, and method for engaging a model vehicle body to a model vehicle chassis are provided. The body mounting assembly includes a latch assembly. The latch assembly further includes a latch member with a latch engagement surface. The body mounting assembly also includes a retainer assembly. The retainer assembly further includes a retainer engagement surface. The latch assembly is releasably engaged to the retainer assembly when the latch engagement surface and the retainer engagement surface are interlock together. A body mount able to be coupled to a model vehicle body includes one of the latch assembly or the retainer assembly and a chassis mount able to be coupled to the model vehicle chassis includes the other corresponding retainer assembly or the latch assembly corresponding to the body mount.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A body mounting assembly comprising:
 a latch assembly comprising:
 a latch member resiliently coupled to the latch assembly comprising:
 a latch engagement surface; 
 
   a retainer assembly comprising:
 a retainer engagement surface; 
   wherein the latch assembly is releasably coupled to the retainer assembly when the latch engagement surface and the retainer engagement surface interlock together;   wherein the latch member is resiliently biased against release of the latch member assembly from the retainer assembly;   wherein a body mount configured to be coupled to a model vehicle body comprises one of the latch assembly or the retainer assembly; and   wherein a chassis mount configured to be coupled to the model vehicle chassis comprises a corresponding one of the retainer assembly or the latch assembly corresponding to the body mount.   
     
     
         2 . The body mounting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the latch member further comprises:
 a latch release member; and   wherein the latch assembly is released from the retainer assembly via operation of the latch release member.   
     
     
         3 . The body mounting assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein the retainer assembly further comprises:
 a retainer aperture configured to accommodate at least a portion of the latch member; and   wherein the retainer engagement surface is provided on a first side of the retainer aperture.   
     
     
         4 . The body mounting assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein operation of the latch release member comprises application of a force directed against the latch release member in a first direction. 
     
     
         5 . The body mounting assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the latch member is resiliently coupled to the latch assembly via a U-shaped cantilever biased in a second direction opposite to the first direction used to operate the latch release member. 
     
     
         6 . The body mounting assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the body mount is provided proximate to a first body wheel well and the chassis mount is provided proximate to a first chassis wheel well corresponding to the first body wheel well. 
     
     
         7 . The body mounting assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second latch assembly comprising:
 a second latch member comprising:
 a second latch engagement surface; 
 
   a second retainer assembly comprising:
 a second retainer engagement surface; a second latch member comprising:
 a second latch engagement surface; 
 
   wherein the second latch assembly is releasably coupled to the second retainer assembly via the second latch engagement surface interlocking with the second retainer engagement surface;   wherein the body mount further comprises one of the second latch assembly or the second retainer assembly; and   wherein the chassis mount further comprises a corresponding one of the second retainer assembly or the second latch assembly corresponding to the body mount.   
     
     
         8 . The body mounting assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein the one of the latch assembly or the retainer assembly of the body mount is rigidly coupled to the one of the second latch assembly or the second retainer assembly of the body mount via a latch assembly connecting member. 
     
     
         9 . The body mounting assembly according to  claim 7 , wherein the one of the latch assembly or the retainer assembly of the body mount is configured to be provided proximate to a first body wheel well in the model vehicle body and the corresponding one of the retainer assembly or the latch assembly of the chassis mount is configured to be provided proximate to a first chassis wheel well in the model vehicle chassis corresponding to the first body wheel well; and
 wherein the one of the second latch assembly or the second retainer assembly of the body mount is configured to be provided proximate to a second body wheel well in the model vehicle body and the corresponding one of the second retainer assembly or the second latch assembly is configured to be provided proximate to a second chassis wheel well provided in the model vehicle chassis corresponding to the first body wheel well.   
     
     
         10 . The body mounting assembly according to  claim 9 , wherein the first and the second body wheel wells and the first and the second chassis wheel wells are provided on a first model vehicle side. 
     
     
         11 . The body mounting assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein the first model vehicle side is a front of the model vehicle. 
     
     
         12 . The body mounting assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the latch assembly further comprises a latch support; and
 wherein the latch support abuts a second side of the retainer aperture opposite the first side of the retainer aperture.   
     
     
         13 . The body mounting assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein one of the body mount or the chassis mount further comprises a reinforcement member;
 wherein another of the corresponding chassis mount or the body mount further comprises a reinforcement retainer; and   wherein the reinforcement member is constrained in at least one direction by the reinforcement retainer after assembly.   
     
     
         14 . A model vehicle comprising a body mounting assembly comprising:
 a reinforcement member;   a reinforcement retainer;   a latch assembly comprising:
 a latch member resiliently coupled to the latch assembly comprising:
 a latch engagement surface; 
 
   a retainer assembly comprising:
 a retainer aperture comprising;
 a retainer engagement surface; 
 
   wherein a first side of the retainer aperture comprises the retainer engagement surface;   wherein the latch assembly is releasably coupled to the retainer assembly when the latch engagement surface and the retainer engagement surface interlock together;   wherein the latch member is resiliently biased against release of the latch member assembly from the retainer assembly;   wherein the reinforcement member is constrained in at least one direction by the reinforcement retainer after assembly;   wherein a body mount coupled to a model vehicle body comprises one of the latch assembly or the retainer assembly and one of the reinforcement member or the reinforcement retainer; and   wherein a chassis mount coupled to a model vehicle chassis comprises a corresponding other of the retainer assembly or the latch assembly and a corresponding other of the reinforcement retainer and the reinforcement member corresponding to the body mount.   
     
     
         15 . The model vehicle according to  claim 14 , wherein the chassis mount and the body mount are provided proximate to a first model vehicle side. 
     
     
         16 . The model vehicle according to  claim 14 , wherein the latch member further comprises:
 a latch release member; and   wherein the latch assembly is released from the retainer assembly via operation of the latch release member.   
     
     
         17 . The body mounting assembly according to  claim 16 , wherein the latch member is resiliently coupled to the latch assembly via a U-shaped cantilever biased to oppose a direction used to operate the latch release member. 
     
     
         18 . A body mounting assembly comprising:
 a latch assembly comprising:
 a latch member resiliently coupled to the latch assembly comprising:
 a latch engagement surface; 
 a latch release member; 
 
   a retainer assembly comprising:
 a retainer engagement surface; 
   wherein the latch assembly is releasably coupled to the retainer assembly when the latch engagement surface and the retainer engagement surface interlock together;   wherein the latch member is resiliently biased against release of the latch member assembly from the retainer assembly;   wherein a body mount configured to be coupled to a model vehicle body comprises one of the latch assembly or the retainer assembly;   wherein a chassis mount configured to be coupled to the model vehicle chassis comprises a corresponding one of the retainer assembly or the latch assembly corresponding to the body mount; and   wherein the latch assembly is released from the retainer assembly via operation of the latch release member.   
     
     
         19 . The body mounting assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein operation of the latch release member comprises application of a force directed against the latch release member in a first direction. 
     
     
         20 . The body mounting assembly according to  claim 19 , wherein the latch member is resiliently coupled to the latch assembly via a U-shaped cantilever biased in a second direction opposite to the first direction used to operate the latch release member.