13.

Alternatively, the supporting structure 7 may be provided with rechargeable batteries, so that each module 5 is completely independent of any fixed structure. For the same reason, each module 5 can be provided with its own control system 23b (FIG. 1) having a memory and programmable, so that each module 5 comes to constitute a self-driving vehicle that moves based on the program stored in the electronic system 23b. Or, again, the control system can be divided in part as fixed station or tablet 23 and as programmable units 23b on board the modules 5.

The motorized trolleys 24 may be driven and commanded in a manner similar to that described for the modules 5.

Especially in the case of fully autonomous modules 5, each module 5 may comprise a plurality of sensors 27 (FIG. 1), for example radar, such as LIDAR sensors, carried by each supporting structure 7, for example at the ends 11 and 12, configured to provide the control system 23 (and/or 23b) with the position and distance of at least one possible module 5 preceding and one possible module 5 following each module 7 along the trajectory T (FIGS. 6 and 7).

Therefore, the control system 23 can be at least partly on board each module 5 (control system 23b), constrained to the supporting structure 7, and is programmable, so that each supporting structure 7 of each module 5 constitutes a programmable self-driving vehicle, or the control system 23 is at least partly positioned stationary with respect to the floor 6 or is carried by one or more operators P consisting of a series of suitably programmed tablets, and communicates by means of a data transmission system, preferably of the wifi type, with the modules 5. On the other hand, in the presence of an overhead power supply electrical network 26, this could also be configured to transmit command signals through the rail 13.

Alternatively, power supply and control signals could for example be transmitted through suitable tracks (known and not shown) positioned in the floor 6 according to the desired trajectory T (or a number of possible alternative trajectories). The same applies for the rail 13.

With specific reference to FIGS. 8, 9 and 12, each module 5, or only one or a part of the modules 5 belonging to the assembly plant 1 according to the invention, can be equipped with a series of additional equipment.

For example, according to what is shown in FIG. 9, with a module 5 it can be associated a trailer 29, for example mechanically hooked to the module 5 by means of tie rods 30, or the trailer 29 is configured as a self-driving element equipped with a thethering function, that is programmed to follow the module 5 without a mechanical connection between the two but as if it existed. On the trailer 29 it can be arranged a mechanical part 4 to be mounted on the body 2, already finished, or which is to be assembled by operators P along the path of the module 5, for example in this case the mechanical part 4 could be a vehicle dashboard, which once finished is picked up by one or more operators P and mounted on the body 2 “entering” the supporting structure 7 through one of its open sides 14 or its open ends 11, 12.

According to what is shown in FIGS. 8 and 12, instead, one or more modules 5 can be equipped with supports 31

(FIG. 8) for example fixed integral with the supporting structure 7 on the open flanks 14 and to such supports 31 mechanical parts constituted for example by the framework of the doors 4b of the vehicle to be obtained can be hung. The doors 4b can therefore be completely assembled with the addition of other mechanical parts (window lifters, glasses, finishing panels), carried by trolleys 24, by operators P along the path of the module 5, and then mounted on the body 2 (FIG. 12) thanks to the total accessibility from four sides allowed by the supporting structure 7.

Based on what has been described so far, it is evident that the invention is also related to a method for carrying out the assembly of vehicles, particularly motor vehicles, comprising the step of moving a respective body 2 of vehicle through a plurality of assembly stations 3 to which are also fed respective mechanical parts 4 to be assembled on the bodies 2 and which, according to the invention, comprises the steps of:

- i)—making a plurality of independently movable modules 5, each of which comprises: a three-dimensional supporting structure 7 equipped with a hook unit 8 configured to receive a vehicle body 2 and to hold the body 2 constrained integral with the respective module 5; a first motorized system 10 mounted on the supporting structure 7 and configured to at least raise and lower on command the hook unit 8; and a second motorized system 21 mounted on the supporting structure 7 and configured to horizontally move each respective module 5;
- ii)—moving each module 5, with a body 2 coupled to the hook unit 8, along a predetermined trajectory T and in a coordinated manner with the other modules 5, so that each module 5 reaches sequentially a plurality of predetermined positions along the trajectory T (FIG. 7), a same module 5 coming therefore to constitute, sequentially, each of the assembly stations 3.

The method of the invention further comprises the step of:

- iii)—feeding the mechanical parts 4 to the assembly stations 3 by having each module 5 sequentially flanked by a self-guided trolley 24 on which the mechanical parts 4 to be assembled have been loaded; and/or hook onto the supporting structure 7 of each module 5 at least some of the mechanical parts to be assembled.

Finally, it is evident that the invention also extends to a motorized module such as the module 5 of FIG. 1, which can be associated with a plurality of other similar or identical motorized modules 5, like in FIG. 6, to create a plant 1 for the assembly of vehicles, particularly motor vehicles, which is totally movable and reconfigurable, wherein the module 5 of the invention comprises:

- a) a three-dimensional supporting structure 7 equipped with a hook unit 8 configured to receive a vehicle body 2 and to hold the body 2 constrained integral with said module 5;
- b) a first motorized system 10 mounted on the supporting structure 7 and configured to at least raise and lower on command said hook unit 8 and, preferably, to tilt and/or rotate it;
- c) a second motorized system 21 mounted on the supporting structure 7 and configured to move the module 5 horizontally on a support plane 6, such as a floor;
- d) a control system 23b carried on board by the supporting structure 7 to move the module 5 along a predetermined trajectory, in a coordinated manner with other modules 5 similar or identical thereto, the control system 23b being configured to cause the module 5 on which it is mounted to assume and along a predetermined trajectory T, a plurality of different positions in each of which the same module 5 comes to constitute sequentially, by time to time, a different assembly station 3 of a plurality of assembly stations 3 of the assembly plant 1 for which the module 5 is configured; and
- e) a possible data reception system (e.g. antenna 25) for receiving wifi signals from a ground control system (manual or automatic), for example represented by a simple tablet served by an operator P.

With reference to FIG. 7, therein it is pictorially represented the plurality of positions and of configurations that each module 5 can assume while moving along the trajectory T queueing other modules 5, to form a “train” of modules 5 moving in unison and with the hook units 8 moving in the direction of the arrows L depending on the position of the single module 5.

Therefore, according to the invention, instead of advancing a body 2 through a plurality of fixed assembly stations 3 arranged along the trajectory T, the stations themselves are advanced, constituted according to the invention not by fixed installations but by movable modules 5, along a same trajectory T, each module 5 coming by time to time to assume the function of a specific assembly station 3 depending on the position reached along the trajectory T.

Thanks to this revolutionary concept it is possible to modify at any time both the layout and the production capacity of a plant 1 created according to the invention, as schematically represented in FIGS. 10 and 11, simply by varying the number of modules 5 to be used and their movement trajectory.

In the case of new installations, it will be possible to create an assembly line 33 having the layout shown in FIG. 10 using more blocks 34 of units 5 arranged to advance lined up like in FIG. 7. For example, it will be possible to set up three parallel lines of blocks 34a of moving modules 5 that follow the trajectory T1. In the case of increased production capacity, it will be sufficient to add other blocks 34c and 34b of modules 5 sequentially to the blocks 34a, so that the modules 5 follow the (progressively wider) trajectories T2 and T3.

According to FIG. 10, a plant 1 according to the invention therefore forms an assembly line 33 which is completed by a sub-assembly line 35, for example fixed or in any case of known type, for assembling complex mechanical parts 4 (e.g. motor), by a test line 36 and by a shipping line 37.

In this case the only necessary fixed installation is the floor 6, the entire plant 1 being able to be set up even outdoors, for example under tensile structures, or in existing buildings, independently of the plan configuration of the same.

In the case of replacement of pre-existing production lines, for which there is already a specially prepared building, it will be possible to create an assembly line 39 having the layout shown in FIG. 11 using also in this case several lines of blocks 34 of modules 5, with the same advantage of being able to vary the production capacity simply by using or not all blocks 34b, 34c and 34a or only the blocks 34a. Also in this case, the assembly line 39 is completed by a sub-assembly line 35, for example fixed or in any case of known type, for assembling complex mechanical parts 4 (for example motor), by a test line 36 and by a shipping line 37.

The difference between the lines 33 and 39 is that while in the line 33 all the blocks 34 can be arranged in parallel and perpendicular to the test and shipping lines, with optimal use of the spaces, in the line 39 some blocks 34 must be forcibly arranged perpendicular to each other, but this does not represent a problem, on the contrary also in this case an optimal use of the already existing spaces is achieved.

Finally, in case of relocation of the plant 1, it will be necessary to simply pack and ship the modules 5 that belong thereto, since it is not necessary to disassemble or specifically create support structures to allow creating with the plant 1 a desired assembly line, for example one of the lines 33 or 39.

In order to ensure that a plant 1 like the one described so far is operationally reliable and can be created in a sustainable manner, however, it has been found that it is important to select appropriate embodiments of specific construction details thereof.

With reference to FIGS. 13 to 19, a first essential detail for the optimal and reliable operation of each module 5 is to choose a suitable embodiment of the second motorized system 21.

FIG. 13 schematically shows a highly preferred embodiment of such a motorized system 21.

According to this aspect of the invention, the three-dimensional supporting structure 7 (see FIGS. 1, 5a and 5b) is provided with four vertical legs 70, marked with references 70b, 70c, 70d, 70e: the pair of legs 70b, 70d define a first open flank 14 of the three-dimensional supporting structure 7, while the pair of legs 70c, 70e define the opposite open flank 14 thereof; similarly, the pair of legs 70b, 70c define the front end 11 of the supporting structure 7 and the pair of legs 70d, 70e define the rear end 12 thereof.

According to this preferred embodiment of the invention, each leg 70 terminates inferiorly with an identical foot 22, and each foot 22 is provided with/carries a motorized system 21 like the one shown in detail in FIG. 13.

The motorized system 21 of each leg 70 comprises firstly a pair of identical wheels