Vehicle structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10093357-B2
Application number	US-201615338891-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2016
Priority date	Oct 31, 2016
Publication date	Oct 9, 2018
Grant date	Oct 9, 2018

Abstract

A vehicle structure includes a vehicle frame and a push arm. The vehicle frame includes surfaces that define an intersection of a first side member and a first cross-member. The surfaces extend from the first side member to the first cross-member with an upper surface of a mid-section of the first cross-member being vertically spaced apart from an upper surface of the first side member. The push arm is coupled to the vehicle frame proximate the intersection. A rear surface of the push arm faces and is adjacent to a front area of the intersection. A main body of the push arm extends forward and laterally outboard from the rear surface such that the front surface is located laterally outboard of the first side member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle structure comprising:
a vehicle frame having a first side member, a second side member and a first cross-member, the first side member and the second side member having respective front ends, the first side member and a second side member extending rearward from their respective front ends, the first cross-member extending in a vehicle lateral direction from the first side member to the second side member at a location rearward of the front ends, the first cross-member having a first end, a second end and a mid-section, the first end being rigidly fixed to the first side member, the second end being rigidly fixed to the second side member, with an intersection of the first side member and the first cross-member being defined by surfaces that extend from the first side member to the first end of the first cross-member, including surfaces that extend downward from and below the first side member to the first cross-member, with an upper surface of the mid-section of the first cross-member being vertically below an upper surface of the first side member and an upper surface of the second side member; and
a push arm coupled to the vehicle frame proximate the intersection of the first side member and the first cross-member, the push arm having a main body, a rear surface, and a front surface, the rear surface facing and being adjacent to a front area of the intersection of the first side member and the first cross-member at a location below the first side member, the main body of the push aim extending forward and laterally outboard from the rear surface such that the front surface is located laterally outboard of the first side member and lower than the first side member.

2. The vehicle structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the upper surface of the mid-section of the first cross-member extends along a first plane and proximate the front end of the first side member the upper surface of the first side member, extends along a second plane that is vertically above the first plane.

3. The vehicle structure according to claim 1 , further comprising
a support bracket having a forward portion releasably attached to a rearward section of the push arm and a rearward portion releasably attached to the first cross-member of the vehicle frame.

4. The vehicle structure according to claim 3 , wherein
the support bracket is releasably attached to the push arm and the first cross-member of the vehicle frame via removable mechanical fasteners.

5. The vehicle structure according to claim 3 , wherein
the front section of the support bracket includes two elongated slots that extend in a direction parallel to a lengthwise direction of the push arm.

6. The vehicle structure according to claim 5 , wherein
the support bracket is releasably attached to the push aim via removable mechanical fasteners that extend through a forward portion of the elongated slots in a non-impacted state, and in response to an off-center impact event the push arm undergoes limited rearward movement that is initially guided by movement of the mechanical fasteners along the elongated slots.

7. The vehicle structure according to claim. 6 , wherein
the support bracket is attached to an underside of the push arm and an underside of the first cross-member.

8. The vehicle structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the first side member includes first reinforcement plates welded thereto that define the surfaces that extend from the first side member to the first end of the first cross-member,
the second side member includes second reinforcement plates welded thereto that define additional surfaces that extend from the second side member to the second end of the first cross-member, the first cross-member being fixed to the second reinforcement plates.

9. The vehicle structure according to claim 8 , wherein
the first reinforcement plates extend downward from the first side member, and
the second reinforcement plates extend downward from the second side member.

10. The vehicle structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the push arm includes an attachment bracket that extends from a mid-section of the push arm to the first side member at a location forward of the intersection of the first side member and the first cross-member.

11. The vehicle structure according to claim 10 , wherein
the attachment bracket is fixedly attached to an upper surface of the push arm.

12. The vehicle structure according to claim 11 , wherein
the attachment bracket extends downward from the first side member to the upper surface of the push arm.

13. The vehicle structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the main body of the push arm is an elongated hollow beam with an end plate fixedly attached to a front end thereof.

14. The vehicle structure according to claim 13 , wherein
the main body further includes a pivot bracket welded to the rear surface of the push arm, the pivot bracket being spaced apart from the intersection of the first side member and the first cross-member defining a gap between the push arm and the intersection of the first side member and the first cross-member in a non-impacted state such that in response to an off-center impact event in which a fixed barrier impacts the front surface of the push arm, the push arm moves toward the intersection of the first side member and the first cross-member pushing the pivot bracket into contact with the first cross-member.

15. The vehicle structure according to claim 14 , wherein
the push arm further includes an energy absorbing structure positioned within the gap and rigidly attached to a portion of the rear surface of the push arm and the pivot bracket, the energy absorbing structure further being spaced apart from the intersection of the first side member and the first cross-member such that in response to the of impact the energy absorbing structure deforms.

16. The vehicle structure according to claim 14 , wherein
the energy absorbing structure includes at least a first cup-shaped member and a second cup-shaped member, each of the first and second cup-shaped members having two side walls and an end wall extending between the two side walls defining overall U-shapes viewed in cross-section, side walls of the first cup-shaped member being fixedly attached to the side walls of the second cup-shaped member such the end walls are spaced apart from one another and are spaced apart from a front suspension structure in the non-impacted state.

17. The vehicle structure according to claim 15 , wherein
the energy absorbing structure, the pivot bracket and the push arm are removably supported to the vehicle frame.

18. A vehicle structure comprising:
a vehicle frame having a first side member, a second side member and a first cross-member, the first side member and the second side member having respective front ends, the first side member and a second side member extending rearward from their respective front ends, the first cross-member extending in a vehicle lateral direction from the first side member to the second side member at a location rearward of the front ends, the first cross-member having a first end, a second end and a mid-section, the first end being rigidly fixed to the first side member, the second end being rigidly fixed to the second side member, with an intersection of the first side member and the first cross-member being defined by surfaces that extend from the first side member to the first end of the first cross-member with an upper surface of the mid-section of the first cross-member being vertically spaced apa

Assignees

• Nissan North America Inc

Inventors

• Buratto Joseph Bruno
• Hartley Christopher Robert
• Mcconnell Perry

Classifications

• B60Y2306/01

  Reducing damages in case of crash, e.g. by improving battery protection · CPC title

• B62D21/06

  of X-shaped or fork-shaped construction, i.e. having members which form an X or fork as the frame is seen in plan view · CPC title

• B60Y2410/124

  Welded parts · CPC title

• B62D21/152 Primary

  Front or rear frames · CPC title

• B62D21/05

  pinched frame type, i.e. formed of at least two longitudinal frame sections connected by other longitudinal frame sections of lesser transverse dimension · CPC title