Vehicle structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10864943-B2
Application number	US-201916284899-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2019
Priority date	Oct 31, 2016
Publication date	Dec 15, 2020
Grant date	Dec 15, 2020

Abstract

A vehicle structure includes a vehicle frame and a beam. The vehicle frame has a first side member and a second side member extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction and a cross-member extending in a vehicle lateral direction from the first side member to the second side member perpendicular to the first side member and the second side member. A first end of the beam is connected to one of the first side member or the second side member at a location spaced apart from the cross-member. A second end of the beam is connected to the cross-member at a location spaced apart from both the first side member and the second side member such that the beam is angularly offset from the cross-member with an angle of between 35 and 60 degrees defined between the cross-member and the beam.

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 cross-member, the first side member and the second side member extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction, the cross-member extending in a vehicle lateral direction from the first side member to the second side member and perpendicular to each of the first side member and the second side member, a first end of the cross-member being fixedly attached to the first side member and a second end of the cross-member being fixedly attached to the second side member; and
a beam having a first end and a second end, the first end of the beam being connected to one of the first side member or the second side member at a location spaced apart from the cross-member and the second end of the beam being connected to the cross-member at a location spaced apart from both the first side member and the second side member such that the beam is angularly offset from the cross-member with an angle of between 35 and 60 degrees defined between the cross-member and the beam, and wherein
the first end of the beam is connected to the one of the first side member and the second side member by an attachment bracket such that the first end of the beam is spaced apart from the one of the first side member and the second side member with a gap being defined between the first end of the beam and the one of the first side member and the second side member.

2. The vehicle structure according to claim 1 , further comprising
a vehicle suspension structure that includes a first coil spring support and a second coil spring support that are attached to respective outboard surfaces of the first side member and the second side member and extend in respective outboard directions away from respective ones of the outboard surfaces of the first side member and the second side member.

3. The vehicle structure according to claim 1 , further comprising
a first body attachment flange and a second body attachment flange that are attached to respective outboard surfaces of the first side member and the second side member and extend in respective outboard directions away from respective ones of the outboard surfaces of the first side member and the second side member.

4. The vehicle structure according to claim 1 , further comprising
an off-center impact reinforcement structure having a portion thereof located outboard of one of the first side member or the second side member, the portion of the off-center impact reinforcement structure being located forward of the cross-member and the beam relative to the vehicle longitudinal direction.

5. The vehicle structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the second end of the beam is supported to a mid-portion of the cross-member via another attachment bracket such that the second end of the beam is spaced apart from the mid-portion of the cross-member with another gap being defined between the second end of the beam and the mid-portion of the cross-member.

6. The vehicle structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the first end of the beam is a rear end of the beam.

7. The vehicle structure according to claim 1 , wherein
the first end of the beam is connected to the attachment bracket by a removable fastener.

8. A vehicle structure comprising:
a vehicle frame having a first side member, a second side member and a cross-member, the first side member and the second side member extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction, the cross-member extending in a vehicle lateral direction from the first side member to the second side member, a first end of the cross-member being fixedly attached to the first side member and a second end of the cross-member being fixedly attached to the second side member;
an off-center impact reinforcement structure having portion thereof located outboard of one of the first side member or the second side member; and
a beam having a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to one of the first side member or the second side member at a location spaced apart from the cross-member and the second end being connected to the cross-member at a location spaced apart from both the first side member and the second side member such that the beam is angularly offset from the cross-member with an angle of between 35 and 60 degrees defined between the cross-member and the beam, and wherein
the first end of the beam is connected to the one of the first side member and the second side member by an attachment bracket such that the first end of the beam is spaced apart from the one of the first side member and the second side member with a gap being defined between the first end of the beam and the one of the first side member and the second side member.

9. The vehicle structure according to claim 8 , wherein
the portion of the off-center impact reinforcement structure is located forward of the cross-member and the beam relative to the vehicle longitudinal direction.

10. The vehicle structure according to claim 8 , wherein
the second end of the beam is supported to a mid-portion of the cross-member via another attachment bracket such that the second end of the beam is spaced apart from the mid-portion of the cross-member with another gap being defined between the second end of the beam and the mid-portion of the cross-member.

11. The vehicle structure according to claim 8 , further comprising
a vehicle suspension structure that includes a first coil spring support and a second coil spring support that are attached to respective outboard surfaces of the first side member and the second side member and extend in respective outboard directions away from respective ones of the outboard surfaces of the first side member and the second side member.

12. The vehicle structure according to claim 8 , further comprising
a first body attachment flange and a second body attachment flange that are attached to respective outboard surfaces of the first side member and the second side member and extend in respective outboard directions away from respective ones of the outboard surfaces of the first side member and the second side member.

13. The vehicle structure according to claim 8 , wherein
the first end of the beam is a rear end of the beam.

14. The vehicle structure according to claim 8 , wherein
the first end of the beam is connected to the attachment bracket by a removable fastener.

15. A vehicle structure comprising:
a vehicle frame having a first side member, a second side member and a cross-member, the first side member and the second side member extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction, the cross-member extending in a vehicle lateral direction from the first side member to the second side member, a first end of the cross-member being fixedly attached to the first side member and a second end of the cross-member being fixedly attached to the second side member;
a first beam having a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to one of the first side member or the second side member at a location spaced apart from the cross-member and the second end being connected to the cross-member at a location spaced apart from both the first side member and the second side member such that the beam is angularly offset from the cross-member with an angle of between 35 and 60 degrees defined between the cross-member and the beam; and
a second beam having a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the other of the first side member or the second side member at a location spaced apart from the cross-member and the second end being connected to

Assignees

• Nissan North America Inc

Inventors

• Hartley Christopher
• Grattan Patrick
• Buratto Joseph
• Mcconnell Perry
• Mcgory Michael

Classifications

• 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

• B62D25/08

  Front or rear portions {(sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11)} · CPC title

• B62D21/155 Primary

  Sub-frames or underguards · CPC title

• B62D21/02

  comprising longitudinally or transversely arranged frame members · 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