Vehicle body-variant adaptable shock tower system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11034387-B2
Application number	US-201916514133-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2019
Priority date	Jul 17, 2019
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

A vehicle body-variant adaptable shock tower system for a vehicle body structure having an axis, a vehicle frame rail arranged along the axis, a bulkhead arranged orthogonally relative to the frame rail. The system includes a shock tower spaced apart from the bulkhead and fixed to the frame rail. The system also includes a shock tower cap defining a plurality of receivers and a plurality of braces, wherein the number of braces corresponds to the body-variant. Each brace extends from the shock tower through a respective one of the receivers to the bulkhead, and is fixed to the shock tower and the bulkhead. The system additionally includes an adhesive applied between the shock tower cap, the plurality of braces, and the shock tower to thereby bond the shock tower cap, the braces, and the shock tower to each other and reinforce the vehicle body structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle body-variant adaptable shock tower system for a vehicle body structure having a vehicle body axis, a vehicle frame rail arranged along the vehicle body axis, and a bulkhead arranged orthogonally relative to the vehicle frame rail, the shock tower system comprising:
a shock tower spaced apart from the bulkhead and fixed to the vehicle frame rail;
a shock tower cap defining a plurality of receivers;
a plurality of braces, wherein a number of the braces corresponds to the vehicle body-variant, and wherein each of the braces extends from the shock tower through a respective one of the plurality of receivers to the bulkhead, and is fixed to the shock tower and the bulkhead; and
an adhesive applied between the shock tower cap, the plurality of braces, and the shock tower to thereby bond the shock tower cap, the plurality of braces, and the shock tower to each other and reinforce the vehicle body structure.

2. The shock tower system of claim 1 , wherein:
the vehicle body-variant is a coupe;
the plurality of braces is two braces; and
each of the two braces extends at an angle equal to or greater than 20 degrees relative to the vehicle body axis.

3. The shock tower system of claim 1 , wherein:
the vehicle body-variant is a convertible;
the plurality of braces is three braces; and
a first one of the three braces extends at an angle equal to or greater than 20 degrees relative to the vehicle body axis, a second one of the three braces extends at an angle between zero and 10 degrees relative to the vehicle body axis, and a third one of the three braces is a curved member extending from the shock tower orthogonally relative to the vehicle frame rail and extending from the bulkhead along the vehicle body axis.

4. The shock tower system of claim 1 , wherein the shock tower is formed as a high-integrity aluminum die-casting.

5. The shock tower system of claim 4 , wherein yield strength of the material of the shock tower is in a range of 130-160 MPa.

6. The shock tower system of claim 1 , wherein the shock tower cap is a high-integrity aluminum die-casting.

7. The shock tower system of claim 6 , wherein yield strength of the material of the shock tower cap is in a range of 130-160 MPa.

8. The shock tower system of claim 1 , further comprising a fastener configured to extend through shock tower cap and into one of the plurality of braces to thereby supplement the adhesive and fix the shock tower cap to the respective brace.

9. The shock tower system of claim 8 , wherein the shock tower cap defines a pre-generated aperture configured to accept the fastener, and wherein the fastener is a blind rivet.

10. The shock tower system of claim 8 , wherein the shock tower cap is characterized by an absence of a pre-generated aperture configured to accept the fastener, and wherein the fastener is a flow drill screw configured to generate a fastener aperture by locally melting material of the shock tower cap.

11. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle body structure having a vehicle body axis and a vehicle frame rail arranged along the vehicle body axis;
a bulkhead arranged orthogonally relative to the vehicle frame rail and fixed thereto; and
a vehicle body-variant adaptable structural shock tower system including:
a shock tower spaced apart from the bulkhead and fixed to the vehicle frame rail;
a shock tower cap defining a plurality of receivers;
a plurality of braces, wherein a number of the braces corresponds to the vehicle body-variant, and wherein each of the braces extends from the shock tower through a respective one of the plurality of receivers to the bulkhead, and is fixed to the shock tower and the bulkhead; and
an adhesive applied between the shock tower cap, the plurality of braces, and the shock tower to thereby bond the shock tower cap, the plurality of braces, and the shock tower to each other and reinforce the vehicle body structure.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein:
the vehicle body-variant is a coupe;
the plurality of braces is two braces; and
each of the two braces extends at an angle equal to or greater than 20 degrees relative to the vehicle body axis.

13. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein:
the vehicle body-variant is a convertible;
the plurality of braces is three braces; and
a first one of the three braces extends at an angle equal to or greater than 20 degrees relative to the vehicle body axis, a second one of the three braces extends at an angle between zero and 10 degrees relative to the vehicle body axis, and a third one of the three braces is a curved member extending from the shock tower orthogonally relative to the vehicle frame rail and extending from the bulkhead along the vehicle body axis.

14. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the shock tower is formed as a high-integrity aluminum die-casting having a yield strength in a range of 130-160 MPa.

15. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the shock tower cap is a high-integrity aluminum die-casting.

16. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein yield strength of the material of the shock tower cap is in a range of 130-160 MPa.

17. The vehicle of claim 11 , further comprising a fastener configured to extend through shock tower cap and into one of the plurality of braces to thereby supplement the adhesive and fix the shock tower cap to the respective brace.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the shock tower cap defines a pre-generated aperture configured to accept the fastener, and wherein the fastener is a blind rivet.

19. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the shock tower cap is characterized by an absence of a pre-generated aperture configured to accept the fastener, and wherein the fastener is a flow drill screw configured to generate a fastener aperture by locally melting material of the shock tower cap.

20. A vehicle body-variant adaptable shock tower system for a vehicle body structure having a vehicle body axis, a vehicle frame rail arranged along the vehicle body axis, and a bulkhead arranged orthogonally relative to the vehicle frame rail, the shock tower system comprising:
a shock tower spaced apart from the bulkhead and fixed to the vehicle frame rail;
a shock tower cap defining a plurality of receivers;
a plurality of braces, wherein a number of the braces corresponds to the vehicle body-variant, and wherein each of the braces extends from the shock tower through a respective one of the plurality of receivers to the bulkhead, and is fixed to the shock tower and the bulkhead;
an adhesive applied between the shock tower cap, the plurality of braces, and the shock tower to thereby bond the shock tower cap, the plurality of braces, and the shock tower to each other and reinforce the vehicle body structure; and
a fastener configured to extend through shock tower cap and into one of the plurality of braces to thereby supplement the adhesive and fix the shock tower cap to the respective brace.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Moss Edward D
• Mcguire Mark J
• Parlow Peter M
• Jackson John J
• Mosher Jeffrey A

Classifications

• B62D25/087

  Luggage compartments · CPC title

• B62D21/09

  Means for mounting load bearing surfaces · CPC title

• B62D21/152

  Front or rear frames · CPC title

• B62D25/088 Primary

  Details of structures as upper supports for springs or dampers · CPC title

• B62D29/008

  predominantly of light alloys, e.g. extruded · CPC title