Vehicle frame assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11260748-B2
Application number	US-201916565834-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 10, 2019
Priority date	Sep 10, 2019
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

An assembly includes a vehicle frame having a crossmember defining a passage. The assembly includes a drive unit supported by the crossmember in the passage. The assembly includes a stabilizer fixed to the drive unit, the stabilizer permitting movement of the drive unit in a first direction relative to the passage and restricting movement of the drive unit in a second direction opposite the first direction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assembly, comprising:
a vehicle frame having a crossmember defining a passage;
a bushing within the passage;
a drive unit supported by the bushing in the passage; and
a stabilizer fixed to the drive unit, the stabilizer defining an outer width greater than a diameter of the passage, the stabilizer permitting movement of the drive unit in a first direction relative to the passage and restricting movement of the drive unit in a second direction opposite the first direction, the stabilizer including a sloped surface extending from within the passage to outside the passage, the sloped surface extending rearward from the crossmember and radially outward relative to the passage.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a drive shaft operatively coupled to the drive unit.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the passage extends between open ends that are spaced along an axis that is perpendicular to the crossmember.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle frame includes frame rails, the crossmember fixed to the frame rails.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the drive unit includes a housing and a plurality of gears within the housing.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the drive unit includes a support shaft within the passage.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an energy storage device supported by the vehicle frame, the drive unit between the energy storage device and the crossmember.

8. The assembly of claim 7 , wherein the energy storage device is a fuel tank.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizer includes a conical surface extending from within the passage to outside the passage.

10. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the drive unit is forward of the crossmember.

11. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an energy storage device forward of the drive unit.

12. An assembly, comprising:
a vehicle frame having a crossmember defining a passage;
a drive unit supported by the crossmember in the passage; and
a stabilizer fixed to the drive unit, the stabilizer permitting movement of the drive unit in a first direction relative to the passage and restricting movement of the drive unit in a second direction opposite the first direction, the stabilizer including a plurality of members extending radially outward, each member of the plurality members moveable from a contracted position to an expanded position, the contracted position defining a first width equal to or less than a diameter of the passage and the expanded position defining a second width greater than the diameter of the passage.

13. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein the stabilizer includes a spring urging at least one of the members from the contracted position to the expanded position.

14. The assembly of claim 12 , wherein crossmember maintains the stabilizer in the contracted position.

15. An assembly, comprising:
a vehicle frame having a crossmember defining a passage;
a bushing within the passage;
a drive unit supported by the bushing in the passage; and
a stabilizer fixed to the drive unit, the stabilizer defining an outer width greater than a diameter of the passage, the stabilizer permitting movement of the drive unit in a first direction relative to the passage and restricting movement of the drive unit in a second direction opposite the first direction, the stabilizer including a pair of members extending radially outward opposite each other.

16. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein each of the members are moveable from a contracted position to an expanded position, the contracted position defining a first width equal to or less than a diameter of the passage and the expanded position defining the outer width greater than the diameter of the passage.

17. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein the stabilizer includes a spring urging at least one of the members from the contracted position to the expanded position.

18. The assembly of claim 16 , wherein the crossmember maintains the stabilizer in the contracted position.

19. The assembly of claim 15 , wherein the outer width of the stabilizer is defined by distal ends of the pair of members.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Jun Garam
• Hyde Joseph
• Hebbale Harsha
• Makowski Matthew B
• Abramczyk Joseph

Classifications

• B60K17/24

  Arrangement of mountings for shafting · CPC title

• B60K15/067

  Mounting of tanks · CPC title

• B60K5/00

  Arrangement or mounting of internal-combustion or jet-propulsion units (B60K7/00 takes precedence; arrangement or mounting of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion B60K6/00) · CPC title

• B62D21/02 Primary

  comprising longitudinally or transversely arranged frame members · CPC title

• B62D21/152

  Front or rear frames · CPC title