Casting, hollow interconnecting member for connecting vehicular frame members, and vehicular frame assembly including hollow interconnecting member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11358644-B2
Application number	US-202016853505-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2020
Priority date	Aug 28, 2015
Publication date	Jun 14, 2022
Grant date	Jun 14, 2022

Abstract

A hollow interconnecting member for connecting vehicular frame members is provided. The hollow interconnecting member is formed of a metal material and defines a centerline. The hollow interconnecting member comprises a first end and a second end. The centerline extends through the first end and the second end. A plurality of walls cooperate to define a continuous passageway that extends between the first end and the second end and defines a first opening and a second opening at the first end and the second end, respectively. The hollow interconnecting member is formed as an as-cast one-piece construction.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicular frame assembly defining a substantially horizontal longitudinal axis and comprising:
at least one hollow interconnecting member for connecting vehicular frame members, the hollow interconnecting member being a metal material and defining a centerline, the hollow interconnecting member comprising:
a front end;
a rear end, the centerline extending between the front end and the rear end;
a plurality of walls that cooperate to define a continuous passageway that extends between the front end to the rear end and defines a front opening and a rear opening at the front end and the rear end, respectively; wherein:
said at least one hollow interconnecting member has an overall length;
each wall of the plurality of walls overlies a substantial portion of an area disposed between adjacent walls and the first end and the second end of said at least one hollow interconnecting member; and
said at least one hollow interconnecting member is an as-cast one-piece member and comprises a deformation feature, wherein each of the walls has a thickness and the thickness of the deformation feature is substantially the same as the thickness of at least one of the walls adjacent to the deformation feature;

at least one forward frame member coupled to the front end of said at least one hollow interconnecting member, said at least one forward frame member being a first material; and
at least one rearward frame member coupled to the rear end of said at least one hollow interconnecting member, said at least one rearward frame member being a second material;
wherein said at least one forward frame member is more susceptible to deformation than said at least one hollow interconnecting member in response to a substantially identical force applied to each of said at least one forward interconnecting member and said at least one forward frame member along the longitudinal axis.

2. The vehicular frame assembly of claim 1 , wherein said at least one hollow interconnecting member further comprises a lateral rib member that extends from at least one of the plurality of walls into the continuous passageway and the lateral rib cooperates with at least one wall to define an opening through which the continuous passageway is routed.

3. The vehicular frame assembly of claim 1 , wherein said at least one forward frame member extends into the front opening and said at least one rearward frame member extends into the rear opening, wherein said at least one hollow interconnecting member further comprises:
a front stop member that extends from at least one wall and is positioned to interact with said at least one forward frame member to prevent said at least one forward member from sliding past the front stop member; and
a rear stop member that extends from at least one wall and positioned to interact with said at least one rearward frame member to prevent said at least one rearward member from sliding past the rear stop member.

4. The vehicular frame assembly of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the deformation feature is substantially the same as the thickness of each of the walls that are adjacent to the deformation feature.

5. The vehicular frame assembly of claim 1 wherein:
said at least one hollow interconnecting member comprises an upper left hollow interconnecting member and an upper right hollow interconnecting member;
said at least one forward frame member comprises an upper left forward frame member and an upper right forward frame member;
the upper left forward frame member is coupled to the front end of the upper left hollow interconnecting member; and
the upper right forward frame member is coupled to the front end of the upper right hollow interconnecting member.

6. The vehicular frame assembly of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the walls of the upper left hollow interconnecting member comprises an upper left deformation feature and at least one of the walls of the upper right hollow interconnecting member comprises an upper right deformation feature.

7. The vehicular frame assembly of claim 6 , wherein:
said at least one hollow interconnecting member further comprises a lower left hollow interconnecting member and a lower right hollow interconnecting member;
said at least one forward frame member further comprises a lower left forward frame member and a lower right forward frame member;
the lower left forward frame member is coupled to the front end of the lower left hollow interconnecting member; and
the lower right forward frame member is coupled to the front end of the lower right hollow interconnecting member.

8. The vehicular frame assembly of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the walls of the lower left hollow interconnecting member comprises a lower left deformation feature and at least one of the walls of the lower right hollow interconnecting member comprises a lower right deformation feature, wherein each of the lower left deformation feature and the lower right deformation feature comprises a groove that extends along a substantially horizontal centerline.

9. The vehicular frame assembly of claim 8 , wherein the lower left hollow interconnecting member and the lower right hollow interconnecting member are more susceptible to deformation than the upper left hollow interconnecting member and the upper right hollow interconnecting member in response to a substantially identical force applied to each of the lower left hollow interconnecting member, the lower right hollow interconnecting member, the upper left hollow interconnecting member, and the upper right hollow interconnecting member in a direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.

10. The vehicular frame assembly of claim 9 , wherein the lower left deformation feature and the lower right deformation feature are more susceptible to cracking than the upper left deformation feature and the upper right deformation in response to a substantially identical force applied to each of the lower left hollow interconnecting member, the lower right hollow interconnecting member, the upper left hollow interconnecting member, and the upper right hollow interconnecting member in a direction that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.

11. The vehicular frame assembly of claim 7 , further comprising:
a lateral support coupled to each of the upper right hollow interconnecting member and the upper left hollow interconnecting member; and
a motor, wherein the motor is coupled to and suspended from the lateral support.

12. A vehicle comprising the vehicular frame assembly of claim 1 .

13. A vehicular frame assembly defining a substantially horizontal longitudinal axis and comprising:
an upper hollow interconnecting member for connecting vehicular frame members, the upper hollow interconnecting member being a metal material and comprising:
a front end;
a rear end;
a plurality of walls that cooperate to define a continuous passageway that extends between the front end to the rear end and defines a front opening and a rear opening at the front end and the rear end, respectively; and
an upper deformation feature;
wherein each wall of the plurality of walls overlies a substantial portion of an area disposed between adjacent walls and the first end and the second end of said hollow interconnecting member; and

a lower hollow interconnecting member for connecting vehicular frame members, the lower hollow interconnecting member being a metal material and comprising:
a front end;
a rear end;
a plurality of walls that cooperate to define a continuous passageway that extends between the front end to the rear end and defines a front opening and a rear

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Dressel Brian E
• Kakarla Rajendra L
• Hardesty Jason T
• Bakun Andrew George
• Hothem Kevin A
• Bray Brian C
• Yamada Hirotomo

Classifications

• B22D21/007

  with low melting point, e.g. Al 659 degrees C, Mg 650 degrees C · CPC title

• B62D21/152 Primary

  Front or rear frames · CPC title

• B62D23/005

  with integrated chassis in the whole shell, e.g. meshwork, tubes, or the like (B62D33/044 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B62D21/11

  with resilient means for suspension {, e.g. of wheels or engine; sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions} · CPC title