Notches of frame rails of three-wheeled vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12179840-B2
Application number	US-202318307250-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2023
Priority date	Apr 26, 2023
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

A vehicle includes a vehicle frame including a first frame rail, a second frame rail spaced cross-vehicle from the first frame rail, and a middle frame rail between the first frame rail and the second frame rail. The first frame rail and the second frame rail each have a vehicle-inboard side facing toward the middle frame rail. The vehicle-inboard sides each define a plurality of notches. The middle frame rail has a downward side facing downwardly and perpendicular to the vehicle-inboard sides. The downward side defining a plurality of notches. The vehicle frame has a rear cross-member and a front cross-member spaced vehicle-forward of the rear cross-member. The rear cross-member and the front cross-member are between the first frame rail and the second frame rail. The notches of the vehicle-inboard sides and the notches of the downward side are between the rear cross-member and the front cross-member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle frame including a first frame rail, a second frame rail spaced cross-vehicle from the first frame rail, and a middle frame rail between the first frame rail and the second frame rail, the middle frame rail being on a longitudinal axis of the vehicle frame that is spaced equidistantly from the first frame rail and the second frame rail;
the first frame rail and the second frame rail each having a vehicle-inboard side facing toward the middle frame rail, the vehicle-inboard sides each defining a plurality of notches;
the middle frame rail having a downward side facing downwardly in a plane perpendicular to the vehicle-inboard sides, the downward side defining a plurality of notches;
the vehicle frame having a rear cross-member and a front cross-member spaced vehicle-forward of the rear cross-member, the rear cross-member and the front cross-member are between the first frame rail and the second frame rail; and
the notches of the vehicle-inboard sides and the notches of the downward side are between the rear cross-member and the front cross-member; and
a front wheel vehicle-forward of the vehicle frame, the front wheel being on the longitudinal axis of the vehicle frame.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first frame rail, the second frame rail, and the middle frame rail are elongated along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle frame, the notches of the vehicle-inboard sides and the notches of the downward side are spaced equidistantly along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle frame.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the front cross-member and the rear cross-member are elongated along a cross-vehicle axis, the notches of the downward side being elongated along the cross-vehicle axis.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle-inboard sides are elongated along a vertical axis, the notches of the vehicle-inboard sides being elongated along the vertical axis.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the notches of the vehicle-inboard sides face toward the middle frame rail.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first frame rail and the second frame rail include a vehicle-outboard side spaced vehicle-outboard from the vehicle-inboard side, a distance between the vehicle-inboard side and the vehicle-outboard side being larger between the notches than at the notches.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second front cross-member spaced cross-vehicle from the front cross-member;
the front cross-member extending from the first frame rail toward the middle frame rail and the second front cross-member extending from the second frame rail toward the middle frame rail;
a second rear cross-member spaced cross-vehicle from the rear cross-member; and
the rear cross-member extending from the first frame rail to the middle frame rail and the second rear cross-member extending from the second frame rail to the middle frame rail.

8. The vehicle of claim 7 , wherein the notches of the first frame rail are spaced equidistantly from the front cross-member to the rear cross-member and the notches of the second frame rail are spaced equidistantly from the second front cross-member to the second rear cross-member.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the middle frame rail is spaced vehicle-inboard from the first frame rail and the second frame rail.

10. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the middle frame rail is elongated from the rear cross-member to a distal end, the notches of the downward side being spaced equidistantly between the rear cross-member and the distal end.

11. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first frame rail, the second frame rail, and the middle frame rail are designed to be deformable along the notches when a force is applied along the middle rail.

12. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a seat positioned adjacent the rear cross-member.

13. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the notches of the vehicle-inboard side and the notches of the downward side are vehicle-forward of the seat.

14. The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the front cross-member is vehicle-forward of the seat.

15. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first frame rail, the second frame rail, and the middle frame rail are designed to be deformable along the notches when a force is applied at the front wheel.

16. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising:
a steering post connected to the front wheel to turn the front wheel; and
a member extending upwardly from the middle frame rail to the steering post.

17. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein vehicle-forward ends of the first frame rail and the second frame rail move upwardly and vehicle-inboard as the notches of the vehicle-inboard sides of the first and second frame rails deform, and a vehicle-forward end of the middle frame rail moves upwardly as the notches of the downward side of the middle frame rail deform.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Nusier Saied
• Belwafa Jamel E
• Sundararajan Srinivasan
• Arora Rahul

Classifications

• B62D21/02

  comprising longitudinally or transversely arranged frame members · CPC title

• B62D61/08

  with single front wheel · CPC title

• B62D21/15 Primary

  having impact absorbing means, e.g. a frame designed to permanently or temporarily change shape or dimension upon impact with another body (bumpers B60R19/02; shock absorbers in general F16F) · CPC title