Modular frame assembly for a vehicle and vehicle having same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020017153-A1
Application number	US-201816034864-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 13, 2018
Priority date	Jul 13, 2018
Publication date	Jan 16, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A frame assembly for a vehicle can include a fixed frame assembly, a removable frame assembly and a bracket. The fixed frame assembly can include a rear frame member extending along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The removable frame assembly can be selectively removed and attached to the fixed frame assembly. The removable frame assembly can include a tubular frame member extending along the rear end of the fixed frame assembly, and can be configured to deform in a predictable and predetermined controlled manner if a load or kinetic energy input to the tubular frame member is greater than a first predetermined threshold. The bracket can be connected to the tubular member and the rear frame member, and the bracket can be configured to deform in a predictable and predetermined controlled manner if a load or kinetic energy input to the bracket is greater than a second predetermined threshold.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A frame assembly for a vehicle comprising:
a fixed frame assembly including a rear frame member extending along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and ending at a rear end of the fixed frame assembly; a removable frame assembly configured to be selectively removed and attached to the fixed frame assembly, the removable frame assembly includes a tubular frame member extending along the rear end of the fixed frame assembly, and the tubular frame member is configured to deform in a predetermined controlled manner if a load or kinetic energy input to the tubular frame member is greater than a first predetermined threshold; and a bracket connected to each of the tubular member and the rear frame member, and the bracket is configured to deform in a predetermined controlled manner if a load or kinetic energy input to the bracket is greater than a second predetermined threshold.

2 . The frame assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the bracket includes,
a base connected to the rear frame member, and at least one arm connected to and extending away from the base, the at least one arm is connected to the tubular frame member.

3 . The frame assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the arm extends along each of the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and a vertical direction of the vehicle.

4 . The frame assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the arm extends from the tubular frame member to the rear frame member along a vertical direction of the vehicle such that the base is located at a position along the vertical direction of the vehicle that is spaced above the tubular frame member.

5 . The frame assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the arm extends from the tubular frame member to the rear frame member along a vertical direction of the vehicle such that the base is located at a position along the vertical direction of the vehicle that is spaced below the tubular frame member.

6 . The frame assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the fixed frame structure further includes a second bracket connected to and extending away from the rear frame member, and the second bracket is connected to the bracket.

7 . The frame assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the fixed frame structure further includes a second bracket connected to and extending away from the rear frame member, and
the frame assembly further comprises a threaded fastener assembly that passes through each of the bracket and the second bracket and selectively and removably connects the bracket to the second bracket.

8 . The frames assembly according to claim 1 , wherein bracket includes a pair of arms and a base, each of the arms is connected to and extends away from the base, each of the arms is connected to the tubular frame member, and each of the arms is spaced apart from each other in a transverse direction of the vehicle.

9 . The frame assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the bracket includes a pair of arms and a base, each of the arms is connected to the base at a respective first end and connected to the tubular member at a second end, the first ends of the arms are spaced apart in a transverse direction of the vehicle by a first distance, and the second ends of the arms are spaced apart in the transverse direction of the vehicle by a second distance that is greater than the first distance.

10 . The rear frame assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the tubular frame member has a circular cross-sectional shape and extends along a transverse direction of the vehicle.

11 . A modular frame assembly for a vehicle comprising:
a fixed frame assembly including a plurality of frame members fixed in a predetermined spatial relationship to each other, the plurality of frame members including at least a pair of rear frame members fixed relative to each other and extending along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle; a removable frame assembly configured to be selectively removable and attachable to the fixed frame assembly at a plurality of predetermined locations on the fixed frame assembly, the removable frame assembly includes a tubular member configured to deform in a predetermined controlled manner if a load or kinetic energy input to the tubular member is greater than a first predetermined threshold; and a pair of brackets, each of the brackets is connected to the tubular member and a respective one of the rear frame members, and each of the brackets is configured to deform in a predetermined controlled manner if a load or kinetic energy input to the respective one of the brackets is greater than a second predetermined threshold.

12 . The modular frame assembly according to claim 11 , wherein each of the brackets includes,
a first base connected to the rear frame member, a second based connected to the rear frame member, a pair of first arms connected to and extending from each of the first base and the tubular frame member, and a pair of second arms connected to and extending from each of the second base and the tubular frame member.

13 . The modular frame assembly according to claim 12 , wherein
each of the pair of first arms includes a first end connected to the first base and a second end connected to the tubular member, each of the pair of second arms includes a first end connected to the second base and a second end connected to the tubular member, the first based is spaced away from the second base by a first distance along a vertical direction of the vehicle, and each of the second ends of the first arms is spaced away from a respective one of the second ends of the second arms by a second distance along a vertical direction of the vehicle, and the second distance is less than the first distance.

14 . The modular frame assembly according to claim 12 , wherein each of the brackets further includes,
a first bridge member connecting to and extending from each of a first one of the first arms and a first one of the second arms, a second bridge member connecting to and extending from each of a second one of the first arms and a second one of the second arms.

15 . The modular frame assembly according to claim 14 , wherein each of the first and second bridge members is connected to and abuts the tubular frame member.

16 . The modular frame assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the fixed frame assembly further includes,
a pair of second brackets, each of the second brackets is connected to and extends away from a respective one of the rear frame members, and each of the second brackets is connected to a respective one of the first bases, and a pair of third brackets, each of the third brackets is connected to and extends away from a respective one of the rear frame members, and each of the third brackets is connected to a respective one of the second bases.

17 . The modular frame assembly according to claim 16 , wherein each of the second brackets is spaced away from a respective one of the third brackets.

18 . The modular frame assembly according to claim 16 , wherein each of the second brackets extends away from the respective one of the rear frame members in a first direction, and each of the third brackets extends away from the respective one of the rear frame members in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.

19 . An all-terrain vehicle comprising:
a fixed frame assembly including,
a main frame assembly including a plurality of main frame members connected together to define a first portion of a passenger compartment, each of a pair of the main frame members incl

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Barkey Travis
• Wilson Iii Robert T
• Hinders Dustin L
• Kirtland Dakota D
• Papa Ashalatha

Classifications

• B62D27/065

  using screwthread (connection of crossbeam to A- pillars B62D25/147; mounting load bearing surfaces B62D21/09; securing mudguards B62D25/163; connections for synthetic parts B62D29/048) · CPC title

• B62D23/005

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

• B60G2206/606

  Complex constructions · CPC title

• B62D21/183 Primary

  specially adapted for sports vehicles, e.g. race, dune buggies, go-karts (tubular skeleton B62D23/005) · CPC title

• B60G2200/1442

  including longitudinal rods · CPC title