Tubular frame structure for a three-wheeled motor vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8955632-B2
Application number	US-201213600436-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2012
Priority date	Sep 3, 2011
Publication date	Feb 17, 2015
Grant date	Feb 17, 2015

Abstract

A tubular frame structure is provided for a three-wheeled motor vehicle with an top upper frame extending in the vehicle longitudinal and vehicle transverse direction, and with a lower frame extending in vehicle longitudinal direction and vehicle transverse direction, which is structurally connected with the upper frame via several connecting tubes extending substantially in the vehicle vertical direction, to form at least one energy absorption structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tubular frame structure for a motor vehicle having two wheels when viewed in a direction of travel corresponding to a vehicle longitudinal direction, the tubular frame structure comprising:
an upper frame extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction and a vehicle transverse direction and having a first front end section, a first rear end section, and a first intermediate section that couples the first front end section to the first rear end section, wherein the first intermediate section projects obliquely outwards contrary to the direction of travel, the upper frame comprising:
a first plurality of longitudinal tubes spaced apart from one another laterally and being aligned substantially parallel to one another and running substantially in the vehicle longitudinal direction, the first plurality of longitudinal tubes comprising a first front longitudinal tube, a second front longitudinal tube, a third rear longitudinal tube and a fourth rear longitudinal tube;
a first transverse tube that structurally connects the first and the second front longitudinal tubes with one another at the first front end section;
a first intermediate tube that structurally connects the first front longitudinal tube to the third rear longitudinal tube, and a second intermediate tube that structurally connects the second front longitudinal tube to the fourth rear longitudinal tube; and
a first traverse member that extends substantially in the vehicle transverse direction and that structurally connects first and second intermediate tubes with one another in a region of the intermediate section;

a lower frame extending in the vehicle longitudinal direction and the vehicle transverse direction and having a second front end section, a second rear end section and a second intermediate section that couples the second front end section to the second rear end section, wherein the second intermediate section projects obliquely outwards contrary to the direction of travel, the lower frame comprising:
a second plurality of longitudinal tubes, spaced apart from one another laterally and being aligned substantially parallel to one another and running substantially in the vehicle longitudinal direction; and
a plurality of second transverse tubes that structurally connect the second plurality of longitudinal tubes with one another at the second front end section and at the second rear end section; and

a plurality of connecting tubes extending substantially in a vehicle vertical direction that are configured to structurally connect the upper frame and the lower frame to form an energy absorption structure; and
a roll bar structurally coupling the third rear longitudinal tube and the fourth rear longitudinal tube, the roll bar being arranged extending in a plane formed by the vehicle vertical direction and the vehicle transverse direction.

2. The tubular frame structure according to claim 1 , wherein the upper frame is aligned substantially parallel to the lower frame and spaced apart in the vehicle vertical direction.

3. The tubular frame structure according to claim 1 , wherein the upper frame and the lower frame are structurally connected in the region of the first and second rear end sections via a strut extending in the vehicle vertical direction and the vehicle longitudinal direction.

4. The tubular frame structure according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one outwardly projecting battery holding structure coupled between the upper frame and the lower frame.

5. The tubular frame structure according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an outwardly projecting battery holding structure,
wherein the second plurality of longitudinal tubes comprise a first rear longitudinal tube and a second rear longitudinal tube that are structurally connected to one another via the outwardly projecting battery holding structure.

6. The tubular frame structure according to claim 5 , wherein the outwardly projecting
battery holding structure that lies behind a front axle of the motor vehicle.

7. The tubular frame structure according to claim 1 , wherein the upper frame is constructed as a main frame and, viewed in the vehicle vertical direction, comes to lie at a height of a bumper structure.

Assignees

• Schurna Thorsten
• Boettcher Curd-Sigmund
• Gm Global Tech Operations Inc

Inventors

• Schurna Thorsten
• Boettcher Curd-Sigmund

Classifications

• B62D31/003 Primary

  compact cars, e.g. city cars · CPC title

• B62D23/005

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

• B60K1/04

  of the electric storage means for propulsion · CPC title

• B62D61/065

  with single rear wheel · CPC title

• Y10S180/908

  Motor vehicles with short wheelbase · CPC title