Vehicle frame component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9233716-B2
Application number	US-201414292664-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2014
Priority date	May 30, 2014
Publication date	Jan 12, 2016
Grant date	Jan 12, 2016

Abstract

A body on frame vehicle includes a SORB impact load management system including front blocker structures for limiting transfer of the SORB impact loads from being transferred to the passenger compartment area. A SORB impact load transfer apparatus in the form of a cable extends between the front end horns of the side rails of the frame to transfer SORB impact loads from the impacted side across the vehicle frame. In a second embodiment of the impact load transfer apparatus, the ends of the cables are coupled to the front sides of the front blocker structures and the cable is routed through the front end horns of the side rails of the frame to transfer SORB impact loads from the impacted side across the vehicle frame.

First claim

We claim:

1. A small overlap impact load transfer system for use in a vehicle having front wheels and tires and a vehicle frame having first and second side frame rails and a cross frame member located forward and proximal the front wheels and tires and wherein the each side frame rail includes a horn portion extending in a car forward direction and distal from the cross frame member, the small overlap impact load transfer system for managing the transfer of impact loads during a small overlap frontal impact to the vehicle, the small overlap impact load transfer system comprising:
a. a first front blocker structure for coupling to the first side frame rail at a location forward of and proximal the front wheel and tire of the vehicle, the first front blocker structure extending outward from the first side frame member;
b. a second front blocker structure for coupling to the second side frame rail at a location forward of and proximal the front wheel and tire of the vehicle, the second front blocker structure extending outward from the second side frame member; and
c. a load transfer member having a first end for coupling to the first front blocker structure a second end for coupling to the second front blocker structure and wherein the load transfer member is designed to be routed through passages in the first and second horn portions of the first and second side frame rails for transferring small overlap impact loads from one of the first and second front blocker structures to the other of the first and second blocker structures.

2. The small overlap impact load transfer system of claim 1 wherein the load transfer member is strong in tension and compliant in compression.

3. The small overlap impact load transfer system of claim 1 wherein the load transfer member comprises a cable.

4. A vehicle comprising:
a. front wheels and tires coupled to the vehicle;
b. a vehicle frame having first and second side frame rails and a cross frame member located rearward and distal the front wheels and tires and wherein each of the first and second side frame rails include a horn portion located distal and forward of the cross frame member;
c. a front blocker structure coupled to the first side frame rail at a location forward of and proximal the front wheel and tire of the vehicle, the front blocker structure extending outward from the first side frame rail;
d. a second front blocker structure coupled to the second side frame rail at a location forward of and proximal the front wheel and tire of the vehicle, the second front blocker structure extending outward from the second side frame rail in a direction substantially opposite the first front blocker structure;
e. a load transfer member having a first end for coupling to the first front blocker structure and a second end for coupling to the second front blocker structure and wherein the load transfer member is designed to be routed through passages in the first and second horn portions of the first and second side frame rails for transferring small overlap impact loads from one of the first and second front blocker structures to the other of the first and second blocker structures.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 further comprising a body for coupling to the vehicle frame.

6. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the load transfer member is strong in tension and compliant in compression.

7. The vehicle of claim 4 wherein the load transfer member comprises a cable.

8. The vehicle claim 7 wherein the load transfer member comprises a cable.

9. A vehicle frame comprising:
a first frame rail and a second frame rail spaced from the first frame rail;
a blocker cantilevered from the first frame rail and configured to engage a vehicle wheel during an offset frontal impact; and
a cable extending from the first frame rail to the second frame rail.

10. The vehicle frame of claim 9 wherein the cable extends from the first frame rail to the blocker.

11. The vehicle frame of claim 9 wherein the first frame rail includes passage, and wherein the cable extends from the second frame rail through the passage to the blocker.

12. The vehicle frame of claim 9 further comprising a second blocker cantilevered from the second frame rail and configured to engage a vehicle wheel during an offset frontal impact, and wherein the cable extends from the first frame rail to the blocker, and wherein the cable extends from the second frame rail to the second blocker.

13. The vehicle frame of claim 12 wherein the cable is anchored to the blocker and the second blocker.

14. The vehicle frame of claim 12 wherein the first frame rail and the second frame rail each define a passage and the cable extends through the passages.

15. The vehicle frame of claim 9 wherein the cable is anchored to the first frame rail and the second frame rail.

16. The vehicle frame of claim 9 wherein the cable extends along a straight line from the first frame rail to the second frame rail.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Midoun Djamal Eddine
• Alwan Jamil M
• Buchwitz Joe L
• Salenbauch Hermann J
• Mayes Steven
• Leff Yaffe Jonatan

Classifications

• B62D21/152 Primary

  Front or rear frames · CPC title

• B62D21/155 Primary

  Sub-frames or underguards · CPC title