Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Body shell
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-24
2001-03-06
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Body shell
C296S198000, C296S203020, C296S209000, C296S030000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196621
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to motor vehicles. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for transferring impact energy from a tire and wheel assembly of motor vehicle to a sill.
2. Discussion
Many techniques have been employed in the field of motor vehicles to manage impact energy generated during a collision. The desire to transfer such energy to structural components of the motor vehicle is well known in the pertinent art. For example, commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,349 discloses a side impact protection system for a motor vehicle. The vehicle includes laterally spaced apart sills extending longitudinally along the vehicle. The side impact protection system includes a continuous, linearly extending cross member disposed laterally in the vehicle for transferring load and redistributing impact energy away from an impact side of the vehicle. The linearly extending cross member extends between, and is in abutment with, the laterally spaced apart sills and corresponding sill ceiling flanges. The linearly extending cross member transfers load and redistributes impact energy upon side impact of the vehicle.
A need remains in the art for more efficiently transferring energy generated during a front impact or an offset frontal impact from a front tire and wheel assembly to the vehicle frame.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a general object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for transferring impact energy from a front tire and wheel assembly of a motor vehicle to a sill.
In one form, the present invention provides a structural assembly for a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle has a front door opening with a front edge and a bottom edge. The structural assembly includes a first structural member, a second structural member, and an extension assembly. The first structural member extends along the bottom edge of the door opening. The second structural member extends along the front edge of the door opening. The second structural member upwardly extends from the first structural member. The extension assembly operates to transfer impact forces from the first structural member to the second structural member. The extension assembly includes a main body secured to the first structural member and a portion extending through an aperture in the first structural member and abutting the second structural member.
The present invention provides an apparatus for transferring energy created by an impact along the axis of a vehicle down the sill of the vehicle. The extension assembly provides a durable, non-deformable member that specifically transfers the impact energy of a front tire and wheel assembly which contacts the back of a wheel well during a collision. The extension assembly is designed and fashioned in a manner so as to direct the energy to the sill of the motor vehicle.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5042872 (1991-08-01), Yoshii
patent: 5275436 (1994-01-01), Pomero
patent: 5549349 (1996-08-01), Corporon et al.
patent: 5653495 (1997-08-01), Bovellan et al.
patent: 5882065 (1999-03-01), Koiwa et al.
patent: 6007144 (1999-12-01), Uloth
Green Stephen T
Hargraves Curtis S
VanAssche Raymond J
DaimlerChrysler Corporation
Fuller, II Roland A.
Pape Joseph D.
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