Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Structural detail
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-14
2001-05-15
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Structural detail
C296S070000, C296S208000, C296S190050, C296S192000, C296S203020
Reexamination Certificate
active
06231116
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an arrangement for a body structure of a vehicle according to the introduction of Patent Claim
1
below. The invention is intended in particular for use as a load-carrying, integrated body structure in association with the dashboard of a passenger car.
STATE OF THE ART
Modern motor vehicles, e.g. passenger cars, are in most cases constructed with a body construction which, in the front part of the vehicle, comprises an intermediate panel in the form of a plate which separates the passenger compartment of the vehicle from its engine space. Such a body construction also usually comprises a cross beam which is arranged in the region of the dashboard of the vehicle and extends at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. In the majority of modern vehicles, the cross beam is arranged rigidly in the respective sides of the body and in this way spans the space between the sides of the body.
The cross beam is usually made of steel and is designed so that it provides the body with a predetermined rigidity and strength, and it is also shaped and dimensioned so as to constitute a mounting for the steering system, i.e. the steering column and the steering wheel. In some cases, the cross beam may also be dimensioned so that it provides protection against the engine penetrating the passenger compartment of the vehicle in the event of a collision and also in order to give the entire structure around the dashboard a high natural frequency.
The cross beam may also form part of a side-impact system in order to allow load to be absorbed in the event of a collision, which in turn contributes to increased safety of the vehicle. Furthermore, the cross beam may constitute a mounting element for various safety systems in the vehicle, e.g. air-bags and knee protection.
By virtue of the cross beam being fixed between the sides of the vehicle, it usually constitutes a supporting element for the dashboard of the vehicle, which conventionally includes an instrument cluster, an audio system, glove compartment etc. The dashboard is also designed with air distribution ducts, usually in the form of a defroster duct and a ventilation duct, for feeding air into the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The cross beam also often supports the air conditioning unit of the vehicle, which in turn comprises the components which are required for, for example, generating temperature-controlled air or for filtering air. The air conditioning unit is surrounded by a casing or housing which accommodates these components and which is then mounted rigidly in the cross beam.
In modern vehicles, the cross beam constitutes to an increasing extent a base for the assembly process around the dashboard, a number of components then being mounted on or in association with the cross beam.
The traditional arrangement of said cross beam and intermediate panel involves certain problems and disadvantages. Firstly, it may be mentioned that modern vehicles with traditional cross beam constructions are not designed with any coordination or integration as far as building into the vehicle is concerned. This means that the region around the cross beam and the intermediate panel constitutes a complex part of the vehicle, where a number of different components must be coordinated, with regard to on the one hand their construction and function and on the other hand the manner in which they are to be mounted in the vehicle. Components belonging to a number of different technical areas must then be coordinated in this part of the vehicle. In this way, a very complex arrangement is obtained, which usually has a low degree of integration. This has a negative effect on the manufacture, weight and cost of the vehicle.
According to the traditional approach, which is applied by the majority of car manufacturers, the cross beam arrangement is therefore mounted with the aid of a number of different separate components which are usually developed by different technical departments or sub-contractors, e.g. the air conditioning system, partition and air ducts of the vehicle. These components are then assembled so that they form a complete prefabricated structure. This complete structure can subsequently be mounted in the vehicle in association with the dashboard.
A further problem concerns the fact that the cross beam is relatively heavy, which in turn is due to inter alia the need to dimension it in accordance with the load from the dashboard, the steering system and in certain cases the air conditioning unit also. In particular, the cross beam must be able to withstand vibrations which arise on account of the mass of the steering wheel and the steering system. The requirements set with regard to crash safety also demand that the cross beam be dimensioned so that it can absorb great loads in the event of a collision, on the one hand loads from inside the car (i.e. from the steering system etc.) and on the other hand loads from outside.
In certain cases, a particular problem arises on account of the fact that the air conditioning unit is suspended from the cross beam and therefore gives rise to a great load on the cross beam. The relatively great weight of the air conditioning unit, roughly 12 kg, of course contributes to this great load. The cross beam must thus be dimensioned so as to support the air conditioning unit and also in order to withstand vibrations which arise as a result of the cross beam vibrating together with the air conditioning unit.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved arrangement for a body structure of a vehicle, in particular to provide an arrangement with low weight and high strength, which can easily be built into a vehicle and also has a high degree of functional integration of components in the region around the dashboard in a vehicle. This object is achieved by means of an arrangement having the features that emerge from Patent Claim
1
below.
The invention comprises a load-carrying structure which is arranged essentially transversal to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and which is mounted in each side of the vehicle, and an air conditioning system comprising an air conditioning unit having components for air treatment. The invention is characterized in that at least a section of the air conditioning unit is functionally integrated with said beam structure. It may be mentioned that the loads which are meant to be absorbed by the load-carrying structure consist on the one hand of loads which act on the body of the vehicle (and which have an effect on its strength and rigidity) and on the other hand loads which arise as a result of different components being mounted on said structure.
By means of the invention, an arrangement is provided, in which the air conditioning unit can be integrated with air distribution ducts which in turn constitute a part of said load-carrying structure. According to a preferred embodiment, the casing of the air conditioning unit is adapted so that it contributes to a reinforcing function and high strength.
The arrangement according to the invention has a high degree of integration, i.e. the arrangement can be prefabricated from different parts into a single functionally integrated component which is then mounted in a vehicle. Such functional integration can be brought about, for example, by an intermediate panel in the vehicle at least in part constituting a side wall of a casing for the air conditioning system.
In contrast to traditional vehicle technology, where the cross beam and the intermediate panel are arranged with the aid of a number of different separate components which are packed together and mounted in place in the vehicle, the present invention is based on the fundamental idea that the entire transverse beam structure constitutes a part which is integrated with the rest of the vehicle body.
By virtue of the invention, lower weight, easier manufacture and easier mounting in a vehicle are achieved. A simpler arrangement with fewer partitions is obtained in the body
Naert Michel
Nordling Lars
Reich Hans
Pape Joseph D.
Patel Kiran B.
Samuels , Gauthier & Stevens, LLP
Volvo Personvagnar AB
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