Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Body shell
Patent
1993-05-05
1994-05-31
Song, Robert R.
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Body shell
296194, B62D 2500
Patent
active
053163672
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD
The present invention concerns improvements relating to a front-end bearing structure for the bodywork of a motor vehicle and more particularly, but not exclusively passenger vehicles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The familiar front-end bearing structure of the bodywork of a passenger car comprises a pair of generally horizontal front longitudinal suspension strut bearers disposed spaced apart along opposite sides of the vehicle body, each of which include a suspension strut mount supported by an upright bearer connecting to a bottom longitudinal bearer.
The conventional self-supporting vehicle bodywork for passenger cars which include the front-end bearing structure of the type described above typically comprise sheet metal parts. For example, the hollow-section bearers are made from at least two deep-drawn metal sheet halves which are welded together. The suspension strut mounts, also made from sheet metal parts, are conventionally embedded in the bell structure of deep-drawn wheel housings. The wheel housings consist of open sheet metal shells which are connected to the underside of the longitudinal bearers. Applied force is guided across the sheet elements as thrust walls. The result is that the suspension strut mount is a heavily loaded and heavily stressed part of the body structure.
Accordingly, for the case of conventional sheet metal structures, the requisite rigidity for the bearing structure in this region, particularly for withstanding major damage in the event of a crash, can only be achieved through costly reinforcement measures. The steel sheets used to construct such self-supporting bodies are shaped in the deep drawing process. While dies used for shaping the sheets are relatively expensive, they do provide a cost-favorable solution for mass production since they permit large production runs. However, in view of the high investment on dies, the aforesaid process is very cost-intensive for smaller production runs.
A more cost-favorable solution for small production runs in particular, is known from European Patent document EP 0 146 716 wherein it is disclosed how to manufacture vehicle bodies for passenger cars having a bearing structure comprising of hollow sections which are joined together by node connector elements. The hollow sections are formed as extruded aluminum sections and the node connector elements are formed as light metal cast pieces. In addition to being a more cost-favorable solution for small production runs, the aluminum bodywork described in EP 0 146 716 is very lightweight and is more resistant to corrosion than a sheet metal bodywork. However, the suspension strut mount for this design and its support on the respective longitudinal bearer are also constructed from sheet metal parts in a manner similar to the conventional structure of the self-supporting sheet metal vehicle body described above. Accordingly, similar costly reinforcement measures must be taken to ensure adequate rigidity of the bearing structure in this case.
Another known vehicle bodywork having a bearing structure formed of extruded light metal hollow-section members which are joined together by light metal cast pieces is disclosed in an article entitled "Aluminum Und Kundstoff IM Verbund-ein Schritt Zur Leichteren Autokarosserie" appearing in Aluminum Journal 64, No. 9 (1988). The suspension strut mount is supported along its bottom surface on the respective longitudinal bearer across an extruded section bearer. Furthermore, a straight extruded section bearer formed as the suspension strut bearer is positioned between the suspension strut mount and the middle of the front door pillar or A-post at a height along the A-post adjacent the upper portion of the apron or fire wall. The connection of the suspension strut mount to the suspension strut bearer on the doorpost provides a stable support for the suspension strut mount. In the event of a forceful collision resulting in major deformation to the front end of the car, the suspension strut mount will be pushed backward in the longitudinal direc
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Aluminum-Zentrale e.v. Dusseldorf (Publisher), "Aluminum Und Kunststoff Im Verbund-Ein Schritt Zur Leichteren Autokarosserie", Aluminum Journal, vol. 64, No. 9 (1988).
Dornberg Christian
Enning Norbert
Feldschmid Alois
Kreis Gundolf
Reiter Karl
Audi AG
Dulin Jacques M.
Feix Tom C.
Song Robert R.
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