Land vehicles – Wheeled – Running gear
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-12
2001-04-03
Mai, Lanna (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Running gear
C180S312000, C180S291000, C296S204000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06209914
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application claims the priority of German application 198 21 107.4-21, filed in Germany on May 12, 1998, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to a body shell for a passenger car, having two side members between which a main floor extends which, approximately in the area below the windshield, is provided with an engine transmission support for fastening the transmission case and with a tunnel accommodating this transmission case and the drive shaft.
Self-supporting body shells are known in many constructions. Thus, for example, DE 34 04 801 A1 shows a construction in which the forward parts of the wheel houses are integrated into a subassembly for the chassis in order to achieve a simpler assembly of such vehicle bodies whose support arrangements are formed of a plurality of parts which must be welded to one another.
Frame constructions for passenger cars are also known as seen, for example, in DE 11 56 659 C2, in which the frame end parts which project into the front end area and which also have a section expanding toward the vehicle occupant compartment, are closed at both ends to form a frame. The frame end parts are pulled up to form the side posts of the wheel house and are connected there. The connection with the center frame part takes place by way of a cross member in the area of the front end, but a connection is also provided between the frame end parts and the tunnel. Such frame constructions are no longer provided for modern, self-supporting body shells, however, so that the demand for body shells which are sufficiently stiff for absorbing deformation forces in the event of an impact of the vehicle exists independently of frame constructions which had been customary earlier.
In known body shells, the tunnel and the main floor together form corresponding receiving devices for screwing the engine is transmission to the vehicle body. In the event of a so-called offset crash, i.e., in a laterally offset frontal impact, however, deformations occur in this floor area which also, particularly if the vehicles are provided with V-engines, are triggered by rotating movements of the engine transmission block. This may, in turn, lead to an impairment of the free space in the occupant compartment on the driver's side or on the front passenger's side.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is therefore to achieve in a body shell a reduction of the overall deformation, particularly also of a front wall intrusion and a tunnel expansion in the occupant compartment area.
In such a body shell, this object has been achieved by providing that connection arms, which are constructed as tension and pressure cross members, are provided between the side members or between member sections, which extend diagonally to the center axis of the vehicle and by which the spacing between the side members is enlarged behind the front end area, and the engine transmission support.
As a result, a rotating movement of the engine transmission block is largely prevented in the event of an offset crash. An expansion of the tunnel can also largely be prevented because the provided connection arms can absorb tensile as well as pressure forces and, since they are connected directly with the two side members of the vehicle body, increase the stability several times in the event of a transverse load.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the connection arms can be placed onto the main floor and can be profile pieces welded to the main floor and the member sections, and stamped from sheet metal. This permits an extensive adaptation to the desired stiffening functions.
A further feature of the present invention involves the profile pieces also being constructed as trapezoidal components which are provided with projecting reinforcing ribs and which extend, by way of one of their sides, approximately perpendicularly to the vehicle center axis, the narrower side of the trapezoidal component being fastened to the side member sections. This also contributes to a desired transmission of the forces acting upon the vehicle body. The reinforcing can be achieved in the desired areas.
Finally, in accordance with the present invention, the top side of the component can be aligned approximately horizontally with the top edge of the member sections and can be welded to them. The bottom sides of the projecting ribs are welded to the main floor extending below the upper edge of the member sections.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3108836 (1963-10-01), Deckert
patent: 3791472 (1974-02-01), Tatsumi
patent: 4369559 (1983-01-01), Phillips
patent: 5409264 (1995-04-01), Nakatani
patent: 5758738 (1998-06-01), Carroll et al.
patent: 5806918 (1998-09-01), Kanazawa
patent: 1 074 416 (1957-01-01), None
patent: 1 156 659 (1957-08-01), None
patent: 34 04 801 A1 (1985-08-01), None
patent: 39 05 650 C1 (1989-02-01), None
patent: 1 486 529 (1974-07-01), None
patent: 2 260 296 (1992-09-01), None
Grieser Herrmann
Kauffmann Volker
Schultz Manfred
Daimler-Chrysler AG
Evenson, McKeown, Edwards & Lenahan P.L.L.C.
Jasmin Lynda
Mai Lanna
LandOfFree
Body shell for a passenger car with reduced overall deformation does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Body shell for a passenger car with reduced overall deformation, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Body shell for a passenger car with reduced overall deformation will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2472443