Cross member of an automobile body

Details Cross member of an automobile body Cross member of an automobile body

1999-02-18

2001-05-08

Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)

Land vehicles: bodies and tops

Bodies

Structural detail

C296S205000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06227610

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a cross member being extended in the width direction of an automobile body and provided in the intermediate portion of an automobile body floor in the longitudinal direction thereof. The cross member crosses a floor tunnel in the automobile body floor.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Applications No. Hei. 10-37217 and No. Hei. 10-327022, which are incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a recent tendency to take the deformation of the passenger room not only by the head-on collision load but also by the side impact load seriously.
On the other hand, the time is ripe for putting to practical use an automobile body structure made of aluminum-alloy in order to meet a demand for decreasing automobile body weight.
However, it is not easy to apply spot welding to the aluminum alloy, so if the conventional method of welding the steel sheets is used for welding of aluminum alloy, it is unavoidable that the production cost rises sharply.
Further, at the central portion of an automobile body floor in the width direction thereof, there is provided a so-called floor tunnel having a recessed surface opening downward and being continuous in the longitudinal direction of the automobile floor, in which a propeller shaft and an exhaust pipe are provided. And a cross member crossing the floor tunnel is extendedly provided in the lateral direction of the floor. Since the floor tunnel is opened downward, the closed section of the cross member crossing the floor tunnel has to be divided into parts in the intersecting portion.
In view of securing bending strength as much as possible, it is not preferable to divide into parts the cross member which is to play an important part as a reinforcing member against side impact because dividing the cross member into parts causes the strength to decrease.
In order to secure the rigidity of the intersecting portion where the cross member and the floor tunnel intersect, a reinforcing member may be added to the cross member. However, the addition of such a reinforcing member thereto incurs the complication of the process of producing the intersecting portion, which leads to an increase in production cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
To solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cross member made of aluminum alloy for an automobile body floor and structured so as to be rigid enough to restrain the deformation of a passenger room at the time of side impact without incurring a steep rise in production cost.
Further, it is another object of the present invention to provide an improved frame member for use in forming a cross member in that the lowering of its strength is simply minimized.
In order to accomplish the object above, a cross member of an automobile body floor according to the present invention is extendedly provided in the direction of crossing a floor tunnel. Both ends of the cross member are respectively joined to left and right side sills in the intermediate portion of the automobile body floor in the longitudinal direction thereof. The cross member is formed of an extruded material and has a first portion having a closed section and a second portion in the form of an apron extended downward from one of the front and rear walls of the first portion. The second portion is provided with a cutout portion matching the contour of the floor tunnel and the bottom wall of the first portion is joined to the top of the floor tunnel. The edge faces of the closed sectional portion of the first portion are joined to the inner sides of the respective side sills. With this arrangement, the closed sectional portion is pervaded over the whole length in the width direction of an automobile, whereby the bending rigidity of the cross member extendedly provided across the floor tunnel can be increased without causing the complication of the manufacturing process. In particular, slide guide means (T-slots according to the embodiment of the invention) are provided in the surface of the bottom wall of the first portion and by slidably joining a fastener member (a T-nut according to the embodiment of the invention) for mounting an auxiliary mechanical member to the slide guide means, such an auxiliary mechanical member (a bracket for supporting a Bowden cable for a hand brake or a fuel tank fastening band according to the embodiment of the invention) can be fitted in any given position of the cross member.
Further, in order to accomplish the object above according to the present invention, a frame member for use in forming a cross member crossing a floor tunnel in an automobile body is provided. A continuous closed sectional portion is formed by extruding a light metal material so that the closed sectional portion is positioned in the uppermost row. With this arrangement, the continuous closed section can be formed easily by extrusion forming.
Features and advantages of the invention will be evident from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments described in conjunction with the attached drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 4826238 (1989-05-01), Misono et al.
patent: 5018780 (1991-05-01), Yoshii et al.
patent: 5127704 (1992-07-01), Komatsu
patent: 5806919 (1998-09-01), Davies

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