Extruded material frame connection structure for vehicle

Details Extruded material frame connection structure for vehicle Extruded material frame connection structure for vehicle

1999-10-14

2001-09-25

Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)

Land vehicles: bodies and tops

Bodies

Structural detail

C296S029000, C296S030000, C296S190050, C296S203020, C296S205000, C296S209000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06293617

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an extruded material frame connection structure for a vehicle.
2. Background Art
In order to reduce the weight of a vehicle, use of an aluminum material as a vehicle body constituent member has been heretofore thought of. On the other hand, a frame structure shown in
FIG. 5
is used in a passenger car. In this frame structure, side sills
11
in a vehicle floor portion, front pillars
12
, center pillars
13
, and so on, are made from an aluminum extruded material, and those members are combined and connected integrally with one another.
In the aforementioned frame structure, for example, a side sill and a front pillar which are to be substantially perpendicular to each other may be connected to each other as follows. As shown in
FIG. 6
, the side sill
11
and the front pillar
12
are aluminum extruded materials having different sectional shapes respectively. Accordingly, it is thought of that, for example, a cast joint member
14
is used in a portion of combination of the two members
11
and
12
to attach the two members
11
and
12
to the joint member
14
to thereby connect the two members
11
and
12
to each other.
In the aforementioned insertion structure, however, there are problems as follows. For example, it may be difficult to assemble the two members in accordance with the angle between the two members due to the frame shape. Further, although the welding lengths of the two insertion portions need to be as large as possible in order to enhance strength, the welding lengths are limited because thermal distortion is intensive in the case of an aluminum material. Accordingly, if multi-point spot welding is used, a welding current becomes large.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to solve the aforementioned problems and to provide an extruded material frame connection structure in which not only a necessary strength can be secured but also thermal distortion can be suppressed.
In order to achieve the above object, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an extruded material frame connection structure for car use, which comprises: a frame assembly constituted by a first extruded member and a second extruded member which are assembled in a state where the first and second extruded members intersect each other and which are welded to each other at an assembled portion thereof so as to be integrated with each other; and a reinforcing member formed to have a size so that the reinforcing member covers the assembled portion between the first and second extruded members and extends to cover portions of the first and second extruded members, the reinforcing member being assembled to the frame assembly and welded to each of the first and second extruded members.
With this configuration, not only the portion of combination of the extruded materials can be reinforced with the reinforcing member but also the strength of the portion of combination of the extruded materials can be intensified without an increase of welding length when aluminum extruded materials are used as the extruded materials.
Preferably, the assembled portion between the first and second extruded members is a corner portion of the frame assembly, and either one of the first and second extruded members is chamfered at the corner portion, and the reinforcing member is shaped like a circular arc at the comer portion.
With this configuration, it is possible to avoid stress concentration in the reinforcing members.
Preferably, the reinforcing member is constituted by a pair of half parts having mating surfaces perpendicular to a direction of extrusion or longitudinal axis of each of the first and second extruded members.
With this configuration, also in the case where members having different sectional areas are to be connected to each other, a reinforcing member can be assembled with the members to be connected so that a connection portion between the members is entirely enveloped in the reinforcing member.
The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. 10-293969, filed on Oct. 15, 1998, and which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.


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patent: 4973103 (1990-11-01), Imajyo et al.
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