Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Structural detail
Patent
1991-11-25
1993-09-14
Song, Robert R.
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Structural detail
296188, B62B 2508
Patent
active
052442489
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a front part for a motor vehicle and particularly beams so connected as to absorb collision energy.
STATE OF THE ART
A front structure in a motor vehicle with a cowl wall is designed in order to be capable of being deformed dynamically and to have in this connection as high an energy-absorbing capacity as possible. At the same time, it is desirable to prevent engine and transmission penetrating the cowl wall into the compartment, which could result in the latter collapsing. As always, a construction is sought which is of low weight and is not space-requiring.
In order to satisfy these requirements, the collision beams in the front structure must be designed so that on deformation as great a quantity of energy as possible per unit of weight is absorbed in a nevertheless controllable manner. The most common beam section for these applications is the rectangular hollow section. Correctly designed, this type of collision beam can be an effective energy-absorber by virtue of the fact that so-called folding buckling is made possible. Folding buckling is an absolute aim in dimensioning front structures at the same time as other deformation actions such as, for example, Euler buckling, must be made impossible.
Through the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,406,343 (US Cl. 180-297) and 4,753,315 (US Cl. 180-299), front structures according to the patents have features described below. The patent specifications show front structures which include two side beams, two central beams lying below these and, arranged below these central beams, a subframe consisting of two beams and a cross beam connecting these.
The side beams, the central beams and the beams included in the subframe extend to the vehicle compartment and end on the whole in the same transverse vertical plane and have no significant force-transmitting connection to one another. As the central beams have recesses in order that the front structure be able to accommodate a transverse power plant and corresponding transmission, this can mean that, in the event of a collision which deviates slightly from a frontal collision, said front structure is subjected to such great inclined forces that it buckles. In this connection, there is the risk that the entire front structure will collapse. Nor do the front structures have a real deformation zone of fairly large size before the wheel housing, which is why, even at moderate speeds, they will exhibit serious damage, with high repair costs as a result.
THE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to improve the passive safety of a vehicle by reducing the effect of high-speed collisions on the compartment. The invention shall further allow that a transverse power plant can be accommodated and protected in the engine room, and that the construction is otherwise simple to produce and, in the event of limited deformations, relatively simple to repair. At the same time it is to be endeavoured to satisfy the requirement for as low a weight as possible.
The aims and advantages of the invention are achieved in that each central beam is at a distance from its rear end rigidly connected on the one hand to a front end of an upwardly rearwardly inclined first strut which has a force-transmitting connection to the side beam which is arranged on the same side of the plane of symmetry, and on the other hand to a front end of a downwardly rearwardly inclined second strut which has a force-transmitting connection to a front beam part of the subframe beam which is arranged on the same side of the plane of symmetry.
By means of these features, the front structure has a stable deformation action as well as favourable energy-absorbing properties in relation to the material consumption. The invention further makes possible simple manufacture of the front structure, since it comprises relatively few parts, which also makes it easier to repair damage to the front structure.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, a beam section constitutes an extension of the central beam in fr
REFERENCES:
patent: 4406343 (1983-09-01), Harasaki
patent: 4560198 (1985-12-01), Katano et al.
patent: 4573734 (1986-03-01), Gass
patent: 4753315 (1988-06-01), Fujisaki et al.
patent: 4763948 (1988-08-01), Harasaki
patent: 4909565 (1990-03-01), Harasaki et al.
patent: 5024482 (1991-06-01), Harasaki et al.
patent: 5031958 (1991-07-01), Fujita et al.
Saab Automobile Aktiebolag
Song Robert R.
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