Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Structural detail
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-24
2001-08-14
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Structural detail
C296S205000, C296S203040
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273498
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to integral body and frame arrangements for automobiles which are made from sheet metal parts.
In a body and frame arrangement disclosed in German Patent No. 44 45 327, a high degree of torsion-proof construction is provided by a special configuration of pressed sheet metal parts at the rear of a vehicle consisting of a hollow frame which is produced by assembling sheet metal sectional parts in the region of a rear shelf.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an integral body and frame arrangement for an automobile which overcomes disadvantages of the prior art.
Another object of the invention is to provide an integral body and frame arrangement having an improved torsion-proof construction and/or improved characteristic torsion frequencies in motor vehicles.
These and other objects of the invention are attained by providing a body and frame arrangement having two U frames positioned one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, each U frame having a base portion located in a floor region or a roof region of the vehicle body and opposed legs extending from the base of the U to the vertical columns, such as the C and/or D columns of the vehicle, at the roof region or at the floor region of the vehicle. This arrangement permits the major portion of a selected body cross section to be stiffened by a stiffening frame and not, as in the prior art, merely a partial region adjacent the floor area to be stiffened. The arrangement of the invention provides a significant increase in torsion-proof construction with relatively little additional material because the vehicle columns which are integrated in the stiffening frame are already provided as hollow supporting parts. Pressed sheet metal parts designed as attachment parts are added only in transitional regions between the vehicle columns and wheel well shells. Direct transmittal of force from the roof line to the floor region of the vehicle can be produced with such arrangements. A further stiffening effect is also obtained because the U frames, which by themselves provide a significant increase in rigidity, are also joined to each other so that their capacity for torsional motion with respect to each other is restricted. At least two U frames may be joined together either by direct connection of the facing sections or by providing a flat sidewall part that is affixed to the U frames using a joining technique. Such a sidewall part may, for example, be a side plate which is conventionally used in manufacture of the motor vehicle and is fastened to the body by cementing. Thus, the addition of the side plate contributes to restricting torsional motion of the U frames with respect to each other.
A substantial advantage of the invention is that such additional pressed sheet metal parts can be included without any decrease in vehicle convenience, for example loading width, roominess for passengers, etc., with respect to conventional vehicle bodies since all of these structural members may be concealed beneath conventional covering elements so that the body stiffening structures are not noticeable to passengers from the outside and hence represent no visual disturbance of any kind.
Moreover, in addition to or alternatively to improving stiffness, the integral body and frame arrangement of the invention also favorably influences the characteristic torsion frequencies of the body.
Also to be stressed is the fact that, as compared with conventional vehicle bodies, improved stiffness can be achieved without a significant weight increase, particularly when so-called tailored-blank technology and high-pressure formed internal parts are used.
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Hillman Jürgen
Morsch Klaus-Dieter
Baker & Botts LLP
Pape Joseph D.
Volkswagen AG
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