Motor vehicles – Power – Underpans
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-13
2001-03-20
Mai, Lanna (Department: 3619)
Motor vehicles
Power
Underpans
Reexamination Certificate
active
06202778
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a motor vehicle and in particular to a sump guard and undertray assembly for a motor vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known to provide a sump guard assembly for a motor vehicle that comprises of a rigid plate-like member that is rigidly connected by means of rigid brackets to part of the body structure of the motor vehicle. The purpose of such a sump guard assembly is to prevent or reduce the consequence of an impact between an object lying on the ground and the lower end of the engine assembly in circumstances where the ground clearance is insufficient to allow the engine to pass thereover without contact.
It is a problem with such prior art sump guard assemblies that they further reduce the available ground clearance of the motor vehicle which can be a problem if the vehicle is driven along a deeply rutted road or in deep snow. This is because the sump guard tends to lift the front end of the vehicle away from the road surface thereby reducing the load on the front wheels which both affects steering of the motor vehicle and also if the vehicle is a front wheel drive or four wheel drive vehicle the available traction from the front wheels.
Although such problems are not too serious with a vehicle intended primarily for off-road or agricultural use in which a very large ground clearance can be provided it is a problem when a vehicle is intended for both on-road and off-road use as the handling of the motor vehicle is adversely affected by a large ground clearance.
It is an object of this invention to overcome the problems associated with the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a motor vehicle having a body structure defining at least a passenger compartment and an engine compartment, an engine mounted within the engine compartment and an undertray connected to part of the body structure to at least partly cover the lower surface of the engine compartment wherein said undertray is attached to part of the motor vehicle body structure by two or more flexible connections so as to allow relative motion therebetween if the undertray is subjected to an applied load from below.
The undertray may be made from a resilient material and preferably may be made from a resilient plastics material.
The undertray may be connected to the body structure by means of at least one Z-shaped bracket.
Preferably there are two Z-shaped brackets attached near to a rear edge of the undertray.
Advantageously the attachment means used to connect the Z-shaped brackets to the undertray is such as to allow relative movement between the Z-shaped brackets and the undertray when the undertray is subjected to an applied load.
The undertray may have two apertures therein through each of which extends a fastening means used to secure the Z-shaped brackets to the undertray. Preferably the apertures in the undertray are considerably larger than the fastening means that extends therethrough so as to permit relative movement between the undertray and the Z-shaped brackets when the undertray is subjected to an impact.
The Z-shaped brackets may be used to connect a rear end of the undertray to the body structure of the motor vehicle.
Preferably the undertray is connected to part of the body structure of the motor vehicle on each side by a plastic mounting bracket.
Advantageously each of said plastic mounting brackets is sufficiently flexible lo be elastically deformed when the undertray is subject to an applied load from below.
The undertray may be a substantially planar structure having a relatively smooth underside in which case the undertray may have a number of ridges formed therein to increase its stiffness.
The motor vehicle may also be provided with a sump guard rigidly attached to part of the body structure of the vehicle the sump guard being U-shaped having a transversely extending front cross member and two side rails.
The sump guard may be used to attach the undertray to the motor vehicle.
According to a second aspect of the vehicle there is provided a sump guard and undertray assembly for a motor vehicle the assembly having a rigid sump guard member for rigid connection in use to part of the body structure of the motor vehicle and a moveable undertray attached to the sump guard.
The sump guard may have a rigid cross member and two spaced apart side rails to form a U-shaped member into which the undertray is fitted.
The undertray may be connected at a front edge to the cross member and may have one or more flexible brackets at a rear edge to connect it in use to part of the body structure of the motor vehicle.
The undertray may be made from a resilient plastics material.
The shape of the undertray may be such that it forms a plastic hinge in the region of its position of attachment to the front cross member of the sump guard.
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patent: 5611593 (1997-03-01), Fukagawa et al.
patent: 5797647 (1998-08-01), Mehrkens et al.
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Japanese Abstract, vol. 7, No. 59 (M-199) dated Mar. 11, 1983 & JP 57 2052228A (Nissan) dated Dec. 16, 1982.
Cragg Stephen Richard
Mistry Jitesh Dahyabhai
Wilkinson Nicola Kerri
Davis and Bujold
Mai Lanna
Rover Group Limited
To Toan
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