Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Structural detail
Patent
1991-11-27
1993-12-14
Song, Robert R.
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Structural detail
296201, B62D 2500
Patent
active
052695859
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Applicants are inventors and owners of U.S. Ser. No. 07/761,786, filed Sep. 20, 1991, directed to a method and apparatus for the assembly of a motor vehicle chassis of the type using open molded nodal connectors for joining together cast or extruded metal frame pieces. The benefit of the filing date for that disclosure is claimed under 35 USC .sctn.119 and .sctn.120.
FIELD
The invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for assembly of a motor vehicle body. More particularly, the invention relates to a motor vehicle body of the type which is assembled from a plurality of individual frame pieces comprising extruded metal profiles which are joined together by node connectors and whereby pre-shaped sheet metal pieces are connected to the extruded metal profiles. The pre-shaped sheet metal pieces provide additional strength and rigidity to the extruded metal profiles and form a portion of the outer skin of the motor vehicle body.
BACKGROUND
A motor vehicle body which is assembled from a plurality of individual frame pieces, each formed through an extrusion process is known, for example, from U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,163 (Hasler et al.). In Hasler, the extruded metal profiles are held together by specially devised node connector elements. This technique for motor vehicle body construction is adequately cost-favorable for small scale production. However, in the case of large scale production, it is preferable to form the frame pieces out of sheet metal rather than by a metal extrusion process, in view of the economies of scale involved.
A disadvantage with using sheet metal as a frame piece material is the difficultly in forming frame pieces with a desired cross sectional configuration which also appropriately balances the variables of weight and rigidity. Moreover, specially constructed metal forming machines are necessary for this task, thereby adding to the expense. Accordingly, sheet metal is primarily used in the finishing process to form the outer skin of the vehicle body.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for the design of a motor vehicle body using frame pieces constructed of a combination of both extruded metal profiles and sheet metal in a manner that optimizes the strengths of each material so that various and intricate cross sections can be economically produced.
THE INVENTION
Objects
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved motor vehicle body of the type constructed of extruded metal frame profiles held together by node connector elements whereby preshaped sheet metal pieces also comprise a portion of each frame piece in a manner to form an outer skin portion of the vehicle body;
It is another object of the invention to provide such an improved motor vehicle body wherein the addition of the pre-shaped sheet metal pieces to the extruded metal profiles permits the use of relatively small cross sections for each extruded metal profile so that considerable weight savings are achieved;
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved motor vehicle body which permits a construction of intricate or different cross sections for the different frame pieces at a low cost;
It is another object of the invention to provide an improved motor vehicle body whereby the sheet metal pieces join to the extruded metal profiles in a manner to enclose a cavity between the two materials and whereby the enclosed cavity provides a box-type frame piece construction to increase the overall strength and rigidity of the motor vehicle body;
Still other objects will evident from the specification, drawings, and claims which follow.
DRAWINGS
The invention is described in more detail with reference to the drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary isometric view showing a portion of a motor vehicle body which encompasses the front roof column;
FIG. 2 is cross sectional view of the front roof column taken along the line and looking into the direction of Arrows 2--2 of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is an exploded isometric view of FIG. 1.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3222101 (1965-12-01), Belsky
patent: 4552400 (1985-11-01), Harasaki et al.
patent: 4618163 (1986-10-01), Hasler et al.
patent: 4826238 (1989-05-01), Misono et al.
patent: 4883309 (1989-11-01), Miyazaki et al.
patent: 4986597 (1991-01-01), Clausen
Enning Norbert
Klages Ulrich
Timm Heinrich
Audi AG
Dulin Jacques M.
Feix Thomas C.
Song Robert R.
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