Motor vehicles – Power – Electric
Reexamination Certificate
1997-08-05
2001-06-26
Vanaman, Frank (Department: 3611)
Motor vehicles
Power
Electric
C180S068500, C180S299000, C280S782000, C296S901010
Reexamination Certificate
active
06250410
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a motor-vehicle of the type comprising:
a supporting structure formed by a reticular framework of light alloy,
said reticular framework including two side structures each formed by extruded profile elements welded to joining knot elements which have been obtained by casting,
said side structures being connected to each other by cross members which are also formed by extruded profile elements having their ends connected to said side structures by mechanical coupling means.
A motor-vehicle of this type is disclosed in European Patent Application EP-A-0 146 716.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to provide a new structure for a motor-vehicle of this type which is characterized by a number of relevant advantages, such as a relatively reduced weight, a reduced number of components and an increase of the torsional rigidity of the structure.
A further object of the invention is that of providing a new motor-vehicle structure which can be manufactured with technologies which require low investments, so as to provide an adequate response even to a market of reduced size.
In view of achieving these objects, the invention provides a motor-vehicle of the above indicated type, wherein said motor-vehicle has an electric power unit and said reticular framework is connected to a floor panel of composite plastic material including a longitudinal central tunnel-like portion, said tunnel-shaped housing thereunder electric batteries for supplying the electric power unit of the motor-vehicle, and
wherein said electric power unit forms part of a preassembled power and suspension unit including:
a supporting cross member, formed by an extruded metal profile fixed by mechanical coupling means to the supporting structure of the motor-vehicle,
a pair of longitudinal arms pivotally connected to the cross member around a common axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of said cross member , by supports fixed to the cross member, said arms having free ends on which there are rotatably mounted respective wheel supports,
a power unit supported in a cantilever fashion by the cross member by a supporting beam fixed to the cross member and including two axles shafts connected to said wheel supports to transfer thereto the torque generated by the power unit, and
a pair of suspension members comprising a damping cylinder and a helical spring respectively interposed between the two longitudinal arms and two respective supports fixed to the cross member.
Due to the above indicated features, the motor-vehicle according to the invention achieves a number of important advantages. First of all, the structure is comprised of an extremely reduced number of components, which renders the assembling and maintenance operations dramatically simpler and cheaper. Even the weight of the structure is greatly reduced (approximately by 30%) with respect to a conventional structure of a motor-vehicle of the same category, the whole with a relevant increase (approximately by 20%) of the torsional rigidity. The technologies involved for the manufacture require low plant investments, so that the motor-vehicle is particularly suitable even to a production in a relatively reduced quantity. The power and suspension unit can be pre-assembled and then mounted with easy and rapid operations on the supporting structure of the motor-vehicle. This unit can also be dismantled with similarly simple operations in order to allow maintenance and registering operations to be carried out on the suspension and the power unit.
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Balestrini Augusto
Di Pardo Massimo
Figura Giorgio
Frigo Guido
Ippolito Luigi
C.R.F. Societa Consortile per Azioni
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
Vanaman Frank
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