# US 12,005,492 B2 · Vehicle support structure and method for manufacturing vehicle support structure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,005,492 B2 - Document ID: US12005492B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/011,361 - Filed: 2021-06-01 - Published: 2023-07-20 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-09-10 - Assignees: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd. - Applicants: Hitachi Astemo, Ltd. - Inventors: Yasuhiro Maruyama; Kazuhiro Terada - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005492B2 ## CPC - B22D 21/04: Casting aluminium or magnesium {(no material; see B22D21/007)} - B22C 9/02: Sand moulds or like moulds for shaped castings - B22C 9/082: {Sprues, pouring cups} - B22D 17/00: Pressure die casting or injection die casting, i.e. casting in which the metal is forced into a mould under high pressure - B22D 25/02: by its peculiarity of shape; of works of art {(cylinders, pistons B22D15/02)} - B60G 7/00: Pivoted suspension arms; Accessories thereof (means for maintaining substantially constant wheel camber during suspension movement B60G3/26; {articulations for wheels B60G5/00; leaf spring attaching means B60G11/10, B60G11/12; trailing arm twist beam axle attaching means B60G21/052; articulations in general F16C}) - B22D: CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES (shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29C; metallurgical processing, selection of substances to be added to metal C21, C22) - B22C: FOUNDRY MOULDING (moulding refractory materials in general B28B) - B60G: VEHICLE SUSPENSION ARRANGEMENTS (air-cushion vehicles B60V; {cycle suspensions B62K25/00}) ## Abstract A vehicle support structure including: a main body portion (2) for axially supporting an axle rotatably; and a vehicle part attachment portion (3) extended from the main body portion. The vehicle part attachment portion has a first boss portion (4), a second boss portion (5), and a third boss portion (6) placed in a triangular form when viewed in a direction along the axle, a first connection portion (7) connecting the first boss portion with the third boss portion, and a second connection portion (8) connecting the second boss portion with the third boss portion, and is a cast of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The first and second connection portions are tilted in such a manner that center portions in a longitudinal direction are reduced in thickness. A sprue mark is formed on a side portion of the third boss portion on an opposite main body portion side. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle support structure comprising: a main body portion that axially supports an axle rotatably; and a vehicle part attachment portion that extends from the main body portion, the vehicle part attachment portion including a first boss portion, a second boss portion, and a third boss portion that are placed in a triangular form when viewed from a direction along the axle, a first connection portion that connects the first boss portion with the third boss portion, and a second connection portion that connects the second boss portion with the third boss portion, wherein the vehicle support structure is a cast of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, the first connection portion and the second connection portion are each gradually tilted in such a manner that center portions thereof in a longitudinal direction are reduced in thickness, and a sprue mark is formed on a side portion of the third boss portion on an opposite main body portion side. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle support structure according to claim 1, wherein the first connection portion and the second connection portion are each gradually tilted so as to be reduced in thickness in a direction perpendicular to a load input direction of a vehicle part attached to each of the boss portions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle support structure according to claim 2, wherein each of the first connection portion and the second connection portion has an H-shaped cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The vehicle support structure according to claim 1, wherein each of the first connection portion and the second connection portion has an H-shaped cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. ### Claim 5 A method for manufacturing a vehicle support structure, the vehicle support structure including a main body portion that axially supports an axle rotatably and a vehicle part attachment portion that extends from the main body portion, in which the vehicle part attachment portion includes a first boss portion, a second boss portion, and a third boss portion that are placed in a triangular form when viewed from a direction along the axle, a first connection portion that connects the first boss portion with the third boss portion, and a second connection portion that connects the second boss portion with the third boss portion, the method for manufacturing a vehicle support structure comprising: starting pouring molten metal of aluminum or an aluminum alloy into a molding mold, with a sprue at a lateral position and the main body portion in a horizontal state; and thereafter performing casting after the pouring of the molten metal is completed while the molding mold is tilted such that the sprue is located at an upper position, the molding mold having a cavity corresponding to each of the first connection portion and the second connection portion so as to be gradually tilted in such a manner that center portions thereof in a longitudinal direction are reduced in thickness, and the sprue provided at a position corresponding to a side portion of the third boss portion on an opposite main body portion side.