# US 2012/0074732 A1 · Vehicle framework member > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2012/0074732 A1 - Document ID: US20120074732A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/375,600 - Filed: 2010-03-02 - Published: 2012-03-29 - Earliest claimed: 2010-03-02 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Koji Yoshida - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20120074732A1 ## CPC - B62D 21/152: {Front or rear frames} - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract When front side members are bent by a front-rear-directional collision of a vehicle, the front side members come in surface, not point, contact with an adjacent member in the vehicle by a contact surface formed at a contact portion. Accordingly, the front-rear-directional collision load is stably transmitted to a member, such as an adjacent engine, such that it is possible to efficiently improve the effect of distributing and reducing the load in a collision. Further, since the bent front side members stably come in surface, not point, contact with the adjacent member, such as the engine in the vehicle, it is possible to decrease the possibility of unexpected fracturing of the front side members. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-7. (canceled) ### Claim 8 A vehicle framework member that forms the frame of a vehicle, comprising: a contact portion where a contact surface, which comes in contact with an adjacent member in the vehicle when the vehicle framework member is bent by load, is formed, wherein the contact surface, which is a curved surface coming in contact with a cylindrical suspension member that suspends a wheel of the vehicle when the vehicle framework member is bent by load, is formed at the contact portion. ### Claim 9 A vehicle framework member that forms the frame of a vehicle, comprising: a contact portion where a contact surface, which comes in contact with an adjacent member in the vehicle when the vehicle framework member is bent by load, is formed, wherein the contact portion is a plate of the surface of the vehicle framework member, the plate is recessed inward from the vehicle framework member along a polygonal-curved line the plate in a normal state, and the plate protrudes outward from the vehicle framework member along the polygonal-curved line and the contact portion is formed with the contact surface when the vehicle framework member is bent by load. ### Claim 10 A vehicle framework member that forms the frame of a vehicle, comprising: a contact portion where a contact surface, which comes in contact with an adjacent member in the vehicle when the vehicle framework member is bent by load, is formed, wherein the contact portion is a contact member provided on the surface of the vehicle framework member, the contact member is folded in a normal state, and the contact member is developed and the contact surface is formed when the vehicle framework member is bent by load. ### Claim 11 A vehicle framework member that forms the frame of a vehicle, comprising: a contact portion where a contact surface, which comes in contact with an adjacent member in the vehicle when the vehicle framework member is bent by load, is formed, wherein the contact surface, which is a curved surface coming in contact with a cylindrical suspension member that suspends a wheel of the vehicle when the vehicle framework member is bent by load, is formed at the contact portion, the contact portion is a plate of the surface the vehicle framework member, the plate is recessed inward from the vehicle framework member along a polygonal-curved line in a normal state, and the plate protrudes outward from the vehicle framework member along the polygonal-curved line and the contact surface is formed when the vehicle framework member is bent by load. ### Claim 12 A vehicle framework member that forms the frame of a vehicle, comprising: a contact portion where a contact surface, which comes in contact with an adjacent member in the vehicle when the vehicle framework is bent by load, is formed, wherein the contact surface, which is a curved surface coming in contact with a cylindrical suspension member that suspends a wheel of the vehicle when the vehicle framework member is bent by load, is formed at the contact portion, the contact portion is a contact member provided on the surface of the vehicle framework member, the contact member is folded in a normal state, and the contact member is developed and the contact surface is formed when the vehicle framework member is bent by load. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The vehicle framework member according to claim 9, wherein the contact surface, which is a flat surface coming in contact with an engine of the vehicle when the vehicle framework member is bent by load, is formed at the contact portion. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The vehicle framework member according to claim 10, wherein the contact surface, which is a flat surface coming in contact with an engine of the vehicle when the vehicle framework member is bent by load, is formed at the contact portion. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The vehicle framework member according to claim 8, wherein the contact surface, which takes the shape of an adjacent member in the vehicle when the vehicle framework member is deformed by load, is formed at the contact portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The vehicle framework member according to claim 9, wherein the contact surface, which takes the shape of an adjacent member in the vehicle when the vehicle framework member is deformed by load, is formed at the contact portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The vehicle framework member according to claim 10, wherein the contact surface, which takes the shape of an adjacent member in the vehicle when the vehicle framework member is deformed by load, is formed at the contact portion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The vehicle framework member according to claim 11, wherein the contact surface, which takes the shape of an adjacent member in the vehicle when the vehicle framework member is deformed by load, is formed at the contact portion. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The vehicle framework member according to claim 12, wherein the contact surface, which takes the shape of an adjacent member in the vehicle when the vehicle framework member is deformed by load, is formed at the contact portion. ### Claim 20 (depends on 8) The vehicle framework member according to claim 8, wherein the vehicle framework member is a side member that extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle at the sides edges of the vehicle. ### Claim 21 (depends on 9) The vehicle framework member according to claim 9, wherein the vehicle framework member is a side member that extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle at the sides edges of the vehicle. ### Claim 22 (depends on 10) The vehicle framework member according to claim 10, wherein the vehicle framework member is a side member that extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle at the sides edges of the vehicle. ### Claim 23 (depends on 11) The vehicle framework member according to claim 11, wherein the vehicle framework member is a side member that extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle at the sides edges of the vehicle. ### Claim 24 (depends on 12) The vehicle framework member according to claim 12, wherein the vehicle framework member is a side member that extends in the front-rear direction of the vehicle at the sides edges of the vehicle.