Powertrain Catcher Bracket
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsSriram Gopal, Bhimaraddi Venkaraddi Alavandi, John Vincent Fazio, Matthew B. Makowski, Djamal Eddine Midoun
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A catcher bracket disposed between a powertrain and a sub-frame of a vehicle. The catcher bracket defines a load path in a collision that is sufficient to displace the powertrain that directs the force of the impact through the catcher bracket to a sub-frame of the vehicle. The sub-frame is connected to the body structure of the vehicle by fasteners that fracture to decouple the powertrain and sub-frame from the body structure of the vehicle to reduce the collision pulse.
Claims19
A catcher bracket disposed between a powertrain and a sub-frame of a vehicle comprising:
- a tubular body having:
- an engagement end on a front portion that, as assembled, has an impact surface that is spaced from and faces the powertrain;
- an attachment end opposite the engagement end on a rear portion;
- and
- at least one fastener that secures the attachment end of the tubular body to the sub-frame.
A collision pulse reduction assembly for a vehicle having a powertrain comprising:
- a bumper beam;
- an energy absorbing crush element disposed between the bumper beam and the powertrain;
- a sub-frame disposed between the powertrain and a body structure of the vehicle and that is attached to the body structure by at least one fastener;
- and
- a powertrain catcher bracket disposed rearward of the powertrain and attached to the sub-frame, wherein a load path is provided for reducing a pulse of deceleration of the vehicle in a collision with the bumper beam receiving an impact that is transferred in sequence to the crush element, then the powertrain, then the catcher bracket, then the sub-frame, and then the at least one fastener that causes the at least one fastener to fracture and thereby detach the sub-frame from the body structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.