Light-weight vehicle frame structure
AssigneeHonda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorKatsusuke Komuro
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A light-weight vehicle frame structure formed by plural tubular structural members which each have a tubular body and a flange integral with the tubular body and extending along the entire length thereof and outwardly of the tubular body, and a plate connected to the flanges of one or more of tubular structural members to reinforce and join them. The tubular body may be round, square or any other shape and the flange may extend radially or tangentially in various embodiments. The plate is bent, cut and formed for the edges to be coplanar with the flanges to which they are attached.
Claims9
A light-weight vehicle frame structure including a first structural member having a metal tubular body having a longitudinal axis and first and second edges held in substantial abutment against each other in a cross section substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;
- a first flange integrally continuous to said first edge and extending outwardly of said tubular body up to a first length at least greater than zero;
- a second flange integrally continuous to said second edge and extending outwardly of said tubular body up to a second length equal to or greater than zero;
- an outer edge of said second flange and said second edge being fused to a portion of said first flange and said first edge, respectively;
- said metal tubular structural member having a uniform cross section along said longitudinal axis;
- and a second structural member of a planar shape and having a portion extending coplanar with and attached to one of said first and second flanges.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.