Vehicle space frame and a method for manufacturing of vehicle space frame parts
AssigneeNorsk Hydro a.s.
InventorEdvin L. Clausen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle space frame comprising load bearing longitudinal structural members (2) formed from an integral extruded multicavity shape being split, reshaped and aligned to secondary complementary shaped members (8) is provided. A new method of joining the structural members is based on longitudinal internesting of complementary shaped outer surfaces of the members forming the supportive structure of the space frame.
Claims8
A method of manufacturing a vehicle space from including longitudinally extending structural members, said method comprising:
- providing an integrally extruded multicavity shape and at least one secondary member;
- partially splitting said multicavity shape from at least one end thereof to provide plural longitudinally extending individual sections of predetermined length;
- bending said individual sections at predetermined angles and aligning the thus bent individual sections to said at least one secondary member to be complementary thereto thus forming structural parts of a vehicle space frame;
- and
- fastening the thus assembled members by joining means.
A load-bearing structural member comprising:
- an extruded shape having a straight section longitudinally split from at least one end thereof into at least two individual sections;
- and
- at least one of said individual sections being reshaped to extend at a predetermined angle to said straight section to form an additional structural part of a supportive space frame.
A vehicle space frame comprising longitudinally extending load-bearing structural members, each said load-bearing structural member comprising:
- an integrally extruded multicavity shape having at least one end thereof longtiudinally split into at least two individual sections;
- and
- said individual sections extending at predetermined angles to said shape, thus forming structural parts of the frame.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.