Mechanism for coupling a component with a vehicle

A mechanism for coupling a component to a frame made of a plastic material, said mechanism comprising:

• a bolt received by generally aligned openings in the frame and the component for securing the frame against the component, said bolt having a threaded portion and a head portion,
• a first nut threaded onto the bolt for operatively pressing the frame and component toward each other,
• spacer means carried by the bolt between the first nut and the head of the bolt, said spacer means being positioned within the opening in the frame for limiting the degree to which the frame can be compressed while being operatively pressed against the component, and
• said first nut being threaded onto the bolt with sufficient tightness to generally prevent relative rotation and motion between the component and frame.

A mechanism, comprising:

• a vehicle frame made of a plastic material, said frame having vehicle components coupled therewith,
• a bolt received by generally aligned openings defined by the frame and the component, said bolt having a head portion and a threaded portion,
• a first nut threaded onto the bolt for securely pressing the frame and component together,
• a spacer means threaded onto the bolt for securely remaining in position with respect to the bolt when the first nut is released, said spacer means being carried by the bolt between the first nut and the component and within the opening in the frame for limiting the travel of the nut on the threads toward the head of the bolt, and for limiting the degree to which the frame is compressed while being operatively pressed against the component.

A mechanism, comprising:

• a frame member made at least partially of a plastic material, and to which a component may be coupled, said component and frame defining respective generally aligned openings,
• a tension member received by the openings in the component and frame, said tension member including a clamping means for operatively pressing the frame and component securely together,
• spacer means carried within the opening defined by the frame for limiting the degree to which the frame is compressed while being operatively pressed against the component, said spacer means permitting limited elastic deformation of the frame member by the clamping means for substantially preventing plastic deformation of the frame member by the clamping means over time, and
• said tension member, clamping means, spacer means, frame and component forming a coupling sufficiently rigid to generally prevent relative rotation and motion between the frame and the component.

A mechanism, comprising:

• a frame member made at least partially of a plastic material, and to which a component may be coupled, said component and frame defining respective generally aligned openings,
• a bolt means in tension during operation and received by the openings in the component and frame, said bolt means further including a head formed on the bolt means and a first nut threaded on the end portion of the bolt means opposite the head, said head and first nut serving to clamp and operatively press the frame and component together securely, and
• spacer means carried within the opening defined by the frame for limiting the degree to which the frame is compressed while being operatively pressed against the component, wherein the spacer means is slightly smaller in depth than the frame member, and allows the frame to become slightly compressed, said spacer means permitting limited elastic deformation of the frame member between the head and first nut and substantially prevent plastic deformation of the frame member by the clamping means between the head and first nut over time,
• said spacer means further comprising a second nut threaded onto the bolt means.

A mechanism, comprising:

• a frame member made at least partially of a plastic material, and to which a component may be coupled, said component and frame defining respective generally aligned openings,
• a bolt means in tension during operation and received by the openings in the component and frame, said bolt means further including a head formed on the bolt means and a first nut threaded on the end portion of the bolt means opposite the head, said head and the first nut serving to clamp and operatively press the frame and component together securely, and
• spacer means carried within the opening defined by the frame for limiting the degree to which the frame is compressed while being operatively pressed against the component, wherein the spacer means is slightly smaller in depth than the frame member, and allows the frame to become slightly compressed, said spacer means permitting limited elastic deformation of the frame member between the head and first nut and substantially prevents plastic deformation of the frame member by the clamping means between the head and first nut over time,
• said spacer means further comprising a second nut threaded onto the bolt means, said second nut being slightly smaller in depth than the frame member for allowing the frame to become slightly compressed.

A mechanism, comprising:

• a frame member made at least partially of a plastic material, and to which a transaxle may be coupled, said transaxle and frame defining respective generally aligned openings,
• a bolt means in tension during operation and received by the openings in the transaxle and frame, said bolt means further including a head formed on the bolt means and a first nut threaded on the end portion of the bolt means opposite the head, said head and first nut serving to clamp and operatively press the frame and transaxle together securely, and
• spacer means carried within the opening defined by the frame for limiting the degree to which the frame is compressed while being operatively pressed against the transaxle, wherein the spacer means is slightly smaller in depth than the frame member, and allows the frame to become slightly compressed, said spacer means permitting limited elastic deformation of the frame member between the head and first nut and substantially prevents plastic deformation of the frame member by the clamping means between the head and first nut over time,
• said spacer means further comprising a second nut threaded onto the bolt means, said second nut being slightly smaller in depth than the frame member for allowing the frame to become slightly compressed, and
• a module plate member also being carried by the bolt, the module plate and transaxle being securely pressed between the second nut and the head of the bolt, said module plate and transaxle being removable from the frame as a single unit when the first nut is removed from the bolt, said module plate and transaxle remaining operatively coupled together between the second nut and the head of the bolt when said first nut is removed from the bolt.

A mechanism, comprising:

• a frame member made at least partially of a plastic material, and to which a transaxle may be coupled, said transaxle and frame defining respective generally aligned openings,
• a bolt means in tension during operation and received by the openings in the transaxle and frame, said bolt means further including a head formed on the bolt means and a first nut threaded on the end portion of the bolt means opposite the head, said head and first nut serving to clamp and operatively press the frame and transaxle together securely, and
• spacer means carried within the opening defined by the frame for limiting the degree to which the frame is compressed while being operatively pressed against the transaxle, wherein the spacer means is slightly smaller in depth than the frame member, and allows the frame to become slightly compressed, said spacer means permitting limited elastic deformation of the frame member between the head and first nut and substantially prevents plastic deformation of the frame member by the clamping means between the head and first nut over time,
• said spacer means further comprising a second nut threaded onto the bolt means, said second nut being slightly smaller in depth than the frame member for allowing the frame to become slightly compressed,
• a module plate member also being carried by the bolt, the module plate and transaxle being securely pressed between the second nut and the head of the bolt, said module plate and transaxle being removable rom the frame as a single unit when the first nut is removed from the bolt, said module plate and transaxle remaining operatively coupled together between the second nut and the head of the bolt when said first nut is removed from the bolt, and
• a clamp plate member carried by the bolt between the first nut and the frame for spreading the compressive force of the first nut to the frame.

A mechanism, comprising:

• a vehicle frame made of a plastic material, said frame having vehicle components coupled therewith,
• a bolt received by generally aligned openings defined by the frame and the component, said bolt having a head portion and a threaded portion,
• a first nut threaded onto the bolt for securely pressing the frame and component together,
• a second nut threaded onto the bolt between the first nut and the component and within the opening in the frame for limiting the travel of the nut on the threads toward the head of the bolt, and for limiting the degree to which the frame is compressed which being operatively pressed against the component.

A mechanism, comprising:

• a vehicle frame made of a plastic material, said frame having a vehicle transaxle coupled therewith,
• a bolt received by generally aligned openings defined by the frame and the transaxle, said bolt having a head portion and a threaded portion,
• a first nut threaded onto the bolt for securely pressing the frame and transaxle together,
• a spacer means carried by the bolt between the first nut and the transaxle and within the opening in the frame for limiting the travel of the nut on the threads toward the head of the bolt, and for limiting the degree to which the frame is compressed while being operatively pressed against the transaxle, said spacer means further comprising a second nut threaded onto the bolt between the first nut and the head of the bolt,
• a module plate carried by the bolt,
• the module plate and transaxle are securely pressed between the second nut and the head of the bolt, and
• said module plate and transaxle being removable from the frame as a single unit when the first nut is removed from the bolt, said module plate and transaxle remaining operatively coupled together between the second nut and the head of the bolt when the first nut is removed from the bolt.

A mechanism, comprising:

• a vehicle frame made of a plastic material, said frame having vehcile components coupled therewith,
• a bolt received by generally aligned openings defined by the frame and the component, said bolt having a head portion and a threaded portion,
• a first nut threaded onto the bolt for securely pressing the frame and component together,
• a second nut threaded onto the bolt between the first nut and the component and within the opening in the frame for limiting the travel of the nut on the threads toward the head of the bolt, and for limiting the degree to which the frame is compressed while being operatively pressed against the component, and
• a clamp plate member carried by the bolt between the first nut and the frame for spreading the compressive force of the first nut to the frame.