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US 8,128,160 B2Granted
Tower bar construction for a motor vehicle
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsAnthony Leanza, Christos Agouridis, Jr., Takashi Nakano
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tower bar construction for a motor vehicle is disclosed. The tower bar construction includes a member extending from strut tower to strut tower. This component resists relative movement between strut towers. The construction also includes two continuous sections from each strut tower to an upper panel. These sections resist relative movement between strut towers and the upper panel. The tower bar construction includes a central reinforcing portion welded to an upper panel that resists torsion exerted on the section created by relative movement between strut towers and the upper panel.
Claims20
A motor vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle body structure including an upper panel, a first strut tower and a second strut tower;
- a tower bar assembly configured to extend between the first strut tower, the second strut tower and the upper panel;
- the tower bar assembly including a central reinforcing portion, the central reinforcing portion further including a base portion and wherein a portion of the base portion is spaced apart from the upper panel;
- a first side reinforcing portion configured to connect a first side portion of the central reinforcing portion to the upper panel and a second side reinforcing portion configured to connect a second side portion of the central reinforcing portion to the upper panel;
- wherein the central reinforcing portion, the first side reinforcing portion, the second side reinforcing portion and the upper panel enclose an interior space when viewed in a cross-section taken along a longitudinal axis of the central reinforcing portion;
- wherein the tower bar assembly further includes:
- a first extended member extending between the first side reinforcing portion and the first strut tower and a second extended member extending between the second side reinforcing portion and the second strut tower;
- and
- a tower bar component extending between the first extended member and the second extended member;
- the first extended member including a first end portion attached to the first strut tower, a second end portion associated with the first side reinforcing portion, and an intermediate portion disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion;
- and
- wherein a first end portion of the tower bar component is attached to the intermediate portion of the first extended member.
9 more elements
A motor vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle body structure including an upper panel, a first strut tower and a second strut tower;
- the upper panel including a forward edge extending in a substantially lateral direction and a rearward edge extending in the substantially lateral direction;
- a cross member attached to the rearward edge of the upper panel;
- a tower bar assembly configured to extend between the first strut tower, the second strut tower and the upper panel;
- the tower bar assembly including a central reinforcing portion configured to attach to the upper panel;
- wherein the central reinforcing portion extends between the forward edge of the upper panel and the cross member;
- wherein the tower bar assembly further includes:
- a first extended member associated with the first strut tower;
- a second extended member associated with the second strut tower;
- and
- a tower bar component extending between the first extended member and the second extended member;
- the first extended member including a first end portion attached to the first strut tower, a second end portion associated with the upper panel, and an intermediate portion disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion;
- and
- wherein a first end portion of the tower bar component is attached to the intermediate portion of the first extended member.
11 more elements
A motor vehicle, comprising:
- a vehicle body structure including an upper panel, a first strut tower and a second strut tower;
- a tower bar assembly configured to extend between the first strut tower, the second strut tower and the upper panel;
- the tower bar assembly including a first extended member associated with the first strut tower and a second extended member associated with the second strut tower;
- the first extended member including a first end portion attached to the first strut tower, a second end portion associated with the upper panel and an intermediate portion disposed between the first end portion and the second end portion;
- the tower bar assembly including a tower bar component extending between the first extended member and the second extended member;
- and
- wherein a first end portion of the tower bar component is attached to the intermediate portion of the first extended member.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.