Vehicle frame assembly
AssigneeHonda Motor Co., Ltd.
InventorsRobert A. Ng, Brian E. Dressel, Kishore K. Pydimarry, David M. Edwards, Shawn T. Crichley, Takashi Nakano
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle frame assembly includes a first frame member and a separate second frame member having an end portion connected to an end portion of the first frame member. A frame patch is interposed between and connected to the respective end portions of the first and second frame members. The frame patch together with the respective end portions of the first and second frame members defines a tri-layer patch configured to divide an input load applied longitudinally to the vehicle frame assembly into multiple force vectors which distribute the input load across a wide area of the vehicle frame assembly.
Claims20
A vehicle frame assembly comprising:
- a first frame member;
- a separate second frame member having an end portion connected to an end portion of the first frame member;
- and
- a frame patch interposed between and connected to the respective end portions of the first and second frame members, the frame patch together with the respective end portions of the first and second frame members defining a tri-layer patch configured to divide an input load applied longitudinally to the vehicle frame assembly into multiple force vectors which distribute the input force across a wide area of the vehicle frame assembly.
A rear frame assembly for a vehicle comprising:
- a first frame member having an elongated first channel;
- a second frame member separate from the first frame member and having an elongated second channel, an end portion of the second frame member being positioned in the first channel of the first frame member and connected to an end portion of the first frame member;
- and
- a frame patch defining a patch channel, the frame patch being at least partially positioned in the first channel, the end portion of the second frame member being positioned in the patch channel, a section of the frame patch interposed between the respective end portions of the first and second frame members together with the respective end portions of the first and second frame members defining a tri-layer patch, the tri-layer patch configured to distribute an input load applied longitudinally to the vehicle rear frame assembly across a wide area of the rear frame assembly.
A rear frame assembly for a vehicle comprising:
- a first frame member including a pair of sidewalls and a bottom wall interconnecting the sidewalls, the first frame member defining an elongated first channel;
- a second frame member separate from the first frame member and including a pair of sidewalls and a bottom wall interconnecting the sidewalls, the second frame member defining an elongated second channel, an end portion of the second frame member being positioned in the first channel of the first frame member and connected to an end portion of the first frame member;
- and
- a frame patch including a pair of sidewalls and a bottom wall interconnecting the sidewalls, the frame patch defining a patch channel, the frame patch including a first end section, a second end section and a central section, the first end section at least partially positioned in the first channel, the second end section configured to receive the end portion of the second frame member, a section of the end portion of the second frame member being suspended above the frame patch, the central section interposed between the respective end portions of the first and second frame members,
- wherein the frame patch together with the respective end portions of the first and second frame members define a tri-layer patch extending in a longitudinal direction of both the first and second frame members,
- wherein the tri-layer patch is configured to distribute an input load applied longitudinally to the vehicle rear frame assembly across a wide area of the rear frame assembly, the input load being divided into a shear load carried along the sidewalls of the frame patch, a mid-plane load carried along a bottom wall of the second frame member and the bottom wall of the second end section of the frame patch, and a bottom plane load carried along the entire bottom wall of the frame patch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.