# US 9,751,563 B2 · Subframe for vehicle

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- Number: US 9,751,563 B2
- Document ID: US9751563B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/902,945
- Filed: 2014-06-10
- Published: 2016-06-02
- Granted: 2017-09-05
- Earliest claimed: 2013-07-11
- Assignees: F-Tech Inc.; Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: F-Tech Inc.; Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Norio Tomikuda; Yusuke Arai; Tsutomu Ogawa; Taiyo Gon; Koji Tagome
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751563B2

## CPC

- B62D 21/11: with resilient means for suspension {, e.g. of wheels or engine; sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions}
- B62D 21/02: comprising longitudinally or transversely arranged frame members
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)

## Abstract

To realize weight saving of a vehicle subframe, while ensuring required strength and stiffness thereof with a simple configuration, there are provided a first hole portion in at least one of an upper member and a lower member in a first region, and a second hole portion in at least one of the upper member and the lower member in a second region.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle subframe mounted on a vehicle body, comprising:
a body portion having an upper member and a lower member joined to the upper member below thereof, in which the upper member and the lower member are cooperatively to constitute a closed cross section;
a plurality of support portions provided with respect to the body portion to support a plurality of suspension arms correspondingly;
a first support portion, of the support portions, provided on a left side in a width direction and on a front side in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body;
a second support portion, of the support portions, provided on a right side in the width direction and on the front side in the longitudinal direction;
a third support portion, of the support portions, provided on the left side in the width direction and on a rear side in the longitudinal direction; and
a fourth support portion, of the support portions, provided on the right side in the width direction and on the rear side in the longitudinal direction, wherein
a plurality of regions are defined in the body portion in a plan view, by a straight line connecting the first support portion and the fourth support portion and a straight line connecting the second support portion and the third support portion,
the regions include a first region spreadly extending from an intersection point between the straight lines toward the left side in the width direction, a second region spreadly extending from the intersection point toward the right side in the width direction, a third region spreadly extending from the intersection point toward the front side in the longitudinal direction, and a fourth region spreadly extending from the intersection point toward the rear side in the longitudinal direction,
a first hole portion is provided to straddle over the first region and the fourth region in at least one of the upper member and the lower member, and a second hole portion is provided to straddle over the second region and the fourth region in at least one of the upper member and the lower member, and
the first hole portion and the second hole portion are disposed such that the area of the first hole portion in the plan view located in the first region is larger than an area thereof in the plan view located in the fourth region, and the area of the second hole portion in the plan view located in the second region is larger than an area thereof in the plan view located in the fourth region.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle subframe according to claim 1, wherein the first hole portion and the second hole portion respectively include through holes provided in both the upper member and the lower member so as to pass completely therethrough.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The vehicle subframe according to claim 2, wherein, in the first hole portion and the second hole portion, respective edges thereof are joined to each other.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The vehicle subframe according to claim 3, wherein the respective edges are joined to each other at flanges respectively provided in both the upper member and the lower member.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The vehicle subframe according to claim 1, wherein the body portion includes a first framework portion extending between the first support portion and the third support portion, a second framework portion extending between the second support portion and the fourth support portion, a third framework portion extending between the first support portion and the second support portion, and a fourth framework portion extending between the third support portion and the fourth support portion, and the first framework portion has a concave shape depressed toward the right side in the width direction in the plan view, the second framework portion has a concave shape depressed toward the left side in the width direction in the plan view, the third framework portion has a concave shape depressed toward the rear side in the longitudinal direction in the plan view, and the fourth framework portion has a concave shape depressed toward the front side in the longitudinal direction in the plan view.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The vehicle subframe according to claim 5, further comprising a fifth framework portion connecting the third framework portion and the fourth framework portion.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The vehicle subframe according to claim 2, wherein the body portion includes a first framework portion extending between the first support portion and the third support portion, a second framework portion extending between the second support portion and the fourth support portion, a third framework portion extending between the first support portion and the second support portion, and a fourth framework portion extending between the third support portion and the fourth support portion, and the first framework portion has a concave shape depressed toward the right side in the width direction in the plan view, the second framework portion has a concave shape depressed toward the left side in the width direction in the plan view, the third framework portion has a concave shape depressed toward the rear side in the longitudinal direction in the plan view, and the fourth framework portion has a concave shape depressed toward the front side in the longitudinal direction in the plan view.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The vehicle subframe according to claim 3, wherein the body portion includes a first framework portion extending between the first support portion and the third support portion, a second framework portion extending between the second support portion and the fourth support portion, a third framework portion extending between the first support portion and the second support portion, and a fourth framework portion extending between the third support portion and the fourth support portion, and the first framework portion has a concave shape depressed toward the right side in the width direction in the plan view, the second framework portion has a concave shape depressed toward the left side in the width direction in the plan view, the third framework portion has a concave shape depressed toward the rear side in the longitudinal direction in the plan view, and the fourth framework portion has a concave shape depressed toward the front side in the longitudinal direction in the plan view.

### Claim 9 (depends on 4)

The vehicle subframe according to claim 4, wherein the body portion includes a first framework portion extending between the first support portion and the third support portion, a second framework portion extending between the second support portion and the fourth support portion, a third framework portion extending between the first support portion and the second support portion, and a fourth framework portion extending between the third support portion and the fourth support portion, and the first framework portion has a concave shape depressed toward the right side in the width direction in the plan view, the second framework portion has a concave shape depressed toward the left side in the width direction in the plan view, the third framework portion has a concave shape depressed toward the rear side in the longitudinal direction in the plan view, and the fourth framework portion has a concave shape depressed toward the front side in the longitudinal direction in the plan view.