Patent Application
20050134090
The present invention relates to structures to support components within a vehicle and more particularly to structures to support interior trim components within a vehicle's passenger compartment.
Many automotive vehicle bodies have a frame with a pair of vertical pillars on the opposite sides of the vehicle body at the juncture of an engine compartment and a passenger compartment. The pillars are connected by a crossbeam structure at the cowl of the vehicle body forward of an instrument panel. The cross beam structure provides cross car stiffness, assist in managing front and side load impacts and supports the steering column and air bags. As well, the cross beam structure provides support for the dashboard, glove compartment and various instrument clusters. The cross beam structure must have sufficient strength to absorb loading applied to the steering column and forces associated with deployment of driver and/or passenger air bags.
Traditionally, cross-car beams are formed of various flat and tubular structures which are welded together. Each of these structures provide either support for various vehicle interior components or function to couple the cross car beam to the vehicles body. Theses previously known cross car support structures suffer the disadvantages that they are composed of multiple metal structures which are fastened together via multiple weld joints. Each of these weld joints and individual components increase the overall complexity of the structures as well as significantly increases the cost of maintaining dimensional stability. Further, the normal methodology of forming a cross-car beam leaves it difficult to estimate the strength of the structure in dynamic vehicle events.
It is an object of the present invention to provide support structures for vehicle components which overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. To at least partially overcome these disadvantages of previously known devices, the present invention provides a support structure including a beam comprising a hollow metal tube coupled to vehicle's body. The tube comprises a single piece tubing having at least two portions with varying diameters, each portion having varying thicknesses.
In another embodiment of the invention, a support structure including a beam comprising a hollow metal tube coupled to vehicle's body is provided. The tube is constructed of a single piece of tubing having first and second portions. The first portion has a first diameter and a first thickness, the second portion has a second diameter and a second thickness. The second diameter is larger than the first diameter and the second thickness is greater than the first thickness.
In another embodiment of the invention, a cross car structure member including a beam comprising a hollow metal tube extending across the vehicle between the vehicle pillars. The tube is constructed of a single piece of tubing having at least two portions with varying diameters, each portion having varying thicknesses.
In another embodiment of the invention, a cross car structure member including a beam comprising a hollow metal tube extending across the vehicle between the vehicle pillars is provided. The tube is constructed of a single piece of tubing having first and second portions. The first portion has a first diameter and a first thickness, the second portion has a second diameter and a second thickness. The second diameter is larger than the first diameter and the second thickness is greater than the first thickness.
In another embodiment of the invention, a support structure for supporting an engine within a vehicle is provided. The support structure includes a beam comprising a hollow metal tube coupled to the vehicle body. The tube is constructed of a single piece of tubing having at least two portions with varying diameters, each portion having varying thicknesses.
In another embodiment of the invention, a support structure constructed of a single piece of tubing having first and second portions for supporting an engine within a vehicle is provided. The first portion has a first diameter and a first thickness, the second portion has a second diameter and a second thickness. The second diameter is larger than the first diameter and the second thickness is greater than the first thickness.
Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The following description of the preferred embodiments is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.
Reference is made generally to
Shown is a pictorial view of a cross car support structure 10 in accordance with the present invention including a primary cross beam 12 which extends between a left-hand vertical end bracket member 14 at a left-hand end 16 of the beam 12 and a right hand vehicle end bracket member 18 at the right hand end 20 of the beam 12. As is known, the structure 10 is adapted to span between left and right side vertical pillars on opposite sides of the frame, a vehicle body with the primary beam member 12 proximate the cowl of the vehicle, below and forward of a dashboard (not shown) and an instrument panel (not shown) and at a height below that of the windshield.
The structure 10 further can optionally include left hand intermediate vertical bracket member 22 which is spaced longitudinally along the beam 12 in between the end bracket members 14 and 16 and extending generally vertically downwardly from the primary beam member 12.
As shown in
The support structure 10 is adapted to support a steering wheel column (not shown) and, in this regard, the primary beam 12 carries a left steering wheel column lower support bracket 34. As is to be appreciated, the brackets 34 and 36 can be utilized to securely support a steering wheel column to the primary beam 12.
To support the centre of a dashboard deck (not shown), a dashboard deck upper support assembly 38 is provided including a generally horizontally extending deck plate 40 supported by the two vertical brackets 22 and 24.
To support a glove compartment tray and door, a glove compartment support assembly is provided comprising an upper horizontal frame member 42 and two vertical side frame members 44 and 46. The horizontal frame member 42 is coupled to the primary beam 12 by brackets 48 and 50. The vertical side frame members 44 and 46 are connected at their top to the horizontal frame member 42 and at their bottoms to the secondary beam member 22.
To connect the support structure 10 as, for example, to a bulkhead between the engine compartment and the passenger compartment, connection brackets are provided. These connection brackets are shown as forward connection brackets 52 which are coupled at their rear end to the primary beam 12 and extend forwardly thereof.
Various brackets may be provided, for example, to support the dashboard and instrument cluster and a dashboard right connection bracket 54 is shown coupled to the primary beam member 12.
Reference is made to
The primary beam 12 extends as a continuous hollow tube of varying cross-section from its left-hand end 54 to its right-hand end 55. The primary beam 12 comprises a hollow beam having varying circular cross-section which extends longitudinally throughout the length of the beam. It is also to be appreciated that the exterior diameter of the beam 12 can be held constant through the first and second portions 70 and 72, while allowing the thickness T1 and T2 to vary.
The primary beam 12 is preferably formed from metal by an extrusion/forming process. In this regard, the primary beam 12 is preferably formed using a system similar to that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,500 herein incorporated by reference. After discharge from this process, the beam 12 may be deformed to assume a curved or bent shape. Additionally, it is envisioned that the primary beam 12 can have a constant outer radius with a varying thickness along its length.
The various bracket members which are coupled to the primary beam 12 and the secondary beam member 22 are preferably formed from metal sheeting forming into generally T-shape, L-shape, I-shape or U-shape configurations to provide enhanced rigidity. Preferably, the various bracket members will also comprise metal. Preferably, the metal of the bracket members and the secondary cross beam member 22 is substantially the same metal as that utilized for the primary beam 12. More preferably, such metal is HSLA 50 or mild steel such as grade 1010 steel, aluminum, or aluminum alloys. Preferably, the junctures between the primary beam and the various bracket members and secondary beam member 22, are junctures whereby the metal is welded or otherwise fused together to provide enhanced strength and rigidity and particularly without the need for mechanical fasteners.
In manufacturing the entire cross car support structure 10 as shown in
The preferred primary cross beam 12 shown has a cross-section which is shown to be circular. A circular cross-section is believed advantageous for enhanced strength and vibration reduction. It is however possible to provide the primary beam 12 with flat side surfaces to assist in the mating of surfaces of the various bracket members to the side surfaces of the primary beam. Further, by having beam portions having a larger diameter and larger thickness, support of more massive structures is possible.
The preferred primary beam 12 is shown to have a longitudinal centre axis provided at the geometric centre of its central passageway. It is to be appreciated that with the preferred embodiment, the longitudinal centre axis is linear over the right hand portion of the beam 12 and is optionally curved in one plane and linear in a second plane over the left-hand portion of the beam 12. It is therefore possible to provide tubing having a reduced thickness in areas which need to be bent. It is to be appreciated that the longitudinal centre of the primary beam member could be linear over its entire length, or could be curved and non-linear over its entire length. The particular adaptation of the primary beam member so as to be curved or linear does not significantly effect or alter the characteristics of the cross car support structure 10, however, it is believed preferred to have an arched configuration of the primary beam member which arches-upwardly from one side pillar over the location of the steering wheel column and then downwardly to approximately the centre of the primary beam member. This arching is believed to provide for enhanced resiliency to side impact loading.
While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, the invention is not so limited. For a definition of the invention, reference is made to the following claims. The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. For example, while the invention is described by general reference to a support structure for an instrument panel with a vehicle passenger compartment, it is equally envisioned that the variable thickness can be used to support other structures such as engine or transmission components. Further, these support tubes can be strategically located to deform and absorb energy both inside and outside a passenger compartment. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/524,497, filed on Nov. 24, 2003. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60524497 | Nov 2003 | US |
