Patent ID: 6601910
Filing Date: 2003-08-05
Classification: B60J,B62D

Abstract:
A expandable ram system for stiffening the body of a vehicle, the expandable ram system comprising:a plurality of door frame assemblies being adapted for selectively coupling to the front and the rear of the body of the vehicle, each of said door frame assemblies being adapted for being positioned in one of plurality of doors of the body of the vehicle, said door frame assemblies being adapted for rigidly connecting the front of the body to the rear of the body for preventing flex in the body of the vehicle when the doors of the vehicle are closed; each of said door frame assemblies having a bracing member, said bracing member of each of said door frame assemblies being adapted for selectively coupling to the front the rear of the body when the associated one of the doors is closed, said bracing member being for rigidly joining the front and the rear of the body such that said bracing member of each of said door frame assemblies is adapted for inhibiting flexing of the body of the vehicle with respect to the frame; each of said door frame assemblies having a front insert member, said front insert member being positioned at an end of said bracing member, said front insert member being adapted for being selectively insertable into the front of the body, said front insert member being adapted for maintaining alignment of said bracing member of the associated one of said door frame assemblies and the front of the body when the doors of the vehicle is closed; each of said door frame assemblies having a rear insert member, said rear insert member being positioned opposite said front insert member, said rear insert member being adapted for being selectively insertable into the rear of the body of the vehicle, said rear insert member being adapted for maintaining alignment of said bracing member of the associated one of said door frame assemblies and the rear of the body when the doors of the vehicle is closed; said bracing member of each of said door frame assemblies having a lumen, said front insert member and said rear insert member being slidably positioned in said lumen of the associated one of said door frame assemblies; and each of said door frame assemblies having an actuation assembly, said actuation assembly being positioned in said lumen of said bracing member, said actuation assembly being coupled between said front insert member and said rear insert member, said actuation assembly being for retracting said front insert member and said rear insert member into said lumen of said bracing member when the associated one of the doors of the vehicle is opened, said actuation assembly being for forcing said front insert member into the front of the body and said rear insert member into the rear of the body when the associated one of the doors of the vehicle is closed.