Abstract:
A number of embodiments of reinforcing arrangements for vehicle bodies wherein the suspension for the ground engaging element is transmitted to the vehicle body and reinforcement is provided in this area. Rather than providing rigid reinforcement, as with the prior art, various forms of damping arrangements are disclosed including those which permit different damping in one direction from the other and utilizing either elastic or hydraulic viscous type dampers.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to a reinforcing member for vehicles and vehicle body structures and more particularly to an improved reinforcing arrangement for the vehicle suspension components for suspending the ground engaging element of the vehicle upon the vehicle body structure.  
           [0002]    It is well known in vehicle structure that the vehicle has a body which may include a separate frame or which frame may be formed semi-integrally with the body. Ground engaging elements are suspended from the vehicle body by a suspension system so as to provide a smooth and compliant ride as the vehicle travels along the terrain that it traverses. One type of vehicle suspension system is the so called “strut type” in which the suspension includes a pillar or strut that is mounted on an upper portion of the body frame and which is telescopic to permit the movement of the ground engaging member.  
           [0003]    It has been the practice to provide some form of body rigidifying structure adjacent the point of the vehicle body where this strut is connected. This is particularly true in frameless vehicles and one embodiment of this type of prior art construction is shown in FIG. 1 wherein the prior art vehicle body is indicated generally by the reference numeral  21  and which has an engine compartment  22  that is defined in part by means of a pair of fender skirts  23 . The upper ends of the suspension unit for the wheels is connected adjacent these fender skirts  23 . A pair of reinforcing bars  24  are interconnected at one end to the fender skirts  23  and at the other end to another part of the vehicle body to provide a rigidifying arrangement for the structure.  
           [0004]    [0004]FIG. 2 illustrates another type of prior art reinforcing structure for a vehicle, indicated in this instance by the reference numeral  25  and which is shown from the underside. Adjacent the mounting of the suspension arms, there is provided a reinforcing frame element  26  that is interconnected between the frame rails  27  of the vehicle body and a front cross member  28 .  
           [0005]    Although these types of structures provide a rigid base for the vehicle body in the area of the suspension unit, the rigidity of these elements causes elastic deformation upon the application of a load which when the load is removed, applies a reverse force back on the vehicle body at the point of attachment. Therefore, this causes vibrations and stress concentrations on the connection that can in fact deteriorate the performance and in fact can give rise to deterioration in the drivability and the ride of the vehicle.  
           [0006]    It is, therefore, a principle object to this invention to provide an improved vehicle body structure and reinforcing arrangement for association with the vehicle ground engaging element suspension of the vehicle.  
           [0007]    It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved rigidifying structure for a vehicle body that will provide sufficient rigidity but also which will avoid the inducement of vibrations and stress concentrations in the attached structure.  
         SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
         [0008]    This invention is adapted to be embodied in a vehicle having a vehicle body assembly. A ground-engaging element is providing for engaging the surface along which the vehicle passes. A suspension system suspends the ground-engaging element for suspension travel relative to the body assembly. A reinforcing member is attached at one end to a reinforcing part of the vehicle body to which the suspension system is affixed to receive forces transmitted to the reinforcing part. Another end of the reinforcing member is attached to another part of the body assembly and to which a generally axial force is applied from the suspension system through the reinforcing member. A damping system is provided for generating a damping force against the generally axial force on the reinforcing member. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a top plan view looking into the engine compartment of a motor vehicle constructed in accordance with a first type of prior art construction.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view taken from below of another type of prior art vehicle″s construction.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a partially schematic top plan view showing the front and rear suspension units and reinforcing arrangements of a vehicle constructed in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the line  4 - 4  of FIG. 3.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing further details of the front wheel suspension system of this vehicle.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross sectional view showing the reinforcing member in accordance with this embodiment.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 7 is a further enlarged view of the area of the cross section encompassed by the circle  7  in FIG. 6.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken along the line  8 - 8  of FIG. 7.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view, in part similar to FIG. 6, and shows a second embodiment of the invention.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view taken along the line  10 - 10  of FIG. 9.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view, in part similar to FIGS. 6 and 9, and shows a third embodiment of the invention.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view taken along the line  12 - 12  of FIG. 11.  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view, in part similar to FIGS. 6, 9 and  11 , and shows a fourth embodiment of the invention.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 14 is a top plan view of this embodiment.  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 5  is enlarged cross sectional view of the hydraulic damper of this embodiment.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 16 is an enlarged view, with a portion broke away, showing one way in, which the embodiment of FIGS.  13 - 15  can be mounted on the vehicle structure.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 17 is a top plan view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 16.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 18 is a top plan view, in part similar to FIG. 17, showing another way in which the embodiment of FIGS.  13 - 15  may be mounted on the vehicle body structure.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 19 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow  19  in FIG. 18. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0028]    Referring first to FIG. 1, a motor vehicle constructed in accordance with the invention is shown generally schematically although certain components of the vehicle are shown in fuller detail in the remaining figures relating to this embodiment. The motor vehicle, indicated generally by the reference numeral  51 , is comprised of a unitary body frame assembly  52  which defines at the front portion thereof an engine compartment  53  and at the rear portion thereof a trunk compartment  54 .  
         [0029]    A pair of front wheels  55  are journalled for suspension movement relative to the body  52  in a manner, which will be described shortly. In a like manner, a pair of rear wheels  56  are journalled at the rear end of the body by means of a suspension system that can be substantially the same as the suspension system associated with the front wheels. As should be apparent from the foregoing description, the suspension systems for suspending the wheels  55  and  56  relative to the body  52  may be of any known type although the invention, which deals primarily with a vehicle body reinforcing arrangement, has primary utility with those suspension systems employing strut type systems.  
         [0030]    This body reinforcing arrangement and its relationship to the vehicle body will now be described by reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, that show primarily the suspension system for the front wheels  55 . As has been noted, however, the suspension system for the rear wheels  56  may be the same except that a steering mechanism for steering the rear wheels  56  is not necessary.  
         [0031]    Each front suspension unit is indicated generally by the reference numeral  57  and each includes a strut member  58 , which is pivotally journalled at the outer end of a respective lower arm  59  by means of a pivotal connection such as a spherical joint  61 . The inner end of each of the suspension arms  59  is pivotally connected by means of a pivot joint  62  to one of a pair of spaced apart vertically extending walls  63  of the body frame  62  which walls are joined by a lower wall  67 .  
         [0032]    Each strut  58  is comprised of a tubular shock absorber and a surrounding coil compression spring  68 . The upper ends of the struts  58  are pivotally connected to a horizontally extending wall portion  69  or reinforcing element of the body frame  52 . As may be seen in FIG. 5, steering arms  71  are joined with the strut  58  and are connected to a steering linkage assembly  72  which may be of any known type. In addition, fore and aft locating arms  73  are connected to the lower arms  58  and also to the body frame  52  through elastic isolators  74  as is well known in this art.  
         [0033]    An anti-roll or sway bar  75  may be interconnected between the struts  58  so as to reduce or control body roll.  
         [0034]    The front wheels  55  are mounted on hubs  76  which are, in turn, connected to discs  77  of a disc brake assembly, which is not shown in detail.  
         [0035]    The suspension systems  57  as thus far described may be considered to be conventional and, for that reason, further description of them is not believed to be necessary to permit those skilled in the art to practice the invention.  
         [0036]    In accordance with the invention, a reinforcing member, indicated generally by the reference numeral  78 , is associated with the body reinforcing parts  69  associated with both the front and rear wheels  55  and  56 . The construction of this reinforcing member  78  and its connection to the body reinforcing part  69  will now be described in more detail by reference to FIG. 6 although portions of this assembly appear in the other figures.  
         [0037]    First, at one end the reinforcing member  78  is formed with a generally cylindrical body part  79  that defines a cylindrical inner surface  81  in which a piston rod  82  is supported for reciprocation in a manner, which will be described. At one end, the body member  79  is flattened so as to provide a mounting flange  83 , which has an opening  84  so as to receive a fastener for affixing it relative to the strut  58  at one side of the vehicle, this fastener being indicated by the reference numeral  85  in FIG. 3.  
         [0038]    The piston rod  82  has an extending portion that extends through a seal  86  formed at the open end of the cylinder  81 . An L-shaped bracket  87  is affixed to this exposed end of the piston rod  82  and defines an opening  88  that receives threaded fasteners  89  (FIGS. 3 &amp; 5) for affixing it to the body reinforcing part  69  at this side of the body frame assembly  52 .  
         [0039]    It should be noted that the piston rod  82  is telescopically received in the chamber  81  so that the housing member  79  and piston rod  82  are capable of relative axial movement to each other. As seen in these figures, this relative movement is viscously damped by an arrangement, which will now be described in detail.  
         [0040]    In addition to the end seal  86 , a further seal  91  is held in the cylinder bore  81  of the cylindrical member  79  by means of crimped portion  92 . The piston rod  82  has a portion  93  that extends through this seal  91  in sealing relationship. In addition, a pair of oil seals  94  are provided adjacent the inner sides of each of the seals  86  and  91  so each provides an oil seal at the outer ends of two chambers  95  and  96  formed on opposite sides of an enlarged portion  97  of the piston rod  82 .  
         [0041]    A piston ring  98  is received in a groove formed in the outer periphery of the enlarged portion  96  and cooperates to seal the chambers  95  and  96  from each other except for the formation of a plurality of circumferentially spaced flow orifices  99  formed in the periphery of the piston ring  98  which are sized so as to provide the appropriate damping characteristics for damping the relatively axial movement of the piston rod  82  relative to the cylinder member  79 . Hence, rather than providing a rigid connection between the two body attachments as in the prior art, this structure provides elastic viscous damping in the form of hydraulic damping to control the relative movement and to avoid back shocks from being generated through successive compressions and expansions of the previously used rigid reinforcing members. As a result, this arrangement provides very good reinforcing without vibration induction and possible wear and adverse effects caused thereby. Also, since the axially forces on the reinforcing members  78  are reduced, this member can be made lighter in overall assembly then with the previously proposed construction.  
         [0042]    Also, it would be possible to employ valved flow passages rather than the open passages  99  as are commonly used in shock absorbers so as to provide different damping in one direction from the other.  
         [0043]    A second embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 1  0  and is indicated generally by the reference numeral  1   01 . This embodiment is attached to the vehicle body in the same manner as previously described and, therefore, further description of the body attachment is believed to be necessary to permit those skilled in the art to practice the invention.  
         [0044]    Also, in this embodiment the reinforcing member  101  has a cylindrical part which is the same as that of the previously described embodiment, except for the elimination of the oil seals and thus, the same reference numeral  79  has been utilized to identify this cylinder component and the same numbers are applied to its attaching arrangement for attachment to the vehicle body.  
         [0045]    In this embodiment, there is also provided a piston rod, indicated generally by the reference numeral  102  which extends into the cylinder  81  and which is connected to the body by an attaching bracket  87  of the type previously described. Therefore, the same references numerals have been employed to identify this portion of the structure. In this embodiment, the viscous axial damping is provided by a viscous elastomeric or viscoelastic member, indicated generally by the reference numeral  103 . This member is a cylindrical member that is adhesively bonded to the piston rod  102  and to the cylinder surface  81  and will provide damping.  
         [0046]    However, this connection is such that it can be broken free in the excessive stress as occurs when the vehicle is involved in a major accident. Thus, it will absorb some of the shock but will break free so as to permit the body to crush and further absorb the impact.  
         [0047]    With this embodiment, the damping in one direction relative to the other can be different because of the fact that there is an air chamber, indicated generally by the reference numeral  104  that is formed at one end of the cylinder bore  81  and which has its volume decrease on movement in one direction and increase on movement in the other direction.  
         [0048]    [0048]FIGS. 11 and 12 show a third embodiment of the invention, which is similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 9 and 10, however in this embodiment the damping basically is the same in each direction unless the unit is pre-loaded. The reinforcing member in this embodiment is indicated generally by the reference numeral  151  and includes a pair of plate like members  152  and  153 , each of which has a respective end portion  154  and  155  defining openings  156  and  157  for attachment to the vehicle body. A viscoelastic or elastomeric plate  158  is adhesively bonded to the plate members  152  and  153  and provides the damping in this embodiment. Again, this embodiment provides the brake away protection and as with the embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 11.  
         [0049]    FIGS.  13   15  show another embodiment of reinforcing member, indicated generally by the reference numeral  201  which provides the viscous damping by means of a hydraulic shock absorber, indicated generally by the reference numeral  202  and which may be of the type conventionally used in an automotive suspension system. This shock absorber  202  includes an outer cylinder member  203  that carries a mounting trunion  204  at one end thereof that has a pair of elastomeric closures that define openings  205  to pass a fastener in a manner, which will be described.  
         [0050]    A piston rod  206  extends outwardly from beyond the cylinder member  203  and in a conventional automotive application would carry a trunion for connection to either a vehicle body element or a vehicle suspension system element. In this case, however, a tubular extension sleeve  207  is rigidly affixed to the piston rod  209  and extends through an outer cylinder  208 , which surrounds and is suitably affixed to the cylinder  203  of the shock absorber  202 . This extension rod  207  and tube  208  are required because the length of the reinforcing member  201  is greater than that of a normal shock absorber.  
         [0051]    The extension rod  207  is supported intermediate its ends and generally centrally of the tube  208  by means of an elastic sleeve  209 . A coupling member  211  is fixed to the end of the extension rod  207  is by means of threaded fasteners  212 . The coupling member  211  also has a trunion arrangement  213  that has a pair of elastic sleeves defining openings  214  for connection to the vehicle body in a manner, embodiments of which will be described shortly.  
         [0052]    The internal structure of the shock absorber  202  will now be described by particular reference to FIG. 15. The shock absorber cylinder  203  defines an inner cylindrical bore in which a floating accumulator piston  215  is supported within an pressure seal of the O-ring type  216  contained in its outer periphery. This defines an accumulator chamber that is charged with an inner gas under pressure as indicated at  217 .  
         [0053]    The piston rod  206  of the shock absorber carries a shock-absorbing piston  218  that is held thereon by a nut  219 . The piston  218  carries an O-ring seal  221  for sealing engagement with the cylinder bore  222  of the cylinder member  203 . A first series of flow passages  223  permit flow from a first chamber  224  formed between the piston  218  and the floating piston  215 . A plate-type valve  225  controls the flow from the chamber  224  to a chamber  226  formed on the other side of the piston  218 . These plate-type valves  225  are loaded by a stopper member  226  that is held at shoulder on the piston rod  206 .  
         [0054]    A second series of plate-type valves  228  controls the flow from the chamber  226  to the chamber  224  through a second series of flow passages  229 . If desired, the damping in one direction can be different from the other in any of the well known ways.  
         [0055]    The open end of the shock absorber cylinder  203  is closed by a closure assembly, indicated generally by the reference numeral  231  and which functions to provide a seal for the other end of the fluid chamber  226 . This seal arrangement includes a plastic bushing  232  that is received within a rod guide  233 . The rod guide  233 , in turn, carries an oil seal  234 , a gasket  235  and a rigid washer  236 . These components are held in a stacked relationship be means of a pair of circle clips  237 .  
         [0056]    In a conventional shock absorber structure, the weight of the vehicle on the suspension element maintains the pressure in the accumulator chamber  217 . Since the reinforcing member  201 , however, carries none of the vehicle weight, a pre-load coil spring  237  is contained within the chamber  226  and acts against the stopper rod  227  to urge the piston to the right and maintain the desired pressure in the accumulator chamber  217 .  
         [0057]    As is well known in the shock absorber art, the volume of the accumulator chamber  217  will vary as the piston  218  moves axially within the cylinder bore  222  to accommodate changes in volume between the chambers  224  and  226  caused by the fact that the piston rod  206  only extends through the chamber  226 .  
         [0058]    [0058]FIGS. 16 and 17 show one type of end connection that can be used with the damper shown in the embodiment of FIGS.  13   15 . The embodiment of FIGS. 16 and 17 shows preferably the type of mounting that can be utilized to the strut assembly and this includes a mounting plate  251  which has an opening  252  sized to surround the upper end of the strut and be directly attached to the body reinforcing member  69  through fasteners that passed through fastener openings  253  formed around the central opening  252 . An arm portion  254  has an opening that permits a bolt  255  to pass through it and through the openings  205  in the trunion  204 . A nut  256  completes this attachment.  
         [0059]    [0059]FIGS. 18 and 19 show another type of attachment mechanism, which can be employed also. In this mechanism, there is provided a more sophisticated attachment arrangement attaching member, indicated generally by the reference numeral  301  which again has a mounting plate portion  302  that defines a central opening  303  to surround the strut.  
         [0060]    Fastener openings  304  encircle the central opening  303  and receive threaded fasteners (not shown) to affix the mounting assembly  301  to the vehicle body and specifically to the reinforcing member  69 . A pair of upstanding arms  305  and  306  form openings through which a bolt  307  may pass to connect the trunion  204  of the reinforcing unit  202  to the vehicle body. A nut  308  completes this connection.  
         [0061]    Thus, from the foregoing description it should be readily apparent that the disclosed reinforcing members are very effective in providing reinforcing for taking the loads of the suspension systems of an associated vehicle without having compression and expansion of the reinforcing member cause vibrations that can adversely effect the performance. Of course, the foregoing description is that of preferred embodiments of the invention and various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the sprit of the appended claims.