Angled cross member for a vehicle

A structural assembly for a vehicle, including a first rail extending in the nominal direction of forward vehicle travel, a second rail extending in the nominal direction of forward vehicle travel and a cross member having a main body having a first end and a second end, and being joined inboard of the first end to the first rail and inboard of the second end to the second rail, wherein the first end and second end of the cross member are angled relative to the direction of forward vehicle travel at an obtuse angle.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to one or more angled cross members for a vehicle structural assembly.

BACKGROUND

Automotive vehicles may include a structural assembly including one or more rails extending rearwardly from a front bumper. The rails provide structure to which various vehicle components can be mounted, such as the front bumper and the vehicle engine. The rails have been arranged in a forward and rearward orientation relative to the vehicle and one or more straight, cross-car extending members may interconnect the rails.

SUMMARY

A structural assembly for a vehicle, including a first rail extending in the nominal direction of forward vehicle travel, a second rail extending in the nominal direction of forward vehicle travel and a cross member having a main body having a first end and a second end, and being joined inboard of the first end to the first rail and inboard of the second end to the second rail, wherein the first end and second end of the cross member are angled relative to the direction of forward vehicle travel at an obtuse angle. In at least some implementations, the main body has a forward facing surface that is concave and a rearward facing surface that is convex. The forward facing surface of the cross member may have a length between the first end and second end, and the forward facing surface is curved and may have a ratio of a radius of curvature to length of between 0.7 and 4.5.

In at least some implementations, the cross member is coupled to a main side rail of the vehicle chassis. The cross member may be coupled to rails or other structural members of an engine cradle, and the first rail and second rail may be coupled to and/or part of the engine cradle.

In at least some implementations, the angle of the ends of the cross member to a centerline of the cross member that is parallel to the direction of forward vehicle travel is between 135 and 165 degrees. The first end and second end may be mirror images of each other.

In at least some implementations, the first end and second end include a forward surface and a rearward surface, where the forward surface leads the rearward surface of the vehicle in forward vehicle travel, and wherein the forward surface that is closer to a fore-aft centerline of the vehicle than is the rearward surface.

In at least some implementations, the first rail and second rail are adapted to be received closer to a fore-aft centerline of the vehicle than are the wells for vehicle wheels. The cross-car length of the cross member may be less than the cross-car distance between the wells for the vehicle wheels.

In at least some implementations, a connector is coupled to the first rail and includes a threaded section, a bushing is aligned with the threaded section, and a bolt is received through the bushing and has threads received in the threaded section. The cross member may include an opening into which the bushing extends and the bushing engages the connector and the cross member is coupled to the first rail by the bolt, bushing and connector. The bushing may mechanically interlock with the connector providing a joint area larger than the diameter of the bolt. The connector may include a counterbore defined by a flange and an end of the bushing may be received within the counterbore such that the flange surrounds and axially overlaps the end of the bushing. The bushing may be tubular and have an inner surface that defines an inner diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the bolt providing clearance between the inner surface and the bolt.

In at least some implementations, a structural assembly for a vehicle, includes a chassis having a first portion and a second portion spaced from the first portion in a cross-car direction, and a cross member. The cross member has a main body having a first end and a second end, and is joined inboard of the first end to the first portion of the chassis and inboard of the second end to the second portion of the chassis. The first end and second end of the cross member are angled relative to a direction of forward vehicle travel at an obtuse angle. In at least some implementations, the main body has a forward facing surface that is concave and a rearward facing surface that is convex.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring in more detail to the drawings,FIG. 1illustrates part of a vehicle chassis10, including a front end12of the vehicle, components of an engine cradle14and a front-end module15. These parts provide a structural base for vehicle components like the body panels, powertrain and drive train.

The chassis10includes side rails16that extend along opposite driver and passenger sides,18and20respectively, of the vehicle. The side rails16extend generally in a fore-aft direction (sometimes called the longitudinal direction) that extends from the front of the vehicle toward the rear of the vehicle and is aligned with nominal, straight forward travel of the vehicle, indicated by arrow22. The side rails16may curve inwardly in the front and rear of the vehicle and are received between the front and rear vehicle wheels, and may define part of the wells24in which the wheels are located, and may include mounting hardware for the vehicle shafts and wheels (e.g. control arms, coils and the like), and other components.

Outwardly facing sides25of the rails or adjacent structural members of the vehicle may define or extend along part of the wheel wells24in which the vehicle front wheels26are located. The wheels26are arranged to roll in the fore-aft direction, and are mounted to the usual structures to enable turning. One or more brackets or structural members for the suspension of the wheels may be coupled to the side rails16or other structural members. As shown inFIGS. 1 and 4, on each side of the vehicle, a suspension bracket28is connected at a forward end to the side rail16and extends rearwardly toward the wheel26. The bracket28may have at least a portion that is outboard of the side rails (in other words, between and outer side25of the side rails16and the adjacent side of the vehicle). The side rails16may extend to or near the front of the vehicle and the front-end module15may be mounted to the side rails16and/or other structural members at the front of the vehicle.

The front-end module15may include or be connected to a front fascia (not shown), bumper30, a radiator mount32, and possibly other components. The fascia and bumper30may extend in a cross-car direction indicated by arrow34(sometimes called the lateral direction, which extends between driver and passenger sides of the vehicle) and may be directly coupled to the side rails16and/or to other structural members of the vehicle chassis10. In at least some implementations, the fascia or bumper30may define the forward most portion of the vehicle.

An engine may be mounted rearward of the front-end module15and may be carried at least in part by the engine cradle14that may be connected to the side rails16. The cradle14may include one or more fore-aft oriented rails, called herein fore-aft members36, and one or more cross-car oriented rails, herein called cross-car members38. The fore-aft members36may be spaced apart in the cross-car direction with one rail located on each of two opposed sides18,20(e.g. left and right or driver and passenger sides) of the engine cradle14or engine compartment. The fore-aft members36may include or be coupled to engine brackets or mounts40that have portions extending upwardly to provide brackets on opposite sides of the engine. To support the mounts40and engine coupled thereto, the fore-aft members36may extend beneath the mounts40, through a channel defined by the mounts and/or may be coupled to a forward portion of the mounts and extend forwardly from the mounts. To support the engine cradle14and engine, the fore-aft members36and mounts40may be coupled to the main chassis10, such as to the side rails16and/or other structural components. The fore-aft members36may be received inwardly of the side rails36, if desired, and are received laterally between the front wheels26. The fore-aft members36extend forwardly beyond the front wheels26to or toward the bumper30or other cross-car extending member at or near the front of the vehicle.

The cross-car members38of the engine cradle14may be linear and spaced apart in the fore-aft direction, and may be coupled at opposed ends to one or both of the mounts40and fore-aft members36. The cross-car members38provide support against twisting and lateral (cross-car) movement or bending of the fore-aft members36and/or mounts40. To improve the structural integrity of the cradle14and provide a more robust mount for the engine and a more robust chassis10, one or more angled brackets42or supports may extend between the fore-aft members36and cross-car members38, and/or such members and other vehicle chassis components.

A cross member44may be coupled to the chassis10. The cross member44has a main body46that has a first end48and a second end50, and the main body46may be connected to a first portion of the chassis10, and to a second portion of the chassis10. In at least some implementations, the first portion of the chassis10includes a first side rail16, a first one of the fore-aft members36of the engine cradle14or both. Similarly, the second portion of the chassis10may include the other side rail16, another fore-aft member36of the engine cradle14or both, or, for example, a lower control arm bracket. Thus, the cross-member44may be directly connected to one or both of the side rails16and engine cradle14. In at least some implementations, the cross member44is connected to a lower side52of the side rails16(generally facing the surface on which the vehicle is situated) and is located rearward of the front-end module15(i.e. rearward of the bumper30) and forward of the engine/engine cradle14. In at least some implementations, the cross member44is located above the upper surface54of the fore-aft members36and one or more brackets or braces56extend between the cross member44and each fore-aft member36. In the implementation shown, a brace56is coupled to each cradle fore-aft member36via a bracket58and is coupled to the cross member44directly or via a bracket59(FIG. 3). Each brace56may extend from a respective one of the cradle fore-aft members36outwardly toward the adjacent end (either48or50) of the cross member44, and in at least some implementations is at an angle to a longitudinal or fore-aft centerline60of the vehicle of between zero and sixty degrees, although other arrangements may be used.

The ends48,50of the cross member44are arranged laterally outboard of the engine cradle14(e.g. laterally outboard of the fore-aft members), and the side rails16, at least the portion of the side rails16that is located laterally between the vehicle front wheels26. The ends48,50of the cross member44may extend outwardly beyond the lateral ends62,64of the bumper30and/or remainder of the front-end module15(excluding body panels like the front fascia which define the exterior of the vehicle). In at least some implementations, the first end48and second end50of the cross member44are angled relative to the direction of forward vehicle travel22(or the vehicle centerline60) by an obtuse angle α (i.e. an angle that is greater than ninety degrees and less than one hundred and eighty degrees). InFIG. 3, the angle α is indicated between the ends48,50and lines65,67parallel to the centerline60and forward travel direction22. In at least some implementations, the angle of the first and second ends48,50is between 135 and 165 degrees. And in at least some implementations, the first end48and second end50are mirror images of each other about the vehicle centerline60.

The first end48and second end50may include a forward edge or surface66and a rearward edge or surface68, where the forward surface66leads the rearward surface68of the vehicle in forward vehicle travel. The forward surface66of each end48,50of the cross member44may be closer to the vehicle centerline60than is the rearward surface68. So arranged, the ends48,50of the cross member44are oriented to, when engaged by an object, deflect the object outwardly away from the centerline60(and away from the engine), and/or deflect the vehicle away from the object.

Between the ends48,50, the cross member main body46includes a forward facing surface70, rearward facing surface72, upper surface74and lower surface76, where forward and rearward relate to the fore-aft direction of the vehicle and upper and lower relate to the surface/ground on which the vehicle is situated. In at least some implementations, at least a portion of the forward facing surface70and at least a portion of the rearward facing surface72are curved and the cross member44does not extend linearly between the ends48,50. In at least some implementations, at least a portion of the forward facing surface70is concave and at least a portion of the rearward facing surface72is convex. The forward facing surface70of the cross member44has a length between the first end48and second end50(where that length may be curved as the forward facing surface is, or the length may be linear and measured in the direction perpendicular to the fore-aft centerline60), and the forward facing surface70, in at least some implementations, has a ratio of a radius of curvature to length of between 0.7 and 4.5.

The cross member44may have a uniform or substantially uniform fore-aft thickness (i.e. the upper and lower surfaces76,78may have a uniform fore-aft dimension), as is shown inFIGS. 1-3, or the fore-aft thickness of the cross member44′ may vary, as shown inFIG. 6. The arrangement shown inFIG. 6provides additional fore-aft thickness in the areas of the cross member44′ that are coupled to other components of the vehicle, to provide suitable attachment points for connectors78(e.g. bolts), and may also be provided to provide a desired stiffness or strength of the cross member44′. The stiffness and/or strength of the cross member44(hereinafter, cross member44may refer also to alternate cross member44′ when discussing general attributes of a cross member) may be chosen for a particular application to transfer forces within the chassis10as desired, and to provide enough strength to deflect the vehicle away from a fixed object or object of higher mass that engages an end48or50of the cross member44. The curved cross member44that is concave in the forward facing direction may tend to straighten out when an end of the cross member44is engaged by an object. Such bending of the cross member44(which may be thought of as unbending of the normally bent cross member) is resisted by the resilience and stiffness of the cross member44which may then provide a reactive force that tends to move the vehicle away from the object, thereby improving the deflection of the vehicle away from the object (or the object away from the vehicle). Further, the curved cross member44may bear higher loads before plasticly deforming (e.g. creasing or folding) to better maintain the cross member44in position and able to provide a force separating the vehicle and object.

In at least some implementations, the cross member44is connected to the chassis10inboard of the first end48and second end50of the main body46, such that the ends48,50are located outboard of the points of connection of the cross member44to the first and second portions of the chassis10. To connect the cross member44to the chassis10, the cross member44may include one or more through holes80arranged to receive a bolt or other connector or connector assembly. In at least some implementations, a bushing82is received within an opening80in the cross member44, a coupler84is coupled to the side rail16and a bolt86tightens the bushing82and coupler84together. In more detail, the coupler84includes an internally threaded opening88aligned with a passage90through the bushing82defining an inner surface of the busing. The bolt86has an enlarged head92(or a washer, spacer or the like) that engages the bushing82and a threaded portion94that is received within the coupler opening88and engaged with the threads of the coupler84. The coupler84may include a counterbore96in which an end of the bushing82is received, so that the bushing82is restrained against lateral movement relative to the coupler84(e.g. movement radially relative to an axis of the bushing and connector) by a flange97or shoulder of the counterbore. Tightening the bolt86maintains the bushing82within the counterbore96and firmly engages the bushing82with the coupler84. This mechanically interlocks the bushing82and coupler84and defines a joint area greater in diameter than the diameter of the bolt86. The enlarged joint area enables forces of an object hitting the cross member44to be carried by or exerted on the larger diameter and stronger hollow bushing82and coupler84rather than the smaller diameter bolt86, which enables the structure to endure higher forces without a component (e.g. the bolt) breaking. In other implementations, the cross member44may be coupled to the rails16or other structure without any bushing82and/or coupler84, such as by a simple nut and bolt, or by a weld adhesive or in some other manner.