Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
  • B62D29/00—Superstructures, understructures, or sub-units thereof, characterised by the material thereof
  • B62D29/008—Superstructures, understructures, or sub-units thereof, characterised by the material thereof predominantly of light alloys, e.g. extruded
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
  • B62D21/00—Understructures, i.e. chassis frame on which a vehicle body may be mounted
  • B62D21/02—Understructures, i.e. chassis frame on which a vehicle body may be mounted comprising longitudinally or transversely arranged frame members
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
  • B62D21/00—Understructures, i.e. chassis frame on which a vehicle body may be mounted
  • B62D21/08—Understructures, i.e. chassis frame on which a vehicle body may be mounted built up with interlaced cross members
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
  • B62D23/00—Combined superstructure and frame, i.e. monocoque constructions
  • B62D23/005—Combined superstructure and frame, i.e. monocoque constructions with integrated chassis in the whole shell, e.g. meshwork, tubes, or the like
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
  • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
  • B62D27/00—Connections between superstructure or understructure sub-units
  • B62D27/06—Connections between superstructure or understructure sub-units readily releasable
  • B62D27/065—Connections between superstructure or understructure sub-units readily releasable using screwthread

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a motor vehicle.
• the invention applies more particularly to light motor vehicles, whose unladen weight is of the order of 350 Kg, which are equipped with a low power engine, and whose use does not necessarily require a license to drive.
• the invention relates more particularly to a light utility vehicle, comprising a platform, or in the form of a van.
• a traditional vehicle includes a chassis made in different ways.
• a first way to obtain a chassis is to produce it by assembling elements by mechanical welding.
• Another solution is to produce a tubular frame.
• the object of the invention is to produce a motor vehicle, in particular a light vehicle, obtained from simple elements and capable of a certain modularity.
• Another object of the invention in the case where the vehicle considered is a small utility vehicle, is to provide the latter with a structure ensuring good road handling, knowing that the problem to be resolved is that of good distribution.
• weights particularly important on a light vehicle, and knowing that in a utility vehicle, the load made up of most of the load made up by the engine and the weight of the passengers, is located on the front of the vehicle.
• the vehicle according to the invention comprising two tubular spars made of spun aluminum, cast aluminum sleepers is characterized in that the sleepers are fixed by bolting to the side members, and cast alloy pieces aluminum, fixed by bolting on the longitudinal members, the mechanical elements being fixed by bolting on the longitudinal members, the crosspieces and the casting parts constituting the chassis.
• tubular beams made of spun aluminum are cut to the desired length for the vehicle, which allows, from the same aluminum tubes to make several types of vehicles with different wheelbases, provided, of course, that the resistance of the profiles in aluminum forming the side members is adapted to these different vehicles. It is also possible, with such a structure, to produce a telescopic frame, an intermediate profile being inserted between two sections of longitudinal profiles.
• the sleepers connecting the tubular beams are made of aluminum alloy and obtained by foundry. These crosspieces are made with holes which allow them to be fixed by screwing onto the side members, as well as the fixing of mechanical members. Under these conditions, the resumption of machining on these parts is reduced.
• the vehicle chassis also includes cast aluminum alloy parts attached to the side members. These parts can be used in particular for mounting the rear wheels, suspension elements for the rear wheels, and the steering assembly at the front of the chassis.
• chassis is made by bolting, without resorting to welding operations.
• the tubular beams have through holes for fixing the sleepers and other castings, each pair of coaxial holes formed in two parallel walls of a beam being associated with a shouldered tubular spacer for passage a bolt, the two shouldered ends of the spacer being in abutment against the two walls at the level of the two holes thereof and the various spacers being put in place before mounting the crosspieces and other castings, by deformation of the constitutive profile of the spar, corresponding to a spacing of the two vertical walls thereof.
• the aluminum tubular beams have holes for fixing the sleepers and other castings necessary for the construction of the vehicle.
• the vehicle chassis is fixed by gluing and / or bolting a tray on which is fixed a roll bar supporting the body panels.
• the tank is made of synthetic material, of polyester resin reinforced with reinforcing fibers, obtained by low pressure molding, this tank being fixed to the frame by gluing and / or by bolting.
• the plastic container extends at least in the front part of the vehicle.
• the bin In the case of a flatbed utility vehicle, the bin extends in the front part of the vehicle and the roll bar is arranged between the front and the rear of the bin, the rear part of the vehicle being equipped with a plate fixed to the chassis.
• the bin can extend over the entire length of the vehicle, and the roll bar also covers the entire length of the vehicle.
• the roll bar is fixed to the tank by bolting.
• the frame which receives the fixed part of the hinge of each door is fixed on the one hand on the tray and on the other hand, halfway up, on the hoop.
• the engine is fixed to the chassis and arranged under the tank, under the location of the vehicle's front seats, while the front wheels are arranged at the front of the chassis.
• This solution makes it possible to bring a heavy part of the vehicle, that is to say the engine, to the side of the middle of the vehicle, which ensures the stability of the latter when braking, without the risk of load shedding of the rear wheels, even when the vehicle is not loaded in its rear part.
• the engine housing is done, in such a case, neither to the detriment of the volume of the cabin, nor to the detriment of the loading volume.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view from three rear and top quarters of the chassis of this vehicle
• Figure 2 is a perspective view of an assembly detail of two component parts of the chassis.
• Figure 3 is a perspective view similar to Figure 1 after mounting a number of mechanical elements.
• FIG. 4 is a side view of the vehicle constructed on the basis of the chassis of Figures 1 and 3, during assembly.
• FIG. 1 represents the chassis of a vehicle, in the assembled position of this chassis.
• the chassis comprises two parallel beams 2, each consisting of a spun tubular profile.
• Each spar 2 is cut to length, this length being adapted to the length of the vehicle and the wheelbase thereof and has a number of holes 3 in its opposite vertical walls. These holes 3 are used for fixing by bolting a number of crosspieces 4, made of cast aluminum alloy, and parts 5, 6, made of aluminum alloy, fixed to the outside of the chassis.
• the parts 6 are used in part for fixing cast parts 7 which participate in the mounting of the rear axle of the vehicle.
• two parts 8 are provided fixed on the internal faces of the side members 2, the two parts 8 themselves serving for mounting a front crossmember 9 intended to receive the vehicle steering assembly.
• tubular struts 10 are provided between the two wings of each spar between two pairs of holes 3. These tubular spacers each have a shoulder 12 allowing it to be held in the two holes 3.
• the spacers are put in place by deformation of the profile causing a slight separation of the two vertical walls. After the installation of a spacer, the stress exerted on the profile is released so that the spacer remains in place.
• These spacers prevent, during bolting with the aid of bolts 11 of the crosspieces 4 and of the various castings 5, 6, 7, 8 on the side members, that these do not deform.
• the constituent parts of the crosspieces 4 as well as the parts 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 come from foundry with most of the holes used for their attachment to the side members, as well as holes used for the attachment of various mechanical organs. Under these conditions, the subsequent machining operations are reduced, which is an important factor of economy.
• Fig 3 shows a perspective view of the chassis and the mechanical members during assembly of the vehicle. This view makes it possible to highlight that the engine 13 of the vehicle is fixed to the crosspieces 4 and 9, that the crosspiece 9 is used for mounting the front axle 14 of the vehicle, and that the parts 7 arranged at the rear of the vehicle are used for mounting the rear axle 15 of the vehicle.
• the front axle of the vehicle is located at the front end of the chassis, and that the engine 13 is arranged substantially in rear of the front axle, and is located under the area receiving the seats for the driver and passenger.
• This tray 16 is fixed by bolting and also by bonding to the chassis, the bolting essentially ensuring a positioning function and the bonding ensuring a good connection between the tray and the chassis.
• This tank has excellent mechanical strength performance, since it is used for mounting the mechanical components of the vehicle, in particular for supporting the suspension heads, and for supporting a roll bar 18 delimiting the passenger compartment of the vehicle. On this roll bar 18 are fixed by gluing of the panels 19 constituting the vehicle body. The fixing of the roll bar on the tray 16 made of synthetic material is carried out by bolting.
• the vehicle shown in the drawing, and in particular in Figure 4 has two doors.
• Each door is associated with a frame fixed by bolting on the tank, in the lower part, and on the roll bar 18, at mid-height. In other places, the connection between the frame and the vehicle is made on the body panels.
• the rear part of the vehicle is, in the case shown in the drawing, equipped with a loading platform which can be limited laterally by drop sides.
• the invention provides a great improvement to the existing technique by providing a vehicle of simple structure and very modular in character, making it possible for example to choose the wheelbase of the vehicle taking into account the length of the side members. , and by making a chassis from a reduced number of parts, some of the crosspieces used in different locations to join the two beams being the same, and being able to be mounted in the same direction or in the opposite direction, depending on their location.
• the position of the engine promotes the stability of the vehicle, in particular when braking, by ensuring a good distribution of the masses which is essential in the case of a light vehicle whose unladen weight may not exceed 350 kg.
• the invention is not limited to the sole embodiment of this vehicle, described above by way of example, on the contrary it embraces all the variant embodiments thereof.
• the roll bar could extend to the rear of the vehicle to form a van or else that the tubular spacers for the bolts could be mounted in U-shaped sections of cardboard or synthetic material. , dimensioned at the inner dimensions of the side members and inserted therein to the mounting position of the bolts, without departing from the scope of the invention.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Architecture (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=31970970

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (7)

Family Cites Families (7)

• 2002
  • 2002-09-25 FR FR0211842A patent/FR2844766B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2003
  • 2003-09-19 EP EP03772374A patent/EP1542897A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2003-09-19 AU AU2003279428A patent/AU2003279428A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-09-19 WO PCT/FR2003/002771 patent/WO2004028885A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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