GB2329877A - Vehicle subframe attached to a structure by non-frangible and frangible mountings - Google Patents

Vehicle subframe attached to a structure by non-frangible and frangible mountings Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2329877A
GB2329877A GB9819944A GB9819944A GB2329877A GB 2329877 A GB2329877 A GB 2329877A GB 9819944 A GB9819944 A GB 9819944A GB 9819944 A GB9819944 A GB 9819944A GB 2329877 A GB2329877 A GB 2329877A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
frangible
vehicle
mounting
frame
frangible mounting
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
GB9819944A
Other versions
GB9819944D0 (en
Inventor
Kevin William Goult
George Bishop
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
MG Rover Group Ltd
Original Assignee
MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from GBGB9720714.6A external-priority patent/GB9720714D0/en
Application filed by MG Rover Group Ltd filed Critical MG Rover Group Ltd
Priority to GB9819944A priority Critical patent/GB2329877A/en
Publication of GB9819944D0 publication Critical patent/GB9819944D0/en
Publication of GB2329877A publication Critical patent/GB2329877A/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • 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
    • B62D21/11—Understructures, i.e. chassis frame on which a vehicle body may be mounted with resilient means for suspension, e.g. of wheels or engine; sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions
    • 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
    • B62D21/15—Understructures, i.e. chassis frame on which a vehicle body may be mounted having impact absorbing means, e.g. a frame designed to permanently or temporarily change shape or dimension upon impact with another body
    • B62D21/152—Front or rear frames
    • B62D21/155—Sub-frames or underguards
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60K—ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
    • B60K5/00—Arrangement or mounting of internal-combustion or jet-propulsion units
    • B60K5/12—Arrangement of engine supports
    • B60K5/1208—Resilient supports
    • B60K5/1216—Resilient supports characterised by the location of the supports relative to the motor or to each other

Abstract

A vehicle energy absorbing system comprises a subframe 18 attached to a structure 12, 14 across a crumple zone 16 by a pair of frangible 24, 26 and non frangible mountings 20, 22. In the event of predetermined impact force F2 being applied within a predetermined angular range relative to the vehicle centre line, the frangible mountings break and permit controlled movement of the frame. The frangible mountings comprise (Fig. 3) a mounting arm (36) with stress raiser (38), flange (30) and a bush support cup (40). The positions of the frangible and non frangible mountings may be reversed and the subframe may also be arranged towards the rear of the vehicle for supporting suspension or a mid mounted power train.

Description

A Vehicle This invention relates to vehicles and in particular to a vehicle having an energy absorbing system.
It is known to provide a vehicle with an energy absorbing system to absorb an impact force which is applied to the vehicle. US 3,869,017 shows an impact absorbing system for a vehicle which includes a chassis frame having a bumper to absorb minor impacts and a staged crumple zone along the chassis frame itself. The system also includes break-away engine mountings to separate the engine and transmission assembly from the chassis frame in the event of a high energy impact, so that their inertia load does not interfere with the impact absorbing properties of the crumple zone.
It is a disadvantage of a vehicle having this arrangement that, after the engine and transmission assembly have broken-away, their subsequent movement is not sufficiently controlled as they may move around the engine bay in a substantially unpredictable fashion, being prevented from moving towards the passenger compartment only by the provision of additional metal blocks.
It is an object of this invention to provide a vehicle having an improved energy absorbing system and also to provide a frangible mounting for a subframe suitable for use in such a system.
According to the invention there is provided a vehicle having an energy absorbing system comprising a sub-frame attached to a structure by a nonfrangible mounting and by a frangible mounting, the frangible mounting being arranged to fracture in use under the effect of a predetermined impact force. directed towards and acting upon the structure, so that the sub-frame breaks away from the structure at the frangible mounting and can move in relation to the structure in the region of the frangible mounting.
The non-frangible mounting may be positioned towards an outer portion of the structure and the frangible mounting may be positioned inwardly of the non-frangible mounting; alternatively, the non-frangible mounting may be positioned towards an inner portion of the structure and the frangible mounting may positioned outwardly of the non-frangible mounting.
The frangible mounting may be arranged to fracture under the effect of the predetermined force only when it is applied within a predetermined angular range of incidence to the vehicle centre line.
The frangible mounting may comprise a casting and may be formed separately from the sub-frame or the structure and may be attachable rigidly to one thereof by a mechanical fixing means.
The frangible mounting may comprise a mounting member which is captured in the frangible mounting and may be arranged to support a fixing means for attaching the frangible mounting to one of the sub-frame or the structure.
The sub-frame may span at least part of a crumple zone of the vehicle and may be attached to the structure in either the region of the front end of the vehicle or in the region of the rear end of the vehicle.
The invention also provides a frangible mounting for use in a vehicle according to the invention.
The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a vehicle according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a sub-frame assembly of the vehicle shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a frangible mounting for use in attaching the sub-frame of Figure 2 to the vehicle of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the vehicle of Figure 1 after a collision.
Referring to the figures, a vehicle 10 comprises a body structure having a front section 12 and a rear section 14 joined by a crumple zone portion 16.
A sub-frame 18 is attached to the front section 12 of the body structure by a pair of non-frangible mountings 20, 22 positioned one each side of the forward facing end of the sub-frame 18. The sub-frame 18 spans the crumple zone portion 16 and is attached to the rear section 14 of the body structure by a pair of frangible mountings 24, 26 positioned one each side of the rearward facing end of the sub-frame 18.
The non-frangible mountings 20, 22 are formed in the sub-frame 18 itself and each have a pressed-in bush 28 which supports a fixing bolt (not shown) which connects the mountings 20, 22 to the front section 12. The mountings 20, 22 are non-frangible to the extent that they are arranged not to fracture at or below a predetermined impact force F2 when that force is applied towards the vehicle 10 within a predetermined angular range of incidence to the vehicle centre-line.
The frangible mountings 24, 26 comprise castings which are separate from the sub-frame 18 and the body structure 12, 14, 16. The frangible mountings 24, 26 include a flange 30 which has mounting holes 32, 34 through which fixing bolts (not shown) are passed to attach the frangible mountings 24, 26 to the sub-frame 18. The mountings 24, 26 are frangible to the extent that they are arranged to fracture along a predetermined stress-raiser 38 at or above a predetermined impact force F2 when that force is applied towards the vehicle 10 within a predetermined angular range of incidence to the vehicle centre-line.
A mounting arm 36 extends away from the flange 30 and the stress raiser 38 is formed in it. The arm 36 is set at an angle from the flange 30 so as to direct impact forces which are applied to the sub-frame 18 within the predetermined angular range of incidence to the front section 12 to be transferred to the stress raiser 38.
At its outer end, the arm 36 is formed into a support cup 40 arranged to retain a pressed-in bush 28 identical to the bushes 28 pressed into the nonfrangible mountings 20, 22. The bushes 28 in the frangible mountings 24, 26 support fixing bolts (not shown) which connect the mountings 24, 26 to the rear section 14.
In the event of a front end collision, an impact force acts on the front section 12. Up to a predetermined level of impact force, neither the nonfrangible mountings 20, 22 nor the frangible mountings 24, 26 will break and such a low impact force F1 will be transferred from the front section 12 to the rear section 14 through the sub-frame 18 and the crumple zone portion 16. In this manner the vehicle 10 is not severely damaged by low levels of impact force F1 which would not normally distort the crumple zone portion 16, as is best illustrated in Figure 1.
At or above the predetermined level of impact force, a high impact force F2 will be transferred to the stress raiser 38 on the frangible mountings 24, 26 and they will fracture along that section of the arm 36 in a controlled manner causing the sub-frame 18 to break away from the rear section 14 in the region of the frangible mountings 24, 26. At and below this high impact force F2, the non-frangible mountings 20, 22 will not fracture and the subframe 18 will remain rigidly attached to the front section 12.
The crumple zone portion 16 then absorbs the high level force F2 and collapses. The fracture of the frangible mountings 24, 26 ensures that the sub-frame 18 moves rearwards in unison with the front section 12 in relation to the rear section 14, as the crumple zone portion 16 collapses.
The rear section 14 is thus substantially isolated from the effects of many front end collisions and is suitable for providing a passenger compartment with improved safety in the event of a collision.
It will be appreciated that the positions of the frangible and nonfrangible mountings could be reversed, so that the sub-frame 18 remains attached to the rear section 14 and breaks away from the front section 12.
It will also be appreciated that the invention could equally be applied to a sub-frame 18 positioned towards the rear end of the vehicle 10, for example supporting a rear suspension system or a mid-mounted powertrain.
It will be appreciated that the specific description of this specification has disclosed only a simple energy absorbing system, in order to maximise the clarity of the description. To apply the invention to a vehicle intended for production, it may be preferable to include other energy absorbing features which are already known. For example, the crumple zone portion 16 could extend beyond the portion of the body structure spanned by the sub-frame 18 and energy absorbing bumpers could be added to the front section 12.

Claims (12)

  1. CLAIMS 1. A vehicle having an energy absorbing system comprising a sub frame attached to a structure by a non-frangible mounting and by a frangible mounting, the frangible mounting being arranged to fracture in use under the effect of a predetermined impact force directed towards and acting upon the structure, so that the sub-frame breaks away from the structure at the frangible mounting and can move in relation to the structure in the region of the frangible mounting.
  2. 2. A vehicle according to Claim 1, wherein the non-frangible mounting is positioned towards an outer portion of the structure and the frangible mounting is positioned inwardly of the non-frangible mounting.
  3. 3. A vehicle according to Claim 1, wherein the non-frangible mounting is positioned towards an inner portion of the structure and the frangible mounting is positioned outwardly of the non-frangible mounting.
  4. 4. A vehicle according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the frangible mounting is arranged to fracture under the effect of the predetermined force only when it is applied within a predetermined angular range of incidence to the vehicle centre line.
  5. 5. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, the frangible mounting comprising a casting.
  6. 6. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein the frangible mounting is formed separately from the sub-frame or the structure and is attachable rigidly to one thereof by a mechanical fixing means.
  7. 7. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, the frangible mounting comprising a mounting member which is captured in the frangible mounting and is arranged to support a fixing means for attaching the frangible mounting to one of the sub-frame or the structure.
  8. 8. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein the sub-frame spans at least part of a crumple zone of the vehicle.
  9. 9. A vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein the sub-frame is attached to the structure in the region of the front end of the vehicle.
  10. 10. A vehicle according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein the sub frame is attached to the structure in the region of the rear end of the vehicle.
  11. 11. A vehicle substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.
  12. 12. A frangible mounting for use in a vehicle according to any preceding claim.
GB9819944A 1997-10-01 1998-09-15 Vehicle subframe attached to a structure by non-frangible and frangible mountings Pending GB2329877A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9819944A GB2329877A (en) 1997-10-01 1998-09-15 Vehicle subframe attached to a structure by non-frangible and frangible mountings

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB9720714.6A GB9720714D0 (en) 1997-10-01 1997-10-01 A vehicle
GB9819944A GB2329877A (en) 1997-10-01 1998-09-15 Vehicle subframe attached to a structure by non-frangible and frangible mountings

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB9819944D0 GB9819944D0 (en) 1998-11-04
GB2329877A true GB2329877A (en) 1999-04-07

Family

ID=26312340

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB9819944A Pending GB2329877A (en) 1997-10-01 1998-09-15 Vehicle subframe attached to a structure by non-frangible and frangible mountings

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2329877A (en)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2392653A (en) * 2002-09-06 2004-03-10 Honda Motor Co Ltd Vehicle sub-frame with impact absorption mechanism
WO2004022372A1 (en) * 2002-09-06 2004-03-18 Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Engine mount stucture for vehicle
EP1361099A3 (en) * 2002-05-10 2004-11-17 Nissan Motor Company, Limited Power train support apparatus
EP1977956A3 (en) * 2007-04-03 2011-08-24 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Installation structure and method of vehicular suspension
US20130126255A1 (en) * 2011-11-22 2013-05-23 Koji Saeki Vehicle battery mounting structure
GB2569582A (en) * 2017-12-20 2019-06-26 Ford Global Tech Llc A powertrain support mount assembly
CN110576908A (en) * 2018-06-11 2019-12-17 丰田自动车株式会社 Vehicle rear structure
EP3744619A1 (en) * 2019-05-30 2020-12-02 Mazda Motor Corporation Power train support structure for vehicle
EP3769980A1 (en) * 2019-07-24 2021-01-27 Mazda Motor Corporation Subframe structure of front suspension, front vehicle-body structure and vehicle

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2538954A (en) * 2015-05-29 2016-12-07 Ford Global Tech Llc Engine mount assembly for a motor vehicle

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1515469A (en) * 1975-06-27 1978-06-28 Chrysler France Safety device for an automotive vehicle
US4266630A (en) * 1978-04-11 1981-05-12 Saab-Scania Aktiebolag Power unit suspension in motor vehicles

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1515469A (en) * 1975-06-27 1978-06-28 Chrysler France Safety device for an automotive vehicle
US4266630A (en) * 1978-04-11 1981-05-12 Saab-Scania Aktiebolag Power unit suspension in motor vehicles

Cited By (19)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1361099A3 (en) * 2002-05-10 2004-11-17 Nissan Motor Company, Limited Power train support apparatus
US7040446B2 (en) 2002-05-10 2006-05-09 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Power train support apparatus
GB2392653A (en) * 2002-09-06 2004-03-10 Honda Motor Co Ltd Vehicle sub-frame with impact absorption mechanism
WO2004022372A1 (en) * 2002-09-06 2004-03-18 Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Engine mount stucture for vehicle
GB2392653B (en) * 2002-09-06 2005-09-21 Honda Motor Co Ltd Subframe mount structure
US6962229B2 (en) 2002-09-06 2005-11-08 Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Engine mount structure for vehicle
US6997276B2 (en) 2002-09-06 2006-02-14 Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Subframe mount structure
CN1323860C (en) * 2002-09-06 2007-07-04 本田技研工业株式会社 Engine mount stucture for vehicle
EP1977956A3 (en) * 2007-04-03 2011-08-24 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Installation structure and method of vehicular suspension
US20130126255A1 (en) * 2011-11-22 2013-05-23 Koji Saeki Vehicle battery mounting structure
US8863877B2 (en) * 2011-11-22 2014-10-21 Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha Vehicle battery mounting structure
GB2569582A (en) * 2017-12-20 2019-06-26 Ford Global Tech Llc A powertrain support mount assembly
GB2569582B (en) * 2017-12-20 2020-06-17 Ford Global Tech Llc A powertrain support mount assembly
US10933729B2 (en) 2017-12-20 2021-03-02 Ford Global Technologies, Llc Methods and systems for a powertrain mount assembly
CN110576908A (en) * 2018-06-11 2019-12-17 丰田自动车株式会社 Vehicle rear structure
CN110576908B (en) * 2018-06-11 2022-01-04 丰田自动车株式会社 Vehicle rear structure
EP3744619A1 (en) * 2019-05-30 2020-12-02 Mazda Motor Corporation Power train support structure for vehicle
US11420507B2 (en) 2019-05-30 2022-08-23 Mazda Motor Corporation Power train support structure for vehicle
EP3769980A1 (en) * 2019-07-24 2021-01-27 Mazda Motor Corporation Subframe structure of front suspension, front vehicle-body structure and vehicle

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Publication number Publication date
GB9819944D0 (en) 1998-11-04

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