JP2006076552A - Frame connection structure of vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce weight of a side frame 22 produced by using an aluminum alloy extruded material and a subframe 37 by improving a connection structure of the side frame and the subframe and facilitate positioning of the side frame and the subframe when assembling them. <P>SOLUTION: This side frame 22 is composed of vertical frames 3, 4 made of the aluminum alloy extruded material and a connection frame 25 for connecting them. The connection frame 25 is a hollow member manufactured by abutting its opening part (an abutting line 28) by letting a pair of recessed channel-like members 26, 27 face mutually on the left and right sides and welding and joining them. Connection parts formed in both end parts of the subframe 37 are nipped by the recessed channel-like members 26, 27 from the left and right sides, adhere closely to a hollow inside of the connection frame 25, and are supported. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a connecting structure of left and right side frames extending in the front-rear direction of a vehicle and a structure such as a subframe connected to the side frames.

  The sub-frames that support the front suspension and the power unit are supported by left and right side frames that extend in the front-rear direction of the vehicle, as described in Patent Documents 1 and 2, for example.

JP 2002-349632 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-118631

  On the other hand, in order to reduce the weight of the vehicle body, it has been proposed to replace the main frame structure such as a side frame and a cross member with an aluminum alloy from a conventional steel material. The truck main frame 1 shown in FIG. 11 shows an example, and the side frame 2 includes front and rear longitudinal frames 3 and 4 having an aluminum alloy extruded material and an intermediate frame 5 formed by press-molding an aluminum alloy plate. The cross members 6 to 10 are also made of an aluminum alloy extruded material. The intermediate frame 5 is a cylindrical member in which a pair of concave-groove members 5a and 5b are arranged facing each other in the left-right direction, and abutted openings (abutting lines are indicated by 5c) are joined by butt welding. The front end portion of the rear vertical frame 3 is fitted and fixed to the rear end, and the rear end portion of the front vertical frame 4 is fitted and fixed to the front end. The intermediate frame 5 is vertically separated from the vertical frame 3 when the front and rear vertical frames 3 and 4 constituting the side frame 2 have different cross-sectional shapes, or when the vertical frame 4 has a different height and left / right spacing than the vertical frame 3. A sub-frame (not shown) is fixed to the outer surface of the intermediate frame 5 by welding or the like.

However, when a heavy structure such as a sub-frame is fixed to such an intermediate frame, it is necessary to make the intermediate frame thick and highly rigid to support the load of the heavy frame. There is a problem that the weight of the structure cannot be sufficiently reduced. In addition, there is a problem that a large burden is imposed on an accurate positioning operation in welding and fixing the intermediate frame (left and right concave groove-shaped members) and welding the structure.
The present invention improves the connection structure of a side frame including an intermediate frame made of such a groove-shaped member and a structure connected to the side frame, and reduces the weight of the main frame structure. It is an object to facilitate the assembly work of the structure.

  The present invention relates to a connecting structure of left and right side frames extending in the front-rear direction of a vehicle and a structure attached to the side frame, wherein the left and right side frames are the rear and front vertical frames, and the rear end is the front end of the rear vertical frame. A connecting frame having a front end connected to a rear end of the front vertical frame, the connecting frame being a cylindrical member formed by facing the groove-like members and welding together, The structure has a connecting portion at an end portion, and the connecting portion is sandwiched between the concave groove-like members and supported in the hollow interior of the connecting frame. In this case, the connecting frame corresponds to the intermediate frame 5 of the conventional side frame shown in FIG.

In this frame connection structure, the front and rear vertical frames constituting the side frame are made of, for example, an aluminum alloy extruded material having a different cross-sectional shape, and the front end of the rear vertical frame is fitted into the rear end of the connection frame, The rear end portion of the front vertical frame is fitted into the front end of the connecting frame. Further, the structure is, for example, a sub-frame that supports a front suspension. In this case, the structure has the connecting portions at both ends, and the connecting portions are supported in the hollow interiors of the left and right connecting frames.
In the present invention, when the left and right side frames are composed of a rear vertical frame and a connection frame having a rear end connected to the front end of the rear vertical frame (there is no front vertical frame and the connection frame is a front vertical frame). It is also applied to the case where it is formed for a long time.

In the connection structure of the present invention, the end portion (connection portion) of the structure is sandwiched by the concave groove-shaped members constituting the connection frame, and is supported inside the hollow of the connection frame. That is, since the connecting portion of the structure is fitted and held in the hollow inside of the connecting frame just like a core, the double structure increases the rigidity of the connecting structure, and the connecting frame and the structure (connecting portion). Both of them can be made thinner and lighter, and holes for weight reduction can be made. Further, since the connecting portion of the structure is held inside the hollow of the connecting frame, the weight of the structure and the vibration and impact applied to the structure are applied to the hollow inside of the connecting frame through the connecting portion. The load applied to the connecting frame is dispersed, and the structure is less subject to concentrated load than the conventional example. This also enables the connection frame to be thinner and lighter.
When the connecting frame and the structure are assembled, the groove-shaped members are arranged facing each other, and the connecting portions of the structure are sandwiched from both sides (for example, left and right) by the groove-shaped members, and the groove-shaped members are in that state. Are connected to each other by welding to form a hollow connecting frame. The connecting portion of the structure is supported in close contact with the hollow interior of the concave groove-like members on both sides like a core. Positioning with respect to the connecting frame and positioning of the groove-shaped members are facilitated, and further, welding and the like can be performed with high accuracy.

Hereinafter, the frame connection structure according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 shows the overall structure of the main frame 21 and the subframe 37. In the main frame 21, substantially the same members as those in the main frame 1 shown in FIG.
The main frame 21 includes left and right side frames 22 and 22 extending in the front-rear direction and a plurality of cross members 6 to 10. The cylindrical connection frames 25, 25 constituting a part of the side frames 22, 22 are formed by press-molding an aluminum alloy plate, and the distal end portion of the rear vertical frame 3 is fitted into the rear end thereof and fixed by welding or the like. The rear end portion of the front vertical frame 4 is fitted into the front end and is similarly fixed by welding or the like.

The connecting frames 25, 25 are each composed of a pair of concave groove-like members 26, 27, and when the openings of the concave groove-like members 26, 27 are brought into contact as shown in FIG. 2 (abutting line 28), An opening 29 is formed on the upper side, openings 30 and 31 are formed on the lower side, an opening 32 whose periphery is recessed is formed on the outer wall, and openings 33 to 36 are formed at substantially symmetrical positions on the inner and outer walls.
In addition, the cross section in the plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction is substantially rectangular, and the rear end portion is shaped to fit the front end portion of the rear vertical frame 3 and the front end portion is fitted to the rear end portion of the front vertical frame 4. ing. The recessed groove-like members 26 and 27 constituting the connection frame 25 can be manufactured by press-molding an aluminum alloy plate.
The opening 29 is a hole into which a bracket 51 described later is inserted, the opening 30 is a hole into which a left and right upper end of a lateral member 39 described later is inserted, and the opening 31 is a hole and an opening 32 into which a left and right upper end of a lateral member 40 described later is inserted. Is a hole for fixing a bracket 52 to be described later, and the openings 33 to 36 are punch holes for weight reduction.

The sub-frame 37 corresponds to an independent suspension type suspension, and as shown in FIG. 3, the vertical members 38 and 38 having a substantially triangular cross section and the front and rear horizontal members 39 and 40 are interposed therebetween. The outer shape is composed of connecting members 41 and 42 having a hollow section having a substantially rectangular shape.
The connecting members 41 and 42 have the same cross-sectional shape, step portions are formed on the left and right side walls 43, 44 and 45, 46 (see FIGS. 5 and 6), the upper half is wide, and the lower half is the narrow width. Diagonal ribs that connect the corners are formed, and the front and rear ends of the vertical member 38 are fitted over a predetermined length in the substantially triangular hollow portion defined by the upper and side walls (44, 46) and the ribs. Yes. The vertical member 38 is also formed with step portions corresponding to the step portions of the connecting members 41 and 42, and the fitting between them is dense. The vertical member 38 and the connecting members 41 and 42 are joined to each other by welding or the like.

A pair of side walls 47, 48 and 49, 50 (see FIGS. 5 and 6) having the same width as the wide portions of the connecting members 41, 42 are formed at the upper ends of the left and right ends of the lateral members 39, 40, respectively. In the concave groove formed by the side walls 47, 48 and 49, 50, the narrow width portions of the connecting members 41, 42 are closely fitted. The connecting members 41 and 42 and the lateral members 39 and 40 are joined to each other by welding or the like.
The lengths of the connecting members 41 and 42 in the front-rear direction are formed longer than the lengths of the horizontal members 39 and 40 in the front-rear direction, and protrude from the concave grooves of the horizontal members 39 and 40 back and forth. Further, the lengths of the lateral members 39, 40 in the front-rear direction are substantially the same as the widths of the openings 30, 31 in the front-rear direction.
The vertical member 38 and the connecting members 41 and 42 correspond to the connecting portion of the structure (subframe) in the present invention.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 51 denotes a bracket for supporting the upper arm of the suspension, which is fixed to the upper surface of the vertical member 38 by welding or the like, and 53 and 54 are brackets for supporting the suspension arm. It is fixed by welding or the like. The length of the bracket 51 in the front-rear direction substantially coincides with the width of the opening 29 in the front-rear direction.
The subframe 37 can be manufactured by using an aluminum alloy extruded material for each of the members 38 to 42 and assembling them. The bracket 51 can be manufactured by using an aluminum alloy extruded material, and the brackets 53 and 54 can be manufactured by assembling an aluminum alloy plate.

FIGS. 4 to 6 show a state in which the connecting frames 25 and 25 shown in FIG. 2 and the sub-frame 34 shown in FIG. 3 are assembled. When this assembly is performed, first, before assembling the connecting frame 25 by welding and fixing the two concave groove members 26 and 27, the brackets 52 are respectively placed outside the holes 32 formed in the outer concave groove member 26. Weld from the inside of the groove (see phantom line in FIG. 2). The bracket 52 is a bracket that supports the coil spring of the suspension, and can be manufactured by joining an aluminum alloy extruded tube (expanding diameter) and a press-formed aluminum alloy plate.
Subsequently, both concave groove-like members 26 and 27 constituting the connecting frame 25 are faced to each other, the opening 30 is made to correspond to the position of the transverse member 39, the opening 31 is made to correspond to the place of the transverse member 40, and the place of the bracket 51 is made. Corresponding to the opening 29, the both concave groove-like members 26, 27 are closed, the vertical member 38 and the connecting members 41, 42 are sandwiched from the left and right, and the openings of the both concave groove-like members 26, 27 are brought into contact with each other.

At this time, at the location of the opening 30, the side walls 47 and 48 formed at the upper end portion of the lateral member 39 are fitted into the opening 30 so that there is no play in the front-rear direction. The inner surfaces of the side walls are in close contact with the side walls 43 and 44 of the connecting member 41 and the side walls 47 and 48 of the lateral member 39. At the location of the opening 31, the side walls 49, 50 formed at the upper end of the lateral member 40 are fitted so that there is no play in the front-rear direction inside the opening 31, and the inner surfaces of the left and right side walls of the connecting frame 25 are Then, the side walls 45 and 46 of the connecting member 42 and the side walls 49 and 50 of the lateral member 40 are brought into contact with each other. Further, at the front and rear portions of the opening 30, the side walls of the connecting member 41 at the portions where the left and right side walls of the connecting frame 25 and the inner surface of the bottom wall protrude forward and backward from the concave groove of the lateral member 39 of the connecting member 41. 43, 44 and the bottom wall 55, and at the front and rear portions of the opening 31, the left and right side walls of the connecting frame 25 and the inner surface of the bottom wall protrude forward and backward from the concave groove of the lateral member 40 of the connecting member 42. At the portion, the side wall 45 and 46 and the bottom wall 56 of the connecting member 42 are in contact with each other.
Further, at the location of the opening 29, the bracket 51 is closely fitted in the recess of the opening 29.

Subsequently, both concave groove-like members 26 and 27 are joined by butt welding along the abutting line 28 to form a connecting frame 25, and the connecting frame 25 and the sub frame 38 are welded and joined at appropriate places.
As a result, the connecting portions (vertical member 38 and connecting members 41, 42) at both ends of the sub frame 37 are held just like a core inside the hollow of the connecting frame 25, and the sub frame 37 is fixed to the connecting frame 25. be able to.

  In the frame connection structure, the sub-frame 37 corresponds to a structure in the present invention, and the sub-frame 37 has connection portions (vertical members 38 and connection members 41 and 42) at both ends, and the left and right connection frames. 25, 25. On the other hand, the bracket 51 can also be regarded as a structure in the present invention. In this case, the connecting portion (vertical member 38 and connecting members 41, 42) of the subframe 37 also serves as the connecting portion of the bracket 51, and the connecting portion is supported by one connecting frame 25.

FIG. 7 shows a state in which the additional brackets 61 and 62 are fixed to the upper surface of the subframe 37 and the connecting frame 25 and the subframe 37 are assembled. The brackets 61 and 62 are made of an aluminum alloy extruded material, the bracket 61 is fixed on the vertical member 38 constituting the subframe 37 in contact with the bracket 51, and the bracket 62 is slightly separated from the bracket 51 on the connecting member 41. It is fixed. Further, the connection frame 25 is formed with an opening 63 corresponding to the bracket 61 (the opening 29 is widened to the front side) and an opening 64 corresponding to the bracket 62, and each bracket 61, 62 (and the bracket 51). Protrudes upward from the openings 63 and 64. Similarly to the bracket 51, the brackets 61 and 62 can be regarded as a structure in the present invention. In this case, the connecting portion of the sub-frame 37 (the vertical member 38 and the connecting members 41 and 42 shown in FIG. 3) also serves as the connecting portion of each bracket 61 and 62, and the connecting portion is supported in one connecting frame 25. Will be.
The upper surfaces of the brackets 61 and 62 protrude upward from the connection frame 25 and form a flat surface having the same height as the bracket 51. These can be used as they are as the seat surface (receiving surface) of the cab. On the other hand, in the case of the structure shown in FIG. 4, the upper surface of the connecting frame 25 becomes the seat surface of the cab, and it is necessary to cut the weld bead of the abutting line 28 to flatten the portion that becomes the seat surface.

  FIG. 8 shows a state in which the subframe 37 and the additional bracket 65 are assembled to the connection frame 25. An opening 66 corresponding to the bracket 65 is formed inside the connection frame 25, and the bracket 65 protrudes inward from the opening 66. The bracket 65 corresponds to the structure referred to in the present invention, and has a connecting portion referred to in the present invention at an end, and the connecting portion is supported in the connecting frame 25 in a form similar to the connecting member 41 or 42. .

FIG. 9 shows the overall structure of another main frame 71 and subframe 37 according to the present invention. In the main frame 71, substantially the same members as those of the main frame 21 shown in FIG.
The main frame 71 includes left and right side frames 72, 72 extending in the front-rear direction and a plurality of cross members 6 to 10. The side frames 72 include a rear vertical frame 3 and a connecting frame 73. The difference from the main frame 21 is that the connecting frame 73 extends forward and replaces the connecting frame 25 and the front vertical frame 4 in the main frame 21 (the front vertical frame 4 does not exist) and the connection. It is only a point that the frame 73 is joined by fillet welding, not butt welding as in the connection frame 25.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the connecting frame 73 includes a pair of groove-shaped members 74 and 75, and the outer groove-shaped member 75 has a larger vertical width than the inner groove-shaped member 74. The opening of the groove-like member 74 is fitted into the opening of the groove-like member 75, and the groove-like member 75 is fillet welded to the groove-like member 74 at the opening edge (joining line 76).

  The connecting frames 25 and 73 described above are formed in a cylindrical shape by arranging a pair of concave groove-like members facing each other from the left and right and welding them together. They can be welded together to form a cylinder. In addition, one or both of the concave groove-like members arranged so as to face each other can be constituted by a plurality of concave groove-like members.

It is a perspective view which shows the whole structure of the main frame and sub-frame which concern on this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the connection frame. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of a sub-frame. It is a perspective view of the state which assembled | attached the connection frame and the sub-frame. It is sectional drawing of the sub-frame in the surface perpendicular | vertical to the front-back direction in the location of the front side horizontal member. It is sectional drawing of the sub-frame in the surface perpendicular | vertical to the front-back direction in the location of the horizontal member of a back side. It is a perspective view of the state which fixed the additional bracket to the subframe and assembled the connecting frame and the subframe. It is a perspective view in the state where a subframe, an additional bracket and a connecting frame are assembled. It is a perspective view which shows the whole structure of another main frame which concerns on this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the connection frame. It is a perspective view which shows the whole main frame and the whole structure of a sub-frame.

Explanation of symbols

22, 72 Side frame 25, 73 Connection frame 26, 27, 74, 75 Concave groove-shaped member 28 Collision line 37 Sub frame 38 Vertical member 39, 40 Horizontal member 41, 42 Connection member

Claims (5)

In a connecting structure of left and right side frames extending in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle and a structure attached to the side frame, the left and right side frames are connected to the rear and front vertical frames, and the rear ends are connected to the front ends of the rear vertical frames. Is composed of a connecting frame connected to the rear end of the front vertical frame, the connecting frame being a cylindrical member formed by arranging grooved members facing each other and welded to each other, and the structure has an end The vehicle has a connecting portion, and the connecting portion is sandwiched between the concave groove-like members and supported in the hollow interior of the connecting frame. The front and rear vertical frames constituting the side frame are made of an aluminum alloy extruded material having different cross-sectional shapes, and the front end of the rear vertical frame is fitted into the rear end of the connecting frame, and the rear end of the front vertical frame The vehicle frame connection structure according to claim 1, wherein the frame is fitted at a front end of the connection frame. In a connecting structure of left and right side frames extending in the front-rear direction of the vehicle and a structure attached to the side frame, the left and right side frames are constituted by a rear vertical frame, and a rear end is connected to a front end of the rear vertical frame. The connecting frame is a cylindrical member formed by arranging grooved members facing each other and welded to each other, and the structure has a connecting part at an end, and the connecting part has the grooved shape. A vehicle frame connection structure characterized by being sandwiched between members and supported in the hollow interior of the connection frame. 4. The vehicle frame connection structure according to claim 3, wherein a rear vertical frame constituting the side frame is made of an aluminum alloy extruded material, and a front end portion thereof is fitted into a rear end of the connection frame. The structure is a sub-frame that supports a front suspension, has the connecting portions at both left and right ends thereof, and the connecting portions are supported in hollow interiors of the left and right connecting frames. The vehicle frame connection structure described in any one of 1 to 4.

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