WO2003062032A1

WO2003062032A1 - Framework and a vehicle including such a framework

Info

Publication number: WO2003062032A1
Application number: PCT/SE2002/002297
Authority: WO
Inventors: Åke Bergström
Original assignee: Scania Cv Ab (Publ)
Priority date: 2001-12-21
Filing date: 2002-12-12
Publication date: 2003-07-31
Also published as: SE0104356D0; SE0104356L; SE519836C2

Abstract

The invention relates to a framework for a vehicle, and a vehicle. The framework comprises two side-members (1), each of which extends substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and incorporates a longitudinal web (3) and two longitudinal end-flanges (4, 5) which are substantially perpendicular relative to said web. The framework also comprises at least one cross-member (6) which extends transversely relative to the longitudinal axis between the two side-members (1). The cross-member is connected to the side-members (1) and fastened to one of said end-flanges (5) of the respective side-member. The framework also comprises at least one supporting member (20) which has a first end connected to said web (3) and a second end connected to the cross-member (6).

Description

Framework and vehicle including such a framework

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION, AND STATE OF THE ART

The present invention relates to a framework for a vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention relates primarily to frameworks for heavy vehicles such as trucks, buses etc. The invention also relates to a vehicle with such a framework.

Such a framework often comprises two longitudinal side-members and a number of cross-members which extend transversely relative to the side-members. A known practice is to fasten the cross-members between the longitudinal side-members in the substantially vertical web portions of the side-members. This is advantageous from the strength point of view, but such positioning is disadvantageous i ϊ is desired to provide more space on top of or under the cross-members. For example, in many cases it may be desirable to mrjunt the engine bracket on one or more of the cross-members, which may thus be caused to support the vehicle's prime mover. A known practice in connection with such engine positioning is to fasten cross-members to the underside of the side-members, i.e. to the lower end-flange.

However, such fastening of cross-members to side-members is not entirely satisfactory from the strength point of view. With the object of improving this fastening, it has been proposed to arrange a plate in a vertical plane which extends substantially parallel with the cross-members. This plate is connected to the cross-member and the side- member. Such a plate occupies much space and makes it impossible in practice to arrange cables and pipes immediately adjacent to and along the inside of the web of the cross-member. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a connection between a cross-member which is positioned low or high and a side-member, whereby said connection is of great rigidity and occupies little space.

This object is achieved with the framework indicated in the introduction which is characterised by the features indicated in the characterising part of claim 1.

Such an elongate supporting element extending between the cross-member and the web of the side-member results in a connecting structure which is rigid and very strong. The forces from the cross-member will be distributed by the supporting element advantageously in the web of the side-member towards the end-flanges of the side- member. As such an elongate supporting element is thin or narrow relative to its length, it will occupy little space and thus allow other components to be placed along the inside of the side-member.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the supporting element extends in such a way as to form an open space which is delineated by the supporting member, the cross-member and the side-member. Thus the cross-member may extend substantially parallel with a transverse axis which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, whereby the supporting element extends along an axis which forms an acute angle with the transverse axis. Such oblique positioning of the supporting element ensures a rigid connection between the cross-member and the side-member in that the three components lock one another in a closed triangle-like structure. Moreover, said web may extend substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis and substantially parallel with a vertical axis, whereby the supporting element extends along an axis which forms an acute angle with the vertical axis.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, the supporting element takes the form of a beam with a substantially planar first section and at least one substantially planar second section which extends substantially perpendicular relative to the first section. A beam has high bending resistance and thereby contributes to the rigidity of the connection. In addition, the first end of the supporting element may with advantage be fastened directly to said web of the side-member by means of at least two fastening lugs which protrude from the first and second sections respectively in such a way that the fastening lugs extend substantially parallel with said web of the side- member.

According to a further embodiment of the present invention, each of said side-members incorporates an upper end-flange and a lower end-flange, and said cross-member is fastened to the upper end-flange. A clear space under the cross-member is thus created.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, each of said side-members incorporates an upper end-flange and a lower end-flange, and said cross-member is fastened to the upper end-flange. A clear space above the cross-member is thus created, e.g. for the vehicle's prime mover. To this end, the other end of the supporting element may with advantage be fastened to a fastening means which is fastened directly to the cross-member, and said fastening means may take the form of or incorporate an engine bracket. It is also possible, however, for the other end of the supporting element to be fastened directly to the cross-member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be explained in more detail by describing various embodiments, presented merely as examples, with reference to the attached drawings.

Fig. 1 depicts schematically a side view of a vehicle.

Fig. 2 depicts a view from above of a framework of the vehicle in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 depicts a view from in front of a first embodiment of a connection between a cross-member and a side-member of the vehicle. Fig. 4 depicts a view similar to that in Fig. 3 of a second embodiment of a connection between a cross-member and a side-member of the vehicle.

Fig. 5 depicts a perspective view of a connection according to the second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Fig. 1 depicts a heavy vehicle in the form of a truck. The vehicle incorporates a framework which is depicted from above in Fig. 2 and which comprises two longitudinal side-members 1 and 2. Each of the side-members 1, 2 extends substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis x of the vehicle. The longitudinal axis x is substantially horizontal when the vehicle is on a level surface. Each side-member 1 , 2 incorporates a longitudinal web 3 which extends substantially parallel with the longitudmal axis x and substantially parallel with a vertical axis z. Each side-member 1, 2 also incorporates an upper longitudinal end-flange 4 and a lower longitudinal end- flange 5 (see Figs. 3-5). The two longitudinal end-flanges 4, 5 extend substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis x and substantially perpendicular relative to the web 3.

The framework of the vehicle depicted also comprises three cross-members 6 which extend transversely relative to the longitudinal axis x between the two side-members 1, 2. The transverse members 6 extend substantially parallel with a transverse axis y which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis x and substantially horizontal when the vehicle is on a level surface. As may be seen in Figs. 3 and 4, the cross-member 6 depicted has a shape which is somewhat bent and extends downwards at the centre of the cross-member 6. The cross-member 6 is nevertheless of mainly horizontal extent substantially parallel with the transverse axis y.

The cross-members 6 are connected to the side-members 1 and 2 and fastened to one of said end-flanges 4, 5 of the respective side-members 1, 2. The forward cross-members 6 and the rear cross-members 6 are both fastened to the lower end-flange 5 of the side- members 1, 2, whereas the intermediate cross-member 6 is fastened to the upper end- flange 4 of the side-members 1, 2.

Each cross-member 6 incorporates a web 7 which extends substantially parallel with a horizontal plane, and two end-flanges 8 which extends substantially downwards or upwards from the web 7. In the embodiments depicted, the end-flanges 8 extend from the web 7 at an angle which is substantially perpendicular, although this angle may be acute or obtuse. In the embodiments depicted in Figs. 3 and 4, the web 7 of the cross- member 6 depicted abuts against the lower end-flange 5 of the side-member 1. The cross-member 6 is fastened to each side-member 1 and 2 by means of a respective threaded connection incorporating two bolts 9 and two nuts 10.

Fig. 1 depicts some further conventional components of the vehicle, such as three pairs of wheels 15, a driver's cab 16 and a schematically depicted prime mover 17 of the vehicle. The vehicle may of course incorporate further conventional vehicle components which do not appear in the drawings.

The vehicle's framework also comprises elongate supporting elements 20 which each have a first end which is connected to the web 3 of the side-member 1 and a second end which is connected to a respective cross-member 6. The length of each elongate supporting element 20 is large relative to the latter' s width and height. The elongate supporting element 20 preferably takes the form of a beam (see Figs. 3-5) but may also take the form of a bar, a rod or a tube with various cross-sectional shapes. However, the shape of the elongate supporting element 20 has to be such as to provide the supporting element 20 with high bending resistance. The elongate supporting element 20 is hereinafter called the supporting member 20.

As may be seen in Figs. 3 and 4, the supporting member 20 extends along the line s which forms an acute angle a with the transverse axis y and an acute angle b with the vertical axis z. The angle a is preferably at least 30° but not more than 60°. The angle b is preferably likewise at least 30° but not more than 60°. The supporting member 20 thus extends in such a way as to form an open space 21 or passage which is delineated by a triangle-like structure comprising the supporting member 20, the cross-member 6 and the side-member 1. Various cables, pipes, tubes or similar elongate elements 22 may extend through this passage or space 21.

The supporting member 20 comprises a substantially planar first web section 25 and two substantially planar second flange sections 26 which in the embodiment depicted extend substantially perpendicular relative to the web section 25. It should be noted that these flange sections 26 may extend at some other angle relative to the web section 25. The supporting member 20 may also incorporate only one of the flange sections 26. In the embodiments depicted, the web section 25 extends in a substantially rectilinear manner and substantially parallel with the line s and the horizontal longitudinal axis x. It should be noted that the web section 25 might be oblique to the longitudinal axis x.

In the embodiments depicted, the first end of the supporting member 20 is fastened directly to the web 3 of the side-members 1, 2 by means of three fastening lugs 28, 29, 30. The first fastening lug 28 protrudes from the web section 25, the second fastening lug 29 protrudes from the one flange section 26 and the third fastening lug 30 protrudes from the second flange section 26. The fastening lugs 28, 29, 30 all extend substantially parallel with a plane which is parallel with the web 3 of the side-members 1, 2, i.e. the fastening lugs 28, 29, 30 extend substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis x and the vertical axis z. Each fastening lug 28, 29, 30 is fastened to the respective web 3 of the side-members 1, 2 by means of its own threaded connection incorporating a nut 32 and a bolt 31 which extends through a hole in the respective fastening lug 28, 29, 30 and the web 3 of the respective side-member 1, 2. The three fastening lugs 28, 29 and 30 and the three threaded connections 31, 32 result in rigid and strong fastening of the supporting member 20 to the side-members 1, 2. It is of course possible within the scope of the invention for the supporting member 20 to be fastened with fewer or more fastening lugs 28, 29, 30 and threaded connections 31, 32. In the first embodiment depicted in more detail in Fig. 3, the second end of the supporting member 20 is fastened directly to the cross-member 6, more specifically to the two end-flanges 8 of the cross-member 6. The second end of the supporting member 20 incorporates two fastening lugs 35, 36, each of which protrudes from its respective flange section 26. The fastening lugs 35, 36 extend substantially parallel with the respective flange sections 26 and thus each constitute a prolongation of the respective flange section 26. The fastening lugs 35, 36 may however be bent relative to the flange sections 26. It is nevertheless advantageous that the fastening lugs 35, 36 extend substantially parallel with and abut against the end-flanges 8 of the cross- member 6. The supporting member 20 is fastened to the cross-member 6 by means of two threaded connections, each of which comprises a bolt 37 and an undepicted nut. Each bolt extends through a hole in the respective fastening lug 35, 36 and end-flange 8.

In the second embodiment depicted in more detail in Figs. 4 and 5, the second end of the supporting member 20 is fastened to a fastening means 40 which is fastened directly to the cross-member 6. In the embodiment depicted, this fastening means 40 comprises an engine bracket for fastening the vehicle's prime mover 17, which latter bears upon the fastening means 40 and the cross-member 6 via an elastic element 41. The fastening means 40 need nevertheless not have any such further function but may be designed merely to fasten the supporting member 20 to the cross-member 6. The fastening means 40 may nevertheless also have other functions, e.g. to enable other vehicle components to be fastened to the cross-member 6.

The supporting member 20 is somewhat shorter in the second embodiment than in the first embodiment but is of the same basic design in both embodiments. This means that in the second embodiment likewise the supporting member 20 has two fastening lugs 35, 36 which each protrude from their respective flange section 26 substantially parallel with said flange section 26 and constitute a prolongation of the respective flange section 26. According to the second embodiment, the fastening lugs 35, 36 may likewise be bent relative to the flange sections 26 but it is advantageous that the fastening lugs 26 extend substantially parallel with and abut against their respective sides of the fastening means 40. The supporting member 20 is fastened to the fastening means 40 by means of two threaded connections, each of which comprises a bolt 37 and an undepicted nut. Each bolt 37 extends through a hole in its respective fastening lug 35, 36 and in the respective side of the fastening means 40.

In the second embodiment, the fastening means 40 is fastened to the web 7 of the cross-member 6. The fastening means 40 incorporates a bottom plate 42 which abuts against and extends substantially parallel with the web 7 of the cross-member 6. The fastening means 40 is fastened by means of four riveted connections 43, each of which extends through its respective hole in the bottom plate 42 and the web 7 of the cross- member 6.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments depicted but may be varied and modified within the scopes of the ensuing claims. It should be noted, for example, that the threaded connections depicted may be replaced by riveted connections, and the riveted connections depicted may be replaced by threaded connections. Other types of connection may also be used for fastening the various components, e.g. welded connections.

Claims

1. A framework for a vehicle comprising two side-members (1, 2), each of which extends substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis (x) of the vehicle and incorporates a longitudinal web (3) and at least one longitudinal end-flange (4, 5) which is substantially perpendicular relative to said web, and comprising at least one cross-member (6) which extends transversely relative to the longitudinal axis (x) between the two side-members (1, 2) whereby the cross-member (6) is connected to the side-members and fastened to said end-flanges (4, 5) of the respective side-member, characterised in that the framework comprises at least one elongate supporting element (20) which has a first end connected to said web (3) and a second end connected to the cross-member (6).

2. A framework according to claim 1, characterised in that the supporting element (20) extends in such a way as to form an open space which is delineated by the supporting member (20), the cross-member (6) and the side-member (1, 2).

3. A framework according to either of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the transverse member extends substantially parallel with a transverse axis (y) which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (x), and the supporting element (20) extends along an axis (s) which forms an acute angle (a) with the transverse axis (y).

4. A framework according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that said web (3) extends substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis (x) and substantially parallel with a vertical axis (z), and the supporting element extends along an axis (s) which forms an acute angle (b) with the vertical axis (z).

5. A framework according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the supporting element (20) takes the form of a beam with a substantially planar first section (25) and at least one substantially planar second section (26, 27) which extends substantially perpendicular relative to the first section (25).

6. A framework according to claim 5, characterised in that the first end of the supporting element (20) is fastened directly to said web (3) of the side-member (1, 2) by means of at least two fastening lugs (28, 29, 30) which protrude from the first section (25) and the second section (26, 27) respectively in such a way that the fastening lugs (28, 29, 30) extend substantially parallel with said web (3) of the side- member (1, 2).

7. A framework according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that each of said side-members incorporates an upper end-flange (4) and a lower end-flange (5), and said cross-member (6) is fastened to the upper end-flange (4).

8. A framework according to any one of claims 1-6, characterised in that each of said side-members incorporates an upper end-flange (4) and a lower end-flange (5), and said cross-member (6) is fastened to the lower end-flange (5).

9. A framework according to any one of the foregoing claims, characterised in that the second end of the supporting element (20) is fastened to a fastening means (40) which is fastened directly to the cross-member (6).

10. A framework according to any one of claims 1-8, characterised in that the second end of the supporting element (20) is fastened directly to the cross-member (6).

11. A vehicle characterised by incorporating a framework according to any one of the foregoing claims.