AU6547799A

AU6547799A - Reinforcing structure of automobile chassis

Info

Publication number: AU6547799A
Application number: AU65477/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Young-Jin Kim
Original assignee: Hyundai Motor Co
Current assignee: Hyundai Motor Co
Priority date: 1999-05-03
Filing date: 1999-12-23
Publication date: 2000-11-09
Anticipated expiration: 2019-12-23
Also published as: AU729095B2; KR200247112Y1; KR20000020324U

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE

SPECIFICATION

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY Young-Jin KIM

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*55 S. 5 S S

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S.

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S.

H.R. HODGKINSON

CO.

Patent Trade Mark Attorneys Level 3, 20 Alfred Street MILSONS POINT NSW 2061 REINFORCING STRUCTURE OF AUTOMOBILE

CHASSIS

Invention Title: The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: REINFORCING STRUCTURE OF AUTOMOBILE CHASSIS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates, in general, to reinforcing structures of automobile chassis and, more particularly, to a reinforcing structure of an automobile chassis preventing a chassis sub-frame from being pushed rearward during an offset clash.

Description of the Prior Art As well known to those skilled in the art, the offset clash is also called a lap clash and refers to a partial collision with an obstacle. In collision experiments, a term of a 0 "percent offset clash" is used to express what percentage of the entire width of the automobile is collided with an obstacle. The offset clash may occur when a driver makes a collision while trying to avoid a collision with a large sized vehicle.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, in a conventional passenger vehicle, a front side member 20 provided with a chassis sub-frame 10 at its bottom is connected with a center pillar side member 30 by means of a triangle-shaped stay 40. In more detail, the stay 40 is fixed to the inner center pillar side part 31 of the center pillar side member consisting of one inner center pillar side part 31 and one outer center pillar side part 32. In Fig. 1, reference characters 11, 21 and 31a designate a joint of the chassis subframe 10, a joint of the front side member 20 and a joint of the inner center pillar side member 31.

According to the prior art, when an impact is applied to the front side member and, consequently, the chassis sub-frame 40 is pushed rearward, the stay 40 fixed at the joints 21 and 31a resists the retreat of the chassis sub-frame However, since the stay 40, designed to allow the portion behind the joint 11 of the chassis sub-frame 10 to be least deformed, is rotated around the joint 11 of the chassis sub-frame when the chassis sub-frame is pushed rearward due to an offset clash, the conventional connecting structure for a side member of an automobile chassis may not resist sufficiently the retreat of the chassis sub-frame.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a reinforcing structure of an automobile chassis that may resist the retreat of a chassis :0000.

°sub-frame effectively in case of an offset clash.

S 10 In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a reinforcing structure of an automobile chassis in which a front side member, provided with a chassis sub-frameat its bottom, is connected with a center pillar side member *by means of a stay, the center pillar side member consisting of an inner center pillar o side part and an outer center pillar side part, characterized in that the stay is U-shaped, is and is fixed to not only the chassis sub-frame and the front side member at positions between its both ends but also the inner and outer center pillar side parts at its both ends.

According to another embodiment, portions of the inner and outer center pillar side parts on which both ends of the stay are respectively fixed have the same cross sections as cross sections of both ends of the stay, and both ends of the stay are fitted into portions of inner and outer center pillar side parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a conventional connecting structure for a side member of an automobile chassis; Fig. 2 is a reinforcing structure of an automobile chassis according to the present invention; and Fig. 3 is a cross section taken along line A-A of Fig. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED

EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 2 is a reinforcing structure of an automobile chassis according to the present invention. Fig. 3 is a cross section taken along line A-A of Fig. 2. For ease of description, like parts in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are designated by like reference characters.

As shown in Fig. 2, a front side member 20 provided with a chassis sub-frame l0 10 at its bottom is connected with a center pillar side member 30 by means of a stay 100 according to the present invention.

The center pillar side member 30 consists of an inner center pillar side part 31 *and an outer center pillar side part 32, the inner center pillar side part 31 and the outer center pillar side part 32 having the same cross sections as the cross section of a hat, 15 respectively.

0:000: The stay 100 is U-shaped and has the same cross section as that of a hat at its both ends. The stay 100 is fixed to not only the chassis sub-frame 10 and the front side member 20 at positions between its both ends but also the inner center pillar side part 31 and the outer center pillar side part 32 of the center pillar side member 30 at its both ends.

According to the present invention, when an impact is applied to the front side member 20 and, consequently, the chassis sub-frame 40 is pushed rearward, the stay fixed to the inner center pillar side part 31 and the outer center pillar side part 32 resists the retreat of the chassis sub-frame 40. In such a case, since both ends of the stay 100 are fixed to the inner center pillar side part 31 and the outer center pillar side part 32, the rotation of the stay 100 is prevented, thus allowing the structure of the present invention to resist the retreat of the chassis sub-frame 40. In addition, since the component members have the same cross sections as the cross section of a hat and engaged with each other, the impact absorbing capability of the components is effectively improved.

As described above, the present invention provides a reinforcing structure of an automobile chassis that may resist the retreat of a chassis sub-frame effectively in case of an offset clash.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various 10 modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A reinforcing structure of an automobile chassis in which a front side member, provided with a chassis sub-frame at its bottom, is connected with a center pillar side member by means of a stay, the center pillar side member consisting of an inner center pillar side part and an outer center pillar side part, characterized in that; the stay is U-shaped, and is fixed to not only the chassis sub-frame and the front side member at positions between its both ends but also the inner and outer center pillar side parts at its both ends. S.2. A connecting structure according to Claim 1, wherein portions of the inner and outer 0 center pillar side parts on which both ends of the stay fixed have the same cross sections as cross sections of both ends of the stay, and both ends of the stay are fitted into the inner and outer center pillar side parts. Dated this 23rd day of December

1999. HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY BY: P .n i ra L-en Attorneys f H.R. HODGKINSON CO. the Applicant