Vehicle body and frame construction

Claim 2

In a vehicle including a body portion having a passenger compartment and a structurally rigid sheet metal portion disposed rearward of said passenger compartment, said passenger compartment having a side wall including a door opening extending generally the full height of said passenger compartment adapted for closure by a door swingably supported on said body portion, and further including frame means attached to said body portion and extending forwardly of said passenger compartment generally in a horizontal plane below the center of gravity of said vehicle, said frame means being adapted for permanent deformation in an energy absorbing mode at a predetermined rate under an impact to the forward portion of said vehicle, the improvement comprising, means defining a rigid cowl structure disposed forward of said passenger compartment and in juxtaposition to one marginal edge of said door opening, a front sheet metal portion rigidly attached to said cowl structure and defining a pair of reinforced front fender members disposed above said frame means generally in a horizontal plane above the center of gravity of said vehicle, said front sheet metal portion being adapted for permanent deformation in an energy absorbing mode at a predetermined rate under an impact to the forward portion thereof and cooperable with said frame means in distributing an impact force at the front of said vehicle above and below the center of gravity of the latter in a predetermined ratio thereby to retard pitching of said vehicle, a load transfer member having substantial column rigidity pivotally supported on said body at least partially above a horizontal plane containing the center of gravity of said vehicle for movement as a unit with said door between an inoperative position corresponding to the open position of said door and an operative position corresponding to the closed position of said door wherein said transfer member is disposed generally horizontally across the full width of said door opening, means disposed between said cowl structure and said transfer member providing a longitudinally rigid connection therebetween, and means on said rear sheet metal portion defining a structurally rigid surface adapted for engagement on the rear marginal edge of said transfer member in response to impact at the front of said vehicle thereby to prevent rearward displacement of said transfer member and rearward displacement of said cowl structure.

Claim 3

In a vehicle including a body portion having a passenger compartment and a structurally rigid sheet metal portion disposed rearward of said passenger compartment, said passenger compartment having a side wall including a door opening extending generally the full height of said passenger compartment adapted for closure by a door swingably supported on said body portion, and further including frame means attached to said body portion and extending forwardly of said passenger compartment generally in a horizontal plane below the center of gravity of said vehicle, said frame means being adapted for permanent deformation in an energy absorbing mode at a predetermined rate under an impact to the forward portion of said vehicle, the improvement comprising, means defining a rigid cowl structure disposed forward of said passenger compartment and in juxtaposition to one marginal edge of said door opening, a front sheet metal portion rigidly attached to said cowl structure and including an outer skin defining a pair of front fender members and internal reinforcing means defining a channel within each of said fender members extending longitudinally of said vehicle generally in a horizontal plane disposEd above the center of gravity of said vehicle, said outer skin and said reinforcing channels being adapted for permanent deformation in an energy absorbing mode at a predetermined rate under an impact to the forward portion thereof and cooperable with said frame means in distributing an impact force at the front of said vehicle above and below the center of gravity of the latter in a predetermined ratio thereby to retard pitching of said vehicle, an elongated load transfer beam having substantial column rigidity, hinge means disposed between said cowl structure and said beam adapted to support the latter on said body portion with at least a portion of said beam situated above a horizontal plane containing the center of gravity of said vehicle for pivotal movement as a unit with said door between an inoperative position corresponding to the open position of said door and an operative position corresponding to the closed position of said door wherein said beam is disposed generally horizontally across the full width of said door opening, reinforcement means in said hinge means operative to provide substantial longitudinal rigidity to the connection between said cowl structure and said beam, and means on said rear sheet metal portion defining a structurally rigid surface adapted for engagement on the rear marginal edge of said transfer member in response to an impact at the front of said vehicle thereby to prevent rearward displacement of said transfer member and rearward displacement of said cowl structure.

Claim 4

In a vehicle including a body portion having a passenger compartment and a structurally rigid sheet metal portion disposed rearward of said passenger compartment, said passenger compartment having a side wall including a door opening extending generally the full height of said passenger compartment adapted for closure by a door swingably supported on said body portion, and further including frame means attached to said body portion and extending forwardly of said passenger compartment generally in a horizontal plane below the center of gravity of said vehicle, said frame means being adapted for permanent deformation in an energy absorbing mode at a predetermined rate under an impact to the forward portion of said vehicle, the improvement comprising, means defining a rigid cowl structure disposed forward of said passenger compartment and in juxtaposition to one marginal edge of said door opening, a front sheet metal portion rigidly attached to said cowl structure and including an outer skin defining a pair of front fender members and internal reinforcing means defining a channel within each of said fender members extending longitudinally of said vehicle generally in a horizontal plane disposEd above the center of gravity of said vehicle, said outer skin and said reinforcing channels being adapted for permanent deformation in an energy absorbing mode at a predetermined rate under an impact to the forward portion thereof and cooperable with said frame means in distributing an impact force at the front of said vehicle above and below the center of gravity of the latter in a predetermined ratio thereby to retard pitching of said vehicle, an elongated load transfer beam having substantial column rigidity, hinge means disposed between said cowl structure and said beam adapted to support the latter on said body portion with at least a portion of said beam situated above a horizontal plane containing the center of gravity of said vehicle for pivotal movement as a unit with said door between an inoperative position corresponding to the open position of said door and an operative position corresponding to the closed position of said door wherein said beam is disposed generally horizontally across the full width of said door opening, reinforcement means in said hinge means operative to provide substantial longitudinal rigidity to the connection between said cowl structure and said beam, and means on said rear sheet metal portion defining a structurally rigid surface adapted for engagement on the rear marginal edge of said transfer member in response to an impact at the front of said vehicle thereby to prevent rearward displacement of said transfer member and rearward displacement of said cowl structure.

Claim 5

In a vehicle, the combination comprising, a body member, means on said body member defining a passenger compartment having a side wall including a front door opening and a rear door opening separated by a center pillar, each of said door openings extending generally the full height of said passenger compartment, means on said body member defining a structurally rigid rear sheet metal portion disposed rearwardly of said passenger compartment, said rear sheet metal portion being juxtaposed with at least part of the rear marginal edges of said rear door opening thereby to provide a structurally rigid abutment surface in said rear door opening, a reinforced cowl structure rigidly attached to said body member forward of said passenger compartment in juxtaposition with at least a portion of the forward marginal edge of said front door opening, a frame member having a pair of longitudinally oriented horns, means generally rigidly attaching said frame member to said body member with said horns being disposed forwardly of said passenger compartment in a generally horizontal plane situated below the center of gravity of said vehicle, each of said horns being adapted for permanent deformation in an energy absorbing mode at a predetermined rate under an impact at the forward portion of said vehicle, a front sheet metal portion including an outer skin defining a pair of laterally spaced front fender members and reinforcement means below said outer skin defining a channel in each of said fender members extending longitudinally generally in a horizontal plane above the center of gravity of said vehicle, means rigidly attaching said front sheet metal portion to said cowl structure, said outer skin and said channels being adapted for permanent deformation in an energy absorbing mode at a predetermined rate under an impact to the forward portion thereof and cooperable with said frame member horns in distributing an impact force at the front of said vehicle above and below the center of gravity of the latter in a predetermined ratio of approximately 2/3 to said frame member and 1/3 to said sheet metal portion thereby to retard pitching of said vehicle, a rigid laterally extending connecting member disposed between said channels and adapted to effect equal permanent deformation of each, a first side impact beam having substantial column rigidity, a first hinge member disposed between said cowl structure and said first beam supporting the latter on said cowl structure for pivotal movement between an inoperative position and an operative position disposed in said front door opening in a generally horizontal attitude between the front marginal edge of said opening and said center pillar, means in said first hinge member adapted to effect a substantially longitudinally rigid connection between said beam and said cowl structure in the operative position of the former so that longitudinally directed forces on said cowl structure are transferred by said beam to said center pillar, a second side impact beam having substantial column rigidity, a second hinge member disposed between said center pillar and said second beam supporting the latter on said center pillar for pivotal movement between an inoperative position and an operative position disposed in said rear door opening in a generally horizontal attitude between said center pillar and said abutment surface, means in said second hinge member adapted to effect a substantially longitudinally rigid connection between said beam and said center pillar in the operative position of the former so that longitudinally directed forces on said center pillar are transferred by said second beam to said abutment surface thereby to prevent rearward displacement of said center pillar and said first beam and said cowl structure, means defining a front door structure rigidly attached to said first beam and supported by the latter on said body for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position corresponding respectively to the inoperative and the operative positions of said first beam, and means defining a second door structure rigidly attached to said second beam and supported by the latter on said body for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position corresponding respectively to the inoperative and the operative positions of said second beam.

Claim 6

In a vehicle, the combination comprising, a body member, means on said body member defining a passenger compartment having a side wall including a front door opening and a rear door opening separated by a center pillar, each of said door openings extending generally the full height of said passenger compartment, means on said body member defining a structurally rigid rear sheet metal portion disposed rearwardly of said passenger compartment, said rear sheet metal portion being juxtaposed with at least part of the rear marginal edges of said rear door opening thereby to provide a structurally rigid abutment surface in said rear door opening, a reinforced cowl structure rigidly attached to said body member forward of said passenger compartment in juxtaposition with at least a portion of the forward marginal edge of said front door opening, a frame member having a pair of longitudinally oriented horns, means generally rigidly attaching said frame member to said body member with said horns being disposed forwardly of said passenger compartment in a generally horizontal plane situated below the center of gravity of said vehicle, each of said horns being adapted for permanent deformation in an energy absorbing mode at a predetermined rate under an impact at the forward portion of said vehicle, a front sheet metal portion including an outer skin defining a pair of laterally spaced front fender members and reinforcement means below said outer skin defining a channel in each of said fender members extending longitudinally generally in a horizontal plane above the center of gravity of said vehicle, means rigidly attaching said front sheet metal portion to said cowl structure, said outer skin and said channels being adapted for permanent deformation in an energy absorbing mode at a predetermined rate under an impact to the forward portion thereof and cooperable with said frame member horns in distributing an impact force at the front of said vehicle above and below the center of gravity of the latter in a predetermined ratio of approximately 2/3 to said frame member and 1/3 to said sheet metal portion thereby to retard pitching of said vehicle, a rigid laterally extending connecting member disposed between said channels and adapted to effect equal permanent deformation of each, a first side impact beam having substantial column rigidity, a first hinge member disposed between said cowl structure and said first beam supporting the latter on said cowl structure for pivotal movement between an inoperative position and an operative position disposed in said front door opening in a generally horizontal attitude between the front marginal edge of said opening and said center pillar, means in said first hinge member adapted to effect a substantially longitudinally rigid connection between said beam and said cowl structure in the operative position of the former so that longitudinally directed forces on said cowl structure are transferred by said beam to said center pillar, a second side impact beam having substantial column rigidity, a second hinge member disposed between said center pillar and said second beam supporting the latter on said center pillar for pivotal movement between an inoperative position and an operative position disposed in said rear door opening in a generally horizontal attitude between said center pillar and said abutment surface, means in said second hinge member adapted to effect a substantially longitudinally rigid connection between said beam and said center pillar in the operative position of the former so that longitudinally directed forces on said center pillar are transferred by said second beam to said abutment surface thereby to prevent rearward displacement of said center pillar and said first beam and said cowl structure, means defining a front door structure rigidly attached to said first beam and supported by the latter on said body for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position corresponding respectively to the inoperative and the operative positions of said first beam, and means defining a second door structure rigidly attached to said second beam and supported by the latter on said body for pivotal movement between an open position and a closed position corresponding respectively to the inoperative and the operative positions of said second beam.