Structure for a motor vehicle

Claim 2

An energy absorbing frame assembly for a motor vehicle constructed to support a vehicle body, said frame assembly having a pair of side rails extending in a generally longitudinally direction, said side rails each having means providing a series of longitudinally spaced apart sections, each of said sections having a lower bending strength than the portions of said side rails intermediate said spaced apart sections, said side rails being constructed to collapse in a bending mode when a generally longitudinally directed impact load above a predetermined minimum is exerted against the ends of said side rails, said bending taking place at said sections of lower bending strength, each of said sections having a reduced vertical dimension relative to the portions of said side rails intermediate said spaced apart sections.

Claim 3

An energy absorbing frame assembly for a motor vehicle according to claim 1 and including: said sections of each of said series having progressively differing bending strengths whereby bending of sai side rails at said sections will occur in a consecutive manner under said impact load.

Claim 4

An enerby absorbing frame assembly for a motor vehicle according to claim 2 and including: said side rails being constructed to be plastically deformed to a scorpioid configuration when said impact load is above a pre-established minimum.

Claim 5

An energy absorbing frame assembly for a motor vehicle constructed to support a vehicle body, said frame assembly including a pair of side rails extending in a generally longitudinal direction, a frame cross member interconnecting the ends of said side rails, a bumper bar spaced from said frame cross member, support means interposed between said bumper bar and said frame cross member, said side rails each having a series of longitudinally spaced apart sections, each of said sections having a lower bending strength than the portions of said side rails intermediate said spaced apart sections, said frame assembly being constructed to absorb a generally longitudinally directed impact load above a pre-established minimum against the bumper bar by plastic deformation of the side rails in a bending mode, said bending occurring at said spaced apart sections of lower bending strength.

Claim 6

An energy absorbing frame assembly for a motor vehicle constructed to support a vehicle body, said frame assembly including a pair of side rails extending in a generally longitudinal direction, a frame cross member interconnecting the ends of said side rails, a bumper bar spaced from said frame cross member, support means interposed between said bumper bar and said frame cross member, said side rails each having a series of longitudinally spaced apart sections, each of said sections having a lower bending strength than the portions of said side rails intermediate said spaced apart sections, said frame assembly being constructed to absorb a generally longitudinally directed impact load above a pre-established minimum against the bumper bar by plastic deformation of the side rails in a bending mode, said bending occurring at said spaced apart sections of lower bending strength.

Claim 7

An enerby absorbing frame assembly for a motor vehicle constructed to support a vehicle body, said frame assembly including a pair of side rails extending in a generally longitudinal direction, a frame cross member interconnecting the ends of said side rails, a bumper bar spaced from said frame cross member, support means interposed between said bumper bar and said frame cross member, said side rails each having a series of longitudinally spaced apart sections, each of said sections having a lower bending strength than the portions of said side rails intermediate said spaced apart Sections, said frame assembly being constructed to absorb a generally longitudinally directed impact load above a pre-established minimum against the bumper bar by plastic deformation of the side rails in a bending mode, said bending occurring at said spaced apart sections of lower bending strength, said side rails being constructed to be plastically deformed to a scorpioid configuration by said impact load.

Claim 8

An enerby absorbing frame assembly for a motor vehicle constructed to support a vehicle body, said frame assembly including a pair of side rails extending in a generally longitudinal direction, a frame cross member interconnecting the ends of said side rails, a bumper bar spaced from said frame cross member, support means interposed between said bumper bar and said frame cross member, said side rails each having a series of longitudinally spaced apart sections, each of said sections having a lower bending strength than the portions of said side rails intermediate said spaced apart Sections, said frame assembly being constructed to absorb a generally longitudinally directed impact load above a pre-established minimum against the bumper bar by plastic deformation of the side rails in a bending mode, said bending occurring at said spaced apart sections of lower bending strength, said side rails being constructed to be plastically deformed to a scorpioid configuration by said impact load.

Claim 9

An energy absorbing frame assembly for a motor vehicle constructed to support a vehicle body, said frame assembly including a pair of side rails extending in a generally longitudinal direction, a frame cross member interconnecting the ends of said side rails, a bumper bar spaced from said frame cross member, support means interposed between said bumper bar and said frame cross member, said side rails each having a series of longitudinally spaced apart sections, each of said sections having a lower bending strength than the portions of said side rails intermediate said spaced apart sections, said frame assembly being constructed to absorb a generally longitudinally directed impact load above a pre-established minimum against the bumper bar by plastic deformation of the side rails in a bending mode, said bending occurring at said spaced apart sections of lower bending strength, said sections of each of said series having progressively differing bending strengths whereby bending of said side rails at said sections will occur in a consecutive manner under said impact load.

Claim 10

An energy absorbing frame assembly for a motor vehicle constructed to support a vehicle body, said frame assembly including a pair of side rails extending in a generally longitudinal direction, a frame cross member interconnecting the ends of said side rails, a bumper bar spaced from said frame cross member, support means interposed between said bumper bar and said frame cross member, said side rails each having a series of longitudinally spaced apart sections, each of said sections having a lower bending strength than the portions of said side rails intermediate said spaced apart sections, said frame assembly being constructed to absorb a generally longitudinally directed impact load above a pre-established minimum against the bumper bar by plastic deformation of the side rails in a bending mode, said bending occurring at said spaced apart sections of lower bending strength, said sections of each of said series having progressively differing bending strengths whereby bending of said side rails at said sections will occur in a consecutive manner under said impact load.

Claim 11

An energy absorbing frame assembly for a motor vehicle constructed to support a vehicle body, said frame assembly including a pair of side rails extending in a generally longitudinal direction, a frame cross member interconnecting the ends of said side rails, bumper bar spaced from said frame cross member, an energy absorbing support means interposed between said bumper bar and said frame cross member, said side rails each having a series of longitudinally spaced apart sections, each of said sections having a lower bending strength than the portions of said side rails intermediate said spaced apart sections, said frame assembly being constructed to absorb a generally longitudinally directed impact load against the bumper bar that exceeds a predetermined minimum value by linear collapse of said bumper support means and plastic deformation of the side rails in a bending mode, said bending occurring at said spaced apart sections of lower bending strength.

Claim 12

An energy absorbing frame assembly for a motor vehicle constructed to support a vehicle body, said frame assembly including a pair of side rails extending in a generally longitudinal direction, a frame cross member interconnecting the ends of said side rails, bumper bar spaced from said frame cross member, an energy absorbing support means interposed between said bumper bar and said frame cross member, said side rails each having a series of longitudinally spaced apart sections, each of said sections having a lower bending strength than the portions of said side rails intermediate said spaced apart sections, said frame assembly being constructed to absorb a generally longitudinally directed impact load against the bumper bar that exceeds a predetermined minimum value by linear collapse of said bumper support means and plastic deformation of the side rails in a bending mode, said bending occurring at said spaced apart sections of lower bending strength.

Claim 13

An energy absorbing frame assembly for a motor vehicle according to claim 7 and including: said side rails being constructed to be plastically deformed to a scorpioid configuration by said impact load.

Claim 14

An energy absorbing frame assembly for a motor vehicle according to claim 7 and including: said sections of each of said series having progressively differing bending strengths whereby bending of said side rails at said sections will occur in a consecutive manner under said impact load.

Claim 15

An energy absorbing frame assembly for a motor vehicle constructed to support a vehicle body, said frame assembly including a pair of side rails extending in a generally longitudinal direction, a frame cross member interconnecting the ends of said side rails, a bumper bar spaced from said frame cross member, an energy absorbing support means interposed between said bumper bar and said frame cross member, said side rails each having a series of longitudinally spaced apart sections, each of said sections having a lower bending strength than the portions of said side rails intermediate said spaced apart sections, said frame assembly being constructed to absorb a generally longitudinally directed impact load against the bumper bar that exceeds a predetermined minimum value by linear collapse of said bumper support means and plastic deformation of the side rails in a bending mode, said bending occurring at said spaced apart sections of lower bending strength, each of said sections having a reduced vertical dimension relative to the portions of said side rails intermediate said spaced apart sections.

Claim 16

An energy absorbing frame assembly for a motor vehicle constructed to support a vehicle body, said frame assembly including a pair of side rails extending in a generally longitudinal direction, a frame cross member interconnecting the ends of said side rails, a bumper bar spaced from said frame cross member, an energy absorbing support means interposed between said bumper bar and said frame cross member, said side rails each having a series of longitudinally spaced apart sections, each of said sections having a lower bending strength than the portions of said side rails intermediate said spaced apart sections, said frame assembly being constructed to absorb a generally longitudinally directed impact load against the bumper bar that exceeds a predetermined minimum value by linear collapse of said bumper support means and plastic deformation of the side rails in a bending mode, said bending occurring at said spaced apart sections of lower bending strength, each of said sections having a reduced vertical dimension relative to the portions of said side rails intermediate said spaced apart sections.

Claim 17

An energy absorbing frame assembly for a motor vehicle constructed to support a vehicle body, said frame assembly having a pair of side rail elements extending in a generally longitudinal direction, each of said rail elements having a box shape in cross section, said side rail elements each having means constructed to connect a vehicle bumper to one end thereof, said side rail elements each having means providing a series of longitudinally spaced apart sections, each of said sections having a lower bending strength than the portions of said side rail elements intermediate said spaced apart sections, the upper surface of each of said side rail elements being substantially flat, the lower surface of each of said side rail elements having a corrugated configuration, said side rail elements being constructed to collapse in a bending mode when a generally longitudinally directed impact load above a predetermined minimum is exerted against said ends of said side rail elements, said bending taking place at said sections of lower bending strength.

Claim 18

An energy absorbing frame assembly for a motor vehicle constructed to support a vehicle body, said frame assembly having a pair of side rail elements extending in a generally longitudinal direction, each of said rail elements having a box shape in cross section, said side rail elements each having means constructed to connect a vehicle bumper to one end thereof, said side rail elements each having means providing a series of longitudinally spaced apart sections, each of said sections having a lower bending strength than the portions of said side rail elements intermediate said spaced apart sections, the upper surface of each of said side rail elements being substantially flat, the lower surface of each of said side rail elements having a corrugated configuration, said side rail elements being constructed to collapse in a bending mode when a generally longitudinally directed impact load above a predetermined minimum is exerted against said ends of said side rail elements, said bending taking place at said sections of lower bending strength.

Claim 19

An energy absorbing frame assembly for a motor vehicle constructed to support a vehicle body, said frame assembly having a pair of side rail elements extending in a generally longitudinal direction, said side rail elements each having means constructed to connect a vehicle bumper to one end thereof, said side rail elements each having means providing a series of longitudinally spaced apart sections, each of said sections having a lower bending strength than the portions of said side rail elements intermediate said spaced apart sections, each of said side rail elements having a vertical side wall with a substantially flat upper edge and a curvilinear lower edge, said side rail elements being constructed to collapse in a bending mode when a generally longitudinally directed impact load above a predetermined minimum is exerted against the ends of said side rail elements, said bending taking place at said sections of lower bending strength.

Claim 20

An energy absorbing frame assembly for a motor vehicle constructed to support a vehicle body, said frame assembly having a pair of side rail elements extending in a generally longitudinal direction, said side rail elements each having means constructed to connect a vehicle bumper to one end thereof, said side rail elements each having means providing a series of longitudinally spaced apart sections, each of said sections having a lower bending strength than the portions of said side rail elements intermediate said spaced apart sections, each of said side rail elements having a vertical side wall with a substantially flat upper edge and a curvilinear lower edge, said side rail elements being constructed to collapse in a bending mode when a generally longitudinally directed impact load above a predetermined minimum is exerted against the ends of said side rail elements, said bending taking place at said sections of lower bending strength.