US3851722A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Crash responsive motor mounting
Assignee: Automobiles Citroen SA
•
Filing: 1973-02-23
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Granted: 1974-12-03
•
Expires: 1993-02-23
Abstract
Abstract The automobile has an engine, placed at the front of the vehicle, the engine or the motor-propellant unit being connected to the body and/or to the chassis by fixing elements such as elastic supports and ties. Frame means for the engine extend in the front of the engine and have sufficient mechanical strength so that, on a frontal shock against an obstacle, the whole being deformed, said frame means cause an increase in deceleration of the vehicle which reaches a critical value before the front part of the engine comes into abutment against a surface. At least one of the fixing elements of the engine breaks so as to liberate the engine when said critical value of deceleration is reached.
Inventors
- 👤 A Grosseau
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 19:54
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60K; B60K5/00; B60K5/12; B60K5/1275; B60K5/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
136 words
An automobile vehicle, comprising in combination, a vehicle body, driving means, means for mounting said driving means, attachment means connecting said driving means in a forward part of the vehicle to said mounting means in front of the body, and means extending said forward part of the vehicle in front of the driving means and having sufficient mechanical strength so that on impact with an obstacle said extending means become deformed and thereby cause an increasing deceleration of the vehicle which reaches a critical value before the driving means comes into abutment against a surface in front of it, said attachment means being adapted to be ruptured by the effect of the inertia of the driving means when said critical value is reached, said rupture permitting the driving means to move forwardly relative to the body.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
136 words
An automobile vehicle, comprising in combination, a vehicle body, driving means, means for mounting said driving means, attachment means connecting said driving means in a forward part of the vehicle to said mounting means in front of the body, and means extending said forward part of the vehicle in front of the driving means and having sufficient mechanical strength so that on impact with an obstacle said extending means become deformed and thereby cause an increasing deceleration of the vehicle which reaches a critical value before the driving means comes into abutment against a surface in front of it, said attachment means being adapted to be ruptured by the effect of the inertia of the driving means when said critical value is reached, said rupture permitting the driving means to move forwardly relative to the body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said attachment means comprise a tie in the form of a rod adapted to break when the deceleration of the vehicle reaches said critical value.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
Vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the rod is oriented in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
Vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle comprises an engine-mounting chassis raised towards the front to form a a box frame, said driving means being connected to the upper part of said box frame by at least one said tie, the the attachment means comprising elastic supports connecting the driving means at its lower part to the chassis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
Vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the centre of gravity of the driving means is situated above and in front of the lower elastic supports.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
Vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the critical value of the deceleration is of the order of 80 to 100 meters per second per second.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said extending means are constituted by lateral parts of the body, adapted through their deformation, in the case of frontal shock, to absorb at least a part of the kinetic energy of the vehicle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
Vehicle according to claim 7, wherein said lateral parts are constituted by box frame members whose cross-section diminishes gradually from rear to front of the vehicle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
Vehicle according to claim 1, comprising a water radiator situated in front of the driving means, wherein there exists a free longitudinal space between the water radiator and the front part of the driving means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
Vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the attachment means comprise tie in the form of a rod adapted to break when the deceleration of the vehicle reaches said critical value, and wherein said critical value is of the order of 80 to 100 meters per second per second.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
11 words
Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein said extending means are lateral.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
11 words
Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the driving mEans is transversal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
50 words
Vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the front of said driving means is sufficiently spaced from the nearest element in front of it of the vehicle to permit the top of the driving means to tilt forward and downward before said driving means is tilted backward by said nearest element.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-12-02 | 1978-06-03 | 1978-12-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-12-02 | 1982-06-03 | 1982-12-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-12-02 | 1986-06-03 | 1986-12-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |