Dana Corporation

John A Beckman

Barry L Zackrisson

Richard A Marando

Ronald A Rinehart

Dennis L Hammond

David E Sills

A method includes hydroforming a pair of side rails from a single closed structural member so as to having a plurality of mounting areas integrally formed thereon. The frame assembly includes a pair of longitudinally extending side rails having a plurality of transverse cross member extending therebetween. Each of the side rails is formed from a single integral closed structural member that extends the entire length of the frame assembly. The cross members extend generally perpendicular to the side rails and may be formed having any conventional structure. Each of the side rails is manufactured having a plurality of integrally formed mounting structures to facilitate the connection of the various components (not shown) of the vehicle directly to the frame assembly without the use of any brackets and mounts. The side rails are hydroformed to desired shapes and have respective pluralities of apertures and protrusions formed therein. The side rails are formed into desired shapes such that the apertures and protrusions can be located in exactly the same positions relative to the frame assembly as the corresponding apertures and protrusions provided on the various brackets and mounts of the prior art frame assembly. As a result, the other components of the vehicle can be connected directly to the side rails to form the frame assembly. This direct side rail mounting structure eliminates the need for the various brackets and mounts provided in the prior art frame assembly and, as a result, greatly reduces the time and expense involved in manufacturing the ladder frame assembly of this invention.

Method of manufacturing a vehicle frame assembly including hydroformed side rails having integrally formed mounting areas

A vehicular body and frame assembly includes a pair of side rails, wherein one or both of the side rails has an integral support surface formed therein to facilitate the mounting of various components on the vehicle frame assembly. Each of the side rails is formed from a closed channel structural member having a desired cross sectional shape. A portion of each side rail is further formed having a cross sectional shape that is substantially similar to, but rotationally offset from, the cross sectional shape of the remainder of the side rail. The transitions from the side rails to the rotationally offset portions and from the rotationally offset portions back to the side rails are preferably smooth and continuous. The rotationally offset portions may extend throughout any desired portion or portions of the side rails, and may further vary in the amount of rotational offset if desired. Thus, the rotationally offset portions of the side rails can be oriented in such a manner as to provide cradle-like support surfaces for a component to be mounted on the vehicle frame assembly, such as a portion of an engine or transmission.

Vehicle frame assembly having integral support surfaces

An engine cradle for use in a vehicle frame assembly is described wherein the integral central portion of an engine cradle is provided towards the rear end of the vehicle/body frame assembly such that the leg portions of the engine cradle extend forwardly therefrom. The central portion of the engine cradle is formed integrally with the legs to form a single unitary 'U'-shaped member. A separate cross member is provided which extends between the two leg portions of the engine cradle and is secured thereto.

Vehicle frame assembly

A combined engine cradle and cross member structure for use with a vehicular body and frame assembly is lighter in weight than known structures. The engine cradle is formed from tubular stock material using mechanical bending and hydroforming techniques to have a generally U-shaped configuration including a central portion having a pair of leg portions extending therefrom. The cross member is also formed from tubular stock material using hydroforming techniques and has a pair of end portions. The end portions of the tubular cross member are secured to the leg portions of the tubular cradle to form the combined engine cradle and cross member structure. To accomplish this, the end portions of the tubular cross member may have notches formed therein which receive the leg portions of the engine cradle therein. The end portions of the cross member may be secured to the leg portions of the engine cradle in any conventional manner, such as by welding.

Hydroformed engine cradle and cross member for vehicle body and frame

A full perimeter vehicle frame is described having two siderails and at least one cross member having a zigzag shape which allows it to be easily removable from the siderails. The removable cross member can be square or tubular in cross section and is configured having a first end and a second end which are parallel, but offset from each other and a central portion which extends at an angle between the first end and the second end. The siderails each have an aperture which extends through the siderail from an inner side to an outer side of each siderail. One of the apertures is located at an axial position on a siderail which is offset from the other aperture located on the other siderail. These two apertures are offset the same axial distance as the amount of distance the first and second ends of the cross member are offset from one another. In this configuration, the first end of the cross member is positioned in one of the apertures located in one of the siderails while the second end is positioned in the other aperture located in the other siderail. The cross member is easily installed by positioning one end of the cross member in an aperture in one of the siderails while the other end is positioned to lie in a plane above or below the other siderail. By laterally moving the inserted end, the free end can be rotated towards its associated siderail, and the free end of the cross member can be inserted into the aperture in that siderail. The reverse actions are taken to remove the cross member from the siderails.

Removable cross member for vehicle frame

The present invention relates to a unique fiber-reinforced metallic tubular element, along with a unique method for producing such tubular elements on a production basis. The tubular element includes a cylindrical aluminum tube surrounded by a fiber composite sleeve which includes a plurality of individual reinforcing graphite fibers oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube and uniformly positioned about the circumference of the tube. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, an isolation layer is positioned between the graphite reinforcing layer and the outer surface of the aluminum tube, and a protective covering layer of fiber material surrounds the tube and is adhered to the outer surface of the graphite reinforcing layer. In the preferred method of the present invention, a plurality of cylindrical metal tubes are coupled to one another in an end-to-end relationship by a plurality of joining plug members to form a longitudinally extending series of metal tubes. The series of metal tubes are fed along a longitudinal axis to an apparatus for applying the individual layers of the composite fiber sleeve along with a curable resin material to the tube. As the series of tubes having the cured composite sleeve thereon exits the apparatus, the tubes are severed at each of the joining plugs to produce a plurality of individual fiber reinforced tubular elements. Alternate methods of manufacturing the fiber reinforced tubular elements are also disclosed. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the fiber reinforced tubular element is utilized as a vehicle drive shaft.

Composite tubular elements and methods of fabrication

Method of fabrication of composite reinforced drive shaft having end

A drive line joint assembly (10) has splined driving and driven members (13,20), one of which has a protuberance (36) which extends axially along a spline (16,18) thereof to insure the absence of radial tolerance for balancing purposes. In a preferred form, a forged steel spline (16) has a resilient coating (40) bonded thereto, the coating preferably of a nylon or of other material having comparable low friction quality. The resilient protuberance is an integral part of the latter low friction coating and is formed by a broaching tool after the coating material has been applied to the spline. In a preferred embodiment, the protuberance extends only 0.001 to 0.003 inch above the surface of the coating, wherein the coating has a thickness in the range of 0.007 to 0.014 inch over the steel body portion of the spline. At least three of the protuberances are preferred, each circumferentially spaced from the other. The protuberances are utilized to take up all radial slack between driving and driven members of the drive line joint assembly, thereby allowing for no radial movement of one member with respect to the other.

Drive line slip joint assembly

An improved method is disclosed for manufacturing suspension members for use in a vehicle suspension system. The suspension member is formed and subjected to prestressing forces at least as great as the expected maximum forces to which the suspension members will be subjected during operation of the vehicle in which they are mounted.

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Wernersville, PA, United States of America

John A Beckman