The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 23, 1997
Filed:
May. 31, 1996
John A Beckman, Wernersville, PA (US);
Dana Corporation, Toledo, OH (US);
Abstract
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.