808results about "Vehicle body-frame connections" patented technology

The present invention relates to all terrain vehicles having at least a pair of laterally spaced apart seating surfaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to trail compliant side-by-side all terrain vehicles.

An automotive vehicle frame has a front frame portion, a rear frame portion and an intermediate frame portion connecting the front frame portion and the rear frame portion. The front frame portion has a pair of relatively spaced front strut towers and the rear frame portion has a pair of relatively spaced rear strut towers. Each of the front strut towers and each of the rear strut towers may have a plurality of frame components connected thereto. Portions of the vehicle suspension system may be secured to the front strut towers and the rear strut towers. The strut towers may have vehicle shock absorbers secured thereto. Numerous other vehicle components may be secured to the strut towers. The strut towers are unitary metal castings.

A high clearance vehicle includes a walking beam frame and an independent suspension. The frame consists of a main frame, A-shaped frames, a main truss, leg braces, and an axle. Pins which are used to join each A-shaped frame and leg braces to the main truss act as pivot points, as does the pin that attaches the axle to the main frame. Each leg brace may connect to each A-shaped frame by an elastic member to provide the independent suspension. Legs are at each corner of the frame. At the bottom of each leg is a wheel hub mount with a wheel drive assembly operably connected to a wheel for propelling the vehicle. At the top of the front legs are tapered kingpins which carry segmented thrust washers having a knob and receiving portion. A boom having extension arms and spray nozzles may also be attached. The walking beam frame may include a crab steering device which shifts the rear axle off-center so that the vehicle dog legs. A hinge stacked assembly includes a self-cleaning screen, a condenser, oil cooler, and a radiator. Angled hinges allow a door to be opened away from the vehicle and the rear tire so that the stacked assembly is easily accessible to maintenance. A knee action suspension may also provide independent suspension to the vehicle. The boom may have upper and lower lift arms. An elastic member may be provided for supporting the lower lift arm.

A shock mount assembly is provided, which generally includes a spacer and a thimble. The spacer includes a spacer flange and a spacer tube projecting from the spacer flange. The spacer tube includes an inwardly projecting shoulder having an inner diameter. The thimble includes a metal thimble base having a flange and an internally threaded post projecting from the flange. The threaded post has at least one hole passing through a wall thereof. The thimble also includes a plastic hollow thimble stem. The stem includes at least one hole passing through a wall of the lower portion thereof, the hole having a leg extending inwardly from one of the walls thereof. The leg includes a radially inwardly extending tab sized, shaped and positioned to engage the hole passing through the wall of the threaded post in a snap fitted arrangement when the threaded post is inserted into the stem. The stem also includes projecting from a top end thereof a plurality of fingers spaced about a periphery thereof. Each of the fingers has an outwardly projecting portion defining a circumferential lip having an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the shoulder of the spacer tube of said spacer. The stem is telescopically receivable in the spacer tube such that when the stem is fully inserted in the spacer tube, the lip engages the shoulder in a snap fitted

A chassis clings to a ship hull or other ferrous surface by a magnet that moves toward or away from the surface to adjust the magnet air gap and thus the attractive force. The magnet(s) can be the only clinging force or used with other sources such as a suction chamber or fluid jet drive. An internal magnet on a crank mechanism can pivot around a wheel rotation axis inside a wheel body having a non-ferrous traction surface or tire. The magnet gap is least at an angle perpendicular to the surface on which the wheel rests, and larger at an angle oblique to that, for varying the attractive force to two or more levels. The vehicle can be an autonomous hull maintenance device with sensors, controllers and actuators to sense, measure and clean away fouling.

A frame structure and a method of manufacturing a body frame that is divided into small assemblies to facilitate the carriage and storage of articles and individuals and the manufacturing efficiency. A body frame is divided into three, namely, a front assembly having a closed loop structure, an engine support system assembly having a closed loop structure and a rear suspension support system assembly having a closed loop structure. The front assembly and the rear suspension support system assembly are connected to the engine support system assembly to form the body frame. The small assemblies have a closed loop structure whereby the rigidity is enhanced, and the shape is also stabilized. Therefore, the accuracy management can be performed.

Tunable structural member for a vehicle generally comprises an active material adapted to selectively undergo a change in at least one attribute in response to an activation signal. The change in the at least one attribute results in a change in the mechanical properties of the tunable structural member. Active materials generally include shape memory alloys, shape memory polymers, magnetorheological fluids and elastomers, piezoelectrics, electroactive polymers, and the like.

An automotive vehicle is constructed having a metal framework and a body made of interconnected plastic components including a floor module. The framework has elongated longitudinal and transverse structural members of uniform cross sectional configuration. The underside of the floor module has downwardly directed troughs positioned and configured to engage the elongated structural members. Resilient bushing material is disposed between the engaged troughs and structural members, and is compressively held in place by U-shaped brackets which urge the structural members into the corresponding troughs. By virtue of such construction, the framework and body are integrated in a manner which minimizes stresses that would otherwise be conveyed to the body from the framework.

A supporting structure of a sub-frame for a suspension system contains a body frame, a sub-frame, elastic bushings, each having an inner cylinder having a lower edge. And an outer cylinder and an elastic member are interposed between the inner and outer cylinders. The sub-frame is supported on the body frame via the elastic bushings, at least one of first stay extends along the body frame, and at least one second stay extends along the body frame in a different direction from the first stay. Both ends of each of the fist and second stays respectively are supported on the lower edge of the inner cylinder and the body frame.

A hybrid component for lightweight, structural uses, including a steel member formed of a high strength steel; and a cast coupling member cast on a portion of the steel member by casting-in-place a semi-solid aluminum about the portion of the steel member, thereby positively and rigidly securing the coupling member to the steel member. A method of forming a hybrid component for lightweight, structural uses, including: forming a steel member formed of a high strength steel into a predetermined configuration; and casting a coupling member on a portion of the steel member by casting-in-place a semi-solid aluminum about the portion of the steel member, thereby positively and rigidly securing the coupling member to the steel member.

A vehicle chassis includes a frame defining a cavity, and a tank configured to store compressed hydrogen gas. The tank is at least partially located within the cavity, and is longitudinally oriented with respect to the frame to maximize the fuel-storage capability of the vehicle chassis. In an exemplary embodiment, a floorpan includes a concavity to accommodate at least a portion of the tank, with a corresponding protuberance in the passenger compartment floor surface of the vehicle chassis.

The invention relates to a front axle arrangement for a heavy vehicle, e.g. a freight vehicle. The vehicle incorporates a number of wheels (42, 43) which bear the vehicle, and an engine unit (20) for the vehicle's propulsion and a longitudinal chassis element (6) which extends along the vehicle's longitudinal axis in the normal direction of forward movement of the vehicle. The front axle arrangement forms a separate front axle unit (11) incorporating a frame structure (12-15) which is intended to be connected to the longitudinal chassis element, and two of said wheels which are suspended in the frame structure. The front axle unit (11) is intended to bear the engine unit (20) in such a way that the latter extends in through a central aperture of the frame structure (12-15) and can at least partially be extracted from the front axle unit.

There is provided a suspension frame construction capable of increasing rigidity when a braking load, a lateral load, or an engine mounting load is applied to a suspension frame. In a suspension frame construction comprising an upper plate and a lower plate joined to each other to form a suspension frame; and front- and rear-side suspension arm support portions provided at both ends, right and left, of the suspension frame, the lower plate 9 is made up of a pair of side plates 111 and 112 each provided with a support portion for supporting at least a rear-side arm of a suspension arm 101, 102 and a center plate 12 for connecting the side plates 111 and 112 to each other.

Various embodiments of reduced-size vehicles such as all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility vehicles (UVs) are disclosed herein. In at least some embodiments, the vehicles include frames that are wider near the front and rear sections of the vehicles than within the mid-sections of the vehicles. This, in combination with the use of shock-absorbers that are substantially vertically oriented, allows for the opening-up of large interior cavities within the front and rear sections of the vehicles within which can be positioned large front and rear internal compartments that can provide storage/carrying capacity as well as added buoyancy for the vehicle, among other things. Also, in at least some embodiments, the vehicles can include special cooling and/or exhaust systems having components that are positioned substantially within the mid-sections of the vehicles, thus further increasing the amounts of space available for the cavities/compartments within the front and rear sections of the vehicles.

A module for a frame for a motor vehicle with a pair of laterally spaced, longitudinally extending central side rail structures. The module including a pair of tubular hydroformed side rail members and a laterally extending connecting structure connected between the pair of side rail members to secure the pair of side rail members in laterally spaced, fixed relation to one another. Each first portion of the pair of side rail members extending longitudinally and each second portion of the pair of side rail members extending laterally relative to the respective first portion and each second portion having an end being constructed and arranged to form a joint with a portion of a respective central side rail structure such that the end of each of the pair of side rail members extends generally laterally through a side of the respective central side rail structure.

A selectively powered ambulatory stretcher chair has a bifurcated articulating base of free-wheeling casters at each of the corners thereof, with motor driven wheels on a transaxle interposed therebetween. Articulation of the bifurcated base causes deployment and retraction of the drive wheels to allow use of the stretcher chair in both a manual and power-driven mode, while ensuring stability in both. A u-shaped positionable bar is pivotally connected to a back of the stretcher chair and maintains a control box within a tight range of positions as the chair of the stretcher chair assembly translates between upright and horizontal positions. The back of the stretcher chair is of a radiolucent material, accommodating medical procedures in the stretcher chair in a broad range of positions.