IP Library Granted Patent US 8,348,335
Granted Patent B2
US 8,348,335 · App. 12/809,926 · Granted Jan 8, 2013

Convertible vehicle

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,348,335
App. No.
12/809,926
Granted
Jan 8, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A passenger car configured as a convertible, with an underbody, which has a middle tunnel, and with a cockpit carrier, on which a steering column carrying a steering handwheel is mounted. Driving comfort can be increased if the cockpit carrier is attached solely to the middle tunnel fixedly in three directions perpendicular to one another.

Claims (36)

1. A passenger car configured as a convertible, comprising:

an underbody, which has a middle tunnel,

A-columns on opposite respective sides of the passenger car,

a cockpit carrier attached solely in a lower region of at least the A-column on the side of the passenger car on which a steering column carrying a steering handwheel is mounted,

the cockpit carrier further being attached to the middle tunnel fixedly in three directions perpendicular to one another, wherein a tie-up of the cockpit carrier to the respective A-column takes place via a connecting member that has a lower rigidity in a vehicle transverse direction than in other directions perpendicular to the vehicle transverse direction.

2. The passenger car of claim 1 , wherein that the cockpit carrier is attached to the respective A-column in the lower region of the A-column fixedly in the three directions perpendicular to one another.

3. The passenger car of claim 1 , wherein the cockpit carrier is a cockpit crossmember and is attached to both of the A-columns pliably in the vehicle transverse direction and fixedly in directions perpendicular to the vehicle transverse direction.

4. The passenger car of claim 1 , wherein the passenger car has a scuttle frame connecting the two A-columns fixedly to one another in middle regions of the A-columns, the cockpit carrier being attached pliably to the scuttle frame in a vehicle transverse direction and fixedly in directions perpendicular to the vehicle transverse direction.

5. The passenger car of claim 1 , wherein the cockpit carrier additionally is attached to the underbody on the side of the passenger car assigned to the steering column and in a region of the underbody distant from the middle tunnel, the attachment of the cockpit carrier to the underbody being fixed in the vehicle transverse direction and in directions perpendicular to the vehicle transverse direction.

6. The passenger car of claim 1 , wherein the respective connecting member has a latticework-like structure that possesses higher elasticity in the vehicle transverse direction than in the directions perpendicular to the vehicle transverse direction.

7. The passenger car of claim 1 , wherein the respective connecting member is configured as extruded profile.

8. The passenger car of claim 1 , wherein the connecting member is a leaf spring that is spring-elastically resilient in the vehicle transverse direction.

9. A passenger car configured as a convertible, comprising:

an underbody, which has a middle tunnel,

A-columns on opposite respective sides of the passenger car,

a cockpit carrier attached in a middle region of at least the A-column on the side of the passenger car on which a steering column carrying a steering handwheel is mounted,

the cockpit carrier further being attached to the middle tunnel fixedly in three directions perpendicular to one another, and

the cockpit carrier being attached at least to one A-column pliably in a vehicle transverse direction and fixedly in other directions perpendicular to the vehicle transverse direction,

wherein a tie-up of the cockpit carrier to the respective A-column takes place via a connecting member that has a lower rigidity in the vehicle transverse direction than in directions perpendicular to the vehicle transverse direction.

10. The passenger car of claim 9 , wherein a tie-up of the cockpit carrier to the respective A-column takes place at a lower end of the middle region.

11. A passenger car of configured as a convertible, comprising:

an underbody, which has a middle tunnel,

A-columns on opposite respective sides of the passenger car,

a cockpit carrier attached solely in a lower region of at least the A-column on the side of the passenger car on which a steering column carrying a steering handwheel is mounted,

the cockpit carrier further being attached to the middle tunnel fixedly in three directions perpendicular to one another, wherein the cockpit carrier is attached to the respective A-column directly or indirectly via a spring device that is spring-elastically resilient in a vehicle transverse direction.

12. The passenger car of claim 11 , the spring device is a piston and cylinder arrangement with the piston arranged to be adjustable in the cylinder in the vehicle transverse direction counter to a restoring spring.

13. A passenger car configured as a convertible, comprising:

an underbody, which has a middle tunnel,

A-columns on opposite respective sides of the passenger car,

a cockpit carrier attached in a middle region of at least the A-column on the side of the passenger car on which a steering column carrying a steering handwheel is mounted,

the cockpit carrier further being attached to the middle tunnel fixedly in three directions perpendicular to one another, and

the cockpit carrier being attached at least to one A-column pliably in a vehicle transverse direction and fixedly in other directions perpendicular to the vehicle transverse direction, wherein the cockpit carrier is attached to the respective A-column directly or indirectly via a spring device that is spring-elastically resilient in the vehicle transverse direction.

14. The passenger car claim 13 , wherein the cockpit carrier is a cockpit crossmember and is attached to both A-columns pliably in a vehicle transverse direction and fixedly in directions perpendicular to the vehicle transverse direction.

15. The passenger car of claim 13 , wherein the passenger car has a scuttle frame connecting the two A-columns fixedly to one another in middle regions of the A-columns, the cockpit carrier being attached pliably to the scuttle frame in a vehicle transverse direction and fixedly in directions perpendicular to the vehicle transverse direction.

16. The passenger car of claim 13 , wherein the cockpit carrier additionally is attached to the underbody on the side of the passenger car assigned to the steering column and in a region of the underbody distant from the middle tunnel, the attachment of the cockpit carrier to the underbody being fixed in the vehicle transverse direction and in directions perpendicular to the vehicle transverse direction.

17. The passenger car of claim 13 , the spring device is a piston and cylinder arrangement with the piston arranged to be adjustable in the cylinder in the vehicle transverse direction counter to a restoring spring.

Assignments (3)
MERGER Recorded Jul 8, 2010
From: DR. ING. H.C.F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
To: PORSCHE ZWISCHENHOLDING GMBH
Reel/Frame 024652/0644 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 8, 2010
From: PORSCHE ZWISCHENHOLDING GMBH
To: DR. ING. H.C.F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Reel/Frame 024653/0037 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 21, 2010
From: JUNGERT, DIETER; OCHS, JUERGEN; JOEST, RAINER
To: DR. ING. H.C.F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Reel/Frame 024568/0591 →