Cross member for a frame of a vehicle as well as frame for a vehicle
A cross member for a frame of a vehicle. The cross member provides a particularly high stiffness of the frame and has a particularly low weight. A first support arrangement ( 18 ) having 4, 5, 6 or more support legs connects a cross member ( 10 ) to a first frame rail ( 16 a ) of the frame ( 12 ), and a second support arrangement ( 24 ) having 4, 5, 6 or more further support legs ( 26 a - d ) connect the cross member ( 10 ) to a second frame rail ( 16 b ) of the frame ( 12 ). At least two of the four support legs of the respective first and second support arrangement are bent upwards from the base portion, the other support legs ( 20 b, 20 c ) being bent downwards.
1. A cross member ( 10 ) for a frame ( 12 ) of a vehicle, the cross member ( 10 ) comprising:
a base portion ( 14 );
a first support arrangement ( 18 ) for connecting the cross member ( 10 ) to a first frame rail ( 16 a ) of the frame ( 12 ), the first support arrangement ( 18 ) having 4, 5, 6 or more support legs ( 20 a - d ) connected to the base portion ( 14 ), the support legs ( 20 a - d ) being arranged on one side ( 22 ) of the base portion ( 14 ), the support legs ( 20 a - d ) extending away from the base portion ( 14 ) in the transverse direction of the vehicle;
a second support arrangement ( 24 ) for connecting the cross member ( 10 ) to a second frame rail ( 16 b ) of the frame ( 12 ), the second support arrangement ( 24 ) having 4, 5, 6 or more further support legs ( 26 a - d ) connected to the base portion ( 14 ), the further support legs ( 26 a - d ) being arranged on the opposite side ( 28 ) of the base portion ( 14 ), the further support legs ( 26 a - d ) extending away from the base portion ( 14 ) in the transverse direction of the vehicle;
wherein:
at least two ( 20 a , 20 d ) of the support legs ( 20 a - d ) of the first support arrangement ( 18 ) are bent upwards from the base portion ( 14 ), the other support legs ( 20 b , 20 c ) of the first support arrangement ( 18 ) being bent downwards from base portion ( 14 );
at least two ( 26 a , 26 d ) of the further support legs ( 26 a - d ) of the second support arrangement ( 24 ) are bent upwards from the base portion ( 14 ), the other support legs ( 26 b , 26 c ) of the second support arrangement ( 24 ) being bent downwards from the base portion ( 14 ).
2. The cross member ( 10 ) according to claim 1 wherein the base portion ( 14 ) and the support legs ( 20 a - d , 26 a - d ) are formed in one piece.
3. The cross member ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the cross member ( 10 ) with the base portion ( 14 ) and the support legs ( 20 a - d , 26 a - d ) is formed in one piece by stamping.
4. The cross member ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the cross member ( 10 ) is made from aluminum or aluminum alloy.
5. The cross member ( 10 ) according to claim 4 wherein the cross member ( 10 ) is made from 6013-T6 aluminum alloy.
6. The cross member ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the base portion ( 14 ) and/or the support legs ( 20 a - d , 26 a - d ) have a wall thickness of ⅜ inch or less.
7. The cross member ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the respective support legs ( 20 a , 20 d , 26 a , 26 d ) bent upwards are spaced from one another in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the respective other two support legs ( 20 b , 20 c , 26 b , 26 c ) being arranged between the respective support legs ( 20 a , 20 d , 26 a , 26 d ) bent upwards.
8. The cross member ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the support legs ( 20 a - d , 26 a - d ) each have a flange ( 30 a - h ) via which the cross member ( 10 ) is capable of being connected to respective lateral frame rails ( 16 a - b ) of the frame ( 12 ).
9. The cross member ( 10 ) according to claim 8 wherein the flanges ( 30 a , 30 d , 30 e , 30 h ) of the support legs ( 20 a , 20 d , 26 a , 26 d ) bent upwards extend downwards, the flanges ( 30 b , 30 c , 30 f , 30 g ) of the support legs ( 20 b , 20 c , 26 b , 26 c ) bent downwards extending upwards.
10. A frame ( 12 ) for a vehicle, the frame ( 12 ) comprising:
two lateral frame rails ( 16 a - b ) spaced from one another in the transverse direction of the vehicle;
at least one cross member ( 10 ) connected with the frame rails ( 16 a - b ), the cross member ( 10 ) comprising:
a base portion ( 14 );
a first support arrangement ( 18 ) by means of which the cross member ( 10 ) is connected with one ( 16 a ) of the frame rails ( 16 a - b ), the first support arrangement ( 18 ) having 4, 5, 6 or more support legs ( 20 a - d ) connected to the base portion ( 14 ), the support legs ( 20 a - d ) being arranged on one side ( 22 ) of the base portion ( 14 ), the support legs ( 20 a - d ) extending away from the base portion ( 14 ) in the transverse direction of the vehicle;
a second support arrangement ( 24 ) by means of which the cross member ( 10 ) is connected with the other frame rail ( 16 b ), the second support arrangement ( 24 ) having 4, 5, 6 or more further support legs ( 26 a - d ) connected to the base portion ( 14 ), the further support legs ( 26 a - d ) being arranged on the opposite side ( 28 ) of the base portion ( 14 ), the further support legs ( 26 a - d ) extending away from the base portion ( 14 ) in the transverse direction of the vehicle;
wherein:
at least two ( 20 a , 20 d ) of the support legs ( 20 a - d ) of the first support arrangement ( 18 ) are bent upwards from the base portion ( 14 ), the other support legs ( 20 b , 20 c ) of the first support arrangement ( 18 ) being bent downwards from base portion ( 14 );
at least two ( 26 a , 26 d ) of the further support legs ( 26 a - d ) of the second support arrangement ( 24 ) are bent upwards from the base portion ( 14 ), the other support legs ( 26 b , 26 c ) of the second support arrangement ( 24 ) being bent downwards from base portion ( 14 ).