IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,312,004
Granted Patent B2
US 12,312,004 · App. 18/117,979 · Granted May 27, 2025

Subframe for vehicle

Inventors: Tomoyuki Yokota (Tochigi, JP); Toshiyuki Kawabata (Wako, JP)
Assignees: F-TECH INC.; Honda Motor Co., Ltd
B62D21/11B60G7/02B60G2204/15
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,312,004
App. No.
18/117,979
Granted
May 27, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

In a lower member of a subframe for a vehicle, a middle portion between an outer-side portion and an inner-side portion includes an outer-side curved bottom portion and an inner-side curved bottom portion. Adjacently-positioned closed cross-sections are provided corresponding to at least a portion of the outer-side curved bottom portion and the inner-side curved bottom portion, the adjacently-positioned closed cross-sections being made up of a first closed cross-section of a first crossmember and a second closed cross-section of the lower member positioned adjacent to each other in a vertical direction in such a manner as to be divided by a wall portion of the first crossmember and next to each other, the wall portion defining the first closed cross-section.

Claims (33)

1. A subframe for a vehicle, the subframe comprising:

a first crossmember that is cylindrical and extends in a width direction of the vehicle;

a second crossmember that is opposite to the first crossmember in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, and extends in the width direction;

a pair of side members opposite to each other in the width direction, each of which extends in the front-rear direction and is joined to the first crossmember and the second crossmember; and

a lower member that extends in the width direction on a lower side of the first crossmember in a vertical direction of the vehicle, and is joined to the first crossmember,

wherein the lower member includes an outer-side portion, a middle portion, and an inner-side portion in order from an outer side toward an inner side in the width direction, the outer-side portion being provided with a lower support portion that supports a suspension member of the vehicle, the middle portion connecting to the outer-side portion, the inner-side portion connecting to the middle portion,

the middle portion includes an outer-side curved bottom portion and an inner-side curved bottom portion, the outer-side curved bottom portion connecting to a bottom portion of the outer-side portion and showing a path extending upward from the bottom portion of the outer-side portion toward the inner side, while being curved without extending downward, the inner-side curved bottom portion connecting to a bottom portion of the inner-side portion and showing a path extending downward from the bottom portion of the inner-side portion toward the outer side, while being curved without extending upward,

the first crossmember has a first closed cross-section in cross-section taken along a plane defined by the front-rear direction and the vertical direction,

the lower member has a second closed cross-section in cross-section taken along the plane,

the first crossmember and the lower member are disposed to extend on a front side in the front-rear direction with respect to the pair of side members, and

adjacently-positioned closed cross-sections are provided to cross between the bottom portion of the outer-side portion and the bottom portion of the inner-side portion with the outer-side curved bottom portion and the inner-side curved bottom portion in the middle portion intervening therebetween, the adjacently-positioned closed cross-sections being made up of the first closed cross-section and the second closed cross-section positioned adjacent to each other in the vertical direction in such a manner as to be divided by a wall portion of the first crossmember and next to each other, the wall portion defining the first closed cross-section,

wherein

each of the pair of side members includes a pair of side walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall, the pair of side walls being opposite to each other in the width direction, the top wall connecting upper-side end portions of the pair of side walls in the vertical direction, the bottom wall being opposite to the top wall on the lower side and connecting lower-side end portions of the pair of side walls in the vertical direction,

the top wall includes a recessed portion and a pair of convex-shaped portions in a front-side portion of the top wall in the front-rear direction, the recessed portion being recessed toward the lower side at a middle portion of the top wall in the width direction, the pair of convex-shaped portions protruding toward the upper side relative to the recessed portion at opposite end portions of the top wall in the width direction,

on the top wall, a front end portion of the recessed portion is joined to the first crossmember,

the bottom wall includes a recessed portion and a pair of convex-shaped portions in the front-side portion of the bottom wall, the recessed portion being recessed toward the upper side at a middle portion of the bottom wall in the width direction, the pair of convex-shaped portions protruding toward the lower side relative to the recessed portion at opposite end portions of the bottom wall in the width direction, and

on the bottom wall, a front end portion of the recessed portion is joined to the first crossmember.

2. A subframe for a vehicle, the subframe comprising:

a first crossmember that is cylindrical and extends in a width direction of the vehicle;

a second crossmember that is opposite to the first crossmember in a front-rear direction of the vehicle, and extends in the width direction;

a pair of side members opposite to each other in the width direction, each of which extends in the front-rear direction and is joined to the first crossmember and the second crossmember; and

a lower member that extends in the width direction on a lower side of the first crossmember in a vertical direction of the vehicle, and is joined to the first crossmember,

wherein the lower member includes an outer-side portion, a middle portion, and an inner-side portion in order from an outer side toward an inner side in the width direction, the outer-side portion being provided with a lower support portion that supports a suspension member of the vehicle, the middle portion connecting to the outer-side portion, the inner-side portion connecting to the middle portion,

the middle portion includes an outer-side curved bottom portion and an inner-side curved bottom portion, the outer-side curved bottom portion connecting to a bottom portion of the outer-side portion and showing a path extending upward from the bottom portion of the outer-side portion toward the inner side, while being curved without extending downward, the inner-side curved bottom portion connecting to a bottom portion of the inner-side portion and showing a path extending downward from the bottom portion of the inner-side portion toward the outer side, while being curved without extending upward,

the first crossmember has a first closed cross-section in cross-section taken along a plane defined by the front-rear direction and the vertical direction,

the lower member has a second closed cross-section in cross-section taken along the plane, and

adjacently-positioned closed cross-sections are provided corresponding to at least a portion of the outer-side curved bottom portion and the inner-side curved bottom portion in the middle portion, the adjacently-positioned closed cross-sections being made up of the first closed cross-section and the second closed cross-section positioned adjacent to each other in the vertical direction in such a manner as to be divided by a wall portion of the first crossmember and next to each other, the wall portion defining the first closed cross-section

wherein each of the pair of side members includes a pair of side walls, a top wall, and a bottom wall, the pair of side walls being opposite to each other in the width direction, the top wall connecting upper-side end portions of the pair of side walls in the vertical direction, the bottom wall being opposite to the top wall on the lower side and connecting lower-side end portions of the pair of side walls in the vertical direction,

the top wall includes a recessed portion and a pair of convex-shaped portions in a front-side portion of the top wall in the front-rear direction, the recessed portion being recessed toward the lower side at a middle portion of the top wall in the width direction, the pair of convex-shaped portions protruding toward the upper side relative to the recessed portion at opposite end portions of the top wall in the width direction,

on the top wall, a front end portion of the recessed portion is joined to the first crossmember,

the bottom wall includes a recessed portion and a pair of convex-shaped portions in the front-side portion of the bottom wall, the recessed portion being recessed toward the upper side at a middle portion of the bottom wall in the width direction, the pair of convex-shaped portions protruding toward the lower side relative to the recessed portion at opposite end portions of the bottom wall in the width direction, and

on the bottom wall, a front end portion of the recessed portion is joined to the first crossmember.

3. The subframe for a vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein an upper support member is provided in such a manner as to be joined to the first crossmember, the upper support member being opposite to the lower member on an upper side in the vertical direction with the first crossmember interposed therebetween, the upper support member including an upper-side support portion that supports a suspension member of the vehicle, the upper support member being joined to an inclined surface portion that is inclined by recessing a portion of a cylindrical wall of the first crossmember.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 13, 2023
From: YOKOTA, TOMOYUKI; KAWABATA, TOSHIYUKI
To: F-TECH INC.; HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD
Reel/Frame 063943/0366 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2022-44966 · Mar 22, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230303172A1 · Sep 28, 2023
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