VEHICLE FRONT END ASSEMBLY

• US 20200130445A1
• Filed: 10/31/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan North America Incorporated (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: FEKETE, Stephen, CORBY, Ryan, STREAN, Adam, WATANABE, Takahiro, YAMADA, Yunosuke, KISHIDA, Musashi
• Granted Patent: US 10,906,369 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/1431 of an L-shaped arm
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/016 allowing controlled deformation during collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/12 with two attachment points on the sprung part of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/122 the arm having L-shape
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/001 Suspension arms, e.g. constructional features B60G7/006 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/005 Ball joints B60G7/006 takes precedence; for steering linkage B62D7/16; ball joints per se F16C11/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 7/02 Attaching arms to sprung part of vehicle B60G7/006 takes precedence

Abstract

A vehicle front end assembly includes an engine cradle, a transverse link and a fastener. The engine cradle has an upper attachment portion and a lower attachment portion, both being rigidly attached to the engine cradle. The upper attachment portion has a recessed area that includes a first opening extending through the recessed area. The upper attachment portion has a first overall thickness with a portion of the recessed area surrounding the first opening having a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness. The lower attachment portion has a second opening below the first opening. The transverse link has an inboard portion with a third opening that extends through the inboard portion. The fastener passes through the first opening, the third opening and the second opening such that the fastener retains the transverse link to the upper attachment portion and the lower attachment portion of the engine cradle.

Claims

1. A vehicle front end assembly, comprising

an engine cradle having an upper attachment portion and a lower attachment portion spaced apart from one another with both being rigidly attached to the engine cradle, the upper attachment portion having a recessed area that includes a first opening extending through the recessed area, the upper attachment portion having a first overall thickness with a portion of the recessed area surrounding the first opening having a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness, the lower attachment portion having a second opening below the first opening;

a transverse link having an inboard portion with a third opening that extends through the inboard portion;

a fastener passing through the first opening, the third opening and the second opening such that the fastener retains the transverse link to the upper attachment portion and the lower attachment portion of the engine cradle.

2. The vehicle front end assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the recessed area is a concaved area of an upper surface of the upper attachment portion.

3. The vehicle front end assembly according to claim 2, wherein

the portion of the recessed area having the second thickness includes an annular plate welded to the upper surface of the upper attachment portion within the recessed area, the annular plate having a central opening concentrically aligned with the first opening.

4. The vehicle front end assembly according to claim 2, wherein

the lower attachment portion includes an annular plate welded to a lower surface thereof such that the annular plate is centered around the second opening, the lower attachment portion having a third overall thickness, and, the annular plate and the lower attachment surrounding the second opening together have a fourth thickness greater than the third overall thickness.

5. The vehicle front end assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the portion of the recessed area having the second thickness includes an annular plate welded to the upper attachment portion within the recessed area, the annular plate having central opening concentrically aligned with the first opening.

6. The vehicle front end assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the upper attachment portion and the lower attachment portion are located on a driver'"'"'s side of the engine cradle,

a passenger'"'"'s side of the engine cradle includes a second upper attachment portion and a second lower attachment portion, the second upper attachment portion and the second lower attachment portion being spaced apart from one another with both being rigidly attached to the engine cradle, the second upper attachment portion having a recessed area that includes a fourth opening extending through the rear recessed area, the rear upper attachment portion having a third overall thickness with a portion of the rear recessed area surrounding the fourth opening having a fourth thickness that is greater than the third thickness, the second lower attachment portion having a fifth opening below the first opening,

a second transverse link has a second inboard portion with a sixth opening rearward of the first opening, the second opening extending through the second inboard portion;

a second fastener passing through the fourth opening, the sixth opening and the fifth opening such that the second fastener retains the second transverse link to the second upper attachment portion and the second lower attachment portion of the engine cradle.

7. The vehicle front end assembly according to claim 6, wherein

the traverse link includes an outboard portion that supports ball joint and a steering knuckle with a wheel of a vehicle attached to the steering knuckle such that, during an impact event the transverse link is configured to breakaway in an area proximate the ball joint in response to a first impacting force, and the upper attachment portion of the engine cradle is configured to breakaway in response to a second impacting force that is greater than the first impacting force.

8. The vehicle front end assembly according to claim 7, wherein

the second traverse link includes an outboard portion that supports second ball joint and a second steering knuckle, with a second wheel of a vehicle attached to the second steering knuckle such that, during an impact event the second transverse link is configured to breakaway in an area proximate the second ball joint in response to a third impacting force, and the upper attachment portion of the engine cradle is configured to breakaway in response to a fourth impacting force that is greater than the third impacting force.

9. The vehicle front end assembly according to claim 1, wherein

the traverse link includes an outboard portion that supports ball joint and a steering knuckle with a wheel of a vehicle attached to the steering knuckle such that, during an impact event the transverse link is configured to breakaway in an area proximate the ball joint in response to a first impacting force, and the upper attachment portion of the engine cradle is configured to breakaway in response to a second impacting force that is greater than the first impacting force.

10. A vehicle front end assembly, comprising

an engine cradle having an attachment assembly with a forward inboard attachment section and rearward inboard attachment section;

a transverse link having a forward inboard portion attached to the forward inboard attachment section, a rearward inboard portion attached to the rearward inboard attachment section and an outboard end having a ball joint installed thereto, a portion of the transverse link adjacent to and located inboard of the outboard end defining a first breakaway location, and, the outboard end and the ball joint defining a second breakaway location,

wherein the forward inboard attachment section defines a third breakaway location such that in response to an impact event the outboard end of the transverse link breaks away from inboard portions of the transverse link at the first breakaway location releases prior to a breakaway event at either the second breakaway location and the third breakaway location.

11. The vehicle front end assembly according to claim 10, wherein

in response to the impact event the ball joint at the outboard end of the transverse link breaks away from outboard end of the transverse link at the second breakaway location prior to a breakaway event at the third breakaway location.

12. The vehicle front end assembly according to claim 10, wherein

the attachment assembly of the engine cradle includes an upper attachment portion and a lower attachment portion spaced apart from one another with both being rigidly attached to the engine cradle, with the forward inboard attachment section being at least partially defined by a recessed area of the upper attachment portion, the recessed area defining a first opening extending through the recessed area the upper attachment portion having a first overall thickness with a portion of the recessed area surrounding the first opening having a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness.

13. The vehicle front end assembly according to claim 12, wherein

the forward inboard attachment section being further partially defined by a recessed area of the lower attachment portion, the recessed area defining a second opening extending through the recessed area the lower attachment portion having a third overall thickness with a portion of the recessed area surrounding the first opening having a fourth thickness that is greater than the third thickness.

14. The vehicle front end assembly according to claim 13, wherein

the portion of the recessed area of the upper attachment portion having the second thickness includes an annular plate welded to the upper surface of the upper attachment portion within the recessed area, the annular plate having a central opening concentrically aligned with the first opening.

15. The vehicle front end assembly according to claim 14, wherein

the portion of the recessed area of the upper attachment portion having the fourth thickness includes an annular plate welded to the lower surface of the lower attachment portion within the recessed area, the annular plate having a central opening concentrically aligned with the third opening.