Vehicle space frame, castings therefor and method for remote construction
US4660345A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 7, 1986 |
| Grant date | Apr 28, 1987 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 7, 2006 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T403/342
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
There is provided a remotely constructible, three dimensional space frame for a motor vehicle which comprises a plurality of elongated, metal structural members with outer surfaces and having axially uniform cross sections and a plurality of thin walled, interconnecting metal castings of at least first and second types. These metal castings each have (a) a saddle portion with a contour matching a portion of the cross section for one of the structural members and are laterally engageable with that one structure for axial movement of the casting along the structure and (b) a receptacle with an elongated tubular portion having a cross section matching the cross section of another structural member and intersecting with the saddle portion of the casting at a given angle so that the thin walled metal casting can be moved axially along one of the structural members and will receive a second structural member by movement of that second member into the casting. The two structural members are held with respect to each other at a given angle. The saddle portion and tubular portion of the many castings each have outer peripheral edges lying along the outer surface of the two structural member…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.