U.S. patent application number 14/548985 was filed with the patent office on 2016-03-03 for mounting unit for sub-frame.
This patent application is currently assigned to Hyundai Motor Company. The applicant listed for this patent is Hyundai Motor Company. Invention is credited to Minuke HAN.
Application Number | 20160059891 14/548985 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55311908 |
Filed Date | 2016-03-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160059891 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HAN; Minuke |
March 3, 2016 |
MOUNTING UNIT FOR SUB-FRAME
Abstract
A mounting unit for a sub-frame for fastening the sub-frame to a
side member of a vehicle body may include a pipe nut installed to
be inserted into a through-hole above a mounting portion of the
side member, a sub-frame bracket fixed under the side member to
correspond to the pipe nut and including a fastening hole to which
a lower end portion of the pipe nut may be fastened, and a
reinforcing bracket fixed to an inner side of the side member and
fixing an upper end portion of the pipe nut.
Inventors: |
HAN; Minuke;
(Gwangmyeong-si, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Hyundai Motor Company |
Seoul |
|
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
Hyundai Motor Company
Seoul
KR
|
Family ID: |
55311908 |
Appl. No.: |
14/548985 |
Filed: |
November 20, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
280/124.109 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B62D 21/11 20130101;
B62D 21/00 20130101; B60G 2204/15 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B62D 21/11 20060101
B62D021/11 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 2, 2014 |
KR |
10-2014-0116415 |
Claims
1. A mounting unit for a sub-frame for fastening the sub-frame to a
side member of a vehicle body, comprising: a pipe nut installed to
be inserted into a through-hole above a mounting portion of the
side member; a sub-frame bracket fixed under the side member to
correspond to the pipe nut and including a fastening hole to which
a lower end portion of the pipe nut is fastened; and a reinforcing
bracket fixed to an inner side of the side member and fixing an
upper end portion of the pipe nut, wherein the sub-frame bracket
includes: a fastening portion formed with a fastening hole to which
the lower end portion of the pipe nut is fastened; a body coupled
to a plurality of ribs that are radially formed at a circumference
of the fastening portion; and a coupling portion formed at an upper
end of the body and insertedly fixed to a lower part of the side
member, and wherein the fastening portion is formed with a
fastening hole to which the lower end portion of the pipe nut
penetrating the lower part of the side member is screw-coupled, and
a guide surface formed to be inclined at an inner circumference of
an upper end of the fastening hole and guiding the lower end
portion of the pipe nut to the fastening hole.
2. (canceled)
3. The mounting unit for the sub-frame of claim 1, wherein the
sub-frame bracket is integrally cast molded from an aluminum
material, and is bonded by welding to the lower part of the side
member through the coupling portion.
4. The mounting unit for the sub-frame of claim 1, wherein the
sub-frame bracket is cast molded from an aluminum material while
being inserted with the fastening portion that is formed of a steel
material, and is bonded by welding to the lower part of the side
member through the coupling portion.
5. (canceled)
6. The mounting unit for the sub-frame of claim 1, wherein the pipe
nut is bonded to the side member through a flange portion formed at
lower circumference thereof while being inserted into the
through-hole of the side member.
7. The mounting unit for the sub-frame of claim 1, wherein a fixing
hole is formed at a center of the reinforcing bracket that is
formed by bending a plate such that the upper end portion of the
pipe nut is insertedly fixed to the fixing hole, and the fixing
hole is formed with a bonding flange that is bonded to an inner
side of the side member along an edge thereof.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application claims priority to and the benefit
of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2014-0116415 filed on Sep. 2,
2014, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein for all
purposes by this reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a mounting unit for a
sub-frame, and more particularly, to a mounting unit for a
sub-frame that is capable of improving assembly quality, reducing
its weight, and improving NVH performance by improving ease of
assembly between a side member and the sub-frame.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] In general, a sub-frame is bolted to be assembled to a front
side member in a center supportive type of vehicle.
[0006] FIG. 1 is a perspective view to describe a method for
assembling a general front side member and a sub-frame.
[0007] Referring to FIG. 1, the sub-frame 101 is fastened by bolts
107 to a lower part of each of respective front side members 103 so
as to be assembled thereto.
[0008] In the sub-frame 101, an engine (not shown) and a
transmission (not shown) are disposed in front and rear directions,
and buckling of the sub-frame 101 is induced to allow the engine to
be dropped since the engine is designed to not be pushed toward a
dash panel of a vehicle body as a rigid body, thereby guaranteeing
collision safety.
[0009] The sub-frame 101 is fastened to the lower part of the front
side member 103 by the bolt 107 through a mounting unit 105 for the
sub-frame (hereinafter referred to as a "mounting unit").
[0010] In order to fasten the sub-frame 101 to the lower part of
the front side member 103, such a conventional mounting unit 105
includes a mounting bracket 109 that is bonded to the lower part of
the front side member 103, and a pipe nut 111 that is installed
between the mounting bracket 109 and the front side member 103.
[0011] That is, the sub-frame 101 is fastened to the front side
member 103 through the pipe nut 111 and the bolt 107 under the
mounting bracket 109.
[0012] However, such a conventional mounting unit 105 for the
sub-frame has a structure in which the pipe nut 111 is simply fixed
by the mounting bracket 109, thereby having a drawback of frequent
defective assembly straightness and insufficient connection
stiffness.
[0013] Accordingly, when a head-on collision of a vehicle occurs,
the vehicle can be easily damaged.
[0014] The information disclosed in this Background of the
Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the
general background of the invention and should not be taken as an
acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information
forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the
art.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0015] Various aspects of the present invention are directed to
providing a mounting unit for a sub-frame in which a lower part of
a pipe nut is fixed between a reinforcing bracket fixed to an inner
side of the side member and a sub-frame bracket combined to a lower
part of a side member to the sub-frame bracket by welding while
being screw-coupled thereto, thereby ensuring assembly straightness
of the pipe nut and improving connection stiffness by a reinforcing
bracket.
[0016] In addition, the exemplary embodiment of the present
invention provides a sub-frame bracket that can be cast molded from
an aluminum material and thus has a reduced weight.
[0017] In an aspect of the present invention, a mounting unit for a
sub-frame for fastening the sub-frame to a side member of a vehicle
body, may include a pipe nut installed to be inserted into a
through-hole above a mounting portion of the side member, a
sub-frame bracket fixed under the side member to correspond to the
pipe nut and including a fastening hole to which a lower end
portion of the pipe nut is fastened, and a reinforcing bracket
fixed to an inner side of the side member and fixing an upper end
portion of the pipe nut.
[0018] The sub-frame bracket may include a fastening portion formed
with a fastening hole to which the lower end portion of the pipe
nut is fastened, a body coupled to a plurality of ribs that are
radially formed at a circumference of the fastening portion, and a
coupling portion formed at an upper end of the body and insertedly
fixed to a lower part of the side member.
[0019] The sub-frame bracket is integrally cast molded from an
aluminum material, and is bonded by welding to the lower part of
the side member through the coupling portion.
[0020] The sub-frame bracket is cast molded from an aluminum
material while being inserted with the fastening portion that is
formed of a steel material, and is bonded by welding to the lower
part of the side member through the coupling portion.
[0021] The fastening portion is formed with a fastening hole to
which the lower end portion of the pipe nut penetrating the lower
part of the side member is screw-coupled, and a guide surface
formed to be inclined at an inner circumference of an upper end of
the fastening hole and guiding the lower end portion of the pipe
nut to the fastening hole.
[0022] The pipe nut is bonded to the side member through a flange
portion formed at lower circumference thereof while being inserted
into the through-hole of the side member.
[0023] A fixing hole is formed at a center of the reinforcing
bracket that is formed by bending a plate such that the upper end
portion of the pipe nut is insertedly fixed to the fixing hole, and
the fixing hole is formed with a bonding flange that is bonded to
an inner side of the side member along an edge thereof.
[0024] In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the
lower end portion of the pipe nut inserted in the through-hole of
the side member is screw-coupled to the sub-frame bracket that is
combined to the lower part of the side member, and simultaneously,
the upper end portion of the pipe nut is fixed to the reinforcing
bracket that is fixed to the inner side of the side member, thereby
enhancing assembly straightness of the pipe nut and thus improving
ease of assembly and connection stiffness of the sub-frame.
[0025] As described above, the connection stiffness between the
side member and the sub-frame can be improved to enhance NVH
performance.
[0026] In addition, the sub-frame bracket is manufactured to be
integrally cast molded from aluminum, thereby reducing its
weight.
[0027] The methods and apparatuses of the present invention have
other features and advantages which will be apparent from or are
set forth in more detail in the accompanying drawings, which are
incorporated herein, and the following Detailed Description, which
together serve to explain certain principles of the present
invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0028] FIG. 1 is a perspective view to describe a method for
assembling a general front side member and a sub-frame.
[0029] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an assembled state of a
mounting unit for the sub-frame according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0030] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a sub-frame bracket of the
mounting unit for the sub-frame according to the exemplary
embodiment of the present invention.
[0031] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state of a
reinforcing bracket and a pipe nut of the mounting unit for the
sub-frame according to the exemplary embodiment of the present
invention installed in the side member.
[0032] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 taken along the
line A-A.
[0033] It should be understood that the appended drawings are not
necessarily to scale, presenting a somewhat simplified
representation of various features illustrative of the basic
principles of the invention. The specific design features of the
present invention as disclosed herein, including, for example,
specific dimensions, orientations, locations, and shapes will be
determined in part by the particular intended application and use
environment.
[0034] In the figures, reference numbers refer to the same or
equivalent parts of the present invention throughout the several
figures of the drawing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0035] Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments
of the present invention(s), examples of which are illustrated in
the accompanying drawings and described below. While the
invention(s) will be described in conjunction with exemplary
embodiments, it will be understood that the present description is
not intended to limit the invention(s) to those exemplary
embodiments. On the contrary, the invention(s) is/are intended to
cover not only the exemplary embodiments, but also various
alternatives, modifications, equivalents and other embodiments,
which may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention
as defined by the appended claims.
[0036] An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0037] To clearly describe the present invention, parts irrelevant
to the description will be omitted.
[0038] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an assembled state of a
mounting unit for the sub-frame according to an exemplary
embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a perspective view
of a sub-frame bracket of the mounting unit for the sub-frame
according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention,
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state of a reinforcing
bracket and a pipe nut of the mounting unit for the sub-frame
according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention
installed in the side member, and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view
of FIG. 2 taken along the line A-A.
[0039] Referring to FIGS. 2 to 5, the mounting unit for the
sub-frame according to the exemplary embodiment of the present
invention includes a pipe nut 20, a sub-frame bracket 30, and a
reinforcing bracket 40.
[0040] A thread portion 23 is formed at an external circumferential
surface of a lower end portion of the pipe nut 20, and is installed
to be inserted into a through-hole 11 above a mounting portion of a
vehicle body side member 10.
[0041] The sub-frame bracket 30 is fixed to a lower part of the
side member 10 to correspond to the pipe nut 20, and is formed with
a fastening hole 31 a such that the thread portion 23 to which it
is fastened is formed at a lower end portion of the pipe nut
20.
[0042] That is, the sub-frame bracket 30 is fixed by welding to the
lower part of the side member 10, and includes a fastening portion
31, a body 33, and a coupling portion 35.
[0043] The fastening portion 31 is formed with the fastening hole
31a to which a lower end portion of the pipe nut 20 penetrating the
bottom of the side member 10 is screw-coupled, and a guide surface
31b is formed to be inclined at an inner circumference of an upper
end of the fastening hole 31a to guide the lower end portion of the
pipe nut 20 toward the fastening hole 31a.
[0044] The body 33 is coupled to a circumference of the fastening
portion 31 through eight ribs 33a that are radially formed at the
circumference of the fastening portion 31.
[0045] In addition, the coupling portion 35 is formed in the shape
of a supporting plate at an upper end of the body 33, and fixes the
sub-frame bracket 30 to the side member 10 while being insertedly
welded to the lower part of the side member 10.
[0046] That is, the coupling portion 35 is formed to have a shape
corresponding to the bottom and lateral sides of the side member 10
such that it is insertedly combined to the lower part of the side
member 10, and is welded to the side member 10 through its opposite
lateral sides.
[0047] In this case, the sub-frame bracket 30 may be integrally
cast molded from aluminum, and the fastening portion 31 may be
integrally cast molded from aluminum while being inserted by parts
that are formed of a steel material.
[0048] A fixing hole 41 is formed at a center of the reinforcing
bracket 40 that is formed by bending a plate, such that the upper
end portion of the pipe nut 20 is inserted to be fixed to the
fixing hole 41.
[0049] In addition, the reinforcing bracket 40 is formed with a
bonding flange 43 that is bonded to an inner side of the side
member 10 along its edge.
[0050] That is, the reinforcing bracket 40 is formed to have a ""
shape such that it is bonded to the inner side of the side member
10 while the upper end portion of the pipe nut 20 is inserted into
the fixing hole 41 to be fixed thereto, and is bonded by welding to
the inner surface of the side member 10 through the bonding flange
43 that is formed at the edges.
[0051] Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 5, the mounting unit for the
sub-frame having a structure described above is configured such
that the sub-frame bracket 30 is fixed by welding under the
mounting portion of the side member 10 while being inserted therein
through the coupling portion 35.
[0052] In this case, the fastening portion 31 of the sub-frame
bracket 30 is positioned to correspond to the through-hole 11 above
the mounting portion of the side member 10.
[0053] In such a state where the lower end portion of the pipe nut
20 is inserted into the through-hole 11 of the side member 10, the
pipe nut 20 is screw-coupled to the fastening hole 31a that is
formed in the fastening portion 31 of the sub-frame bracket 30.
[0054] In this case, the lower end portion of the pipe nut 20 is
guided toward the fastening hole 31a by the guide surface 31b that
is formed in the fastening portion 31, thereby improving ease of
assembly.
[0055] As described above, while the lower end portion of the pipe
nut 20 is screw-coupled to the fastening hole 31a of the sub-frame
bracket 30, the pipe nut 20 is welded to be fixed to a
circumference of the through-hole 11 above the side member 10
through a flange portion 21 formed at its lower circumference.
[0056] In this case, connection stiffness of the sub-frame bracket
30 is ensured by the eight ribs 33a by which the fastening portion
31 is supported in the body 33.
[0057] Assembly straightness of the pipe nut 20 is ensured since
the upper end portion of the pipe nut 20 is fixed by welding while
being inserted into the fixing hole 41 above the reinforcing
bracket 40.
[0058] Accordingly, in the mounting unit for the sub-frame
according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the
sub-frame bracket 30 can be cast molded from an aluminum material
to reduce its overall weight, and the fastening portion 31, which
is made of a steel material and formed with the fastening hole 31a,
is inserted to be cast molded, thereby preventing abrasion of the
thread formed inside the fastening hole 31 a and thus improving the
connection stiffness of the pipe nut 20.
[0059] For convenience in explanation and accurate definition in
the appended claims, the terms "upper", "lower", "inner" and
"outer" are used to describe features of the exemplary embodiments
with reference to the positions of such features as displayed in
the figures.
[0060] The foregoing descriptions of specific exemplary embodiments
of the present invention have been presented for purposes of
illustration and description. They are not intended to be
exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms
disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are
possible in light of the above teachings. They are not intended to
be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms
disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are
possible in light of the above teachings as well as various
alternatives and modifications thereof. It is intended that the
scope of the invention be defined by the Claims appended hereto and
their equivalents.
* * * * *