US-12617467-B2 - Transverse cross-member assembly and mounting methods for a vehicle chassis

US12617467B2US 12617467 B2US12617467 B2US 12617467B2US-12617467-B2

Abstract

A transverse cross-member beam for a vehicle chassis, comprising a first and a second beam half, each beam half having an external extremity for connection a longitudinal frame member, and each beam half having an internal extremity; wherein the internal extremity of each beam half has a mating surface configured for mating to the mating surface of the other beam half at one of at least two distinct relative positions separated along a horizontal transverse axis, with fixation features; and wherein the internal extremity of each beam half has a first abutment portion configured for abutment against a second abutment portion of the other beam half, configured to block relative movement of each beam half internal extremity relative to the external extremity of the beam half.

Inventors

Rasanjaya ANKANAHALLI RAMEGOWDA
Rajendra CHAMARAJANAGAR RAJANNA
Shree Harsha AKKUR RAMABHADRAIAH

Assignees

VOLVO TRUCK CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20241111
Priority Date: 20231117

Claims (18)

1 . A transverse cross-member beam for mounting between two longitudinal and horizontal frame members of a vehicle chassis, comprising a first beam half and a second beam half identical to the first beam half, each beam half having an external extremity configured for connection respectively to a first and to a second of the two longitudinal frame members, and each beam half having an internal extremity configured for connection to the internal extremity of the other beam half; wherein the internal extremity of each beam half has a mating surface configured for mating to the mating surface of the other beam half at one of at least two distinct relative positions separated along a horizontal transverse axis, the mating surfaces of both beam halves having each at least one fixation feature for fixation of the mating surface to the mating surface of the other beam half; and wherein the internal extremity of each beam half has a first abutment portion configured for abutment against a second abutment portion of the other beam half, the first and second abutment portions being configured to block relative movement of each beam half internal extremity relative to the external extremity of the beam half to which said beam half internal extremity pertains.
2 . The transverse cross-member beam of claim 1 , wherein the first abutment portion of one beam half and the second abutment portion of the other beam half have a corresponding male/female geometry, and wherein the male geometry is received within the female geometry.
3 . The transverse cross-member beam of claim 2 , wherein the male/female geometries of the first abutment portion of one beam half and the second abutment portion of the other beam half are configured to allow introduction of the male geometry into the female geometry along a longitudinal direction.
4 . The transverse cross-member beam of claim 1 , wherein the mating surfaces of each beam half overlap each other when viewed along a longitudinal axis.
5 . The transverse cross-member beam of claim 1 , wherein the mating surface of each beam half extends along a vertical and transverse plane.
6 . The transverse cross-member beam of claim 1 , wherein the beam forms an arch, where the external extremity of each beam half is located vertically lower than the internal extremity of each beam half.
7 . The transverse cross-member beam of claim 1 , wherein the first and second beam halves are assembled opposite one to the other to form the cross-member beam.
8 . The transverse cross-member beam of claim 1 , wherein each beam half external extremity is configured for connection to the corresponding longitudinal frame member via a mounting bracket, and wherein the external extremity of each beam half has a bracket interface portion having at least one downwardly oriented bracket contact surface defining a downward bracket contact direction, the downward bracket contact direction being downwardly oriented in a vertical and transverse plane.
9 . A mounting bracket for mounting a transverse cross-member beam between two longitudinal and horizontal frame members of a vehicle chassis, comprising: a frame interface portion having at least three non-linear frame contact locations which are configured for contacting one of the two frame members and which each comprise a distinct frame fixation feature, and wherein the frame contact locations define a vertical and longitudinal frame contact plane perpendicular to a horizontal transverse axis; and a beam interface portion having at least one upwardly oriented beam contact surface, configured for contacting one extremity of the transverse cross-member beam, and defining an upward beam contact direction, and wherein the upward beam contact direction is upwardly oriented in a vertical and transverse plane; wherein the frame interface portion has a concave longitudinal recess in its external surface turned towards the longitudinal frame member on which the mounting bracket is to be affixed, the concave longitudinal recess being open in the frame contact plane and extending longitudinally so as to be open at the longitudinal extremities of the mounting bracket.
10 . The mounting bracket of claim 9 , wherein the beam interface portion comprises at least one beam positioning feature, and wherein, preferably, the beam positioning feature is a beam positioning and fixation feature, and wherein the beam positioning and fixation feature preferably comprises a threaded stud.
11 . A transverse cross-member assembly comprising a transverse cross-member beam according to claim 1 and two mounting brackets each for mounting a transverse cross-member beam between two longitudinal and horizontal frame members of a vehicle chassis; each of the two mounting brackets comprising: a frame interface portion having at least three non-linear frame contact locations which are configured for contacting one of the two frame members and which each comprise a distinct frame fixation feature, and wherein the frame contact locations define a vertical and longitudinal frame contact plane perpendicular to a horizontal transverse axis; and a beam interface portion having at least one upwardly oriented beam contact surface, configured for contacting one extremity of the transverse cross-member beam, and defining an upward beam contact direction, and wherein the upward beam contact direction is upwardly oriented in a vertical and transverse plane; wherein the two mounting brackets are configured for being fixed each by their beam interface portion to the external extremity of one of the two beam halves.
12 . The transverse cross-member assembly of claim 11 , wherein the beam interface portion comprises at least one beam positioning feature, and wherein, preferably, the beam positioning feature is a beam positioning and fixation feature, and wherein the beam positioning and fixation feature preferably comprises a threaded stud.
13 . The transverse cross-member assembly of claim 11 , wherein the frame interface portion has a concave longitudinal recess in its external surface turned towards the longitudinal frame member on which the mounting bracket is to be affixed, the concave longitudinal recess being open in the frame contact plane and extending longitudinally so as to be open at the longitudinal extremities of the mounting bracket.
14 . A vehicle comprising a chassis having two longitudinal and horizontal frame members, the vehicle further comprising a transverse cross-member beam according to claim 1 and two mounting brackets each for mounting a transverse cross-member beam between two longitudinal and horizontal frame members of a vehicle chassis; each of the two mounting brackets comprising: a frame interface portion having at least three non-linear frame contact locations which are configured for contacting one of the two frame members and which each comprise a distinct frame fixation feature, and wherein the frame contact locations define a vertical and longitudinal frame contact plane perpendicular to a horizontal transverse axis; and a beam interface portion having at least one upwardly oriented beam contact surface, configured for contacting one extremity of the transverse cross-member beam, and defining an upward beam contact direction, and wherein the upward beam contact direction is upwardly oriented in a vertical and transverse plane.
15 . The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the beam interface portion comprises at least one beam positioning feature, and wherein, preferably, the beam positioning feature is a beam positioning and fixation feature, and wherein the beam positioning and fixation feature preferably comprises a threaded stud.
16 . The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the frame interface portion has a concave longitudinal recess in its external surface turned towards the longitudinal frame member on which the mounting bracket is to be affixed, the concave longitudinal recess being open in the frame contact plane and extending longitudinally so as to be open at the longitudinal extremities of the mounting bracket.
17 . A method for mounting the transverse cross-member assembly of claim 11 into a ladder frame, comprising: a first phase which includes, in whichever order: mounting a first mounting bracket on a first longitudinal frame member; mounting a first beam half on the first mounting bracket; and mounting a second mounting bracket on a second longitudinal frame member; a second phase, posterior to the first phase, which includes, in whichever order: positioning the second beam half external extremity on the second mounting bracket; and positioning the second beam half internal extremity in contact with the internal extremity of the first beam half in such a way that the first abutment portion of one of the beam halves abuts against the second abutment portion of the other beam half; and a third phase, posterior to the second phase, which includes, in whichever order: fastening the second beam half external extremity on the second mounting bracket; and fastening the second beam half internal extremity with the internal extremity of the first beam half.
18 . A method for assembling a vehicle, comprising: connecting two longitudinal frame members by at least two primary transverse cross-members to form a ladder frame of the vehicle; mounting one or several vehicle components selected in the list of powertrain components, and/or driveline components, and/or suspension components and/or steering components onto the ladder frame; and subsequently to the mounting of one or several vehicle components, mounting the transverse cross-member assembly of claim 11 into the ladder frame.

Description

PRIORITY APPLICATIONS The present application claims priority to European Patent Application No. 23210708.6, filed on Nov. 17, 2023, and entitled “TRANSVERSE CROSS-MEMBER ASSEMBLY AND MOUNTING METHODS FOR A VEHICLE CHASSIS,” which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure relates generally to a vehicle chassis. In particular aspects, the disclosure relates to a transverse cross-member assembly to be mounted between two longitudinal and horizontal frame members of a vehicle chassis, to a transverse cross-member beam for such transverse cross-member assembly, to a mounting bracket for mounting a transverse cross-member beam between two longitudinal and horizontal frame members of a vehicle chassis, and to a vehicle having any of such devices. The disclosure can be applied to heavy-duty vehicles, such as trucks, buses, and construction equipment, among other vehicle types. Although the disclosure may be described with respect to a particular vehicle, the disclosure is not restricted to any particular vehicle. BACKGROUND According to a known design for a vehicle chassis, the chassis comprises two longitudinal frame members that are connected one to the other by transverse cross-members. The chassis assembly is usually one of the first steps of a vehicle assembly process. A chassis assembly usually includes, as one of the first steps, steps of connecting the two longitudinal frame members by transverse cross-members, at least two transverse cross-members. In some cases, one or several cross-members can be assembled into the chassis after some other components of the vehicle have been assembled to the chassis. In any case, there is a strong interest in designing the chassis of the vehicle so that its assembly is as easy as possible, including when it comes to the specific case of the assembly of a transverse cross-member into the chassis. Simplicity of the assembly process for a cross-member is specifically important, and more difficult to achieve, for a cross-member that is assembled into the chassis after other components have already been installed, because access to the cross-member location on the chassis may be partially obstructed by previously mounted vehicle components. SUMMARY According to a first aspect of the disclosure, it is disclosed a transverse cross-member beam for mounting between two longitudinal and horizontal frame members of a vehicle chassis, comprising a first beam half and a second beam half, each beam half having an external extremity configured for connection respectively to a first and to a second of the two longitudinal frame members, and each beam half having an internal extremity configured for connection to the internal extremity of the other beam half. The internal extremity of each beam half has a mating surface configured for mating to the mating surface of the other beam half at one of at least two distinct relative positions separated along a horizontal transverse axis, the mating surfaces of both beam halves having each at least one fixation feature for fixation of the mating surface to the mating surface of the other beam half. The internal extremity of each beam half has a first abutment portion configured for abutment against a second abutment portion of the other beam half, the first and second abutment portions being configured to block relative movement of each beam half internal extremity relative to the external extremity of the beam half to which said beam half internal extremity pertains. The first aspect of the disclosure may seek to ease the mounting of the transverse cross-member beam. A technical benefit may include that the transverse cross-member beam can accommodate to any frame width tolerance between the longitudinal frame members, and/or accommodate to the presence or absence of a liner in longitudinal frame members. A technical benefit may further include providing a temporary holding feature of the beam halves during assembly, giving an operator or a machine more freedom to perform further acts of assembly such as a fastening together of the two beam halves. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the first abutment portion of one beam half and the second abutment portion of the other beam half may have a corresponding male/female geometry, and wherein the male geometry may be configured to be received within the female geometry. A technical benefit may include a reliable abutment of the beam halves during assembly, for example before fastening of beam halves together. Optionally in some examples, including in at least one preferred example, the male/female geometries of the first abutment portion of one beam half and the second abutment portion of the other beam half may be configured to allow introduction of the male geometry into the female geometry along a longitudinal direction. A technical benefit may include better case to perform such introduction when transversal moveme