An automobile front-part structure is provided in which an impact-absorbing member can absorb the impact energy that is given by a bump, whatever bump it is, such as an offset collision and a pole bump. This automobile front-part structure including: a pair of vehicle-body frames which extends in the front-and-rear directions along both sides of a vehicle, and whose front-end parts extend up to the front part of an automobile; and a front sub-frame which is supported with the vehicle-body frames in the front part of the vehicle, and is disposed below the vehicle-body frames, in which the front sub-frame includes: a front sub-frame main-body which has, a pair of right and left side frames which extends in the front-and-rear directions of the vehicle, and a cross member which is formed by a reinforcement and bridges the front parts of the side frames; a pair of right and left impact absorbing members which is formed by a crush pipe, is disposed at the front-end parts of the side frames in the front sub-frame main-body and absorbs impact energy from ahead; and a reinforcement which bridges the front ends of both impact absorbing members.

Vehicle front-part structure

A unitized body construction incorporating longitudinal and lateral reinforcing members providing also yieldable shock absorbing members.

Vehicle body construction

Motor vehicle having increased ground clearance level floor space

In a front-wheel-drive vehicle having a powertrain with a transversely positioned engine and transmission and independent front wheel suspensions each with a control arm, there is provided a cradle forming a subframe supporting the power train and having the control arms pivotally mounted on the cradle The cradle is cushion mounted on the vehicle body and has the powertrain components cushion mounted on it The cradle includes side-rails connected by disconnectable front and rear cross-rails, each cross-rail being affixed to respective ones of the side-rails and being disconnectable from the other side-rail forming a substantially L-shaped section of the cradle The cross-rails can be disconnected so that one of the L-shaped sections of the cradle can be pivoted away from the powertrain This permits servicing of the powertrain components Since the front wheels are supported on the side-rails, positioning the cradle is critical to the alignment of the front wheels Gauge holes are provided for aligning one side-rail relative to the vehicle body Also one of the cross-rails includes a positioning socket including a ferrule engageable with an aligning recess, one of which is formed in respective portions of one of the cross-rails One of the cross-rail portions is movable with one of the L-shaped cradle sections which is pivoted away from the powertrain unit Upon pivotal movement of the one L-shaped cradle section back underneath the powertrain and reassembly of the cross-rail to a side-rail with the socket members in place, the movable side-rail is precisely positioned into its original aligned position thereby retaining alignment of the vehicle front wheels

Powertrain cradle for front-wheel-drive vehicle

A front structure of a car body, for absorbing an impact force exerted on a front side member efficiently by intended deformation of reinforcements. A part of an impact force exerted on a front side member (12) is borne by the support forces of a dash cross member (20) and a pillar brace (22) in their axial directions. A recess (24) is provided in the dash cross member (20) at a connection of the dash cross member (20) and the front side member (12), and a recess (26) is provided in the pillar brace (22) at a connection of the pillar brace (22) and the front side member (12). The dash cross member (20) and the pillar brace (22) undergo compression deformation in the axial directions thereof which starts at the recesses (24, 26), thereby absorbing the impact force exerted on the front side member (12) from the front of the car body.

Smith Herman W

Papers

Motor vehicle stub frame body