FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10; rule 13)
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
An Improved Front End Structure assembly of a Vehicle
APPLICANTS
TATA MOTORS LIMITED, an Indian company
having its registered office at Bombay House,
24 Homi Mody Street, Hutatma Chowk,
Mumbai 400 001 Maharashtra, India
INVENTORS
Vijay Pachore & Dnyaneshwar Mhaskar
Both are Indian Nationals
of TATA MOTORS LIMITED an Indian company
having its registered office at Bombay House,
24 Homi Mody Street, Hutatma Chowk,
Mumbai 400 001 Maharashtra, India
PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed.

FIELD OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a front end structure of an automobile and more particularly it relates to front end structure assembly for the flat front passenger vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
The automobile vehicles are classified as forward control vehicle and bonnetted vehicles. In case of forward control vehicle, the engine is integrated within the driver compartment of the cabin and the front occupants in driver and co-driver seats are located close to the front end of the vehicle. Such vehicles have the front end structure near to vertical plane. The said vehicles do not have bonnet. Such vehicles are also known as flat front vehicles.
In the event of accident, the performance of the vehicle structure is very poor and results into excessive inward deformations of the cabin. Such inward deformations of cabin of vehicle lead to major bodily injuries to the front occupants. Due to the greater risks of occupants in driver and co-driver seat, the flat front end type of vehicle structure is not preferred, especially as passenger carrier and not common. Hence population of such vehicles is very low.
Figure 01 which shows an isometric view of prior art vehicle having a flat front end under the influence of the frontal impact forces on right side. The frontal impact force is eccentric to the width of the vehicle. Such impact load on vehicle which is offset to the width of the vehicle and they are termed as offset loads. The figure-01 shows the passenger compartment (C) with deformed front end structure (S). It also shows the other structural members such as 'A' pillars (P), a firewall (F), windshield support member (W) and floor longitudinal members (L). The front door (D) is also shown. In the event of the offset crash forces, the above said structural members deform independent of each others leading to distortion of the said front structure compromising the space around the occupants.

The risks of bodily injuries to occupants are severe in such accident. The structure of such flat front vehicles is more susceptible for poor structural integrity when the crash forces are offset and does not involve the complete width of the vehicle leading to unpredictable deformation of vehicle cabin causing injuries to the occupants.
The present invention is developed to reduce the excessive deformation of front end of flat front vehicle.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The main object of the present invention is to provide an improved front end structure assembly of a vehicle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved front end structure assembly of a vehicle having a cage shaped structure provided on the front end of the flat front vehicle.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved front end structure assembly of a vehicle with improved structural integrity in the event of crash loads being offset with the vehicle width.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved front end structure assembly of a vehicle which is simple in construction and cost effective.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
An improved front end structure assembly of flat front vehicle comprises; a passenger compartment (1) with flat front end having integrated front end structure (2), front LH and RH doors (3), 'A' pillars (4), firewall (5), windshield bottom member (6) and floor longitudinal members (7), said front end structure (2) having a protective device (8) which includes plurality of vertical member (8.1) and horizontal member (8.2) facilitated in a way to constitute a cage like structure

which distributes offset impact load to said 'A' pillars, firewall, windshield bottom member and said floor longitudinal members thereby minimizing the excessive inward displacement and/or deformation of said structural members and retaining survival space to the maximum possible extent to reduce the bodily injuries to the occupants of vehicle.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF DRAWINGS
Figure - 01 shows an isometric view of prior art front end of a flat front vehicle
under the influence of frontal crash loads offset with the vehicle width on left hand
side of the vehicle,
Figure - 02 shows an isometric view of the front end of a flat front vehicle,
provided with a cage shaped structure, under the influence of frontal crash loads
offset with the vehicle width on left hand side of the vehicle,
Figure - 03 shows an isometric view of the passenger compartment of a vehicle
provided with a cage shaped structure, with an additional supportive tubular
member,
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention only, and not for the purpose of limiting the same.
Now referring to figure-02, An improved front end structure assembly of flat front vehicle comprises; a passenger compartment (1) with flat front end having integrated front end structure (2), front LH and RH doors (3), 'A' pillars (4), firewall (5), windshield bottom member (6) and floor longitudinal members (7), said front end structure (2) having a protective device (8) which includes plurality of vertical member (8.1) and horizontal member (8.2) facilitated in a way to constitute a cage like structure which distributes offset impact load to said 'A' pillars, windshield bottom member and said floor longitudinal members thereby

minimizing the excessive inward displacement and/or deformation of said structural members and retaining survival space to the maximum possible extent to reduce the bodily injuries to the occupants of vehicle.
The said pluralities of horizontal members are rigidly connected to the said 'A' pillars and/or to the said firewall provided on front end of vehicle.
The said pluralities of vertical members are rigidly connected to said windshield bottom member (6), said floor longitudinal members (7) and/or said firewall.
The upper ends of said vertical members are connected to windshield bottom member (6). The lower end of said said vertical members are connected to said floor longitudinal members (7).
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the said provided with a protective device (8) having at one horizontal member (8.2) and least two vertical members (8.1). The vertical members (8.1) are connected to said windshield bottom member (6), said floor longitudinal members (7) and the firewall of vehicle. The said horizontal member (8.2) is connected to said 'A' pillars provided on either side of the vehicle structure.
The said horizontal member (8.2) is rigidly connected to the said 'A' pillars provided on front end of vehicle.
The said vertical members (8.1) are rigidly connected to said windshield bottom member (6), said floor longitudinal members (7) and said firewall (5).
The upper ends of said vertical members (8.1) are rigidly connected to said windshield bottom member (6).
The lower end of said said vertical members (8.1) are rigidly connected to said floor longitudinal members (7).

The numbers of said horizontal and vertical members are configured depending on the space availability at the front end of the vehicles. The numbers of said horizontal and vertical members can be increased or decreased to suit the vehicle configuration.
Now refering to figure-03 which shows an isometric view of the passenger compartment of a vehicle provided with an additional supportive tubular member (9). The said assembly is provided with a lateral tubular member (9) for supporting said assembly and further reducing the intrusions of said structrual member in the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The said tubular member (9) is provided in passenger compartment on inner side of said firewall (5). The said tubular member (9) is rigidly connected to said 'A' pillars on either side of the vehicle structure.
In event of the frontal offset crash of flat front vehicle, the crash forces exerted on the front end of the vehicle is distributed to the said 'A' pillars, said windshield bottom member (6), the said floor longitudinal members (7) and the said firewall (5) with the help of said protective device (8). As a result of the distribution of these forces to said members, the displacements of the said structural members are minimized and the occupant space is retained to the maximum possible extent. The improvement in the structural performance can be estimated through the damaged shape of the front doors of the vehicle. The protective device (8) is simple in construction and cost effective.
The foregoing description is a specific embodiment of the present invention. It should be appreciated that this embodiment is described for purpose of illustration only, and that numerous alterations and modifications may be practiced by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended that all such modifications and alterations be included insofar as they come within the scope of the invention as claimed or the equivalents thereof.

WE CLAIMS
1. An improved front end structure assembly of flat front vehicle comprises; a passenger compartment (1) with flat front end having integrated front end structure (2), front LH and RH doors (3), 'A' pillars (4), firewall (5), windshield bottom member (6) and floor longitudinal members (7), said front end structure (2) having a protective device (8) which includes plurality of vertical members and horizontal members facilitated in a way to constitute a cage like structure which distributes offset impact load to said 'A' pillars, windshield bottom member, said firewall and said floor longitudinal members thereby minimizing the excessive inward displacement and/or deformation of said structural members and retaining survival space to the maximum possible extent to reduce the bodily injuries to the occupants of vehicle.
2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pluralities of horizontal members are rigidly connected to the said 'A' pillars and/or to the said firewall provided on front end of vehicle.
3. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pluralities of vertical members are rigidly connected to said windshield bottom member and said floor longitudinal members.
4. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein top ends of said vertical members are connected to windshield bottom member.
5. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein lower end of said said vertical members are connected to said floor longitudinal members.
6. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the numbers of said horizontal and vertical members are configured depending on the space availability at the front end of the vehicles, whereby numbers of said horizontal and vertical members can be increased or decreased to suit the vehicle configuration

7. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said assembly having lateral tubular member (9) provided for supporting said assembly and reducing the intrusions of said structrual member in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
8. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tubular member is provided in passenger compartment on inner side of said firewall.

9. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tubular member is rigidly connected to said 'A' pillars on either side of the vehicle structure.
10. An improved front end structure of flat front vehicle as herein described with reference to accompanying drawings.