Advanced Technologies Give Jeep(R) Patriot Excellent Durability, Ride and Handling and Body Stiffness, While Reducing Noise, Vib
12 Février 2007 - 9:50PM
PR Newswire (US)
- Jeep(R) Patriot underbody designed to meet demanding durability
requirements AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Feb. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
When developing Patriot, Jeep(R) engineers used high-strength,
lightweight and sound-absorbent materials to create a safe, quiet
body structure that also meets impact performance requirements.
They also created two new durability cycles to test Jeep Patriot in
driving situations that the Jeep enthusiast might encounter --
situations that would prove Patriot is durable enough to be a true
Trail Rated 4x4. "We put Jeep Patriot's body and chassis through
some extreme test conditions to ensure that it could wear the Trail
Rated badge," said Matt Liddane, Chief Engineer - Jeep Patriot.
"Test conditions included mud, twist mounds, moderate rocks, stair
steps, sand/gravel, logs and grades, and this all-new Jeep Patriot
with the Freedon Drive II Off-road Package performed well in every
situation it encountered." Engineers validated the durability of
the Jeep Patriot's body structure through state-of-the art computer
simulation, an extensive battery of laboratory fatigue tests,
road-test simulation and real-time Proving Ground tests. This
extensive testing ensures that the Jeep Patriot's body structure is
durable enough to withstand the wear and tear that comes with a
minimum of 100,000 miles of driving and at least 10 years of
corrosion when driven in the country's salt belt region. Jeep
Patriot's unitized body also includes a structural safety cage that
provides excellent occupant protection. While the Jeep Patriot and
Compass underbody architectures are shared with Dodge Caliber for
platform compatibility, both Jeep vehicles were modified to make
them uniquely Jeep. HIGH-STRENGTH STEEL REDUCES WEIGHT, IMPROVES
IMPACT PERFORMANCE Jeep Patriot's body components combine to form a
structural safety cage that provides occupant protection in the
event of an impact. By mass, 40 percent of Jeep Patriot's body
structure is constructed of high-strength and hot-stamped steel,
making it one of the few current production vehicles at any price
point to feature such a high level of combined advanced steel
technologies. "The higher weight-to-strength ratio of high-strength
steel allowed us to develop a body-in-white safety cage that keeps
occupants safe, but without the added weight of regular steel,"
Liddane added. "Hot-stamped steel used on the A- and B-pillar and
roof-rail reinforcements reduce Patriot's overall weight by 44
lbs." The Jeep Patriot's tailor-rolled, hot-stamped steel two-piece
B-pillar construction features a lower section made from
mild-strength steel to maximize energy absorption. This combines
with a tailor-rolled, ultra-high- strength upper portion for
enhanced occupant protection. For rear-occupant side-impact
protection, Jeep Patriot also features a hot-stamped steel
cross-car beam that is bolted to the body structure underneath the
rear seat. During a side-impact event, the beam works together with
the integrated foam in the rear doors to transfer impact energy
from one side of the vehicle to the other. The beam is designed to
take as much as 60 percent of the load during a side-impact event.
Steel beams within the front and rear doors provide additional
side-impact occupant protection. Jeep Patriot also features a
hydroformed front closure and upper cross member. These modules
previously had been limited to trucks and larger sport- utility
vehicles (SUVs), but technological advances now allow for smaller
diameter tubes and thinner walls, making them practical for a
compact SUV like the Jeep Patriot. The strength and versatility of
this design reduces weight, while providing a flexible base for
mounting many parts and components. The dual-phase steel used in
Jeep Patriot's front and rear rails, tunnel reinforcements and
floor cross members represents some of the steel industry's latest
technology. In the event of a high-speed front impact, the
structure and steel combine to protect the occupants by absorbing
the impact energy in a controlled manner. Dual-phase steel tunnel
reinforcements and floor cross members also allow the rails to
handle greater impact loads than conventional steel. The steel's
structural benefits also make the Jeep Patriot stiffer for better
ride quality and a quieter interior. SEALANTS AND SOUND-DEADENING
MATERIALS CREATE A QUIET INTERIOR Jeep Patriot's use of sealers and
structural adhesives is world-class, giving customers a smooth ride
with minimal road, wind and powertrain noise. Seam sealing, which
was previously only added to the inside of a vehicle's body, is
applied to both Jeep Patriot's interior and exterior, adding
stiffness to the body and reducing noise, vibration and harshness
(NVH) characteristics. Patriot's doors are triple sealed above the
beltline and double sealed below to form a strong sound and
moisture barrier. A continuous, one-piece channel weather strip
mounted in the upper door frame provides effective sealing against
wind noise and water leaks. Patriot also includes an NVH package
designed to isolate passenger compartments from powertrain noise.
This includes balance shafts on the 2.4- liter World Engine, a
low-rumble intake manifold, acoustic engine box silencers, fender
silencers, isolated air-conditioning lines, a three-layer
metal-plastic-metal oil pan, select-fit engine bearings and
tappets, sound- deadening material in the instrument panel and
carpet with sound barrier. AERODYNAMIC AND APPEALING Extensive
development went into shaping the Jeep Patriot's upper body and
rear liftgate to ensure the vehicle is both aerodynamic and
visually appealing. In fact, the Patriot's boxy, functional shape
underwent significant aerodynamic testing and development for fuel
efficiency, wind noise and water management. Patriot's hood is
stamped from steel and includes a small lip on the trailing edge to
help direct airflow over the windshield wipers. To reduce drag, the
Patriot's roof, D-pillar and taillamps were shaped to help separate
the air cleanly. Engineers designed several of Patriot's exterior
body features to reduce wind noise. The Jeep Patriot's large
exterior rearview mirrors provide good visibility while minimizing
aerodynamic drag and turbulent wind noise. Patriot's windshield
water channel and radio antenna were refined in the Chrysler
Group's state-of-the-art aero acoustic wind tunnel to minimize wind
noise. A lip on the trailing edge of the hood directs air flow over
the wipers, reducing wind noise inside the vehicle. The following
additional features help reduce drag: - An air dam under the front
fascia streamlines the airflow around the Jeep Patriot, rather than
under the vehicle, increasing air flow to the cooling system -
Front and rear tire spoilers designed into the fascia and side sill
moldings direct air around the tires to reduce drag - The muffler
is angled up slightly at the rear, and its height is tuned to
direct airflow out from underneath the back of the vehicle -
Bodyside character lines are optimized to reduce drag DATASOURCE:
Chrysler Group CONTACT: Kristin Starnes, +1-248-512-0889, or , or
Beth Ann Bayus, +1-248-512-0350, or , both of Chrysler Group Web
site: http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/
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