# US 10,118,482 B2 · Vehicle body structure

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- Number: US 10,118,482 B2
- Document ID: US10118482B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/334,858
- Filed: 2016-10-26
- Published: 2017-04-27
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-10-27
- Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Yuki Muramatsu; Hiroyuki Hattori; Taichi Nezasa; Akifumi Katsuno
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118482B2

## CPC

- B60K 15/063: Arrangement of tanks
- B60K 1/04: of the electric storage means for propulsion
- B60K 15/067: Mounting of tanks
- B62D 25/2027: {the subunits being rear structures}
- B62D 63/025: {Modular vehicles (superstructures for busses having modular sections B62D31/025)}
- B60K 2001/0438: {Arrangement under the floor}
- B60K 2015/0633: {the fuel tank is arranged below the rear seat}
- B60K 2015/0634: {the fuel tank is arranged below the vehicle floor}
- B60K 2015/0638: {the fuel tank is arranged in the rear of the vehicle}
- B60L 2270/40: related to technical updates when adding new parts or software
- B60Y 2304/00: Optimising design; Manufacturing; Testing
- B60Y 2304/03: Reducing weight
- B60Y 2304/05: Reducing production costs, e.g. by redesign
- B60Y 2304/072: by preassembled subunits
- B60Y 2304/078: by interchangeable parts, e.g. new part adapting to old design
- B60Y 2306/01: Reducing damages in case of crash, e.g. by improving battery protection
- B60Y 2400/112: Batteries
- Y10S 903/951: Assembly or relative location of components
- Y10S 903/952: Housing details
- B60K: ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PROPULSION UNITS OR OF TRANSMISSIONS IN VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF PLURAL DIVERSE PRIME-MOVERS IN VEHICLES; AUXILIARY DRIVES FOR VEHICLES; INSTRUMENTATION OR DASHBOARDS FOR VEHICLES; ARRANGEMENTS IN CONNECTION WITH COOLING, AIR INTAKE, GAS EXHAUST OR FUEL SUPPLY OF PROPULSION UNITS IN VEHICLES
- B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M)
- B60L: PROPULSION OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (arrangements or mounting of electrical propulsion units or of plural diverse prime-movers for mutual or common propulsion in vehicles B60K1/00, B60K6/20; arrangements or mounting of electrical gearing in vehicles B60K17/12, B60K17/14; preventing wheel slip by reducing power in rail vehicles B61C15/08; dynamo-electric machines H02K; control or regulation of electric motors H02P); SUPPLYING ELECTRIC POWER FOR AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES (electric coupling devices combined with mechanical couplings of vehicles B60D1/64; electric heating for vehicles B60H1/00); ELECTRODYNAMIC BRAKE SYSTEMS FOR VEHICLES IN GENERAL (control or regulation of electric motors H02P); MAGNETIC SUSPENSION OR LEVITATION FOR VEHICLES; MONITORING OPERATING VARIABLES OF ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES; ELECTRIC SAFETY DEVICES FOR ELECTRICALLY-PROPELLED VEHICLES
- B60Y: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO ASPECTS CROSS-CUTTING VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY
- Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

## Abstract

A vehicle body structure includes a first middle floor unit for a gasoline vehicle and a second middle floor unit for a hybrid vehicle, and the first and second middle floor units are made interchangeable with each other. A front floor unit and a rear floor unit are made shareable by the gasoline vehicle and the hybrid vehicle. That is, the front floor unit and the rear floor unit can be regarded as a platform. Additionally, the second middle floor unit includes a housing, and an IPU is stored in an interior of the housing.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle body structure settable in a gasoline vehicle and a hybrid vehicle, the vehicle body structure comprising:
a front floor unit, a rear floor unit, and a middle floor unit which couples the front floor unit and the rear floor unit, wherein
the gasoline vehicle and the hybrid vehicle share the front floor unit and the rear floor unit,
the middle floor unit includes a gasoline-vehicle middle floor unit or a hybrid-vehicle middle floor unit, the gasoline-vehicle middle floor unit and the hybrid-vehicle middle floor unit being interchangeable with each other,
the gasoline-vehicle middle floor unit includes a kick-up portion which extends upward and a planar portion which extends rearward from an upper end portion of the kick-up portion such that the planar portion is substantially flat,
the hybrid-vehicle middle floor unit includes a housing which has an opening at an upper portion and has a recess extending downward from the opening, the housing including an electrical component provided in an interior of the housing,
the gasoline vehicle includes a fuel tank which extends under the gasoline-vehicle middle floor unit and the rear floor unit, and
the hybrid vehicle includes a fuel tank which is disposed under the rear floor unit.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein
the hybrid-vehicle middle floor unit includes, at a front end portion of the housing, a first cross-member which extends in a vehicle width direction and has a closed cross-section.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The vehicle body structure according to claim 2, wherein the first cross-member is joined to a rear end portion of a floor tunnel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The vehicle body structure according to claim 2, wherein a rear seat is mounted to the first cross-member.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein
the hybrid-vehicle middle floor unit includes, at a rear end portion of the housing, a second cross-member which extends in a vehicle width direction and has a closed cross-section.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The vehicle body structure according to claim 5, wherein a tank band which supports the fuel tank for the hybrid vehicle is mounted to the second cross-member.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, wherein
the housing includes
a storage portion in which the electrical component is provided,
an opening member which is provided on an outer side in a vehicle width direction of the storage portion and has a harness through-hole, through which a wire harness is passed, and
an overhanging portion which is provided on the outer side in the vehicle width direction of the opening member, and
a plate thickness dimension of the opening member is larger than a plate thickness dimension of the overhanging portion.

### Claim 8

A kit of a vehicle body structure comprising:
a front floor unit, a rear floor unit, and a middle floor unit which is configured to connect the front floor unit to the rear floor unit, wherein
the middle floor unit includes a gasoline-vehicle middle floor unit for a gasoline vehicle and a hybrid-vehicle middle floor unit for a hybrid vehicle, the gasoline-vehicle middle floor unit and the hybrid-vehicle middle floor unit being interchangeable with each other,
the gasoline-vehicle middle floor unit includes a kick-up portion which extends upward and a planar portion which extends rearward from an upper end portion of the kick-up portion such that the planar portion is substantially flat,
the hybrid-vehicle middle floor unit includes a housing which has an opening at an upper portion and has a recess extending downward from the opening, the housing including an electrical component provided in an interior of the housing,
the kit further comprising:
a gasoline-vehicle fuel tank being configured to be installed into a space extending under the gasoline-vehicle middle floor unit and the rear floor unit, and
a hybrid vehicle fuel tank being configured to be installed into a space under the rear floor unit.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The kit of the vehicle body structure according to claim 8, wherein the gasoline-vehicle fuel tank has a length corresponding to the space extending under the gasoline-vehicle middle floor unit and the rear floor unit, and
the hybrid vehicle fuel tank has a length corresponding to the space under the rear floor unit.

### Claim 10

A method of producing a vehicle body structure comprising steps of:
preparing a front floor unit, a rear floor unit, and a middle floor unit which is configured to connect the front floor unit to the rear floor unit, wherein
the middle floor unit includes a gasoline-vehicle middle floor unit for a gasoline vehicle or a hybrid-vehicle middle floor unit for a hybrid vehicle, the gasoline-vehicle middle floor unit and the hybrid-vehicle middle floor unit being interchangeable with each other,
the gasoline-vehicle middle floor unit includes a kick-up portion which extends upward and a planar portion which extends rearward from an upper end portion of the kick-up portion such that the planar portion is substantially flat,
the hybrid-vehicle middle floor unit includes a housing which has an opening at an upper portion and has a recess extending downward from the opening, the housing including an electrical component provided in an interior of the housing,
the method further comprising steps of:
preparing a gasoline-vehicle fuel tank being configured to be installed into a space extending under the gasoline-vehicle middle floor unit and the rear floor unit;
preparing a hybrid vehicle fuel tank being configured to be installed into a space under the rear floor unit;
connecting the front floor unit and the rear floor unit via the gasoline-vehicle middle floor unit; and
installing the gasoline-vehicle fuel tank into the space extending under the gasoline-vehicle middle floor unit and the rear floor unit.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, further comprising:
connecting the front floor unit and the rear floor unit via the hybrid vehicle middle floor unit; and
installing the hybrid vehicle fuel tank into the space under the rear floor unit.