Body structures for an automotive vehicle utilizing upper and lower shear structure assemblies

A body structure for an automotive vehicle, the automotive vehicle defining front and rear longitudinal directions, left and right transverse directions, and upward and downward vertical directions, comprising:

• a quadrilateral-shaped main box structure for a power source, the main box structure comprising a transversely oriented front cross-member having a main box front width WMF, a rear cross-member disposed generally parallel with and to the rear of the front cross-member and having a main box rear width WMR, a left rocker connected at opposed first and second ends thereof to respective left ends of the front and rear cross-members, and a right rocker connected at opposed third and fourth ends thereof to respective right ends of the front and rear cross-members;
• a front box structure connected to the front cross-member and having a front box width WF less than the main box front width WMF;
• a rear box structure connected to the rear cross-member and having a rear box width WR less than the main box rear width WMR;
• an upper shear structure assembly having an upper main portion disposed across a top of the main box structure and fastened to respective top surfaces of the front and rear cross-members and the left and right rockers, a generally trapezoidal front upper section extending forward from a front upper edge of the upper main portion and attached to the front box structure, and a generally trapezoidal rear upper section extending rearward from a rear upper edge of the upper main portion and attached to the rear box structure;
• and
• a lower shear structure assembly having a lower main portion disposed across a bottom of the main box structure and fastened to respective bottom surfaces of the front and rear cross-members and the left and right rockers, a generally trapezoidal front lower section extending forward from a front lower edge of the lower main portion and attached to the front box structure, and a generally trapezoidal rear lower section extending rearward from a rear lower edge of the lower main portion and attached to the rear box structure.

An automotive vehicle assembly, comprising:

• a generally rectangular main box structure comprising a transversely oriented front cross-member having a main box front width WMF, a rear cross-member disposed generally parallel with and to the rear of the front cross-member and having a main box rear width WMR, a left rocker connected at opposed first and second ends thereof to respective left ends of the front and rear cross-members, and a right rocker connected at opposed third and fourth ends thereof to respective right ends of the front and rear cross-members;
• a front box structure connected to the front cross-member and having a front box width WF narrower than the main box front width WMF;
• a rear box structure connected to the rear cross-member and having a rear box width WR narrower than the main box rear width WMR;
• an upper shear structure assembly having an upper main portion disposed across a top of the main box structure and fastened to respective top surfaces of the front and rear cross-members and the left and right rockers, a generally trapezoidal front upper section extending forward from the upper main portion and attached to the front box structure, and a generally trapezoidal rear upper section extending rearward from the upper main portion and attached to the rear box structure;
• a lower shear structure assembly having a lower main portion disposed across a bottom of the main box structure and fastened to respective bottom surfaces of the front and rear cross-members and the left and right rockers, a generally trapezoidal front lower section extending forward from the lower main portion and attached to the front box structure, and a generally trapezoidal rear lower section extending rearward from the lower main portion and attached to the rear box structure;
• and
• a power source disposed within the main box structure and between the upper and lower shear structure assemblies.