# US 8,770,656 B2 · Chassis with raised rear floor and method of assembly

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- Number: US 8,770,656 B2
- Document ID: US8770656B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/811,762
- Filed: 2011-07-11
- Published: 2013-07-18
- Granted: 2014-07-08
- Earliest claimed: 2010-07-23
- Assignees: RENAULT s.a.s.
- Applicants: Pascal Tabuteau; Thomas Mauduit; Olivier Bisror
- Inventors: Pascal Tabuteau; Thomas Mauduit; Olivier Bisror
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8770656B2

## CPC

- B62D 25/20: Floors or bottom sub-units {(sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11; drip trays F16N31/006)}
- B60K 1/04: of the electric storage means for propulsion
- B60N 2/012: {The seat support being a part of the vehicle body or chassis}
- B62D 25/2027: {the subunits being rear structures}
- B62D 65/02: Joining sub-units or components to, or positioning sub-units or components with respect to, body shell or other sub-units or components
- B60K 2001/0433: {Arrangement under the rear seats}
- Y02T 10/70: Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
- Y10T 29/49622: Vehicular structural member making
- 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)
- 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
- B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A motor vehicle chassis includes two side rail members covered at the front by two lateral floor reinforcements, a rear central cross member and a transverse reinforcement which is welded to the two lateral floor reinforcements, and a floor having a seat-cushion support part. The chassis further includes a rear raiser welded to the rear central cross member and two lateral raisers welded respectively to each of the two lateral floor reinforcements. The seat-cushion support part of the floor is welded to the two lateral raisers, to the rear raiser and to the transverse reinforcement, so as to create a space for an energy reservoir under the seat-cushion support part of the floor.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A motor vehicle chassis comprising:
two longitudinal members of U-shaped section which are covered and closed on a front part by two plates forming lateral floor reinforcements; and
a rear central crossmember connecting the longitudinal members and flush in a region of the lateral floor reinforcements;
the lateral reinforcements including an internal edge comprising a welding strip;
the chassis further comprising a raised floor area forming both a seat and a housing for an energy storage tank, comprising a plate forming a seat-cushion support arranged above a raiser plate forming a transverse reinforcement and fixed by welding to the two lateral floor reinforcements, above a rear raiser part fixed by welding to the rear central crossmember and above two plates forming lateral raiser parts and each fixed by welding along one of the welding strips of a lateral reinforcement, the seat-cushion support part of the floor being fixed by welding to the two lateral raiser parts, to the rear raiser part and to the transverse reinforcement.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The motor vehicle chassis as claimed in claim 1, wherein the floor further includes a rear part fixed by welding to the two longitudinal members and to the rear raiser part.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The motor vehicle chassis as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seat-cushion support part of the floor includes a front plate covering the transverse reinforcement and assembled to the transverse reinforcement by at least two weld beads so as to form a hollow body delimited by the front plate and the transverse reinforcement.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The motor vehicle chassis as claimed in claim 1, wherein the transverse reinforcement extends solely between the internal edges of the two lateral floor reinforcements.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The motor vehicle chassis as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rear raiser part comprises a vertical plate and a horizontal plate by which the fixing by welding to the rear central crossmember is carried out, a hollow reinforcing box structure being defined on the rear side by the horizontal plate, a plate forming a closing frame fixed by welding to the horizontal plate and an extension of the seat-cushion support part of the floor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The motor vehicle chassis as claimed in claim 5, wherein the hollow reinforcing box structure comprises, on an inside, at least one anchoring reinforcement fixed to the vertical plate of the rear raiser part and to the closing frame.

### Claim 7

A method for assembling constituent elements of a motor vehicle chassis comprising:
providing a lower chassis part, the lower chassis part comprising two longitudinal members covered at the front by two plates forming lateral floor reinforcements and comprising a rear central crossmember joining the longitudinal members and flush in the region of the lateral floor reinforcements, the lateral reinforcements having an internal edge comprising a welding strip;
assembling a raised floor area on the lower part, forming both a seat and a housing for an energy storage tank, by fixing by welding to the two lateral floor reinforcements a raiser plate forming a transverse reinforcement between the two lateral reinforcements, by fixing by welding to the rear central crossmember a rear raiser part, by fixing by welding two plates forming lateral raiser parts, each along one of the welding strips of a lateral reinforcement, and by assembling a plate forming a seat-cushion support of the floor by welding to the two lateral raiser parts, to the rear raiser part and to the transverse reinforcement, above the three raiser parts and above the transverse reinforcement.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein a rear floor part is fixed by being welded to the two longitudinal members and to the rear raiser part.