Rear Patents (Class 296/193.08)
  • Patent number: 7380856
    Abstract: There is provided a vehicle body rear structure of an automobile, which can deal with all of a load from a towing hook, a load from a jack-up point, a load from the rear of vehicle body, and a load from a seat belt anchor, though having a simple construction that does not bring about an increase in the number of parts and an increase in weight of vehicle body. A load distributing member 7 extending along the body longitudinal direction is assembled to a spare tire house 6 so as to trail over a lower surface 6a of the spare tire house 6; and a front end portion ? of the load distributing member 7 is joined to a cross member 4, and a rear end portion ? thereof is joined to the back panel 3 (located on the rear side of the cross member 4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Kobayashi, Takanori Tsukakoshi
  • Patent number: 7354099
    Abstract: An interlock for a skid steer vehicle with a rear engine compartment and a rear door to that compartment includes a beam that is mounted transversely to the bottom of the door and has an upward facing surface that, like the beam, extends across the entire rear engine compartment opening. An interlocking second member is fixed to the chassis and extends across the rear engine compartment opening. When the door is impacted and forced upward, the first beam engages the second interlocking member over its width and transfers the force from the door (and beam) to the chassis. When the door is impacted with a forward-directed force, the first beam also contacts the second member and transfers the forward forces through the second member to the chassis. Injury to the door is reduced or eliminated by transferring door impact forces to the chassis since the first beam extends substantially the entire distance across the door and is fixed to an inner surface of the door's frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: CNH America LLC
    Inventors: Robert D. Kurtz, Jr., Clayton E. Banks, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7347475
    Abstract: An automobile rear body structure capable of allowing a space created between a rear bumper reinforcing member and a line connecting respective rear ends of a pair of rear side frames to be effectively utilized. In this automobile rear body structure, a rear end cross member (30) has an expanded portion (31a) formed to expand rearward relative to respective rear ends (10a) of a pairs of rear side frames (10), and a rear floor pan (20) has a rear edge including a protruded portion (21). The protruded portion (21) is formed to protrude relative to the rear ends (10a) of the pairs of rear side frames (10) toward the expanded portion of the rear end cross member (30) and connected to the rear end cross member (30), so as to allow a luggage compartment space to be enlarged rearward relative to the rear ends (10a) of the pairs of rear side frames (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Ikemoto, Yasuhiro Kohara, Shirou Nakatani, Kazue Sumida, Takao Maruko
  • Patent number: 7338115
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a motor vehicle rear floor (32) that is intended to form part of a motor vehicle rear block, the block including two longitudinal rails (12), each having a front end forming a rear structural node (20) of the vehicle and a rear end (14), the rear ends being arranged to serve as bearing points for an impact beam (15). The floor further includes reinforcement (22) having at least one rear end (24) arranged to serve as a bearing point for the impact beam (15), and two limbs (22a, 22b) each intended to extend in a straight line from the rear end (24) of the reinforcement to one of the nodes (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Compagnie Plastic Omnium
    Inventors: Laurent Rocheblave, Gerald Andre
  • Publication number: 20080007093
    Abstract: A vehicle body structure comprising: first and second members each having a hat-shaped cross section including a main wall, first and second side walls extending from the main wall; an opposing area in which the opening, first side wall and second side wall of the first member are opposed to and jointed to the opening, first side wall and second side wall of the second member, respectively, with a joint surface defined therebetween; and a non-opposing area in which one of the first and second members is shifted parallel to the joint surface, so that the first side wall of the first member is opposed to and jointed to the second side wall of the second member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2007
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Inventors: Tomotaka Andou, Seiko Abe
  • Patent number: 7264303
    Abstract: As a wrist portion of an application robot equipped with a plurality of application nozzles moves in a predetermined operation pattern, viscous damping and constraining materials having different properties are simultaneously injected from the application nozzles so that immediately after the damping material is injected from the preceding application nozzle, as viewed in the moving direction and applied to a vehicle body panel as an underlayer material, the constraining material having different property is injected from the succeeding application nozzle, as viewed in the moving direction, and applied as an overlayer material over the underlayer material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideki Fukudome, Ryo Ashikawa, Hiroshi Matsuda, Kazuhiko Sato, Makoto Ohkubo
  • Patent number: 7216911
    Abstract: The module is extended to extend the body (10) of said vehicle by being fastened thereto. It is also designed to support rear doors (14) and a rear bumper. It comprises a frame of plastics material (24) including fastener means for fastening to the body and fastener means (28) to the doors (14). It further comprises extenders (26) for extending side rails (20) of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Compagnie Plastic Omnium
    Inventors: GĂ©rald Andre, Dominique Delavalle
  • Patent number: 7188893
    Abstract: A front part structure of a vehicle body for efficiently absorbing collision energy acting from the front of the vehicle body is provided. The front part structure of the vehicle body includes right and left front side members extending longitudinally of the vehicle body within an engine compartment separated by a dashboard. A crossmember is attached to the dashboard and extended between the right and left front side members. A floor tunnel extending longitudinally of the vehicle body is joined to a rear end portion of an extension of the crossmember. Collision energy acting from the front of the vehicle body is transmitted from the front side members to the crossmember, and then is transmitted through the extension of the crossmember to the floor tunnel and dispersed throughout the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kosuke Akasaka
  • Patent number: 7083225
    Abstract: Coupling members include a first coupling portion (X) that couples rear quarter inner members to upper surfaces of rear suspension base members, a second coupling portion (Y) that couples upper surfaces of the rear suspension base members together, which are located on the right and the left in pairs, and a third coupling portion (Z) that joins the second coupling portion to couple the rear quarter inner members together, which are located on the right and the left in pairs, the coupling member being integrally formed, and there is formed a bulkhead structure in a portion surrounded by the first, second and third coupling portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2006
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Mitsubishi Jidosha Engineering Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Yakata, Hideki Honjo, Shinsuke Miyoshi, Takashi Kikuchi, Keishi Goto
  • Patent number: 6945591
    Abstract: A storage box for a pickup truck or similar vehicle is formed from a combination of metallic and composite materials. The storage box includes an internal storage box frame that is formed from a plurality of metallic tubular components that are secured together, such as by magnetic pulse welding techniques. The metallic tubular pieces can be formed from steel, aluminum, and the like, or any combination thereof. The storage box further includes one or more panels that are formed from composite materials, such as urethane, that are secured to the metallic storage box frame. The composite panels may secured to the metallic storage frame box by molding the composite material directly about the metallic storage box frame. Alternatively, the composite panels may be formed as separate pieces that are connected to the metallic storage box frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Dana Corporation
    Inventor: Robert D. Durand
  • Patent number: 6926350
    Abstract: A space frame for a motor vehicle having a pair of laterally spaced, longitudinally extending side rail structures, a pair of forward-most upright structures each being connected to a respective side rail structure, thereby forming a pair of A pillars, a pair of roof rail structures, a forward end of each roof rail structure being connected to an upper end of an associated A pillar, and a rearward ring assembly connected at upper portions thereof with the roof rail structures and at bottom portions thereof with the side rail structures. The rearward ring assembly having (a) a tubular hydroformed inverted U-shaped upper member having a cross portion and a pair of leg portions extending downwardly from opposite ends of the cross portion, (b) a pair of tubular hydroformed side members, and (c) a cross structure rigidly connected in ring-forming relation between the second ends of the side members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Cosma International Inc.
    Inventors: Gianfranco Gabbianelli, Richard D. Ashley
  • Patent number: 6926352
    Abstract: A vehicle body 10 includes right and left floor frames 16 and right and left side sills 13, all extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body, are disposed in parallel with each other, and right and left front side frames 11 extend forward from front ends of the right and left floor frames 16. Rear end sections 75 are butted to the side sills 13 such that the rear end sections approach the side sills 13, and are joined to the side sills 13 at longitudinal midpoints of the side sills 13. A cross member 22 spans across the right and left side sills 13 at positions forward of the joint sections and in the vicinity of the joint sections. A joint section 85 at the side sill 13, the floor frame 16, and the cross member 22 is formed into a substantially triangular shape in plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Gotou, Shigeto Yasuhara, Hitoshi Katou
  • Patent number: 6926326
    Abstract: In a rear bumper structure for a vehicle including a rear opening of a load compartment formed at a rear portion of a vehicle body, there are provided a bumper reinforcement fixed to a rear end of a vehicle body so as to define its fixed position with respect to the vehicle body and extend in a vehicle width direction, and a main body of bumper opening-and-closing portion located in front of the bumper reinforcement to selectively open or close a lower part of the rear opening, and a bumper facer attached to the main body to cover the bumper reinforcement from a vehicle rear side, wherein the main body is moved between the vehicle body and the bumper reinforcement such that the bumper reinforcement is always located between the main body and the bumper facer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hirochika Iyoda, Harunori Nagao
  • Patent number: 6918628
    Abstract: A rear roof frame of a motor vehicle has a tailgate which is fastened to the roof frame and includes an upper shell and a lower shell which is fitted to the latter. For the design of a rear roof frame, which, in spite of the shell-type construction, provides, in a simple manner and lightweight construction, sufficient torsional and flexural stiffness in order to withstand high mechanical stresses, it is proposed to arrange within the shell structure a hollow profile which leads in each case from the transition region to the lateral roof frame and parallel to the longitudinal extent of the structure, and emerges, at least at the end facing away from the lateral roof frame, in a knee which kinks in the front-end direction of the vehicle. The end of the rear roof frame forms a tubular hollow profile of the lateral roof frame, which is connected to the hollow profile of the rear roof frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Konrad Eipper, Heinz Koslowski, Thomas Lohse, Thomas Sailer, Matthias Schroeder, Roland Wendler
  • Patent number: 6896319
    Abstract: A modular body for a vehicle includes a first module having a first B-pillar interface and a second module having a second B-pillar interface. The first and second modules are joined at the first and second B-pillar interfaces defining a B-pillar thereat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Yueh-Se (Joseph) Huang, Phillip M. Turner, Pei-Chung Wang
  • Patent number: 6886885
    Abstract: A rear and side panel assembly for a vehicle body may include a one-piece inner body panel member mated with a one-piece outer body panel member, the body panels cooperating to at least partially define wheel well openings at opposing sides of the vehicle. The inner body panel member may include an inner rear panel portion with opposite ends, a first inner side panel portion at one end and a second inner side panel portion at the opposed end, with the inner side panel portions extending generally frontward from the inner rear panel portion. The outer body panel member may include an outer rear panel portion with opposite ends, a first outer side panel portion at one end and a second outer side panel portion at the opposed end, with the outer side panel portions extending generally frontward from the outer rear panel portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: General Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Tommy E. White, Adrian B. Chernoff
  • Patent number: 6874844
    Abstract: The body of a notchback motor vehicle, having at the rear, a rear load floor to which are fixed two lateral members each having a wheel housing and a lateral quarter pillar forming one part of one side of the passenger compartment. The two lateral quarter pillars are held together at the top by a cross member known as the rear window cross member, which supports the roof. Stiffening at least one lateral member in such a way as to transfer the forces exerted on the bottom of the body when the vehicle is moving directly to the upper cross member having a panel stiffener which is joined to the lateral quarter pillar and which exerts from the rear window lower cross member to the rear window upper cross member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Peugeot Citroen Automobiles SA
    Inventor: Richard Vincenti
  • Patent number: 6846037
    Abstract: The body of passenger motor vehicles comprises, among other things, two longitudinal bearers and a rear end having a rear end middle piece. In order to minimize the extent of repair of damages to the rear end, the invention provides that the rear bumper bending bearer is bolted as a lower module in the area of the rear longitudinal bearer to the body via deformation elements provided for absorbing energy. In order to minimize the complexity of repairs of damages involving a greater extent of deformation to the rear end, the invention additionally provides that the entire rear end middle piece or portions thereof is/are structured as another lower module of the rear end module that can be bolted to the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: ISE Innomotive Systems Europe GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Engels, Friedhelm Buning, Karl-Heinz Baumann, Klaus Rathje
  • Patent number: 6802558
    Abstract: A rear body structure comprises a floor tunnel extending in a lengthwise direction from the front to the back of the vehicle body at a middle of a floor panel in a transverse direction, a floor tunnel reinforcement disposed along the floor tunnel so as to form a closed cross section between them, and a generally V-shaped gusset secured between the floor tunnel reinforcement and a package member interconnecting side walls between which a compartment is formed in the rear body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Hidenori Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 6786536
    Abstract: This body structure is suitable for motor vehicles, especially for passenger cars and comprises a passenger compartment structure and at least one supporting structure adjoining thereon, for example, for accommodating a driving unit and wheel suspension elements. The supporting structure is connected to the passenger compartment structure through holding elements. To optimize the supporting structure, having a region connecting with the passenger compartment structure and a rear end region, the supporting structure is formed as an enveloping device of a high-strength, especially a fiberglass reinforced plastic, which is reinforced with a supporting device and surrounds the driving unit at least regionally, the enveloping device having several openings, each of which forms an access to the driving unit, and being provided with bearing mountings for the driving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2004
    Assignee: Dr. Ing. h.c.F. Porsche AG
    Inventors: Oliver Stoffels, Dieter Steinhauser, Thomas Meier
  • Patent number: 6729682
    Abstract: The invention relates to a module forming all or part of the rear end of a motor vehicle, and suitable for being fitted onto the side rails (L) and the rear side portions of the motor vehicle. The module comprises at least two releasable side portions and it is arranged to receive or it already includes items of equipment such as, for example, an impact-absorber beam (3) or a floor (6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Compagnie Plastic Omnium
    Inventors: Dominique Delavalle, Cyrille Rochon
  • Publication number: 20040066061
    Abstract: The body of passenger motor vehicles comprises, among other things, two longitudinal bearers and a rear end having a rear end middle piece. In order to minimize the extent of repair of damages to the rear end, the invention provides that the rear bumper bending bearer (2) is bolted as a lower module (1) in the area of the rear longitudinal bearer to the body via deformation elements (4) provided for absorbing energy. In order to minimize the complexity of repairs of damages involving a greater extent of deformation to the rear end, the invention additionally provides that the entire rear end middle piece or portions thereof is/are structured as another lower module (10) of the rear end module that can be bolted to the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2003
    Publication date: April 8, 2004
    Inventors: Frank Engels, Friedhelm Buning, Karl-Heinz Baumann, Klaus Rathje
  • Publication number: 20040026961
    Abstract: A storage box for a pickup truck or similar vehicle is formed from a combination of metallic and composite materials. The storage box includes an internal storage box frame that is formed from a plurality of metallic tubular components that are secured together, such as by magnetic pulse welding techniques. The metallic tubular pieces can be formed from steel, aluminum, and the like, or any combination thereof. The storage box further includes one or more panels that are formed from composite materials, such as urethane, that are secured to the metallic storage box frame. The composite panels may secured to the metallic storage frame box by molding the composite material directly about the metallic storage box frame. Alternatively, the composite panels may be formed as separate pieces that are connected the metallic storage box frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventor: Robert D. Durand