Webbing devices for an underbody of a motor vehicle

• US 10,300,948 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2016
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Faraday & Future Inc.
• Original Assignee: Faraday & Future Inc.
• Inventors: Ashraf, Umran, Veltman, Rene Johan, Borghi, Cory Denis
• Primary Examiner(s): Pape, Joseph D.
• Application Number:
  US15/078,871
• Publication Number:
  US 20170120951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 296 29, 296 30
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/04 of the electric storage means for propulsion exchanging batteries for electric propulsion of vehicles B60L53/80; for auxiliary purposes only B60R16/04; supplying batteries to, or removing batteries from, vehicles B60S5/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/001 one motor mounted on a propulsion axle for rotating right and left wheels of this axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2001/0438 Arrangement under the floor
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/03 transverse members providing body support
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/07 wide-hipped frame type, i.e. a wide box-shaped mid portion with narrower sections extending from said mid portion in both fore and aft directions
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/10 in which the main member is plate-like
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/025 Side sills thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 27/023 Assembly of structural joints
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 29/008 predominantly of light alloys, e.g. extruded
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 63/025 Modular vehicles superstructures for busses having modular sections B62D31/025

Abstract

A webbing device for a vehicle underbody can comprise a plurality of rows of ribs and members that extend between the ribs to provide rigidity and force load distribution. The webbing device can comprise channels to receive a variety of structural components of the underbody and can accommodate underbodies of various sizes without altering its rigidity and force load distribution.

Claims

1. A connector for a vehicle underbody, comprising:

a single-piece body panel, the body panel comprising;

a center frame section channel;

a cross member channel oriented essentially perpendicular to the center frame section channel;

an end rail channel oriented essentially parallel and non-collinear to the center frame section channel; and

a recess formed in the body panel and webbing disposed within the recess, the webbing being formed from rows of ribs and members that extend between the ribs to form cells, the webbing providing structural rigidity, crumple resistance, and force load distribution;

the body panel providing a transition from a central underbody section to an end underbody section.

2. The connector of claim 1, wherein at least one of the structural rigidity, the crumple resistance, and the force load distribution is selectively adjustable based on space between the rows of ribs and a number of the members extending between the rows of ribs.

3. The connector of claim 1, wherein the center frame section channel is at least partially formed from at least one of the ribs and at least one of the members.

4. The connector of claim 1, wherein the cross member channel is at least partially formed from at least one of the ribs.

5. The connector of claim 1, wherein the body panel further comprises a mounting bracket that receives at least a portion of an upper body of a vehicle.

6. The connector of claim 1, wherein the rows of ribs are essentially parallel to one another and the members are non-perpendicular to the rows of ribs.

7. The connector of claim 1, wherein the ribs and members form triangular cells therebetween.