Floor system for a motor vehicle

• US 6,149,226 A
• Filed: 09/08/1998
• Issued: 11/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Daimler Chrysler Company LLC (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Hoelzel, Guenter, Maier, Franz
• Primary Examiner(s): Pape, Joseph D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, KIRAN B
• Application Number:
  US09/148,999
• Time in Patent Office: 805 Days
• Field of Search: 296/185, 296/187, 296/204, 296/203.03, 296/209, 298/17.7, 298/18
• US Class Current: 296/181.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 21/007 means for adjusting the wheel inclination
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/144 with two lateral arms forming a parallelogram
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2200/46 camber angle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/82 left and right unit on same axle
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2204/8302 Mechanical
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/12 Cycles; Motorcycles
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2300/45 Rolling frame vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/20 Floors or bottom sub-units sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11; drip trays F16N31/006
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 29/001 characterised by combining metal and synthetic material
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 9/02 combined with means for inwardly inclining vehicle body on bends
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/027 Motorcycles with three wheels specially adapted for disabled riders B62K5/023
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/05 characterised by a single rear wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/06 Frames for tricycles
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 5/10 with means for inwardly inclining the vehicle body on bends

Abstract

A motor vehicle having a floor system which has an enlarged thickness in the area of the passenger compartment, the floor system being reinforced for improving the occupant protection. In order to reduce the danger of excessive deformations of the vehicle occupant compartment in the event of a side impact of a passenger car onto the motor vehicle, the floor system has a deflecting slope on its underside, which deflecting slope, starting from the side of the floor system, extends diagonally downward toward the longitudinal center plane of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A floor system for a motor vehicle below a passenger compartment, the floor system having an enlarged thickness and being reinforced by at least one cross member, wherein the floor system has an underbody including an underside with at least one deflecting slope and a top side on which a lateral end area of said cross member is supported, said at least one deflecting slope extending, starting from a side of the floor system, diagonally downward toward a longitudinal center plane of the motor vehicle.

2. A floor system according to claim 1, wherein the deflecting slope extends at an angle of approximately 30 degrees relative to horizontal.

3. A floor system according to claim 1, wherein the underbody has an approximately horizontally extending center area, and wherein said at least one deflecting slope is one of two deflecting slopes adjoining opposite sides of the center area, respectively.

4. A floor system according to claim 3, wherein the two deflecting slopes are arranged mirror-symmetrically relative to the longitudinal center plane.

5. A floor system according to claim 3, wherein the floor system is constructed with a vehicle interior floor situated at a distance above the underbody to define a hollow cross-section therebetween.

6. A floor system according to claim 5, wherein at least one housing space is provided in the hollow cross-section between the vehicle interior floor and the underbody.

7. A floor system according to claim 5, wherein the floor system is reinforced by at least one cross member arranged in the hollow cross-section.

8. A floor system according to claim 7, wherein at least part of the cross member extends at a distance from the underbody.

9. A floor system according to claim 4, wherein the vehicle is a cornering tilting vehicle and the deflecting slopes have angles adapted to intended maximum cornering tilts of the cornering tilting vehicle.

10. A floor system according to claim 1, wherein the floor system consists at least partially of light metal.

11. A floor system according to claim 5, wherein the underbody consists partially of light metal foam.

12. A floor system according to claim 10, wherein the floor system is laterally bounded by extruded profiles made of light metal.

13. A floor system according to claim 11, wherein the underbody is of a sandwich construction with a core of light metal foam being inserted between two metal cover sheets.