US4514008A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle body floor construction of motor vehicle
Assignee: Toyota Motor Corp
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Filing: 1982-05-05
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Granted: 1985-04-30
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Expires: 2002-05-05
Abstract
Abstract A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle, wherein a tunnel being upwardly projecting, downwardly opening and disposed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is formed at the central portion in the widthwise direction of a floor panel, a fuel tank is disposed in the tunnel and at least one cross member traversing the fuel tank disposed in said tunnel in front, at the back or at the underneath of the fuel tank in a manner to block the tunnel are integrally formed on the floor panel.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroyuki Watanabe
- 👤 Yasushi Tanaka
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 02:27
CPC Classifications
B; B62; B62D; B62D25/00; B62D25/20; B60; B60K; B60K15/00; B60K15/03; B60K15/073; B62D21/00; B62D21/16; B62D25/02; B62D25/025; B62D25/2009; B62D25/2036
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
284 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle, comprising: (a) an upwardly projecting and downwardly opening tunnel disposed in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle and formed at the central portion of a transverse direction of a floor panel of said vehicle, said tunnel having a first end and a second end; (b) a fuel tank disposed in said tunnel; (c) a first pair of cross members integrally formed in the transverse direction on said floor panel, said cross members traversing said tunnel at a forward end and at a rear end of said fuel tank and substantially at the bottom level of said fuel tank disposed in said tunnel to block said tunnel and protect said fuel tank; (d) a second pair of cross members comprising a left cross member and a right cross member connected to said floor panel in the transverse direction, a first end of said left cross member and a first end of said right cross member being connected to opposite outer side surfaces of said tunnel at a point which is substantially equidistant in the longitudinal direction from said first end and said second end of said tunnel; (e) a bulkhead traversing the opening of said tunnel below said fuel tank disposed therein, said bulkhead being connected to said floor panel at a point which is substantially equidistant in the longitudinal direction from said first end and said second end of said tunnel formed therein; and (f) at least two longitudinally extending closed cross-sectional reinforcing portions integrally formed on said floor panel at transversely opposite sides of the opening of said tunnel, said closed cross-sectional reinforcing portions extending for at least the length of said fuel tank.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
284 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle, comprising: (a) an upwardly projecting and downwardly opening tunnel disposed in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle and formed at the central portion of a transverse direction of a floor panel of said vehicle, said tunnel having a first end and a second end; (b) a fuel tank disposed in said tunnel; (c) a first pair of cross members integrally formed in the transverse direction on said floor panel, said cross members traversing said tunnel at a forward end and at a rear end of said fuel tank and substantially at the bottom level of said fuel tank disposed in said tunnel to block said tunnel and protect said fuel tank; (d) a second pair of cross members comprising a left cross member and a right cross member connected to said floor panel in the transverse direction, a first end of said left cross member and a first end of said right cross member being connected to opposite outer side surfaces of said tunnel at a point which is substantially equidistant in the longitudinal direction from said first end and said second end of said tunnel; (e) a bulkhead traversing the opening of said tunnel below said fuel tank disposed therein, said bulkhead being connected to said floor panel at a point which is substantially equidistant in the longitudinal direction from said first end and said second end of said tunnel formed therein; and (f) at least two longitudinally extending closed cross-sectional reinforcing portions integrally formed on said floor panel at transversely opposite sides of the opening of said tunnel, said closed cross-sectional reinforcing portions extending for at least the length of said fuel tank.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
61 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a transverse back panel adjacent and blocking said first end of said tunnel and a transverse dash panel adjacent and blocking said second end of said tunnel, said first pair of cross members being integrally formed on said back panel and said dash panel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle as set forth in claim 2, wherein said cross members are substantially L-shaped in cross-section, said cross members being attached to said back panel and to said dash panel forming triangular closed cross-sections.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle as set forth in claim 2, wherein a through-hole is provided in said back panel for receiving an inlet pipe of said fuel tank.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle as set forth in claim 3, wherein a through-hole is provided in said back panel for receiving an inlet pipe of said fuel tank.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
102 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein left and right upwardly raised stepped portions are formed on said floor panel adjacent said opposite side surfaces of said tunnel, said first end of said left cross member and said first end of said right cross member being connected to said stepped portions and a first end and a second end of said bulkhead being disposed and connected to said floor panel in a recess formed under said stepped portions, said left and right cross members and said bulkhead being connected through said stepped portions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
102 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle as set forth in claim 2, wherein left and right upwardly raised stepped portions are formed on said floor panel adjacent said opposite side surfaces of said tunnel, said first end of said left cross member and said first end of said right cross member being connected to said stepped portions and a first end and a second end of said bulkhead being disposed and connected to said floor panel in a recess formed under said stepped portions, said left and right cross members and said bulkhead being connected through said stepped portions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
102 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle as set forth in claim 3, wherein left and right upwardly raised stepped portions are formed on said floor panel adjacent said opposite side surfaces of said tunnel, said first end of said left cross member and said first end of said right cross member being connected to said stepped portions and a first end and an second end of said bulkhead being disposed and connected to said floor panel in a recess formed under said stepped portions, said left and right cross members and said bulkhead being connected through said stepped portions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
102 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle as set forth in claim 4, wherein left and right upwardly raised stepped portions are formed on said floor panel adjacent said opposite side surfaces of said tunnel, said first end of said left cross member and said first end of said right cross member being connected to said stepped portions and a first end and a second end of said bulkhead being disposed and connected to said floor panel in a recess formed under said stepped portions, said left and right cross members and said bulkhead being connected through said stepped portions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
102 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle as set forth in claim 5, wherein left and right upwardly raised stepped portions are formed on said floor panel adjacent said opposite side surfaces of said tunnel, said first end of said left cross member and said first end of said right cross member being connected to said stepped portions and a first end and a second end of said bulkhead being disposed and connected to said floor panel in a recess formed under said stepped portions, said left and right cross members and said bulkhead being connected through said stepped portions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
57 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle as set forth in claim 6, wherein said left and right cross members extend upwardly from said floor panel forming a closed cross-section with said floor panel and said stepped portions, and said bulkhead extends downwardly from said stepped portions forming a closed cross-section with said stepped portions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
57 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle as set forth in claim 7, wherein said left and right cross members extend upwardly from said floor panel forming a closed cross-section with said floor panel and said stepped portions, and said bulkhead extends downwardly from said stepped portions forming a closed cross-section with said stepped portions.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
57 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle as set forth in claim 8, wherein said left and right cross members extend upwardly from said floor panel forming a closed cross-section with said floor panel and said stepped portions, and said bulkhead extends downwardly from said stepped portions forming a closed cross-section with said stepped portions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
57 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle as set forth in claim 9, wherein said left and right cross members extend upwardly from said floor panel forming a closed cross-section with said floor panel and said stepped portions, and said bulkhead extends downwardly from said stepped portions forming a closed cross-section with said stepped portions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
57 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle as set forth in claim 10, wherein said left and right cross members extend upwardly from said floor panel forming a closed cross-section with said floor panel and said stepped portions, and said bulkhead extends downwardly from said stepped portions forming a closed cross-section with said stepped portions.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
42 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least two longitudinally extending under-reinforcements are provided on the undersurface of said floor panel, said under-reinforcements being laterally spaced from said closed cross-sectional reinforcing portions.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle as set forth in claim 2, wherein at least two longitudinally extending under-reinforcements are provided on the undersurface of said floor panel, said under-reinforcements being laterally spaced from said closed cross-sectional reinforcing portions.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle as set forth in claim 3, wherein at least two longitudinally extending under-reinforcements are provided on the undersurface of said floor panel, said under-reinforcements being laterally spaced from said closed cross-sectional reinforcing portions.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
42 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle as set forth in claim 4, wherein at least two longitudinally extending under-reinforcements are provided on the undersurface of said floor panel, said under-reinforcements being laterally spaced from said closed cross-sectional reinforcing portions.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
A vehicle body floor construction of a motor vehicle as set forth in claim 5, wherein at least two longitudinally extending under-reinforcements are provided on the undersurface of said floor panel, said under-reinforcements being laterally spaced from said closed cross-sectional reinforcing portions.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-04-29 | 1988-10-29 | 1989-04-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-04-29 | 1992-10-29 | 1993-04-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-04-29 | 1996-10-29 | 1997-04-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |