Vehicle floor panel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11919361-B2
Application number	US-202217700007-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 21, 2022
Priority date	Mar 21, 2022
Publication date	Mar 5, 2024
Grant date	Mar 5, 2024

Abstract

A vehicle includes a passenger compartment. The passenger compartment includes an upper region and a lower region. The passenger compartment also includes a floor. A plurality of track assemblies are positioned on the floor and extend along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Each of the plurality of track assemblies includes a first rail assembly and a second rail assembly. Ductwork is positioned between adjacent track assemblies of the plurality of track assemblies. The plurality of track assemblies and the ductwork are coupled together as a floor panel such that installation of the floor panel within the passenger compartment results in a simultaneous installation of the plurality of track assemblies and the ductwork.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle, comprising:
a passenger compartment comprising an upper region and a lower region;
a floor of the passenger compartment;
a plurality of track assemblies positioned on the floor and extending along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, wherein each of the plurality of track assemblies comprises a first rail assembly and a second rail assembly;
a support member positioned in at least one location chosen from between adjacent rail assemblies and between adjacent track assemblies, the support member at least partially circumscribed with a floor covering; and
ductwork positioned between adjacent track assemblies of the plurality of track assemblies, wherein the plurality of track assemblies and the ductwork are coupled together as a floor panel such that installation of the floor panel within the passenger compartment results in a simultaneous installation of the plurality of track assemblies and the ductwork.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first and second rail assemblies of each of the plurality of track assemblies comprises a slot defined by the given rail assembly, and wherein the slot permits access to a channel defined by the given rail assembly.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the floor covering is positioned over top of the ductwork and the plurality of track assemblies, wherein the floor covering is configured to maintain access to the slots of the first and second rail assemblies of each of the plurality of track assemblies.

4. The vehicle of claim 2 , further comprising:
a carriage assembly that is configured to be received within the channel, and wherein the carriage assembly extends upwardly into the slot.

5. The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the carriage assembly comprises an anchor.

6. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the anchor is configured to engage with, and retain, a leg of a seating assembly.

7. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the anchor defines an anchor aperture, and wherein the anchor aperture provides a cargo tie-down within the passenger compartment.

8. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of track assemblies has a length that is greater than twenty-five percent of a length of the passenger compartment.

9. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the ductwork comprises:
upper ductwork; and
lower ductwork.

10. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the upper ductwork is positioned between the first and second rail assemblies of at least two of the plurality of track assemblies, wherein the upper ductwork is configured to deliver air to the upper region of the passenger compartment, and wherein the lower ductwork is configured to deliver air to the lower region of the passenger compartment.

11. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the support member at least partially defines a chamber, and wherein a lower wall of the chamber is the floor of the passenger compartment.

12. The vehicle of claim 11 , wherein the ductwork is received in the chamber.

13. The vehicle claim 1 , further comprising:
a support bracket coupled to each of a first side and a second side of each of the first and second rail assemblies.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the support bracket supports an underside of the support member.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the support brackets suspend the support member above the floor of the passenger compartment.

16. A vehicle, comprising:
a passenger compartment comprising an upper region and a lower region;
a floor of the passenger compartment;
a plurality of track assemblies positioned on the floor and extending along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, wherein each of the plurality of track assemblies has a length that is greater than twenty-five percent of a length of the passenger compartment, wherein each of the plurality of track assemblies comprises a first rail assembly and a second rail assembly, and wherein the first and second rail assemblies of each of the plurality of track assemblies comprises a slot defined by the given rail assembly, and wherein the slot permits access to a channel defined by the given rail assembly;
a support member positioned in at least one location chosen from between adjacent rail assemblies and between adjacent track assemblies;
lower ductwork positioned between adjacent track assemblies of the plurality of track assemblies, wherein the lower ductwork is configured to deliver air to the lower region of the passenger compartment;
upper ductwork positioned between the first and second rail assemblies of at least two of the plurality of track assemblies, wherein the upper ductwork is configured to deliver air to the upper region of the passenger compartment; and
a floor covering positioned over top of the upper ductwork, the lower ductwork, and the plurality of track assemblies, wherein the floor covering is configured to maintain access to the slots of the first and second rail assemblies of each of the plurality of track assemblies, wherein the plurality of track assemblies, the support member, the lower ductwork, the upper ductwork, and the floor covering are coupled together as a floor panel such that installation of the floor panel within the passenger compartment results in a simultaneous installation of the plurality of track assemblies, the support member, the lower ductwork, the upper ductwork, and the floor covering.

17. The vehicle of claim 16 , further comprising:
a carriage assembly that is configured to be received within the channel, wherein the carriage assembly extends upwardly into the slot, and wherein the carriage assembly comprises an anchor.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the anchor is configured to engage with, and retain, a leg of a seating assembly.

19. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the anchor defines an aperture, and wherein the aperture provides a cargo tie-down within the passenger compartment.

20. The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the lower ductwork includes a first lower ductworks and a second lower ductwork side-by-side with the first lower duct work, and wherein the first lower ductwork and the second lower ductwork abut the upper ductwork.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Line Johnathan Andrew
• Anderson Scott Culver
• Mastin Clay
• Sorum Justin D
• Kim Albert
• Ghamlouche Abbas

Classifications

• B60H1/00028 Primary

  Constructional lay-out of the devices in the vehicle · CPC title

• B60N2/06

  slidable (B60N2/12 {, B60N2/2209} take precedence) · CPC title

• B60N2/14

  rotatable, e.g. to permit easy access (B60N2/10 {, B60N2/2869} take precedence) · CPC title

• B60P7/0807

  Attachment points · CPC title

• B62D25/20 Primary

  Floors or bottom sub-units {(sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11; drip trays F16N31/006)} · CPC title