GB2318330A

GB2318330A - Vehicular jack storage construction

Info

Publication number: GB2318330A
Application number: GB9720475A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Harno Seino
Original assignee: Suzuki Motor Corp
Current assignee: Suzuki Motor Corp
Priority date: 1996-10-16
Filing date: 1997-09-25
Publication date: 1998-04-22
Anticipated expiration: 2017-09-25
Also published as: DE19745343B4; GB9720475D0; GB2318330B; DE19745343A1; JPH10119663A

Abstract

A vehicular jack storage construction in which a tail end member (2) is fixed to the rear end of a rear floor (4) having a concavity (3) at the rear, and a jack (13) is stored in the concavity (3), one end (8) of a jack bracket (7) being fixed to a concave bottom portion (5) of the rear floor (4) and the other end (9) thereof being fixed to the tail end member (2), the jack (13) is stored in a space surrounded by the jack bracket (7), the rear floor (4), and the tail end member (2), and when the concavity (3) of the rear floor (4) is covered with a cover board (17), the cover board (17) is supported by the upper part of the jack bracket (7).

Description

2318330

DESCRIPTION VEHICULAR JACK STORAGE CONSTRUCTION

The present invention relates to a vehicular jack storage construction. More particularly, it relates to a construction of a jack storage section provided at the back of the rear floor of an automobile.

A conventional vehicular jack storage construction will be described with reference to the drawings..

Japanese Utility Model Provisional Publication No. 1-162845 (No. 162845/1989) discloses a jack storage construction using a jack fixing bracket, the construction being shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a.rear floor, and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of Fig. 5.

In these figures, a concavity 102 depressed downward is provided at the rear of a rear floor 101, and a front part of the concavity 102 is used as a jack storage section 103. Under the lower surface of the concavity 102, a strengthening member 104 substantially of a U shape in cross section is provided in the vehicle width direction. A rear part of the concavity is used as a spare tire storage section 105. A jack fix g bracket 106 substantially of a U shape in cross section is attached to -2 the bottom surface of the jack storage section 103. A jack 109 is inserted and held in an upright position between an upper face 107 and a lower face 108 of the bracket 106. When the concavity 102 of the rear floor 101 is covered with a cover board 110, the cover board is supported so that a rear end 111 thereof is placed on a rear floor rear end 112 and a front end 113 is placed on the upper face 107 of the jack fixing bracket 106.

Next, another conventional example is shown in FIG. 7.

A rear floor 114 shown in this figure is for an automobile without the spare tire storage section 105. At the rear end of a jack storage section 115, a tail end member 116 of closed sectional construction is disposed. A cover board bracket 118 and jack bracket 119 substantially of an L shape is in cross section are fixed by welding etc. to a vertical wall 117 of the tail end member 116.

The cover board bracket 118 is fixed to the tail end member 116 at the same level as that of the rear floor surface, and supports a rear end 121 of a cover board 120.

The jack bracket 119 is also fixed to the vertical wall 117 of the tail end member 116, so that a vertically-positioned jack 122 is inserted and held between the jack bracket 119 and a jack storage section bottom surface 123. A rear end 124 of the rear floor 114 is joined to a lower end 125 of the tail end member 116.

-3 A rod-shaped chassis frame cross member 126 is disposed along the vehicle width direction under the rear floor 114.

L1 in FIG. 7 indicates a difference in longitudinal length of the chassis frame cross member 126. This difference L1 should preferably be smaller from the viewpoints of the molding of the member 126 and the strength of the vehicle.

However, the above-described conventional vehicular jack storage construction has the following problems:

(1) When the concavity 115 of the rear floor 114 is covered with the cover board 120, the bracket 118 dedicated to the support of cover board is sometimes required, which increases the vehicle weight and cost.

(2) Since the jack 122 is held in a vertical (upright) position, the difference L1 in longitudinal length of the chassis frame cross member 126 is increased. Therefore, there is a possibility of improper forming of the chassis frame cross member 126 and shortage of vehicle strength.

(3) Since the rear floor 114 is joined to the tail end member 116 only partially, the installation rigidity of the tail end member 116 is low. There is therefore a possibility that the tail end member 116 vibrates longitudinally when the vehicle is running.

The present invention was made in view of the above situation, and accordingly an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicular jack storage construction in which a bracket dedicated to the support of a cover board is not required, a jack can be stored horizontally, and the installation rigidity of a tail end member is high.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a vehicular jack storage construction in which a tail end member is fixed to the rear end of a rear floor, which rear floor has a concavity at its rear end, a jack is stored in said concavity, and wherein one end of a jack bracket is fixed to a concave bottom portion of the rear floor and the other end thereof is fixed to the tail end member, the jack is stored in a space surrounded by the jack bracket, said rear floor, and said tail end member, and, when the concavity of said rear floor is covered with a cover board, the cover board is supported by an upper part of the jack bracket.

As described above, according to the vehicular jack storage construction in accordance with the present invention, the following effects can be achieved:

(1) Since the rear floor and the tail end member are fixed to each other by the jack bracket, the installation rigidity of the tail end member can be improved.

(2) Since the cover board is supported by the jack bracket, a bracket dedicated to the support of the cover board can be eliminated, resulting in a decrease in weight and cost.

(3) Since the jack is held in a horizontal position, the difference in longitudinal length of the chassis frame cross member is decreased. Therefore, the chassis frame cross member can be formed easily and the vehicle strength can be improved. (4) Since the jack is moved rearward by forming a step on the vertical wall of tall end member, the space for small article storage section can be increased. (5) By forming the step on the vertical wall of tail end member, the rigidity of the tail end member itself can be improved.

The invention is described further hereinafter, by way of example o n 1 y, w i t h reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automobile equipped with a jack storage construction in accordance with the present invention, viewed from the rear; FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view taken in the direction of the arrow X of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a jack storage construction in accordance with another embodiment; FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a conventional jack storage construction; FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 5; and FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing another example of conventional jack storage construction.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automobile 1 equipped with a jack storage construction in accordance with the present invention, viewed from the rear. The automobile 1 of this type has a spare tire in its back door (not shown), not on its rear floor. FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a rear floor portion, taken in the direction of the arrow X of FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG. 2.

In these figures, a tail end member 2 of closed sectional construction is disposed along the vehicle width direction at the rear end of the vehicle. A rear floor 4 having a concavity 3 is disposed in front of the tail end member 2. The concavity 3, which is located in the center in the vehicle width direction at the rear end of the rear floor 4, has a substantially rectangular bottom surface depressed downward. The bottom surface is deeper at the jack storage section bottom 6 than at the general section bottom 5.

A band-shaped jack bracket 7 is fixed by welding one end 8 thereof to the general section bottom 5 and welding the other end 9 thereof to the vertical wall 10 of the tail end member 2. A portion of the bracket 7 in the vicinity of the tail end member 2 is bent and formed with a step 11, and the height of the step 11 is approximately the same as the thickness of a cover board 17. The bracket 7 has a convexity 12, which swells into a semicircular shape in cross section toward the rear, in the vicinity of the rear floor bottom.

A jack 13 is inserted in a horizontal position into a space surrounded by the jack bracket 7, the vertical wall 10 of the tail end member 2, and the jack storage section bottom 6. The jack 13 is fixed by fitting a head 14 of the jack 13 to the convexity 12 of the jack bracket 7. Of the concavity 3 of the rear floor 4, a space other than the space used for the jack 13 and the jack bracket 7 can be used effectively as a small article storage section 15.

Since the concave bottom of the rear floor 4 has two levels of depth as described above, a rod-shaped chassis frame cross member 16 is provided in the vehicle width direction under the rear floor 4, the cross member 16 having a longitudinally (of the vehicle) extending bend to accommodate the concavity 3. 1. in Fig. 3 indicates a difference in longitudinal length of the member 16. Since the jack 13 is fixed horizontally in the present invention, L.2 is shorter than the conventional L,. Further the concavity 3 of the rear floor 4 is covered by placing the peripheral portions of the substantially rectangular cover board 17 on the jack bracket 7 and the rear floor edge 18.

As shown in FIG. 4, the holding position of the jack 13 is moved rearward by forming a step 19 such that a part of the vertical wall 10 of the tail end member 2 is depressed rearward, by which the small article storage section 15 can be increased. The step 19 can also improve the rigidity of the tail end member 2 itself.

Claims

-9 CLAIMS

1. A vehicular jack storage construction in which a tail end member is fixed to the rear end of a rear floor, which rear floor has a concavity at its rear end, a jack is stored in said concavity, and wherein one end of a jack bracket is fixed to a concave bottom portion of said rear floor and the other end thereof is fixed to said tail end member, the jack is stored in a space surrounded by said jack bracket, said rear floor, and said tail endmember, and, when said concavity of said rear floor is covered with a cover board, said cover board is supported by an upper part of said jack bracket.

2. A vehicular jack storage construction according to claim 1, wherein the jack is stored in a horizontal position in said jack bracket, and a small article storage section defmed by said rear floor, jack bracket, and jack is provided in said concavity of the rear floor.

3. A vehicular jack storage construction according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a step is formed so that a part of the front vertical wall of said tail end member is depressed rearward.

4. A vehicular jack storage construction, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.