Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Jon A Wilcox

Vladimir Vladimirovich Bogachuk

Dragan B Stojkovic

Shawn Michael Morgans

Stephen Thomas Kozak

Steve William Gallagher

Joshua Jacob Clement

Steven William Gallagher

Colleen Hoffman

Eric Layton Stratten

Hassen Hammoud

Corey John Jarocki

Richard Daniel Pastrick

Maria J Heirtzler

Scott Mair

Timothy Parker

Randall Ray Roth

Monica Blair

A vehicle underbody including a rear underbody structure, a rear differential, a sub-frame, and a traction battery is provided. The rear differential is mounted to the rear underbody structure. The sub-frame is mounted to the rear underbody structure rearward of the rear differential. The traction battery is mounted between the rear underbody structure and the sub-frame. A base portion of the traction battery defines a base portion plane that does not extend through the rear differential. The sub-frame may include at least two reinforcement members each having a ramp-shaped end extending toward the rear differential. The sub-frame may include a rear lateral member and a trailer hitch mount extending rearwardly therefrom. One of the reinforcement members and the trailer hitch mount may be aligned in parallel with a central longitudinal axis defined by the rear underbody structure.

Vehicle Traction Battery Sub-Frame Assembly

A vehicle body includes a longitudinal roof spine and a plurality of roof bows extending laterally from the roof spine to a plurality of pillars that extend upwardly from a lower body structure. The roof bows and pillars are connected by corner connectors that include a plug end that is received in an opening defined at an outer end of the roof bow. The opening is defined in a bottom wall of the outer end of the roof bow and is assembled over and supported by the plug end. The opening in the bottom wall of the roof bow is defined between the two side walls.

Vehicle roof structure corner connector

A roof structure includes a roof support longitudinally extending over a compartment area at a lateral centerline of a vehicle. A plurality of pillars support the roof support and include a transverse leg extending laterally outward from the roof support to a curved section, and a vertical leg extending downward from the curved section to a vehicle beltline. Windows are assembled to a openings that are defined by two pillars, the roof support and the vehicle beltline.

Vehicle roof frame architecture

A hydroform tube includes a first end and a second end. The hydroform tube includes a plurality of sides including a first side and a second side, and a fillet extending from the first side to the second side. The first side, the second side, and the fillet extend from the first end to the second end. The plurality of sides form different shapes at two cross-sections between the first end and the second end. The tube has substantially the same perimeter P at all cross-sections from the first end to the second end. The fillet has a radius R. The radius R is defined by a same formula at all cross-sections from the first end to the second end.

Hydroform tube and method of forming

Various approaches for forming holes onto a sheet-metal assembly are described. In one implementation, a sheet-metal assembly is received through a conveyor system within a manufacturing cell. Once received, the type of sheet-metal assembly is identified based on associated information. Corresponding to the identified sheet-metal assembly, a set of position coordinates corresponding to one or more points on the sheet-metal assembly are obtained. Subsequently, a work-performing apparatus may be used for forming holes onto the sheet-metal assembly, at one or more points on the sheet-metal assembly.

System and method for forming holes onto a sheet-metal assembly

A method of varying vehicle width on a single platform includes providing a plurality of vehicles, where each vehicle includes a side sill extending longitudinally along a lower portion of a vehicle body. The side sill defines a door opening interface on each opposing side of the vehicle body. Each of the plurality of vehicles also includes a floor panel extending laterally across a width of each vehicle. The floor panel is joined at a lateral edge to the side sill. The method also includes maintaining a common lateral position of the joint between the floor panel and the side sill across each of the plurality of vehicles. The method further includes positioning the door opening interface at first lateral position corresponding to a first one of the plurality of vehicles and at a second lateral position corresponding to a second one of the plurality of vehicles.

Variable width platform vehicle body structure and method

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Livonia, MI, United States of America

Jon A Wilcox