The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 03, 2001
Filed:
Aug. 17, 1998
Manfred Carl Rumpel, Bloomfield Hills, MI (US);
Daniel Foster Nagelhout, Plymouth, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, Inc., Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A method of manufacturing a rear structure of a motor vehicle for multiple body configurations reduces the costs and complexity in the assembly plant by eliminating separate lines heretofore required to manufacture such various body configurations. The method includes providing common right and left rear rail members (,), a floor pan (,) extending between the right and left rear rail members and being attached thereto forming a floor assembly. Providing right and left first wheelhouse inner members (,) when the vehicle is of the first configuration, or right and left second wheelhouse inner members (,) when the vehicle is of the second configuration, both first and second wheelhouse inner members each having a common flanges for attaching to the floor assembly.