[001] The present subject matter described herein, relates to a rear portion body structure of vehicle and, in particularly, to a joint portion of rear floor panel and rear wheel house. More particularly, to rear floor body structure to strengthen the joint portion of the rear floor panel and the rear wheel house to damp vertical loads of rear suspension.
BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART:
[002] In automobile, rear wheel house portions are provided in rear portion of vehicle to cover the wheel and to accommodate coil spring and rear suspension to damp the vertical motion of the vehicle at rear side. The rear wheel house is provided at left and right side of the vehicle in vehicle width direction. Further, the rear floor panel is provided in between the rear wheel houses to define the boot or luggage area.
[003] Technical problem: due to the vertical loads which are transferred from the coil spring to the rear shock tower, there is gap opening between the rear floor panel and rear wheel house joining.
[004] Generally, the rear floor panel has a support cross member in vehicle width direction to deal with torsional loads and to damp vertical loads of the rear suspension. Damping of vertical loads is major problem in the rear floor panel where transverse cross support member is absent. A gap is created in between the rear floor panel and the rear wheel house joining due to the rear suspension loads.
[005] Therefore, there is a need in the art to modify the joining of the rear floor panel and the rear wheel house to increase structural rigidity of the joining.
[006] In view of the above, it is beneficial to have a reinforcement in between the rear floor panel and the rear wheel house which improves structural integrity and rigidity of the region, as explained in the present invention.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION:
[007] The principal object of the present invention is to provide a gusset in rear floor body structure of vehicle to increase structural rigidity.
[008] Another object of the present subject matter is to provide a hat shaped cross section gusset/reinforcement in between rear floor panel and rear wheel house to increase structural rigidity.
[009] Another object of the present subject matter is to modify the rear floor panel to have a C shaped stepped profile along vehicle length direction at joinery of the rear floor panel and the rear wheel house to increase structural rigidity of the rear floor panel in the local region.
[0010] Another object of the present subject matter is to provide a gusset in the rear floor panel having no support cross member along vehicle width direction to increase structural rigidity of the rear wheel house.
[0011] Another object of the present subject matter is to provide a gusset which is cost efficient and easy to manufacture and provides structural rigidity at the joint of the rear floor panel and the rear wheel house.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
[0012] The present subject matter disclosed herein relates to a rear floor body structure for damping vertical load transmitted through rear suspension. The rear floor body structure includes rear wheel houses at both sides, i.e. left side and right side of vehicle in vehicle width direction. Each rear wheel house has a suspension mounting location to receive the suspension loads. Further, rear floor body structure has a rear floor panel which is provided in between the two rear wheel houses. The rear floor panel along with a rear long member is joined with the rear wheel houses at both sides by spot welding means or any other known means. Furthermore, gussets are provided in between the rear floor panel and the rear wheel houses to increase the structural rigidity of the joint. Each gusset is provided inside rear long member and at an intersection of the rear floor panel and the rear wheel houses which is vertically below the rear suspension mounting

location to absorb the vertical loads of the rear suspension. Further, each gusset is attached with inner side of the rear floor panel and side wall of the rear wheel house by joining means.
[0013] To further understand the characteristics and technical contents of the present subject matter, a description relating thereto will be made with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the drawings are illustrative only but not used to limit scope of the present subject matter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of the present subject matter and are therefore not to be considered for limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. The detailed description is described with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a reference number identifies the figure in which the reference number first appears. The same numbers are used throughout the figures to reference like features and components. Some embodiments of system or methods in accordance with embodiments of the present subject matter are now described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
[0015] Fig. 1 illustrates rear floor body structure, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter;
[0016] Fig. 2 illustrates structure of gusset with U shaped section along vehicle length direction, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter;
[0017] Fig. 3 illustrates hat shaped cross section of the gusset in vehicle width direction, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter; and
[0018] Fig. 4 illustrates rear floor panel with C-shaped stepped profile to increase structural rigidity of the joint between the rear floor panel and the rear wheel house, in accordance with an embodiment of the present subject matter.
[0019] The figures depict embodiments of the present subject matter for the purposes of illustration only. A person skilled in the art will easily recognize from

the following description that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:
[0020] It should be noted that the description and figures merely illustrate the principles of the present subject matter. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present subject matter. It should also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that by devising various arrangements that, although not explicitly described or shown herein, embody the principles of the present subject matter and are included within its scope. Furthermore, all examples recited herein are principally intended expressly to be for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the principles of the present subject matter and the concepts contributed by the inventor(s) to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the present subject matter, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures.
[0021] These and other advantages of the present subject matter would be described in greater detail with reference to the following figures. It should be noted that the description merely illustrates the principles of the present subject matter. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described herein, embody the principles of the present subject matter and are included within its scope.
[0022] In the drawings, an arrow LD indicates the vehicle length direction, arrow UD indicates the vehicle upward direction, and arrow WD indicates the vehicle width direction.

[0023] Referring to figure 1 which illustrates rear floor body structure 100 of the vehicle. The rear floor body structure 100 includes two rear wheel houses 101, on left side and right side along the vehicle width and a rear floor panel 102. The rear floor panel 102 is provided in between the left side rear wheel house 101 and the
5 right side rear wheel house 101 along vehicle length direction LD. To avoid ambiguity, single wheel house or one side structure is explained which is like other side structure. The rear wheel house 101 has rear suspension mounting location 101a which is reinforced by other known reinforcements. The rear wheel house 101 may be single piece structure or multi-piece structure. The rear
10 suspension mounting location 101a has a hole to permit attachment of the damper. On both sides, the rear wheel house 101 is spot welded with the rear floor panel 102 of the vehicle along vehicle length direction LD.
[0024] In an embodiment, a gusset 103 is provided in between the rear floor panel
102 and the rear wheel house 101 at both sides. The gusset 103 act as a
15 reinforcement to increase structural rigidity of the joint of rear floor panel 102 and
the rear wheel house 101. The gusset 103 is provided inside rear long member 104 and at the intersection of the rear floor panel 102 and the rear wheel house 101 which is vertically below the rear suspension mounting location 101a. The gusset
103 covers complete area below the rear suspension mounting location 101a along
20 vehicle length direction LD. At both sides, the gusset 103 is joined or spot welded
with inner side of the rear floor panel 102 and side wall 101b of the rear wheel house 101 and rear long member 104 of rear floor structure. The gusset 103 is disposed inside rear long member 104 and under rear floor panel 102 of vehicle. The rear long member 104 extends along vehicle length direction LD. The rear 25 long member 104 has U shaped section. The gusset 103 is spot welded with the inner surface of the rear floor panel 102 and the side wall of the rear wheel house 101 and rear long member 104.
[0025] Referring to figures 2 and 3, structure of the gusset 103 is described. The
gusset 103 is in U shaped section along vehicle length direction LD and has a hat
30 shaped cross section as shown in figure 3. The gusset 103 with U shaped section
6

provides effective structural stiffness. The gusset 103 has a base 103a from which two side walls 103b and 103c extend in vertical upward direction UD and a flange 103d extend from the side wall 103b towards the vehicle width direction WD. The gusset 103 has been formed by embossing a sheet metal section into a hat-shaped 5 cross section. Further, the flange 103d provided on the opening side (see FIG. 2) is attached to the inner surface of the rear floor panel 102 by spot welding. Further, the side wall 103c is attached with the side wall 101b of the rear wheel house 101 and rear long member 104. The gusset 103 is made of sheet metal having same or more thickness than the sheet metal of the rear floor panel 102.
10 [0026] Referring to figure 4 which describes the structure of rear floor panel 102. The rear floor panel 102 has optimized shape and configuration to avoid need of support cross member along vehicle width direction WD which joins right side rear wheel house with the left side rear wheel house to cater to torsional loads. The stiffness of the rear floor panel 102 caters applied torsional loads. The rear 15 floor panel 102 has a C shaped stepped profile 102b at both sides along vehicle length direction LD to provide structural rigidity to the joint of the rear floor panel 102 and the rear wheel house 101. The C shaped stepped profiles 102b are provided vertically below the rear suspension mounting location 101a at intersection of the rear floor panel 102 and the rear wheel house 101 where the 20 gusset 103 is provided. The gusset 103 joins with the C shaped depressed profile 102b to form a closed section for structural rigidity. The gusset 103 joins the C shaped depressed profile 102b of the rear floor panel 102 with the rear wheel house 101 and rear long member 104. The gusset 103 is provided beneath the rear floor panel 102 to act as a reinforcement between the C shaped depressed profile 25 102b and the rear wheel house 101. The gusset 103 may or may not cover the complete C shaped depressed profile 102b of the rear floor panel 102. The C shaped depressed profile 102b is attached with the rear wheel house 101 by the gusset 103 in between to avoid opening up of rear floor in the joinery area between the rear floor panel 102 and rear wheel house 101 and to achieve three-30 layer spot welding with rear wheel house 101 and rear long member 104. The arrangement of the C shaped stepped profile 102b and the gusset 103 inside the
7

rear long member 104 vertically below the rear suspension mounting location 101a provides sufficient strength and rigidity to the joinery area to cater to vertical loads.
[0027] The term “vehicle” or “automobile” as used throughout this detailed 5 description and in the claims refers to any moving vehicle that is capable of carrying one or more human occupants or goods and is powered by any form of energy. The term “vehicle” is a motor vehicle which includes, but is not limited to: cars, trucks, vans, minivans, hatchback, sedan, MUVs, and SUVs.
[0028] It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used
10 herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within
15 the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such
20 phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should
25 typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two
30 recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or
8

two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include
5 but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). In those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, etc.” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least
10 one of A, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to
15 contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”
[0029] It will be further appreciated that functions or structures of a plurality of components or steps may be combined into a single component or step, or the
20 functions or structures of one-step or component may be split among plural steps or components. The present invention contemplates all of these combinations. Unless stated otherwise, dimensions and geometries of the various structures depicted herein are not intended to be restrictive of the invention, and other dimensions or geometries are possible. In addition, while a feature of the present
25 invention may have been described in the context of only one of the illustrated embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of other embodiments, for any given application. It will also be appreciated from the above that the fabrication of the unique structures herein and the operation thereof also constitute methods in accordance with the present invention. The present
30 invention also encompasses intermediate and end products resulting from the practice of the methods herein. The use of “comprising” or “including” also
9

contemplates embodiments that "consist essentially of or "consist of the recited feature.
[0030] Although embodiments for the present subject matter have been described in language specific to structural features, it is to be understood that the present subject matter is not necessarily limited to the specific features described. Rather, the specific features and methods are disclosed as embodiments for the present subject matter. Numerous modifications and adaptations of the system/component of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and thus it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and adaptations which fall within the scope of the present subject matter.

We claim:

A rear floor body structure (100) for damping vertical load applied through
rear suspension, the rear floor body structure (100) comprising:
rear wheel houses (101) provided at both sides of vehicle in vehicle width direction (WD), wherein each rear wheel house (101) has a rear suspension mounting location (101a) to receive the damper;
a rear floor panel (102) provided in between the rear wheel houses (101) in vehicle length direction (LD), wherein the rear floor panel (102) along with a rear long member (104) is joined with the rear wheel houses
(101) at both sides;
characterized in that
gussets (103) provided in between the rear floor panel (102) and the rear wheel houses (101), each gusset (103) provided inside the rear long member (104) and at the intersection of the rear floor panel (102) and the rear wheel house (101) which is vertically below the rear suspension mounting location (101a); and
each gusset (103) is attached with inner side of the rear floor panel
(102) and side wall (101b) of the rear wheel house (101) and the rear
long member (104).
2. The rear floor body structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein a C-shaped stepped profile (102b) is provided on the rear floor panel (102) along the vehicle length direction (LD) at the intersection of the rear floor panel (102) and the rear wheel house (101) at both sides.
3. The rear floor body structure (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein each gusset (103) joins the inner side of the C-shaped stepped profile (102b) of the rear floor panel (102) with the rear wheel house (101) and the rear long member (104).
4. The rear floor body structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each gusset (103) has a U-shaped profile and hat shaped cross section.

5. The rear floor body structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each
gusset (103) has:
a base (103a) from which two side walls (103b, 103c) extend in vertical upward direction (UD); and
a flange (103d) extending from the side wall (103b) towards the vehicle width direction (WD).
6. The rear floor body structure (100) as claimed in claim 5, wherein the flange (103d) of each gusset (103) is attached with the inner side of the rear floor panel (102) and the side wall (103c) of each gusset (103) is attached with side wall (101b) of the rear wheel house (101) and rear long member (104).
7. The rear floor body structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each gusset (103) is spot welded with the rear floor panel (102) and the rear wheel house (101) and rear long member (104).
8. The rear floor body structure (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein each gusset (103) is provided along the vehicle length direction (LD).