The present invention relates to motor-vehicles and has the object of proposing a new type of structure for motor-vehicles which is characterized by a number of relevant advantages, such as a relatively reduced weigh, a reduced number of components and an increase of the torsional rigidity of the structure.

A further object of the invention is that of providing a new motor-vehicle structure which can be manufactured with technologies which require low investments, so as to provide an adequate response even to a market of reduced size.

According to the invention, the above mentioned objects are achieved in that the motor-vehicle has a supporting structure formed by a reticular framework of light alloy, said reticular framework including two side structures each formed by extruded profile elements welded to joining knot elements which have been obtained by casting, said side structures being further connected to each other by cross members which are also formed by extruded profile elements having their ends connected to said side structures by mechanical coupling means.

Although the invention is generally applicable to any type of motor-vehicle, it has been devised by the applicants with particular reference to an electrically-powered car of small size. In this preferred embodiment of the invention, the structure of the motor-vehicle further comprises a floor panel of composite material connected by mechanical coupling means and/or adhesive to said reticular framework, said floor panel including a central longitudinal tunnel¬ like portion which can be used to arrange therebelow

the electric batteries for supplying the electric motor of the motor-vehicle.

Also in the case of said preferred embodiment, the motor-vehicle is of a type having only two side doors and the reticular framework does not include parts which extend rearwardly of the rear beam of each side door.

The above mentioned central longitudinal tunnel- like element of the floor panel may be used as a supporting element for further components, such as the guides supporting the motor-vehicle seats. Furthermore, the structure of the floor panel of composite material may include the electric wires forming part of the motor-vehicle electric system. Finally, one of the cross members forming part of the reticular framework, namely the cross member which connects the lower rear knots of the two above mentioned side structures may be used as a supporting element for a preassembled sub- assembly including the power unit and the rear suspension of the motor-vehicle, which are supported in a cantilever fashion rearwardly of said cross member.

According to the invention, also, the motor-vehicle has a body comprising panels of composite material connected to the said reticular framework, for example by mechanical coupling means (screws or rivets) and/or by adhesive.

According to a further feature of the invention, each side door of the motor-vehicle also has a frame formed by extruded profile elements of light alloy and outer and inner panels of composite material connected to said frame by mechanical coupling means and/or adhesive.

Due to the above indicated features, the motor- vehicle according to the invention achieves a number of important advantages. First of all, the structure is

comprised of an extremely reduced number of components, which renders the assembling and maintenance operations dramatically simpler and cheaper. Even the weigh of the structure is greatly reduced (approximately by 30%) with respect to a conventional structure of a motor- vehicle of the same category, the whole with a relevant increase (approximately by 20%) of the torsional rigidity. The technologies involved for the manufacture require low plant investments, so that the motor- vehicle is particularly suitable even to a production in a relatively reduced quantity.

As indicated above, the motor-vehicle according to the present invention includes a power and suspension preassembled unit which can be first assembled and then mounted with easy and rapid operations on the supporting structure of the motor-vehicle and which can be dismantled with similarly simple operations in order to allow maintenance and registering operations to be carried out on the suspension and the power unit.

In the preferred embodiment, this unit comprises: a supporting cross member, formed by an extruded metal profile which is to be fixed by mechanical coupling means to the supporting structure of the motor-vehicle, a pair of longitudinal arms pivotally connected to the cross member around a common axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cross member, by supports which are fixed to the cross member, said arms having free ends on which respective wheel supports are rotatably mounted, a power unit, supported in a cantilever fashion by the cross member through a supporting beam fixed to the cross member, and including two axle shafts connected to said wheel supports to transfer thereto the torque generated by the power unit, and

a pair of suspension members each comprising a damping cylinder and a helical spring respectively interposed between the two longitudinal arms and two respective supports fixed to the cross member.

In the case of an application to an electrically- powered vehicle, said power unit is formed by an electric motor and a gear reducing unit.

According to a further feature of said preferred embodiment, the supports to which the longitudinal arms are pivotally mounted, the beam supporting the power unit and the supports for the suspension members are fixed to the cross member by screws. Furthermore, the cross member itself is to be fixed at its ends to the supporting structure of the motor-vehicle by screws.

Again with reference to said preferred embodiment, the supporting cross member is an extruded profile of light alloy which connects to each other the two rear lower knots of the two side frame structures forming part of the supporting structure of the motor-vehicle.

As indicated above, the motor-vehicle according to the invention comprises a floor panel having a structure of composite plastic material and a plurality of electric wires embedded within the structure of composite plastic material.

In the case of application to an electrically- powered vehicle, said electric wires which are embedded within the floor panel are used for connecting the electric supply batteries which are on board of the motor-vehicle to the electric motor with which the motor-vehicle is provided, as well as to the further control devices of the electric system of the motor- vehicle.

Due to the above indicated features, the floor panel according to the invention greatly simplifies the manufacturing operations.

According to a further preferred feature, said electric wires have terminals connected to electric connectors which are also embedded within the structure of the floor panel and project at least partially from the surface of the floor panel to be connected to the various devices of the electric system.

In said preferred embodiment, the floor panel has a sandwich-like structure, comprising a core of foamed polyurethane material coated on its two opposite sides with a layer of preformed strengthening material, the whole within a matrix of a thermo-setting polyester resin.

Finally, a further aspect of the present invention relates to the problem of supporting and guiding the motor-vehicle seats.

According to the conventional art, each front seat has a frame which is supported by the motor-vehicle floor panel by guide means for adjusting the position of the seat along the longitudinal direction of the motor-vehicle, the guide means including a pair of parallel rails fixed to the floor panel, on which there are slidably mounted guide skids associated with the seat.

In the case of a front seat of a motor-vehicle, the above mentioned guide rails are conventionally arranged on the horizontal portion of the floor panel located below the seat and therefore occupy a space which cannot be used for other purposes, render the position of the passengers on the rear seat less comfortable, since they cannot insert their feet in this space and finally, in two-door cars, they create an obstacle for passengers getting on and off the rear seat. Cars have been provided which have guide rails fixed on the two sides of the seat to two vertical side walls of the floor panel which limit laterally the space of the

floor panel on which the seat is mounted. However this solution is not fully satisfactory, since the side of the seat facing outwardly of the motor-vehicle is anyway connected to the respective guide rail preventing thereby the access from one side to the space under the seat.

The motor-vehicle according to the present invention comprises a device for supporting and guiding the seat which on one hand is extremely simple and reliable and on the other hand overcomes all the above mentioned drawbacks.

According to the invention, this result is achieved due to the combination of the following features: the floor panel of the motor-vehicle has a central longitudinal tunnel-like portion, the frame of the seat is supported on said floor panel with the interposition of an auxiliary supporting structure, the auxiliary supporting structure is supported in a cantilever fashion by a substantially vertical side wall of said longitudinal tunnel-like element, by means of guide rails fixed to said vertical wall along two longitudinal parallel directions, spaced apart from each other vertically and engaged by guide skids fixed to the auxiliary supporting structure, the seat frame is mounted above said auxiliary supporting structure.

Due to said features, the space under the seat is completely free and hence can be used both for placing an object in it, and for the feet of the passengers seated on the rear seat. The auxiliary supporting structure carrying the seat frame is supported in a cantilever fashion by the tunnel-like portion of the floor panel, so that on the side of the seat facing outwardly of the motor-vehicle, the space under the

seat is fully opened and accessible. In the case of a two-door motor-vehicle, the passengers getting on and off the rear seat do not find any obstacle on the floor panel.

In a first embodiment, the seat frame is rigidly connected to said auxiliary supporting structure, which for example can be made of light alloy, preferably of a magnesium alloy.

In a further embodiment, the seat frame is mounted on said auxiliary supporting structure so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis. The seat can be rotated laterally towards the outside of the motor- vehicle to make easier getting on and off the vehicle. According to a further preferred feature, the seat frame is mounted on said auxiliary supporting structure by further guide means which enable said frame to be displaced laterally outwardly of the vehicle to render the operation of getting on and off the vehicle easier.

The invention is naturally applicable to any type of motor-vehicle. However, as already indicated above, the applicants have devised the invention with particular reference to an electrically-powered car of small size, in which the above mentioned longitudinal tunnel-like element of the floor panel, which supports and guides the seat is also exploited to receive thereunder the electric supply batteries of the car.

Naturally, also, the device for supporting the seat which has been described above is applicable both to the driver seat and to the front passenger seat, and also to rear seats (for instance in a motor-vehicle of great size with rear seats which are longitudinally adjustable) .

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows

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with reference to the annexed drawings, given purely by way of non limiting example, in which: figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the motor-vehicle according to the invention, figure 2 is a perspective view at an enlarged scale of the supporting structure of the motor-vehicle of figure 1, figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the structure of figure 2, figure 4 is an exploded perspective view at an enlarged scale of a side door of the motor-vehicle of figure 1, figure 5 is a perspective view which shows the supporting structure of the motor-vehicle of figure 1, with the preasse bled power and suspension unit, figure 6 is perspective exploded view of the unit shown in figure 5, figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a detail of figure 6, figure 9 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the floor panel of the motor-vehicle according to the invention, figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along line X-X of figure 9, figure 11 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the floor panel of the motor-vehicle, with a part of the device for guiding and supporting the seats mounted thereon, figure 12 is a plan diagrammatic view of the passenger compartment of the motor-vehicle of figure 11, and figure 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XIII-XIII of figure 12.

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Figure 1 shows an electrically-powered car of small size, for which the applicants have devised a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it is clearly apparent that the invention is generally applicable to any type of motor-vehicle structure. In figure 1, reference numeral 1 generally designates the electrically powered car, which has a supporting structure generally designated by 2 in figure 2. Structure 2 is made of light alloy and comprises (see also figure 3) two side structures 3 each formed by extruded profile element 4 connected by welding to knot elements 5 of light alloy which have been obtained by casting. The two side structures 3 are connected to each other by cross members 6, 7, 8, 9 which also are formed by extruded profile elements of light alloy, which have their ends connected to the side structures 3 by mechanical coupling means, such as screws, and if necessary also by adhesive. As shown in figures 2, 3, the reticular framework 2 is formed by a reduced number of parts and does not include elements which extend rearwardly of the rear beams of the side doors and rearwardly of the cross member 6 which connects the lower ends of these beams. This cross member is also used, as will be described hereinafter, has a supporting element for a sub-assembly which includes the power unit and the rear suspension of the motor- vehicle.

As also shown in figures 2, 3, the reticular structure 2 is connected by mechanical coupling means (screws or rivets) and adhesive to a floor panel 10, preferably made of composite material, including a central longitudinal tunnel-like portion 11 which is used to receive thereunder electric batteries 12 carried by a tray-shaped element 13, these batteries serving for supplying the electric motor with which the

motor-vehicle is provided. The floor panel of composite material is preferably made embedding therein the electric wires forming part of the electric system, as also shown hereinafter. Furthermore, said central longitudinal tunnel-like portion 11 may be used also as a supporting element for further components, such as particularly the guides of the front seats, which are supported in a cantilever fashion by said central longitudinal tunnel-like portion so as to leave the space under each seat easily accessible also laterally from outside, as also will be described hereinafter.

The body of the motor-vehicle comprises panels of composite material 14, some of which are shown in the drawings, which are connected by mechanical coupling means (screws or rivets) and/or adhesive to the reticular structure 2.

Figure 4 shows the structure of a side door of the motor-vehicle which also includes a frame of light alloy 15 formed by extruded and bent profile elements made of light alloy and an outer panel 16 and inner panel 17 of composite material which are connected, e.g. by screws and/or adhesive, to frame 15. Frame 15 may be used to support the weather strips guiding the window pane, the sealing strips, the conventional anti- intrusion bar and the door lock and the door hinges. The inner panel 17 of polymeric composite material is adapted to support the mechanisms for driving the pane and opening the door, as well as the inner upholstery. This configuration has relevant advantages with respect to reduced weigh, reduced number of components, low cost of production, easy integration of the accessories within the components of composite material, and easy manufacture of the outer and inner shapes even if very complicated. The use of panels of plastic material, finally, eliminates the corrosion problems.

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With reference to figures 5-7, cross member 6 is used for supporting a preassembled power and rear suspension unit of the motor-vehicle. The supporting cross member 6 has slots 6a with a T-shaped cross section which receive the heads of screws for fixing the ends of the cross member 6 to the supporting structure 2, as well as for fixing of the further components of the power and rear suspension unit, which is generally designated by reference numeral 18. Cross member 6 is further provided with two end covering plates 6b (figure 6). The unit 18 further includes two longitudinal arms 19, forming part of the rear suspension of the motor-vehicle, each having at one end two legs 19a each ending with a fork 20 for articulation of the supporting cross member 6 around a common articulation axis 21 (figure 5) parallel to the longitudinal direction of cross member 6, i.e. transverse relative to the longitudinal direction of the motor-vehicle. Forks 20 are articulated to cross member 6 by articulation supports 22 which are screwed to the cross member 6.

Arms 19 have free ends which rotatably support respective wheel supports 23.

Reference numeral 24 generally designates the power unit which, in the illustrated example, comprises an electric motor 25 and a reducing gear unit 26 from which two axle shafts 27 project which are connected by conventional universal joints to the wheel supports 23 so as to transmit the torque generated by the power unit 24 to the wheels. This unit is fixed to a supporting beam 28 which on its turn is screwed to the supporting cross member 6, so that the power unit 24 is supported in a cantilever fashion by cross member 6, rearwardly of the latter, with reference to the direction of movement of the motor-vehicle, indicated

by arrow A in figure 5. The rear suspension further includes two suspension members 29 each comprising a damping cylinder 30 and a helical spring 31. Each of these members is interposed between a support 32 carried by the respective arm 19 and a support 33 screwed to the supporting beam 6.

As it is clearly apparent from the foregoing description, the whole unit 18 can be preassembled and then mounted with a single operation onto the supporting structure of the motor-vehicle, in a simple and rapid way. Similarly, it can be dismantled to allow maintenance or registering operations.

Naturally, the use of a modular unit of the type described above also enables the production to be rationalized, for example by adopting the same module for vehicles of different size. As already indicated, the only connection of the unit to the supporting structure of the vehicle is represented by the mechanical coupling means at the ends of the supporting cross member 6, which renders the assembling and dismantling operations extremely simple and rapid. Although, as already indicated, the invention is applicable to any type of motor-vehicle, its application to the car which has been described in the foregoing gives raise to further advantages, due to the extremely simple and hence cheap configuration of the supporting structure of the vehicle.

With reference to figures 9, 10, the floor panel 10 of the motor-vehicle has a sandwich-like structure (figure 10) comprising a core 34 of foamed plastic material, preferably polyurethane material, coated on its two opposite sides with a preformed layer 35 of fibre glass. To obtain this sandwich-like structure, there is provided a mould having a configuration corresponding to the floor panel to be obtained on

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which a first preformed layer 35 is deposited, followed by the preformed polyurethane foam 34 and the second layer 35. The mould is closed and a thermosetting polyester resin is injected, such as resin "Aropol 7343" by Ashland Chemical Inc. Inside the mould metal inserts 13 are provided each comprising a tubular cylindrical body 37 whose axis 38 is orthogonal the plane of the floor panel and extends throughout the whole thickness of the floor panel, with two end disks 39, 40. The tubular body 37 has a cylindrical hole for engagement of screws for fixing further elements (not shown) to the floor panel.

According to the invention, during the manufacturing process of the floor panel, inside the mould there are also provided the electric wires which are to connect the electric supply batteries to the electric motor of the car, as well as the various control devices with which the car is provided. This electric wires, designated in figure 9 by reference numeral 42, preferably have no insulating sheath, since this function is fulfilled by the structure itself of the floor panel. As shown in figure 2, the terminals of the various electric wires project out of the floor panel, to be connected to respective connectors. However, it is naturally possible that also these connectors, to which the terminals of electric wires 42 are connected, be embedded within the floor panel.

With reference to figures 11-13, the floor panel 10 of the motor-vehicle has a central longitudinal tunnel¬ like portion 11 comprising a substantially horizontal upper wall 43 and two substantially vertical side walls 44.

The embodiment which is illustrated herein refers to a car with only two side doors, having two front seats 45, 47 and two rear seats 48. Each of the two

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front seats 45, 47 is mounted on an auxiliary supporting structure 49, preferably made of magnesium alloy, which is supported in a cantilever fashion by the respective side wall 44 of the longitudinal central tunnel-like portion 11 of the floor panel 10 of the motor-vehicle. On each side wall 44 there are fixed two guide rails 50, 51 (figure 13) arranged along two longitudinal parallel directions which are spaced apart from each other vertically. On these guide rails 50, 51 there are slidably mounted cooperating guide skids which are associated with the auxiliary supporting structure 49, so as to render the position of the seat with respect to the floor panel 10 of the motor-vehicle adjustable along the longitudinal direction of the motor-vehicle.

The details of construction of the guide rails 50, 51 and the respective skids are not shown herein, since these details may be made in any known way and do not fall, taken alone, within the scope of the present invention. The same applies to the device for locking the seat in the selected longitudinal position, which also can be provided in any known way. Also in this case, therefore, these details have not been shown, since they do not fall within the scope of the invention and their deletion from the drawings renders the latter easier to understand. As it is clearly apparent from figures 11, 13, due to the above described arrangement, the space under the seat is completely free both for placing objects in it and for inserting the feet by the passengers seated on the rear seat. When the front seats are in their forward most position with the backrest tilted forwardly, to enable the passengers to get on and off the rear seats, the floor panel does not present any obstacle to the passengers. Furthermore, the portion of the floor panel

under the seat is completely relieved from loads and stresses. Finally, since the auxiliary supporting structure 7 is mounted in a cantilever fashion on tunnel 3, the space under the seat is completely opened on its side facing outwardly of the motor-vehicle so as to be easily accessible also laterally.

According to further preferred (although not essential) features, the seat 45 has its frame mounted on the auxiliary supporting structure 49 so as to be rotatable around a vertical axis 46, to allow a 90° rotation of the seat outwardly of the motor-vehicle so as to make easier for the passenger to get on and off. In a possible variant, the seat frame is further mounted on the auxiliary supporting structure 49 with the interposition of guide means which allow the seat to be displaced laterally outwardly to make further easy for the passenger to get on and off the seat.

As it is clearly apparent from the foregoing description, the device according to the invention for supporting and guiding the front seats can be provided in a simple and unexpensive way, is reliable in operation and solves efficiently all the drawbacks of the prior art which have been described.

Naturally, while the principle of the invention remains the same, the details of construction and the embodiments may widely vary with respect to what has been described and illustrated purely by way of example, without departing from the scope of the present invention.