Patent ID: 6128815
Filing Date: 2000-10-10
Classification: B62D,Y10T

Abstract:
A process for forming a bed assembly for a vehicle, comprising the steps of:providing a wide and horizontally elongate continuous flat sheet of thin metal supplied as a continuous coil;roll forming said continuous flat metal sheet as unwound from said coil to define a plurality of generally parallel, sidewardly-spaced, channel-like stiffening ribs therein with said stiffening ribs extending lengthwise of the formed metal sheet and then transversely cutting the formed sheet to define a monolithic one-piece load bearing vehicle floor pan, said stiffening ribs being disposed in parallel and sidewardly-spaced relation so as to extend generally across the entire width of the metal sheet between opposite longitudinally-extending side edges thereof;thereafter forming a pair of wheelwell openings in said floor pan so that said openings project vertically through the floor pan and open inwardly in generally opposed relation from said opposite side edges, said wheelwell openings projecting inwardly so as to transversely intersect at least one of said channel-like stiffening ribs; andthen fixedly securing said floor pan to at least one support sill which is disposed under and supportingly engaged with a bottom side of said floor pan.