Integrated vehicle body weight(s)

A vehicle having a power-source configured to propel the vehicle via power-source torque, a driven wheel configured to receive the power-source torque, and a vehicle body structure. The vehicle body structure includes a wheelhouse configured to extend over the driven wheel and also defines a locating feature. The vehicle further includes an integrated weight element configured to engage the locating feature and a fastener configured to fix the integrated weight element to the vehicle body structure either proximate to or directly to the wheelhouse. The vehicle can be configured as a truck, wherein the vehicle body structure includes a truck bed incorporating the wheelhouse and the integrated weight element.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure is drawn to weight(s) integrated into a motor vehicle body.

BACKGROUND

Motor vehicles can come in a variety of configurations. For example, an automobile is a motor vehicle focused primarily on transporting passengers, while a truck is a motor vehicle specifically designed for transporting cargo, such as materials and equipment. Such vehicles can be front-, rear-, or all-wheel-drive. Traction of the vehicle's drive wheels is significantly influenced by the amount of weight acting thereon. Additionally, drive wheel traction can be reduced on loose surfaces and during inclement weather.

SUMMARY

A vehicle includes a power-source configured to propel the vehicle via power-source torque, a driven wheel configured to receive the power-source torque, and a vehicle body structure. The vehicle body structure includes a wheelhouse configured to extend over the driven wheel and also defines a locating feature. The vehicle further includes an integrated weight element configured to engage the locating feature and a fastener configured to fix the integrated weight element to the vehicle body structure either proximate to or directly to the wheelhouse. Accordingly, the integrated weight element can be fixed directly to the wheelhouse or any side or floor structure of the vehicle.

The vehicle body structure may define a storage compartment, such that the wheelhouse is arranged inside the storage compartment. In such a case, the locating feature can be a plurality of apertures defined by the storage compartment, and the integrated weight element can include a plurality of projections configured to match up to and engage the plurality of apertures.

The integrated weight element can include a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is arranged perpendicular to the second surface. Furthermore, each of the plurality of projections can extend from the first surface along the second surface.

The integrated weight element can define a weight element aperture arranged perpendicular to the second surface and configured to accept the fastener, such that the fastener extends through the aperture to engage the wheelhouse.

The fastener can include a handle configured to be grasped and turned by an operator to selectively install the fastener and thereby fix the integrated weight element to the wheelhouse, and remove the fastener to disengage the integrated weight element from the wheelhouse.

The wheelhouse can include a receptacle configured to be threadably engaged by the fastener.

The wheelhouse can include a surface facing the driven wheel. In such a case, the receptacle can be configured as a weld-nut fixed to the surface of the wheelhouse facing the driven wheel.

The integrated weight element can include a weighted core and an external casing configured to envelop the core. The core can be constructed from metal and the external casing can be constructed from a non-metal material.

The vehicle can be configured as a truck. In such a case, the vehicle body structure can include a truck bed having a side-wall and a floor. Furthermore, the wheelhouse can be formed partially into the side-wall and partially into the floor.

The locating feature can be defined by the side-wall of the truck bed.

Another embodiment of the disclosure is directed to a weight element assembly configured to engage a locating feature on a vehicle body structure. The weight element assembly includes a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface is arranged perpendicular to the second surface. The weight element assembly also includes a projection extending from the first surface along the second surface and configured to match up to and engage the locating feature. The weight element assembly additionally includes a fastener configured to fix the integrated weight element to the vehicle body structure. The weight element assembly further includes a weight element aperture arranged perpendicular to the second surface and configured to accept the fastener, and a slidable interlock configured to capture the fastener within the aperture.

The slidable interlock can include a feature on the fastener, such as an increased diameter section or an integral ring on the fastener shaft, configured to be captured by an interconnecting element on the weight element, such as a stepped portion of the weight element aperture.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference numbers refer to like components,FIG. 1shows a vehicle10depicted as a truck. The vehicle10includes a vehicle body structure12. The vehicle body structure12defines a passenger compartment14and a storage compartment16. As shown inFIG. 1, the passenger compartment14is depicted as a truck cab, while the storage compartment16is configured as a truck bed that is generally adapted to carry bulky cargo.

As understood by those skilled in the art, in general, a truck is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically and dimensionally similar to an automobile. Commercial trucks, on the other hand, can be significantly larger and more powerful than their light truck counterparts, and may be configured to mount specialized equipment, such as in the case of fire trucks and concrete mixers and suction excavators. A truck, such as disclosed inFIG. 1, is typically a light duty truck having an enclosed cab and an open cargo area with low sides and tailgate. Although the vehicle10is specifically illustrated and described as a truck, nothing precludes the vehicle10from being configured as an automobile, i.e., primarily designed to transport passengers, or any other road-going wheeled vehicle.

A longitudinal axis17extends through the passenger compartment14and the storage compartment16. As shown inFIG. 1, the storage compartment16is enclosed on four sides. Specifically, the storage compartment16includes a plurality of generally vertical perimeter walls, shown as a first or left side-wall18and a second or right side-wall20. The first wall18is arranged on one side of the axis17and is configured as a left side-wall of the bed, while the second wall20is arranged on the other side of the axis, and is therefore configured as a right side-wall. The storage compartment16also includes a third side-wall or front wall22, a fourth side-wall or tail-gate24, and a floor26. The left side-wall18and the right side-wall20are arranged substantially parallel to each other, similar to the arrangement of the front wall22relative to the tail-gate24. The side-walls18,20, the front wall24, and the floor26together at least partially define a cargo area28. As shown inFIG. 1, the tailgate24may be pivotably connected to the side-walls18and20for ease of loading and unloading the cargo area28.

The vehicle10also includes a power-source30configured to propel the vehicle via power-source torque T. The power-source30can be an internal combustion engine, an electric motor-generator, or a combination thereof acting through a transmission32to deliver the power-source torque T to one or more driven wheels34A. The driven wheels34A are configured to receive and apply the power-source torque T to a road surface36at a frictional interface38therewith, as shown inFIG. 2. The storage compartment16is arranged over the driven wheels34A. As shown, the vehicle10is rear-wheel-drive, in other words, the driven wheels34A are arranged under the storage compartment16. The storage compartment16includes a wheelhouse40configured to extend over each of the driven wheels34A. Each wheelhouse40includes a surface40-1facing the driven wheel34A, and also includes an opposite surface40-2facing the cargo area28. As can be seen fromFIGS. 1 and 2, each wheelhouse40is arranged inside the storage compartment16such that the wheelhouse extends into the cargo area28and permits the respective driven wheels34A to remain generally within confines of the vehicle body structure12. As additionally shown, the wheelhouse40can be formed partially into one of the side-walls18,20and partially into the floor26.

In a typical rear-wheel drive truck, when the truck is not laden, a majority of the pickup's weight resides over non-driven wheels34B that are arranged proximate the power-source30and generally ahead of the passenger compartment14. Accordingly, in the event the road surface36at the frictional interface38is soft and/or slippery, traction at the driven rear wheels34A may be reduced. To facilitate enhanced traction in such conditions, the vehicle10also includes an integrated, removable weight element42. Within the meaning of the present disclosure, the term “integrated” generally denotes a weight element having dedicated feature(s) provided to engage specifically configured features of the vehicle body structure12to thereby position and fix the weight element in place.

As shown inFIG. 3, the weight element42has a first surface46and a second surface48, wherein the first surface46is arranged perpendicular to the second surface48. The weight element42can also include a plurality of projections50-1and50-2, wherein each of the projections extends from the first surface46along the second surface48. The weight element42can include a weighted core42-1and an external protective casing42-2configured to envelop and shield the core from external elements. For example, the weighted core42-1can be metal, sand, stone, water, etc., while the protective casing42-2can be a container type of structure configured to receive the weighted core. The protective casing42-2can be constructed from a non-metal material such as plastic to, for example, forestall corrosion of a metal weighted core. The weight element42can have any specific weight deemed optimum for the specific vehicle10, and can also have any particular dimensions for most effective packaging in the cargo area28such that the majority of the space therein remains available for carrying cargo items. The vehicle10can be provided with a plurality of weight elements42, such as one or more weight elements per each respective wheelhouse40.

According to the disclosure, the weight element42is configured to engage a locating feature52defined by the storage compartment16. The locating feature52can be configured as a plurality of apertures, such as the two apertures52-1and52-2defined by either the left side-wall18or the right side-wall20shown inFIG. 3. In such an embodiment, the projections50-1and50-2of the weight element42can be configured to match up to and engage the apertures52-1and52-2, respectively, to thereby position the weight element with respect to the storage compartment16. As shown inFIGS. 1, 2, and4, a fastener54is employed to fix the weight element42to the body structure12. The weight element42defines a weight element aperture56arranged perpendicular to the second surface48.

As shown inFIG. 4, a slidable interlock57can be used between the fastener54and the weight element42to capture the fastener within the aperture56. As shown, the slidable interlock57can include a fastener feature54-1, such as an increased diameter section or a fixed ring on the shaft of the fastener54, for being captured by an interconnecting element42-3, such as a step in the structure of the weight element42at the weight element aperture56. Such a cooperating structure can maintain contact between the fastener54and the weight element42, while providing the fastener with the ability to slide relative to the second surface48. The weight element aperture56may also include a lead-in chamfer56-1configured to permit the fastener feature54-1to be more effectively aligned with the aperture for assembly with the weight element42. Accordingly, the embodiment having the slidable interlock57would combine the weight element42and the fastener54into a weight element assembly. Alternatively, the fastener54can be a separate component sans the feature54-1, thus configured to be inserted into the aperture56and removed as needed.

The fastener54can be configured to fix the weight element42directly to the wheelhouse40. As shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, the weight element aperture56is configured to accept the fastener54such that the fastener extends through the weight element aperture to engage the wheelhouse40. AlthoughFIGS. 2 and 3illustrate the weight element42being positioned at and fixed directly to the wheelhouse40, the weight element can alternatively be configured for being affixed to the vehicle body structure12proximate to the wheelhouse, such as to the floor28(as shown inFIG. 1), or to any of the walls18,20, or22.

Each wheelhouse40can include a receptacle58configured to be threadably engaged by the fastener54. In the embodiment where it is deemed beneficial to provide the vehicle10with a plurality of weight elements42for each respective wheelhouse40, each wheelhouse can include a dedicated locating feature52and receptacle58for each such individual weight element. The receptacle58can be configured as a weld-nut (shown inFIG. 4) fixed to the surface40-1of the respective wheelhouse40. The fastener54can include a handle60configured to be grasped and turned by the operator to selectively install the fastener and thereby fix the weight element42to the wheelhouse40, and remove the fastener to disengage the weight element from the wheelhouse. The handle60can also be employed as a tie-down feature, for example to attach a cable to restrain cargo in the storage compartment16. Overall, the integrated but removable weight element42can be selectively employed in the vehicle10to enhance traction at the driven rear wheels34A at the frictional interface38under slippery and/or soft road surface36conditions.