Abstract:
With a motor vehicle having a front axle and a rear axle, an underbody and shock absorbers, each of which extend between an upper point of action on the underbody and a lower point of action on the rear axle extending adjacent to a rear wheel, and at least one back seat the upper point of action of one of the shock absorbers is located vertically below the back seat.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to German Patent Application No. 102010048846.1, filed Oct. 19, 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
       TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The technical field relates to a motor vehicle, and particularly, the construction of a body of a motor vehicle. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    In modern motor vehicles, the wheel housings are recessed into the flanks of the body and the outer surfaces of the doors are flush with door sills extending below these, in order to be able to create as wide as possible a passenger cell with given overall width of the vehicle. The wheel housings projecting into the interior of the body substantially restrict the useful width in the passenger interior so that a second seat row arranged behind driver and co-driver seat is generally arranged in front of the rear wheel housings in order to be able to provide a comfortable width also for their seats. 
         [0004]    Particularly in the case of vans, the region between the rear wheel housings, directly above the rear axle of the vehicle, has to be utilizable for accommodating passengers. However, as a result of the width of the passenger cell being restricted by the wheel housings here, a seat row arranged at this point can only provide either limited comfort or a smaller number of seats than a seat row located further to the front, which is not restricted in its width by the wheel housings. 
         [0005]    At least one object is to state a motor vehicle, with which these disadvantages are eliminated or at least alleviated these disadvantages. In addition, other objects, desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent summary and detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    A motor vehicle is provided that has a front axle and a rear axle, an underbody and shock absorbers, each of which extend between an upper point of action on the underbody and a lower point of action on the rear axle adjacent to a rear wheel, and at least one back seat the upper point of action of one of the shock absorbers is located vertically below the back seat. Thus, the shock absorber does not restrict the space available for the back seat in lateral direction, and the spacing between a lateral edge of the back seat and a neighboring rear wheel can be made small. Because of this, it is possible in a vehicle with an overall width usual for passenger cars of not more than approximately 1800 millimeter to accommodate a row of back seats that is comfortably adequate for three persons with a width of approximately 1190 millimeter or more between the rear wheels. The row of back seats can be realized as a continuous seat bench, as a row of three individual seats or an individual and a double seat; in the case of the seat bench, a continuous backrest, three individual foldable backrests or a combination of one individual and one double backrest can be provided. 
         [0007]    A possibility of accommodating the shock absorber without restricting the width that is utilizable for the back seats because of this is to install the shock absorber inclined against the vertical. Here, it has to be taken into account, however, that with inclined installation any compression of the shock absorber is also linked to a pivoting, and that the ratio between the force which the shock absorber exerts on the wheel in the vertical and the force acting in longitudinal direction of the shock absorber becomes ever more unfavorable the closer the orientation of the shock absorber comes to the horizontal. In order to achieve a satisfactory effect a shock absorber suitable for inclined installation should therefore have a resetting force that grows with the compression substantially more strongly than linearly. 
         [0008]    In order to avoid this problem, the longitudinal axis of the shock absorber, along which the latter is compressed in the case of a shock, preferentially assumes an angle of a maximum of approximately 20° to the vertical. In order to be able to accommodate the shock absorber in an orientation under the back seat deviating little from the vertical it is advantageous with a motor vehicle whose underbody comprises two side members in the manner known per se if in each side member a passage is formed, through which one of the shock absorbers extends. 
         [0009]    For the driving stability of the vehicle it is desirable that the underbody is not too far distant from the roadway. In order to achieve this objective and simultaneously accommodate the shock absorbers a dome can be practically formed on a top of each side member, which in each case forms the upper point of action of one of the shock absorbers. In order to achieve a large through-loading opening of the vehicle that is not restricted through the side members, a loading surface is arranged above the side members. The space available between the side members below this loading surface can be utilized for a stowage compartment. 
         [0010]    In order that the domes restrict the space available in the passenger cell as little as possible it is practical if a dome in each case is located below a front region of the back seat. In this front region, the thickness of a cushion of the back seat can be made smaller than in a rear region, without this noticeably impairing the sitting comfort, and the dome can engage in the clearance resulting from the tapering of the cushion. In order to make possible a versatile utilization of the vehicle and particularly comfortable loading even with large-size luggage the back seat should be practically adjustable between a position of use and a folded-down position, in which it is flush with a loading surface following behind the back seat. 
         [0011]    In order to achieve an elevation of the seat surface when adjusting the back seat from the folded-down position into the position of use a four-way joint can be provided, via which the back seat can be adjusted between the position of use and the folded-down position. In order to be able to adjust the seat from a substantially horizontal folded-down position into a comfortable yet space-saving position of use, in which a seat surface of the seat slopes to the rear, a front arm of the four-way joint can be practically made longer than a rear arm. 
         [0012]    In order to improve the comfort for the user, a motor can be provided for driving the adjustment between the position of use and the folded-down position. A switch for controlling the operation of the motor can be accommodated in a luggage compartment following behind the seat. Thus, it is within easy reach for a user who reaches into the load compartment via an open tailgate. In order for the dome not to hinder an adjustment of the back seat into the folded-down position it is practical if a seat cushion of the back seat in the folded-down position is relocated behind the dome. A backrest of the back seat can be pivoted over the dome in the folded-down position in a space-saving manner. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]    The present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and: 
           [0014]      FIG. 1  is a lateral view of a motor vehicle with seats arranged in three rows one after the other; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a rear floor structure of the motor vehicle from  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a schematic section along the plane III-III from  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a schematic lateral view explaining the placement of a rear wheel suspension relative to a seat of the rear-most seat row; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a support frame of a seat of the back seat row; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a schematic representation of the underbody of the vehicle and a seat each of the middle and the back seat row in position of use and in an intermediate position between position of use and folded-down position; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 6  of the seat of the back seat row in folded-down position; 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a cross section through the motor vehicle, which shows the third seat row of said motor vehicle in front view; 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  is a section similar to  FIG. 8 , showing a second configuration of the third seat row; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  is a section similar to  FIG. 8 , which shows a third configuration of the third seat row. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0024]    The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit application and uses. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background or summary or the following detailed description. 
         [0025]      FIG. 1  shows a lateral view of a motor vehicle  1 , wherein the arrangement of seats  2 ,  3 ,  4  of a front, middle and a back seat row each is represented emphasized. The seats  2 ,  3  of the front and middle seat row are each accessible via associated front and rear doors  5 ,  6 ; in order to reach the seat  4  of the back seat row a passenger has to fold a backrest  7  of the seat  3  forward into a horizontal position so that he can climb over the seat  3 , or move the entire seat  3  forward so that between the seat  3  and a wheel housing  8  of a rear wheel  9  projecting into the passenger cell a passage opens up. 
         [0026]    The middle and the back seat row comprise two or three seats,  3  and  4  respectively, each. The backrests  7  of these seats  3 ,  4  can each be of the type that can be individually folded over; it is also conceivable that the backrests  7  of two neighboring seats  3  or  4  of a same seat row are interconnected and can be jointly folded over independently of a possible third seat of the same row, or that all backrests  7  of a row are interconnected. Since the width of the passenger cell at the height of the rear axle is restricted through the wheel housings projecting to the inside from the left and right it is difficult at this point to provide adequate space so that three passengers can be comfortably seated next to one another. The embodiments make this possible through a special configuration of the rear floor structure of the motor vehicle body shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  shows this floor structure in a perspective view obliquely from the front, which is seen from the direction of the arrow II of  FIG. 1 . Lateral flanks of this floor structure are formed by two side members  11 . The two side members  11  are each profiles with a hat-shaped cross section each open towards the vehicle outside, which, as is in part more clearly visible in  FIG. 3 , each comprise a substantially horizontal upper wall  12 , a lower wall  13 , a side wall  14  connecting the walls  12 ,  13  and the webs  15  forming the rims of the hat-shaped cross section which are substantially vertical like the side wall  14 . The side members  11  at their rear end each carry flanges  16  for fastening a bumper support which is not shown. A cross member  17 , which interconnects the front ends of the side members  11 , lies under the front edge of seat cushions  10  of the seat  3  of the middle seat row in the ready-assembled vehicle and forms a rear wall of the foot well for the passengers seated on these seats  3 . A front floor panel  18  following the cross member  17  slopes towards the back on the one hand in order to create at its bottom a niche for accommodating a fuel tank, on the other hand, in order to again lower the floor level between the seats  3 ,  4  so far that adequate foot space is available to the passengers on the back seats  4 . 
         [0028]    Immediately below the seat surfaces of the seats  4  which are not shown in  FIG. 2  a pan  19  is arranged, in which for example a starter battery can be accommodated. A rear floor panel  20  fills out the intermediate space between the pan  19  and the rear bumper support which is not shown. Linear, rear sections  21  of the side members  11  which are parallel to each other extend along clearances  22  which are provided in order to receive the wheel housings  8  which are not shown in  FIG. 2 . Front sections  23  of the side members  11  follow a divergent course from a front edge of the clearances  22  to the cross member  17  where they form grooves  24  that are open to the side, which are provided in order to receive the rear ends of door sills extending below the doors  5 ,  6  which are not shown. 
         [0029]    While the lower wall  13  of the side members  11  along the clearance  22  substantially runs horizontally, the upper wall  12  locally forms a dome  25  curved upwards, which on its side facing the neighboring clearance  22  is partially open. An opening  26  in the apex of the dome  25  is provided in order to receive therein the head end of a shock absorber  27  as shown in  FIG. 3 , which acts on a rear wheel  9  of the vehicle  1  accommodated in the neighboring clearance  22 . The body of the shock absorber  27  (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) freely extends through an opening  28  cut into the lower wall  13 . Before and behind the opening  28  one can see in  FIG. 2  two sections of a support wall  29  which interconnects the walls  12 ,  13  extending the side walls of the cupola  25 . An angled-off lower fastening flange  30  of the support wall  29  is welded to the lower wall  13 . An upper edge of the support wall  29  contacts a base zone of the side wall of the cupola  25  from the inside and is welded together at this point. The support wall  29  can extend unitarily in an arc about the opening  28  and the shock absorber  27 , or it can be divided into two sections, each of which cross the free cross section of the side member  11  and have an edge fastened to the side wall  14  of said side member. 
         [0030]      FIG. 3  shows a schematic part cross section of the vehicle  1  and particularly its floor structure. The section plane of this Fig. designated III-III in  FIG. 1  runs through the dome  25  of one of the side members  11  and shows the shock absorber  27  anchored therein. As is evident, the side member  11  is joined of two elongated elements  31 ,  32 , of which the upper element  31  forms the upper wall  12  including the dome  25  and a part of the side wall  14  and the lower element  32  forms the lower wall  13  and the rest of the side wall  14 . Both are interconnected at webs  33  projecting towards the vehicle center, which in turn serve as a support surface for an edge of the pan  19 . 
         [0031]    A wheel housing  8  is welded to the webs  15  of the elements  31  ad  32  and the support wall  29 . The wheel housing  8  closes off the open side of the side member  11 , so that a dimensionally stable hollow profile with closed cross section is obtained. The dome  25 , the support wall  29  extending it downwards and the opening  28  together form a pocket that is open towards the bottom, which accommodates a large part of the shock absorber  27 . The shock absorber  27  therefore utilizes little or no space in the wheel housing  8 , which permits keeping its width small. By using the space below a seat cushion  10  of a seat  4  of the back seat row for accommodating the shock absorber  27  the outer edge of this seat cushion  10  can move up except for a few centimeters against the rear wheel  9  surrounded by the wheel housing  8 . 
         [0032]    The seats  4  are supported on the rear floor panel  20  via four-way joints  35 , which will be explained in more detail later on with respect to  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 . The width of the row of seats  4  shown in  FIG. 3  amounts to at least approximately 1190 mm. In order to be able to securely support the weight of the passengers and possible payload a tire width of approximately 225-235 mm is required. The wall thickness of the wheel housing  8  amounts to approximately 0.75 mm, that of an interior lining of the wheel housing (not shown) is approximately 3 mm, and the insulating layer located in between is approximately 12.5 mm. Taking into account a lateral freedom of movement of each rear wheel  9  of approximately 25 mm and approximately 5 mm tolerance, the following is obtained as minimum overall width of the vehicle: 1190 mm+2*(225-235 mm+0.75 mm+3 mm+12.5 mm+25 mm+5 mm)=1732.5-1742.5 mm. It is thus easily possible with the shown design to accommodate a seat row of approximately 1190 mm width in a vehicle with approximately 1800 mm overall width. 
         [0033]      FIG. 4  shows the arrangement of the seat  4 , of the wheel housing  8 , of the shock absorber  27  as well as of a hub  36  of the rear wheel  9  in a schematic lateral view. The shape of the wheel housing  8  is illustrated by two arcs  8   a ,  8   b , wherein the outer arc  8   a  illustrates the circumferential course of the wheel housing in its region of largest diameter, all around the wheel  9 , and the arc  8   b  the marginal course of a side wall of the wheel housing  8  facing the side member that is substantially flat. In the position of use of the seat  4  the arc  8   b  and the outline of the seat cushion  10  intersect in the lateral view of  FIG. 4 . A passenger seated on the seat cushion  10  is therefore not noticeably restricted in lateral direction by the wheel housing  8 . 
         [0034]    The hub  36  is interconnected with the side member  11  via a control arm  37  bent-through downwards, whose front end on the front edge of the wheel housing  8  is articulated on the side member  11  in a manner allowing pivoting about an axis running in vehicle transverse direction. Between a free end of the control arm  37  carrying the hub  36  and the lower wall  13  of the side member a coil spring  38  is arranged centrally below the seat cushion  10 . The dome  25 , on which the upper end of the shock absorber  27  is fastened, is arranged under a front edge of the seat cushion  10  and engages in a clearance  39  on the bottom of said cushion. The reduction of the cushion thickness in the front region of the seat cushion  10  resulting from this has no consequences to speak of regarding the sitting comfort, since the weight of a passenger quite predominantly rests on the rear region of the seat cushion  10  and the thighs of the passenger do not greatly deform the seat cushion  10  above the clearance  39  when its feet stand on the floor panel  18 . 
         [0035]    For the usage value of a vehicle  1  of the type shown in  FIG. 1  it is important that it is possible to bring the seats  4  in a position of non-use in a space-saving manner so that the backward region of the passenger cell can be used as luggage space. The four-way joint  35 , which upon non-use allows lowering the seats  4  in a space-saving manner, is shown in  FIG. 4  in position of use. The four-way joint  35  comprises two rails  40  with L-shaped cross section fastened to the floor panel  20 , L-shaped rails  42  fastened to a support panel  41  of the seat cushion  10  and front and rear control arms  43 ,  44  each extending between the rails  40 ,  42 . The front control arms  43  are longer than the rear ones  44  and are displace ably articulated on the upper rails  42  each in an elongated hole  45 . Because of this, it is possible to pivot the control arms  43 ,  44  into a position of non-use, in which the upper and lower rails  40 ,  42  bear directly against each other and the support panel  41  is pivoted from the position sloping to the back shown in  FIG. 5  into a position that is substantially parallel to the floor panel  20  and simultaneously displaced to the rear. 
         [0036]    The front control arms  43  are coupled to each other through a transverse rod  46 , the disc spacing of which from a pivot access of the control arms  43  on the lower L-rails  40  corresponds to the length of the rear control arms  44 . A corresponding transverse rod obscured in the Fig. through the support panel  41  connects the ends of the rear control arms  44  acting on the upper L-rails  42 . Both transverse rods are connected through a coupling rod  47  orientated in vehicle longitudinal direction. A crank arm  49  that can be driven by an electric motor  48  acts on this coupling rod  47 . 
         [0037]    Switches for controlling the electric motor  48  can be provided at different points of the vehicle  1 . A switch, which is provided in the interior of the passenger cell between a rear edge of the door  6  and the seat  4 , allows a passenger entering or exiting to adjust the seat  4  in a comfortable manner. A switch, which is arranged in the luggage space of the vehicle  1  behind the backrest  7  in the position of use, facilitates lowering the seat  4  for a user in the process of loading the vehicle via the tailgate and who requires additional stowage space for these purposes. 
         [0038]    The lateral view of  FIG. 6  shows a seat  3  of the middle seat row in position of use and the seat  4  with its seat cushion  10  in position of use and the backrest  7  in position of use as well as in an intermediate position folded down onto the seat cushion  10 . A headrest  50  of the backrest  7  projects over a front edge of the seat cushion  10  in the intermediate position. The control arms  43 ,  44  guide the seat  4  to the back and down at the transition to the position of non-use and simultaneously pivot said seat slightly in anticlockwise direction at the same time so that when the seat has reached a completely folded-down position, in which its backrest  7  is flush with an intermediate floor  34  arranged behind the seats  4 , the dome  25  engages in a clearance of the seat  4  delimited by the front edge of the seat cushion  10  and the headrest  50 . Thus, the intermediate floor  34  and the back of the backrest  7  form a flat load surface. When all seats are in the folded-down position a load surface with large through-loading width is thus obtained that is restricted by the wheel housings  8  to a minor degree at worst. 
         [0039]    This load surface can still be extended towards the front in that not only the backrest  7  of the seat  3  is folded forward as described, but, as indicated in  FIG. 7  by arrows, the seat  3  with backrest  7  folded forward, if required with the help of a similar four-way joint as shown in  FIG. 5 , is now folded-down into the foot space  51  in front of the seats  4  that is not now required. The intermediate floor  34  can be of the type that can be folded up so that a hollow space, which is located between said intermediate floor and the floor panel  20 , is accessible and can be utilized as additional stowage space for a spare wheel or the like. 
         [0040]      FIG. 8  shows a schematic cross section of the motor vehicle, in which the rear wheel housings  8  of said motor vehicle and interior linings  52  surrounding said wheel housings are shown in section and the back seat row in front view. The seat  4  in this case is realized as a seat bench, the seat cushion  10  and backrest  7  of which extend unitarily over a width of at least 1.190 mm from one interior lining  52  to the other. As is evident by the number of headrests  53 , the seat bench is designed for three passengers. 
         [0041]    With the modification shown in  FIG. 9  the seat row is divided into a single seat  4   a  and a double seat  4   b , each of which have backrests  7  that can be folded over individually or which can be individually folded-down into the position of non-use. In the case of  FIG. 10  three seats  4   a ,  4   a ,  4   c  are provided, each of which can be folded over individually or which can be folded-down into the position of non-use. 
         [0042]    While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing summary and detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration in any way. Rather, the foregoing summary and detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents.