Patent ID: 8177293

Claim:
A floor frame system for use on a plurality of vehicle types having varying longitudinal floor lengths, comprising: at least a first vehicle type having a first floor frame assembly with a first longitudinal length, said first floor frame assembly including a center frame member, a pair of side sill members flanking said center frame member and a plurality of cross members extending between said side sill members and interconnected to said center frame member; and at least a second vehicle type having a second floor frame assembly with a second longitudinal length that is longer than said first longitudinal length, said second floor frame assembly including a center frame member, a pair of side sill members flanking said center frame member and a plurality of cross members extending between said side sill members and interconnected to said center frame member, wherein each said center frame members of said first and second floor frame assemblies and said side sill members of said first and second floor frame assemblies has a cross-sectional profile that remains constant along at least a longitudinal portion thereof allowing each to be cut at a first location along said longitudinal portion corresponding to said first longitudinal length when included in said first floor frame assembly and at a second location along said longitudinal portion corresponding to said second longitudinal length when included in said second floor frame assembly, wherein the center frame members and the side sill members of the first and second floor frame assemblies are roll-formed, and further wherein a first rear frame assembly having a first longitudinal length is secured to said first floor frame assembly and a second rear frame assembly having a second longitudinal length that varies relative to said first longitudinal length is secured to said second floor frame assembly, and wherein said first rear frame assembly is secured to said first floor frame assembly by connecting to rearward ends of said side sill members of said first floor frame assembly and said second rear frame assembly is secured to said second floor frame assembly by connecting to rearward ends of said side sill members of said second floor frame assembly, and wherein a common front frame assembly is secured to each of said first floor frame assembly of said at least a first vehicle type and said second floor frame assembly of said at a second vehicle type, said common front frame assembly connected directly to each of said pair of side sill members and said center frame member.