Patent ID: 8276980

Claim:
A vehicle frame assembly, comprising: a front frame assembly comprised of a front frame cross member and front frame side members extending rearwardly from the front frame cross member, a floor frame assembly comprised of side sill members connected at forward end portions to the front frame side members and a plurality of cross members extending between the side sill members, and a frame joint between a first front frame side member of the front frame side members and a first side sill member of the side sill members comprising: an upper wall of said first front frame side member overlapping an upper wall of said first side sill member along a region where said first front frame side member mates with said first side sill member; and a lower wall of said first front frame side member underlapping a lower wall of said first side sill member along said region, wherein a first cross member of said plurality of cross members intersects the first front frame side member adjacent said region and is secured directly to the first side sill member, said first cross member having a lower wall underlapping said lower wall of said first side sill member at a location forward of said region, and wherein said first cross member has first and second side walls extending from said lower wall, said first side wall of said cross member extends from said first side sill member continuously through said first front frame side member.