Floor system for placement on a vehicle floor
A modular vehicle floor system with integrated seat rails and electrical wiring, using lightweight plastic plates and foam-encased cables, enables robot-assisted assembly and reduces installation complexity and electrical interference, improving assembly efficiency and rigidity.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- DE102023003733
- Authority / Receiving Office
- DE · DE
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2023-09-14
- Publication Date
- 2026-02-19
- Estimated Expiration
- 2043-09-14
AI Technical Summary
Existing vehicle floor systems lack efficient methods for direct robot-controlled assembly and integration of seat rails and electrical wiring, leading to increased installation complexity and potential electrical interference during vehicle assembly.
A modular floor system with integrated electric seat rails and electrical wiring within prefabricated modules, utilizing lightweight plastic plates for rigidity and foam-encased cables for insulation, along with RFID chips for seat rail identification, allowing robot-assisted installation and reducing component installation time and electrical interference.
Facilitates efficient, automated assembly of seat rails and electrical connections, enhancing rigidity and reducing installation complexity while ensuring electrical integrity and noise insulation.
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Abstract
Description
[0001] The invention relates to a floor system for placement on a vehicle floor, comprising several floor plates which have seat rails for longitudinal displacement of passenger seats.
[0002] WO 2015 / 007288 A1 discloses a floor for a vehicle, consisting of several floor panels that are prefabricated and glued onto the vehicle floor. Each floor panel has several base plates to which sliding rails for mounting vehicle seats are attached from below.
[0003] German patent DE 102020210373 A1 discloses a modular sandwich panel floor structure for a vehicle, designed as a prefabricated floor unit. The prefabricated floor unit is integrated into the vehicle as a single module.
[0004] Furthermore, DE 10052643 A1 discloses a motor vehicle with a universally applicable rail system that serves for the flexible arrangement of vehicle components and accessories. This serves to increase the functionality and modularity of the vehicle interior, in particular the floor, when attaching components such as seats.
[0005] The object of the invention is to provide a floor system for placement on a vehicle floor which allows direct robot-controlled assembly in the vehicle.
[0006] The invention is defined by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous further developments and embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims. Further features, applications, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the explanation of exemplary embodiments of the invention illustrated in the figures.
[0007] The problem is solved by the subject matter of claim 1.
[0008] In the floor system described at the beginning, designed for mounting on a vehicle floor and comprising several floor panels with seat rails for longitudinally adjusting passenger seats, each floor panel is designed as a module integrating electric seat rails and the associated electrical wiring. These prefabricated modules can be positioned directly in the vehicle during production using a robot. Because the seat rails and electrical wiring are already integrated into the module, the number of components that need to be individually installed in the vehicle is reduced.
[0009] According to the invention, the module comprises a plastic plate that supports the seat rails. Such a plastic plate, preferably a lightweight, hard-fiber plastic plate, improves the rigidity of the floor system. Furthermore, the plastic plate eliminates the need for a step limiter in the vehicle floor. This also improves handling during installation.
[0010] According to the invention, each seat rail is mounted in a cassette that engages with the plastic plate, and an electrical cable is connected to the seat rail, being directly embedded in the plastic plate using foam. Such a cassette simplifies the installation of the seat rails in the module, as the seat rail simply needs to be clipped into the respective cassette. The foam encasing of the cable simultaneously provides a fastening method and electrical insulation for the cable. This prevents any interruption of the electrical connection between the cables and the seat rails due to vehicle movement.
[0011] In one embodiment, the module is connected to a transponder for identifying the seat rail used to longitudinally adjust a passenger seat. Using a transponder designed as an RFID chip, the seat rails of the vehicle seat that are to be moved longitudinally can be easily identified.
[0012] In one variant, the electrical wires of a base plate are bundled in an outward-facing cable connection. This results in a cost-effective connection of the wires of a module to an electrical busbar for connection to a power source.
[0013] In another embodiment, the upper surface of the base plate has parallel seat rails that engage in upwardly open cassettes. The vehicle seat simply needs to be inserted into the seat rail and, thanks to the electrical components of the base plate, can be moved electrically without any further installation work.
[0014] In another version, the ends of the seat rails can be closed using a cover flap. This cover flap serves to electrically insulate the seat rail from the vehicle interior.
[0015] In another embodiment, the top surface of the floor panel is covered with carpet. After the floor panels are installed, the carpet enhances the perceived value of the flooring system in the vehicle.
[0016] It is also advantageous to have an acoustic absorber fleece and / or a heavy layer placed under the carpet. This dampens noises that occur when the vehicle seat moves longitudinally.
[0017] Further advantages, features, and details will become apparent from the following description, in which—possibly with reference to the drawing—at least one embodiment is described in detail. Features described and / or illustrated can, individually or in any meaningful combination, constitute the subject matter of the invention, possibly also independently of the claims, and can, in particular, also be the subject of one or more separate applications. Identical, similar, and / or functionally equivalent parts are designated with the same reference numerals.
[0018] They show: Fig. 1 a first construction of a base plate of the floor system according to the invention, Fig. 2 a further structure of a base plate of the floor system according to the invention, Fig. 3 shows an embodiment of the base plate of the floor system according to the invention without seat rails. Fig. 4 an embodiment of the base plate of the floor system according to the invention with seat rails, Fig. 5 sections through the base plate with seat rails in the area of the cover flaps.
[0019] In Fig. Figure 1 shows a first assembly of a base plate of the floor system according to the invention, wherein the base plates can be laid on a vehicle floor to form a floor surface. The base plate 1 consists of several layers. The seat rails 3 ( Fig. 4) The load-bearing layer is designed as a lightweight, high-stiffness, rigid plastic hardboard 5, the back of which is foamed with a polymer foam 7. The polymer foam 7 is covered with a plastic film 9, which seals the base plate 1 against water. The top surface of the lightweight, rigid plastic hardboard 5 is provided with a heavy layer 11, which consists of a carrier fleece and is covered with a textile covering 13 as a decorative material. The heavy layer 11 acts as an insulating material, providing protection against structure-borne and airborne noise in the vehicle.
[0020] The in Fig. The base plate shown in 2, 15, differs from the one in Fig. The floor plate 1 described in 1 is improved by the fact that a further acoustic mat 17, which is also designed as a fleece, is arranged between the heavy layer 11 and the textile covering 13, which further improves the insulating properties of the floor system.
[0021] The floor system is assembled from floor panels 1 and 15 to form a surface on the vehicle floor. Floor panel 1 or 15 is in Fig. Figure 3a shows the textile covering 13 from above. The outer contour 19 of the floor panel 1 or 15 is designed such that the individual floor panels 1, 15 can be joined together without gaps to form the floor system. Fig. Figure 3b shows a view of the base plate 1 or 15 from below. Cassettes 21 are embedded in the lightweight plastic hardboard 5 below, and are open towards the top of the lightweight plastic hardboard 5. In addition, plastic recesses 23 are provided for guiding electrical cables that are yet to be installed.
[0022] The top of base plate 1, 15 is in Fig. Figure 4a shows four seat rails 3 of a vehicle seat (not shown further), each end of which is closed with a cover flap 25, 27. Each of the cassettes 21 mounted on the underside of the lightweight plastic hardboard 5 contains an electric seat rail 3, enabling electrical adjustment of the vehicle seat resting on the seat rails 3 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The seat rails 3 are each connected to an electrical cable 29, 31, with all electrical cables 29, 31 being protected on the underside of the lightweight plastic hardboard 5 by the polymer foam 7 ( Fig. 1) are completely enclosed and bundled together in an externally routed cable bundle 33 and connected to a voltage source outside the floor system 1. Two RFID chips 35 are arranged on a cable 31, by means of which the seat rails 3, which are intended to move the vehicle seat electrically, can be electronically identified.
[0023] In Fig. Figure 5 shows two sections through the base plate 17 with seat rails 3. Fig. Section 5a shows a section AA through an external seat rail 3a guided in the cassette 21, while section BB shows an internal seat rail 3b.
[0024] The floor panels 1, 15, described in the solution and designed as a multi-layered module, can be laid directly onto the vehicle floor during the vehicle's production process using an industrial robot to form a floor system. This eliminates the time-consuming process of applying multiple layers to the vehicle floor.
Claims
[1] Floor system for placement on a vehicle floor, comprising several floor panels (1, 15) which have seat rails (3) for longitudinal displacement of passenger seats, wherein each floor panel is designed as a module in which electrical seat rails (3) and electrical lines (29, 31) connected thereto are integrated and the module comprises a plastic panel (5) which supports the seat rails (3), wherein each seat rail (3) is mounted in a cassette (21) which engages in the plastic plate (5), wherein an electrical line (29, 31) is connected to the seat rail (3). characterized by , that the electrical conductor is foamed directly onto the plastic plate (5). [2] Floor system according to claim 1, characterized by , that the module has at least one transponder (35) for identifying the seat rail (3) for longitudinal displacement of a passenger seat. [3] Floor system according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the electrical lines 29, 31 of a base plate (1, 15) are combined in an outwardly directed line connection (33). [4] Floor system according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that an upper surface of the base plate (1, 15) has seat rails (3) running parallel to each other, which engage in each of an upwardly open cassette (21). [5] Floor system according to claim 4, characterized by , that the ends of each seat rail (3) can be closed by means of a cover flap 25, 27. [6] Floor system according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the top of the base plate (1, 15) is covered with a carpet (13). [7] Floor system according to claim 6, characterized by , that an acoustic absorber mat (17) and / or a heavy layer (11) are arranged under the carpet covering (13).
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Vehicle has load space floor and / or roof outer skin with rail system for location of vehicle components and accessories and consisting of profiled rails which have at least one strip conductor for current supply
DE10052643A1
Modular sandwich panel floor structure
DE102020210373A1
Self-supporting floor group for a vehicle
DE202016102477U1
Floor for a vehicle and its method for production, and vehicle with such floor
WO2015007288A1