Seat rail

Abstract

A seat mounting system for an electric vehicle including a longitudinal support beam coupled with a chassis of the vehicle, a front cross beam extending from a right side of a passenger compartment of the vehicle to a left side of the passenger compartment, and a rear cross beam extending from the right side to the left side. A connector is disposed between the longitudinal support beam and both cross beams. The connector couples the longitudinal support beam with both cross beams. At least one seat rail is mounted to the connector and extends across the front cross beam and the rear cross beam. The seat rail is mounted to the connector such that a forward portion of the at least one seat rail extends higher than a rear portion of the at least one seat rail. The seat rail mounts a seat within the passenger compartment.

1 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . A seat mounting system for an electric vehicle, comprising:
 a longitudinal support beam coupled with a chassis of the electric vehicle;   a front cross beam extending across a passenger compartment of the electric vehicle;   a rear cross beam extending across the passenger compartment; and   a connector that defines a first chamber that is configured to receive an end of the front cross beam and a second chamber that is configured to receive an end of the rear cross beam, wherein the connector is coupled with the longitudinal support beam to couple the longitudinal support beam with both the front cross beam and the rear cross beam; and   at least one seat rail mounted to the connector, the at least one seat rail being mounted to the connector such that the at least one seat rail extends across the front cross beam and the rear cross beam.   
     
     
         20 . The seat mounting system for an electric vehicle of  claim 19 , wherein:
 each of the first chamber and the second chamber has a generally rectangular cross-section.   
     
     
         21 . The seat mounting system for an electric vehicle of  claim 19 , wherein:
 an underside of each of the front cross beam and the rear cross beam defines a plurality of mounting features configured for mounting a battery assembly to an underside of the electric vehicle.   
     
     
         22 . The seat mounting system for an electric vehicle of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the connector defines a flange configured to contact a portion of a side wall of the longitudinal support beam.   
     
     
         23 . The seat mounting system for an electric vehicle of  claim 22 , wherein:
 the flange contacts multiple sides of the longitudinal support beam.   
     
     
         24 . The seat mounting system for an electric vehicle of  claim 19 , wherein:
 the connector comprises an elevated section that projects upward from a top surface of the first chamber, the elevated section being configured to raise a forward portion of the at least one seat rail.   
     
     
         25 . The seat mounting system for an electric vehicle of  claim 24 , wherein:
 the connector further comprises a support fin that extends between and couples a lateral side of the elevated section and an upper surface of the connector.   
     
     
         26 . A seat mounting system for an electric vehicle, comprising:
 a longitudinal support beam coupled with a chassis of the electric vehicle;   a front cross beam extending across a passenger compartment of the electric vehicle;   a rear cross beam extending across the passenger compartment; and   a connector that is configured to couple the longitudinal support beam with both the front cross beam and the rear cross beam, the connector comprising:
 a first portion defining a first flange that is configured to extend around an entire outer periphery of an end of the front cross beam; 
 a second portion defining a second flange that is configured to extend around an entire outer periphery of an end of the rear cross beam; and 
 a third portion configured to engage with a medial portion of the longitudinal support beam. 
   
     
     
         27 . The seat mounting system for an electric vehicle of  claim 26 , wherein:
 the end of the front cross beam is positioned within an interior of the connector; and   the end of the rear cross beam is positioned within the interior of the connector.   
     
     
         28 . The seat mounting system for an electric vehicle of  claim 26 , wherein:
 the third portion comprises a third flange that is configured to contact at least one face of the longitudinal support beam.   
     
     
         29 . The seat mounting system for an electric vehicle of  claim 28 , wherein:
 the third flange contacts multiple sides of the longitudinal support beam.   
     
     
         30 . The seat mounting system for an electric vehicle of  claim 28 , wherein:
 the third flange forms a generally u-shaped receptacle for receiving the medial portion of the longitudinal support beam.   
     
     
         31 . The seat mounting system for an electric vehicle of  claim 26 , wherein:
 the first portion comprises an elevated section configured to raise a height of the connector at a position above the front cross beam to a level higher than at a position above the rear cross beam.   
     
     
         32 . The seat mounting system for an electric vehicle of  claim 26 , further comprising:
 at least one seat rail mounted on the connector.   
     
     
         33 . A method for mounting a seat rail of an electric vehicle, comprising:
 positioning a front cross beam at a base of a passenger compartment of an electric vehicle such that the front cross beam extends across the passenger compartment;   positioning a rear cross beam at the base such that the rear cross beam extends across the passenger compartment;   securing an end of the front cross member within a first chamber defined by a connector and an end of the rear cross member within a second chamber of the connector;   positioning a medial portion of a longitudinal support beam against a portion of the connector; and   securing the portion of the connector to the medial portion of the longitudinal support beam.   
     
     
         34 . The method for mounting a seat rail of an electric vehicle of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 securing a seat rail to a top of the connector such that a forward portion of the seat rail extends higher than a rear portion of the seat rail.   
     
     
         35 . The method for mounting a seat rail of an electric vehicle of  claim 33 , wherein:
 the connector comprises a forward section positioned proximate the front cross beam and a rear section positioned proximate the rear cross beam; and   the forward section comprises an elevated portion configured to raise the forward portion of the seat rail.   
     
     
         36 . The method for mounting a seat rail of an electric vehicle of  claim 33 , wherein:
 the portion of the connector defines a flange configured to contact a portion of a side wall of the longitudinal support beam.   
     
     
         37 . The method for mounting a seat rail of an electric vehicle of  claim 36 , wherein:
 securing the third portion comprises fastening the third flange to the side wall of the longitudinal support beam.   
     
     
         38 . The method for mounting a seat rail of an electric vehicle of  claim 33 , further comprising:
 positioning a battery assembly against an underside of the electric vehicle; and   securing a plurality of fasteners with a plurality of mounting features defined in an underside of one or both of the front cross beam and the rear cross beam to secure the battery assembly against the underside of the electric vehicle.