US Patent 7237829 Unitized vehicle rear body structure

A unitized vehicle rear body structure is disclosed that includes a vehicle floor and a structural support member. The structural support member is fixed to the vehicle floor and extends longitudinally within the vehicle rear body structure. The structural support member includes a generally U-shaped support element and an upper brace. The generally U-shaped support element has a lower wall portion and a pair of generally vertical side wall portions with laterally spaced apart upper edges and lower edges coupled to lateral sides of the lower wall portion. The upper brace is fixedly attached between the side wall portions. Further, the upper brace is spaced apart upwardly from the lower wall portion and spaced below the upper edges.