Abstract: A composite vehicle body panel includes a fiber reinforced plastic panel and a steel flange disposed in the fiber reinforced plastic panel and having an edge protruding outward from the fiber reinforced plastic panel beyond an outer edge of the fiber reinforced plastic panel. The composite vehicle body panel can be used in vehicle structures manufactured on standard vehicle productions lines, thereby easing vehicle manufacturing, improving productivity, and providing increased rigidity to the vehicle bodies. A method of manufacturing the composite vehicle body panel and a vehicle structure using the panel are also provided.

Abstract: Force diversion apparatus, methods and devices including the same result in rotational motion being imparted to an impacting object. The apparatus, methods and devices may include, or may involve the use of, a force conversion portion, secured to the outer surface of a bumper, and a force spreading portion.

Abstract: A structure of an exterior door strip includes a mounting portion mounted to an outer side of a outer door panel positioned, and a SUS trim coupled to an outer side of the mounting portion, and including: a first mounting portion formed in a longitudinal direction and having an end piece; a bridge connected to an other end of the first mounting portion; and a second mounting portion connected to the other end of the bridge and having a screw hole, in which the first mounting portion, the bridge, and the second mounting portion are integrally formed, and torque caused by screw engagement of the second mounting portion is not transmitted to the first mounting portion, thereby resolving a problem regarding quality in external appearance of the vehicle, preventing corrosion caused by rain water, and reducing production costs of the vehicle.

Abstract: A cross-car structure integrates an HVAC duct with a structural beam. An upper steel beam has opposing ends attached to opposite body sides. A pair of center brackets extend downward from the upper steel beam. An HVAC unit secured to a center bracket has an outlet for an air flow for ventilating a floor region. A plastic cross member has a center plate secured to the center brackets, a first hollow beam extending from the center plate to one steel beam end, and a second hollow beam extending from the center plate to the other steel beam end. Each hollow beam has an in-board opening fluidically coupled to the HVAC outlet and at least one floor outlet directed toward the floor region thereby providing a respective HVAC duct between the outlet of the HVAC unit and each of the floor outlets.

Abstract: A bumper protecting apparatus for a vehicle includes a front panel, a rear panel, and a plurality of slidable panels. The front panel comprises a plurality of apparatus license plate mounting holes adapted to support a license plate. The rear panel is coupled to the front panel such that the front panel and the rear panel define a volume therebetween. Lastly, the plurality of slidable panels are adapted to slide into and out of the volume between the front and rear panels. In use, the bumper protecting apparatus may be configured to span the length of an automobile's bumper so as to protect that bumper from collision damage.

Abstract: A pullout mechanism for a drawer device includes a first and second guide surfaces, each extending from a first end to a second end, and first and second wheels which run on the respective first and second guide surfaces. The wheels are connected together in a rotationally fixed manner by a shaft mounted to the drawer device. The guide surfaces are provided for attachment to or formation on a frame, such as a frame of an interior trim part of a vehicle. Alternatively, the wheels can be connected to the frame and the guide surfaces to the drawer device. The pullout mechanism further includes first and second pulling devices such as cables, each of which at least partially encircles the first and second wheels, respectively, and is fastened in a pre-stressed manner to the two ends of the respective first and second guide surfaces.

Abstract: To increase joint strength of a reinforcement member around a door holding mechanism as well as rigidity around the door holding mechanism, a surrounding structure of a door holding mechanism includes: an outer panel forming a pillar together with an inner panel; a sliding door opening and closing by sliding forward and rearward in a location rearward of the pillar; a door holding mechanism holding a rear end portion of the sliding door in a door closing condition; and a pillar forming area of the outer panel having a substantially crank-shaped form in a cross section, wherein the door holding mechanism is attached to a front face of an intermediate portion of the pillar forming area arranged along the vehicle width direction, a pillar reinforcement is arranged between the outer panel and the inner panel, the pillar reinforcement includes front and rear portions, the front portion is overlapped with a rear face of the intermediate portion of the pillar forming area, the rear portion extending rearward from a

Abstract: A windshield structure for a saddle-ride type vehicle to enhance a windshield effect by reducing a vacuum behind a leg shield and in the lateral center of the vehicle. The windshield structure for the saddle-ride type vehicle includes a front storage box that may be opened and closed that is provided in a surface of the leg shield on a side of a seat. A bottom covering portion is formed integrally with the leg shield and is formed to cover the front storage box from below. The bottom covering portion for covering the front storage box from below is formed with air discharge ports for releasing a flow of air from a front side of a vehicle body to a rear side of the leg shield.

Abstract: A locking device for a cover of a storage compartment in a motor vehicle has at least one bolt element that is displaceable by an actuating handle and, in the locked state, engages in a first storage compartment recess for fixing the cover in a closed position. At least one securing bolt engages in a second storage compartment recess and is actuable via the bolt element so that it only extends out of the second recess if the bolt element already is extended out of the first recess and which thereby secures the cover against undesirably opening in the event of accident-induced accelerations. Increased safety standards can thereby be obtained.

Abstract: A vehicle body includes: rear side members disposed at both sides of the vehicle body; a rear cross member rear having both end portions fixed to the rear side members; a rear cross member front having both end portions fixed to the rear side members, and disposed in front of the rear cross member rear; and a rear cross panel having a lower surface that is supported on and joined to the rear side members, the rear cross member rear, and the rear cross member front.

Abstract: A vehicle body rear structure includes an upper back cross-sectional portion which forms a skeleton frame cross member that is elongated in a vehicle width direction, a bracket package tray which is located on a vehicle rear side of the upper back cross-sectional portion and joined to the upper back cross-sectional portion, a roof side inner which is located on a vehicle top side of a wheel house, a roof side outer which is located outside an extended portion and the roof side inner in a vehicle width direction and which has a front end portion which is joined to the upper back cross-sectional portion and a rear end portion which is joined to a bracket package tray, and a bulk connector which couples the roof side outer and the upper back cross-sectional portion.

Abstract: A sound dampening system having at least two acoustic deflection pads separated by a distance and an actuator operable to alter the distance in response to a stimulus. In some embodiments, the actuator is a shape memory alloy wire. The system is capable of alternating between a compact mode and a superior sound blocking mode. A door of an automotive vehicle incorporating such a system and a method of fabricating such a system.

Abstract: A vehicle includes an armrest and a hinge assembly. The hinge assembly supports the armrest and is rotatable between extended and collapsed positions. The hinge assembly includes a pin configured to move between locked and released positions. When the pin is in the locked position, the hinge assembly is locked in the extended position. When the pin is in the released position, the pin is configured to permit rotation of the hinge assembly toward the collapsed position.

Abstract: A vehicle frame includes an outside rail section having an upper flange, a lower flange, and an inward facing cavity between the upper and lower flanges. An inside rail section is coupled along the upper and lower flanges of the outside rail section and has an outward facing cavity that aligns with the inward facing cavity to enclose an interior volume. A pair of hydroform tubes extending vertically through apertures at spaced longitudinal locations in the upper flange and engage a bottom surface of the inward cavity to define a pillar for supporting a vehicle roof.

Abstract: A bumper apparatus and system for use with vehicles, particularly law enforcement vehicles such as police cars and the like, that is configured to allow the user to easily and quickly remove the apparatus from the vehicle and to protect the vehicle from damage when executing a PIT maneuver (Precision Immobilization Technique). The bumper apparatus comprises a bumper guard and one or more attachment mechanisms configured to removably attach the bumper guard to the vehicle with the bumper guard disposed outwardly of the bumper at an end of the vehicle and outwardly from a side of the vehicle. The bumper guard has a side section which extends across a forward or rearward portion of the vehicle. The bumper guard can extend across the back wheel and rear door of the vehicle. The attachment mechanisms have mounting members that engage the frame of the vehicle at one or more existing connectors thereon.

Abstract: It is intended to provide a sound insulation structure for a vehicle, which is capable of adequately retaining an elongated line component, such as a wiring harness, a pipe or a cable, while suppressing deterioration in sound insulation performance by a sound insulator. In the sound insulation structure, a sound insulator is provided in a void space surrounded by: a front fender panel; a cowl side member disposed on a vehicle inward side with respect to the front fender panel to extend in a vehicle front-rear direction; and a mud guard disposed just below the front fender panel and the cowl side member to form a wheel housing. The sound insulator is formed using an elastically-deformable urethane foam. The sound insulator is formed with a slit capable of clamping a regenerative brake wiring harness laid to extend in the vehicle front-rear direction and pass through the void space.

Abstract: A front structure for a vehicle includes a cowl panel which has at least a front wall and a bottom wall and which opens toward a top of the vehicle, a dash panel which has an upper end portion which is joined to the front wall of the cowl panel in an overlapping relationship in a vehicle length direction, and a patch which has a lower end side which is joined to the dash panel and an upper end side which is joined to the bottom wall of the cowl panel to form a closed cross-section in conjunction with the dash panel and the bottom wall.

Abstract: A fairing mounting assembly for securing a fairing to a vehicle includes a fairing locator assembly having at least one fairing locator securable to an interior surface of a forward portion of a fairing, wherein the at least one fairing locator has a predetermined size and shape. The fairing mounting assembly further includes a locator attachment assembly securable to a portion of a vehicle that has at least one isolator receptacle that is substantially sized and shaped to correspond to the predetermined size and shape of the at least one fairing locator. The fairing mounting assembly further includes a rear fairing attachment assembly configured to secure an aft portion of the fairing to the vehicle.

Abstract: A vehicle underbody structure capable of maintaining coupling between a brace and a floor frame against a load transmitted from the front side through the brace is provided, even without making a mechanical strength of a coupling portion between the brace and the floor frames particularly high. A brace is provided with a front-side coupling member and a rear-side coupling member, and the front-side coupling member and the rear-side coupling member are connected together by a load transmission section that is substantially M-shaped in plan view. The rear-side coupling member is connected to outside load transmission members of the load transmission section further to a left-right direction central side than a coupling portion of the rear-side coupling member to each floor frame. A load transmitted to the rear-side coupling member accordingly attempts to deform the rear-side coupling member about a rear end portion of the outside load transmission members.

Abstract: A collapsible fuel-door housing is provided and may include a first housing and a second housing slidably attached to the first housing and moveable from a first state overlapping the first housing to a second state adjacent to the first housing. The fuel-door housing may also include a locking mechanism moveable between an unlocked state permitting movement of the second housing into the second state and a locked state restricting relative movement between the first housing and the second housing to maintain the second housing in the second state.