Abstract: A door beam housed in a vehicle door has a rear end which is positioned in overlapping relationship to a central pillar in the lateral direction of a vehicle body. A bracket which is of a channel-shaped horizontal cross section is fixed to the rear of the door beam so as to be positioned closely to the central pillar when the door is closed. The bracket is effective in increasing the lateral rigidity of the vehicle body to efficiently absorb and distribute shocks applied during a lateral collision from an initial phase thereof.

Abstract: In an automotive door assembly including an outer panel and an inner panel, the inner panel is reinforced by a plate member attached to the outer surface of the inner panel so as to define a closed vertical cross section by a pair of mutually opposing concave surfaces thereof. The inner reinforcement member is relatively large in thickness but is allowed to relatively readily extend vertically by being relatively sharply bent at upper and lower portions thereof. Thus, according to the present invention, the automotive door demonstrates a relatively high rigidity against external side impacts, and can spread the impact energy over a large area, thereby involving a relatively small deformation.

Abstract: An occupant protecting system for a vehicle includes a triangular shock absorbing member which is accommodated in a folded state within an accommodating casing mounted along a roof rail. The shock absorbing member is held stationarily at its front and rear ends to a vehicle body by fixing pins. A movable pin mounted at a lower end of the shock absorbing member is connected through a wire to a developing or unfolding device mounted to a center pillar. The developing or unfolding device includes a gas generator and a cylinder with a piston slidably received therein and coupled to the wire. When the gas generator is operated upon collision of the vehicle to force the piston in the cylinder downwardly by a high pressure gas generated by the gas generator, the movable pin is pulled down through the wire, so that the shock absorbing member is drawn out of the accommodating casing and developed into a triangular shape.

Abstract: Energy absorbing structure provided under steering column cover between the fixing hardware for the column and a potentially colliding driver's knee.