Reinforcement Patents (Class 296/146.6)
  • Patent number: 10272864
    Abstract: A door assembly includes a monolithic base including a top panel having a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The monolithic base includes an attachment panel extending downwardly from the first end at an acute angle. The monolithic base includes an outer panel extending downwardly from the second end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Yi Yang Tay, John Pinkerton, Aleksandar Spasovski, Michael Dong, Joseph Edward Abramczyk
  • Patent number: 10272748
    Abstract: A vehicle may have a rolling chassis with a plurality of tires, and a frame supported by the rolling chassis. The frame may include a floor, a roof, two A-posts, and two C-posts. The A- and C-posts may be connected to each other via the floor and the roof. The floor, roof, A-posts, and C-posts may together form a multi-row enclosure. Open spaces between the A- and C-posts may be unobstructed by additional posts. The vehicle may also include a door disposed within each of the open spaces between the A- and C-posts. The door may include a doorframe, a first hinge configured to pivotally connect the doorframe to the roof, a front-seat door panel, a second hinge configured to pivotally connect the front-seat door panel to the doorframe, a rear-seat door panel, and a third hinge configured to pivotally connect the rear-seat door panel to the doorframe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Faraday & Future Inc.
    Inventor: Changhyun Shin
  • Patent number: 10259298
    Abstract: An impact beam structure of a CFRP door for a vehicle is disclosed. A outer impact beam and an inner impact beam are separately molded and then coupled to each other such that an impact beam is formed. The impact beam is coupled to an inner panel of the CFRP door for the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventors: Seung Il Choi, Jae Hyuk Cheong, Jeong Hyeon Kim
  • Patent number: 10246023
    Abstract: A map pocket usable as a trim component for a vehicle door assembly includes an inward-facing, substrate material layer including a polyethylene/polypropylene fibrous, thermoformed material and an outward-facing, A-side material layer including a non-woven, thermoformed material, disposed abuttingly against the substrate material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Eduardo Gutierrez Guzman, Ivan Escutia Figueroa, Fernando Nava Ortiz
  • Patent number: 10232688
    Abstract: A door latch reinforcement assembly includes a base member including a main wall portion extending laterally from an inboard side of an associated vehicle door to an outboard side of the associated vehicle door and an outboard flange portion extending from an outboard end of the main wall portion along the outboard side of the associated vehicle door. The door latch reinforcement assembly can include a stiffener overlaid onto the main wall portion to reinforce the base member. The assembly can include at least one notch extending into the main wall portion from an inboard end of the main wall portion to define the main wall portion into at least two fingers having distal ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Matthew W. Schmitt, Nathan D. Roy, Robert H. Bator, Kozo Kusumoto, Christopher J. Mampe
  • Patent number: 10207570
    Abstract: A vehicle rear portion structure that comprises: a first glass that is provided at a vehicle rear portion, and at which is formed a sunken portion that is sunken-in further toward a substantially vehicle lower side than portions adjacent thereto in a vehicle transverse direction; a connecting portion that is provided between the first glass and a second glass, and that leads drainage water, which flows from the sunken portion, to the second glass; and an additional member having a guide portion that extends toward a vehicle rear side from an upper portion of the second glass, and that guides the drainage water from the connecting portion to a position that is away, toward a vehicle rear side, from a vehicle rear side surface of the second glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Adachi
  • Patent number: 10173502
    Abstract: A door structure for a vehicle may include an external panel; an internal panel that is mounted to the external panel; and an impact member coupled to the internal panel between the external panel and the internal panel, wherein a protrusion that protrudes to an outside thereof toward a side external panel of a vehicle body from inside the internal panel is integrally provided in the impact member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventors: JeeHoon Seong, Jeong Hyeon Kim
  • Patent number: 10150353
    Abstract: A rear side door 20 designed to open and close an opening formed in a body 40 includes an inner panel 21 and a door beam 24. The door beam 24 is mounted on an inner panel 21 through a bracket 25 placed between the door beam 24 and the inner panel 21, and a patch member 26 is disposed on a tip part 24A of the door beam 24 at a position overlapping the tip part 24A of the door beam 24 in the vehicle widthwise direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tadashi Hirakawa, Tamaki Mikami, Takuro Nishida, Takafumi Takayama
  • Patent number: 10112463
    Abstract: A vehicle door includes a door inner, a beam having a first end and a second end spaced from each other along a longitudinal axis, and a bracket. The bracket is fixed to the door inner and the beam, with the bracket between the door inner and the first end of the beam. The beam includes a cutout extending along the longitudinal axis to the first end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Zhibing Deng, Diego Freitas Araujo, M. Harish Kumar, Michael Tyson, I
  • Patent number: 10106113
    Abstract: A hollow profiled element, includes a plurality of longitudinal edges, which extend in a longitudinal direction and are connected by side walls, wherein a longitudinal edge has at least one depression, the depression base of which extends transversely to the longitudinal direction and at an angle to the side walls forming the longitudinal edge. According to an embodiment of the invention, a side wall forming the longitudinal edge has a transversely extending bulge in the region of the depression, wherein the depression base transitions at the end into the bulge in the region of said side wall and the bulge is designed with a shape that has a convex form in the transition to the depression and drops to the level of the side wall before an opposite longitudinal edge is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: AUDI AG
    Inventors: Esref Ciklakarsli, Matthias Gotthelf
  • Patent number: 10099541
    Abstract: A vehicle door including a door inner and a reinforcing beam fixed to the door inner. The reinforcing beam includes a first layer and a second layer bonded to each other. The first layer includes a polymer and fibers impregnated in the polymer and extending continuously across the polymer of the first layer. The first layer extends along an axis and has first and second ends spaced from each other on the axis. The second layer includes a polymer and fibers impregnated in the polymer and extending continuously across the polymer of the second layer. The second layer has first and second ends spaced from each other on the axis. The first and second ends of the second layer are each disposed between the first and second ends of the first layer along the axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mohamed Ridha Baccouche, Rahul Arora, Saeed David Barbat
  • Patent number: 10053154
    Abstract: A vehicle side structure includes: a rocker disposed along a vehicle front-rear direction at a lower section of a vehicle side; and a pillar disposed along a vehicle up-down direction at the vehicle side whereby a lower end section of the pillar is joined to the rocker, the pillar including: a pillar inner panel disposed at a vehicle interior inner side, and a pillar outer panel disposed at a vehicle interior outer side of the pillar inner panel, and the pillar having an opening, formed at a lower section of the pillar inner panel, the pillar inner panel having formed therein a reinforcing section including an extended-out section that extends out toward an outer side in a vehicle width direction from an entire periphery of a peripheral edge of the opening, and a lower section of the reinforcing section being joined to an upper section of the rocker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Kamimura, Takuya Miura
  • Patent number: 10046730
    Abstract: A support structure for absorbing forces in a vehicle includes a support element, which encloses a hollow space and includes a number of openings, which is delimited by one or more boundary faces. A receiving body for an assembly unit is inserted in one of the openings so that the receiving body at least partially projects into the hollow space. The receiving body includes a wall which at least in portions runs corresponding to the boundary faces and with which the receiving body makes contact with the boundary faces of the support element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventor: Ralf Schmoll
  • Patent number: 10041517
    Abstract: A fastener element for transmitting a load to a machine part. One of the fastener's longitudinal extension axial ends is fixed with the machine part. The load acts onto the fastener at the other longitudinal extension axial end in a load area. The fastener comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending base parts, including the load area. The base parts are connected to each other by corrugations. To reduce shear in the fastener, a height of the corrugations is substantially constant along a first extension in a fastener longitudinal direction, extending from the machine part to a transition region. The load area is arranged along a second extension in the fastener longitudinal direction adjoining the first extension. Along the second extension, the corrugations height is reduced from the transition region, becoming zero at a final section of the fastener in the axial end region remote from the machine part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKF
    Inventor: Richard Schaake
  • Patent number: 10040339
    Abstract: A vehicle side portion structure including: a rocker that extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction at a vehicle transverse direction outer side of a vehicle body lower portion; a sliding door that slides in the vehicle longitudinal direction, includes a door inner panel, which is connected to the rocker by a door hinge slidable in the vehicle longitudinal direction and which has a mounted-to portion that is lined up in a vehicle transverse direction with the rocker, and includes a door outer panel that is disposed further toward a vehicle transverse direction outer side than the door inner panel; and a load transmitting member that is mounted to the mounted-to portion and transmits a collision load, which is input to the door outer panel from a vehicle side, to a region of the rocker that is different from a region to which the door hinge is connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shunsuke Kanagai
  • Patent number: 10035543
    Abstract: There is provided an automotive vehicle which comprises a side door, impact bars provided at the side door, a side inner panel, a first reinforcing member provided to extend along a rear side of a peripheral portion of an entrance portion and joined to an outside of the side inner panel so as to form a first closed cross section together with the side inner panel, and second reinforcing members joined to an outside of the first reinforcing member so as to form second closed cross sections together with the first reinforcing member, the second reinforcing members being configured to overlap with the impact bars, in a side view, when the side door closes the entrance portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Sato, Keizo Kawasaki, Yuuichi Sugimura
  • Patent number: 10029545
    Abstract: A beltline reinforcement member for a door of a vehicle includes a body that extends along a longitudinal axis, between a first end and a second end. The body includes, an inner belt wall extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis, an outer belt wall extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and spaced apart from the inner belt wall for receiving a window between the inner belt wall and the outer belt wall, a first end wall interconnecting the inner belt wall and the outer belt wall at the first end of the body, and a second end wall interconnecting the inner belt wall and the outer belt wall at the second end of the body. The inner belt wall, the outer belt wall, the first end wall, and the second end wall are integrally formed together as a single, unitary structure, such as by a casting process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC
    Inventors: Stephen A. Resch, Michael J. Wesner, James C. O'Kane
  • Patent number: 10023030
    Abstract: A structure of a vehicle side door includes: an inner panel including a first protrusion and a second protrusion alternately provided in a vehicle front-rear direction at an upper end of the inner pane, the first protrusion protruding to the inner side, the second protrusion protruding to an outer side; an inner reinforcement that has a flange and is provided along the vehicle front-rear direction, the flange including a joint and a cutout alternately provided in the vehicle front-rear direction, the joint being joined to a surface of the first protrusion on the outer side, the cutout exposing the second protrusion from the flange to the outer side; and a weatherstrip provided along the vehicle front-rear direction, the weatherstrip including a pinching part that contacts a surface of the first protrusion on the inner side and a surface of the second protrusion on the outer side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiko Shimoda
  • Patent number: 10011304
    Abstract: A vehicle rocker assembly is provided. The vehicle rocker assembly may include an outer panel, a side sill, and an insert. The side sill may define at least two cavities with the outer panel. The insert may be disposed in the cavities. The insert may include a longitudinally extending U-shaped carrier and a plurality of reinforcement members attached to the U-shape carrier. The plurality of reinforcement members may be spaced apart from a bottom of the U-shaped carrier by a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Edgar Edward Donabedian, Leonard Anthony Shaner, Darrin Neil Wagner, Yu-Kan Hu
  • Patent number: 9963021
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a tailgate structure capable of preventing broken pieces from being scattered inside or outside a vehicle even when a tailgate made of resin receives an impact. The tailgate structure includes a tailgate 10 which is provided capable of opening and closing an opening portion 2 of a vehicle body 1, and a locking device 21 which is provided at the tail gate 10 and is engaged with the opening portion 2 in a state in which the tailgate 10 closes the opening portion 2. The tailgate 10 includes an inner panel 30 made of resin, an outer panel 40 made of resin, and a film surface member 50 made of metal, which is provided between the inner panel 30 and the outer panel 40. The film surface member 50 is fixed to the locking device 21.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshinori Miyake, Masayuki Ogawa, Masaru Takata
  • Patent number: 9908492
    Abstract: A vehicle body framework structure includes an elongated hollow framework member and a reinforcement member disposed within the hollow framework member, the reinforcement member including a first contact portion that contacts a first internal face of an opposing pair of internal faces of the framework member, a second contact portion that contacts a second internal face of the opposing pair of internal faces, and a coupling portion that couples the first contact portion to the second contact portion. At least one slit is formed in at least the second contact portion and the coupling portion of the reinforcement member, the slit extending from an end portion on the second internal face side of the reinforcement member toward the first internal face side of the reinforcement member and having a depth that is greater than or equal to one fourth of a spacing between the pair of internal faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shigenori Hashida, Shintaro Kitakata
  • Patent number: 9884651
    Abstract: A vehicle side portion structure is provided that can suppress or prevent separation at a joined portion between members at a time of a vehicle side collision. At a pillar outer reinforcement, a reinforcement upper and a reinforcement lower are joined at a joined portion by spot welding or the like. A hinge reinforcement is, in a state of spanning over this joined portion, joined to the reinforcement upper and the reinforcement lower. Therefore, when tensile force is applied to the pillar outer reinforcement, shearing force that acts on the joined portion can be reduced by reaction force obtained from the hinge reinforcement. Due thereto, at a time of a vehicle side collision, separation at the joined portion can be suppressed or prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kyohei Irie
  • Patent number: 9878603
    Abstract: A vehicle door impact beam disposed between first and second door panels includes: a first grooved portion configured to include a bottom wall portion extending along the first door panel in a predetermined direction, and side wall portions; a second grooved portion disposed a predetermined gap away from the first grooved portion in the width direction, and configured to include a bottom wall portion and side wall portions respectively connected to both end portions of the bottom wall portion in the width direction; and a connection wall portion configured to connect one side wall portion, which is one of the side wall portions of the first grooved portion and positioned on a second grooved portion side, to one side wall portion which is one of the side wall portions of the second grooved portion and positioned on a first grooved portion side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignees: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Keikinzoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kohei Hodoya, Tatsuya Tsukamoto, Tamaki Obayashi
  • Patent number: 9873312
    Abstract: A door impact beam for a door of a motor vehicle includes a first fastening portion configured to be fastened to a first fastening intersection of the door and a second fastening portion configured to be fastened to a second fastening intersection of the door. A profiled portion extends between the first fastening portion and the second fastening portion. The profiled portion is designed at least in sections as a hollow profile with two side walls disposed opposite to each other and two connecting walls disposed opposite to each other which connect the side walls to each other. The connecting walls have an outwardly directed convex curvature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Gerald Eckart, Herbert Klamser, Adriano Morozini De Lira, Patrick Oefele, Philipp Straub, Joachim Ritter
  • Patent number: 9834070
    Abstract: A door assembly for a vehicle is provided. The door assembly includes an inner panel and an outer panel which are joined together to define a central space therebetween. The central space has a front which faces towards the front of a vehicle and a back which faces towards a back of the vehicle. Both the inner and outer panels are made of aluminum, and at least one reinforcement beam made of steel is disposed in the central space between the aluminum inner and outer panels to provide the door assembly with increased impact resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Magna International Inc.
    Inventors: Venugopal Garimella, Mari Chellman, John Johnson, Alexander Zak
  • Patent number: 9815496
    Abstract: A vehicle body, preferably for a motor vehicle with four wheels, includes two side members extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, at least one support, which extends in the vehicle transverse direction between the two side members, and at least one molded foam part that reinforces the vehicle body. The foam part is arranged in a lateral structure of the vehicle body at the height level of the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Thomas Hogger, Lukasz Goldyn, Ferdinand Dirschmid, Thomas Weiss, Mihaly Gonda, Anja Danne, Marco Reisboeck, Sabine Ullrich
  • Patent number: 9796425
    Abstract: A step portion that is farther toward a vehicle width direction outside than a cabin inside vertical wall portion, is set on a door inner panel. A portion of the step portion is a first overlapping portion that is arranged in a position overlapping with an outside vertical wall portion of a center pillar in a vehicle side view. A portion of the outside vertical wall portion of the center pillar is a second overlapping portion that faces the first overlapping portion at a distance that is narrower than a distance between the step portion and the cabin inside vertical wall portion. A third overlapping portion that is connected to the first overlapping portion in a position overlapping with the second overlapping portion of the center pillar in the vehicle side view, is set on an end portion of a beltline reinforcement in a length direction thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinobu Tanaka, Takuya Oshima, Kenjiro Yamada, Tatsunori Mori, Yasuhiko Fukuzumi, Shuuitsu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 9789912
    Abstract: A vehicle tailgate includes an upper panel, lower panel, internal panel, external panel and brace. The upper and lower panels are spaced apart relative to each other. The internal and external panels are each secured to the upper and lower panels. A cavity is defined between the upper, lower, internal, and external panels. The brace is disposed within the cavity. The brace includes first and second flanges extending outward from a central plate. The first and second flanges are secured to the internal panel while the central plate is secured to the external panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Jack Marchlewski, Jeffrey Gray, Michael William Danyo, David Alan Hamilton, Joshua R. Hemphill, John Comiez, Colleen Marie Hoffman, Scott Huneau, Bradley Brandt
  • Patent number: 9776666
    Abstract: A vehicle side section structure including: a center pillar including an outer panel, an inner panel that forms a closed cross-section with the outer panel, and a reinforcement member that is provided inside the closed cross-section, that reinforces the outer panel, and that includes a main body section including a front wall, a side wall, and a rear wall and open toward the vehicle width direction inside, and a recessed portion formed between a front side ridgeline formed by the front wall and the side wall and a rear side ridgeline formed by the side wall and the rear wall and open toward the vehicle width direction outside; and filler material filled between the recessed portion and a facing face that faces the recessed portion, excluding at the periphery of the front side ridgeline and at the periphery of the rear side ridgeline of the main body section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, IIDA INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kenjiro Yamada, Kenji Takada
  • Patent number: 9731582
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a door module for a vehicle, which is mounted in a door panel of a vehicle door. The door module may include: a stiffened plate including base plates formed at positions where one or more hardware parts related to the vehicle door are mounted and a connection plate for connecting the base plates, wherein the base plates and the connection plate are integrally formed; and a resin panel covering an opening of the door panel, and formed by over-molding resin onto the stiffened plate, wherein the stiffened plate is formed of a material having higher stiffness than the resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Seoyon E-Hwa Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung Ik Cho, Jae In Yu, Hang Chul Ko, Jae Won Lee, Hue Yeon An
  • Patent number: 9669686
    Abstract: A support structure for a motor vehicle with a first connecting section, a second connecting section and a deformation section, which is arranged between the first connecting section and the second connecting section. The deformation section is provided in its lengthwise dimension with a recess formed from a middle web and legs joined to it by connecting regions. The deformation section is fashioned as a single piece and a) the wall thickness in the connecting regions is at least partly along the lengthwise dimension of the deformation section at least 20% larger than the wall thickness of the middle web and/or the legs and/or b) the ends of the legs have a wall thickness which for at least a portion of the lengthwise dimension of the deformation section is at least 20% greater than the wall thickness of the middle web and/or the legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: BENTELER AUTOMOBILETECHNIK GMBH
    Inventor: Franz Ulrich Brockhoff
  • Patent number: 9623729
    Abstract: A stiffening panel for a motor vehicle door, for example a side door. The stiffening panel is arranged between a structure of the door, which structure can be made of plastic, located on a side of a passenger compartment of the vehicle and configured to absorb majority of external impacts on the door, in particular front and side impacts on the side door, and at least one decorative outer panel which can be made of plastic and mounted on the structure. The stiffening panel can be made from a plastic material and stiffen the decorative outer panel to enable the outer panel to withstand external impacts on the door from the opposite side of the passenger compartment. The stiffening panel includes mounting elements for a window lift system. The stiffening panel is arranged between the decorative outer panel and a window supported by the window lift system mounted on the stiffening panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: RENAULT s.a.s.
    Inventor: Olivier Glaumot
  • Patent number: 9586537
    Abstract: A vehicle undercover is disclosed which avoids giving an excessive impact on an object that collides with a vehicle in a vehicle collision. The vehicle undercover includes: an installation surface to be attached to a bracket; a vertical wall surface that is bent at a front edge of the installation surface and extends downward; and a bottom wall surface that is bent at a lower edge of the vertical wall surface and extends in a front direction of the vehicle. The vehicle undercover further includes easily-deformable portions that are formed in a vehicle width direction at least at a corner portion between the installation surface and the vertical wall surface and at a corner portion between the vertical wall surface and the bottom wall surface, respectively, and that allow the respective corner portions to bend easily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: NIHON PLAST CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ryosuke Abe
  • Patent number: 9573445
    Abstract: A vehicle door structure has: a door inner panel that is made of resin and that, together with a door outer panel, structures a door main body portion having a substantially closed cross-sectional shape; a beam having a main body portion, that extends in a door longitudinal direction, and an extended portion that is made of metal and is provided in continuation with a length direction end portion of the main body portion, the beam being disposed within the closed cross-section of the door main body portion; and a bent portion that is bendingly formed at the extended portion, and that, as seen in plan view, is disposed further toward a door thickness direction outer side than the frame main body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Ogawa, Atsushi Mikuni
  • Patent number: 9566848
    Abstract: A structural door beam for vehicles, and a method for making the same, is provided. The structural door beam has an elongate multiple channel structure defined by a central web of given thickness and known material composition, and includes end mounting-flanges integrally formed therewith. The elongate multiple channel structure comprises two outer channels separated one from the other in a lateral direction, and a third channel disposed between the two outer channels. The third channel defines a trough within the medial region between the two outer channels. A first one of the two outer channels is drawn to a peak of known height and the trough is drawn to a known depth, such that the trough to peak distance exceeds a maximum distance that is achievable in a single cold forming operation for the given thickness and material composition of the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: MAGNA AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES GMBH
    Inventor: Frank Rakei
  • Patent number: 9550467
    Abstract: An apparatus comprises a vehicle door closeout panel. The closeout panel comprises a pelvis bolster having a plurality of load points. Each load point is determined based on a respective one of a plurality of vehicle seat track positions and is configured to receive a respective load determined according to the seat track position by which the load point was determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Zhibing Deng, Herbert Yang, Brian Pietila, Banyuga Pefok
  • Patent number: 9545957
    Abstract: There are provided a center pillar, a roof side rail connected to an upper end portion of the center pillar and having a closed cross section extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction, and a synthetic resin-made reinforcing member provided inside the roof side rail at a position near an upper end portion of the center pillar. The roof side rail comprises a roof rail inner having a protrusion portion and a roof rail outer forming the closed cross section together with the roof rail inner. The reinforcing member is provided to have a gap from the roof rail outer and integrally joined to an outward face, in a vehicle width direction, of the roof rail inner which is roughened by an anchor effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohito Okuyama, Yuki Kodama, Tetsunori Hada
  • Patent number: 9517742
    Abstract: A vehicle door panel shock absorber having a outer wall and first and second reinforcing wings each extending between two opposite ends which are unitary with the outer wall, the first and second reinforcing wings crossing themselves at a center inside the outer wall and being unitary with one another at this center.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: FAURECIA INTERIOR SYSTEMS INDIA PVT. LTD.
    Inventors: Christophe Guiard, Vinicius Nogueira, Vineet Kedia, Rao Nuthalapati
  • Patent number: 9487066
    Abstract: A door assembly for a vehicle is provided having a door positioned between a first pillar and a second pillar, the first pillar having a first surface, the second pillar having a second surface. A bar is contained within the door, the bar having a first end and a second end, the bar extending between the first pillar and the second pillar, the bar at least partially bowed as defined by a first position. In the event of a collision, the bar moves to a second position where the bar is extended, the second position further defined when the first end of the bar is in contact with the first surface and the second end of the bar is in contact with the second surface of the pillar thereby distributing the force to the first pillar and the second pillar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles S. Hansen, Todd R. Muck
  • Patent number: 9475366
    Abstract: A door intrusion apparatus for a vehicle having a door and a rocker with a vertically extending wall defining a catcher opening. The apparatus includes a projection horizontally extending from the door and a projection trap attached to the vertically extending wall inside the rocker and below the catcher opening. In a side impact collision, the projection trap engages the projection thereby minimizing the door from intruding into a vehicle cabin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
    Inventors: Mohammed Omar Faruque, Michael M. Azzouz
  • Patent number: 9452727
    Abstract: Provided is an interior side wall structure for a vehicle in which a cylindrical shape of a shock-absorbing member can be crushed and deformed in an axial direction in an orderly manner upon vehicle side collision. When a collision load (F) is input to a shock-absorbing member (10) in the axial direction, a flange portion (13) at a peripheral edge of an open part is uniformly pressed against a door trim (4). At a connecting portion (15) of a peripheral wall (11), stress is distributed by an arc shaped face, whereby the development of crack is avoided, thus enabling even distribution of the load. At the connecting portion (15), buckling rigidity is adjusted by a slit for compression buckling adjustment (16) so as to substantially equalize the buckling rigidity at each portion of the peripheral wall (11), whereby the cylindrical shape of the shock-absorbing member (10) is crushed and deformed in the axial direction in an orderly manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2016
    Assignee: KASAI KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naohiko Hase, Daisuke Irokawa, Hiroyuki Kojima, Eiji Jumonji
  • Patent number: 9440678
    Abstract: A frame structure of a vehicle, including a frame member with a closed cross-section structure including plural wall portions configuring the frame, and a reinforcement member made of a fiber reinforced plastic and provided to an inner portion of the closed cross-section structure of the frame member. The reinforcement member includes a fan shaped longitudinal wall portion, and a bottom wall portion from which the longitudinal wall portion protrudes out, and the bottom wall portion joins one end portion and another end portion of an arc of the longitudinal wall portion that are oriented in a row along a length direction of the frame member to an inner face of a wall portion at a compression deformation side of the frame member that undergoes bending deformation due to the front side member being input with load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 9428131
    Abstract: Provided is an interior side wall structure for a vehicle in which a cylindrical shape of a shock-absorbing member can be crushed and deformed in an axial direction in an orderly manner upon vehicle side collision. When a collision load (F) is input to a shock-absorbing member (10) in the axial direction, a flange portion (13) at a peripheral edge of an open part is uniformly pressed against a door trim (4). At a connecting portion (15) of a peripheral wall (11), stress is distributed by an arc shaped face, whereby the development of crack is avoided, thus enabling even distribution of the load. At the connecting portion (15), buckling rigidity is adjusted by a slit for compression buckling adjustment (16) so as to substantially equalize the buckling rigidity at each portion of the peripheral wall (11), whereby the cylindrical shape of the shock-absorbing member (10) is crushed and deformed in the axial direction in an orderly manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: KASAI KOGYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naohiko Hase, Daisuke Irokawa, Hiroyuki Kojima, Eiji Jumonji
  • Patent number: 9422008
    Abstract: A front cover assembly of a utility vehicle including a riding space surrounded with a R. O. P. S. (rollover protective structure) and a cargo bed. The front cover assembly includes a left side front fender, right side front fender, a front grille, and a hood covering the top of a front chamber. These members are provided separately from one another. The hood is configured to be detached from other members or be opened and closed independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideyoshi Kosuge, Chad Enger
  • Patent number: 9346340
    Abstract: An impact bar includes a U-shaped portion formed by a vertical face portion and upper-and-lower lateral face portions at its front end. The impact bar further includes upper-and-lower outer face portions. A pair of first joint portions which are formed so as to extend upward and downward from respective front ends of the upper-and-lower lateral face portions are joined to a lateral face portion of a door inner panel. A pair of second joint portions which are formed so as to extend forward from respective front ends of the upper-and-lower outer face portions are joined to a longitudinal face portion of the door inner panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuyoshi Ishigame, Yuichi Sugimura, Hirotaka Takaya, Kyohei Yukita
  • Patent number: 9266412
    Abstract: A vehicle side door structure is equipped with a door inner panel and a door outer panel. An impact beam is disposed between the door inner panel and the door outer panel. The impact beam is disposed in such a way that its lengthwise direction coincides with the vehicle front and rear direction. An impact beam extension is disposed on a front end portion of the impact beam. The impact beam extension is overlaid on a first opposing wall portion formed on a vehicle front and rear direction front end portion side of the door inner panel, is welded to the first opposing wall portion. Furthermore, the impact beam extension overlaps at least part of a through hole serving as an example of a weak portion formed in a second opposing wall portion of the door inner panel as seen from the outer side in the vehicle width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akito Fujihara, Nobuyuki Torii
  • Patent number: 9254732
    Abstract: An arrangement of a side door on a body of a motor vehicle is provided. The side door is held on the body in a closed position that closes a door opening corresponding to the side door with respect to the transverse direction of the vehicle with at least regional overlapping with a side sill of the body. The side door has a reinforcing element, with which the side door can be supported on the side sill in the event of an application of force, caused by an accident, acting on the side door from the outside in at least substantially in the transverse direction of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Daimler AG
    Inventors: Gerald Dettling, Michael Eggersdorfer, Wolfgang Fassnacht, Holger Kerschagel
  • Patent number: 9205726
    Abstract: A door beam has a double hat profile between its mounting ends (12, 13). The height of the outer sidewalls (14, 15) of the double hat profile decreases from a central part (25) of the beam towards the mounting ends (12, 13). Thus the height ratio between the outer (14, 15) and the inner (18, 19) sidewalls is decreased towards the mounting ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Gestamp Hardtech AB
    Inventor: Stefan Arvidsson
  • Patent number: 9193247
    Abstract: A door assembly for an automotive vehicle that reduces or eliminates thoracic or rib deflection in a side impact event is disclosed. The door assembly of the disclosed invention includes an inner door structure, an interior trim panel attached to the door structure and a shut face. The inner surface of the shut face includes a collapsible surface having a plurality of alternating raised areas and recessed areas formed thereon. The raised areas and recessed areas extend between one side of the door assembly and the other side of the door assembly. The shut face may be composed of beads, a foamed polymer or a solid polymer. In addition, the engineered surface may also be formed on the inner side of the face of one of the pillars. This configuration may be used in conjunction with a door shut face having an engineered surface or may be used independently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Deepak Patel, Kirti Patel
  • Patent number: 9162554
    Abstract: To obtain a vehicle rear door structure that can improve a fitting performance of a rear door. A pair of connecting beads, that connect a lock mechanism placement portion with regions positioned at vehicle transverse direction outer sides with respect to a lateral bead, are formed at a rear door inner panel. Upper end portions of the connecting beads are disposed at positions apart from the lateral bead and are connected to an annular bead, and have outer side wall portions and inner side wall portions, that stand erect in a door thickness direction of a rear door. The outer side wall portions and the inner side wall portions both extend in a direction orthogonal to an extension line of the lateral bead as seen in a door elevation view. Further, the outer side wall portions are made integral with an inner peripheral wall portion of the annular bead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Iwano, Kosuke Ebina