Offset Patents (Class 296/187.1)
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Patent number: 12077114Abstract: A vehicle front structure includes side frames in pairs, a bumper beam, a lower beam, coupling members in pairs, and gussets. The bumper beam and the lower beam extend in the vehicle width direction. Each coupling member extends in a vehicle upward-downward direction on an outer side of a corresponding one of the side frames in the vehicle width direction. The coupling members couple the bumper beam and the lower beam. A vehicle-front-side end part of each gusset is coupled to a middle part of a corresponding one of the coupling members in the vehicle upward-downward direction. A vehicle-rear-side end part of each gusset is coupled to the corresponding one of the side frames.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2022Date of Patent: September 3, 2024Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATIONInventor: Yoshio Wada
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Patent number: 12037045Abstract: A front body structure provided on a vehicle includes a bumper beam, a left frame and a right frame in pairs, stays, and gussets. The bumper beam extends in a left-right direction at a front end of the vehicle. The frames extend in a front-rear direction. The stays support the bumper beam. The stays are provided at front ends of the frames. The gussets are disposed separated from the bumper beam. Each of the gussets extend inclined outward in the left-right direction, and obliquely forward from an outer end of a corresponding one of the left frame and the right frame to ahead of a front end of a corresponding one of the left frame and the right frame. Each of the stays includes a bead at a predetermined position in the front-rear direction. Each of the beads extends in a circumferential direction of the respective one of the stays.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2022Date of Patent: July 16, 2024Assignee: SUBARU CORPORATIONInventor: Naoki Nishimura
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Patent number: 11958530Abstract: A motor vehicle has a chassis on which vehicle wheels of an axle of the motor vehicle that are rearmost in the vehicle longitudinal direction are rotatably held. The chassis has longitudinal members, which are arranged on the rear of the motor vehicle and are mutually spaced apart in the vehicle transverse direction. The longitudinal members each have at least one length region that runs rearward and inward obliquely to the vehicle longitudinal direction behind the respective center points of the vehicle wheels with respect to the vehicle longitudinal direction.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2020Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AktiengesellschaftInventor: Maximilian Pecher
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Patent number: 11718251Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a Vehicle front structure as defined above is provided, in which the front structure comprises: a side member for supporting a vehicle bumper beam, the side member extending along a longitudinal axis between a first end for connecting to the vehicle bumper beam and a second end for connecting to a bulkhead, and a lateral extension member extending substantially perpendicular with respect to the longitudinal axis of the side member and outward with respect to the vehicle front structure, the lateral extension member is connected to the side member such that the lateral extension member can exert a bending moment to the side member, and a bending strength of the lateral extension member in backward direction towards the side member is higher compared to a bending strength in the forward direction away from the side member.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2021Date of Patent: August 8, 2023Assignee: VOLVO CAR CORPORATIONInventors: Babak Nejabat, Weijia Wu, Asmer Ibrovic, Ejder Eken, Frida Madsen, Martin Swahn
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Patent number: 11679808Abstract: A front body reinforcement structure for a vehicle includes: a front side member connected to a dash panel; a front pillar which is disposed in a height direction of a vehicle body and has a lower part connected to the front side member; a front side upper member connecting a front of the front side member and an upper part of the front pillar; and a reinforcement unit that is connected with the dash panel and connects a rear of the front side member and an upper portion of the front pillar.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2021Date of Patent: June 20, 2023Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATIONInventor: Eonpyo Kim
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Patent number: 11584443Abstract: A front portion of a vehicle body includes front side frames, a subframe, and a vehicle compartment front structure body. The subframe has a subframe body, a leg portion, a front fastening portion, and a rear fastening portion. The front side frame has a subframe mounting portion which is arranged on a front side of a bending starting point and to which the front fastening portion is fastened. A component mounting bracket having an inclined guide portion with a front surface inclining downward toward a vehicle rear side is coupled to a rear side of the bending starting point of the front side frame. The inclined guide portion is arranged on a track in which the leg portion detached from the front side frame is displaced rearward when an impact load is input from the front of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: October 6, 2021Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventor: Hiroyuki Anzai
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Patent number: 11511811Abstract: A vehicle frame structure has a front side member that extends forward from a dashwall. An engine cradle is attached to the front side member with a lateral side portion of the engine cradle being located beneath and spaced apart from a lower surface of the front side member. An engine installed to the engine cradle with a portion of the engine extending upward from the engine cradle adjacent to an inboard surface of the front side member, A push-off structure is attached to an outboard surface of the front side member adjacent to a front end surface of the front side member. A portion of the push-off structure extends outboard from the outboard surface. Another portion of the push-off structure extends downward below the lower surface of the front side member toward the lateral portion of the engine cradle and the engine.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2020Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Jordan Renn, Masayuki Katou, David Coakley, Yasutsune Terashima, Shuichi Okada, Syu Hashimoto
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Patent number: 11511812Abstract: A vehicle frame structure has a front side member that extends forward from a dashwall. An engine cradle is attached to the front side member with a lateral side portion of the engine cradle being located beneath and spaced apart from a lower surface of the front side member. An engine is installed to the engine cradle with a portion of the engine extending upward from the engine cradle adjacent to the inboard surface of the front side member. An inboard push structure has an inboard surface, an upper portion and a lower portion. The upper portion is attached to an inboard surface of the front side member. The lower portion extends downward below a lower surface of the front side member. The inboard surface faces the engine proximate the lateral portion of the lateral side portion of the engine cradle.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2020Date of Patent: November 29, 2022Assignee: NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.Inventors: Jordan Renn, Masayuki Kato, David Coakley, Yasutsune Terashima, Shuichi Okada, Syu Hashimoto
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Patent number: 11459033Abstract: A body of a vehicle may include: a pair of front side members extending along a front-rear direction of the vehicle; a crossmember connecting the front side members to each other; a pair of gussets, each of the gussets being joined to an outer lateral surface of corresponding one of the front side members; a pair of crash boxes, each of the crash boxes being provided frontward of corresponding one of protrusions; and a bumper reinforcement connected to the gussets via the crash boxes, wherein a beam portion and each of protrusions overlap each other when viewed along the right-left direction.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2021Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUBARU CORPORATIONInventors: Hyuga Atsumi, Osamu Shimasaki, Shunsuke Takii, Satoshi Ikeda
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Patent number: 11358645Abstract: Provided is a vehicle body structure member molded by a die. The vehicle body structure member includes a general portion constituting a main part of the vehicle body structure member, and ribs provided in a standing manner from the general portion and extended along the input direction of a collision load.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2019Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Soshiro Murata, Ayaka Kagami, Takashi Sagisaka, Yu Sasaki, Shinichi Arimoto, Koh Hirokawa
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Patent number: 11235813Abstract: A side vehicle-body structure of a vehicle capable of efficiently absorbing side collision energy while downsizing an energy absorbing material. The side vehicle-body structure includes a center pillar in which a lower end side is positioned on a vehicle-width-direction outer side with respect to an upper end thereof. The center pillar includes a breakage inducing portion that is provided to be close to a lower portion of an outer wall of the center pillar and induces breakage at time of a side collision, and a step-down portion provided in a corner portion of a center pillar outer wall of the breakage inducing portion. An energy absorbing material is disposed between the step-down portion 3 and an inner panel.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2020Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: MAZD.A MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Tomohiro Komaji, Yoshihiko Horita
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Patent number: 11097786Abstract: A vehicle front structure includes a dash panel and a reinforcing member. The dash panel includes a steering column hole. The reinforcing member includes a center reinforcing member mounted in a center portion along a width of a vehicle and an outer reinforcing member attached outward along the width of the vehicle. The center reinforcing member and the outer reinforcing member are superposed and joined together on the dash panel around the steering column hole.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2019Date of Patent: August 24, 2021Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Motoki Tanaka, Koji Saeki
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Patent number: 10933915Abstract: A reinforcement is provided for the front structure of a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle comprises, on at least at one side laterally to a longitudinal axis of said vehicle, a front wheel, a generally vertical profile member (the A-pillar) located to the rear of the front wheel, and a transverse wall (the wheel arch) adjacent to the A-pillar defining the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The reinforcement is attached to the A-pillar and to the wheel arch, and is configured to interfere with the front wheel to limit an intrusion of the wheel into the passenger compartment in the case of a frontal crash on a portion of the vehicle aligned with the front wheel. The reinforcement comprises a generally flat central portion extending transversely along the A-pillar and the wheel arch.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2017Date of Patent: March 2, 2021Assignee: PSA AUTOMOBILES SAInventor: Marc Peru
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Patent number: 10926806Abstract: An assembly includes an inner rail and a rocker rail outboard of the inner rail. The assembly includes a torque box having a first panel fixed to the inner rail and the rocker rail, a second panel fixed to the inner rail and the rocker rail, and a third panel fixed to the inner rail and the rocker rail.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 2019Date of Patent: February 23, 2021Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Jamil M. Alwan, Djamal Eddine Midoun, Shekar Prabhakar Erasala, Pavan Nagaraj, Vladimir Vladimirovich Bogachuk, Shawn Michael Morgans
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Patent number: 10870451Abstract: A lateral-section frame includes a wheel housing upper member, the rear end of which is connected to a front pillar, and a wheel housing lower member extending from the wheel housing upper member via an upper curved section and a lower curved section in a manner such that the front end thereof extends forward and downward to a substantially identical location as does the front end of the front side frame. A stiffener extending forward and rearward to sandwich the upper curved section is attached to the interior of the wheel housing lower member, and the stiffener includes a front rigid section and a rear rigid section attached to a lower surface section and an inside surface section to sandwich an inside ridge therebetween; and a connecting section connecting the front rigid section and the rear rigid section and being attached to at least the inside surface section.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2017Date of Patent: December 22, 2020Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Takehiro Kondo, Tomohito Kamada
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Patent number: 10864871Abstract: When viewed from the vehicle front and rear direction, the front end portions of the upper plate part 21, the lower plate part 22, the left plate part 23, and the right plate part 24 of the left front side frame 2 and the rear end portions of the upper wall part 41, the lower wall part 42, the left wall part 43, and the right wall part 44 of the left crush can 4 overlap each other.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2017Date of Patent: December 15, 2020Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Kuniyoshi Tashiro, Ippei Kuroda, Satoshi Nakamura
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Patent number: 10807645Abstract: A reinforcement member has a load-receiving portion and an inclined portion. At least a part of the load-receiving portion is placed in front of a Fr side member. An end, at an inner side in the width direction, of the inclined portion matches in the width direction of the vehicle with a ridgeline at an inner side, in the width direction of the vehicle, of the Fr side member, or is provided at an outer side, in the width direction of the vehicle, in relation to the ridgeline.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2019Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Takashi Tagaito
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Patent number: 10793191Abstract: A lower vehicle body structure includes a vehicle body floor having a bottom surface part, a floor tunnel bulging upwardly from the bottom surface part and extending in vehicle front-and-rear directions, side sills extending in the front-and-rear directions, hinge pillars extending upwardly from the side sills, first frames, lowered parts and second frames. Each first frame extends in the front-and-rear directions between the floor tunnel and a side sill. Each lowered part is provided to the bottom surface part between a first frame and a side sill so as to be lowered below a part where the floor and the side sills are joined. Each second frame extends to a first frame, obliquely rearwardly and inwardly from a side sill along an upper surface of the bottom surface part, and forms in a part including a lowered part a closed cross-section between the bottom surface part and a second frame.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2019Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Hirotaka Natsume, Hidenori Matsuoka, Keisuke Ebisumoto
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Patent number: 10717469Abstract: A vehicle body front part structure includes: a pair of left and right front side frames extending in the vehicle front-rear direction; and a front bulkhead connected to front ends of the front side frames. The front bulkhead includes: a pair of upper and lower lateral members extending in the left-right direction; and a pair of left and right vertical members extending in the up-down direction so as to connect ends on the outer sides in the vehicle width direction of the lateral members to each other. A forward extension part extending toward the front of the vehicle is provided at a lower end of the vertical member. A first load transmission member located on a more outer side in the vehicle width direction than the front side frame is fixed to the forward extension part.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2017Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Kiyohiko Matsuoka, Tomohito Kamada, Akira Haga
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Patent number: 10689037Abstract: A vehicle lower portion structure includes rockers and front wheel anchoring portions. The rockers are configured to be disposed at vehicle transverse direction outer sides of a battery pack that is installed at a vehicle lower side of a floor panel, and the rockers extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction. The front wheel anchoring portions are provided at regions, that face front wheels in the vehicle longitudinal direction, of front ends of the rockers, and the front wheel anchoring portions are configured such that a wheel of one or the other of the front wheels, that moves toward a vehicle transverse direction inner side at a time of a front collision of a vehicle, anchors at one of the front wheel anchoring portion.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2018Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Masami Uehata
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Patent number: 10689035Abstract: A side rail includes base members, and plate members that are different in both plate thickness and material from the base members. The base members have a cutout or an opening, and the plate members are fitted into this cutout or opening and joined to the base members by laser welding.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2018Date of Patent: June 23, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masahiro Onoda, Makoto Kato, Takaaki Onodera, Junichi Amo, Tokukatsu Suzuki
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Patent number: 10654524Abstract: A vehicle body front structure includes: a front pillar that includes an A-pillar provided to extend in an up-down direction, an A?-pillar provided to extend in the up-down direction in the rear of the A-pillar, and a lower frame disposed between lower ends of the A-pillar and the A?-pillar; and a bracket connected to the lower end of the A-pillar and provided to extend frontward from the lower end of the A-pillar. In the vehicle body front structure, strength of the bracket is set to be lower than strength of the A-pillar.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2018Date of Patent: May 19, 2020Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Yasuyuki Kato, Sadayuki Asano, Tomohide Sekiguchi
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Patent number: 10526020Abstract: A side body structure of a vehicle is provided, which includes a hinge pillar extending in vertical directions of the vehicle, a hinge reinforcement disposed in the hinge pillar, and a reinforcing member disposed in the hinge pillar and extending in the vertical directions. The hinge reinforcement is provided with an overlapping section provided on a rear side of a portion of the reinforcing member and overlapping in the vertical directions with the portion when viewed from a vehicle front side.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2017Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Takashi Narahara, Shuichi Nakagami, Hiroshi Matsubara, Katsuhisa Miyoshi
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Patent number: 10526017Abstract: A structural member extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction. An off-center impact structure has a first member and a second member. The first member has a linear portion and an offset portion both having a hollow interior. The first linear portion extends through a first opening in the structural member in a direction perpendicular to the structural member and further extends in an outboard direction from the structural member. The offset portion is angularly offset from the first linear portion and extends laterally outboard and forward relative to the structural member. The second member has a first section and a second section. The first section is disposed within the hollow interior of the linear portion of the first member and the second section extends through of an opening in the first member outboard from the opening of the first member away from the hollow interior.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2018Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.Inventor: Patrick Ramses Grattan
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Patent number: 10501035Abstract: A vehicle frame component for limiting the movement of the wheel of the vehicle toward the cab of a cab on frame vehicle including a base member welded to openings in the frame side rail and extending outwardly and located proximal the wheel structure. In one embodiment the vehicle frame component is located forward of the wheel and includes a tire puncture device to deflate the tire during an offset front impact and in a second embodiment the vehicle frame component is located rearward of the wheel. The vehicle frame component has particular utility during an offset front impact where the offset is less than approximately twenty-five percent (25%) of the width of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2018Date of Patent: December 10, 2019Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Ajay Kumar Gupta, Narayana Venugopal, John Charles Caris, Mark Wlotkowski, Charles Ko, Leonard Anthony Shaner
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Patent number: 10464513Abstract: The present invention relates to a front bumper system for a vehicle. A pair of front side members is arranged along a front-rear direction of the vehicle and arranged on opposite sides of the vehicle and on opposite sides of a cross member structure of the vehicle. Pair of crash box units are mechanically fixated to the front side members. A front bumper is laterally disposed and mechanically fixated to each of the crash box units. A lateral push element is mechanically fixed to one of the crash box units and being arranged to provide a load transfer path via the cross member structure towards the opposing front side member such that at least the front side member on the side of the lateral push element is moved towards the opposing front side member in the event of a crash.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2018Date of Patent: November 5, 2019Assignee: Volvo Car CorporationInventors: Daniel Karlsson, Jens Raine, Jan-Erik Larsson, Martin Swahn, Frida Madsen
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Patent number: 10407104Abstract: An integral hot-stamping vehicle body structure may include an integral hot-stamping panel separated into an A pillar section forming an A pillar, a B pillar section forming a B pillar, and a C pillar section forming a C pillar, and forming a side sill with lower portions of the A pillar section, the B pillar section, and the C pillar section, and a joint member disposed on the A pillar section and occupying an open front joint space in the A pillar section.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2016Date of Patent: September 10, 2019Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventors: Jun-Gyoo Park, Seok Oh
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Patent number: 10384721Abstract: A body component for a motor vehicle provides at least one inner shell manufactured from an aluminum material and at least one outer shell manufactured from an aluminum material, the at least one inner shell and the at least one outer shell being connected to one another at least at flange regions and providing at least one cavity between them; and at least one reinforcement element arranged in the cavity. The inner shell is connected only by a rear section to the reinforcement element, such that the rear section of the inner shell is reinforced in dimensionally stable fashion by the reinforcement element in order to safeguard the passenger compartment, and is delimited by a front, non-reinforced section for energy dissipation.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2017Date of Patent: August 20, 2019Assignee: DR. ING. H.C. F. PORSCHE AKTIENGESELLSCHAFTInventor: Philipp Kellner
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Patent number: 10322753Abstract: A vehicle body front structure includes a main body section (21) extending forward from a substantially central portion of a front pillar in an upward/downward direction, and an upper member (5) including an extension section (22) extending forward and downward from the main body section (21). The main body section (21) includes a first L-shaped member (31). The extension section (22) includes a second L-shaped member (33). Either one of the first L-shaped member (31) and the second L-shaped member (33) has an extension portion (51) overlapping a wall surface of the other one of the first L-shaped member and the second L-shaped member different from a flange (41) and a flange (42) of the other one of the first L-shaped member (31) and the second L-shaped member (33).Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2016Date of Patent: June 18, 2019Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Yasunori Watanabe, Seiji Suzuki, Ryo Fujita
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Patent number: 10245932Abstract: The bracket includes a front fastening portion, a rear fastening portion, and a connecting portion which connects the two of them. The front fastening portion and the rear fastening portion are brought into contact with the upper surface of the Fr side member and protrude inward in the vehicle width direction from the upper surface of the Fr side member to come into contact with the upper surface of the MGCpm cross member. Further, the front fastening portion and the rear fastening portion are provided so as to be arranged in pairs in the front-rear direction across the bending and buckling starting point of the Fr side member. The connecting portion is formed in an angular groove shape having a front wall portion, a rear wall portion, and a side wall portion and recessed in the vehicle width direction in a cross-section in a plan view.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 2018Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Eiji Suzuki
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Patent number: 10093357Abstract: A vehicle structure includes a vehicle frame and a push arm. The vehicle frame includes surfaces that define an intersection of a first side member and a first cross-member. The surfaces extend from the first side member to the first cross-member with an upper surface of a mid-section of the first cross-member being vertically spaced apart from an upper surface of the first side member. The push arm is coupled to the vehicle frame proximate the intersection. A rear surface of the push arm faces and is adjacent to a front area of the intersection. A main body of the push arm extends forward and laterally outboard from the rear surface such that the front surface is located laterally outboard of the first side member.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2016Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.Inventors: Joseph Bruno Buratto, Christopher Robert Hartley, Perry McConnell
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Patent number: 10086875Abstract: A vehicle structure includes a frame and a push arm. The push arm is coupled to a first side member of the frame proximate an intersection of the first side member and a first cross-member. The push arm has a main body, a rear surface, and a front surface. The rear surface faces and is adjacent to the intersection. The main body extends forward and laterally in an outboard direction from the rear surface such that the front surface of the push arm is located laterally outboard of and spaced apart from a front end of the first side member of the frame. The front surface has a first section and a second section both facing forward relative to the frame. The second section is angularly offset from the first section such that the second section and the first section define an obtuse angle therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2016Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.Inventors: Takemi Nishikawa, Kazunori Iimi, Takao Tani, Hideo Aimoto, Naoki Kamizawa, Christopher Robert Hartley, Patrick Dean Grattan, Perry Bruno McConnell, David James Wozniak, Michael James McGory
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Patent number: 9969432Abstract: A vehicle body front structure includes left and right extension side mount members that are provided at rear ends of left and right bumper beam extensions of a front bumper beam and left and right front side frames whose front ends are coupled with the left and right extension side mount members, respectively. The vehicle body front structure further includes left and right gussets that are positioned on left and right corners between outer surfaces in a vehicle width direction of rear end portions of the left and right bumper beam extensions and the left and right extension side mount members, respectively. The left and right gussets are joined to the left and right bumper beam extensions, respectively. Strength of the left and right gussets is higher than strength of the left and right bumper beam extensions.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2016Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Yuki Matsushima, Tomohide Sekiguchi, Keisuke Kawabe
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Patent number: 9821851Abstract: A vehicle body front reinforcement assembly includes: a front side beam connected to a front of a dash panel; a side sill connected to a side end portion of a floor panel; and a torque box extending from the dash panel to the side end portion of the floor panel and connecting a rear end of the front side beam to a front end of the side sill, wherein the side sill includes: a side sill coupler coupled to a rear end of the torque box; and a side sill extension connected to a rear end of the side sill coupler and extending towards the rear of a vehicle, and wherein the side sill coupler is made of a material having a lower tensile to strength than the material of the side sill extension.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2016Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATIONInventors: Hyun Sik Kim, Ji Woong Park, Se Hoon Jung, Soo Heung Eom, Sun Ik Jang, Sea Cheoul Song, Ki Bong Park
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Patent number: 9650075Abstract: A vehicle front section structure includes a front side member including an inner wall and an outer wall facing each other in a vehicle width direction; a load receiving section that is provided or formed at a vehicle front-rear direction front end portion of the front side member, and that receives load; and a weakened portion that is formed at least in the inner wall and the outer wall, at a location that is rear side in a vehicle front-rear direction of the front side member than the load receiving section, and that has lower rigidity than the rigidity of other locations in the front side member.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2015Date of Patent: May 16, 2017Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kenichi Murayama
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Patent number: 9566922Abstract: A vehicle frame component for limiting the movement of the wheel of the vehicle toward the cab of a cab on frame vehicle including a base member welded to openings in the frame side rail and extending outwardly and located proximal the wheel structure. In one embodiment the vehicle frame component is located forward of the wheel and includes a tire puncture device to deflate the tire during an offset front impact and in a second embodiment the vehicle frame component is located rearward of the wheel. The vehicle frame component has particular utility during an offset front impact where the offset is less than approximately twenty-five percent (25%) of the width of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2015Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Ajay Kumar Gupta, Narayana Venugopal, John Charles Caris, Mark Wlotkowski, Charles Ko, Leonard Anthony Shaner
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Patent number: 9517799Abstract: A vehicle front section structure includes: a pair of left and right front side members extending along a vehicle front-rear direction at both vehicle width direction sides of a power unit installed in a vehicle front section; a spacer including an angled wall that is provided at a side face on a vehicle width direction outer side of the front side member, that is disposed at the vehicle width direction outer side of the side face, and that increases in distance from the side face on progression toward a vehicle front side, and including a rear end wall extending from a rear end of the angled wall toward the side face, and a spacer extension portion that is provided at the vehicle width direction outer side of the angled wall of the spacer, and that includes an extension wall extending the rear end wall of the spacer toward the vehicle width direction outer side.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2015Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Ryoji Matsumoto, Hironori Kadoi
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Patent number: 9283924Abstract: A hinge for a hood of a vehicle includes a first bracket; a member rotatably coupled to the first bracket, and a second bracket rotatably coupled to the member. An actuator includes a base connected to the member and a rod moveable relative to the base. The rod moves from a retracted position to an extended position in contact with the second bracket for rotating the second bracket relative to the member.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2014Date of Patent: March 15, 2016Assignee: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Iskander Farooq, Mohammed Omar Faruque, Sudip Sankar Bhattacharjee, Dean M Jaradi, Srinivasan Sundararajan
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Patent number: 9283991Abstract: A front-end structure includes at least one lower longitudinal member and an absorber which is arranged on an outer side of a vehicle on the at least one lower longitudinal member and, in the event of an impact with a small overlap, provides an energy-absorbing load path into the at least one lower longitudinal member, wherein at least one deformation element is provided which is arranged at least between the absorber and a suspension strut dome and is connected to both thereof in a in a positive, non-positive and/or integrally bonded manner.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2015Date of Patent: March 15, 2016Assignees: ThyssenKrupp Steel Europe AG, ThyssenKrupp AGInventors: Axel Grüneklee, Martin Kibben, Markus Zörnack
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Patent number: 9266485Abstract: A vehicle body front structure includes a front side member that is arranged on a side portion of a vehicle body front portion and extends in a vehicle body front-rearward direction; an extending portion that extends farther toward an outside in a vehicle width direction than the front side member; and a load transmitting member that connects the extending portion and the front side member together, and is configured such that a pushing portion on a front end side is guided toward a receiving portion on a rear end side by an intermediate portion deforming in response to a frontal collision load.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2014Date of Patent: February 23, 2016Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tomoyuki Kuriyama, Kosuke Sakakibara, Akihiro Tamaoki, Masanobu Omi
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Patent number: 9242676Abstract: A front vehicle body reinforcing structure may include front side members which are disposed at both left and right sides of the vehicle, each of which includes a front tip portion that is positioned at a front side of the vehicle, and each of which has a first closed cross section and front fender apron members which are disposed at both left and right sides of the vehicle, each of which includes a front tip portion that is positioned at the front side in the length direction of the vehicle and coupled to the front tip portion of the front side member, and each of which has a second closed cross section, thereby improving performance for coping with a frontal collision of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2014Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors CorporationInventor: Ji Woong Park
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Patent number: 9061713Abstract: A vehicle body front structure includes: a front side member arranged in a vehicle body longitudinal direction at an outer side of a vehicle body front in a vehicle width direction; a protrusion member provided on or to an outer wall of the front side member so as to protrude outward of the outer wall in the vehicle width direction, a rear end portion of the protrusion member being located to a vehicle body rear side of a vehicle body front-side end portion of a power unit arranged to an inner side of the front side member in the vehicle width direction in plan view; and a coupling member having one end portion connected to the rear end portion of the protrusion member and the other end portion connected to the outer wall of the front side member to a vehicle body rear side of the rear end portion.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2013Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Syouta Hashimoto, Hiroshi Kato, Shintaro Kitakata, Atsushi Mikuni, Satoshi Funabashi, Harutoshi Motojima
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Publication number: 20150145284Abstract: A vehicle body lower section structure comprises a rocker that extends in a vehicle body front-rear direction at a vehicle width direction outside of a floor panel; a first cross member that extends in the vehicle width direction at a lower side of a dashboard panel and includes an outside end portion in the vehicle width direction coupled to the rocker; a second cross member that extends in the vehicle width direction at the vehicle body front side of the first cross member; and a coupling member that couples the first cross member and the second cross member together, and configures a closed cross-section structure with the dashboard panel and/or the floor panel.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2014Publication date: May 28, 2015Inventors: Gen NISHIDA, Akira NISHINO, Hideyuki TAKAHASHI, Satoshi KASAI, Daisuke NOGUCHI
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Publication number: 20150145282Abstract: A vehicle includes a frame rail that extends along and is longitudinally offset from a longitudinal axis. A load transferring member includes a first axial end that is attached to an outboard surface of the frame rail. The load transferring member extends along a centerline thereof, toward the forward axial end of the frame rail, to a second axial end of the load transferring member. The centerline of the load transferring member extends between the first axial end and the second axial end of the load transferring member to define a concave curved shape relative to the outboard surface of the frame rail. The load transferring member includes a cross sectional shape perpendicular to the centerline of the load transferring member that increases in area, when measured from the second axial end moving toward the first axial end.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2013Publication date: May 28, 2015Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Vedanth M. Basappa, Bhushan W. Dandekar
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Publication number: 20150145283Abstract: A vehicle body lower section structure has a rocker that extends in a vehicle body front-rear direction at an outside in a vehicle width direction of a floor panel; and a dashboard cross member that extends in the vehicle width direction at a lower side of a dashboard panel, and an outside end portion of the dashboard cross member in the vehicle width direction is superimposed on and connected to an upper face of the rocker.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2014Publication date: May 28, 2015Inventors: Akira NISHINO, Gen NISHIDA, Hideyuki TAKAHASHI, Satoshi KASAI, Daisuke NOGUCHI
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Publication number: 20150137556Abstract: A deflector assembly for a vehicle having a bumper and a frame rail that are connected by a crush-can. The deflector assembly absorbs impact forces in a small overlap rigid barrier test by directing the impact from the barrier in a lateral direction toward the frame rail. A guide and follower, such as a wheel-shaped roller, a ball-shaped roller, a sliding shoe, or a fastener is received in a guide member that defines a guide surface extending longitudinally to guide a back end of the deflector assembly in a full frontal impact in a longitudinal direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2013Publication date: May 21, 2015Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Bhimaraddi Venkaraddi ALAVANDI, Jeffrey Lawrence LAYA, Matt Alan NIESLUCHOWSKI, Jeffrey Dan RUPP
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Publication number: 20150130217Abstract: An apparatus turns a front wheel of a vehicle inward during an offset frontal impact. The apparatus includes a first frame rail and a second frame rail spaced from each other. A bumper is supported by the first and second frame rails. A beam extends between and engages the first and second frame rails. The beam includes an extension extending from the first frame rail away from the second frame rail to a first end spaced from the first frame rail for being positioned forward of the front wheel and for being forced into the front wheel during the offset frontal impact.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2014Publication date: May 14, 2015Applicant: FORD GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Leonard Anthony Shaner, Fungtai C. Ko, Ajay Kumar Gupta, Jing Han, Matt Alan Niesluchowski, Yu-Kan Hu, Narayana Venugopal
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Patent number: 9027695Abstract: A first projection portion projecting outward, in a vehicle width direction, from a front side frame is provided. A front end of the first projection portion is located at the same position, in the vehicle longitudinal direction, as a connection portion of a crash can to the front side frame or located in back of the connection portion. An outward side face of the first projection portion is configured to slant rearward and inward in a plan view. The first projection portion and a power unit are arranged to overlap each other in the vehicle longitudinal direction. Accordingly, an impact transmitted to a vehicle-compartment side in a small overlap collision can be reduced, restraining repair costs of the crash can broken in a low-speed collision as well as maintaining appropriate design flexibility of a vehicle-body front portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2013Date of Patent: May 12, 2015Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Satoshi Nakamura, Hiroaki Takeshita, Masanobu Kobashi
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Publication number: 20150115653Abstract: A bumper reinforce extending in the vehicle width direction is connected to front ends of side member main bodies extending in the front-rear direction of a vehicle body. The bumper reinforce is provided, at end portions thereof in the vehicle width direction, with projecting ends projecting outward in the vehicle width direction from connecting portions connecting the bumper reinforce and bumper stays. The projecting ends are each provided with a gusset extending toward the rear side of the vehicle body. A catcher is fixed to the outside surface of the side member main body on the rear side of the gusset. The catcher is located at a position corresponding to a mount portion of a side member main body serving as a fixing portion for a power train unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2013Publication date: April 30, 2015Inventors: Takao Ookubo, Hiroyuki Ide, Kiyoto Shima, Takeshi Ogata, Masaya Watanabe, Hisayasu Itou, Toshinori Nishida, Hironari Jo, Kiyoshi Fushikida
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Patent number: 9016768Abstract: A vehicle front end structure includes an engine cradle, an engine assembly and a lateral energy transfer member. The engine cradle includes a side engine cradle member with an engine mounting structure, which is located rearward of a front corner of the engine cradle. The engine assembly is fixedly attached to the engine mounting structure of the side engine cradle member. The lateral energy transfer member is fixedly attached to the side engine cradle member between the front corner and the engine mounting structure. The lateral energy transfer member has an engine contact surface positioned adjacent an engine structure of the engine assembly with a prescribed lateral gap between the engine contact surface and the engine structure. The prescribed lateral gap is dimensioned to transfer lateral energy to the engine assembly from a lateral force applied to the side engine cradle member.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2013Date of Patent: April 28, 2015Assignee: Nissan North America, Inc.Inventors: Takaomi Makino, Takuya Yamashita, Ramkrishna Jayaram Chunduri, Kenneth Ameloot, Ryan Corby