Pillar Patents (Class 296/193.06)
  • Patent number: 11643147
    Abstract: An objective of the present disclosure is to provide a front pillar outer that is inexpensive, lightweight and strong. A front pillar outer includes a glass-face-side flange part, a door-side flange part, and a main body part that connects the glass-face-side flange part and the door-side flange part to each other. In a partial area of the door-side flange part in a longitudinal direction thereof, a first plate part that is connected to a side edge of the door-side flange part is folded so that the first plate part is overlaid on the door-side flange part. In a partial area of the glass-face-side flange part in a longitudinal direction thereof, a second plate part that is connected to a side edge of the glass-face-side flange part is folded so that the second plate part is overlaid on the glass-face-side flange part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichiro Otsuka, Masafumi Azuma, Naoki Kimoto
  • Patent number: 11643149
    Abstract: A welded steel part obtained by welding a first sheet with a second sheet, at least one with a coating of aluminum alloy. The welding uses a welding wire which, after melting and cooling, constitutes a weld bead connecting the first sheet to the second sheet and being part of said welded steel part. The respective peripheral edge of the first and second sheets are in a joggled edge type configuration in which the peripheral edge of the first sheet is arranged above, and on or near the upper face of an end portion of the peripheral edge of the second sheet which is extended by an inclined junction portion, at least one part of the upper face of the inclined junction portion delimits at least laterally with the edge of the peripheral edge of the first sheet a groove receiving the weld bead, the inclined joining portion extending by a welding portion in longitudinal continuity with the peripheral edge of the first sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2023
    Assignee: ArcelorMittal
    Inventor: Jessy Haouas
  • Patent number: 11634178
    Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide a front pillar outer that has high strength and high rigidity. In an area in which the first door-side flange part and a second door-side flange part overlap with each other, the first door-side flange part and the second door-side flange part are joined to each other. In an area in which the first glass-face-side flange part and the second glass-face-side flange part overlap with each other, the first glass-face-side flange part and the second glass-face-side flange part are joined to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichiro Otsuka, Masafumi Azuma, Naoki Kimoto
  • Patent number: 11623555
    Abstract: A roof handle for vehicles comprises a carrier which can be fixed to a vehicle roof and on which a handle body is pivotably mounted, and is pivotable between a holding position, in which a user exerts a substantially downwardly directed weight force on the handle body, and a starting position, in which the handle body is pivoted by a spring into a folded-up position with respect to the vehicle roof, the carrier comprising a molded body made of plastic on which at least one insert made of metal is provided, and the handle body being held on the insert made of metal via bearing elements. As a result, the roof handle can have a low dead weight and be optimally adapted to the geometry of a vehicle roof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: HERO GMBH
    Inventors: Volker Steck, Martin Meister, Milto Benjamin
  • Patent number: 11623693
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a vehicle body capable of suppressing the occurrence of cracks in a center pillar at the time of a side collision. A center pillar stiffener forms a hollow structure with a closed cross section by including a side wall which faces the outer surface of a pillar inner, a front wall which is formed by bending from a front end of the side wall to form a first ridge with the side wall and which is joined to the outer surface of the pillar inner, and a rear wall which is formed by bending from a rear end of the side wall to form a second ridge with the side wall and which is joined to the outer surface of the pillar inner. The pillar stiffener is provided with a bead recessed toward the pillar inner and orthogonal to the first and second ridges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Abe, Yu Iemura
  • Patent number: 11591027
    Abstract: A body structure for a vehicle includes an A-pillar and a side sill, wherein the A-pillar includes a vertical front pillar; a front roof pillar extending from an upper end of the vertical front pillar toward an upper rear side thereof; a first reinforcing plate provided in the vertical front pillar and extending in the same direction with the vertical front pillar; and a second reinforcing plate provided in the front roof pillar extending in the same direction with the front roof pillar. The side sill is connected to a lower end of the vertical front pillar and extending along a horizontal direction. The first reinforcing plate is formed to cover a front door hinge mounting portion in the A-pillar and a connection portion of the vertical front pillar and the side sill. An uncoupled portion is formed between the second reinforcing plate and the first reinforcing plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyohiko Matsuoka, Jianli Yu, Kai Ling
  • Patent number: 11590832
    Abstract: An assembly for a vehicle includes a vehicle body including a sill and a pillar extending upwardly from the sill defining a door opening. A member is rotatably supported by the sill and is rotatable relative to the sill from an undeployed position to a deployed position. A link is rotatably supported by the pillar and the member. A pyrotechnic actuator is supported by the vehicle body and is connected to the member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Deepak Patel, Zhibing Deng, Joseph E. Abramczyk
  • Patent number: 11591024
    Abstract: A side body structure of a vehicle can include: a hinge pillar; a front pillar that is coupled to an upper end portion of this hinge pillar via a bent section, extends upward to the rear, and is coupled to a front end portion of a roof side rail via a connected section; and an apron rein that extends forward from a position below the bent section in the hinge pillar, where the bent section can include an energy absorption section that is subjected to out-of-plane deformation in a longitudinal orthogonal direction of the front pillar and thereby can absorb collision energy when the collision energy, which can be directed rearward, is applied to the apron rein. The energy absorption section can be configured to include an outer bead section and an inner bead section respectively provided in an outer member and a lower inner member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasushi Ishikawa, Yuichi Morita, Ken Fujimoto, Yusaku Yamaguchi, Matsubara Hiroshi, Miyoshi Katsuhisa, Yokogi Yuji
  • Patent number: 11584444
    Abstract: A B-pillar for a vehicle includes an inner plate and an outer plate disposed to be opposite to each other; and a first reinforcing plate, wherein the inner plate and the outer plate forms a cavity, the cavity being surrounded by the inner plate and the outer plate to extend in a vertical direction and have a closed cross section, the first reinforcing plate is disposed in an upper region of the cavity, the first reinforcing plate includes a first reinforcing segment and a second reinforcing segment to be connected with each other, a front edge and a rear edge of the first reinforcing segment are connected to an inner wall surface of the cavity, and a front edge or a rear edge of the second reinforcing segment is apart away from the inner wall surface of the cavity with an interval therebetween to form a notch portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kiyohiko Matsuoka, Kai Qiu
  • Patent number: 11584464
    Abstract: A method is for producing a three-dimensional vehicle door frame inner reinforcement element (52) including an inner center pillar part (66), an inner front pillar part (68) and an inner side rail part (64) joining the inner center pillar part (66) and the inner front pillar part (68). The method includes providing an inner center pillar blank, an inner front pillar blank and an inner side rail blank, said inner blanks being substantially planar, assembling the inner center pillar blank and the inner front pillar blank to the inner side rail blank in order to form a substantially planar door frame inner reinforcement blank, and hot stamping the door frame inner reinforcement blank to shape the three-dimensional door frame inner reinforcement element (52).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: ARCELORMITTAL
    Inventors: Nicolas Schneider, Yves Drouadaine
  • Patent number: 11554814
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle body side structure capable of improving electrodeposition coating of a center pillar, ensuring sealability of door seal members, and further ensuring strength and rigidity. The vehicle body side structure includes front flange bulging portions and rear flange bulging portions on a center pillar inner panel. Further, a center pillar stiffener has front through holes and rear through holes communicating with a first closed cross section. A center pillar outer panel includes front and rear step passages and that communicate the front and rear through holes with a second closed cross section. The center pillar stiffeners is overlapped with the front bulging portions and the rear flange bulging portions so as to form front gap passages and rear gap passages that communicate the first closed cross section with the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kodai Baiju, Hiroyuki Sakai, Yasunobu Ogawa
  • Patent number: 11554813
    Abstract: A front pillar upper structure of a vehicle includes an outer member and an inner member. The inner member forms an inner wall of the front pillar upper structure in a vehicle-width direction, and is joined to the outer member forming an outer wall in the vehicle-width direction to form a closed cross-section structure. The inner member includes a flange part, a first wall part, and a second wall part. The second wall part is disposed between the flange part located on the lower side of the inner member and joined to the outer member and the first wall part located above the flange part. The second wall part has an angle of inclination in a range from 41° to 68° to a principal axis of inertia extending in the vehicle-width direction in a cross section substantially vertical to a longitudinal direction of the front pillar upper structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: FUTABA INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Norihiko Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 11548562
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle body rear part structure. The vehicle body rear part includes a rear pillar, a damper housing and a gusset. The rear pillar forms a closed cross section by joining a pillar outer to a pillar inner. The gusset connects the damper housing and the rear pillar. The pillar inner is separated into a front inner plate and a rear inner plate with a position above a top wall of the damper housing as a boundary. Bulkhead parts are formed on end edges of the front inner plate and the rear inner plate that face a separation part by bending to have a substantially L-shaped cross section to reinforce the closed cross section between the pillar outer and the bulkhead parts. An upper part of the gusset is combined to the rear pillar to close the separation part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironori Soshino, Mari Takeuchi, Ryoji Inaba, Tatsuya Ohishi, Izuru Sato
  • Patent number: 11548561
    Abstract: A profile includes two end wing portions with substantially a transversal direction (Y), two lateral wall portions having substantially a height direction-(Z), a frontal wall portion having substantially a transversal direction (Y), two curved transition zones (R1, R2) disposed between the lateral wall portions and the frontal wall portion, and two curved transition zones (R3, R4) disposed between the end wing portions and the lateral wall portions. A specific portion of each curved transition zones (R1, R2) between the lateral wall portions and the frontal wall portion has a tensile strength lower than the tensile strength of the rest of the cross-section. This configuration also relates to a longitudinal beam, a cross-member, a pillar, a B-Pillar or a C-Pillar having the profile, and to a vehicle provided thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: AUTOTECH ENGINEERING, S.L.
    Inventors: Emmanuel Leroy, Matthieu Niess, Kira Masaki Gosa
  • Patent number: 11535298
    Abstract: A side sill rigidity reinforcement structure for a vehicle is mounted an inside surface of a side sill of the vehicle, thereby improving rigidity against side collision. the side sill rigidity reinforcement structure includes: a side sill inner 11, a side sill outer 12 disposed outside the side sill inner 11 and bonded to the side sill inner 11, and a side sill reinforcement member 20 installed in a space between the side sill inner 11 and the side sill outer 12. In particular, the side sill reinforcement member 20 has a plurality of portions each having a closed section formed to penetrate in the width direction of the vehicle, and the portions are repeatedly formed in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kyung-Hoon Son, Dae-Myoung Park, Seung-Woo Han, Chang-Sup Hwang
  • Patent number: 11505255
    Abstract: A center pillar structure may include a center pillar inner upper connected to a side inner, a center pillar inner connected to the center pillar inner upper in up and down directions, a center pillar reinforcement outer connected to a front pillar reinforcement outer and connected to the center pillar inner along the up and down directions, a center pillar reinforcement disposed along the up and down directions on the inner side between the center pillar inner and the center pillar reinforcement outer, and coupled between front/rear flange combined portions of the center pillar inner and the center pillar reinforcement outer, and a seat belt reinforcement shaped corresponding to the center pillar reinforcement, and connected to the center pillar reinforcement to form an inner closed section along the up and down directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Won Jung Song
  • Patent number: 11498624
    Abstract: An embodiment frame connection structure includes a first body member including an inner portion and an outer portion integrally connected to each other along a transverse direction to form a first closed cross-section and at least one flange extending from the inner portion and the outer portion. It further includes a second body member including an inner portion and an outer portion integrally connected along a longitudinal direction to form a second closed cross-section, wherein the second body member is spot welded to the at least one flange of the first body member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Motors Corporation
    Inventor: Won Ki Song
  • Patent number: 11498621
    Abstract: An embodiment structure includes an outer panel of a side sill, an outer reinforcement member of a rear portion of the side sill coupled to an outer side of the outer panel of the side sill, an inner panel of the rear portion of the side sill coupled to an inner side of the outer panel of the side sill, and an inner reinforcement member of the rear portion of the side sill coupled to an outer side of the inner panel of the rear portion of the side sill and aligned with the outer reinforcement member of the rear portion of the side sill so that a portion of the inner reinforcement member of the rear portion of the side sill is connected to the outer reinforcement member of the rear portion of the side sill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company, Kia Corporation
    Inventors: Chan Woong Jeon, Hyung Tae Kim
  • Patent number: 11485261
    Abstract: A columnar body including: plural elongated plate shaped panel members extending in one direction; and plural weld portions where two width direction end portions of respective panel members out of the plural panel members are welded together to configure a closed cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: NHK SPRING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shunichiro Osa, Junichiro Horii, Takuma Oki, Kousuke Yonemochi
  • Patent number: 11480209
    Abstract: A deformable tapping plate can include a central member including at least two mounting openings and a mounting surface wherein the mounting surface defines a mounting plane. The deformable tapping plate can also include a first attachment pad located adjacent a first end of the central member that is connected to the central member by a first connecting arm. The first attachment pad includes a first attachment surface defining an attachment plane. The first connecting arm can include a first arched portion that projects away from both the mounting plane and the attachment plane and can include a first narrowed apex having a thickness that is less than a thickness of adjacent portions of the first arched portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: Newfrey LLC
    Inventors: Adam A. Forti, Thomas J. Lerch, Raymond M. Genick, II
  • Patent number: 11453443
    Abstract: An A-pillar surface of a vehicle, the A-pillar surface includes a cover disposed over an A-pillar such that the cover at least partially forms an exterior surface of the vehicle and defines an airflow path along the exterior surface of the vehicle at a location that is interposed between and separates a windshield and a side window of the vehicle, where the airflow path flows along the windshield toward the side window, over the cover. The cover forms a gutter surface disposed along the windshield and recessed from the airflow path into the exterior surface of the vehicle such that the gutter surface is configured to separate the airflow path from the exterior surface of the vehicle and collect liquid traveling with the airflow path from the windshield to the side window. The cover forms a flow re-attachment surface disposed along the side window to partially define the airflow path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Pirooz Moradnia, Matthew L. Metka
  • Patent number: 11440594
    Abstract: A front pillar outer includes a first member and a second member. The first member includes a first glass-surface-side flange part and a first door-side flange part. The sheet thickness of the second member is thinner than the sheet thickness of the first member. The second member includes a second glass-surface-side flange part and a second door-side flange part. The first door-side flange part protrudes further towards the rear end of the front pillar outer than the first glass-surface-side flange part and a first main body part, and overlaps with the second door-side flange part. The second glass-surface-side flange part overlaps with a rearward region of the first glass-surface-side flange part. A second main body part overlaps with a rearward region of the first main body part. In a region in which the first member overlaps with the second member, the first member is joined to the second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenichiro Otsuka
  • Patent number: 11427259
    Abstract: A vehicle pillar structure is provided including a pillar outer, a pillar inner, a front join section, and a rear join section. The pillar outer and pillar inner includes a first open cross-section and a second open cross-section having an open cross-section profile opening toward a vehicle width direction inner side in cross-section sectioned perpendicular to an extension direction of the pillar outer and the pillar inner. The pillar inner is second open cross-section disposed inside the first open cross-section so as to form a closed cross-section together with the first open cross-section. At the front join section, front walls configuring vehicle front side walls of the first open cross-section of the pillar outer and the second open cross-section of the pillar inner are joined together. At the rear join section, vehicle rear side end portions of the pillar outer and the pillar inner are joined together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Sayaka Ishikawa, Kazuki Furukawa
  • Patent number: 11420682
    Abstract: In a vehicle having a large side door opening, a vehicle-body structure suppresses, during a collision in which an apron reinforcement recedes, bending deformation of a hinge pillar at a mounting portion of the apron reinforcement. Embodiments include a reinforcement member inside a closed cross-section of a hinge pillar overlapping a mounting portion of an apron reinforcement in the up-down direction. The reinforcement member includes a body extending in the up-down direction spaced apart from the hinge pillar, a front flange portion at a front portion of the body, a lateral flange portion at a rear portion of the body, a front ridge portion between the body and the front flange portion, and a rear ridge portion between the body and the lateral flange portion. Each of the front ridge portion and the rear ridge portion is continuously provided over the reinforcement member in the vehicle up-down direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2022
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuji Muraoka, Yusuke Desaki, Tsuneaki Zenitani, Satoshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11414133
    Abstract: A center pillar assembly for a vehicle includes: an outer reinforcement coupled to a side outer body of a vehicle body; an inner reinforcement coupled to the outer reinforcement, the inner reinforcement having an upper section and a lower section; a seat belt upper mounting bracket coupled to the upper section of the inner reinforcement; and a seat belt lower mounting bracket coupled to the lower section of the inner reinforcement. At least a portion of the inner reinforcement has a W-shaped cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Min Uke Han, Sun Kyu Kim
  • Patent number: 11364954
    Abstract: There are provided first and second loop-shaped structure sections which are provided to extend continuously along respective lower wall parts, respective right-and-left both side wall parts, and respective upper wall parts of a vehicle body so as to have a loop shape in a vehicle elevational view, respectively. The first and second loop-shaped structure sections are respectively positioned on an forward side and on a rearward side, in a vehicle longitudinal direction, of a damper support section. Each of these sections is formed by a closed-cross section portion where a closed-cross section is partitioned by plural members and/or a thick plate portion having a thicker plate thickness than a vehicle-body panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Kiyoshita, Yoshikazu Nishimura, Takeshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11358648
    Abstract: A vehicle side body structure having a pillar member including an upper member and a lower member that is joined to the upper member and has a rigidity lower than the upper member, the pillar member partitioning a side part opening of a body into a front part and a rear part; a side door disposed adjacently to the pillar member; and an impact bar provided in the side door, in which a front end portion of the impact bar overlaps with both the upper and lower members in side view while the side door is closed. The upper member has a reinforcing member and the front end portion of the impact bar covers a region of the upper member in which the reinforcing member is present, a region of the upper member in which the reinforcing member is not present, and the lower member in side view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2022
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Yamazaki, Takeshi Nakamura, Toshiyuki Gendo
  • Patent number: 11332199
    Abstract: A device for reinforcing, sealing or damping a structural element in a motor vehicle includes: a support with a fastening element for prefixing the device in the structural element; and an expandable adhesive arranged on the support for connecting the support to the structural element; wherein the fastening element is arranged on an elevation of the support, wherein the elevation is raised from a surrounding surface of the support, and wherein the expandable adhesive is arranged at least partially around the elevation on the surrounding surface of the support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: SIKA TECHNOLOGY AG
    Inventors: Brett Richardson, Larry Lanore
  • Patent number: 11299020
    Abstract: There are provided a vehicle-body frame member forming an opening portion for entrance at a vehicle side part and a front side door provided so as to open and close the opening portion. The vehicle-body frame member comprises a side sill, the front side door comprises a door panel portion provided with an inner lower portion which overlaps with the side sill in a vehicle wide view and reinforcement portions provided at three side-portions of a peripheral part of the door panel portion which are continuous and include the inner lower portion such that the reinforcement portions overlap with the vehicle-body frame member in a vehicle side view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masanori Honda, Tomohito Okuyama, Takehisa Kohira, Ryuji Nonaka, Toshiyuki Gendo, Ken Ueki, Isamu Kizaki, Eri Kaiki
  • Patent number: 11273871
    Abstract: A vehicle side structure includes a pillar which extends vertically at a side of a vehicle, a service hole which is provided at a lower portion of the pillar, a cover that closes the service hole, and a seal which is provided around the full periphery of the cover to seal between a perimeter of the cover and a perimeter of the service hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoki Taira, Akira Nishino
  • Patent number: 11267517
    Abstract: This member includes a first sheet material and a second sheet material overlapped with the first sheet material, and the first sheet material and the second sheet material are joined to each other at an interface therebetween by three joint line portions. A first joint line portion includes an A portion whose shortest in-plane distance from a second joint line portion is 20 times or more and 120 times or less a sheet thickness of the first sheet material, a second joint line portion includes a B portion whose shortest in-plane distance from the first joint line portion is 20 times or more and 120 times or less the sheet thickness of the first sheet material, a third joint line portion is in a region interposed between the A portion and the B portion, and has a length of a length component of 250 mm or more in an extension direction of an intermediate line between the first joint line portion and the second joint line portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Ito
  • Patent number: 11267514
    Abstract: Technical methods described herein include a motor vehicle frame having an improved field of view. The motor vehicle frame includes a pillar body, such as an A-pillar, having an opening positioned between opposite sidewalls of the pillar body. A transparent material is disposed within the opening in the pillar body. The transparent material is selected from materials having a transmission coefficient of at least 50 percent for light in the infrared (IR), visible, and ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths and a refractive index between 1 and 2 for visible light, such as polymethylmethacralate (PMMA) or an optically transparent polycarbonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Venkateshwar R. Aitharaju, Bradley A. Newcomb, Xiasong Huang
  • Patent number: 11260915
    Abstract: A vehicle side body structure can secure a vibration-damping property of a body regardless of design specification by including a rear wheel house including a wheel house outer and a wheel house inner; a side sill extending forward from a front end of the wheel house outer; and an outer reinforcement extending in a vertical direction along a door opening edge from an intermediate portion in a front-rear direction of the wheel house outer. The wheel house outer includes: an outer overhang overhanging outward; and an outer flange extending upward from an inner end of the outer overhang. A reinforcing member is provided to cooperate with the outer overhang and the outer flange so as to define a closed cross section in a substantially triangular shape. The reinforcing member couples a rear end of the side sill and a lower end of the outer reinforcement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2022
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Nishimura, Takeshi Nakamura, Daisuke Kiyoshita
  • Patent number: 11254365
    Abstract: A side vehicle-body structure of a vehicle that suppresses displacement of a front wall portion of a center pillar to a vehicle-width-direction inner side with respect to a rear wall portion of the center pillar due to a side collision load. The side vehicle-body structure of the vehicle in which the center pillar does not exist on a body side includes a front door, and a rear door having a length in a front-rear direction shorter than a length of the front door in the front-rear direction. The rear door has a center pillar on a door side in a front portion, and a gusset member protruding from a rear wall portion of the center pillar to a door outer panel side with respect to an outer wall portion of the center pillar and having a receiving surface portion for a side collision load along the door outer panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Komaji, Yoshihiko Horita
  • Patent number: 11254364
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle body side structure to reduce a center pillar in weight and suitably prevent deformation of the center pillar and separation of a stiffener from a roof side rail due to a side collision load. The vehicle body side structure includes a stiffener having a stiffener upper part provided above a central part in a height direction of a center pillar. The upper end of the stiffener upper part is joined to a roof side rail from an outer side in the vehicle width direction. The stiffener upper part has a trough extending in the vertical direction of the vehicle and recessed inward in the vehicle width direction. The trough 81d is recessed deeper as coming closer to a central part in the vertical direction of the stiffener upper part from the upper end and a lower end of the stiffener upper part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sakai
  • Patent number: 11214312
    Abstract: Either a front pillar, which is disposed on a front side of a vehicle and extends along a vertical direction, or a rear pillar, which is disposed on a rear side of the vehicle and extends along the vertical direction, includes a first frame, and a second frame which is disposed rearward of the first frame, and top portions of the first frame and the second frame extend along a longitudinal direction to constitute frames of a roof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryo Hattori, Yuchi Yamanouchi, Masaki Shitara
  • Patent number: 11173960
    Abstract: A vehicle front structure includes a left-right pair of front pillars extending in an up-down direction and a left-right pair of upper members respectively connected to the front pillars at lower portions thereof and extending in a vehicle front-rear direction. Each front pillar includes a forward front pillar and a rearward front pillar extending in the up-down direction and has a front pillar inner part and a front pillar outer part. The front pillar inner part extends from a position located rearward of the corresponding upper member toward the corresponding rearward front pillar and includes an upper joining portion joined to the front pillar outer part, a vehicle width direction extending portion extending generally inward from the upper joining portion, and an up-down direction extending portion extending generally downward from the vehicle width direction extending portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Daiki Tahara
  • Patent number: 11167803
    Abstract: A front body of a vehicle includes an A-pillar lower part configured with an inner panel and an outer panel to make a single member. The A-pillar lower part extends downward from a front end of an A-pillar and has a reinforcement panel between the inner panel and the outer panel. The reinforcement panel extends in a longitudinal direction to divide an inside of the A-pillar lower part into two members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA MOTORS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Do Hoi Kim
  • Patent number: 11155308
    Abstract: To provide a vehicle side body structure capable of securing vibration suppression performance while suppressing an increase in body weight by a connecting member that connects an outer reinforcement and an inner reinforcement. The present invention includes: a rear wheel house configured to include a wheel house outer and a wheel house inner; an outer reinforcement cooperating with the wheel house outer to define a first closed cross section that extends in a vertical direction and is provided along a part of a rear door opening edge; and an inner reinforcement cooperating with the wheel house inner to define a second closed cross section that extends in the vertical direction. A connecting member is provided to fix a striker to the outer reinforcement and connect a front flange of the outer reinforcement and each of a front wall and a front flange of the inner reinforcement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Nishimura, Takeshi Nakamura, Daisuke Kiyoshita
  • Patent number: 11155301
    Abstract: A structural automotive sub frame component (10) that is formed from a sheet molding compound having carbon fibers. The three dimensional structure is formed of a resin fiber mixture having a resin material infused with carbon fibers having a length of about 12.5 mm (0.5 inches) dispersed throughout the structural automotive sub frame component (10) and an even manner such that there are no resin rich areas or knit lines present. The absence of knit lines provides a structural automotive sub frame component (10) that has a high degree of flex modulus, tensile strength properties well also providing a greater breaking load property due to the absence of knit lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA EXTERIORS, INC
    Inventors: Ranjit Pachha, Zongxun Wang, Joseph J. Laux, Brian A. Krull
  • Patent number: 11148725
    Abstract: A dimensionally stable B-pillar for an automotive vehicle including tailored material properties is provided. The B-pillar includes at least one localized soft zone surrounded by a hard zone. The hard zone typically has a yield strength of 950 MPa to 1700 MPa; a tensile strength of 1200 MPa to 2100 MPa; and an elongation of greater than 4%. The soft zones each have a yield strength of 340 MPa to 780 MPa; a tensile strength of 400 MPa to 980 MPa; and an elongation of greater than 10%. The microstructure of the hard zone is martensite, and the microstructure of the soft zones is tempered martensite, ferrite pearlite bainite, ferrite pearlite austenite, ferrite pearlite, ferrite bainite, cementite austenite, and/or cementite bainite. The soft zones of the B-pillar are manufactured with a slow cooling step, which can be conducted in air outside of the dies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: MAGNA INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventor: Jaswinder Pal Singh
  • Patent number: 11142253
    Abstract: To suppress such twisting of a side sill that an upper portion thereof is displaced inwardly with respect to a lower portion thereof during a lateral collision while suppressing a weight increase of the side sill, a vehicle side body structures includes: a side sill that has a closed cross-sectional space extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction; and a center pillar extending upward from the side sill. The center pillar is configured such that an upper direct upward portion located above a direct upward portion, which continues from the side sill and is located immediately above the side sill has a higher rigidity against an inward load than the direct upward portion. In the closed cross-sectional space, sections are provided in a front and/or rear portion of a center pillar arrangement region, in which the center pillar is located, in a longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Tadashi Yamazaki, Takeshi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 11135633
    Abstract: A method or apparatus to produce an L-shaped pressed component includes, where a portion of a blank, having tensile strength of 1180 MPa or more, is held in a state of being clamped by a blank holder and a die, and a portion of the blank, to be formed into a top plate is held in a state of being clamped by a pad and a punch; the second step where a vertical wall, a concave ridge and a flange on the inner side of a curved portion are formed by, bend forming with a bending die, forming one, two or more material inflow promoting portion; and the third step where the die is moved in a direction toward a side where the blank holder is disposed to form a vertical wall, a concave ridge, and a flange on the outer side of the curved portion by draw forming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuharu Tanaka, Toshimitsu Aso, Takashi Miyagi, Misao Ogawa, Shinobu Yamamoto, Keita Ikegami
  • Patent number: 11124239
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vehicle body side structure including a partition member that is improved comparing a conventional structure in its partitioning property for foamable resin when the foamable resin is injected into a hollow portion of a center pillar. The vehicle body side structure of the present invention includes: a side sill extending in a vehicle front-rear direction; a center-pillar outer part extending upward on the side sill; a center-pillar inner part disposed inward in a vehicle width direction of the center-pillar outer part; the partition member placed in a hollow portion formed by the center-pillar outer part and the center-pillar inner part, and extending in the vehicle front-rear direction, wherein both of end portions of the partition member in the vehicle front-rear direction are inclined downward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masanori Honko
  • Patent number: 11097783
    Abstract: A front pillar structure is provided with a pillar frame component that forms part of a front pillar, and with a pillar garnish that forms part of the front pillar, and that has a surface covering portion that extends substantially in the vehicle vertical direction and covers the pillar frame component from the vehicle cabin inner side, and an elastic body that is joined to a wall surface facing the pillar frame component of the surface covering portion, and that firmly grips inside itself the vehicle cabin inner-side flange portions of the first component and the second component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koki Ikeda, Shinya Kamimura, Kazuki Furukawa
  • Patent number: 11077885
    Abstract: A side sill member includes a hollow member and a reinforcing member. The hollow member includes therein mutually facing first surface and second surface. The reinforcing member stands on the first surface or the second surface inside the hollow member. The reinforcing member is a tubular component having a polygonal cross section. A longest side of the polygonal cross section has a groove extending along an axial direction of the tubular component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsuo Koga, Satoshi Hirose
  • Patent number: 11021191
    Abstract: A structural component for a motor vehicle body comprises: an outer panel with an outer wall and two outer flange portions; an inner panel with an inner wall and two inner flange portions; a reinforcing profile with a profile base, two profile walls opposite one another and two connecting portions connected thereto; wherein, in an upper pillar section, a maximum profile height of the reinforcing profile is greater than a maximum profile height of the outer panel, wherein the connecting portions of the reinforcing profile are supported against the inner wall, and wherein the connecting portions of the reinforcing profile are supported against the inner wall, and wherein the outer flange portions and the inner flange portions directly abut one another and are fixed to one another, wherein the connecting portions of the reinforcing profile are fixed, at least in a lower section of the structural component, between the outer flange portions and the inner flange portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Muhr und Bender KG
    Inventors: Johannes Walch, Michael Stein, Hubertus Steffens
  • Patent number: 10981602
    Abstract: A press-hardened shaped metal sheet has at least two adjacent zones having different sheet thicknesses and different strengths such that one of the zones is press-hardened and the other zone is non-hardened or only slightly hardened. A transition zone, which is simultaneously designed as a thickness transition zone and as a strength transition zone, is located between the zones. The press-hardened shaped metal sheet is preferably a pillar reinforcement for a motor vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Lukasz Goldyn, Markus Pfestorf, Martin Kerscher, Daniel Augustin
  • Patent number: 10974780
    Abstract: Methods for producing a three-dimensional vehicle door frame inner reinforcement element, for producing a vehicle door frame and for producing a vehicle reinforcement structure A method for producing a three-dimensional vehicle door frame inner reinforcement element (52) comprising an inner center pillar part (66), an inner front pillar part (68) and an inner side rail part (64) joining the inner center pillar part (66) and the inner front pillar part (68). The method comprises: providing an inner center pillar blank, an inner front pillar blank and an inner side rail blank, said inner blanks being substantially planar, assembling the inner center pillar blank and the inner front pillar blank to the inner side rail blank in order to form a substantially planar door frame inner reinforcement blank, hot stamping the door frame inner reinforcement blank to shape the three-dimensional door frame inner reinforcement element (52).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: ARCELORMITTAL
    Inventors: Nicolas Schneider, Yves Drouadaine
  • Patent number: 10967909
    Abstract: A side frame comprises a center pillar which includes a reinforcement provided on an outward side in a vehicle width direction and an inner panel provided on an inward side in the vehicle width direction. The reinforcement comprises upper-and-lower hinge attachment sections for attaching rear-door hinges and first-and-second recessed beads for promoting bending of the center pillar in a vehicle side collision. The hinge attachment sections are provided to be spaced apart from each other in a vertical direction. The first recessed bead is provided at a higher level than the lower hinge attachment section. The second recessed bead is provided at a lower level than the lower hinge attachment section and configured to be bent before the first recessed bead in the vehicle side collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideaki Hoshuyama, Shuang Gao, Ryota Nakayama, Akihiro Kawano, Satoshi Okumura