Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

Christopher Paul Sheehy

Jonathan Richard Young

Naipaul Deo Ramoutar

Arthur H Whitney

Luke W Garnaut

Valerie Schnabelrauch

Systems and methods are provided related to a brace applied to a vehicle b-pillar. The brace may achieved reduced noise and vibration in the vehicle cabin. The brace may also achieve improved safety by preserving increased survival space for a passenger seated near the b-pillar in a side impact collision. The brace may include a base portion and two legs connected to the base portion at opposing sides. The based portion may include a first edge connected to a first side of the b-pillar and a second edge connected to a second side of the b-pillar. The legs may each connected a rocker at a distal portion. The shape of the brace may enable routing of force, energy, and/or load from the b-pillar to the rocker via the base portion and legs.

Vehicle noise vibration reduction structure

A spacer for vehicle panels can be shaped such that it absorbs a substantial portion of a first load, the first load applied in a first direction substantially perpendicular to the exterior panel; controllably deforms along a second direction when a second load is applied substantially along the second direction; wherein the second direction is other than the first direction. The spacer need not deform along the second direction when the first load is applied. The spacer can have a shaped member having a channel extending through the spacer perpendicular from the exterior panel, such that the spacer can controllably deform along a width of the channel.

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Ypsilanti, MI, United States of America

Christopher Paul Sheehy