Chrysler Corporation

Daimlerchrysler Corporation

Eugene M Schoenherr

Seung-Jae Song

Stephen P Gierak

James Chapp, Jr

Hari K Kosaraju

Richard Kleinhoffer

Shing Lo

Thomas K Boyd

Kenneth L Winalis

Patrick H Geyer

An apparatus and method for impact testing of vehicle components at a sub-system level includes a mobile unit and a vehicle sub-system. In an exemplary application, the vehicle sub-system includes a steering column and steering shaft. The vehicle steering column is securely mounted to the mobile unit and a mass element is secured to the steering shaft. By advancing the mobile unit into a rigid barrier at a predetermined speed, full-scale column collapse and energy absorption tests can be accurately analyzed at a significantly reduced cost and time.

Steering column impact test process and apparatus

An energy absorbing member for use in an automobile to absorb occupant impact forces. The energy absorbing member includes a hollow membrane defining a cushion with a plurality of chambers. The membrane includes walls defining the chambers and orifices hydraulically interconnecting the plurality of chambers to equalize fluid pressure within each of the chambers and dissipate impact forces acting on the membrane by conveying fluid between the plurality of chambers when the energy absorbing member is moved from an initial state to a collapsed state. The cushion contains a constant amount of fluid as the energy absorbing member is moved from the initial to collapsed states.

Head impact protection using fluid viscosity

An apparatus for a motor vehicle which reinforces the body side panel comprises an unitarily constructed reinforcement member. The reinforcement member includes first and second hinge mounting portions interconnected by an intermediate portion. The reinforcement member is fixedly secured to the B-pillar and the hinge plates of a passenger door are interconnected to the first and second hinge mounting portions. In one embodiment, the reinforcement member includes first and second spaced apart flanges which extend substantially in an inboard direction. The first and second spaced apart flanges are welded or otherwise securely attached to the B-pillar. Further, in the preferred embodiment, the reinforcement member includes a first tab upwardly extending from the first hinge mounting portion and a second tab downwardly extending from the second hinge mounting portion which provide additional points for securing the reinforcement member to the B-pillar of the body side panel.

Apparatus for reinforcing a body side panel of a motor vehicle

A cross-car beam extends laterally between a pair of upwardly directed B-pillars on opposite sides of a vehicle passenger compartment and is structurally and functionally interconnected with each of the B-pillars. The cross-car beam provides the sole support for the rearward bottom portion of the front seat assemblies and preferably the hand brake, thus eliminating the need for stanchions supporting these assemblies. The cross-car beam is spaced above the floor of the passenger compartment and has a rearwardly and upwardly sloped portion of its lower surface, thus providing greatly enhanced foot space for rear seat passengers. In an alternate embodiment, the cross-car beam protrudes into at least a portion of each B-pillar assembly and can also be used to temporarily locate and support the body side aperture assembly prior to its being welded in its final location on the assembly line.

Vehicle dynamic side impact system

Growing community of inventors

Shelby Township, MI, United States of America

Eugene M Schoenherr