Next Autoworks Company

Frank Varansano

Paul A Elio

Robert E Glaspie

Frank Gabbianelli

Hari Sankara Iyer

Azhagu Nachimuthu Sennimalai Subramanian

Michael DeVor

Bogoljub Velanovich

Edward Kustrzyk

Jerrold Lavine

Systems and methods that facilitate vehicle passenger protection during side impact events and, more particularly, to systems and methods which increase the survival space between the vehicle side structure and a vehicle passenger located in the vehicle passenger compartment while maintaining reasonable vehicle structure deceleration levels. The systems and methods enable the seat structure assemblies to move inboard during side impact events by coupling the seat structure assemblies to a deformable cross bar or beam. The embodiments include a deformable cross-car beam that is deformable in one or more locations along its length using changes in geometry and/or changes in material to initiate controlled deformation under a cross-car load due to a side impact event.

Deformable cross-car beam system for side impact protection

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Frank Varansano