Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Ford Motor Company Limited

Hikmat F Mahmood

Mohamed Ridha Baccouche

Saied Nusier

Ridha Baccouche

Saeed David Barbat

David Anthony Wagner

Chelliah Madasamy

Jamel E Belwafa

James Wayne Lowe

John T Reed

Gregory S Frederick

Lawrence Anderson Queener

Bahig B Fileta

Donald G Wheatley

Henry W Hausler

Jason Scott Balzer

Bruno M Barthelemy

Phillip A Przybylo

Xiaowei Li

Lou Ratsos

Ramakrishna P Koganti

Frank J Day

Jamal Bakkar

Joe Weishaar

Bill Stanko

Ismail Ozgur Yaman

Fadhel Aouadi

Joseph C Weishaar

An energy absorbing assembly for a vehicle that has a bumper and a frame. A receptacle is defined within the frame. A collapsible member is provided between the bumper and a recessed location spaced away from the bumper in the receptacle. The collapsible member may collapse at least partially into the receptacle in the event of a collision.

Zero stack-up telescopically collapsible energy absorbing rail and bracket assembly

A vehicle body structure having improved roof support characteristics is provided. The structure includes a roof rail integral to an A-pillar and a support pillar. The structure further includes a cross member. The A-pillar includes an inner surface, an outer surface, and a wall therebetween. The roof rail extends downwardly at a front end of the roof rail and extends downwardly at a rear end of the roof rail. The roof rail is integral to a one piece hollow A-pillar at the front end of the roof rail. The support pillar also includes an inner surface, an outer surface, and a wall therebetween. The support pillar also includes a tubular lower section that extends upwardly from the rocker. The upper section of the support pillar is integral to the rear end of the roof rail.

Vehicle body structure

A roll-forming process for the manufacture of a structural member can be used in the manufacture of an automotive vehicle. The roll-forming process creates a component that has multiple cells with an integral internal web separating the cells, enhancing the strength, rigidity and stiffness of the component for any given size and shape. The roll-forming process starts with a piece of sheet metal and rolls the sheet metal into a desired shape and then rolls the tube back over on itself to create a second cell with the internal reinforcing web positioned between two structural cells of the beam. The rolled form is then welded into the formed shape to create the structural beam. The two cells of the beam can be the same general size or be formed as completely disparate sizes, depending on the design requirements of the structural member.

Method of roll-forming an automotive support member

A moon roof frame module is sized to span between the laterally spaced roof side rails of an automotive roof frame structure and is welded to the opposing roof side rails to be integrated into the roof frame structure. As a result, the moon roof assembly serves as a load path member to reinforce the automotive roof structure. The integrated moon roof frame module will receive roll over forces and increase the strength of the roof structure of an automotive vehicle. The moon roof frame module includes a U-shaped roof panel that is welded to the opposing roof side rails and provides a reinforcing cross member located forwardly of the moon roof opening. A second cross member positioned rearwardly of the moon roof opening increases rigidity of the reinforcing moon roof frame module.

Moon roof frame module for reinforcement of automotive roof

A body side rail construction for an automotive vehicle is formed in a dual cell configuration. A reversed C-shaped channel is welded to the closed section of the conventional roof side rail member to enable the body side rail member to be a smaller section that is less susceptible to buckling as the body side rail member transfers load to the front and rear corner pillars. The C-shaped cross-sectional configuration presents advantages for manufacturing as it can be shaped to provide the attaching brackets and horns for mounting the front header, roof bow, and rear header members to the body side rail without the addition of individual end items to serve this function. From a shipping density standpoint, this design gives maximum structure while maintaining good rack density that enables relatively straight parts to be nested together while still providing the increased section strength required for enhanced roof performance.

Dual cell body side rail for automotive vehicles

A frame rail for a vehicle that is provided between vehicle frame and the bumper of a vehicle that has a thickness that varies from the front end of the rail to the back end of the rail. The compressive strength of the rail increases from the front end of the rail to the back end of the rail. The rail is rectangular in shape and the thickness of the rail is continuously increased to improve progressive crush characteristics of the rail under an oblique loading. A rail may be provided by providing a tubular rail having a plurality of ring shaped segments that have incrementally increasing thickness. Alternatively, the rail may have a uniformly increasing thickness from the front end to the back end.

Front rail having controlled thickness for energy absorption

A structural joint configuration is formed in an automotive frame in which the frame members are bent into an angular orientation and joined together to form a structural joint in the automotive frame in which loads imposed on any of the frame members forming the joint will be transferred to and shared with the other frame members in the joint. The structural joint can be configured with as many legs as needed to conform to the number of frame members entering the joint. The frame members can be formed with any cross-sectional shape and from any conventional material or combination of materials. Joining the frame members at the structural joint can be accomplished by welding or by applying adhesives. Load distribution through the frame members forming the structural joint enables the joint to withstand an application of high loads without major cracks or bending at the structural joint.

Universal structural joint for automotive frames

A bumper system for an automotive vehicle includes a unitary bumper beam substrate which defines upper and lower channel sections which are capped for part of their length by stiffening elements which provide localized increased strength and resistance to elastic buckling and collapsing of the bumper beam.

Bumper for automotive vehicle

An underbody crash device for a vehicle. The underbody crash device comprises a pillar member attached to the vehicle. The vehicle has a primary load path for absorbing crash energy in a collision. The pillar member is movable to a deployed position for supporting the vehicle directly on the ground and positioning the primary load path to increase crash energy absorbed therein.

Underbody crash device for a vehicle

A bumper beam is formed from a tailor welded blank with thinner gage sheet metal laser welded to thicker gage sheet metal at opposing sides thereof. The tailor welded blank is then formed into a bumper beam having a uniform B-shaped cross-sectional configuration from one terminal end to the other. The heavier gage material in the tailor welded blank corresponds to the terminal ends of the bumper beam where the bumper beam is affixed to the lower frame rails of the vehicle chassis thus placing the greater energy absorption qualities for the bumper beam only at the locations in which they are needed without requiring reinforcement inserts.

Lightweight bumper for automobiles

An energy-absorbing device () with a reduced initial peak load () for enhancing the management of crash energy in an end structure (') for a vehicle (). The energy-absorbing device () has a deformable construction adapted for progressively folding along a longitudinal axis () under an oscillating crash load (&#x2032;). The oscillating crash load (&#x2032;) is comprised of a mean load () and a peak load () that is in close proximity to the mean load ().

Energy-absorbing device with a reduced initial peak load

A bumper beam is formed from a tailor welded blank with thinner gage sheet metal laser welded to thicker gage sheet metal at opposing sides thereof. The tailor welded blank is then formed into a bumper beam having a uniform B-shaped cross-sectional configuration from one terminal end to the other. Each fore-and-aft extending wall of each cell of the B-shaped cross-sectional configuration is formed with first and second hinges at a bend line between substantially horizontal portions of the wall and an intermediate transitional portion such that the horizontal portions are at different vertically spaced positions. Upon receipt of an impact, the first hinges bend into the corresponding cell while the second hinges bend outwardly. The second hinges on the corresponding inner walls of the two cells contacting upon deep collapse to enhance energy absorption.

Bumper cross-section with hinges

A rail ( ) for an automotive frame ( ) is provided for absorbing kinetic energy in front end crashes. The rail ( ) is a metal bar having a front portion and a plurality of indentations ( A, B, C, D) integrally formed therein along the longitudinal axis ( ). The indentations ( A, B, C, D) are intended to permit the deformation of the metal bar so as to enhance the absorption of the kinetic energy of a front end crash.

Kinetic energy absorbing rail for an automotive frame

An energy management system and method for absorbing and directing kinetic energy during an impact event of a motor vehicle includes a vehicle subframe attached to a vehicle chassis , with a pair of deformable attachment brackets and interposed therebetween. The deformable attachment brackets and are preferably fixedly attached to the subframe and removably attached to the vehicle chassis via fasteners extending through a fastener hole in each of the attachment brackets and . A relief opening is proximate to and aligned with the fastener hole , the relief opening being larger than the fastener . A deformable barrier disposed between the fastener hole and relief opening may be provided with a slot extending between the fastener hole and relief opening . Upon an impact generating an impact force above a predetermined force, the fastener deforms the deformable barrier , whereby the deformable attachment bracket and is displaced longitudinally such that the fastener is relocated from the fastener hole into the relief opening . The fastener slides out of the relief opening and the subframe drops beneath the vehicle chassis , whereby the subframe translates longitudinally relative the vehicle chassis during the crash event, safely away from the vehicle occupant compartment.

Energy management system and method for an extruded aluminum vehicle subframe

An automotive vehicle frame element includes a generally S shaped forward rail having a forward rail portion and a structurally reinforced rear rail portion substantially longitudinally displaced therefrom and a fold inducing area therebetween, a toe pan attached to the rail having a front wall projecting perpendicularly therefrom, the front wall having a point of separation from the rail at a location between the forward and rear rail portions, and the fold inducing area located longitudinally forward of the point of separation of the toe pan portion from the rail and at the point where the structurally reinforced rear rail portion transitions into the forward rail portion.

Growing community of inventors

Bloomfield Hills, MI, United States of America

Hikmat F Mahmood