Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Huai-yang Chiang

Hari Prasada Reddy Lingala

Terry A Swartzell

Warren J Parsons

Len V Peschansky

Vikas V Joshi

Bhushan W Dandekar

Gheorghe Barbuta

Jungryoung Kim

Bradley E Bowers

Vedanth M Basappa

Jayavardhan Tallapragada

Frank Burger

Wayne J Sturgill

A vehicle includes a frame system having a frame rail that extends along and is laterally offset from a longitudinal axis. A body is mounted to the frame system, and includes a rocker panel that extends along the longitudinal axis, and is disposed outboard of the first frame rail. A side load transfer device is positioned between the frame rail and the rocker panel. The side load transfer device is attached to one of the frame rail or the body. The side load transfer device is operable to transfer an applied load from the rocker panel to the frame rail. The applied load being applied to the rocker panel in an inboard direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.

Side load transfer device for a body on frame vehicle

A load management assembly can manage and/or absorb the energy from an external force applied to a vehicle. The load management assembly includes a frame rail and a mounting bracket coupled to the frame rail. In addition, the load management assembly includes a shield coupled to the frame rail. The shield partly surrounds the mounting bracket in order to protect the mounting bracket from an external force and to redirect a load path of the external force. The load management assembly may further include a reinforcement bracket to assist in directing the load path of the external force. The reinforcement bracket is coupled to the frame rail and may be in contact with the mounting bracket.

Load management assembly

A body-mounted tire blocker assembly can absorb and/or manage energy when a vehicle body assembly is subjected to an external force. This vehicle body assembly may include a vehicle body defining a passenger compartment. The vehicle body further includes a rocker panel defining a first panel end and a second panel end opposite the first panel end. The tire blocker assembly is coupled to the rocker panel and includes a first blocker body and a second blocker body coupled to the first blocker body. The first blocker body is farther from the first panel end than the second blocker body in order to guide a wheel away from the passenger compartment when an external force is applied to the vehicle body.

Body-mounted tire blocker assembly

A load transfer apparatus for a vehicle includes a first deflector member that is securable both to a body mount bracket that extends from a frame rail and to the frame rail so that a first portion of the frame rail is between the body mount bracket and the bumper, and a second portion of the frame rail is between the body mount bracket and the first deflector member. The first deflector member at least partially forms a load path from the bumper to the frame rail under a sufficient offset load applied to the bumper. The load transfer apparatus may also include a second deflector member securable to the bumper to extend from the bumper such that the second deflector member is spaced from and free from contact with the body mount bracket and the first deflector member prior to application of the sufficient offset load to the bumper.

Vehicle load transfer apparatus

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Troy, MI, United States of America

Huai-yang Chiang