Inland Steel Company

John M Lude

James E Borchelt

Bernard S Levy

An automobile body panel has an outer contour-defining component and an inner structural component. The inner structural component comprises a front member, a rear member, a plurality of side members, a central region defined by the front, rear, and side members, and at least one internal member disposed in the central region, and may also include at least one cross member disposed in the central region. The side members and each internal member have a substantially closed cross-sectional geometry. The outer component is secured to the inner structural component at the periphery of the panel. In addition, the outer component is substantially continuously adhesively bonded to each internal member, to flanges of the front and rear members, to each cross member and to the upper surface of each side member. The resulting panel is light-weight, has a high degree of rigidity, is capable of absorbing crash energy in frontal impact, and is resistant to puckering and oil canning. An alternative embodiment comprises a combined hood-fender body panel. The combined hood-fender has side members which form a structural interface with 'A' pillars of the automobile to facilitate load transfer in a frontal impact.

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Beverly Shores, IN, United States of America

John M Lude