Tesla Motors, Inc.

Tesla, Inc.

Malcolm Burgess

Alexi Charbonneau

Hitendra Laxmidas Gadhiya

Vivek Attaluri

Peter Dore Rawlinson

Bruce P Edwards

Alan Paul Clarke

Robert David Sumpf, Jr

N Petter Winberg

Sachin Shrimant Sawant

Paul D Edwards

Alexandre Reikher

Tom Spencer

Carlo Rinaldi

Grant Pattinson

Pall Kornmayer

Petter Winberg

Adip Rai

Daniel Moll

An integrated energy absorbing system of a vehicle with a front integrated energy absorbing casting and a back integrated energy absorbing casting. Each front and back casting is a single unified casting that makes up the integrated energy absorbing system. Ribbed sections such as 'I' sections and “C” sections make up the castings and are formed from a variety of different techniques and/or formings such as cutout, waveform profile, tapering, flaring and/or rib spacing. Additional sections such as closed section castings may also be integrated in the integrated energy absorbing system.

Integrated energy absorbing castings

A torque box for a vehicle includes: first and second clamshells joined to each other at respective top and bottom edges and configured to form at least first and second enclosures with an inner joint in between, the first and second enclosures configured to provide top and bottom shear planes at the top and bottom edges, respectively, and at least first and second shear planes at the inner joint.

Torque box with shear planes at inner joint

An energy absorbing and distributing side impact system for use with a vehicle is provided, the system utilizing a collapsible side sill along with multiple vehicle cross-members to achieve the desired level of vehicle side impact resistance, the combination of these elements absorbing and distributing the impact load throughout the vehicle structure. A battery pack enclosure that includes a plurality of cross-members that transverse the battery pack enclosure also help to absorb and distribute at least a portion of the load received when either the first or second side of the vehicle receives a side impact. In this configuration the battery pack enclosure is positioned between the front and rear vehicle suspension assemblies and mounted between, and mechanically coupled to, the side sill assemblies. In addition to providing rigidity, strength and impact resistance, the battery pack cross-members segregate the batteries contained within the battery pack enclosure into battery groups.

System for absorbing and distributing side impact energy utilizing an integrated battery pack and side sill assembly

An energy absorbing and distributing side impact system for use with a vehicle is provided, the system utilizing a collapsible side sill assembly along with multiple vehicle cross-members to achieve the desired level of vehicle side impact resistance, the combination of these elements absorbing and distributing the impact load throughout the vehicle structure. The collapsible side sill assembly includes a side sill insert, the insert divided into a collapsible portion designed to absorb impact energy and a reacting portion designed to distribute the impact energy to the vehicle cross-members.

System for absorbing and distributing side impact energy utilizing a side sill assembly with a collapsible sill insert

Growing community of inventors

Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Malcolm Burgess