Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Mark T Dingman

Terry A Swartzell

Edward D Moss

Peter M Parlow

Keith J Saari

Andrew W White

Zohir Molhem

Mark J McGuire

James A Rochon

Andre T Matsumoto

Daniel F Witting

Michael T Quaggiotto

James Jenying Wang

Amit Sharma

A housing for a battery pack of a vehicle is described herein. The housing includes a lateral baseplate, a central longitudinal baseplate, and at least one bracket. The lateral baseplate is configured to extend in a lateral direction of the vehicle and attach to a front cradle of the vehicle rearward of left and right body mount seats on the front cradle. The central longitudinal baseplate is configured to extend in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and attach to the lateral baseplate. The at least one bracket is configured to connect the central longitudinal baseplate to the lateral baseplate and to form an angle with the lateral baseplate that is greater than 40 degrees.

Battery pack housing including lateral baseplate, longitudinal baseplate, and bracket that transfers front impact loads from lateral baseplate to longitudinal baseplate

A system for protecting a battery enclosure of a vehicle, comprising of a structural blocker configured to be fixedly attached to a side portion of the battery enclosure. The side portion faces a lateral direction, extending along a vehicle axis that extends between a front and a rear of a vehicle. The battery enclosure includes at least one cross member oriented along a lateral direction, wherein the structural blocker is configured to be aligned with an end of the cross member and localized to a region of the side portion proximate to the end of the cross member. The structural blocker is configured to transfer a side load from a structural component of the vehicle to the cross member.

Side impact protection of battery enclosures

A load impact management system for an automotive vehicle includes a load member extending from a first vehicle frame rail to a second vehicle frame rail and perpendicular to each of the first and second vehicle frame rails and to a vehicle body axis. The load member is coupled to the first vehicle frame rail at two attachment points and coupled to the second vehicle frame rail at two attachment points. The load member defines a load path between a first side of the automotive vehicle to a second side of the automotive vehicle opposite the first side and the load member is forward of a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

Vehicle structure for a cross-vehicle load path

A side impact load management system for a vehicle having a vehicle frame includes a plurality of cross-vehicle support members extending from a first side of the vehicle to a second side of the vehicle. A first structural member extends in a first vertical plane parallel to a vehicle body axis defined by the vehicle frame and coupled to the vehicle frame, the first structural member connecting the plurality of cross-vehicle support members on the first side of the vehicle. A second structural member extends in a second vertical plane parallel to the vehicle body axis defined by the vehicle frame and coupled to the vehicle frame, the second structural member connecting the plurality of cross-vehicle support members on the second side of the vehicle. The first and second structural members are configured to transfer a side impact load simultaneously to the plurality of cross-vehicle support members.

Vehicle structure for side impact load path management

A vehicle body includes a center pillar structure including an outer reinforcement having an outer wall and two side walls defining a channel. Two reinforcements are located within the channel, each rigidly interconnecting the outer wall with a respective one of the sidewalls. A tension panel preferably interconnects the two sidewalls. The center pillar structure is characterized by continuity of strength along its height and increased resistance to vertical compressive loads.

Vehicle center pillar structure

Growing community of inventors

Royal Oak, MI, United States of America

Mark T Dingman