Nissan North America, Inc.

Horizon Global Americas Inc.

Nissan Motor Company Limited

Michael J McGory

Patrick Grattan

Christopher Hartley

Perry McConnell

Joseph Buratto

Hideo Aimoto

Takao Tani

Kazunori Iimi

Naoki Kamizawa

Takemi Nishikawa

David James Wozniak

Gunnar Mason

Matthew Michael Gapinski

Piyush Pradeepkumar Khater

Joel Thomas Runyan

David J Lepley

The mounting system may be utilized for towing vehicles wherein the mounting system may selectively accommodate either a fifth wheel hitch or a gooseneck hitch. The mounting system may include a structural frame member including at least one rail capable of being connected to a vehicle frame, wherein the rail includes at least one socket. The socket may be engaged with a receiving member, wherein the receiving member may be engaged with a leg of a fifth wheel hitch. A mid rail may be connected to the rails and may include a hitch ball socket that is capable of engagement with a hitch. Also provided is an underbed hitch mounting system having at least one socket and receiving member exposed above a bed of a vehicle. The system includes trim and ring brackets configured to cover the exposed socket and receiving members along the bed of the vehicle.

Frame and trim rings for underbed hitch mounting system

A vehicle aerodynamic cover includes an upper body portion, a lower body portion and a boundary. The upper body portion defines a top edge. The lower body portion extends downwardly from the upper body portion and defines a bottom edge. The upper body portion is inclined in an inboard direction relative to the lower body portion when the aerodynamic cover is in an installed state. The boundary connects the upper and lower body portions.

Vehicle aerodynamic cover

A vehicle body structure includes a vehicle structure, and an off-center impact structure. The vehicle structure has a front side member with a front end and a front-section extending rearward from the front end. The front side member extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction. The off-center impact structure includes a leaf-spring assembly with a plurality of leaf-springs attached to one another. The off-center impact structure is attached to the front side member at the front-section such that the leaf-spring assembly extends in a lateral outboard direction from the front side member.

Vehicle body structure

A vehicle structure includes a vehicle frame with a first side member, a front suspension structure and a stop structure. The stop structure is installed to a first side member rearward of the front suspension structure. The stop structure extends outboard from the first side member and includes an upper surface, a lower surface and a main surface. The upper surface and the lower surface are horizontally oriented. The main surface is vertically oriented and includes a first section, a second section and a third section. The first section is attached to the first side member. The second section extends outboard from the first section defining a forward-facing stop surface that extends to a distal outboard end of the stop structure. The third section extends rearward from the second section, with the first section, the second section and the third section defining vertically oriented exterior surfaces.

Vehicle structure

A vehicle structure includes a vehicle frame and a beam. The vehicle frame has a first side member and a second side member extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction and a cross-member extending in a vehicle lateral direction from the first side member to the second side member perpendicular to the first side member and the second side member. A first end of the beam is connected to one of the first side member or the second side member at a location spaced apart from the cross-member. A second end of the beam is connected to the cross-member at a location spaced apart from both the first side member and the second side member such that the beam is angularly offset from the cross-member with an angle of between 35 and 60 degrees defined between the cross-member and the beam.

A vehicle skid panel having a main body configured for installation to a forward area of an underside of a vehicle. The main body has a lower surface and an upper surface. The lower surface includes a flat area, a plurality of first offset areas and a plurality of second offset areas. The plurality of first offset areas are offset from the flat area such that the plurality of first offset areas have respective surfaces that are vertically lower than the flat area and the plurality of second offset areas are vertically higher than the flat area.

Vehicle skid panel

A vehicle body structure includes a first structural member extending in a vehicle lateral direction and a second structural member extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction. The second structural member is connected to the first structural member. An off-center impact structure is connected to at least one of the first structural member and the second structural member. The off-center impact structure has a curved contact surface. The curved contact surface is laterally spaced from the other of the first structural member and the second structural member.

A vehicle structure includes a vehicle frame, a beam, an attachment bracket. The vehicle frame has a first side member, a second side member and a cross-member rigidly fixed to each of the first and second side members and extending between the first and second side members. The beam extends rearward from a mid-portion of the cross-member with a gap being defined between the beam and the cross-member. The attachment bracket is rigidly fixed to the mid-portion of the cross-member and retaining the beam. The attachment bracket is configured to maintain the gap with the vehicle frame in a non-impacted state. The attachment bracket is further configured such that in response an impact event impacting a forward area of the vehicle frame, with impacting forces causing relative movement between the cross-member and the attachment bracket, the gap is diminished or closed.

An off-center impact reinforcement structure includes a push arm proximate rearward of a front portion of the vehicle frame. The push arm extends in a forward and laterally outboard direction from a front side member. A rear surface of the push arm is located below the first side member. During an initial stage of an off-center impact event in which a stationary barrier directly impacts a front surface of the push arm, impacting forces from the off-center impact event move the rear surface of the push arm into contact with brackets that extend downward from the front side member and transfer through the push arm to brackets and to the vehicle frame. In a second stage, a rear surface of the push arm contacts the vehicle frame as the push arm pivots with the front surface of the push arm moving in a laterally outboard direction.

A vehicle structure includes a frame and a diagonal structure. The frame has a first side member, a second side member and a cross-member that extends in a vehicle lateral direction between the first and second side members. The cross-member is perpendicular to the first and second side members. The diagonal structure has a beam with a rear end that extends to an area of the second side member rearward of the cross-member. An angle of between 35 and 60 degrees is defined between the cross-member and the beam of the diagonal structure. The rear end of the beam is supported to the second side member by a rear attachment bracket such that the rear end of the beam is spaced apart from the second side member with a rear gap being defined between the rear end of the beam and the second side member.

A front suspension structure has a front portion on a first side member of a vehicle frame and a rear portion on the first side member rearward of the front portion. A front wheel is supported by a wheel support structure that is pivotally mounted to a front suspension structure of the first side member. A stop structure is installed to the first side member at the rear portion of the front suspension structure. The stop structure extends in an outboard direction of the first side member. The stop structure has a stop surface that defines an angle relative to the vehicle longitudinal direction between 110 and 130 degrees. In response to an impact event to a front area of the front wheel, the front wheel pivots relative to the wheel support structure moving a rear area of the front wheel into contact with the stop surface.

A vehicle structure includes a frame and a push arm. The push arm is coupled to a first side member of the frame proximate an intersection of the first side member and a first cross-member. The push arm has a main body, a rear surface, and a front surface. The rear surface faces and is adjacent to the intersection. The main body extends forward and laterally in an outboard direction from the rear surface such that the front surface of the push arm is located laterally outboard of and spaced apart from a front end of the first side member of the frame. The front surface has a first section and a second section both facing forward relative to the frame. The second section is angularly offset from the first section such that the second section and the first section define an obtuse angle therebetween.

A first structure extends to a forward side of a cross-member of a vehicle frame with a first gap being defined between the first structure and the cross-member. A second structure extends rearward from the cross-member with a second gap defined between the second structure and the cross-member. An attachment bracket fixed to the cross-member retains one of the first and second structures. The attachment bracket is configured to maintain one of the first gap and the second gap in a non-impacted state. In response to an impact event where a stationary barrier impacts forward of the first structure, impacting forces cause movement of the one of the first structure and the second structure relative to the attachment bracket thereby bringing at least the one of the first structure and the second structure into contact with the cross-member closing the corresponding one of the first gap and the second gap.

An off-center impact reinforcement structure includes a push arm and a first diagonals structure installed to elements of a frame of a vehicle structure. The push arm is coupled to the frame proximate an intersection of a first side member and a first cross-member and extends in a forward and laterally outboard direction from the intersection. The first diagonal structure extends rearward and laterally inboard from proximate the intersection toward a section of a second side member rearward of the first cross-member. The off-center impact reinforcement structure is configured such that during an off-center impact event in which a stationary barrier impacts against a front surface of the push arm during forward movement of the vehicle frame, impacting forces from the impact event are transferred through the push arm to the vehicle frame at the intersection and from the intersection to the first diagonal structure.

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West Bloomfield, MI, United States of America

Michael J McGory