Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Mike James Freeman

Gene A Senn

Philip John Leonetti

Christopher Kunkel

Shadi M Al-Thabteh

The present disclosure relates to reinforcing a vehicle pillar. The vehicle pillar includes a corner member and a reinforcement member. The reinforcement member is additively manufactured and may utilize functionally graded materials. The reinforcement member may be directly deposited on the corner member or may be manufactured separately and coupled thereafter to the corner member. The reinforcement member includes a first component, and a second component. Additionally, the reinforcement member may include a third component that extend angularly from the first and second component to form a Y-shaped structure. The reinforcement member can include multiple attachment joints that facilitate consolidating and coupling the reinforcement member with various vehicle components.

Vehicle pillar reinforcement using additive manufacturing

A side-support structure mounted over an upper side portion of a vehicle includes an upper horizontal portion attached to a portion of the roof of the vehicle. A central arcuate portion of the side-support structure is attached to a portion of the vehicle between the roof and the side-pillar of the vehicle. The side-support structure also includes a lower vertical portion attached to an upper portion of the side-pillar of the vehicle.

Roof panel to side-pillar hydroformed reinforcement for vehicles

A mechanism for increasing stiffness of the side-structure of a vehicle, for transferring loads and strain energy, and for improving rigidity from the lower portion of a side pillar, to the underbody structural components of the vehicle. The vehicle includes a hydroformed tube having a horizontal portion, a vertical portion and an arcuate central portion. The upper end of the vertical portion is spot welded to the lower portion of the side pillar. The horizontal portion is received into, and spot welded to, an inner portion of a structural member. The structural member is an L-shaped bracket, and its major portion is spot welded to an inner portion of an elongated beam. The beam is fixedly attached to the side rail of the vehicle. The tubular member, the structural member, and the elongated beam, when connected, form a closed continuous box shaped structure, which reinforces the side-structure of the vehicle.

Growing community of inventors

Allen Park, MI, United States of America

Mike James Freeman