Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

Mitch J Gerczak

Mark D Clauser

Brian L Tew

A system for reducing risk of fuel leakage of a vehicle during a collision includes a vehicle main body configured to support and at least partially enclose a passenger. The system further includes a fuel inlet box configured to house a fuel inlet. The system further includes a rear bracket coupled to the vehicle main body at a location aft of the fuel inlet box. The system further includes a center shaft coupled to the rear bracket and extending forward from the rear bracket. The system further includes a forward bracket coupled to the vehicle main body at a location forward relative to the rear bracket and coupled to the center shaft, the forward bracket configured to deform in response to a rear collision of the vehicle to actuate the fuel inlet box in order to reduce the likelihood of a fuel leak from the fuel inlet.

Deformable bracket for translating vehicle fuel box

A support structure that supports a console housing of a console assembly is provided. The support structure is secured to a floor of a vehicle. The support structure includes a pair of side walls and a platform wall. Each side wall has an upper edge, an opposite lower edge, an interior surface, and an opposite exterior surface. The platform wall traverses the interior surfaces of the pair of side walls between the upper edge and the lower edge of each of the pair of side walls. The console housing is mounted to the platform wall between and below the upper edges of the pair of side walls.

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Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Mitch J Gerczak