Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Narayana Venugopal

Leonard Anthony Shaner

Ajay Kumar Gupta

Mark Wlotkowski

Charles Ko

John Charles Caris

Yu-Kan Hu

Tau Tyan

Matt Alan Niesluchowski

Fungtai Charles Ko

Jing Han

A vehicle frame component for limiting the movement of the wheel of the vehicle toward the cab of a cab on frame vehicle including a base member welded to openings in the frame side rail and extending outwardly and located proximal the wheel structure. In one embodiment the vehicle frame component is located forward of the wheel and includes a tire puncture device to deflate the tire during an offset front impact and in a second embodiment the vehicle frame component is located rearward of the wheel. The vehicle frame component has particular utility during an offset front impact where the offset is less than approximately twenty-five percent (25%) of the width of the vehicle.

Vehicle frame component

A motor vehicle assembly that includes a strengthening member having a twelve-cornered cross section along at least a portion of the strengthening member, and an automotive component having a four-cornered cross section along at least a portion of the automotive component. The cross section of one of the strengthening member and the automotive component transitions between twelve corners and four corners to facilitate a connection between the strengthening member and the automotive component.

Twelve-cornered strengthening member, assemblies including a twelve-cornered strengthening member, and methods of manufacturing and joining the same

An apparatus turns a front wheel of a vehicle inward during an offset frontal impact. The apparatus includes a first frame rail and a second frame rail spaced from each other. A bumper is supported by the first and second frame rails. A beam extends between and engages the first and second frame rails. The beam includes an extension extending from the first frame rail away from the second frame rail to a first end spaced from the first frame rail for being positioned forward of the front wheel and for being forced into the front wheel during the offset frontal impact.

Sorb energy management crossmember

A strengthening member for an automotive vehicle comprises a twelve-cornered cross section including sides and corners creating internal angles and external angles. To facilitate a connection between the strengthening member and the automotive component, one of the strengthening member and the automotive component may transition from the twelve-cornered cross section at a first end of the strengthening member to a four-cornered cross section at a second end of the strengthening member. An automotive assembly may include a strengthening member connected to an automotive component via a separate bridge connection member.

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Northville, MI, United States of America

Narayana Venugopal