Zoox, Inc.

Thomas Andrew Stoddart

Ramanjaneya Reddy Butukuri

Kevin Hothem

Ashley Williams

Marcos Puerta Terron

Vishveshwar Ramanathan Subramanian

Michael Curno Orr

Markus Jost

Andrew John Piper

Andrew Frank Raczkowski

Bryan Emrys Booth

Robert Alan Ng

Vamsi Krishna Pathipati

Mark Alan Bates

Nirmal Muralidharan

Samantha Lynne Schoell

Kevin Francis O'Hara

Paolo Ruscitti

Mark Christian Allbee

Austin Hilton

A side-impact crash structure may be positioned proximate an end of a vehicle to reduce impact forces imparted to an occupant during a side collision. The side-impact crash structure may include energy absorbers positioned on lateral sides of the vehicle between the passenger compartment and a longitudinal end of the vehicle. The energy absorbers may be configured to absorb impact forces over a limited ride-down distance (the distance over which the deceleration occurs) to prevent damage to both the occupants and one or more components or systems of the vehicle. The energy absorbers can be configured to deform along an oblique axis of the vehicle under a compressive force. The side-impact crash structure may include one or more load spreaders disposed between the energy absorbers that disperse the impact force to other portions of the vehicle.

Side-impact crash structure

A charging system includes one or more inductive charging elements arranged in a charging space. A lift mechanism, such as a lever arm, is configured to lift the charging elements into position for transferring current to vehicle charging elements. Sensor(s) may detect a location of the charging element relative to the vehicle charging element, and adjustments may be made to align the charging element and the vehicle charging element (passively and/or actively). The sensor(s) may also determine characteristic(s) of the vehicle, such as ground clearance, make/model, etc. to align the charging element and the vehicle charging element and/or to control power transfer to the vehicle.

Lift mechanism for aligning charging elements to charge vehicle

A wet dry barrier support system for a vehicle includes a support structure portion with mounting locations for mounting suspension components of a vehicle, mounting locations for coupling to a body of the vehicle, and a barrier portion to provide an environmental barrier to separate a first area of the vehicle from a second area of a vehicle. The support structure portion may provide a stiff mounting interface between the body and the suspension components by transferring loads therebetween and may define a through-cavity configured to pass a vehicle component through the through-cavity. The barrier portion may plastically deform upon receiving an energetic input from an impact of the vehicle and may prevent the wet dry barrier support system from entering a passenger compartment during the impact.

Vehicle wet dry barrier support structures and techniques

A vehicle system may include an impact screen for reducing damage in a collision involving the vehicle. The impact screen may be disposed in a cavity of the vehicle system between a motor unit and a battery to reduce a likelihood of impact and/or a force of an impact between the motor unit and the battery. The impact screen may be fixed at opposite sides of the vehicle, such that motor unit moves relative to the impact screen during the collision.

Impact screen

An impact energy management system for a vehicle includes an impact energy absorbing structure to absorb energy from an impact with an external object, and an energy management structure to manage energy from an impact with an internal displaceable object (e.g., a motor or steering rack) with one or more protected objects (e.g., a passenger compartment or battery). The energy management structure may include one or more swingarms or other members configured to protect the protected object from impact by directing the displaceable object down and/or away from the protected object during a collision.

Vehicle impact energy management structures and techniques

An impact energy absorbing system for a vehicle includes a first impact energy absorbing structure to absorb energy from an impact with an external object, and a second energy absorbing structure to absorb energy from an impact with an internal displaceable object internal. The second energy absorbing structure may be disposed between the displaceable object and a protected object internal to the vehicle. The second impact energy absorbing structure may be disposed within the vehicle and configured to protect the protected object from impact by the displaceable object being displaced toward the protected object during a collision. Additionally, the second impact energy absorbing structure may cause the displaceable object to avoid impacting and/or damaging the protected object.

Vehicle energy absorbing structure and techniques

An impact structure includes a beam configured to deform in a particular manner. The beam may include a first deformable portion extending from a front end of the beam toward a rear end of the beam. The first deformable portion may be configured to axially crush in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal direction of the beam. The beam may also include a second deformable portion extending between the first deformable portion and the rear end. The beam may also include a reinforced section configured to cause the second deformable portion to bend. The first and second deformable portions may be configured such that an axial force acting on the front end in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction causes the first deformable portion to axially crush prior to causing the second deformable portion to bend.

Impact structure

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Thomas Andrew Stoddart