Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Thomas M Siberski

Andrew W White

Terry A Swartzell

Ryan Shannon

An assembly for a vehicle to provide load distribution between the body of the vehicle and a battery contained in the vehicle includes a pair of body rockers, the body rockers being spaced apart and being substantially parallel to each other, a plurality of body cross bars that extend between the pair of body rockers, the plurality of body cross bars being spaced apart, substantially parallel to each other, and substantially perpendicular to the body rockers, and a plurality of battery cross bars that extend between the pair of body rockers, the plurality of battery cross bars being spaced apart, substantially parallel to each other, and substantially perpendicular to the body rockers, portions of the battery being located between adjacent battery cross bars. The plurality of battery cross bars, the plurality of body cross bars and the body rockers are configured to delay initiation of rocker plastic deformation.

Body rocker, battery cross-bar, and body cross-bar configuration for load distribution between vehicle body and under-vehicle battery

A rail assembly configured to limit a lateral deformation of an intermediate portion of the rail assembly to a predetermined lateral deformation when the rail assembly is subjected to an external force includes an inner portion, an outer portion, and a web portion. The inner portion has an inner wall. The outer portion has an outer wall and is attached to the inner portion. The inner portion and the outer portion together form a hollow rail. The web portion is configured with a deformation initiator, disposed inside of the hollow rail, and attached to the inner wall of the inner portion and the outer wall of the outer portion. The web portion is configured to limit the lateral deformation of the intermediate portion of the rail assembly to the predetermined lateral deformation when the rail assembly is subjected to the external force.

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White Lake, MI, United States of America

Thomas M Siberski