Integrated lateral load-transmittal system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9238484-B2
Application number	US-201414269412-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 5, 2014
Priority date	May 5, 2014
Publication date	Jan 19, 2016
Grant date	Jan 19, 2016

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present invention, a load-transmittal system for a vehicle includes a cross member of a vehicle frame extending substantially perpendicular to a vehicle door. A pusher is disposed within a cavity defined between inner and outer sheet metal panels of the vehicle door, wherein the pusher is disposed distal from the cross member to define an idle state. A container receptacle is disposed between the pusher and the cross member, wherein the container receptacle defines a transmittal zone of the vehicle door. When the vehicle door experiences a side-impact load, the side-impact load moves the pusher through the transmittal zone and into at least partial engagement with the cross member to define a collapsed position of the pusher. In this manner, the side-impact load is transferred through the pusher to the cross member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A load-transfer system comprising:
a pusher disposed within a vehicle door in an idle position distal from a vehicle frame structural member; and
a transmittal zone of the vehicle door proximate the pusher and the structural member, wherein when the vehicle door receives a side-impact load, the pusher moves through the transmittal zone to a collapsed position into engagement with the structural member and transfers the side-impact load to the structural member.

2. The load-transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the transmittal zone is at least partially defined by a container receptacle defined within a door trim of the vehicle door and proximate an inner sheet metal panel of the vehicle door.

3. The load-transfer system of claim 2 , wherein the container receptacle is a bottle holder.

4. The load-transfer system of claim 2 , wherein the pusher is disposed between the door trim and an outer sheet metal panel of the vehicle door.

5. The load-transfer system of claim 2 , wherein the pusher is integrated with the container receptacle.

6. The load-transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the structural member is a cross member.

7. The load-transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the pusher includes a grid structure including a plurality of substantially orthogonal ribs.

8. The load-transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the pusher includes a substantially solid member.

9. The load-transfer system of claim 4 , wherein the pusher is disposed on a wet side of the vehicle door proximate the outer sheet metal panel.

10. The load-transfer system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle door proximate the transmittal zone is adapted to flex as a result of the side-impact load, wherein the pusher substantially occupies a portion of the cavity proximate the transmittal zone.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Jenkins Keith William
• Patel Deepak
• Vemulapati Satyanarayana Raju
• Midoun Djamal Eddine

Classifications

• B60J5/0461 Primary

  characterised by a pre-defined mode of deformation or displacement in order to absorb impact · CPC title

• B60J5/0451

  Block or short strip-type elements (beams B60J5/0443, position thereof B60J5/0423) · CPC title

• B62D21/157 Primary

  for side impacts · CPC title