A strengthening member for an automotive vehicle comprises a twelve-cornered cross section including sides and corners creating eight internal angles and four external angles. Each internal angle and each external angle is greater than 90°. At least a portion of the strengthening member tapers along its length.

A vehicle having a fluid management trim system includes a windshield supported along a lower edge by a cowl, along an upper edge by a roof, and along a side edge by a pillar. The pillar extends from a side door toward the roof, and a trim member extends along the side edge of the windshield forming a channel for guiding fluid along the windshield toward a drain. The side edge of the windshield may extend at least partially around the pillar. Even more, the side edge of the windshield may extend from the lower edge to a first position below the upper edge forming the drain. A portion of the trim member may be offset to the windshield forming the channel and extends from the lower edge to a second position below the upper edge and over the drain.

[Object] There is provided a long structural member made of metal, which has a substantially gutter-shaped cross section and is excellent in load transfer properties when an impact load is applied.

[Solution] A structural member made of metal, formed so as to extend long in a predetermined direction, and having a gutter bottom, two ridges continuing to both ends in a width direction of the gutter bottom, and two vertical walls continuing to the two ridges, includes an outward continuous flange continuously formed at least along the gutter bottom, the ridges, and the vertical walls at an end in the predetermined direction, in which a width of the gutter bottom is reduced as a distance from the end having the outward continuous flange becomes larger.

A multidimensional structures that is formed of thirty six interconnecting members in such a manner as to form eight (8) tetrahedrons and six (6) octahedrons thereby providing a structure that is both light weight and strong, the interconnecting members variously intersecting at a central point that may be formed of a single unified structure having fillets in the middle of the multidimensional structure and at twelve (12) external connecting points.

A multidimensional structures that is formed of thirty six interconnecting members in such a manner as to form eight (8) tetrahedrons and six (6) octahedrons thereby providing a structure that is both light weight and strong, the interconnecting members variously intersecting at a central point that may be formed of a single unified structure having fillets in the middle of the multidimensional structure and at twelve (12) external connecting points.

Disclosed are novel processes to increase productivity on a continuous anneal and solution heat treatment line for heat-treatable automotive aluminum sheet products with high T4 and after-paint bake strengths and reduced roping. As a non-limiting example, the processes described herein can be used in the automotive industry. The disclosed heat treatable alloys and processes also may be applicable to the marine, aerospace, and transportation industries.

Disclosed are novel processes to increase productivity on a continuous anneal and solution heat treatment line for heat-treatable automotive aluminum sheet products with high T4 and after-paint bake strengths and reduced roping. As a non-limiting example, the processes described herein can be used in the automotive industry. The disclosed heat treatable alloys and processes also may be applicable to the marine, aerospace, and transportation industries.

A structural member 10 includes a hat member 1 and a closing plate 2. The length LY of the tubular portion formed by the hat member 1 and the closing plate 2 is 6 or more times the height H of a pair of side walls 11 and 12. Each of the side walls 11 and 12 includes a high-strength portion 11A or 12A and low-strength portions 11B or 12B. The high-strength portion has a yield strength not less than 500 MPa. The low-strength portions have a yield strength of 60 to 85% of that of the high-strength portion. Each high-strength portion extends a distance not less than (⅔)H and not more than 3H as measured in the direction in which the ridges extend, and is provided such that the high-strength portions of the pair of side walls face each other. A pair of low-strength portions sandwich the associated high-strength portion.

Vehicle body panels and systems are described. A vehicle body panel may include at least one layer of material defining the vehicle body panel and one or more than one electronic device, where a portion of each electronic device is embedded within one or more than one of the at least one layer of material. Each electronic device may communicate with a control system or a vehicle control unit of the vehicle to support an advanced-feature functionality of the vehicle. At least one electronic device may include a first portion embedded within the one or more than one of the at least one layer of material. The first portion may be couplable to a second portion, not embedded within the material, where the first portion upon being coupled to the second portion communicates with the control system or the vehicle control unit of the vehicle to support the advanced-feature functionality.

A vehicle includes a body panel assembly including first and second panels. Each panel defines different materials, and the first and second panels are fastened at a joint using a fastener. A compression limiter is disposed at the joint and configured to reduce stress on the first and second panels due to the fastener. The compression limiter has a first ring to contact the first panel and a second ring to contact the second panel. The first ring defines a drain extending through the first ring to the second ring on an outer periphery of the first ring, and is oriented such that moisture between the first and second panels is wicked through the drain and removed from the panel assembly.