A tonneau cover access panel assembly connectable to a vehicle that eliminates the need for side rails to both locate and tension a tonneau cover. The assembly also reduces weight and complexity. The assembly incorporates a readily accessible rear latching system that reduces or eliminates interference with the tonneau cover during operation. The assembly also incorporates a tonneau cover tensioning system. The tension seals out environmental elements and holds the tonneau cover and locating bows in place. The assembly holds the tonneau in the closed tension state keeping the tonneau cover secured and tight until the cover is opened by an operator. The assembly is movable between a closed position and a fully open/stowable position and any intermediate positions. The assembly is also movable between at least a first open position and the deployed position for more limiting access to the cargo bed of the vehicle when desired.

A column housing for a vehicle steering system is made of synthetic resin and coupled outside a column tube of a steering column for the vehicle system, the column housing including: a slit which is formed to be elongated in a predetermined direction so that the column housing is deformed inward when the column housing is pressed on and fixed to the column tube positioned inside the column housing; and a first reinforcing portion which is formed so as to protrude outward at a predetermined portion from an end position of an end portion of the slit to the periphery of the slit where the slit is not formed, and has a shape having an increased thickness relative to other portions of the column housing.

A vehicle body structure using carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) may include a cowl member extending along a width direction of a vehicle, a front pillar extending along a height direction of the vehicle, and a cowl side member of which an inner side is coupled to a front end of the cowl member and an outer side is coupled to the front pillar member.

A work vehicle includes a cabin to cover an operator's seat on a traveling body. A cabin frame that constitutes a framework of the cabin includes a pair of left and right front pillars, a pair of left and right rear pillars, a front beam, a rear beam, and side beams. The front beam couples upper end portions of the front pillars to each other. The rear beam couples upper end portions of the rear pillars to each other. Each of the side beams couples to each other upper end portions of each of the front pillars and each of the rear pillars that stand at a front and rear. The rear beam is formed to have a U-shaped cross-section by presswork of a metal plate material.

A hollow profile and a method of producing the hollow profile from a hardenable steel alloy blank is disclosed having an L-shaped cross section with an upper vertical hollow chamber, and a lower horizontal hollow chamber, wherein the blank comes in abutment on an intermediate bridge area, forming a double layer. The hollow profile further includes, at least in regions, a tensile strength Rm greater than 1000 MPa.

A vehicle body assembly is described herein, including a first structural component and a second structural component. The first structural component may be a roof component or a side panel, and include a first part including a first metal and a second part including a second metal different than the first metal. The second part is formed on a peripheral edge portion of the first part and defines a mounting flange for the first structural component. The second part is joined to the first part via an ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) interface. The second structural component is including the second metal and is joined to the second part at the mounting flange via a resistance spot weld (RSW) joint.

A refuse vehicle has a tailgate. The tailgate has a framework to secure CNG tanks. A cover overlays the frame work to provide an aesthetic appearance to the vehicle.

Disclosed is a dog-bone type rear roll rod in which a body bracket, which is fixed to a vehicle body, and front and rear rubbers, which are disposed at front and rear sides of the body bracket, respectively, are connected together through an inner pipe and fastened to a rod by means of a fastening member, the dog-bone type rear roll rod including: an extrusion plate which has a through hole formed such that the inner pipe penetrates a center of the extrusion plate, has a width length greater than a width length of the rod, and is press-fitted between the rod and the front rubber.

A workpiece includes a plurality of knots and webs, which are formed in one piece, of a sheet metal, in particular a steel plate. Each web extends between two openings from one knot to another knot, and at least three webs meet at each knot. A plurality of the webs has a cross section, which includes at least one hardened and one unhardened area.

A traverse strut for use in a twist beam axle assembly is provided. The traverse strut extends along a length and presents a central section; a pair of end sections; and a pair of intermediate sections between the central section and the respective end sections. At least a portion of the central section has a first wall thickness, at least a portion of each end section has a second wall thickness that is greater than the first wall thickness and at least a portion of each intermediate section has a third wall thickness that is greater than the second wall thickness. Additionally, at least two of the central, intermediate and end sections is work hardened. The transverse strut has improved performance and lower weight as compared to other known transverse struts.