A roof frame for a motor vehicle is disclosed. At least one partial element of the roof frame is massive-formed, preferably forged, from a light metal blank.

The invention relates to a motor vehicle floor having a lower floor made from a composite material; and an upper floor made from a composite material, extending opposite at least part of the lower floor, the lower and upper floors being connected to one another. The floor includes at least one cavity at least partially delimited by the lower or upper floor and communicating with the exhaust line of the motor vehicle.

A refrigerated composite semi-trailer is disclosed that may improve thermal efficiency, fuel efficiency, and costs of manufacturing.

A method and vehicle control system for controlling stiffness of at least one support structure of a vehicle includes at least one of an acceleration sensor, a braking sensor and a corner sensor for providing a driving condition of the vehicle. A controller obtains information from the sensors to determine the driving condition and control the stiffness of a support structure of the vehicle. A magnetic field generator provides a magnetic field to control the stiffness of the support structure having a magnetorheological fluid or elastomer. An electrical source provides electrical current to a support structure including an electrorheological fluid or a support structure including a meta-material. When a vehicle collision is predicted no energy is provided to the support structure to minimize the stiffness and maximize energy absorbance by the support structure in a collision.

A vehicle body structure includes a resin floor part provided with a flange portion bent toward an upper side or a lower side at an end in a vehicle width direction, and a metal side sill part joined to the flange portion of the floor part. The side sill part includes a rim portion, a peak portion, and intermediate portions that link the rim portion to the peak portion. The peak portion and the intermediate portions form a protruding portion projecting from the rim portion toward the floor part. The flange portion of the floor part is joined to the peak portion of the protruding portion.

Various hybrid structures and methods of making the hybrid structures are provided. In one embodiment, a hybrid structure includes a backbone member of a first material composition and a secondary member of a second material composition different than the backbone member. The backbone member includes at least one closed portion along the length of the backbone member having a cross-section which varies along the length of the backbone, and the secondary member is disposed about at least a portion of the backbone member. In another embodiment, the secondary member extends about a portion of the external surface of the backbone member, through an opening of the backbone member and to the interior of the backbone member to interlock with the backbone member.

An axle support of a motor vehicle has two longitudinal supports and at least one cross-beam which is connected to connection points with the cross-beams having body connection points in the end areas thereof. The axle support can be installed with identical dimensions in different types of motor vehicle with respect to the weight and/or drive power thereof. When using the axle support in a type of motor vehicle with a heavy weight and/or high driving power, at least one connecting point is wound with a reinforcement element made from fiber-reinforced plastic, which, in another type of vehicle with a lower weight and/or lower driving power is either not provided or is provided in smaller dimensions.

A structural body of a vehicle comprises: a hollow component comprising walls that define a channel, wherein the component has a component length, and wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of beam, rail (58), pillar (50,52,54,5), chassis, floor rocker (60), and cross-bar, or combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing; and a plastic-metal hybrid reinforcement (1) having cavities therethrough (14), and a support (6) having greater than or equal to 3 walls forming a support channel. The plastic element (4) is located in the support channel (6) wherein the reinforcement (1) is located in the component channel.

An automobile vehicle body and an automobile vehicle body manufacturing method is provided in which a metal joint is divided into an upper joint and a lower joint. The upper joint includes an upper wall which is fitted into a side member, a vehicle width direction inner wall and a vehicle width direction outer wall, and a lower joint includes a lower wall which is joined to a lower face and an outside face of a vehicle body floor, and the vehicle width direction outer wall, and therefore, the vehicle width direction outer wall of the upper joint is fastened to the vehicle width direction outer wall of the lower joint by a first bolt, and the vehicle width direction inner wall of the upper joint is fastened to an inside face of the side member by a second bolt.

A vehicle battery mounting structure includes: an energy absorption member that is provided at a vehicle body lower side of a floor panel, and that includes a first side wall portion sloping toward a vehicle body upper outside at a vehicle width direction inside of the energy absorption member, as viewed from a vehicle body longitudinal direction; and a battery frame made of resin that is disposed at the vehicle width direction inside of the first side wall portion, that supports a battery, and that includes a second side wall portion sloping toward the vehicle body upper outside at the vehicle width direction outside of the battery frame, as viewed from the vehicle body longitudinal direction, and facing the first side wall portion in the vehicle width direction.