An energy absorbing device includes a composite or metallic component having greater than or equal to three walls forming a component channel with a longitudinal length and a polymeric component. The polymeric component has a honeycomb structure with two or more walls defining honeycomb tubes and supported within the component channel with the honeycomb tubes stacked transversely along the longitudinal length of the component channel. Ends of the honeycomb tubes abut the composite or metal component. The composite or metal component, or the polymeric component, has a bending stiffness greater than a bending stiffness of the honeycomb structure. Rocker assemblies and vehicle bodies are also described.

An automotive crashworthiness energy absorption part provided at a front part or a rear part of an automotive body and absorbing crashworthiness energy by undergoing axial crush when receiving input of a crashworthiness load from a front or a rear of the automotive body includes: a tubular member configured to absorb crashworthiness energy by undergoing axial crush, the tubular member including a top portion and side wall portions continuous with the top portion; and resin coated or patched on first outer surfaces including at least outer surfaces of the top portion and the side wall portions of the tubular member. The coated or patched resin has a thickness of 8 mm or less after being heated, forms at least part of a peripheral wall portion of a closed cross section space, and is bonded to the first outer surfaces with an adhesive strength of 10 MPa or more.

Provided is a body side panel body side panel (BP) including one metal panel (P1); another metal panel (P2) that forms a space (A) between the one metal panel (P1) and the other metal panel (P2); a resin member (R) that is molded integrally with the one metal panel (P1). The resin member (R) includes link ribs (11A, 11B, 12A, and 12B) that continuously extend respectively along a front edge and a rear edge of a center pillar portion (CP), and along an upper edge and a lower edge of a sill portion (SL), and includes a lower intersection rib (14) that is arranged in an intersection region where a lower end portion of the center pillar portion (CP) and the sill portion (SL) intersect with each other. A clearance (S1) from a distal end portion of each of the link ribs (11A, 11B, 12A, and 12B) to the other metal panel (P2) is smaller than a clearance (S2) from a distal end portion of the intersection rib (14) to the other metal panel (P2). Impact energy in case of side collision is released in two steps. With this, an impact absorbing function is enhanced.

Presented are multilayer composite panels for motor vehicles, methods for making/using such panels, and motor vehicles with transparent composite roof panels having localized reinforcement features. A sandwich-type multilayer composite panel contains one or more exterior layers each including a transparent rigid material, one or more bonding layers each including a transparent adhesive material, and one or more structural reinforcement layers each including a fiber-reinforced polymer material. Each structural reinforcement layer may be attached directly to a bonding layer and/or exterior layer. The composite panel may also include one or more IR-reflective layers, one or more light-absorbing sunshade layers, and one or more insulating low-k layers. The fibers of each structural reinforcement layer are localized to a discrete region within the composite panel's plan-view profile. This region has laterally spaced side rails extending along the length of the multilayer body panel, and one or more transverse crossmembers connecting the side rails.

An embodiment plastic composite material panel includes an outer plate portion bent in a predetermined shape and configured to be bonded to a vehicle body frame through an adhesive, and a material filling portion integrally formed with the outer plate portion, the material filling portion being thicker than the outer plate portion.

A composite structure of a cargo vehicle and a method of making the same are disclosed, where the composite structure includes one or more reinforced beams. Each of the reinforced beams includes an inner core surrounded by an outer layer and one or more reinforcing structures extending through the inner core. Each of the one or more reinforcing structures provides structural support to the reinforced beams.

An instrument panel assembly comprising: a crossmember (2) including a first beam (4) and a second beam (6), a center support assembly (8) with a first structural arm (30), a second structural arm (32), and a center support bracket (34); wherein the first beam (4) is hollow and has a larger diameter than the second beam (6), and the second beam (6) is adapted to slide into the first beam (4).

A cargo vehicle configured to support cargo includes a frame assembly with at least one rail member defining a portion of an outer perimeter of the trailer. The cargo vehicle also includes a composite member adjacent to the frame assembly and a mounting member removably coupled to the at least one rail member and permanently coupled to the composite member.

A system of connected elements for a motor vehicle includes: a first element which has at least one depression on a surface; a second element which is arranged on the first element in such a manner that a surface of the second element and the depression of the first element form a cavity; a filling opening which forms an access to the cavity; and an adhesive which at least partially fills the cavity and thereby adhesively bonds the first element to the second element.

A crashworthiness energy absorption part includes: a tubular member having tensile strength of 590 to 1180 MPa grade; a closed cross section space forming wall part having tensile strength lower than the tubular member and having both edge portions joined to inner surfaces of a pair of side wall portions of the tubular member, and forming a closed cross section space between the closed cross section space forming wall part and a part of a peripheral wall portion of the tubular member; and a resin configured to fill the closed cross section space, includes a rubber-modified epoxy resin and a curing agent, and has tensile breaking elongation of 80% or more, adhesive strength to the tubular member and closed cross section space forming wall part of 12 MPa or higher, and a compression nominal stress of 6 MPa or higher at a compression nominal strain of 10%.