A lower vehicle body structure of the vehicle may include a side member extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle, disposed on both sides in a width direction of the vehicle and having a closed cross-section formed therein; a connecting member connected to the side member at a front or a rear based on front and rear directions of the vehicle and having a closed cross-section formed therein; and at least one pipe unit provided inside in the longitudinal direction of the side member or the connecting member to inflow a working fluid therein.

An aerodynamic trailer including first and second side panels, the side panels each having a trapezoidal channel running along a substantial length thereof; an arcuate front panel extending substantially between front edges of the side panels; a top positioned above the front panel and the side panels, the top having a rearwardly sloping front section and two oppositely positioned outer fins running along outward portions thereof and a center fin running along a center thereof; a door positioned at rear edges of the side panels and the top; and at least one axle supporting at least two wheels. Other features of the trailer create aerodynamic benefits.

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.

A bi-metallic component including a tubular stud member extending from an open first end to an open second end, and a cast member cast around the open second end of the tubular stud member is provided. The cast member is formed from first material, such as an aluminum alloy; and the tubular stud member is formed from a second material, such as steel. The tubular stub member has an interior surface which sealingly receives a removable core member for preventing molten first material from flowing through the stub member between the open ends thereof during casting of the cast member around the second end. The bi-metallic component can be used in a variety of automotive applications, for example in a cradle, frame, twist axle, control arm, door pillar, instrument panel support, or bumper assembly.

A pickup truck box assembly includes a pair of longitudinal frame rails, an extruded cross-member, and a truck bed. The cross-member has a uniform longitudinal cross-section assembled perpendicular to the rails and defines a rectilinear profile with a front flange extending from a cross-member upper portion on a front side and a rear flange extending from the upper portion on a rear side. The truck bed is secured on top of the flanges and the cross-member upper portion. The cross-member may include a first end adjacent a first wheel well defined by the truck bed and a second end adjacent a second wheel well defined by the truck bed such that the cross-member spans between the wheel wells. The ends may be spaced from their respective wheel wells a distance selected to provide space for a truck box inner panel.

We disclose a chassis for a vehicle, comprising an interconnected framework comprising a plurality of tubular sections, and at least one sheet bonded to the framework, wherein the tubular sections are of a non-ferrous metallic composition. The non-ferrous tubular sections have a very thin wall; generally, these sections are made by extrusion, which currently allows for wall thicknesses no thinner than about 2.5 mm. We prefer the wall thickness to be about this level, and ideally no greater than 3 mm. Such a thin-walled tube would usually imply a lower resistance to buckling, but as part of the structural element defined above, we have found that the tube does not buckle and in fact has an impact response that is superior to other alternatives. We therefore prefer that the tubular sections have a profile for which the ratio of the minimum area moment of inertia of its cross section to the square of the unsupported length of the section is less than 2 mm.sup.2. Another way of expressing this approach is to consider the aspect ratio of the tubular section, i.e. the ratio of its length to its wall thickness. Sections with a high aspect ratio will be more prone to buckling. Given the low elastic modulus of Aluminium, a low aspect ratio has been preferred, but according to the present invention a higher aspect ratio of more than about 100 or 150 is feasible.

Present application discloses side chassis structure. Side chassis structure includes: apron reinforcement member; fender panel covering outside of the apron reinforcement member; and brackets connected to the fender panel. At least one of the brackets includes: main body including support portion supporting fender panel; front leg portion extending downward from front end of inner portion of main body in vehicle width direction, front leg portion being attached to apron reinforcement member; and rear leg portion which extends downward from rear end of the main body, rear leg portion being attached to apron reinforcement member. Front leg portion has inner slotted hole having long axis extending in vehicle width direction, and outer slotted hole which is formed outside inner slotted hole in vehicle width direction, outer slotted hole having long axis longer than long axis of inner slotted hole.

A beltline reinforcement member for a door of a vehicle includes a body that extends along a longitudinal axis, between a first end and a second end. The body includes, an inner belt wall extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis, an outer belt wall extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and spaced apart from the inner belt wall for receiving a window between the inner belt wall and the outer belt wall, a first end wall interconnecting the inner belt wall and the outer belt wall at the first end of the body, and a second end wall interconnecting the inner belt wall and the outer belt wall at the second end of the body. The inner belt wall, the outer belt wall, the first end wall, and the second end wall are integrally formed together as a single, unitary structure, such as by a casting process.

The invention relates to a method for bending at least one edge of a composite sheet, which has at least two outer metallic layers and an inner plastic layer, in which the edge of the composite sheet is edge-bent in a first step and is bent into the finished form in at least one further method step. In addition, the invention relates to a correspondingly bent composite sheet. The object of making a method for bending a composite sheet available, in which cracks in the metallic layers of the composite sheet can be prevented and, at the same time, in which a seam can easily be provided, is achieved by using an edge-bending punch, a holding-down device and an edge-bending jaw during the edge-bending operation and by the edge-bending punch having a notch running in the bending direction below the bending edge of the edge-bending punch.

A vehicle subframe is provided with a main body formed in a hollow shape by a core unit. The subframe includes: a top parallel section and a bottom rear parallel section provided to the top and the bottom of the main body; a top left sand elimination opening and a top right sand eliminating opening formed at the top parallel section; and a left bottom rear sand elimination opening and a right bottom rear sand elimination opening formed at the bottom rear parallel section. The left bottom rear sand elimination opening is provided to a site opposing the top left sand elimination opening, and is formed in a shape equivalent to the top left sand elimination opening. The right bottom rear sand elimination opening is provided to a site opposing the top right sand elimination opening, and is formed in a shape equivalent to the top right sand elimination opening.