A load bearing panel member having a first portion, a second portion, and an appearance surface portion is formed by injection molding such that the first portion includes a plurality of ribs forming a grid pattern on the first portion and another plurality of ribs extending toward the periphery of the first portion which may be non-orthogonal to each other and to the ribs forming the grid pattern. An internal channel may be formed within each of the non-orthogonal ribs by injecting a gas into the rib during the molding process forming the panel. An appearance surface portion attached to the first portion and second portion of the panel member forms an integral hinge between the first and second portions of the panel member. The panel member may be configured as a floor panel of a vehicle.

A cowl cross bar assembly with a reduced weight and an increased stiffness. The cowl cross bar assembly includes a first pipe and a second pipe that are hollow and disposed laterally inside a chassis, a dash mounting member disposed between both ends of the first pipe, and a stiffener accommodated in an internal space of the dash mounting member and configured to absorb collision energy generated in a collision of a vehicle.

A rear floor arrangement structure for a vehicle is provided. The rear floor arrangement structure includes a bottom part and a cross part that extends in a width direction of a vehicle body from one side of the bottom part. Additionally, a collision dispersion member is disposed at the bottom part and the cross part and the collision dispersion member extends along a collision direction of the vehicle body.

An automobile body shell comprises a composite underbody component (20) being made of carbon-fibre-reinforced plastic material (CFRP) and rocker panels (30) connected to the composite underbody (20) component at outer sides thereof. The rocker panels (30) are made of metallic material. Thereby the automobile body shell can be optimized namely in obtaining a stiff passenger cell (10) in combination with rocker panels (30) which can more effectively deform under impact forces.

A rear floor arrangement structure for a vehicle is provided. The rear floor arrangement structure includes a bottom part and a cross part that extends in a width direction of a vehicle body from one side of the bottom part. Additionally, a collision dispersion member is disposed at the bottom part and the cross part and the collision dispersion member extends along a collision direction of the vehicle body.

A stiffening element for a subframe of a motor vehicle, including a substantially horizontal section in order to confer rigidity to the subframe in the horizontal plane, and a substantially vertical section in order to confer rigidity to the subframe in the vertical plane, wherein the stiffening element is designed in such a manner that the stiffening element is arrangeable on the subframe above a steering mechanism.

Disclosed is a structure for attachment of a drain nut to a synthetic resin cover. The cover has a nut engagement portion formed in an outer surface of the cover, a cylindrical engagement portion formed with a plurality of piece parts on an inner surface of the cover, and a stepped portion formed between the nut and cylindrical engagement portions. The drain nut has a nut portion engaged in the nut engagement portion, a female thread portion formed in the nut portion for screw-in of a drain plug, a cylindrical portion formed concentrically with the nut portion and engaged in the cylindrical engagement portion, a large-diameter portion formed between the nut and cylindrical portions and engaged in the stepped portion, with an O-ring held between the large-diameter portion and stepped portion, and a collar portion formed around the cylindrical portion and retained by front ends of the piece parts.

A motor-vehicle structure includes an underbody portion of sheet-metal defining an aperture with within there is mounted a floor portion of plastic material or composite material, for housing a spare wheel or other component of a vehicle, such as an electric or electronic component and/or for example a unit for accumulating electric energy. To said floor portion of plastic material or composite material there is associated a holding element having at least a first part anchored to the underbody portion of sheet-metal and at least a second part which can be anchored to said spare wheel or said other component, so that in case of an accident, said holding element prevents said spare wheel or said other component from being projected far away from the underbody structure, by constraining it instead to remain within a distance corresponding to one dimension of said holding element.

An impact absorbing assembly comprises a CFRP part including a first portion and a second portion that are connected by a metal bending hinge connector. The metal bending hinge connector bends in response to an impact force being applied to the assembly to inhibit the CFRP part from cracking. The metal bending hinge connector may be a tubular member that defines an opening extending from a first end to a second end of the tubular member. The tubular member receives the first CFRP part in the first end and the second CFRP part in the second end. The impact absorbing assembly may be, for example, a longitudinally extending rail or a sub-frame arm.

There are provided a floor panel, a tunnel portion which is provided to protrude at the floor panel, a pair of right-and-left tunnel side frames, a pair of right-and-left floor frames, and a band plate which is made from carbon fiber reinforced plastic, an inward end portion which being connected to the tunnel side frame and an outward end portion of which being connected to the floor frame, wherein the band plate portion includes a first displacement following portion which is configured to be displaced, following displacement of the tunnel side frame and a second displacement following portion which is configured to be displaced, following displacement of the floor frame, and the first displacement following portion and the second displacement following portion are configured to be asymmetrical relatively to a longitudinal-directional axis.