Longitudinal members for motor vehicles may generally include a supporting element that is releasably connectable to an energy absorption mechanism. The supporting element may typically include a joining zone that can be used to secure the supporting element to one or more chassis or drive components of the motor vehicle. The supporting element and the energy absorption mechanism may be comprised of fiber-reinforced plastic. More specifically, the supporting element may be comprised of a plurality of length portions having different fiber orientations. For example, a first length portion may have fibers oriented substantially parallel to a horizontal longitudinal plane about which the supporting element is positioned, whereas a second length portion between the first length portion and the energy absorption mechanism may have intersecting fibers oriented oblique to the horizontal longitudinal plane.

A hybrid structural assembly for a motor vehicle includes a casting and a structural inlay. The casting includes a plurality of structural components joined together in a casting process to form structural load paths and extending in a plurality of directions in a 3D space. The casting includes a cast-allowable alloy material. The structural inlay is secured to at least one of the structural components. The structural inlay includes a material having at least one of a higher ductility and a higher toughness than the cast-allowable alloy material.

The invention relates to an arrangement with a mounting support for a motor vehicle front end, wherein the arrangement has two supporting elements for supporting a panel/fascia element, wherein the supporting elements are each arranged on one side of the motor vehicle relative to the vehicle center in the transverse direction of the vehicle, wherein the supporting elements are fixed to the mounting support and each extend over a portion of the mounting support in the vehicle transverse direction, wherein the supporting elements project forward relative the mounting support in the vehicle longitudinal direction, wherein a panel/fascia element, which is an external skin element of the front of the motor vehicle and extends predominantly in the vehicle transverse direction, can be supported on at least one of the supporting elements.

Some of the present vehicle cross members have a composite body including a plastic material and one or more laminates, where the body defines an elongated beam extending between first and second ends and where at least one of the laminate(s) is at least partially disposed along the beam. In some cross members, the laminate(s) at least partially disposed along the beam span a total distance along the beam that is less than 50% of a length of the beam. In some cross members, at least one of the first and second ends of the beam defines one or more openings into the beam for securing the beam to a vehicle. In some cross members, the body defines a first support unitary with and extending from the beam, where at least one of the laminate(s) is at least partially disposed along each of the beam and the first support.

An axle carrier for a motor vehicle is disclosed having at least two attachment points, a metallic upper shell and a lower shell of fiber composite material coupled to the metallic upper shell. A first load path extending through the metallic upper shell between the at least two attachment points in an edge region, and a second load path shorter that the first load path extending through the lower shell.

A composite frame for vehicles formed with a honeycomb or similar core laminated on the top and bottom sides with a layer of material joined by an adhesive layer. One or more structural beams or stringer are interposed between the top and bottom layer of the composite frame running part or all of the length or width of the composite frame. Each of these structural members may also be joined to the top and bottom material as well as the adjacent honeycomb or by a layer of adhesive or by other means. One embodiment of the frame may be perfectly flat along a horizontal axis. A second embodiment may conform to any curvature, angle or combination specified.

The present disclosure relates to a protective apparatus that can be positioned along an underside of a motor vehicle and, in many cases, near a front or rear region of the motor vehicle. The protective apparatus may include an underbody made from fiber-reinforced plastic for protecting assemblies or components arranged above it against damage as a consequence of stone chipping or ground contact. Further, the underbody may have three-dimensionally structured regions for increasing its rigidity, and the underbody may be designed to absorb chassis and/or crash loads and may include integrated holders for movably attaching chassis links.

A vehicle BIW sub-assembly comprising two or more structural members each having at least one engaging portion. The engaging portions of at least two of the structural members being connected to each other by a node unit formed of two or more shell members assembled with each other. The node unit having at least two designated sockets, each snugly receiving one engaging portion of one of the structural members, wherein at least one of said designated sockets is an interior socket formed between the two or more shell members.

An assembly for utility truck bodies having metal and/or composite reinforcement(s) and/or foam reinforcements and/or honeycomb reinforcement/ and/or wood reinforcements encapsulated within a thermoformed thermoplastic, or thermoset or fiber-reinforced thermoset walking surface floor structure of the truck bed assembly or other composite floor structure with attachable components and junctions, e.g., sidepack(s), and methods of making the same are provided.

A composite structural body (A) includes a first metal member (M1) having a plate-like shape, a second metal member (M2) having a plate-like shape, and a resin member (R) that integrates the first metal member (M1) and the second metal member (M2) with each other. The resin member (R) includes a first resin layer (R1) that coats astride one main surface of the first metal member (M1) and one main surface of the second metal member (M2), and a second resin layer (R2) that coats astride another main surface of the first metal member (M1) and another main surface of the second metal member (M2). The composite structural body (A) is provided as a composite structural body that has satisfactory moldability, that is capable of securing sufficient strength, and that is suitable as a component of a structure such as a vehicle body.