A cross-member structure for a vehicle is disclosed. The cross-member structure may comprise a beam structure (e.g. generally horizontal cross-member when installed) and a support (e.g. generally vertical when installed). The cross-member structure may provide support for an instrument panel and/or may integrate with vehicle systems. The cross-member structure may provide a set of sections/segments (e.g. section structures) for integration within the structure of the vehicle and with vehicle systems. The beam structure may comprise a set of mounting structures, a beam structure section, a steering system section, an intermediate section and an airbag system interface structure section. The cross-member structure may be configured with an arrangement of beam/structure sections, mounting sections, and structural elements including members, webs, flanges, stiffeners, reinforcement, plates, walls, surfaces, etc. The cross-member structure may provide structural reinforcement for the vehicle and may integrate vehicle systems/subsystems with the instrument panel.

A device for enhancing rigidity includes a pin holder configured to be provided at a door opening of a vehicle body or at a door provided at the door opening, and a rigid pin having a shape corresponding to the pin holder, the rigid pin configured to be provided at the door or at the door opening of the vehicle body and configured to be press-fitted into the pin holder when the door is closed at the door opening.

A carpeted automotive vehicle load floor including a composite panel having first and second reinforced thermoplastic skins and a thermoplastic cellular core disposed between and bonded to the skins is provided. The first skin as a top surface. A cover having top and bottom surfaces is spaced apart from the composite panel. A substantially continuous top covering layer is bonded to the top surface of the panel and the top surface of the cover to at least partially form a carpeted load floor having a carpeted cover. An intermediate portion of the top covering layer between the cover and the panel is not bonded to either the panel or the cover to form a living hinge which allows the carpeted cover to pivot between different use positions relative to the rest of the load floor.

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 device for reinforcing a structural element in a motor vehicle including a reinforcing element, which has a longitudinal axis and which can be arranged in a cavity of the structural element. The reinforcing element includes walls which extend substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The reinforcing element additionally includes at least one open side, which likewise extends in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The walls directly adjoining the open side are designed in a convergent manner in that extensions of said adjoining walls running in the direction of the open side and perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis intersect.

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 cowl cross bar assembly with a reduced weight and an increased stiffness and a method of manufacturing a pipe of the cowl cross bar assembly. The cowl cross bar assembly includes a pipe disposed laterally inside a chassis and a winding material which is wound at different winding ratios around a surface of a first section of the pipe which needs stiffness and a surface of a second section of the pipe which needs flexibility. The method includes transferring, by a transfer device, a pipe disposed laterally inside a chassis to a winding device and winding, by the winding device, a winding material around only a surface of a section of the pipe which needs stiffness.

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 cowl cross bar assembly of reduced weight and increased stiffness. The cowl cross bar assembly includes a first pipe and a second pipe which are hollow and disposed laterally inside a chassis, pipe caps coupled to one end of the first pipe and the second pipe, and pipe stiffeners accommodated in the first pipe and the second pipe and configured to absorb collision energy generated in a collision of a vehicle.

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.