Patent ID: 9327666
Filing Date: 2016-05-03
CPC Classification: B60R,B62D

Claim Text:
1. A vehicle structure, comprising: a primary structure including a unitized floor structure having opposite side edge portions and an upper vehicle structure above the unitized floor structure, wherein the primary structure defines a passenger space between the unitized floor structure and the upper vehicle structure with openings on opposite sides to permit user ingress and egress to the passenger space; rocker structures extending along the opposite side portions of the floor structure below the openings, wherein each rocker structure has a closed cross section and defines an internal cavity; each rocker structure including an upper portion above the internal cavity, a lower portion below the internal cavity, an outer portion extending between the upper and lower portions on an outer side of the internal cavity, and an inner portion extending between the upper and lower portions on an inner side of the internal cavity, the unitized floor structure including a center tunnel that extends in a fore-aft direction and side horizontal portions extending outwardly from the center tunnel to the inner portions of the rockers; an acceleration sensor connected to the center tunnel of the floor structure to detect lateral acceleration of the floor structure; and wherein: at least one of the rockers includes a substantially rigid central structure disposed in the internal cavity and extending from the outer portion of the rocker structure to the inner portion of the rocker structure such that a side impact on the outer portion of the rocker generates a side impact signal that is transmitted through the substantially rigid central structure and at least one of the side horizontal portions of the floor structure to the acceleration sensor, whereby the time required for the acceleration sensor to detect an acceleration exceeding a predefined threshold is significantly reduced due to the rigid central structure.