Patent ID: 9394005
Filing Date: 2016-07-19
CPC Classification: B60R,B62D

Claim Text:
1. A vehicle, comprising: a foot well configured to receive a vehicle occupant's legs, wherein the foot well is defined at least in part by a firewall; at least one sensor configured to detect an impact event within the vehicle; a wheel well structure defining a wheel well configured to accommodate a vehicle wheel, wherein the wheel well structure comprises: a wheel well frame defined by a portion of a vehicle body; and a wheel well shroud positioned adjacent to the wheel well frame such that a wheel well pocket is defined between the wheel well frame and the wheel well shroud; and an expandable structure positioned in the wheel well pocket, wherein the expandable structure is configured to receive a signal from the at least one sensor and, in response to receipt of the signal, actuate the expandable structure from a first, contracted configuration to a second, expanded configuration, and wherein the expandable structure is configured to deflect the vehicle wheel away from the foot well during the impact event to reduce the chances of the vehicle wheel entering the foot well during the impact event.