Patent ID: 9669784
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: B60R,B62D,F15B

Claim:
1. An energy management system for a vehicle, wherein the vehicle has a wheelhouse structure defining a wheel cavity, and a tire and wheel assembly in the wheel cavity, the energy management system comprising: a load-bearing component operatively positioned in the wheel cavity rearward of the tire and wheel assembly and configured to limit movement of the tire and wheel assembly within the wheel cavity under a predetermined load that is applied to the vehicle forward of the tire and wheel assembly and offset from a longitudinal centerline of the vehicle; an airbag assembly mounted to the vehicle and including an airbag selectively deployable into the wheel cavity; wherein a first portion of the airbag is the load-bearing component; wherein the vehicle has a longitudinally-extending rocker; and wherein the airbag assembly is mounted within the rocker.