Patent ID: 8162388
Filing Date: 2012-04-24
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
1. In an automotive vehicle body side frame having a front pillar, a rear pillar spaced longitudinally rearwardly of the front pillar, and a roof structure interconnecting the front and rear pillars, the roof structure including a roof side rail extending between the front and rear pillars, the improvement comprising: the roof side rail and the front pillar being formed from multiple tubular members including a rail outer tube, a roof header rail, a front roof rail, and a rear roof rail, configured such that: the front pillar being formed by a portion of the rail outer tube and a forward portion of the roof header rail extending along the rail outer tube; the roof side rail being formed from the rail outer tube, a side portion of the front roof rail extending along the rail outer tube and a side portion of the rear roof rail; the front roof rail further including a front leg oriented generally perpendicularly to the side portion of the front roof rail and a rear leg oriented generally parallel to the front leg and spaced rearwardly therefrom, the front leg of the front roof rail being joined with a corresponding front leg of the roof header rail to form a first transverse portion of the roof structure, the rear leg of the front roof rail being joined to a front leg of the rear roof rail to form a second transverse portion of the roof structure rearward of the first transverse structure; and the rear pillar being formed by vertically oriented members independent of the roof side rail, the rail outer tube and the side portion of the rear roof rail joining the rear pillar and extending generally orthogonally therefrom.