Patent ID: 7407222
Filing Date: 2008-08-05
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
1. A vehicle body structure comprising: a generally horizontal roof panel having a side edge portion; a body side outer panel fixedly coupled to the roof panel and extending generally downward from the side edge portion of the roof panel to form a corner area; a vertically extending center pillar outer member including a generally vertical extending pillar portion and a generally horizontal extending upper pillar portion located at an upper end of the vertical extending pillar portion in the corner area, the upper pillar portion having a generally overall U-shaped transverse cross section with an upper end section and a lower end section; a longitudinally extending roof side rail outer member having a generally overall U-shaped transverse cross section positioned at the corner area, the roof side rail outer member having a first side rail outer portion fixedly coupled to the upper end section of the upper pillar portion and a second side rail outer portion fixedly coupled to the lower end section of the upper pillar portion; a longitudinally extending roof side rail inner member having a first side rail inner portion fixedly coupled to the first side rail outer portion and a second side rail inner portion fixedly coupled to one of the second side rail outer portion and the lower end section of the upper pillar portion; a longitudinally extending reinforcement member having a generally overall U-shaped cross section that includes a first edge portion connected to the first side rail outer portion and a second edge portion connected to the second side rail outer portion, the reinforcement member extending generally perpendicular to the center pillar outer member; and a center cross member extending in a generally horizontal direction beneath the roof panel and approximately perpendicular to the body side outer panel, the center cross member being longitudinally offset from a central axis of the center pillar.