Patent ID: 7357448
Filing Date: 2008-04-15
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
1. A vehicle roof support assembly, comprising: a roof rail; a rocker panel; a one-piece, partially hollow support pillar having an inner wall, an outer wall, a front wall and a rear wall, the support pillar having a tubular lower section that extends upwardly from the rocker panel, an upper section that extends downwardly from the roof rail, the upper section has a convergent tubular shape formed by the inner wall, the outer wall, the front wall, and the rear wall that converge in the vertically upward direction, the convergent tubular section having flanges extending longitudinally from the front wall and the rear wall, wherein the flanges extending from the front wall and the rear wall begin at an intermediate point on the front wall and rear wall and increase in longitudinal extent in the vertical vehicle direction, the upper end of the convergent tubular section terminating in a top portion that includes only the inner wall and the outer wall that are compressed together and that is assembled to an outer surface and an upper surface of the roof rail.