Patent ID: 6988763

Claim:
A vehicle body side structure comprising: an upper structural portion extending in a generally longitudinal direction of the vehicle body side structure; a lower structural portion extending in a generally longitudinal direction of the vehicle body side structure; an inner center pillar portion rigidly coupled between the upper and lower structural portions and extending in a generally vertical direction of the vehicle body side structure; an outer center pillar portion having an upper end rigidly coupled to the inner center pillar portion at a location spaced downwardly from the upper structural portion and a lower end rigidly coupled to the lower structural portion such that the outer center pillar portion is disposed on a transversely outward side of the inner center pillar portion, the outer center pillar portion being configured and arranged to form a main energy absorbing section that is displaceable in a transverse direction of the vehicle body side structure relative to the inner center pillar portion such that after the main energy absorbing section deforms during application of a side input load, the side input load is transmitted in generally in the vertical direction along the inner center pillar portion to the upper and lower structural portions; a front strengthening member operatively coupled to the outer center pillar portion such that the side input load is at least initially transmitted longitudinally along the front strengthening member; and a rear strengthening member operatively coupled to the outer center pillar portion such that the side input load is at least initially transmitted longitudinally along the rear strengthening member.