Patent ID: 6921130

Claim:
A reinforced roof and pillar system for an automotive vehicle, comprising: an automotive vehicle frame for a roof and pillar of the automotive vehicle, the frame having a roof rail with a plurality of wall portions defining a cavity therein, the roof rail extending longitudinally relative to the vehicle; a skeleton member at least partially disposed within the cavity as defined by the roof rail, the skeleton member having a length and a longitudinal axis extending along the roof rail, the skeleton member comprising a first portion with a plurality of ribs and a second portion extending away from the first portion, the second portion also including a plurality of ribs, the skeleton member including a first outwardly facing surface opposing at least one of the wall portions and a second outwardly facing surface opposite the first outwardly facing surface wherein the first outwardly facing surface substantially extends along the entire length of the skeleton member; and a structural foam material in sealing contact with the skeleton member and at least one of the plurality of wall portions, wherein; i) at least two of the plurality of ribs of the first portion are in spaced apart opposing relation to each other; and ii) the structural foam material sealingly contacts the first outwardly facing surface along substantially the entire length of the skeleton member and the structural foam material sealingly contacts the second outwardly facing surface along a substantial portion of the length of the skeleton member.