Patent ID: 7237832

Claim:
A vehicle body structure comprising: a pillar member extending in a generally vertical direction of the vehicle body structure between an upper pillar end section and a lower pillar end section with a convexly arched exterior part located between the upper and lower pillar end sections, the convexly arched exterior part arching outwardly in a transverse vehicle direction; an upper vehicle body support fixedly coupled to the upper pillar end section of the pillar member at an intermediate portion of the upper vehicle body support, with the upper vehicle body support extending in a longitudinal vehicle direction; and a lower vehicle body support fixedly coupled to the lower pillar end section of the pillar member at an intermediate portion of the lower vehicle body support with the lower vehicle body support extending in the longitudinal vehicle direction, the pillar member including a deformable shape maintaining structure configured and arranged to deform transversely inward and axially collapse to absorbed energy, due to a side collision force acting inwardly on the convexly arched exterior part of the pillar member in a generally horizontal direction from a vehicle exterior, and such that the convexly arched exterior part becomes more a generally linear shape to maintain a generally linear shape of the pillar member between the upper and lower pillar end sections.