Patent ID: 7731272

Claim:
A load transfer structure for an A-pillar assembly of a vehicle for transferring load of a frontal impact to the rail, door reinforcement, and rocker of the vehicle, in an A-pillar assembly having a transverse upper wall having an intermediate portion, the transverse upper wall being spaced apart and opposite a transverse lower wall, and enclosing a space, the load transfer structure disposed within said space, the load transfer structure comprising: a support wall; a pair of transverse walls spaced apart and opposite each other, the pair of transverse walls extending outwardly from the support wall; a longitudinal wall, the longitudinal wall extending outwardly from the support wall and between the pair of transverse walls; and wherein one of the pair of transverse walls being in contact with the transverse upper wall, and the other of the pair of transverse walls being in contact with the transverse lower wall, and the longitudinal wall being in contact with the intermediate portion such that the force of a frontal impact is transferred through the load transfer structure to the rail, door reinforcement, and rocker of the vehicle thereby reducing the amount of material used in an A-pillar assembly while maintaining the A-pillar assembly's load transferring capabilities.