Lateral stiffness reinforcement device of vehicle body

• US 20060038428A1
• Filed: 01/04/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Mobis Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Song, June-Young
• Granted Patent: US 7,104,592 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/187.120
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4235 transversal
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/427 Seats or parts thereof displaced during a crash

Abstract

A lateral collision is pre-detected and an integral lateral reinforcement structure is formed between both center pillars, thereby preventing an excessive deformation of the lateral vehicle body due to the exterior impact, protecting occupants from a direct impact by the deformation of the vehicle body, and greatly improving collision stability.

Claims

1. A lateral reinforcement device of a vehicle body, comprising:

a seat back reinforcement frame vertically installed at a rear middle of a seat back;

a first hydraulic cylinder installed perpendicularly to said seat back reinforcement frame at a middle of said seat back reinforcement frame;

reinforcement rods protruding out from both sides of said first hydraulic cylinder;

a reinforcement plate installed in a center pillar at a corresponding disposition to one of said reinforcement rods;

second hydraulic cylinders that raise a center console;

a steel frame installed around an upper portion of said center console, said steel frame being contacted with another of said reinforcement rods when said center console is raised, said reinforcement rods facing an inner side of the vehicle;

a solenoid valve installed on a hydraulic supply pipeline of said first and second hydraulic cylinders;

a pump that provides hydraulic pressure to said hydraulic supply pipeline;

a pre-crash sensor installed at said center pillar; and

an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) that operates an electrical seat adjustor to align said reinforcement rods to said reinforcement plate of said center pillar simultaneously with said ECU opening said solenoid valve when a potential crash hazardous signal is transmitted from said pre-crash sensor.

2. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said reinforcement rods are integrally formed at one end thereof with a support plate in a perpendicular direction to said reinforcement rods.

3. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein said steel frame is formed in a rectangular shape along a circumferential surface of a main body of said center console.