Rocker assembly with tapered reinforcement inserts

Abstract

The vehicle rocker assembly includes a sill structure having inner and outer walls defining an elongated hollow interior therebetween. The rocker assembly also includes a rocker insert extending along the elongated hollow interior of the sill structure. The rocker insert includes a reinforcing member having a metal sheet defining a corrugated structure including an upper wall section, a lower wall section, and a bulkhead wall section extending integrally between the upper and lower wall sections. The bulkhead wall section has a tapered shape between an inner edge of the metal sheet facing the inner wall of the sill structure and an outer edge of the metal sheet facing the outer wall of the sill structure.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of and priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 452,692, filed March 16, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to vehicle structural members and reinforcing beams, and more particularly to components such as rocker assemblies, battery trays, and other vehicle frame structures. [Background technology]

[0003] Vehicle frames and body structures are designed to support the vehicle and to receive and absorb specific levels of impact forces, including preventing inward movement into the vehicle, in accordance with insurance and other regulatory and legal requirements. Side impacts to vehicles are typically tested using a side pole impact test, which subjects the vehicle to significant side impact forces. Vehicle frames primarily absorb these side impacts in the rocker section, which extends longitudinally between the front and rear wheels along the lower outer portion of the vehicle frame.

[0004] It is desirable to incorporate a battery tray in electric and hybrid electric vehicles in the laterally inboard region between opposing rocker sections to mitigate side impact forces and reduce the resulting intrusion distance from a side impact. For example, it is commonly known to increase the stiffness of a vehicle sill assembly, for example, by adding rocker inserts within the vehicle sill assembly. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The present disclosure provides a vehicle structural component, such as a rocker component or rocker assembly, that includes a beam structure defining an elongated hollow interior, such as a hollow sill structure. The sill structure may be formed with an inner sill section and an outer sill section that together enclose the elongated hollow interior. A rocker insert is positioned along the elongated hollow interior of the beam or stationary structure. The rocker insert includes a reinforcing member formed of a metal sheet that defines a corrugated structure having a series of upper wall sections, lower wall sections, and upright or bulkhead wall sections that interconnect the upper and lower wall sections. The bulkhead wall section has a tapered shape between an inner edge of the metal sheet facing the inner wall of the sill structure and an outer edge of the metal sheet facing the outer wall of the sill structure. The tapered bulkhead wall section provides improved load path distribution and impact energy absorption on the outer side of the beam structure. The tapered shape and enclosed corrugated structure also provide enhanced resistance to side impact intrusion along the length of the rocker assembly, among other structural configurations.

[0006] According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle rocker assembly includes a sill structure having inner and outer walls defining an elongated hollow interior therebetween. The rocker assembly also includes a rocker insert extending along the elongated hollow interior of the sill structure. The rocker insert includes a reinforcing member having a metal sheet defining a corrugated structure including an upper wall section, a lower wall section, and a bulkhead wall section extending integrally between the upper and lower wall sections. The bulkhead wall section has a tapered shape between an inner edge of the metal sheet facing the inner wall of the sill structure and an outer edge of the metal sheet facing the outer wall of the sill structure.

[0007] In some embodiments, the inner edge of the bulkhead wall section has a height dimension that is greater than a height dimension of the outer edge of the bulkhead wall section. The upper and lower wall sections, in some embodiments, have an inverse taper that tapers in an opposite direction to the taper of the bulkhead wall section, such that the upper and lower wall sections taper from the outer edge of the metal sheet to the inner edge of the metal sheet.

[0008] Additionally, in some embodiments, the reinforcing member includes a rib extending in a direction parallel to the length of the rocker insert, such as along the upper wall section, the lower wall section, or the bulkhead wall section. In some implementations, the rib extends on the bulkhead wall section in a direction between the upper and lower wall sections, parallel to the outer edge of the metal sheet facing the outer wall of the sill structure. In some embodiments, the rib is an elongated embossment for reinforcing the respective bulkhead wall section. In other embodiments, the rib is provided as a crush-start feature. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the bulkhead wall section includes two or more ribs extending parallel between the upper and lower wall sections.

[0009] In some embodiments, the bulkhead wall sections extend integrally from the upper wall section and are angled away from each other, and in some embodiments, the bulkhead wall sections extend integrally from the lower wall section and are angled away from each other, and in some implementations, the bulkhead wall sections extend at an angle greater than 90 degrees from the interconnected upper and lower wall sections.

[0010] In some embodiments, the rocker insert further includes an elongated support member attached along the upper and / or lower wall sections of the reinforcing member. The elongated support member may have a top wall attached along the upper wall section of the reinforcing member and a bottom wall attached along the lower wall section of the reinforcing member. In some embodiments, the elongated support member may have a top wall joined along the upper wall section of the reinforcing member and a side wall joined along an outer edge of the bulkhead wall section of the reinforcing member. In some embodiments, the elongated support member may have a top wall, a side wall, and a bottom wall integrally connected to define a channel, the reinforcing member being positioned along the channel, and the top and bottom walls of the elongated support member being angled relative to one another to conform to the tapered shape of the bulkhead wall section.

[0011] According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle rocker assembly includes a sill structure having inner and outer walls defining an elongated hollow interior therebetween. The rocker assembly also includes a rocker insert extending along the elongated hollow interior of the sill structure. The rocker insert includes an elongated support member having a top wall section, a side wall section, and a bottom wall section defining a channel. The rocker insert also includes a reinforcing member disposed within the channel. The reinforcing member is formed of a metal sheet defining a corrugated structure including a bulkhead wall section extending integrally between the top and bottom wall sections. The bulkhead wall section has a tapered shape from an inner edge of the metal sheet to an outer edge of the metal sheet that interfaces with the side wall section of the elongated support member.

[0012] According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a rocker insert is provided for placement within an elongated hollow interior defined between an inner sill wall and an outer sill wall. The rocker insert includes a reinforcing member having a metal sheet including upper and lower wall sections integrally connected to define a corrugated structure, and bulkhead wall sections separated by a bend. Adjacent pairs of the bulkhead wall sections extend away from each other at angles greater than 90 degrees from the upper and lower wall sections. The bulkhead wall sections have a tapered shape between an inner edge of the metal sheet facing the inner wall of the sill structure and an outer edge of the metal sheet facing the outer wall of the sill structure.

[0013] The details of one or more embodiments of the disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other aspects, advantages, objects, and configurations will become apparent from consideration of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side view of a vehicle showing a schematic representation of the rocker assembly and battery tray enclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the vehicle showing a schematic representation of the rocker assembly and other structural components. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an example vehicle rocker assembly including a rocker insert. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the rocker insert shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the rocker insert taken from the side opposite the side shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a side view of the rocker insert shown in FIG. [Figure 6A] FIG. 6A is an enlarged view of the rocker insert taken at section A shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an end view of the rocker insert shown in FIG. [Figure 8]8 is a perspective cross-sectional view of the rocker insert taken along line IIX-IIX shown in FIG. 7. FIG. [Figure 8A] 8A is an enlarged perspective view of the rocker insert taken at section A shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a reinforcing member of the rocker insert. [Figure 9A] 9A is an enlarged perspective view of the reinforcing member taken at section A shown in FIG. 9. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Like reference numbers refer to like parts throughout the drawings.

[0016] Detailed Description Referring now to the drawings and the exemplary embodiment illustrated therein, a vehicle 100 is provided with a body structure, or beam component, such as a frame 102, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The vehicle frame 102 and associated components may have various designs and configurations, such as for different styles and types of vehicles. For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle frame 102 has various structural components, such as B-pillars, hinge pillars, floor cross members, roof bows, and headers, among other structural components, that support the vehicle body and protect passengers, engine components, and sensitive electronics from damage during a collision. As also shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the vehicle may be operated by a propulsion system that uses batteries, such as batteries or battery modules, supported in battery trays 104 generally located between the axles and below the floor to distribute battery weight and establish a low center of gravity for the vehicle.

[0017] The beam component disclosed in this disclosure may be a longitudinally oriented structural beam, such as a rocker component or a battery tray side member, or another structural component that would benefit from some or all of the impact energy management properties provided by the beam component or its implementation. As shown in FIG. 3 , the vehicle rocker component and related parts, referred to as a rocker assembly 10, include a sill structure having a panel or multiple panels. The sill structure shown in FIG. 3 has an inner sill 12 and an outer sill 14 attached together to enclose an interior region along the length of the sill structure, defining an elongated hollow interior 16. When referring to the inner and outer sills, the terms “inner” and “outer” refer to directions toward or inward and outward of the vehicle, as shown in FIG. 2 . As shown in FIG. 3 , an embodiment of the vehicle rocker assembly 10 also includes a rocker insert 40 disposed within the hollow interior 16 to form a reinforced rocker structure. The rocker insert may also be referred to as a reinforcing insert, such as in the implementation of a beam component outside the rocker assembly or in the implementation of a beam component separate from the rocker assembly. The rocker assembly 10 shown in FIG. 2 is positioned along the outer section of the battery tray 104, and the floor cross members are attached to the vehicle rocker assembly 10 so as to extend laterally across the battery tray 104. Accordingly, beam components in additional implementations may be provided as battery tray frame components, such as longitudinally oriented sidewall sections of the battery tray, as an additional or alternative configuration.

[0018] Referring now to the vehicle rocker assembly 10 shown in FIG. 3 , the inner sill panel 12 has an upper flange 18 and a lower flange 20 extending along the upper and lower edges of the inner sill panel 12, respectively. The inner sill panel 12 projects inward from the upper flange 18 and the lower flange 20 to form an outward-facing concave structure. The outer sill panel 14 has a C-shaped cross-section with flanges 22 and 24, which may be referred to as the upper flange 22 and the lower flange 24. The upper flanges 18 and 22 and the lower flanges 20 and 24 of the inner sill panel 12 and the outer sill panel 14 are attached together, such as by welding, so that the concave structures face each other. While the upper flanges 18 and 22 and the lower flanges 20 and 24 of each of the sill panels 12 and 14 shown in FIG. 3 extend continuously longitudinally along the edges of the rocker components, it is also envisioned that the flanges may be trimmed in selected areas to facilitate frame mounting or reduce weight.

[0019] As further shown in Figure 3, the inner sill panel 12 and the outer sill panel 14 are joined together to enclose or otherwise define an elongated hollow interior 16 between the sill panels 12, 14. The upper flanges 18, 22 and lower flanges 20, 24 are substantially planar and oriented in a vertical or substantially vertical configuration, e.g., to mate in generally continuous contact along the length of the rocker assembly. The upper flanges 18, 22 and lower flanges 20, 24 may be joined together via welding, and preferably spot welding, although it is envisioned that alternative welding methods or joining means, such as adhesives or fasteners, may be used in addition to or in place of spot welding in different implementations of the sill structure.

[0020] The sill inner side 12 of the vehicle rocker assembly 10 shown in FIG. 3 has an inner wall 26 that is substantially planar. The inner wall 26 is integrally interconnected at its respective upper and lower ends with angular transitions to an upper wall 28 and a lower wall 30. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the angular transitions are angled at approximately 90 degrees between the inner wall 26 and the lower wall 30, and the angular transitions are angled at approximately 100 degrees between the inner wall 26 and the upper wall 28. Similarly, the upper wall 28 and the lower wall 30 each have angular transitions angled at approximately 90 degrees relative to the upper flange 18 and the lower flange 20, respectively. In additional embodiments, the angular transitions may be angled greater or less than in the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, for example, approximately 40 to 120 degrees, 70 to 100 degrees, or 80 to 95 degrees. The angular transitions may also be defined by longitudinal and continuous bending of the sheet material forming the sill inner side 12, such as bending imparted by a roll-forming process or an incremental stamping process. The sheet material may be a metal sheet, such as a high-strength or ultra-high-strength steel sheet or an aluminum sheet. Also as shown in Figure 3, the upper flange 18 and the lower flange 20 are substantially planar and oriented side-by-side approximately parallel to the planar extent of the inner wall 26. Also, the upper wall 28 and the lower wall 30 of the sill inner side 12 may be substantially planar and substantially parallel to each other, or may be slightly angled relative to each other, as shown in Figure 3.

[0021] As also shown in FIG. 3 , the sill outer side 14 of the vehicle rocker assembly 10 is substantially planar and has an outer wall 32 integrally interconnected at its respective upper and lower ends with angular transitions to an upper wall 34 and a lower wall 36. The angular transitions between the outer wall 32 and the upper and lower walls 34, 36 are defined by longitudinal and continuous bends in the sheet material forming the sill outer side 14. The sheet material may be the same as or different from the sill inner side 12 and may be constructed of a metal sheet, such as an advanced high-strength steel sheet or aluminum sheet. Similarly, the upper wall 34 also has an angular transition to an upper flange 22, and the lower wall 36 also has an angular transition to a lower flange 24, each also defined by longitudinal and continuous bends in the sheet material of the sill outer side 14. The angular transitions of the sill outer side 14 are angled at approximately 90 degrees, and in additional embodiments may be angled more or less, such as approximately 40-120 degrees, 70-100 degrees, or 80-95 degrees.

[0022] With further reference to the sill structure, as shown in FIG. 3 , the upper and lower flanges 22, 24 are substantially planar and oriented side-by-side, parallel to the planar extent of the outer wall 32. The upper and lower walls 34, 36 of the second sill panel 14 are also substantially planar, but are angled slightly from perpendicular to the outer wall 32 and flanges 22, 24. When the flanges 18, 20, 22, 24 of the panels 12, 14 are attached together, the walls define a substantially rectangular or hexagonal cross-sectional shape; however, it will be understood that additional embodiments of the rocker insert may have a variety of alternative cross-sectional shapes and different wall configurations for corresponding vehicle designs (e.g., portions of the inner or outer wall may not be oriented vertically). It is also contemplated that in other embodiments, the outer and inner sill sides may each include different configurations and features, such as having ribs, darts, access holes, or the like.

[0023] Vehicle rocker assembly 10, as shown in Figure 3, includes a rocker insert 40 disposed within and extending along elongated hollow interior 16 of sill structures 12, 14. As shown in Figure 3, rocker insert 40 is suspended within hollow interior 16 of sill structure at a generally axially central location. Rocker insert 40 is supported by brackets 58, 60 that are attached to the sill structure, such as by welding, fasteners, adhesive, or a combination thereof. In additional embodiments, the rocker insert may be welded or otherwise secured directly to the sill structure, for example, to the flange and / or wall of at least one of the sill panels.

[0024] In the example shown in FIGS. 3-8A, the rocker insert 40 includes an elongated support member 42 and a reinforcing member 50 supported by the elongated support member 42. As shown in FIG. 3, the elongated support member 42 has a top wall section 44, a side wall section 46, and a bottom wall section 48 integrally connected to define a C-shaped cross-sectional shape. The top wall section 44, the side wall section 46, and the bottom wall section 48 together define a channel along the length of the support member 42 as shown in FIG. 3, with the open side of the channel facing inward. As also shown in FIGS. 3-7, the top wall section 44 and the bottom wall section 48 each have a lip 49 on their inner edge that curves toward the channel. The top wall section 44 and the bottom wall section 48 are angled from each other to form a tapered shape that is higher on the inside and lower on the outside. The reinforcing member 50 is positioned along the channel of the elongated support member 42. In additional embodiments, the support member may be configured with a varying cross-sectional shape along its length, such as an L-shape or other non-tapered shape.

[0025] As shown in Figures 5-7, the stiffening member 50 is formed from a metal sheet and defines a corrugated structure including a bulkhead wall section 52 extending integrally between a top wall section 66 and a bottom wall section 68 of the stiffening member 50, which together form the corrugated structure. The bulkhead wall section 52 is generally planar and oriented to be generally aligned parallel to a potential lateral impact force, such as receiving the axial load of a side impact force. As shown in Figure 7, the bulkhead wall section 52 has a tapered shape between an outer edge 54 of the metal sheet, which interacts with the side wall sections 46 of the elongated support member 42, and an inner edge 56 of the metal sheet, which is generally aligned with the inner edges of the top wall section 44 and bottom wall section 48.

[0026] Referring again to FIG. 3, the rocker insert 40 is suspended within the elongated hollow interior 16 of the rocker structure such that the elongated support members 42 and supported stiffening members 50 are spaced apart from the interior surfaces of the sill inboard 12 and sill outboard 14. To support the rocker insert 40 within the hollow interior 16, the rocker assembly 10 includes upper and lower brackets 58, 60 attached between the upper and lower flanges 18, 22, 20, 24, respectively, of the sill structure. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, three upper brackets 58 are spaced apart along the length of the rocker insert 40, each having a lower portion welded to the upper surface of the top wall section 44. The brackets 58 are also positioned between the upper flanges 18, 22 (FIG. 3) and have a fixed upper portion that is angled relative to the bracket's lower portion. Similarly, three lower brackets 60 are spaced along the length of the rocker insert 40, with lower portions positioned and secured between the lower flanges 20, 24 (FIG. 3) and upper portions angled relative to the lower portions and welded to the bottom surface of the bottom wall section 48.

[0027] In additional embodiments, there may be more or fewer upper and lower brackets, and the upper and / or lower brackets may be configured differently, such as elongated support members including integral mounting flanges, or the sill structure having mounting features or surfaces for directly attaching the rocker insert to the sill structure, or may otherwise be omitted. Thus, in additional embodiments, it is also contemplated that the rocker insert may be positioned against a portion of the sill structure, such as against the inner wall 26 and / or outer wall 32 of the sill structure. Furthermore, while the rocker insert 40 occupies at least 50% of the width between the outer sill 14 and the inner sill 12, in additional embodiments, the rocker insert may occupy a lesser or greater percentage of the width, such as more than 70%, more than 80%, or more than 90% of the width between the inner and outer sills.

[0028] As further shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , the elongated support member 42 includes access holes 62 formed along the length of the top wall section 44, the side wall section 46, and the bottom wall section 48. The access holes 62 provide openings for attaching the reinforcement member 50 within the channel formed by the C-shape of the elongated support member 42. For example, the access holes 62 provide an area for a tool to enter the interior of the channel, for example, to position, support, and / or attach the reinforcement member 50 to the elongated support member 42. The access holes 46 also reduce mass by removing material. Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , welds 64 attaching the reinforcement member 50 to the elongated support member 42 are formed on the top wall section 44 and the bottom wall section 48 in vertical alignment with the top wall section 66 and the bottom wall section 68 of the reinforcement member 50. The welds 64 may be formed by spot welding, laser welding, induction welding, or the like. In other embodiments, alternative joining means may be used in addition to or instead of welding, such as adhesives or mechanical fasteners.

[0029] As shown in FIGS. 6 and 6A, the reinforcing member 50 is provided by a corrugated structure formed from a metal sheet to provide an upper wall section 66, a lower wall section 68, and a bulkhead wall section 52 extending integrally between the upper wall section 66 and the lower wall section 68. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 4-7, the upper wall section 66 is attached to the top wall section 44, and the lower wall section 68 is attached to the bottom wall section 48 of the elongated support member 42. As shown in FIG. 6A, the undulating corrugated shape of the reinforcing member 50 is formed by one set of bulkhead wall sections 52a extending downwardly from the forward end of the upper wall section 66 at a slight forward angle, and another set of bulkhead wall sections 52b extending downwardly from the aft end of the upper wall section 66 at a slight aft angle. Similarly, one set of bulkhead wall sections 52a extends upwardly at a slight rearward angle from the aft end of the lower wall section 68, and the other set of bulkhead wall sections 52b extends upwardly at a slight forward angle from the forward end of the lower wall section 68. The sets of bulkhead wall sections 52a, 52b thereby alternate along the length of the stiffener 50 to provide a corrugated structure.

[0030] 6 and 6A, bulkhead wall section 52 extends integrally at an angle from the interconnected upper and lower wall sections. Bulkhead wall section 52 extends from interconnected upper and lower wall sections 66, 68 at an angle greater than 90 degrees, or between 90 and 140 degrees, or between 100 and 130 degrees (e.g., shown at approximately 120 degrees in FIG. 6A). In additional embodiments, the angle between the bulkhead wall section and the upper and lower wall sections may be greater or less and / or may be different in different bulkhead wall sections along the length of the rocker insert.

[0031] As further shown in FIGS. 6 and 6A, the reinforcing member 50 includes a series of metal sheets, each having a corrugated configuration, arranged end-to-end along the length of the channel formed by the elongated support member 42. The reinforcing member 50 shown in FIGS. 6 and 6A includes five metal sheets, each having four bulkhead wall sections 52, three upper wall sections 66, and two lower wall sections 68. Each metal sheet forms a corrugated configuration that is generally W-shaped, with the upper wall sections 66a, 66b at the front and rear ends of each metal sheet having a length approximately half the length of the upper wall section 66c at the center of the metal sheet, as shown in FIG. 6A. In additional embodiments, a single metal sheet may be used for the reinforcing member along the entire length of the elongated support member. For example, the single metal sheet may be stamped with a press / die that is much shorter than the part itself. In this case, the part is moved through the press, similar to a progressive die, and struck two to four or more times to produce the finished part. Alternatively, each metal sheet may be stamped identically, such as with a single die, by using a series of repeated metal sheets along the length of the elongate support member.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 7 , the bulkhead wall section 52 has a tapered shape between an outer edge 54 of the metal sheet facing the outer wall 32 of the sill structure and an inner edge 56 of the metal sheet facing the inner wall 26 of the sill structure ( FIG. 3 ). As a result of the tapered shape, the inner edge 56 of the bulkhead wall section 52 has a height dimension that is greater than the height dimension of the outer edge 54 of the bulkhead wall section. The tapered shape is further defined by an upper portion of the bulkhead wall section that forms a bend that transitions to an upper wall section 66 of the stiffening member 50, the bend in the upper portion of the bulkhead wall section being angled downward from the inside to the outside. Similarly, the lower portion of the bulkhead wall section forms a bend that transitions to a lower wall section 68 of the stiffening member 50, the bend in the lower portion of the bulkhead wall section being angled upward from the inside to the outside.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 7 , as a result of the angular bends at the upper and lower portions of bulkhead wall section 52, upper and lower wall sections 66, 68 have planar shapes that interact with and follow the planar interior surfaces of the respective top and bottom wall sections 44, 48. The angular bends thereby position upper and lower wall sections 66, 68, and bulkhead wall section 52 of stiffening member 50 to further define the tapered shape of stiffening member 50. Additionally, outer edges 54 of the metal sheets may be positioned within channels of elongated support member 42, as shown in FIG. 7 , and outer edges 54 of bulkhead wall sections 52 interact with side walls 46 of the elongated support member to provide a direct load path and secure fit of stiffening member 50 within elongated support member 42. In additional embodiments, the elongated support members may additionally or alternatively be configured to interface with inner edges of the metal sheets.

[0034] The reinforcing member 42 includes features, such as holes 72, ribs 74, and / or darts, that can reinforce or initiate crushing to provide specific performance characteristics of the rocker insert and the overall rocker assembly in response to impact forces. As shown in FIGS. 7-9A, the reinforcing member 42 includes ribs 74 that extend along the bulkhead wall section 52 in a direction parallel to the length of the rocker insert 40. The ribs 74 extend on the bulkhead wall section 52 parallel to the outer edge of the metal sheet facing the outer wall of the sill structure, in a direction between the upper wall section 66 and the lower wall section 68, as shown in FIG. 7. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, each bulkhead wall section 52 includes two ribs 74 that extend linearly in a direction extending between the upper wall section 66 and the lower wall section 68. The ribs 74 are illustrated as elongated embossments that may be formed by stamping so that the ribs extend perpendicular to the planar extent of the bulkhead wall section 52. The ribs 74 stiffen the bulkhead wall section 52 in the direction in which they extend, thereby increasing the lateral stiffness of the section due to its tapered shape. In some embodiments, the ribs may be omitted or configured with a different design. In other embodiments, the ribs are provided as crush initiation features. Thus, the ribs may be used to help tailor the crush and load response of the system, although the design of these ribs may be modified due to different system requirements in additional embodiments. Additionally, in some embodiments, the bulkhead wall section includes two or more ribs extending parallel between the upper and lower wall sections.

[0035] As further shown in FIGS. 8-9A , the upper and lower wall sections 66, 68 have a tapered shape that tapers in an opposite direction to the tapered shape of the bulkhead wall section 52, such that the upper and lower wall sections 66, 68 taper or decrease in size between the inner edge 72 of the metal sheet and the outer edge 70 of the metal sheet. The top and bottom wall sections 66, 68 may each include ribs or tuning channels 76, 78 extending longitudinally along the length of the reinforcement member 50. The tuning channels 76, 78 have a depth that extends into the bend separating the top and bottom wall sections from the bulkhead wall section 52, e.g., to increase the stiffness and rigidity of the bend. However, in some embodiments, the tuning channels may be omitted or configured with a different design. For example, the tuning channels may be used to help tune the crush and load response of the system, although the channel configuration may vary depending on different system requirements in additional embodiments.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 6 , the reinforcing members are positioned along the entire length of the rocker insert, and in additional embodiments, may be configured to extend along a selected portion of the length of the rocker insert, such as more than 50% of the length of the rocker insert, or more than 80% of the length of the rocker insert. The top and bottom wall sections 44, 46 of the support member 42 are configured to be supported by the elongated support members 42 when subjected to an inward lateral impact force to increase the lateral bending strength of the rocker insert. In other words, the integration of the elongated support members with the support members in the described configurations provides a cooperative structural effect that increases the lateral bending strength of the rocker insert during a lateral impact force, resulting in a lower failure risk or buckling threshold of the rocker insert, which may increase battery package space, resulting vehicle range, and overall vehicle safety.

[0037] Additionally, the reinforcing member may be configured as a single piece or as multiple segmented pieces that are attached to the channels of the first reinforcing member of the rocker insert, which may also be a single piece or multiple segmented pieces. The reinforcing member in the illustrated embodiment is formed from a flat metal sheet, such as a steel alloy. The taper of the rocker insert and associated corrugated reinforcing insert may be configured in different heights, depths, and angles in different embodiments. It is also contemplated that the depth and height of the rocker insert and associated corrugated reinforcing insert may vary along the rocker assembly.

[0038] Unless otherwise specified, it is generally understood that other implementations of rocker components may be configured opposite to the examples shown and described, such as using sill panels identified as inner panels as outer panels and vice versa. The cross-sectional shapes of the inner and outer panels may vary along the rocker, such as by flaring outward at the ends.

[0039] Designing a vehicle rocker assembly using the rocker inserts disclosed herein can reduce the overall dimensions of the vehicle rocker assembly and reduce the overall weight of the vehicle rocker assembly while still meeting required impact and load conditions. The rocker inserts can span a partial section of the vehicle rocker assembly or the entire length of the rocker assembly, for example, extending beyond the rocker assembly into and strengthening adjacent components. The rocker inserts disclosed herein can include the entire vehicle component or can be coupled to additional reinforcements or parts of the vehicle component, such as desired sections of the vehicle component. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the rocker assembly can be implemented as a subassembly or as part of a corresponding vehicle component, such as a structural component or battery tray component, and can therefore be designed to undergo various impact forces and support and sustain different load conditions.

[0040] Additionally, the rocker inserts disclosed in this disclosure may be formed from one or more pieces of sheet material, such as by roll forming metal sheets, to provide a relatively high strength (for shear and axial loads) and low weight structure compared to common rocker panels, allowing the static panel of the corresponding vehicle component (if provided) to use less material, occupy less packaging space, and have greater flexibility in exterior shape design. The cross-sectional shapes of different embodiments of the vehicle component and rocker insert may have various shapes and thicknesses for the desired application of the vehicle component.

[0041] It is also contemplated that the disclosed vehicle rocker assembly internal reinforcement structure may be incorporated into other types of structural beams, such as the frames and structures of automobiles and marine vehicles, buildings, storage tanks, furniture, and the like. With respect to vehicle applications, the vehicle components disclosed in this disclosure may be incorporated into a variety of different structural component applications. The vehicle components may be designed to support and sustain different load conditions, such as to support certain horizontal span or axial load conditions. The vehicle components may also be designed to undergo various impact forces, such as the illustrated rocker assembly, pillar structure, and the like. The cross-sectional shape, material type selection, and material thickness in the cross-sectional profile of the vehicle component may be configured for such a specific use and desired load and performance characteristics, such as beam weight, load capacity, force deflection performance, and impact performance of the vehicle component.

[0042] For purposes of this disclosure, the articles "a," "an," and "the" are intended to mean there are one or more elements in the foregoing description. The terms "comprising," "including," and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Furthermore, it will be understood that references to "one embodiment" or "embodiments" in this disclosure are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of other implementations that also incorporate the described configuration. Furthermore, as used in this disclosure, the terms "first," "second," etc. do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another.

[0043] Any number, percentage, ratio, or other value set forth in this disclosure is intended to encompass not only that value, but also other values ​​that are "about" or "approximately" that stated value, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art encompassed by the practice of this disclosure. Thus, stated values ​​should be interpreted broadly enough to encompass values ​​that are at least sufficiently close to the stated value to perform the desired function or achieve the desired result. For example, the terms "approximately," "about," and "substantially" can refer to an amount that is less than 15%, less than 5%, less than 1%, and less than 0.1% of the stated amount.

[0044] Furthermore, it will be understood that any directions or coordinate systems in the foregoing description are merely relative directions or movements. For example, the terms "top," "bottom," "right," "left," "rear," "front," "vertical," "horizontal," "inward," and "outward," as well as derivatives thereof, are based on the orientation shown in FIG. 1 . However, it will be understood that various alternative orientations may be provided unless expressly stated otherwise. It will also be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described herein are merely exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Accordingly, specific dimensions and other physical configurations related to the embodiments disclosed in this disclosure are not to be considered limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.

[0045] Changes and variations in the specifically described embodiments may be made without departing from the principles of the invention, which is intended to be limited only by the appended claims as interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law. The disclosure has been described in an illustrative manner, and it will be understood that the terminology used is intended to be words of description, rather than of limitation. Many variations and modifications of the disclosure are possible in light of the above teachings, and the disclosure may be practiced other than as specifically described.

Claims

1. 1. A rocker assembly for a vehicle, comprising: a sill structure having inner and outer walls defining an elongated hollow interior therebetween; a rocker insert extending along the elongated hollow interior of the sill structure, a rocker insert comprising a reinforcing member having a metal sheet defining a corrugated structure including an upper wall section, a lower wall section, and a bulkhead wall section extending integrally between the upper wall section and the lower wall section; a bulkhead wall section having a tapered shape between an inner edge of the metal sheet facing the inner wall of the sill structure and an outer edge of the metal sheet facing the outer wall of the sill structure.

2. The rocker assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inner edge of the bulkhead wall section has a height dimension that is greater than a height dimension of the outer edge of the bulkhead wall section.

3. 2. The rocker assembly of claim 1, wherein the upper and lower wall sections have a tapered shape that is opposite to the tapered shape of the bulkhead wall section such that the upper and lower wall sections taper between the inner edge of the metal sheet and the outer edge of the metal sheet.

4. The rocker assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bulkhead wall section includes a stiffening rib extending linearly in a direction extending between the upper wall section and the lower wall section.

5. The rocker assembly of claim 4 , wherein said reinforcing rib includes elongated embossments.

6. The rocker assembly of claim 1 , wherein the bulkhead wall section extends at an angle greater than 90 degrees from the interconnected upper and lower wall sections.

7. The rocker assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rocker insert further comprises an elongated support member attached along the upper wall section and / or the lower wall section of the reinforcement member.

8. 8. The rocker assembly of claim 7, wherein the elongated support member comprises a top wall attached along the upper wall section of the reinforcement member and a bottom wall attached along the lower wall section of the reinforcement member.

9. 8. The rocker assembly of claim 7, wherein the elongated support member comprises a top wall joining along the top wall section of the stiffening member and a side wall joining along the outer edge of the bulkhead wall section of the stiffening member.

10. 8. The rocker assembly of claim 7, wherein the elongated support member includes a top wall, side walls, and a bottom wall integrally connected to define a channel, the reinforcing member being disposed along the channel of the elongated support member, and the top and bottom walls being angled from one another to conform to the tapered shape of the bulkhead wall section.

11. 1. A rocker assembly for a vehicle, comprising: a sill structure having inner and outer walls defining an elongated hollow interior therebetween; a rocker insert extending along the elongated hollow interior of the sill structure, an elongated support member having a top wall section, a side wall section, and a bottom wall section defining a channel; a reinforcing member disposed within the channel and having a metal sheet defining a corrugated structure including a bulkhead wall section extending integrally between the top wall section and the bottom wall section; the bulkhead wall section having a tapered shape between an inner edge of the metal sheet and an outer edge of the metal sheet that interfaces with the side wall section of the elongated support member.

12. The rocker assembly of claim 11 , wherein the corrugated structure of the reinforcement member includes upper and lower wall sections extending integrally between upper and lower ends of each of the bulkhead wall sections.

13. The rocker assembly of claim 12 , wherein the upper and lower wall sections have a tapered shape that is opposite to the tapered shape of the bulkhead wall section.

14. The rocker assembly of claim 12 , wherein the bulkhead wall section includes a stiffening rib that extends linearly in a direction extending between the upper wall section and the lower wall section.

15. The rocker assembly of claim 14 , wherein the reinforcing rib includes elongated embossments.

16. The rocker assembly of claim 12 , wherein the bulkhead wall section extends at an angle greater than 90 degrees from the interconnected upper and lower wall sections.

17. The rocker assembly of claim 11 , wherein the outer edge of the bulkhead wall section has a height dimension that is less than a height dimension of the inner edge of the bulkhead wall section.

18. a rocker insert disposed within an elongated hollow interior defined between an inner sill portion and an outer sill portion, a reinforcing member having a metal sheet including an integrally connected upper wall section, a lower wall section, and a bulkhead wall section that are separated by bends to define a corrugated structure; adjacent pairs of the bulkhead wall sections extend away from each other at angles greater than 90 degrees from the upper and lower wall sections; A rocker insert wherein the bulkhead wall section has a tapered shape from an inner edge of the metal sheet facing the inner wall of the sill structure to an outer edge of the metal sheet facing the outer wall of the sill structure.

19. 19. The rocker insert of claim 18, further comprising an elongated support member having top, side, and bottom walls defining a channel, the reinforcing member being disposed along the channel of the elongated support member, the top and bottom walls being angled from one another to conform to the tapered shape of the bulkhead wall section.

20. 19. The rocker insert of claim 18, wherein the inner edge of the bulkhead wall section has a height dimension that is greater than a height dimension of the outer edge of the bulkhead wall section, and the upper and lower wall sections have a tapered shape that is opposite to the tapered shape of the bulkhead wall section such that the upper and lower wall sections taper between the outer edge of the metal sheet and the inner edge of the metal sheet.

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