Tapered rocker element

Abstract

The vehicle rocker component includes a tubular beam (22) having a cross-sectional shape that extends continuously along the length of the tubular beam. The cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam includes an inboard portion (26) having an inboard height dimension and an outboard portion (28) having an outboard height dimension. The outboard height dimension is less than the inboard height dimension. The cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam also includes upper and lower planar walls (30 and 32) that are linearly connected between upper and lower ends of the inboard and outboard portions, respectively, to form a tapered shape.

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 Patent Application No. 63 / 223,498, filed July 19, 2021, the contents of which are considered part of this application and incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to rocker and sill assemblies for vehicle body structures, and more particularly to rocker and reinforcing inserts for rocker and sill assemblies, subassemblies, and the like. [Background technology]

[0003] Vehicle frames and body structures are designed to support the vehicle and to receive and absorb specific levels of impact forces to prevent intrusion into the vehicle in accordance with insurance and other regulatory and legal requirements. Side impacts on vehicles are typically tested in side pole impact tests, which subject the vehicle to large side impact forces. Vehicle frames primarily absorb these side impacts with rocker sections that run longitudinally between the front and rear wheels along the lower exterior portion of the vehicle frame.

[0004] In electric and hybrid electric vehicles where battery trays are installed in the lateral interior area between opposing rocker sections, it is desirable to reduce the side impact intrusion distance in order to maximize the available battery storage volume within the battery tray. It is commonly known to reduce the side impact intrusion distance by increasing the stiffness of the rocker sections, for example, by adding internal reinforcements to the rocker sections. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The present disclosure provides a rocker component, which may be referred to as a rocker sill and / or rocker insert. The rocker component disclosed herein has a tapered shape designed to optimize at least two load paths that emanate from a concentrated area on the outboard side of the rocker and radiate or diverge over an increasing height of the rocker component as the load paths extend into the vehicle. The interior and exterior walls of the rocker component, along with the tapered walls that support the load paths, may form a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape. Such tapered rocker components provide an effective solution for energy absorption performance while saving mass over traditional square or rectangular designs.

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a rocker component having a tubular beam with a cross-sectional shape that extends continuously along the length of the tubular beam. The cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam includes an interior portion having an interior height dimension and an exterior portion having an exterior height dimension that is smaller than the interior height dimension. The cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam includes upper and lower planar walls that linearly connect upper and lower ends of the interior and exterior portions to form a tapered shape.

[0007] In some embodiments, the interior portion includes an interior wall and the exterior portion includes an exterior wall, and the interior and exterior walls can be integrally connected between the upper and lower planar walls. In some examples, the interior and exterior walls and the upper and lower planar walls together enclose at least one tubular section extending along the length of the tubular beam. In some embodiments, the interior wall includes a planar section disposed at a transition angle relative to the upper and lower planar walls, such as between 45 degrees and 90 degrees. In some examples, the tubular beam includes a common central wall extending between the upper and lower planar walls and dividing the interior volume of the tubular beam to form at least two tubular sections.

[0008] Embodiments of the present disclosure may include one or more of the following optional features: In some embodiments, the rocker component includes a sill inner and a sill outer mounted along the sill inner. The tubular beam may be disposed in the open volume between the sill inner and the sill outer, with the outboard portion of the tubular beam facing the sill outer. For example, the tubular beam may be fixedly attached to the sill inner or sill outer directly or indirectly using a bracket.

[0009] In some embodiments, the tubular beam is formed from a metal plate that is bent or otherwise deformed to have at least one closed tubular section extending along the length of the tubular beam. In some examples, the tubular beam has a pair of adjacent tubular members having a hollow opening separated by a common central wall of the tubular beam. In some examples, the pair of adjacent tubular members is disposed laterally adjacent to one another. The metal plate may be a martensitic steel having a tensile strength of at least 980 MPa, e.g., at least 1,500 MPa.

[0010] In some embodiments, the interior portion includes an inner wall and the exterior portion includes an outer wall, the inner wall and the outer wall integrally connecting the upper wall and the lower wall. In some examples, the tubular beam comprises an extrusion. Further, in some cases, the tubular beam comprises a steel plate, an aluminum plate, a steel extrusion, an aluminum extrusion, or a fiber composite material.

[0011] Another aspect of the present disclosure provides a rocker insert having a tubular beam with a cross-sectional shape that extends continuously along the length of the tubular beam. The cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam includes an interior portion having an interior height dimension and an exterior portion having an exterior height dimension that is smaller than the interior height dimension. The cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam includes upper and lower walls that connect upper and lower ends of the interior and exterior portions to form a tapered shape.

[0012] In some embodiments, the interior portion includes an inner wall and the exterior portion includes an outer wall, the inner and outer walls integrally connecting the upper and lower walls. The upper and lower walls may each include a planar section angled toward the exterior portion. In some examples, the interior and outer walls and the upper and lower planar walls together enclose at least one tubular section extending along the length of the tubular beam. In some embodiments, the tapered shape may be further defined by the planar sections of the upper and lower walls being disposed at a transition angle of between 45 degrees and 90 degrees relative to the interior wall.

[0013] In some embodiments, the tubular beam has a common central wall integrally connected to and extending between the upper and lower walls. The tubular beam may, in some instances, be provided with a metal plate formed with a pair of adjacent tubular members having a hollow opening separated by the common central wall of the tubular beam. The metal plate may be a martensitic steel having a tensile strength of at least 1,500 MPa.

[0014] In yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a vehicle rocker component includes a sill inner, a sill outer coupled along the sill inner, and a tubular beam disposed within an open volume between the sill inner and the sill outer. The tubular beam includes a cross-sectional shape extending continuously along the length of the tubular beam. The cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam includes an interior portion having an interior height dimension and an exterior portion having an exterior height dimension smaller than the interior height dimension. The cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam includes upper and lower planar walls extending linearly between upper and lower ends of the interior and exterior portions to form a tapered shape. The cross-sectional shape includes inner and outer walls, and the upper and lower planar walls together enclose at least one tubular section extending along the length of the tubular beam. The tubular beam may include a common center wall extending between the upper and lower planar walls and dividing the interior volume of the tubular beam to form at least two tubular sections.

[0015] The details of one or more embodiments of the present disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other aspects, advantages, objects, and features will become apparent from a consideration of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a vehicle showing a schematic representation of a rocker assembly. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a vehicle showing the rocker assembly and other structural components. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example rocker assembly. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of another example of a rocker assembly. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example rocker insert. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example rocker insert. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example rocker insert. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example rocker component. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example rocker component. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example rocker component. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example rocker insert. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example rocker insert. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example rocker insert. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an example rocker insert. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Like reference numbers refer to like parts throughout the drawings.

[0018] Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a rocker assembly 10 is provided for a body structure or frame 102 of a vehicle 100, such as that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Vehicle frames and associated rocker assemblies may have a variety of designs and configurations, such as for different styles and types of vehicles. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle 100 may at least partially operate its propulsion system with a battery, such as a traction battery or battery module, supported on a battery tray 104 generally located between the front and rear wheels of the vehicle 100 and near the floor. The vehicle battery tray may be attached to an interior portion of a rocker assembly that at least partially supports and secures the battery tray to the vehicle frame. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle 100 may not include a battery tray attached between the rocker assemblies. In such an example, the frame 102 may provide support for the rocker assembly 10, such as A-pillars, B-pillars, and cross members. A vehicle, for purposes of this disclosure, may be any type of land vehicle, such as a car, truck, bus, van, sport utility vehicle, etc., including those used for passenger transportation, cargo transportation, or any other personal, governmental, or commercial purpose.

[0019] The vehicle rocker assembly 10 includes a hollow outer structure 12 formed of an inner sill member 14 and an outer sill member 16, which may also be referred to as rocker panels or sections, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 3 and 4 . The inner sill member 14 is longitudinally attached along the outer sill member 16, defining an elongated hollow space 18 between the inner and outer sill members 14, 16. The inner and outer sill members 14, 16 that form the outer structure 12 surround the elongated hollow space 18 between the inner and outer sill members 14, 16. A rocker insert 20 is disposed within the hollow space 18 of the outer rocker structure 12 and extends longitudinally along at least a portion or longitudinal section of the hollow space 18. The rocker insert 20 has a generally consistent cross-sectional shape or profile along its length. The rocker insert 20 may have a tubular shape with one or more enclosed tubular sections. Thus, the rocker insert 20 may be referred to as a rocker reinforcement beam, or in some instances, a sill assembly insert.

[0020] The rocker insert 20, as shown in FIG. 3, includes a tubular beam 22 and at least one mounting bracket 24 that secures the tubular beam 22 in the hollow space 18 between the inner sill member 14 and the outer sill member 16. The tubular beam 22 has a cross-sectional shape that extends continuously along the length of the tubular beam 22. In the example shown, the length of the tubular beam 22 corresponds to the length of the hollow space 18 between the inner and outer sill members 14, 16. In additional examples, the length and / or consistent cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam may extend beyond or within the segment of the outer structure provided by the assembled sill members.

[0021] As shown in FIG. 3 , the cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam 22 includes an interior portion 26 having an interior height dimension and an exterior portion 28 having an exterior height dimension, the height dimension being a vertical dimension relative to the vehicle as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 . In some examples, such as that shown in FIG. 3 , the exterior height dimension of the tubular beam 22 is smaller than the interior height dimension, e.g., at least 20% smaller or at least 40% smaller. The cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam 22 also includes an upper planar wall 30 and a lower planar wall 32 that linearly connect the upper and lower ends of the interior portion 26 and the exterior portion 28, respectively, to form a tapered shape. At the outer edges of the upper and lower walls 30 and 32, the exterior height dimension forms a narrow area between the upper and lower walls 30 and 32, and this area receives impact loads imparted to the outer sill member 16 in a concentrated space. The resulting impact energy is transferred laterally inward along a generally linear load path on the upper and lower walls 30, 32.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 3 , the inboard end wall 34 and the outboard end wall 36 are each substantially planar vertical walls integrally interconnecting the upper and lower walls 30, 32 at the corners of the tubular beam 22. Thus, the upper and lower walls 30, 32, together with the inboard end wall 34 and the outboard end wall 36, form a trapezoidal shape. The tubular beam 22 also includes intermediate walls 38a, 38b that extend continuously along the hollow interior of the tubular beam 22. The intermediate walls 38a, 38b shown in FIG. 3 extend vertically, integrally interconnecting the upper and lower walls 30, 32, and dividing the hollow interior into separate hollow tubular interiors to provide the tubular beam as a multi-tube structure. The multi-tube structure shown in FIG. 3 positions the divided hollow areas laterally adjacent to each other and laterally spans substantially the interior surfaces of the inner sill member 14 and the outer sill member 16. In some examples, the end walls 34, 36 may be attached to the interior surface of the tubular beam 22 so as to mount and suspend the tubular beam within its hollow interior.

[0023] As further shown in FIG. 3 , the rocker insert 20 includes a bracket 24 for fixedly attaching the tubular beam to the outer structure 12 of the rocker assembly 10. The bracket 24 includes a first portion that is secured to the tubular beam by welding, adhesive, fasteners, etc. The bracket 24 extends from this attachment portion to provide a second portion that is attached to at least one of the inner or outer sill members 14, 16, such as to or between one of the flanges of the inner or outer sill member. As shown in FIG. 3 , the upper portion of the bracket 24 is secured to the upper flange of the outer sill member 16 by welding. It is contemplated that in additional examples, more or alternative brackets may be used to secure the tubular member of the rocker insert to the rocker assembly. Furthermore, because different vehicles and vehicle types may have alternative sill member designs, the inner and outer sill members may have shapes and configurations different from those shown herein.

[0024] Rocker components and portions thereof can comprise one or more materials and can be manufactured by a variety of different types of processes. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the tubular beam of the rocker insert is an extrusion and can be made of an aluminum alloy or a steel alloy. Additionally, in some cases, the tubular beam comprises a steel plate, an aluminum plate, a steel extrusion, an aluminum extrusion, or a fiber composite material such as a pultruded carbon fiber resin composite. In some embodiments, the tubular beam is formed from a metal plate that is bent or otherwise deformed to have at least one closed tubular section extending along the length of the tubular beam. For example, the metal plate can be roll-formed or press-formed. The metal plate can be a martensitic steel having a tensile strength of at least 980 MPa, e.g., at least 1,500 MPa.

[0025] 4, rocker insert 120 includes a tubular beam 122 and at least one mounting bracket 124 that secures tubular beam 122 in hollow space 18 between inner sill member 14 and outer sill member 16. Tubular beam 122 has a cross-sectional shape that extends continuously along the length of tubular beam 122. In the example shown, the length of tubular beam 122 corresponds to the length of hollow space 18 between inner and outer sill members 14, 16. In additional examples, the length and / or consistent cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam may extend beyond or within the segment of the outer structure provided by the assembled sill members.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 4 , the cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam 122 includes an interior portion 126 having an interior height dimension and an exterior portion 128 tapering to a pointed shape. The cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam 122 also includes an upper planar wall 130 and a lower planar wall 132 linearly connecting the upper and lower ends of the interior portion 126 and the exterior portion 128, respectively, to form a tapered shape. At the outer edges of the upper and lower walls 130, 132, the exterior height dimension forms a narrow area, shown as a pointed shape, between the upper and lower walls 130, 132, which receives the impact load applied to the outer sill member 16 in a concentrated space. The resulting impact energy is transferred laterally inward along a generally linear load path on the upper and lower walls 130, 132.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 4 , the inboard end wall 134 and the outboard end wall 136 are each substantially planar, vertical walls integrally interconnecting the upper and lower walls 130, 132 at the corners of the tubular beam 122. Thus, the upper and lower walls 130, 132, together with the inboard end wall 134 and the outboard end wall 136, form a trapezoidal shape with the smaller outboard end wall 136 resembling a triangular shape. The outboard end wall 136 is welded to the outer sill member 16, such as by a continuous bead or intermediate spot welds. The tubular beam 122 also includes intermediate walls 138a, 138b, 138c that extend continuously along the hollow interior of the tubular beam 122. The intermediate walls 138a, 138b are substantially horizontal, while the intermediate wall 138c extends vertically and integrally interconnects the upper and lower walls 130, 132. Intermediate walls 138a, 138b, 138c divide the hollow interior into separate hollow tubular interiors to provide the tubular beam as a multi-tube structure. The multi-tube structure shown in Figure 4 positions the divided hollow areas laterally adjacent to one another and substantially spans laterally between the inner surfaces of the inner and outer sill members 14, 16. In some examples, end walls 34, 36 may be attached to the inner surface of tubular beam 22 to mount and suspend the tubular beam within its hollow interior.

[0028] As further shown in Figure 4, rocker insert 120 includes a bracket 124 for fixedly attaching the tubular beam to outer structure 12 of rocker assembly 10. Bracket 124 includes a first portion that is secured to the tubular beam by welding, adhesive, fasteners, etc. Bracket 124 extends from this attachment portion to provide a second portion that is attached to at least one of the inner or outer sill members 14, 16, such as to or between one of the flanges of the inner or outer sill members. As shown in Figure 4, an upper portion of bracket 124 is secured to the upper flange of outer sill member 16 by welding.

[0029] Referring to Figures 5-7, additional exemplary rocker inserts 220, 320, 420 are shown having tapered shapes. Each rocker insert 220, 320, 420 includes a tubular beam configured to be positioned within the hollow space between the inner and outer sill members. The tubular beam has a cross-sectional shape that extends continuously along the length of the tubular beam, where the tapered shape extends from the interior portion 226, 326, 426 to the exterior portion 228, 328, 428. As shown in Figure 6, the upper and lower walls 330, 332 each include a first planar portion and a second planar portion that is more tapered than the first planar portion and interconnects with each other at a rounded point on the exterior wall 336. As shown in Figure 7, the tubular beam 420 includes a pair of adjacent tubular members with hollow openings separated by a common central wall 438 of the tubular beam. A pair of adjacent tubular members are positioned laterally adjacent to one another as they extend along the rocker assembly. In the examples shown in Figures 5-7, a metal sheet may be formed, such as via roll forming, to provide the tubular beams 220, 320, 420.

[0030] Similarly, in Figures 8-10, metal plates are formed to provide tubular beams 520, 620, 720 having a cross-sectional shape that is tapered at at least the exterior portion 528, 628, 728 of the rocker insert. As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the metal plates are also used to form integral brackets 524a, 524b, 624a, 624b at opposite ends of the plates. The brackets are secured between the inner and outer sill members 14, 16, such as to or between the flanges of the inner or outer sill members. As shown in Figure 10, the rocker insert 720 has a tapered cross-sectional shape with rounded exterior and interior portions 726, 728, and the tubular beam is secured to the hollow area between the inner and outer sill panels 14, 16 using upper and lower brackets 724a, 724b.

[0031] 11-14, rocker inserts 820-820''' are shown as multi-tubular beams 822-822''' provided by extrusion profiles having a tapered shape at least at exterior portions 828-828''' of the beams, for example, from integral brackets that secure the rocker insert between the inner and outer sill panels 14, 16 to the exterior. The cross-sectional shape of the beams 822-822''' extends continuously along the length of the tubular beam. The interior portions 826-826''' have an interior height dimension, and the exterior portions 828-828''' have an exterior height dimension that is smaller than the interior height dimension. The cross-sectional shape also includes upper planar walls 830-830''' and lower planar walls 832-832''' that linearly connect the upper and lower ends of the interior and exterior portions, respectively, to form the tapered shape. As shown in FIGS. 11-14, the interior extension projects from interior portion 826 into the vehicle interior and includes a mating surface for engaging an inner sill member of the rocker assembly.

[0032] It is contemplated that the reinforcing insert of the disclosed rocker assemblies may be integrated with one or both of the sill members such that the insert is an integral component of one or both of the sill members. For example, the insert may include sufficient mating structure to allow one or both of the sill members to be omitted, whereby the insert may be referred to as a rocker component.

[0033] The articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to mean the presence of one or more of the elements in the preceding 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 should be understood that references to “one embodiment” or “embodiments” of the present disclosure are not intended to exclude the existence of additional implementations that also incorporate the referenced features. Any numerical value, percentage, ratio, or other value set forth herein is intended to include that value and other values that are “about” or “approximately” the stated value as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to be encompassed by implementations of the present disclosure. Accordingly, a stated value should be interpreted broadly enough to encompass values at least sufficiently close to the stated value to perform the desired function or achieve the desired result. A stated value will at least include expected variations in suitable manufacturing or production processes, and may include values within 5%, 1%, 0.1%, or 0.01% of the stated value.

[0034] Also, for purposes of this disclosure, the terms "approximately," "about," and "substantially" as used herein refer to an amount near the stated amount that still performs the desired function or still achieves the desired result. For example, the terms "approximately," "about," and "substantially" can refer to an amount that is within less than 5%, less than 1%, less than 0.1%, and less than 0.01% of the stated amount. Furthermore, it should be understood that any directions or frames of reference in the preceding description are merely relative directions or movements. For example, the terms "up," "down," "right," "left," "rear," "front," "vertical," "horizontal," "interior," and "exterior," and their derivatives, are intended to refer to the directions shown in FIG. 1 . However, it should be understood that various alternative orientations may be provided unless expressly specified to the contrary. It should 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 characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered limiting unless expressly recited in the claims.

[0035] Changes and modifications 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 scope of 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 that has been used is intended to be in the nature of descriptive words, rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the disclosure are possible in light of the above teachings, and the disclosure may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Claims

1. 1. A vehicle locker component comprising: a tubular beam having a cross-sectional shape extending continuously along the length of the tubular beam, the tubular beam comprising a metal plate formed to have at least two closed tubular members disposed laterally adjacent one another; the tubular beam having hollow openings along the length of the tubular beam separated by a common central wall; the cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam includes an interior portion of the tubular member having an interior height dimension at an interior member of the tubular member, and an exterior portion of the tubular member having an exterior height dimension smaller than the interior height dimension at an exterior member of the tubular member, The cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam includes an upper planar wall and a lower planar wall that extend linearly between the interior member and the exterior member, and connect upper and lower ends of the interior portion and the exterior portion to form a tapered shape. Vehicle locker component.

2. Sil inner and Further, a sill outer is joined along the sill inner, The tubular beam is disposed in an open volume between the sill inner and the sill outer with the outer portion of the tubular beam facing the sill outer. The rocker component of claim 1 .

3. the interior portion comprises an interior wall, the exterior portion comprises an exterior wall, The locker component of claim 1 or 2, wherein the inner wall and the outer wall integrally connect between the upper planar wall and the lower planar wall.

4. 4. The rocker component of claim 3, wherein the inner and outer walls and the upper and lower planar walls together enclose at least one of the closed tubular members extending along the length of the tubular beam.

5. The rocker component of claim 4 , wherein the interior wall comprises a planar section disposed at a transition angle of between 45 and 90 degrees relative to the upper and lower planar walls.

6. The rocker component of claim 4 , wherein the common central wall extends between the upper and lower planar walls and divides an interior volume of the tubular beam to form the closed tubular member.

7. The rocker component of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the metal plate comprises martensitic steel having a tensile strength of at least 1,500 MPa.

8. A rocker insert comprising: a tubular beam having a cross-sectional shape that extends continuously along the length of the tubular beam; the tubular beam comprises a metal plate formed to have at least two closed tubular members disposed laterally adjacent one another; the tubular beam having hollow openings along the length of the tubular beam separated by a common central wall; the cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam includes an interior portion of the tubular member having an interior height dimension at an interior member of the tubular member, and an exterior portion of the tubular member having an exterior height dimension smaller than the interior height dimension at an exterior member of the tubular member, the cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam includes an upper planar wall and a lower planar wall connecting upper and lower ends of the interior and exterior portions, respectively, to form a tapered shape; Rocker insert.

9. the interior portion comprises an interior wall, the exterior portion comprises an exterior wall, The rocker insert of claim 8 , wherein the inner wall and the outer wall integrally connect between the upper planar wall and the lower planar wall.

10. The rocker insert of claim 9 , wherein the upper and lower planar walls each include a planar section that is angled toward the exterior portion.

11. 11. The rocker insert of claim 10, wherein the inner and outer walls and the upper and lower planar walls together enclose at least one of the closed tubular members extending along the length of the tubular beam.

12. The rocker insert of claim 11, wherein the inner wall is disposed at a transition angle of between 45 and 90 degrees relative to the planar sections of the upper and lower planar walls.

13. The rocker insert of claim 11 , wherein the common center wall integrally connects with and extends between the upper and lower planar walls.

14. 9. The rocker insert of claim 8, wherein the metal plate comprises martensitic steel having a tensile strength of at least 1,500 MPa.

15. 1. A vehicle locker component comprising: Sil inner and a sill outer joined along the sill inner; a tubular beam disposed within the open volume between the sill inner and the sill outer; the tubular beam has a cross-sectional shape that extends continuously along the length of the tubular beam; the tubular beam comprises a metal plate formed to have at least two closed tubular members disposed laterally adjacent one another; the tubular beam having hollow openings along the length of the tubular beam separated by a common central wall; the cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam includes an interior portion of the tubular member having an interior height dimension at an interior member of the tubular member, and an exterior portion of the tubular member having an exterior height dimension smaller than the interior height dimension at an exterior member of the tubular member, the cross-sectional shape of the tubular beam includes upper and lower planar walls that extend linearly between upper and lower ends of the interior and exterior portions to form a tapered shape; the interior member comprises an interior wall, the exterior member comprises an exterior wall, and the interior wall, the exterior wall, the upper planar wall, and the lower planar wall together surround the at least two tubular members extending along the length of the tubular beam; Vehicle locker component.

16. 16. The rocker component of claim 15, wherein the common central wall extends between the upper and lower planar walls and divides an interior volume of the tubular beam to form at least two tubular sections.

17. The locker component of claim 15 , wherein the inner wall and the outer wall integrally connect between the upper planar wall and the lower planar wall.

18. The rocker component of claim 17, wherein the interior wall comprises a planar section disposed at a transition angle of between 45 and 90 degrees relative to the upper and lower planar walls.

19. The rocker component of any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein the metal plate comprises martensitic steel having a tensile strength of at least 1,500 MPa.

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