US 12,391,313 B2
Vehicle frame with integral impact mitigation features
Jorge Guillermos Barrios-Albert, Farmington Hills, MI (US); Vamsi Charan Pulugurtha, Aliso Viejo, CA (US); and Mukund Ganapathy, Milpitas, CA (US)
Assigned to Rivian IP Holdings, LLC, Irvine, CA (US)
Filed by Rivian IP Holdings, LLC, Irvine, CA (US)
Filed on Jun. 28, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/852,107.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/226,894, filed on Jul. 29, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0030279 A1, Feb. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. B62D 21/15 (2006.01); B60K 1/04 (2019.01)
CPC B62D 21/152 (2013.01) [B60K 1/04 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A vehicle frame rail comprising:
a first rail portion comprising segments of a first thickness;
a second rail portion, attached to the first rail portion, comprising segments of a second thickness smaller than the first thickness; and
a third rail portion, attached to the second rail portion, comprising segments of a third thickness smaller than the second thickness, wherein:
the third rail portion comprises a rear end of the vehicle frame rail and a frame rail reinforcement positioned adjacent to an inner surface of one or more segments of the third rail portion, and
the frame rail reinforcement comprises a plurality of deformation initiation features comprising at least one of a cutout or a crease.