# US 11,299,215 B2 · Pickup truck sidewall structural assembly and structural support method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,299,215 B2 - Document ID: US11299215B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/937,358 - Filed: 2020-07-23 - Published: 2022-01-27 - Granted: 2022-04-12 - Earliest claimed: 2020-07-23 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Shawn Michael Morgans; Steve William Gallagher; Vladimir Vladimirovich Bogachuk; Marius Curea; Jamie Joseph March; Musheeruddin Zubair Syed - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11299215B2 ## CPC - B62D 25/02: Side panels {(B62D33/046 takes precedence; sideboards for open load compartments B62D33/023)} - B62D 33/023: Sideboard or tailgate structures {(vehicle side panels in general B62D25/02)} - B62D 25/04: Door pillars {; windshield pillars} - B62D 27/023: {Assembly of structural joints} - B62D 29/008: {predominantly of light alloys, e.g. extruded} - B62D 33/02: Platforms; Open load compartments {(flat wagons including posts or standards B61D3/08)} - B62D 65/02: Joining sub-units or components to, or positioning sub-units or components with respect to, body shell or other sub-units or components - B62D 65/024: {Positioning of sub-units or components with respect to body shell or other sub-units or components} - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract A structural assembly for a pickup truck sidewall includes, among other things, a C-pillar, a belt rail extending rearward from the C-pillar, and a truss spanning from the belt rail to the C-pillar. A method of structurally supporting a sidewall of a pickup truck includes the steps of securing a first end portion of a truss to a belt rail that extends rearward from a C-pillar of the pickup truck, and securing an opposite, second end portion of the truss to a C-pillar. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A structural assembly for a pickup truck sidewall, comprising: a C-pillar; a D-pillar; a belt rail extending rearward from the C-pillar to the D-pillar; and a truss spanning from the belt rail to an intermediate area of the C-pillar. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein the truss is forward a wheel well area of a pickup truck sidewall. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The structural assembly of claim 2, wherein the truss is a first truss, and further comprising a second truss and a third truss, the second truss extending vertically downward from the belt rail aft of the wheel well area, the third truss extending rearward from an intermediate area of the second truss to an intermediate area of the D-pillar. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The structural assembly of claim 3, wherein an inner panel of the pickup truck sidewall is directly connected to the first truss, the second truss, and the belt rail. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The structural assembly of claim 4, wherein the inner panel is a metal or metal alloy. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein the truss has a hat-shaped longitudinal cross-section. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein a first end portion of the truss is directly connected to the belt rail, and an opposite, second end portion of the truss is directly connected to the intermediate area of the C-pillar, the intermediate area elevated vertically above an area of the C-pillar that interfaces with a door sill. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The structural assembly of claim 7, wherein the first end portion is welded to the belt rail, and the second end portion is welded to the intermediate area of the C-pillar. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The structural assembly of claim 1, wherein an inner panel is directly connected to the truss and the belt rail. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The structural assembly of claim 9, wherein the inner panel is welded to the truss and welded to the belt rail. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The structural assembly of claim 1, further comprising a pickup truck having the pickup truck sidewall, the structural assembly part of the pickup truck sidewall. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The structural assembly of claim 11, wherein the pickup truck is a unibody pickup truck. ### Claim 13 A method of structurally supporting a sidewall of a pickup truck, comprising: securing a first end portion of a truss to a belt rail that extends rearward from a C-pillar of the pickup truck; and securing an opposite, second end portion of the truss to an intermediate area of the C-pillar. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the truss extends forward and vertically downward from the belt rail to the C-pillar, wherein the truss is forward a wheel well area of the sidewall of the pickup truck. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising welding an inner panel directly to the truss and the belt rail. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the inner panel is a metal or metal alloy. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the truss has a hat-shaped longitudinal cross-section. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the truss is a first truss, and further comprising securing a first end portion of a second truss to the belt rail and extending the second truss downward from the belt rail. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the belt rail extends rearward from the C-pillar to a D-pillar. ### Claim 20 (depends on 7) The structural assembly of claim 7, wherein the C-pillar extends vertically downward past the intermediate area.