Vehicle rock slider with removable cover
AssigneeToyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
InventorsJames Chung, Ryan C. Harris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vehicle rock slider having a removable cover and methods of using the same. The rock slider may be attachable to a rocker panel of the vehicle along a length of the rocker panel such that an edge of the rock slider extends below a rocker flange extending downward from a bottom of the rocker panel. The rock slider may have a cover removably attachable onto the rock slider. The cover may be shaped and sized to conceal the rock slider when the rock slider is not in use.
Claims19
A vehicle having an improved crash performance and body panel damage protection comprising:
- a rocker panel having a bottom and a length, the length extending along a side of the vehicle, a rocker flange extending downward from the bottom;
- a rock slider attachable to the rocker panel along the length such that an edge of the rock slider extends below the rocker flange;
- and
- a cover removably attachable onto the rock slider and configured to be detached from the rock slider before the rock slider is to be used.
An apparatus for improving crash performance and preventing damage to body panels of a vehicle comprising:
- a rock slider attachable to a rocker panel of the vehicle along a length of the rocker panel such that an edge of the rock slider extends below a rocker flange extending downward from a bottom of the rocker panel;
- and
- a cover removably attachable onto the rock slider and configured to be detached from the rock slider before the rock slider is to be used.
A method of using an apparatus for improving crash performance and preventing damage to body panels of a vehicle comprising:
- attaching a rock slider to a rocker panel of the vehicle along a length of the rocker panel such that an edge of the rock slider extends below a rocker flange extending downward from a bottom of the rocker panel;
- attaching a cover onto the rock slider, the cover shaped and sized to conceal the rock slider when the rock slider is not in use;
- and
- detaching the cover from the rock slider before the rock slider is to be used.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.