# US 2026/0138548 A1 · Vehicle crash protection structures

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- Number: US 2026/0138548 A1
- Document ID: US20260138548A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/951,564
- Filed: 2024-11-18
- Published: 2026-05-21
- Earliest claimed: 2024-11-18
- Assignees: Atieva, Inc.
- Applicants: Atieva, Inc.
- Inventors: Vivek Attaluri; Mohamed Hassan; Varun Sanjay Tailor; Meng Ng; Zachary Mark Walker; Arjun Srinath Raju; Vijay Shankar Authimoolam Iyer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260138548A1

## CPC

- B60R 19/34: destroyed upon impact, e.g. one-shot type
- B62D 21/11: with resilient means for suspension {, e.g. of wheels or engine; sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions}
- B62D 21/152: {Front or rear frames}
- B62D 25/08: Front or rear portions {(sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions B62D21/11)}
- B62D 27/065: {using screwthread (connection of crossbeam to A- pillars B62D25/147; mounting load bearing surfaces B62D21/09; securing mudguards B62D25/163; connections for synthetic parts B62D29/048)}
- B62D 29/002: {a foamable synthetic material or metal being added in situ (shaping of substances in a plastic state by foaming, in general B29C44/00)}
- B62D 29/005: {preformed metal and synthetic material elements being joined together, e.g. by adhesives}
- B62D 29/008: {predominantly of light alloys, e.g. extruded}
- B60R 2019/264: {using cellular structures}
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- 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

An insert for a crash rail of a vehicle supports surfaces of a cell of the crash rail and accommodates a bolt assembly traversing the cell when the insert is inserted into the cell of the crash rail. A crash protection assembly for a vehicle comprises: a crash rail; a torque box; and a subframe member of a cast material that comprises: a first front node and a second front node configured for releasable attachment of the subframe member to the crash rail using bolts, each of the first front node and the second front node comprising a respective slot for engaging with a head of the bolt, the slot being open toward a front of the vehicle; and a first rear node and a second rear node, each of the first rear node and the second rear node configured for attachment of the subframe member to the torque box.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-35. (canceled)

### Claim 36

A crash protection assembly for a vehicle, the crash protection assembly comprising:
a crash rail;
a torque box; and
a subframe member formed as a single piece from a cast material, the subframe member comprising:
a first front node and a second front node, the first front node and the second front node configured for releasable attachment of the subframe member to the crash rail using bolts, each of the first front node and the second front node comprising a respective slot for engaging with a head of the bolt, the slot being open toward a front of the vehicle; and
a first rear node and a second rear node, each of the first rear node and the second rear node configured for attachment of the subframe member to the torque box.

### Claim 37 (depends on 36)

The crash protection assembly of claim 36, wherein the subframe member comprises a first transverse member extending between the first front node and the second front node.

### Claim 38 (depends on 37)

The crash protection assembly of claim 37, wherein the first transverse member is curved in a rearward direction between the first front node and the second front node.

### Claim 39 (depends on 37)

The crash protection assembly of claim 37, further comprising:
a second transverse member extending between the first rear node and the second rear node;
a first longitudinal member extending between the first front node and the first rear node; and
a second longitudinal member extending between the second front node and the second rear node.

### Claim 40 (depends on 39)

The crash protection assembly of claim 39, wherein the first transverse member, the first longitudinal member, the second transverse member, and the second longitudinal member define a first opening through the subframe member.

### Claim 41 (depends on 40)

The crash protection assembly of claim 40, further comprising a shear plate mounted to the subframe member, wherein the shear plate covers the first opening.

### Claim 42 (depends on 41)

The crash protection assembly of claim 41, wherein the first longitudinal member defines a second opening along a longitudinal axis of the first longitudinal member, the first longitudinal member including a rib positioned in the second opening, the rib extending along the longitudinal axis, wherein the shear plate covers also the second opening to form a box section.

### Claim 43 (depends on 42)

The crash protection assembly of claim 42, wherein the rib has a height that is about ⅔ of a depth of the opening.

### Claim 44 (depends on 39)

The crash protection assembly of claim 39, further comprising initiators defined in the first longitudinal member.

### Claim 45 (depends on 44)

The crash protection assembly of claim 44, wherein the initiators face in a common direction.

### Claim 46 (depends on 45)

The crash protection assembly of claim 45, wherein the common direction is an upward direction.

### Claim 47 (depends on 44)

The crash protection assembly of claim 44, wherein the initiators include a first initiator and a second initiator, wherein the first initiator is positioned closer to a front of the vehicle than the second initiator, and wherein the first initiator has a greater depth than the second initiator.

### Claim 48 (depends on 44)

The crash protection assembly of claim 44, wherein each of the initiators extends in a transverse direction with regard to the first longitudinal member, and wherein each of the initiators extends only partway across the first longitudinal member along the transverse direction.

### Claim 49 (depends on 36)

The crash protection assembly of claim 36, wherein an opening is defined through the subframe member, the crash protection assembly further comprising a shear plate mounted to the subframe member, wherein the shear plate covers the opening.

### Claim 50 (depends on 49)

The crash protection assembly of claim 49, wherein the subframe member defines respective cavities, the crash protection assembly further comprising respective cover plates mounted to the subframe member, each of the cover plates covering one of the respective cavities.

### Claim 51 (depends on 50)

The crash protection assembly of claim 50, wherein each of the cover plates is made of a material having greater strength than the shear plate.

### Claim 52 (depends on 51)

The crash protection assembly of claim 51, wherein each of the cover plates is made of steel and the shear plate is made of aluminum.

### Claim 53 (depends on 50)

The crash protection assembly of claim 50, wherein the subframe member further comprises respective stiffening ribs, each of the stiffening ribs strengthening a respective one of the cavities.

### Claim 54

(canceled)

### Claim 55

(canceled)

### Claim 56 (depends on 36)

The crash protection assembly of claim 36, further comprising:
a bumper beam; and
at each of the first front node and the second front node:
a first crush can extending in a forward direction to the bumper beam; and
a second crush can extending to the bumper beam in an oblique direction with regard to the first crush can.

### Claim 57

(canceled)

### Claim 58

(canceled)

### Claim 59

(canceled)

### Claim 60

(canceled)

### Claim 61

(canceled)

### Claim 62

(canceled)

### Claim 63

(canceled)

### Claim 64

(canceled)

### Claim 65

(canceled)

### Claim 66

(canceled)

### Claim 67

(canceled)

### Claim 68

(canceled)

### Claim 69 (depends on 36)

The crash protection assembly of claim 36, further comprising an insert inserted into a cell of the crash rail, the insert comprising:
a first portion forming a first support surface for a cell of the crash rail;
a second portion forming a second support surface for the cell; and
a third portion connected to the first portion and the second portion, wherein the first support surface and the second support surface face in opposite directions from each other, and wherein the first portion, the second portion and the third portion form a slot to accommodate a bolt assembly traversing the cell.

### Claim 70

(canceled)

### Claim 71

(canceled)