Serpentine section stabilizer for vehicle pillar

A method for manufacturing a vehicle body structure, the method comprising:

• positioning a first surface of a serpentine-shaped reinforcement structure at a peak section of the serpentine-shaped reinforcement structure in contact with a first panel of a vehicle pillar that is connected with a vehicle roof member, wherein the reinforcement structure includes a plurality of peak sections and a plurality of valley sections;
• welding the reinforcement structure to the first panel;
• and
• connecting a second panel to the first panel in a manner that the reinforcement structure is interposed between the first panel and the second panel and a second surface of the reinforcement structure faces toward the second panel, wherein the second surface is on an opposite side of the reinforcement structure as the first surface and a gap is provided between the second surface of the reinforcement structure and the second panel.

A vehicle body structure comprising:

• a vehicle roof member;
• an outer panel connected with and depending downwardly from the vehicle roof member, the outer panel including an inner surface and an outer surface;
• an inner panel connected with the outer panel, wherein the outer panel and the inner panel, when connected, form a vehicle pillar depending downwardly from the roof member, wherein the inner panel includes an inward-facing surface and an outward-facing surface;
• a serpentine-shaped reinforcement structure including a plurality of peak sections and a plurality of valley sections disposed in the vehicle pillar between the inner panel and the outer panel, the reinforcement structure including a first surface contacting the inner surface of the outer panel and a second surface, which is opposite the first surface, facing towards the outward-facing surface of the inner panel;
• a plurality of welds, each weld affixing the reinforcement structure to the outer panel at each peak section, and
• structural adhesive applied on the second surface at each valley section affixing the reinforcement structure to the inner panel;
• wherein the outer panel of the vehicle pillar is configured such that a generally vertical load applied to the vehicle roof member great enough to deform the outer panel stretches the outer panel in tension,
• wherein the inner panel of the vehicle pillar is configured such that the generally vertical load applied to the vehicle roof member deforms the inner panel in compression pressing the inner panel toward the outer panel, and
• wherein the reinforcement structure is positioned with respect to the inner panel such that the reinforcement structure inhibits further movement of the inner panel toward the outer panel while the generally vertical load is applied to the vehicle roof member.