US Patent 7748774 Vehicle body structure

Provided is an automotive vehicle body structure which is light weight but demonstrates improved mechanical strength during a frontal or side collision. A pair of front side frames extend in a fore-and-aft direction in a mutually spaced relationship in a front part of a vehicle body, and a pair of floor frames having forward ends joined to rear ends of the corresponding front side frames, respectively, extend in the fore-and-aft direction. A first middle cross member is joined to intermediate parts of the floor frames and to lateral ends of side sills. A front cross member is joined to a front side of the first middle cross member, has a pair of lateral ends that are joined to inboard sides of the corresponding front side frames, and is arch shaped such that a fore-and-aft dimension of the front cross member diminishes from each side end toward a middle part.