Front end vehicle body structure

Claim 2

In a vehicle having a rear mounted engine and a front trunk space including a generally circular tire well and a spare wheel and tire assembly stored in a horizontal position therein, an impact actuated kickup means for movement of said wheel and tire assembly from a horizontal to a vertical position during a front end collision of said vehicle, and progressively collapsible front end structural means including a bumper for absorption of kinetic energy during a front end collision of said vehicle with another object.

Claim 3

In a vehicle having a rear mounted engine and a front trunk space including progressively collapsible front end structural means including a bumper for absorption of kinetic energy during a front end collision of said vehicle with another object and a generally circular tire well and a spare wheel and tire assembly stored in a horizontal position therein, an impact actuated kickup means for movement of said wheel and tire assembly from a horizontal to a vertical position during a front end collision of said vehicle, said kickup means includes a kicker bracket secured to said bumper, an outer tire well reinforcement secured to said tire well and aligned with said kicker bracket for engagement therewith upon movement of said kicker bracket theretoward and an inner tire well reinforcement secured to said tire well adjacent said outer tire well reinforcement, said inner reinforcement having a hook portion extending inwardly from said tire well for engaging and moving said wheel and tire assembly upon movement theretoward of said kicker means during collision of said vehicle.

Claim 4

In a vehicle having a rear mounted engine and a front trunk space including progressively collapsible front end structural means including a bumper for absorption of kinetic energy during a front end collision of said vehicle with another object and a generally circular tire well and a spare wheel and tire assembly stored in a horizontal position therein, an impact actuated kickup means for movement of said wheel and tire assembly from a horizontal to a vertical position during a front end collision of said vehicle, said kickup means includes a kicker bracket secured to said bumper, an outer tire well reinforcement secured to said tire well and aligned with said kicker bracket for engagement therewith upon movement of said kicker bracket theretoward and an inner tire well reinforcement secured to said tire well adjacent said outer tire well reinforcement, said inner reinforcement having a hook portion extending inwardly from said tire well for engaging and moving said wheel and tire assembly upon movement theretoward of said kicker means during collision of said vehicle.

Claim 5

The vehicle body structure as claimed in claim 2 wherein said tire well includes a sloped wall portion opposite said reinforcements for cooperating with said kickup means for providing clearance for the rear of said wheel and tire assembly to rotate upwardly as said wheel and tire assembly are moved and rotated to a vertical position by said kicker means.

Claim 6

The vehicle body structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein said front end structural means includes said bumper, a front floor pan and a forward underbody including a right and a left front side sill, a front cross member extending between said front side sills, said front cross member having one end secured to said right side sill and the other end secured to said left side sill, each of said side sills having an outer arm extension and an inner arm extension, said outer extensions supporting the respective ends of said bumper and said inner extensions contacting and supporting the front portion of said front floor pan.