This week Apple was granted a patent from US Patent & Trademark Office titled "Internally stiffened body structure." The invention relates to a vehicle body structure that includes a structural pillar that is located adjacent to a passenger compartment.

According to the granted patent, the structural pillar has an elongate aluminum extrusion that has a peripheral wall that defines a closed cross-sectional shape. The peripheral wall has at least a first portion that is oriented toward the passenger compartment, and a stiffening structure that is connected to the first portion of the elongate aluminum extrusion.

Another aspect of the disclosure is a structural pillar for a vehicle body structure that includes an internal structural member that is elongate and has a cross-sectional shape along its length from a first end to a second end. The cross-sectional shape defines a hollow interior and a stiffening structure. An exterior portion covers at least part of the internal structural member.

Another aspect of the disclosure is a vehicle body structure that includes a structural pillar that is located adjacent to a passenger compartment and includes a first internal structural member and a first exterior portion. The first internal structural member has a cross-sectional shape along its length from a first end to a second end. The cross-sectional shape defines a hollow interior and a stiffening structure. The first exterior portion covers at least part of the internal structural member.

The vehicle body structure also includes a header that is located adjacent to the passenger compartment and includes a second internal structural member and a second exterior portion. The vehicle body structure also includes a cant rail that is located adjacent to the passenger compartment and includes a third internal structural member and a third exterior portion. The vehicle body structure also includes a joint that is connected to the structural pillar, the header, and the cant rail.

Our cover graphic represents Apple's patent FIG. 1 which shows a portion of a vehicle body #100 that includes a roof panel 102 that is supported by a plurality of structural pillars or beams. In the illustrated example the roof panel #102 is bordered by a front header #104 positioned at a front end of the roof panel, a rear header #106 positioned at a rear end of the roof panel, a left-side cant rail #108 positioned at a left side of the roof panel, and a right-side cant rail #110 positioned at a right side of the roof panel.

Apple's granted patent 9,988,094 was originally filed back in Q4 2016 and never surfaced publicly as a US patent application.

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