A lightweight pillar structure having high absorbing effect of impact energy is provided. A center pillar (12) made of a light alloy is formed of a pillar body (20) and a functional part mounting portion (22) integrally formed together. The functional part mounting portion (22) is a cylindrical hollow boss, and a slide rail (126) is mounted to a thread portion formed in an inner periphery of the cylindrical hollow boss. The slide rail (126) is formed so as not to project from an inner side face of a center pillar (12) of a passenger compartment inward of the passenger compartment. Ribs (30) as deformation control means are integrally formed on an upper portion (12D) of the center pillar (12). The ribs (30) control a deformation mode of the center pillar (12) against side impact.

The present invention relates to a solar generator for producing electrical energy from solar energy, mounted in particular on board an artificial satellite and constituted by a plurality of pivoted panels, stacked but unfoldable, each of which comprises a thick frame inside which is disposed a thin flexible support carrying solar cells, said frame comprising intermediate stiffeners connecting two opposite sides of the frame, wherein each panel comprises, between two intermediate stiffeners and between the end intermediate stiffeners and the sides of the frame there-opposite, a plurality of wide, flat auxiliary stiffeners, transverse with respect to the intermediate stiffeners and on which said flexible support is fixed at least partially.

A side panel including automobile roof rail structure includes an inner panel formed of front and rear inner panels, an outer panel formed of front and rear outer panels, and an extended member extending rearwards from a rear end portion of the front inner panel. The extended member is provided with upper and lower flanges which are rigidly secured between the rear inner and outer panels so that two closed sections separated by the extended member are formed inside the roof rail.

A demountable unit frame for supporting any one of a variety of commercially available equipment units is provided for use on a motor truck chassis. The frame includes spaced and braced longitudinal frame structural members carrying coupling device components for attachment to the truck chassis and is provided with transversely arranged outrigger members equipped with a rotatable shaft capable of cooperative association with removable commercially available landing gear devices for mounting and demounting of the unit frame and equipment units and for temporarily supporting the same when they are not mounted on the truck chassis.

Protuberances formed along mutually confronting end faces of an automobile door and a pillar of a body engage with each other or with the confronting end face when the door collides with the pillar during a vehicle collision. The profile of the protuberance has an apex of an acute angle. The effect of the protuberance may be enhanced by installation of reinforcing members inside the pillar and/or the door.