Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Structural member making
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-23
2001-02-27
Rosenbaum, I (Department: 3726)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Structural member making
C029S897300, C029S897312, C029S897330, C072S715000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06192584
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a structural member, especially a vehicle assembly member serving to absorb collision energy and forces by direct or indirect collision impact.
PRIOR ART
From De 2440780 (Klie/The Daimler-Benz) there is known a bumper for a vehicle wherein is used a hollow plastic profile connected to a supporting member, which in turn is provided with anchoring means which can directly be included in the plastic member.
From FR 2508398 (Huber/Daimler-Benz) there is know a bumper for a vehicle, comprising a bending-stiff supporting element taking the form of an I-beam or similar, which is attached to a vehicle by means of an attachment element. On its front side the supporting member carries an energy absorbing material surrounded by a housing of elastic and hard material which at its end portion is anchored in appropriate holding means allowing a certain displacement of the elastic member before the absorption of the collision energy is received by the stiff beam.
GB 1387354 (Molina et al) relates to a bumper for vehicles, wherein is used a box-similar structure having T-shaped tracks along the four corners thereof, adapted to connection means for connection to the car structure itself.
WO 92/11163 (Krays/Audi) discloses a deformation body for car bumpers, wherein the body is manufactures from extruded aluminium and welded to a supporting area of the car bumper. When replacing the supporting unit an element of the holding means can be removed, for thereby giving access to another support element which is arranged in a shorter recess.
From NO 912454 (Lamprechthausen) there is know a bumper body, especially for vehicles, comprising a substantially cylindrical basis body arranged in the longitudinal direction of the bumper body and comprising an area of approximately radially surrounding ribs, which area on the one side is limited by a bumper attachment and on the other side by a flange or console surrounding the outer side of said basis body.
What is common for the elements or structural members discussed in said publications, is that they comprise extruded individual parts, but are silent about giving instructions for how these extruded individual parts in an effective and rational way can be processed in order to achieve improved properties as deformation bodies.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to give instructions for manufacturing a structural member, especially a deformation body for vehicles, and specifically cars, wherein the structural member is manufactured from a pre-extruded metal blank or profile.
A second object of the present invention is to give instructions for a structural member which in the further processing of an extruded metal blank can be used as an energy absorbing unit between bumper and main structure of a vehicle, especially for absorbing collision energy and forces corresponding to the kinetic energy of the vehicle up to for example 15 km/h.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a deformation body wherein the postprocessing of said blank is realised independent of supplying further parts, namely by initially using the profile or the sectional form of the blank itself.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a processing technique wherein the processing of only one individual blank can determine the degree of stiffness and the degree of energy absorption of the finished processed blank.
A further object of the present invention is to adapt the basic shape of the blank to the subsequent processing for achieving optimum results.
BRIEF DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
There objects are achieved in a method of the type as stated in the preamble, which according to the invention is characterized in that there is provided a substantially extruded blank comprising a first yoke portion and one or more leg portions protruding from said yoke portion, and that in the area between the yoke portion and said leg portions there is effected a cutting along a certain extension, and that in the leg zone extending from the bottom of the cutting and outwardly along a leg portion there is effected a bending for providing one or more reinforcing collision corners.
Thereby is achieved the advantage, in relation to prior art, that one avoids joining problems and extra logistic during the production.
It is to be understood that along one or more of the leg zones there may be effected one or more bendings, all in dependence upon the wanted achievable result.
After the bending along the individual leg zones has been effected the cut ends of the respective leg zone may appropriately be attached to the yoke portion.
An appropriate embodiment is to the fact of adapting the cutting length and the bending such that the outer edges of the leg zones will meet for the provision of a cavity, and that said outer edges are attached to each other.
In this manner it is possible by processing one and same extruded metal piece to provide an absorption body which is adapted to a vehicle, at the same time as one can
define deformation characteristics by pressure loading,
design the shape of the yoke used as mounting plate independent of the design of the remaining deformation blank, and
avoid the addition of further small parts and complicating production and welding processes.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following description taken in conjunction with the appending drawings.
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JP Abstract only (JP 63-16809), vol. 12, No. 218 (M-711); Showa Alum Corp. Jan. 23, 1998.
Gundlach Peter
Pedersen Ronald H.
Hydro Raufoss Automotive A/
Larson & Taylor PLC
Nguyen Trinh
Rosenbaum I
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