Method of Forming Three-Dimensional Multi-Plane Beam

• US 20110067473A1
• Filed: 08/31/2010
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shape
• Original Assignee: Shape
• Inventors: Heinz, Richard D., Gould, Bryan E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,333,096 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 72/168
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 5/08 making use of forming-rollers B21D5/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 5/086 for obtaining closed hollow profiles
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 53/88 other parts for vehicles, e.g. cowlings, mudguards
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 7/08 by passing between rollers or through a curved die

Abstract

A method includes, in combination, a roll former with rolls configured to form a structural beam from sheet material, and a sweep unit for longitudinally sweeping a beam in any of vertical, horizontal, or combination directions. The sweep unit has a first pair of forming rolls positioned to engage first opposing sides of the structural beam and has a second pair of forming rolls positioned to engage second opposing sides of the structural beam. The sweep unit movably supports the first and second pairs of forming rolls so that any selected one of the forming rolls continuously engages an associated side of the structural beam while an associated one of the forming rolls opposing the selected one forming roll moves downstream and around the selected one forming roll. This provides a very stable beam-bending condition promoting dimensional stability during the sweeping process, and hence dimensional accuracy and repeatability.

Claims

1. A method comprising steps of:

providing a roll former with rolls constructed to form sheet material into a structural beam defining a longitudinal line level; and

providing a sweep unit in-line with the roll former; and

selectively sweeping the beam away from the longitudinal line level in both vertical and horizontal directions during continuous operation of the roll former.

2. A method comprising steps of:

providing a roll former with rolls constructed to form sheet material into a structural beam;

providing a sweep unit downstream of the roll former and including beam-deforming components; and

selectively repeatedly sweeping the beam as the beam exits the roll former along multiple different planes and with varying radii.

3. A method comprising steps of:

providing a roll former adapted to roll form a sheet into a continuous beam;

providing a sweep unit attached to the roll former with opposing rollers configured to impart a longitudinal sweep into the continuous beam in any direction vertically or horizontally or at angles in-between; and

selectively imparting at least two different sweeps into the beam.

4. A method comprising steps of:

providing a roll former with rolls configured to form a structural beam from sheet material; and

providing a sweep unit having a first pair of forming rolls positioned to engage first opposing sides of the structural beam and having a second pair of forming rolls positioned to engage second opposing sides of the structural beam; and

operating the sweep unit so that all of the first and second pairs of forming rolls continuously engage the beam, but so that at least one pair of the first and second pairs of forming rolls move so that one of the forming rolls in the one pair moves downstream and into a line level of the structural beam while maintaining a constant distance to the other of the one pair of forming rolls.

5. A method for imparting a curve into a structural beam that defines a line level and a line level condition, comprising steps of:

providing a sweep unit including a beam-engaging first forming roll and an opposing beam-engaging second forming roll spaced a given distance from the first forming roll and configured to engage the continuous beam when the beam is linear and in the line level condition, and including support structure supporting the first and second forming rolls for movement in upstream and downstream directions; and

moving the first forming roll upstream while the first forming roll continuously engages the beam in the line level condition and also moving the second forming roll downstream around a center point of the first forming roll while maintaining a constant distance to the first forming roll.

6. A method for supporting a forming roll, comprising steps of:

providing at least one forming roll;

providing a carrier carrying the forming roll;

providing a support constructed to movably support the carrier while the forming roll is engaging a continuous beam to form the beam;

selectively adjusting a position of the at least one forming roll so that, when moved in an upstream direction, a beam-engaging contact point of the at least one forming roll with the continuous beam continues to support the continuous beam but does not deform the continuous beam out of line level, but so that, when moved in a downstream direction, the beam-engaging contact point of the at least one forming roll moves along a path that forces the continuous beam to deform out of line level.

7. A method of making non-linear structural components comprising steps of:

providing a roll former with rolls configured to form a continuous beam from sheet material and defining a line level, and including a sweep unit adjacent the roll former and constructed to automatically selectively sweep the continuous beam away from the line level in multiple different directions not lying in a single plane, and including a controller operably connected to the roll former and the sweep unit for simultaneously controlling same;

roll forming a first structural beam segment, including deforming the continuous beam to have repeating identical first beam segments each with first longitudinal sections defining a first set of sweeps lying in at least two different planes; and

roll forming a second structural beam including deforming the continuous beam to have repeating identical second beam segments each with second longitudinal sections defining a second set of sweeps lying in at least two different planes;

with at least one of the sweeps in the first and second set of sweeps being different in radius or longitudinal length or direction or plane, such that the first and second beam segments define longitudinally-different three-dimensional shapes.

8. A method of forming bumper reinforcement beams comprising steps of:

providing a roll former with forming rolls configured to form a continuous beam from sheet material and defining a line level, and including a sweep unit with sweeping rolls constructed to automatically selectively sweep the continuous beam away from the line level in multiple different directions not lying in a single plane;

roll forming a first structural bumper reinforcement beam with a center section and end sections and transition sections connecting the center and end sections, the first beam when in a vehicle mounted position having its center section located a horizontal distance H1 from a line connecting ends of the end sections and a vertical distance V1 from the line connecting the ends of the end sections;

roll forming a second structural bumper reinforcement beam with a center section and end sections and transition sections connecting the center and end sections, the second beam when in a vehicle mounted position having its center section located a horizontal distance H2 from a line connecting ends of the end sections and a vertical distance V2 from the line connecting the ends of the end sections;

wherein one or both of the numbers generated by (H1 minus H2) and (V1 minus V2) is non-zero, such that the first and second beams are different shapes; and

assembling at least one of the first structural bumper reinforcement beams onto a first vehicle; and

assembling at least one of the second structural bumper reinforcement beams onto a second vehicle.

9. A method of bumper beam development, comprising steps of:

using existing tooling to roll form and then selectively sweep a continuous beam from sheet material and thereafter cutting the continuous beam into non-linear first beam segments, each having a center section, end sections and transition sections that position the center section a vertical distance V1 and horizontal distance H1 from a line connecting ends of the beam segments when in a vehicle mounted position;

again using the existing tooling but changing a programmed controller to form non-linear second beam segments, each having a center section, end sections, and transition sections but that position the center sectional vertical distance V2 and horizontal distance H2, at least one of (V1 minus V2) and (H1 minus H2) being non-zero; and

testing the second beam segments for impact characteristics against FMVSS and insurance bumper impact standards.