Reinforced structural members

• US 6,096,403 A
• Filed: 06/23/1998
• Issued: 08/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Henkel Corporation (Henkel AG & Co KGaA)
• Original Assignee: Henkel Corporation (Henkel AG & Co KGaA)
• Inventors: Wycech, Joseph S
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMAS, ALEXANDER S
• Application Number:
  US09/103,031
• Time in Patent Office: 770 Days
• Field of Search: 428/122, 428/36.5, 428/35.8, 52/735.1, 52/720.1, 296/188, 296/146.6
• US Class Current: 428/122
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/1228 Joining preformed parts by the expanding material
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0444 characterised by a special cross section
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0447 formed of several elements arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: B60J 5/0452 including foams or expanded materials
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/023 Details
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 29/002 a foamable synthetic material or metal being added in situ shaping of substances in a plastic state by foaming, in general B29C44/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1355 Elemental metal containing [e.g., substrate, foil, film, coating, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1376 Foam or porous material containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/139 Open-ended, self-supporting conduit, cylinder, or tube-type article
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24198 Channel-shaped edge component [e.g., binding, etc.]

Abstract

A channel-shaped section has a thin, local reinforcement shell separated from the channel-shaped section by a layer of structural foam. At the reinforced section an arch geometry is utilized which extends in a direction opposite that of the force to which the member is subjected. The arch may be present as the channel-shaped member, the reinforcement shell or both the channel-shaped member and the shell. A portion of the shell contacts the channel-shaped member and is attached thereto by welding or other means of attachment.

Claims

1. A reinforced structural member, comprising:

a structural member of channel shape terminating in free ends spaced from each other and interconnected by a wall having an outer compression face;

a reinforcement shell having a length less than the length of said channel;

said reinforcement shell and said structural member being interconnected;

a layer of structural foam disposed between a portion of said structural member and a portion of said reinforcement shell to define a trilaminate region, said layer of structural foam being bonded to said structural member and to said reinforcement shell; and

said trilaminate region having an arch-shaped surface, said arch shaped surface extending in the direction of said compression face adapted to receive impact of a collision, said arch shaped surface having diverging sloping walls for distributing force over a generalized area away from the concentration points at the locations of interconnection of said reinforcement shell and said structural member and for maximizing resistance to bending and buckling.

2. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 1, wherein said reinforcement shell is arch-shaped.

3. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 2, wherein said reinforcement shell has a double arch shape.

4. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 1, wherein said structural member is arch-shaped.

5. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 4, wherein said structural member has a double arch shape.

6. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 1, wherein said reinforcement shell is arch-shaped and said structural member is arch-shaped.

7. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 1, wherein said reinforcement shell is nested in said channel of said structural member.

8. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 1, wherein said structural member has an interior surface at said channel and an exterior surface and wherein said structural foam layer is disposed between said reinforcement shell and said exterior surface.

9. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 1, wherein said reinforcement shell is positioned at the location of maximum deformation of said structural member.

10. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 9, wherein said reinforcement shell is positioned at the midspan of said structural member and has a length that is no greater than about one-third the length of said structural member.

11. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 1, wherein said structural foam contains glass microspheres.

12. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 1, wherein said structural foam layer has a thickness of from about 2 to about 10 mm.

13. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 1, wherein said structural member and said reinforcement shell are metal stampings or roll formed metal.

14. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 1, wherein said reinforcement shell is formed of high-strength steel or aluminum.

15. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 1, wherein said foam layer is at least two separate segments.

16. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 1, wherein said structural foam contains from about 60 to about 78 percent by weight polymer, from about 10 to about 30 percent by weight glass microspheres, from about 3 to about 10 percent by weight filler and from about 2 to about 8 percent by weight blowing agent.

17. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 1, wherein said foam is expandable.

18. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 17, wherein said foam is heat expandable.

19. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 1, wherein said structural member is a vehicle bumper.

20. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 1, wherein said structural member is a vehicle door side beam.

21. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 1, wherein said diverging sloping walls form a symmetrically curved arc.

22. A reinforced structural member, comprising:

a structural member defining an open channel terminating in free ends spaced from each other and interconnected by a wall having an outer compression face;

a reinforcement shell formed of high-strength steel and having a length no greater than one-third the length of said open channel;

said reinforcement shell and said structural member being interconnected such that said reinforcement shell is positioned at the midspan of said structural member such that an interface is defined;

a layer of structural foam disposed between substantially the entirety of the interface of said structural member and said reinforcement shell which defines a trilaminate region, said layer of structural foam being bonded to said structural member and to said reinforcement shell; and

said trilaminate region having an arch-shaped surface said arch shaped surface extending in the direction of said compression face adapted to receive impact of a collision, said arch shaped surface having diverging sloping walls for distributing force over a generalized area away from the concentration points at the locations of interconnection of said reinforcement shell and said structural member and for maximizing resistance to bending and buckling.

23. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 22, wherein said reinforcement shell is arch-shaped.

24. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 22, wherein said structural member is arch-shaped.

25. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 22, wherein said foam is expandable.

26. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 25, wherein said foam is heat expandable.

27. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 22, wherein said structural member is a vehicle bumper.

28. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 22, wherein said structural member is a vehicle door side beam.

29. The reinforced structural member recited in claim 22, wherein said diverging sloping walls form a symmetrically curved arc.