# US 11,021,768 B2 · Shaped boron tubular structure support > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,021,768 B2 - Document ID: US11021768B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/825,808 - Filed: 2017-11-29 - Published: 2018-05-31 - Granted: 2021-06-01 - Earliest claimed: 2016-11-30 - Assignees: L & W Engineering - Applicants: L & W Engineering - Inventors: Dean Richardson; Jason Bigelow - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11021768B2 ## CPC - C21D 9/08: for tubular bodies or pipes - B21D 22/025: {for tubular articles} - B21D 22/208: {by heating the blank or deep-drawing associated with heat treatment (C21D takes precedence)} - C21D 1/673: for die quenching - C21D 7/13: by hot working - C21D 8/10: during manufacturing of tubular bodies - C21D 2211/008: Martensite - C21D: MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING (surface treatment of metallic material involving at least one process provided for in class C23 and at least one process covered by this subclass C23F17/00; unidirectional solidification of eutectic materials or unidirectional demixing of eutectoid materials C30B) - B21D: WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL (working or processing of wire B21F) ## Abstract A method of producing a structure support may include: providing a hollow workpiece composed of a steel material; heating the hollow workpiece to an austenitizing temperature range to provide the steel material with an austenitic microstructure; forming the hollow workpiece into a predefined complex geometry while the hollow workpiece is still in the austenitizing temperature range; and cooling the hollow workpiece with the predefined complex geometry to transform the austenitic microstructure into a martensitic microstructure. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of producing a structure support, comprising: providing a hollow workpiece composed of a steel material; heating the hollow workpiece to an austenitizing temperature range to provide the steel material with an austenitic microstructure; forming the hollow workpiece into the structure support having a predefined complex geometry while the hollow workpiece is still in the austenitizing temperature range; cooling the hollow workpiece to transform the austenitic microstructure into a martensitic microstructure; and wherein forming the hollow workpiece is performed simultaneously with cooling the hollow workpiece. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein forming the hollow workpiece includes pressing the hollow workpiece between a first press tool and a second press tool. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein cooling the hollow workpiece includes quenching the hollow workpiece through contact with the first press tool and the second press tool arranged in a closed position until the austenitic microstructure transforms into the martensitic microstructure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein forming the hollow workpiece includes deforming the hollow workpiece into the predefined complex geometry in a single press stroke. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring the hollow workpiece to a press within a predefined duration after heating the hollow workpiece to the austenitizing temperature. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the predefined duration is 30 seconds or less. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the predefined duration is 15 seconds or less. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined complex geometry includes at least one of a non-round cross section, a transitional shape geometry, and a non-linear geometry along a longitudinal axis of the workpiece. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein heating the hollow workpiece includes maintaining the austenitizing temperature for a duration of 300 seconds to 600 seconds. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein cooling the hollow workpiece includes purging the hollow workpiece with a quenching fluid. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the quenching fluid is air, nitrogen or oil. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the steel material has at least one of the following properties after cooling the hollow workpiece: a tensile strength of about 1,200 MPa to 1,600 MPa; a yield strength of about 1,000 MPa to 1,300 MPa; an elongation of about 5% to 15%; and a hardness of about 45 HRC to 64 HRC. ### Claim 13 A method of producing a vehicle structure support, comprising: providing a hollow metallic workpiece composed of a boron steel material, the hollow metallic workpiece having an initial geometry; heating the hollow metallic workpiece to a material transformation temperature range for a predetermined duration to austenitize the boron steel material; transferring the hollow metallic workpiece to a press within a specified time period; forming the hollow metallic workpiece into the vehicle structure support having a predefined complex geometry different from the initial geometry by deforming the hollow metallic workpiece in the press while the hollow metallic workpiece is still in the material transformation temperature range; cooling the hollow metallic workpiece at a cooling rate sufficient to transform the austenitized boron steel material into martensite; and wherein forming the hollow metallic workpiece is performed simultaneously with cooling the hollow metallic workpiece where the hollow metallic workpiece is deformed and quenched in the press via a press tool contacting and pressing the hollow metallic workpiece. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the specified time period is 30 seconds or less. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the predefined complex geometry includes at least one of a non-round geometry in cross section, a transitional shape geometry, and a non-linear longitudinal extent. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the press tool includes an ambient temperature form hardening die.