US 11,072,371 B2 · Apparatus and methods for additively manufactured structures with augmented energy absorption properties

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for additively manufactured structures with augmented energy absorption properties are presented herein. Three dimensional (3D) additive manufacturing structures may be constructed with spatially dependent features to create crash components. When used in the construction of a transport vehicle, the crash components with spatially dependent additively manufactured features may enhance and augment crash energy absorption. This in turn absorbs and re-distributes more crash energy away from the vehicle's occupant(s), thereby improving the occupants' safety.

Claims35

Dependent claims

An energy absorbing structure comprising:

a first structure region;
a second structure region;
and
an additively manufactured crash component positioned between the first structure region and the second structure region, the additively manufactured crash component comprising at least one shell layer and a spatially dependent profile configured to absorb and re-distribute crash energy from at least one of the first and second structure regions.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

16/153,238Filed 5 Oct 2018

Published

US 2020/0108870 A19 Apr 2020

Granted

27 Jul 2021

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification36 codes

B60R 19/18
Bumpers, i.e. impact receiving or absorbing members for protecting vehicles or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects: characterised by…
B29C 45/0001
Injection moulding, i.e. forcing the required volume of moulding material through a nozzle into a closed mould; Apparatus therefor: characterised…
B29C 45/14631
Incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. injection moulding around inserts or for coating articles: coating reinforcements
B29C 45/14795
The article consisting of a material with particular properties, e.g. porous, brittle: porous or permeable material, e.g. foam

Apparatus and methods for additively manufactured structures with augmented energy absorption properties

Life of this patent

Apparatus and methods for additively manufactured structures with augmented energy absorption properties

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims35