Side member for use in vehicle frame and method of manufacturing the same
AssigneeKia Motors Corporation
InventorKoo-Hyun Kim
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed are a side member of a vehicle frame and a method of manufacturing the same. One end of the side member is connected to a bumper. The side member comprises a steel tube, and a hybrid tube disposed between the steel tube and the bumper and connected to the steel bumper. The hybrid tube has a dual structure including an aluminum tube and a hybrid tube made of a glass fiber reinforced composite material and formed on an outer circumstance of the aluminum tube. The method comprises the steps of preparing a hybrid tube having a dual structure including an interior aluminum tube and an exterior hybrid tube made of a glass fiber reinforced composite material; and connecting the hybrid tube to a steel tube.
Claims11
A side member of a vehicle frame, wherein one end of the side member is adapted to be connected to a bumper, the side member comprising:
- a steel tube;
- and
- a hybrid tube disposed on an end of the steel tube and adapted for connection to the bumper opposite said steel tube;
- the hybrid tube having a dual structure comprising an inner aluminum tube and a tube made of a glass fiber reinforced composite material and formed on an outer circumstance of the aluminum tube.
A method of manufacturing a side member of a vehicle frame comprising:
- preparing a hybrid tube having a dual structure including an interior aluminum tube and an exterior tube made of a glass fiber reinforced composite material;
- and
- connecting the hybrid tube to a steel tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.