Fiber-wrapped, magnesium tubular structural components
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsHamid G. Kia, Aihua A. Luo, John N. Owens, James F. Quinn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Magnesium alloy tube members have the potential to reduce weight in automotive vehicle body structures and other applications but they tend to fragment and fail under compressive stress loads applied end-to-end along the longitudinal axis of the tube. It is found that, when the outside surface of the tube is tightly wrapped with fibers (for example, glass fibers or other suitable fibers) and, optionally, resin bonded to the tube surface, the capacity of the magnesium alloy tube to withstand and absorb compressive loads is greatly increased.
Claims20
A tube formed of a magnesium-based alloy and having a length and longitudinal axis, an internal tube surface and a complementary external tube surface spaced from the internal surface to define a tube wall, and opposing end surfaces spaced along the longitudinal axis of the tube;
- the tube being sized and shaped to serve as a structural member for receiving a compressive stress applied to an end of the tube and acting along the axis of the tube toward the opposing end of the tube;
- and
- the tube further comprising fibers wrapped around the external surface of the tube, from end to end, the fibers being wrapped to apply a restraining force on the external surface of the tube for resisting fragmentation of the tube by the compressive force applied to the end of the tube;
- and
- the wrapped fibers being attached to the external surface of the tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.