Bumper Beam Including a Tubular Aluminum Substrate Wrapped with Pre-Impregnated Carbon Fiber Fabric Layers
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsMatthew John Zaluzec, Mohamed Ridha Baccouche, Richard H. Wykoff, Saied Nusier, Mohammed Omar Faruque
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Abstract
A bumper beam includes an aluminum tubular carrier that is wrapped with a plurality of carbon fiber fabric layers. The carbon fiber fabric is pre-impregnated with a two-part epoxy resin system. The layers of carbon fiber fabric are applied in an alternating series with the carbon fibers in adjacent layers extending perpendicularly relative to the carbon fibers in adjacent layers.
Claims16
A bumper beam for a vehicle comprising:
- a metal carrier;
- a plurality of layers of carbon fiber fabric having carbon fibers extending in one direction are wrapped about the carrier, wherein the fabric is pre-impregnated with a resin and a curing agent, and wherein the fabric is wrapped about the carrier with the fabric being arranged with the carbon fibers in alternating layers being oriented perpendicular to adjacent layers.
A method of making a bumper beam comprising:
- selecting a metal carrier;
- wrapping the carrier with a plurality of layers of carbon fiber fabric that is coated with a resin, wherein the layers include a first set of layers that include carbon fibers extending parallel to the length of the bumper beam and a second set of layers that include carbon fibers extending around the width and height of the bumper beam.
The method of claim 11 further comprising stacking a plurality of layers of the fabric with the fibers in adjacent layers being oriented perpendicularly relative to the adjacent layers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.