Lightweight composite beam
AssigneeEssex Composite Systems
InventorJoseph Wycech
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lightweight, composite beam for reinforcing a vehicle door is provided. The reinforcing beam comprises an open channel-shaped metal member having a longitudinal cavity which is filled with a reinforcing polymeric material which in one aspect is a thermoset or thermoplastic resin-based material. The composite beam includes end pieces which are adapted to be mounted to a vehicle door panel in a door cavity by spot-welds or the like. The horizontally mounted beam provides substantially increased resistance to side impacts to the vehicle door in the event of a collision. In one embodiment, the beam is mounted between the window glass space and the inner door panel for flush-glass vehicle doors. In another configuration, one surface of the beam is sculptured to mate with a concise outer door panel.
Claims7
A lightweight composite beam adapted to be secured to a structure for providing structural reinforcement, said beam comprising:
- an open channel-shaped elongated metal member having a longitudinal cavity and a longitudinal axis, said longitudinal cavity extending substantially the entire length of said open channel-shaped member along said longitudinal axis;
- said channel-shaped member having a first wall and a second wall which forms said longitudinal cavity;
- one of said first and second walls being curved outwardly along said longitudinal axis;
- a core closely received in said longitudinal cavity of said open channel-shaped member, said core being formed of a synthetic resin-based material, said core being in rigid attachment with the walls of said open channel-shaped metal member and substantially entirely filling said longitudinal cavity such that the bending strength of said open channel-shaped member is increased;
- first and second mounting means attached to opposite ends of said open-channel-shaped member for securing both ends of said beam to said structure;
- wherein said structure is strengthened by the presence of said beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.