Shaped multilayer metal foil shield structures and method of making

A method of forming a multilayer metal foil structure comprising:

• providing a multilayer preform of a stack of spaced apart metal foil layers wherein at least three layers of metal sheet at least two of which layers are metal foil having a thickness of 0.006 in. or less;
• and
• forming said multilayer preform stack into a three dimensional shape over a mold whereby in a first portion of the preform the layers are placed under tensile stress to stretch and shape that portion of the preform stack to form a corner in the desired three dimensional shape and in a second portion of the preform the layers are placed under compression to shape portion of the preform into the three dimensional shape to impart structural strength to the metal structure by interlocking the layers together, to form a unitary multilayer metal foil structure, whereby the portion compressed to interlock the layers includes a wall section in which the layers are interlocked together and, whereby in a portion of the formed three dimensional structure the metal foil layers have gaps there between.

A vehicle having positioned on a body or chassis part thereof a heat or acoustic shield, wherein the shield comprises a forge formed multilayer metal structure comprising:

• at stack of at least three layers of metal sheet, wherein at least two of which layers are metal foil having a thickness of 0.006 in. or less, and at least a portion of the layers are spaced apart with gaps between the layers, and
• said stack being three dimensionally formed from a preform of a stack of spaced apart metal foil layers whereby a portion of the metal foil layers is stretched to form a corner in the three dimensional structure and a portion of the metal foil layers is compressed to interlock the metal foil layers together to form a unitary multilayer structure, whereby the portion compressed to interlock the layers includes a wall section in which the layers are interlocked together and, whereby in a portion of the formed three dimensional structure the metal foil layers have gaps there between.

A formed multilayer metal sheet structure comprising:

• a stack of at least three layers of metal sheet, wherein layers are metal sheets each having a thickness greater than 0.006 in. and at least a portion of the layers are spaced apart with gaps between the layers, and
• said stack being three dimensionally formed from a preform of a stack of spaced apart metal layers whereby a portion of the metal layers is stretched to form a corner in the three dimensional structure and a portion of the metal layers is compressed to interlock the metal layers together to form a unitary multilayer structure, whereby the portion compressed to interlock the layers includes a wall section in which the layers are interlocked together and, whereby in a portion of the formed three dimensional structure the metal layers have gaps there between.

A method of forming a multilayer metal sheet structure comprising:

• providing a multilayer preform of a stack of at least three layers of metal sheets each having a thickness of greater than 0.006 in.;
• and
• forming said multilayer preform stack into a three dimensional shape over a mold whereby in a first portion of the preform the layers are placed under tensile stress to stretch and shape that portion of the preform stack to form a corner in the desired three dimensional shape and in a second portion of the preform the layers are placed under compression to shape portion of the preform into the three dimensional shape to impart structural strength to the metal structure by interlocking the layers together to form a unitary multilayer metal sheet structure, whereby the portion compressed to interlock the layers includes a wall section in which the layers are interlocked together and whereby in a portion of the formed three dimensional structure the metal layers have gaps there between.

A vehicle having positioned on a body or chassis part thereof a heat or acoustic shield, wherein the shield comprises a forge formed multilayer metal structure comprising:

• a stack of at least three layers of metal sheet, wherein layers are metal sheets each having a thickness greater than 0.006 in. and at least a portion of the layers are spaced apart with gaps between the layers, and
• said stack being three dimensionally formed from a preform of a stack of spaced apart metal layers whereby a portion of the metal layers is stretched to form a corner in the three dimensional structure and a portion of the metal layers is compressed to interlock the metal layers together to form a unitary multilayer structure, whereby the portion compressed to interlock the layers includes a wall section in which the layers are interlocked together and, whereby in a portion of the formed three dimensional structure the metal layers have gaps there between.

A multilayer metal foil structure comprising:

• a stack of at least three layers of metal foil, at least a portion of the layers are spaced apart with gaps between the layers, and
• said stack being three dimensionally formed from a preform of a stack of spaced apart metal foil layers whereby the stack of spaced apart metal foil layers formed into a unitary multilayer structure, the unitary multilayer structure including a base portion in which the metal layers have gaps there between and a wall portion positioned adjacent to and at an angle relative to the plane of the base portion in which the metal layers are interlocked together.