Back to results
US 6,586,110 B1Granted
Contoured metal structural members and methods for making the same
AssigneeDelphi Technologies, Inc.
InventorDale Francis Obeshaw
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Contoured metal-containing structural members and methods for making the same. The contoured structural members comprise metal-containing materials sandwiching a support or stabilizing structure. The contoured structure can be provided by tube rolling (or roll wrapping) the metal-containing materials and the support structure together and then, if necessary, bonding them or connecting them. With a contoured and generally non-flat structure, applications for the structural members of the present invention are nearly limitless.
Claims28
A contoured structural member, comprising:
- an inner section having a continuous plurality of contoured layers comprising a metal-containing material;
- an outer section having a continuous plurality of contoured layers comprising a metal-containing material;
- and
- at least one intermediate layer having a honeycomb structure connecting the inner section and the outer section.
1 more element
A contoured structural member, comprising:
- a plurality of contoured inner layers comprising a metal-containing material;
- a plurality of contoured outer layers comprising a metal-containing material;
- and
- at least one intermediate layer having a honeycomb structure connecting the plurality of inner layers and the plurality of outer layers;
- wherein the plurality of contoured inner layers is formed of a continuous sheet, the plurality of contoured outer layers is formed of a continuous sheet, or the plurality of inner contoured layers and the plurality of contoured outer layers are both formed from continuous sheets.
2 more elements
A method for making a contoured structural member, comprising:
- providing an inner section containing a layer comprising a metal-containing material;
- roll wrapping at least one intermediate layer over the inner section, the at least one intermediate layer having a honeycomb structure;
- and
- providing an outer section over the at least one intermediate layer, the outer section containing a layer comprising a metal-containing material;
- and
- connecting the inner and outer sections to the at least one intermediate layer;
- wherein the inner section contains a plurality of layers, the outer section contains a plurality of layers, or the inner and outer sections contain a plurality of layers.
4 more elements
A method for making a contoured structural member, comprising:
- roll wrapping at least one inner layer comprising a metal-containing material over a substrate, wherein the at least one inner layer comprises a plurality of layers;
- roll wrapping at least one intermediate layer over the at least one inner layer, the at least one intermediate layer having a honeycomb structure;
- roll wrapping at least one outer layer over the at least one intermediate layer, the at least one outer layer comprising a metal-containing material;
- and
- connecting the at least one inner and outer layer to the at least one intermediate layer.
2 more elements
A method for making a contoured structural member, comprising:
- roll wrapping at least one inner layer comprising a metal-containing material over a substrate;
- roll wrapping at least one intermediate layer over the at least one inner layer, the at least one intermediate layer having a honeycomb structure, and
- roll wrapping at least one outer layer over the at least one intermediate layer, the at least one outer layer comprising a metal-containing material, wherein the at least one outer layer comprises a plurality of layers;
- and
- connecting the at least one inner and outer layer to the at least one intermediate layer.
2 more elements
A method for making a contoured structural member, comprising:
- roll wrapping at least one inner layer comprising a metal-containing material over a substrate;
- roll wrapping at least one intermediate layer over the at least one inner layer, the at least one intermediate layer having a ribbed structure;
- and
- roll wrapping at least one outer layer covering the at least one intermediate layer, the at least one outer layer comprising a metal-containing material;
- connecting the at least one inner and outer layers to the at least one intermediate layer;
- and
- removing the substrate;
- wherein the at least one inner layer contains a plurality of layers, the at least one outer layer contains a plurality of layers, or the at least one inner and outer layers contain a plurality of layers.
5 more elements
A method for making a contoured structural member, comprising:
- roll wrapping at least one inner layer comprising a metal-containing material over a substrate;
- roll wrapping at least one intermediate layer over the at least one inner layer, the at least one intermediate layer having a ribbed structure;
- and
- roll wrapping at least one outer layer covering the at least one intermediate layer, the at least one outer layer comprising a metal-containing material;
- constraining the at least one outer layer with a shrink-wrap material;
- connecting the at least one inner and outer layers to the at least one intermediate layer;
- and
- removing the shrink-wrap material and the substrate;
- wherein the at least one inner layer contains a plurality of layers, the at least one outer layer contains a plurality of layers, or the at least one inner and outer layers contain a plurality of layers.
6 more elements
A method for making a contoured structural member, comprising:
- roll wrapping at least one inner layer comprising a metal-containing material over a substrate;
- roll wrapping at least one intermediate layer having a honeycomb structure to be substantially contiguous with the at least one inner layer;
- and
- roll wrapping at least one outer layer to be substantially contiguous with the at least one intermediate layer, the at least one outer layer comprising metal-containing material;
- constraining the at least one outer layer with a shrink-wrap material;
- connecting the at least one inner and outer layers to the at least one intermediate layer;
- and
- removing the shrink-wrap material and the substrate;
- wherein the at least one inner layer contains a plurality of layers, the at least one outer layer contains a plurality of layers, or the at least one inner and outer layers contain a plurality of layers.
6 more elements
A contoured structural member made by the method comprising:
- providing at least one inner layer using a continuous sheet comprising a metal-containing material;
- roll wrapping at least one intermediate layer over the at least one inner layer, the at least one intermediate layer having a honeycomb structure;
- and
- providing at least one outer layer over the at least one intermediate layer, the at least one outer layer containing a continuous sheet comprising a metal-containing material;
- and
- connecting the at least one inner and outer layers to the at least one intermediate layer;
- wherein the at least one inner layer contains a plurality of layers, the at least one outer layer contains a plurality of layers, or the at least one inner and outer layers contain a plurality of layers.
4 more elements
A contoured structural member made by the method comprising:
- roll wrapping at least one inner layer using a continuous sheet comprising a metal-containing material over a substrate;
- roll wrapping at least one intermediate layer over the at least one inner layer, the at least one intermediate layer having a honeycomb structure;
- and
- roll wrapping at least one outer layer covering the at least one intermediate layer, the at least one outer layer containing a continuous sheet comprising a metal-containing material;
- constraining the at least one outer layer with a shrink-wrap material;
- connecting the at least one inner and outer layers to the at least one intermediate layer;
- and
- removing the shrink-wrap material and the substrate;
- wherein the at least one inner layer contains a plurality of layers, the at least one outer layer contains a plurality of layers, or the at least one inner and outer layers contain a plurality of layers.
6 more elements
A contoured structural member made by the method comprising:
- roll wrapping at least one inner layer using a continuous sheet comprising a metal-containing material over a substrate;
- roll wrapping at least one intermediate layer having a honeycomb structure to be substantially contiguous with the at least one inner layer;
- and
- roll wrapping at least one outer layer to be substantially contiguous with the at least one intermediate layer, the at least one outer layer containing a continuous sheet comprising a metal-containing material;
- constraining the at least one outer layer with a shrink-wrap material;
- connecting the at least one inner and outer layers to the at least one intermediate layer;
- and
- removing the shrink-wrap material and the substrate;
- wherein the at least one inner layer contains a plurality of layers, the at least one outer layer contains a plurality of layers, or the at least one inner and outer layers contain a plurality of layers.
6 more elements
A method for making a contoured structural member, comprising:
- providing a plurality of inner layers comprising a metal-containing material;
- roll wrapping at least one intermediate layer over the plurality of inner layers, the at least one intermediate layer having a ribbed structure;
- and
- providing at least one outer layer over the at least one intermediate layer, the at least one outer layer comprising a composite material;
- and
- connecting the at least one inner and outer layer to the at least one intermediate layer.
3 more elements
A method for making a contoured structural member, comprising:
- providing at least one inner layer comprising a composite material;
- roll wrapping at least one intermediate layer over the at least one inner layer, the at least one intermediate layer having a ribbed structure;
- and
- providing a plurality of outer layers over the at least one intermediate layer, the plurality of outer layers comprising a metal-containing material;
- and
- connecting the at least one inner and outer layer to the at least one intermediate layer.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.