Twelve-cornered strengthening member
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsTau Tyan, Leonard Anthony Shaner, Yu-Kan Hu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A strengthening member for an automotive vehicle comprises a twelve-cornered cross section including sides and corners creating internal angles and external angles. Each internal angle ranges from about 100° to about 110° and each external angle ranges from about 105° to about 130°.
Claims20
A strengthening member for an automotive vehicle, the strengthening member comprising a cross section consisting of twelve corners and including sides and corners creating internal angles and external angles, wherein each internal angle ranges from about 100° to about 110°, and each external angle ranges from about 105° to about 130°.
A method for manufacturing a strengthening member for an automotive vehicle, the strengthening member having a cross section consisting of twelve corners and including sides and corners creating internal angles and external angles, wherein each internal angle ranges from about 100° to about 110°, and each external angle ranges from about 105° to about 130°, the method comprising:
- stamping or pressing two or more sections of the strengthening member;
- and
- joining the two or more sections by one or more of welding, adhesion, and fastening to form the strengthening member having the twelve-cornered cross section, with each of the internal angles ranging from about 100° to about 110°, and each of the external angles ranging from about 105° to about 130°.
A method for increasing an axial compression strength of a strengthening member without increasing a weight of the strengthening member, the method comprising:
- providing a strengthening member having a cross section consisting of twelve corners, the cross section including sides and corners with internal angles ranging from about 100° to about 110° and external angles ranging from about 105° to about 130°.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.