US 8,770,639 B2Granted

Bumper assembly

AssigneeCosma Engineering Europe AG

InventorsMichael Blümel, Christian Hengst, Ernst Lindtner

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Abstract

A method of making a beam-box crash management system comprises forming a first shell (100a) from a fist sheet metal blank by a hot forming process. The first shell has a high tensile strength beam portion (102a) and integrally formed there-with a first low yield strength crash box portion (104a)proximate a first end of the beam portion and second low yield strength crash box portion proximate a second end of the beam portion. The first shell also has an open face extending continuously along the beam portion and each of the first and second crash box portions (104a, 106a). A closing element (100b) is formed from a second sheet metal blank, and is fixedly secured adjacent to the open face of the first shell.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method of making a beam-box crash management system, comprising:

forming a first shell from a first sheet metal blank by a hot forming process, the first shell having a high tensile strength beam portion and integrally formed therewith a first low yield strength crash box portion proximate a first end of the beam portion and a second low yield strength crash box portion proximate a second end of the beam portion, the first shell having an open face extending continuously along the beam portion and each of the first and second crash box portions;
forming a closing element from a second sheet metal blank, wherein forming the closing element comprises forming a second shell by a hot forming process, the second shell having a high tensile strength beam portion and integrally formed therewith a first low yield strength crash box portion proximate a first end of the beam portion and a second low yield strength crash box portion proximate a second end of the beam portion, the second shell having an open face extending continuously along the beam portion and each of the first and second crash box portions;
and
fixedly securing the second shell adjacent to the open face of the first shell.

1 more element

A method of making a beam-box crash management system, comprising:

heating a first sheet metal blank to at least an austenitizing temperature of the metal;
hot forming the austenitic blank in a pair of cooled tools to form a first one piece beam-box component having a generally three-sided channel structure with one open side;
during the hot forming process, cooling a beam portion of the formed component at a first rate that is sufficiently rapid to harden the beam portion into an essentially martensitic structure with a tensile strength of between about 1300 N/mm2 and about 1600 N/mm2, and cooling crash box portions of the formed component at a second rate that is slower than the first rate, such that the crash box portions achieve a yield strength of between approximately 200 N/mm2 and 450 N/mm2;
forming a closing element from a second sheet metal blank, wherein forming the closing element comprises:
heating a second sheet metal blank to at least an austenitizing temperature of the metal;
hot forming the austenitic blank in a pair of cooled tools to form a second one piece beam-box component having a generally three-sided channel structure with one open side;
during the hot forming process, cooling a beam portion of the formed component at a first rate that is sufficiently rapid to harden the beam portion into an essentially martensitic structure with a tensile strength of between about 1300 N/mm2 and about 1600 N/mm2, and cooling crash box portions of the formed component at a second rate that is slower than the first rate, such that the crash box portions achieve a yield strength of between approximately 200 N/mm2 and 450 N/mm2;
and
fixedly securing the second one piece beam component along the open side of the first one piece beam-box component.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/810,784Filed 3 Aug 2011 · us provisional application
Priority: 3 Aug 2010
Published: US 2013/0119683 A116 May 2013
Granted: 8 Jul 2014
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification21 codes

B60R 19/34
Comprising yieldable mounting means: destroyed upon impact, e.g. one-shot type
B21D 53/88
Making other particular articles: other parts for vehicles, e.g. cowlings, mudguards
B60R 19/03
Bumpers, i.e. impact receiving or absorbing members for protecting vehicles or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects: characterised by…
B60R 19/18
Bumpers, i.e. impact receiving or absorbing members for protecting vehicles or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects: characterised by…

Family

Application61/370,142Us provisional application · filed 3 Aug 2010
US 2013/0119683 A1Pre-grant publication · published 16 May 2013
US 8,770,639 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Timeline

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