Roll-formed vehicle reinforcement beam
The roll-formed bumper reinforcement beam with an inner and outer profile, supported by crash cans, addresses the inefficiencies of conventional designs by enhancing impact absorption and rigidity, reducing weight and cost, and meeting regulatory standards for vehicle bumper systems.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHAPE CORP
- Filing Date
- 2024-05-30
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-25
AI Technical Summary
Conventional bumper reinforcement beams for vehicles consist of separately formed components, leading to increased manufacturing time and cost, and there is a need for improved impact energy management to meet regulatory requirements while minimizing vehicle weight.
A roll-formed bumper reinforcement beam with an inner beam profile and outer beam profile, formed from a single sheet of metal, which includes flanges and a hollow body design to enhance impact absorption and rigidity, supported by crash cans in the vehicle frame.
The solution provides enhanced impact energy management and rigidity, reducing the weight and cost of the bumper system while meeting regulatory standards, and is applicable to various vehicle components including front and rear bumper assemblies and side frame structures.
Smart Images
Figure 2026516518000001_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications This application claims the benefit and priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 504,902, filed on May 30, 2023, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to reinforcement beams for vehicles, such as roll - formed bumper reinforcement beams for bumper assemblies, sub - assemblies, and their components.
Background Art
[0003] Vehicle bumper systems generally include at least one reinforcement beam extending across the front or rear end of a vehicle. The primary reinforcement beam is typically supported by a crash can attached to the vehicle frame structure. Vehicle bumper systems are subject to stringent tests for impact energy management and absorption from high - speed and low - speed collision impacts, such as to comply with required government regulations and insurance certifications. For example, the impact requirements and protocols for bumper systems are defined, among others, by the U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (US FMVSS), the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the European EC E42 consumer law, and Asian pedestrian protection for lower and upper extremities. Bumper systems are also designed to maximize the strength - to - weight ratio to minimize the overall vehicle weight while balancing the cost of the associated bumper system components. Conventional bumper reinforcement beams may include a plurality of separately formed components, which increases manufacturing time and cost.
Summary of the Invention
[0004] This disclosure provides a vehicle reinforcing beam that functions to receive and absorb impact loads from a vehicle collision, such as the implementation of a bumper reinforcing beam configured to be supported by a crash can in the vehicle frame. The bumper reinforcing beam includes a cross-sectional profile having an inner wall, which may be formed from a single sheet of metal having an outer surface. Prior to roll forming, the sheet may be cut or trimmed so that the inner wall is present in the central portion of the bumper reinforcing beam and is omitted from the ends of the bumper reinforcing beam. The bumper reinforcing beam may include flanges extending at the upper and lower edges of the cross-sectional profile to improve impact absorption over the rounded extension of the bumper reinforcing beam.
[0005] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a bumper reinforcement beam configured to be supported by a plurality of crash cans in a vehicle frame.
[0006] The inner wall may have a length between its ends that is less than half the length of the outer beam profile. The first and second end sections of the outer beam, located at both ends of the central section, may lack an inner beam.
[0007] The inner beam may have an intermediate portion that interconnects between the upper and lower walls, collectively defining a channel along the inner beam. The upper and lower walls of the inner beam may be configured to divide the internal volume of the hollow body, forming multiple elongated hollow regions. In some embodiments, the inner beam profile has a rear flange that extends integrally from the upper and lower walls, and the rear flange is coupled to the rear wall portion of the outer beam profile. The upper and lower walls of the inner beam profile may extend rearward at an angle of 70° to 90° with respect to the planar range of the front wall portion. In certain embodiments, the upper wall of the inner beam profile extends rearward and upward at an angle of 75° to 90° with respect to the planar range of the front wall portion. In some embodiments, the lower wall of the inner beam extends rearward and downward at an angle of 75° to 90° with respect to the planar range of the front wall portion.
[0008] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a bumper reinforcement beam configured to be supported by crash cans in a vehicle frame, the bumper reinforcement beam including an outer beam profile having an elongated hollow body formed from a metal sheet material and configured to extend laterally between the crash cans. The hollow body may have a front wall portion and a rear wall portion extending along a length defined between a first end and a second end of the hollow body. The bumper reinforcement beam may include an inner beam profile formed integrally with the outer beam profile. The inner beam profile may be positioned along a central section of the reinforcement beam between a first lateral end section and a second lateral end section. The inner beam profile may each have an upper wall and a lower wall extending between the front wall portion and the rear wall portion of the outer beam. The inner beam profile of the reinforcement beam may include an intermediate wall positioned between the upper wall portion and the lower wall, extending between the front wall portion and the rear wall portion.
[0009] The central section may have a first length, and the first and second transverse end sections may have a second length and a third length, respectively. The first length may be less than the sum of the second and third lengths. The first length may be equal to the second and third lengths.
[0010] The inner beam profile may include an intermediate portion that interconnects between the upper and lower walls, jointly defining a channel located within the outer beam profile. The intermediate portion may be adjacent to the front wall portion of the outer beam profile. The intermediate portion of the inner beam profile may be coupled to the front wall of the outer beam profile. The intermediate portion of the inner beam profile may be joined to the front wall portion of the outer beam profile via welding or adhesive.
[0011] The bumper reinforcement beam may include a single sheet material forming the outer beam profile and the inner beam profile. The single sheet material may include a first edge or end and a second edge or end. The first and second edges may be positioned adjacent to and joined to the rear wall portion of the outer beam profile. The single sheet material forming the outer beam profile and the inner beam profile may include the first and second edges positioned inside the outer beam profile. The single sheet material may include the first edge or end and the second edge or end of the central portion, as well as the third edge or end and the fourth edge or end of the first and second lateral end sections. The first and second edges may be different from the third and fourth edges. One of the first or second edges may be identical to one of the third or fourth edges. The third and fourth edges may be spaced apart. The third and fourth edges may be joined together to form a closed section of the outer beam profile within the lateral end section. The third and fourth edges may be joined together by welding. The inner beam profile may include either the first or second edge. The inner beam profile may include both the first and second edges.
[0012] The bumper reinforcement beam may have a front wall portion of a first height, and a rear wall portion of a second height that is smaller than the first height. The front wall portion may form an upper flange and a lower flange.
[0013] The bumper reinforcement beam may have a rear wall portion that forms a mounting surface adapted for attachment to the crash can.
[0014] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a bumper reinforcement beam configured to be supported by crash cans in a vehicle frame, comprising a beam having a front wall portion, a rear wall portion, and an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion. The beam wall portion may define an outer beam profile having a length configured to span between the crash cans. The beam may include an inner beam profile, which extends between the front wall portion and the rear wall portion and includes a shear wall extending between the front wall portion and the rear wall portion. The inner beam profile may have a length of less than half the length of the outer beam profile.
[0015] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a reinforcing beam having an outer beam profile that defines an elongated hollow body having a length defined between opposing ends of the outer beam, having a front wall portion, a rear wall portion, and upper and lower flanges extending from the outer beam profile along the upper and lower edges of the outer beam profile, respectively. The reinforcing beam may include an inner beam profile having a C-shape, each having an upper shear wall and a lower shear wall extending between the front wall portion and the rear wall portion. The inner beam profile may have a length of less than half the length of the elongated hollow body.
[0016] Each of the above-described independent aspects of this disclosure, and those aspects described in the following detailed description, may include any of the configurations, options, and possibilities described in this disclosure and drawings, including those based on other independent aspects, and may include any combination of any of the configurations, options, and possibilities described in this disclosure and drawings.
[0017] Details of one or more embodiments of this disclosure are described in the accompanying drawings and the following description. Other embodiments, advantages, purposes, and configurations will become apparent when considered in conjunction with the drawings and the following specification. [Brief explanation of the drawing]
[0018] [Figure 1]It is a schematic side view of a vehicle having a bumper assembly including a reinforcing beam. [Figure 2] It is a schematic side view of the reinforcing beam and the support crush can of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a front view of the reinforcing beam of FIGS. 1-2. [Figure 4] It is a cross-sectional view of the reinforcing beam of FIGS. 1-3 taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] It is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary reinforcing beam. [Figure 6] It is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary reinforcing beam. [Figure 7] It is a cross-sectional view of a second exemplary reinforcing beam. [Figure 8] It is a cross-sectional view of a second exemplary reinforcing beam. [Figure 9] It is a cross-sectional view of a third exemplary reinforcing beam. [Figure 10] It is a cross-sectional view of a third exemplary reinforcing beam. [Figure 11] It is a cross-sectional view of a fourth exemplary reinforcing beam. [Figure 12] It is a cross-sectional view of a fourth exemplary reinforcing beam. [Figure 13] It is a cross-sectional view of a fifth exemplary reinforcing beam. [Figure 14] It is a cross-sectional view of a fifth exemplary reinforcing beam. [Figure 15] It is a cross-sectional view of a sixth exemplary reinforcing beam. [Figure 16] It is a cross-sectional view of a sixth exemplary reinforcing beam. [Figure 17] It is a cross-sectional view of a seventh exemplary reinforcing beam. [Figure 18] It is a cross-sectional view of a seventh exemplary reinforcing beam.
Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
[0019] Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
[0020] Vehicle reinforcing beams, used in conjunction with other vehicle components to absorb and manage impact loads and impact energy to minimize damage and intrusion to the vehicle in the event of an impact, are disclosed herein in various embodiments as impact energy absorption and management devices. For example, the reinforcing beam may be used in a bumper assembly mounted on a vehicle frame, where the reinforcing beam is a crosscar structure supported by a crash can. In some examples, such as electric vehicles or rear-engine vehicles, which have a larger vehicle mass or a front section that is more susceptible to impact intrusion, there may be increased requirements for front-end rigidity and impact energy absorption for the vehicle bumper assembly. It is generally known that bumper reinforcing beams with greater mass may function to meet greater rigidity requirements, but increased mass typically increases vehicle cost and reduces efficiency. The reinforcing beams disclosed herein may provide increased rigidity by, for example, roll forming a single sheet of metal or other rigid material.
[0021] The reinforcing beam 12 of this disclosure includes an outer beam profile 20 and an inner beam profile 22 that reinforces the central section 24 (Figure 3) of the reinforcing beam 12. The outer beam profile 20 defines an elongated hollow body formed from a metal sheet material and may include a front wall portion 26 and a rear wall portion 28. The front wall portion 26 and the rear wall portion 28 may be connected by an upper wall portion 30 and a bottom wall portion 32. The front wall portion 26, the rear wall portion 28, the upper wall portion 30 and the bottom wall portion 32 together define the outer beam profile 20 and the elongated hollow body. The inner beam profile 22 reinforces the hollow region between the front wall portion 26 and the rear wall portion 32 of the outer beam profile 20 by providing an upper wall 34 and a lower wall 36 that extend between the front wall portion 26 and the rear wall portion 28, respectively. The upper and lower walls may also be called shear walls and may be configured to receive axial loads from impact forces to the bumper system. References to the front and rear and other directional derivatives of the reinforcing beam in this embodiment refer to its use on the front bumper assembly (Figure 1) and its relative position on the associated vehicle 100. However, it is understood that the reinforcing beam disclosed herein may also be used in the rear bumper assembly or side frame structure, such as a rocker or battery tray side member, among other possible applications in the vehicle structure or subassembly, to absorb and manage impact loads and energy. In accordance with this disclosure, a forward reference may refer to the side adjacent to the point where the force is applied, but this is not intended to limit the possibility that the relative geometric shapes may be reversed.
[0022] Referring here to the drawings and illustrated exemplary embodiments, the bumper assembly 10 for vehicle 100 has a bumper reinforcing beam 12 supported by a number of crash cans 14 attached to the bumper reinforcing beam 12 at approximately equal intervals from the center of the bumper reinforcing beam 12, as shown in Figure 1. Each crash can 14 of the bumper assembly 10 is attached to the end or tip of a frame rail 16 or to another supporting portion of the vehicle frame, and is positioned so that the bumper reinforcing beam 12 extends laterally (in the width direction of the vehicle) across the front end of the vehicle 100. As shown in Figure 1, the bumper assembly 10 is attached to the front end of a vehicle 100, which may be a passenger vehicle or other type of automobile such as a car, truck, bus, van, or sports utility vehicle. The crash cans 14 support the bumper reinforcing beam 12 in the vehicle frame 16 and function to direct and absorb incoming impact loads 18 through the crash cans 14 from the supported bumper reinforcing beam 12 to the attached frame 16 (in the longitudinal or x-direction relative to the vehicle). Furthermore, the bumper assembly and other implementations are intended to be used at the rear end of the vehicle or otherwise incorporated. Alternatively, the reinforcing beam 12 may be applied as a side frame structure, such as a rocker or battery tray side member, among other possible applications in the vehicle structure or subassembly.
[0023] For example, as shown in Figure 2, a bumper reinforcement beam 12 and a crash can 14 are illustrated. The crash can 14 is formed as a thin-walled hollow structure, which is a fragile structure designed to absorb the impact energy received by the bumper reinforcement beam by collapsing. The bumper assembly may be configured with one or more mounting plates 17 between the crash can 14 and the bumper reinforcement beam 12, or between the crash can 14 and a vehicle frame component 16 (Figure 1), or both. One or more mounting plates 17 may be configured with multiple openings distributed for attachment to the bumper reinforcement beam 12 or vehicle frame component 16 having screw-type or similar fasteners such as bolts, wool, etc. The crash can 14 may be welded to one or more mounting plates 17. Alternatively, the crash can 14 may be welded directly to the bumper reinforcement beam 12, or the vehicle frame component 16, or both.
[0024] As further shown in Figures 2-4, the inner beam profile 22 of the bumper reinforcement beam 12 reinforces the central section 24 of the outer beam profile 20. The inner beam profile 22 has a length between its ends that may be less than half the length of the outer beam profile 20. For example, the length of the outer beam component may be approximately 800mm to 1,200mm, such as 1,000mm, and the length of the inner beam profile 22 may be approximately 300mm to 600mm, such as 400mm. The upper wall section 30 and bottom wall section 32, extending between the front wall section 26 and the rear wall section 28, provide depth D to the outer beam profile 20. The depth D of the section may be constant along the length of the reinforcement beam 12 or approximately proportional to the other components. In the illustrated embodiment, the depth is approximately 40mm, but in additional embodiments, it may be 50mm to 70mm or larger or smaller. In other alternative examples, the depth D may not be constant along the entire length of the reinforcement beam 12. For example, the depth D may be greater in the central section 24 where the inner beam profile 22 is located, and smaller in the lateral end sections 38a and 38b. In a further alternative, the depth D may be a tapered shape that changes continuously along the lateral end sections 38a and 38b from the central section 24 to the outer end.
[0025] As shown in Figure 3, the lateral end sections 38a and 38b of the outer beam profile 20, located at both ends of the central section 24, lack the inner beam profile 22. However, the lateral end sections 38a and 38b experience less bending stress than the central section 24 due to the support of the outer beam profile 20 provided by the crush can 14 in the lateral end sections 38a and 38b. Therefore, the reinforcement provided by the inner beam profile 22 is not provided in the lateral end sections 38a and 38b. The reinforcing beam may be longer in additional embodiments, and the impact location may differ from that of the central section in other embodiments on the vehicle 100. In one alternative example, the inner beam profile 22 may extend beyond half the length of the outer beam profile. For example, if the reinforcing beam is used as a battery tray side member, the inner beam profile 22 may extend the entire length of the outer beam profile 20 so that the entire beam is consistently reinforced. In another alternative example, the inner beam profile may include two or more distinct portions of the outer beam profile length, for example, when the crush can is located in the center in addition to a location near the end of the reinforcing beam. The inner beam profile 20 may exist at two locations along the length of the reinforcing beam, separated by a portion adjacent to the crush can where the inner beam profile 22 does not exist.
[0026] As shown in Figure 4, the bumper reinforcement beam 12 is shown close to the crash can, as in the cross-section along line IV-IV in Figure 3, where the inner beam profile 22 is not present. The metal sheet on which the reinforcement beam 12 is formed may be cut or trimmed before being formed into the illustrated cross-sectional profile, for example, by roll forming. The roll forming process may now form the outer beam profile 20 and the inner beam profile 22 in a single continuous process, or the inner beam profile 22 may be formed in a first process and the outer beam profile 20 in a subsequent process.
[0027] The bumper reinforcement beam 12 may include a curved shape or sweep along the length of the beam 12. Such a curved shape or sweep can generally accommodate the package space permitted by the vehicle design. The curved shape may have a constant curvature along the length of the bumper reinforcement beam, or, in other embodiments, a varying radius of curvature in sections of different lengths, such as a larger curvature (and substantially smaller radius of curvature) at the lateral ends. The beam 12 may have its outer beam profile 20 and inner beam profile 22 formed before being curved into its final arch shape. Alternatively, the outer beam profile 20 and inner beam profile 22 may be formed simultaneously with the curving into its final arch shape. In certain applications, such as battery tray side members, the beam 12 may be linear along its entire length.
[0028] As shown in the embodiments of Figures 2-4, the outer beam profile 20 defines an elongated hollow body formed from a metal sheet material. The metal sheet material may be formed to provide a front wall portion 26, a rear wall portion 28, and an upper wall portion 30 and a bottom wall portion 32 extending between the front wall portion 26 and the rear wall portion 28. Some of the wall portions may be formed integrally with each other by bending or by a roll forming process. The front wall portion 26 may be taller than the rear wall portion 28 so that the beam 12 concentrates a larger amount of force applied to the front wall portion 26 onto a smaller area of the rear wall portion 28 and onto the crush can 14. The extension of the front wall portion 26 may be formed as an upper flange 40 and a lower flange 42. The flanges 40, 42 help concentrate the impact load 18 along the upper wall portion 30 and the bottom wall portion 32 and may result in increased strength compared to the outer beam profile 20 without the flanges 40, 42. To further help reinforce the beam 12 at the bends forming flanges 40 and 42, an in-line heat treatment process, such as in-line annealing, may be performed before, during, or after the roll forming process to form the flanges 40 and 42. In the illustrated beam 12, the upper flange 40 and lower flange 42 extend vertically within the planar extension of the front wall portion 26. This is not intended to be limiting, and the upper and lower flanges may also be formed within the planar extension of the rear wall portion 28, or as ridges along the upper wall portion 30 or the bottom wall portion 32.
[0029] Ribs, grooves, channels, or other reinforcing or crash-initiating features may be provided in one or more of the front wall section 26, rear wall section 28, upper wall section 30, or bottom wall section 32. Features may extend longitudinally along the length of the outer beam profile 20 or inner beam profile 22, or transversely across one or more of the front wall section 26, rear wall section 28, upper wall section 30, or bottom wall section 32. One or more features may be present on a single wall section, each feature having a different shape, dimensions, and location. Features may also have a vertical height on the surface and an inward depth from the wall surface, and are configured to allow the wall to be formed inwardly in a generally curved shape without breaking and without exceeding the allowable curvature (minimum bending radius) of the sheet material. These types of features may provide additional rigidity to the wall section or control the initiation or deformation of the wall section upon load impact.
[0030] The metal sheet material of the reinforcing beam 12 may include any metal or metal alloy having desired properties such as stiffness and tensile strength. For example, the material may consist of aluminum or steel such as high-strength steel or ultra-high-strength steel, as well as various alloys by combination of other relevant metals. The sheet material may be a non-sheet material, such as an injection-molded polymer, composite material, aluminum extruded product, or composite pultruded product, either entirely or partially. The sheet material of the outer beam profile 20 may be formed by various processes, such as cold stamping, roll forming, roll stamping, hot stamping, press brake bending, or a combination thereof. While this disclosure mentions specific forming processes, this should be understood as not limiting. It will be understood that selecting an appropriate forming process for a particular material and applying the reinforcing beam 12 of this disclosure is within the scope of the ordinary level of skill of a person skilled in the art.
[0031] The metal sheet material may have a single thickness throughout the outer beam profile 20 and the inner beam profile 22. Alternatively, the metal sheet material may have varying thicknesses. For example, the metal sheet material forming the outer beam profile 20 may have a first thickness, and the metal sheet material forming the inner beam profile 22 may have a second thickness different from the first thickness. The first thickness may be thinner than the second thickness. The first thickness may be thicker than the second thickness. When the reinforcing beam 12 is implemented as a bumper reinforcing beam, a thicker second thickness provides greater resistance to deformation in a frontal collision, so it may be desirable for the first thickness to be thinner than the second thickness to deform more easily in a side or corner impact. Alternatively, when the reinforcing beam 12 is implemented as a side beam of a battery tray to provide strength reinforcement without an additional weight increase, the first thickness may be thicker than the second thickness. In one embodiment, the first thickness of the sheet material of the outer beam profile 20 may be approximately 1 mm, and the second thickness of the sheet material of the inner beam profile 22 may be approximately 2 mm. In an additional embodiment, the inner beam profile 22 may be larger than approximately 1.2 mm, 1.5 mm, or 1.8 mm when the outer beam profile 20 is approximately 1 mm.
[0032] As shown in Figures 2-4, the inner beam profile 22 has an intermediate portion 46 that integrally interconnects the upper wall 34 and the lower wall 36 of the inner beam profile 22, and together defines an a or C shape as part of the inner beam profile 22. The intermediate portion 46 may have grooves, ribs, or channels formed along the front surface of the inner beam profile 22. The intermediate portion 46 of the inner beam profile 22 may be joined to the front wall 30 of the outer beam profile 20 via adhesive, welding, or the like. If present, the grooves, ribs, or channels may provide additional rigidity and support to the front portion of the reinforcing beam 12.
[0033] The upper wall 34 and lower wall 36 of the inner beam profile 22 may divide the hollow interior region of the hollow body formed by the outer beam profile 20 to form a plurality of elongated hollow regions 44', 44'', 44'''' (Figure 2). In this way, the height of the middle portion 46 of the inner beam profile 22 is configured such that the ribs of the front wall portion 30 are generally centered on the respective upper hollow region 44' and lower hollow region 44''''. The upper wall 34 and lower wall 36 of the inner beam profile 22 may extend rearward at an angle α relative to the front wall 30. In some embodiments, the angle α is 90°, and the upper wall 34 and lower wall 36 are perpendicular to the front wall portion 26. In other embodiments, the upper wall 34 and lower wall 36 extend at an angle of less than 90°, such as being inclined to be about 70° apart from each other. In other embodiments, the angle α of the upper wall 34 of the inner beam profile extends rearward and upward at an angle of 75° to 90° relative to the front wall 26. In some embodiments, the angle α of the lower wall of the inner beam extends rearward and downward at an angle of 75° to 90° relative to the front wall 26. The angles may also be 78°, 78° to 80°, 78° to 82°, 75° to 85°, 75° to 90°, 70° to 95°, or other preferred ranges.
[0034] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the inner beam profile 22 and the outer beam profile may be integrated at the edges or ends 56a, 56b of the roll-formed sheet material. The ends 56a, 56b may be formed to extend adjacent to and parallel to the upper wall 34 and bottom wall 36 of the inner beam profile. The ends 56a, 56b may be joined to the adjacent upper wall 34 and bottom wall 36 by welding, adhesive, or the like. In an alternative embodiment, the ends 56a, 56b may be formed to extend adjacent to and parallel to the rear wall portion 28. Similarly, the ends 56a, 56b may be joined to the rear wall portion 28 by welding, adhesive, or the like. In an additional alternative example where the ends 56a, 56b extend along the rear wall portion 28, the rear wall portion 28 may include an offset portion that accommodates the ends 56a, 56b, resulting in a substantially planar rear side surface. For example, if the inner beam profile 22 extends over a longer length of the reinforcing beam 12 adjacent to the crush can 14, it may be desirable to provide a planar rear side to help secure the reinforcing beam 12 to the crush can 14. In the regions of the lateral end sections 38a, 38b where the inner beam profile 22 is not present, the ends 56b, 56c may extend into the interior of the outer beam profile 20. In an alternative embodiment, the ends 56b, 56c may extend toward each other to form a closed section. In such embodiments, the ends 56b, 56c may be joined or bonded together via welding, adhesive, or the like.
[0035] Figures 5-20 illustrate additional embodiments of reinforcing beams having inner and outer beam profiles, showing various alternative features and variations from the reinforcing beams shown in Figures 2-4. Similar features may be indicated by similar reference numbers incremented, for example, by 100. A common aspect of the additional embodiments can be found in the fact that the inner and outer beam profiles are integrated, for example, so that they may be formed from a single sheet material in a roll forming process. Similarly, the inner beam profile may extend only to a portion of the total length of the reinforcing beam. The remaining portion of the length may have an outer beam profile without the presence of an inner beam profile. Upper and lower flanges may be provided on the front wall portion to help shield and concentrate impact loads that may be experienced, for example, in a vehicle collision. Specific features and differences of the additional embodiments may be discussed in detail below, but common features and embodiments should be further understood from the above considerations and should apply similarly to the following embodiments.
[0036] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the reinforcing beam 112 includes an outer beam profile 120 and an inner beam profile 122. The inner beam profile 122 includes an upper wall 134 and a lower wall 136 extending at an angle α' from the front wall 126 at 5° from the vertical, with the upper wall 134 angled upward and the lower wall 136 angled downward. The first edge or end 156a of the sheet material forming the reinforcing beam 112 lies inside the outer beam profile 120. The rear wall portion 128 includes an offset portion 160 to accommodate the second edge or end 156b and provide a substantially planar rear side surface. Figure 6 illustrates the reinforcing beam 112 without the inner beam profile 122, for example in the lateral end section, when the inner beam profile 122 is present only in the central section. The sheet material is cut or trimmed at the edge or end 156c, which overlaps with the second end 156b and forms a closed section in the lateral end section.
[0037] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the reinforcing beam 212 includes an outer beam profile 220 and an inner beam profile 222. The inner beam profile 222 includes an upper wall 234, an intermediate wall 235, and a lower wall 236. The edges or ends 256a, b may be joined to the rear wall portion 228 via welding, adhesive, etc. Figure 8 illustrates the reinforcing beam 212 without the inner beam profile 222. The intermediate wall 235 may extend only partially through the outer beam profile 120 and may be joined to a single common end 256c via welding, adhesive, etc. to provide a closed section of the outer beam profile 220 having a planar rear side along the rear wall portion 228.
[0038] As shown in Figures 9 and 10, the reinforcing beam 312 includes an outer beam profile 320 and an inner beam profile 322. The inner beam profile 322 includes an upper wall 334, an intermediate coul 335, and a lower wall 336. Edges or ends 356a, b may be located outside the outer beam profile 320 adjacent to the rear wall portion 328. The ends 356a, b may be joined to the rear wall portion 328 via welding, adhesive, etc. Figure 10 illustrates a reinforcing beam 312 without the inner beam profile 322. The sheet material forming the reinforcing beam 312 may be trimmed so that the upper wall 334 and lower wall 336 partially cross the outer beam profile 320 and extend to the ends 356c, d.
[0039] As shown in Figures 11 and 12, the reinforcing beam 412 includes an outer beam profile 420 and an inner beam profile 422. The inner beam profile 422 includes an upper wall 434 and a lower wall 436 extending at an angle α' from the front wall 426 at a distance of 10° from the vertical, with the upper wall 434 angled upward and the lower wall 436 angled downward. Edges or ends 456a, b may be located inside the outer beam profile 420 adjacent to the rear wall portion 428. The ends 456a, b may be joined to the rear wall portion 428 by welding, adhesive, etc. Figure 12 illustrates a reinforcing beam 412 without the inner beam profile 422. The sheet material forming the reinforcing beam 412 may be trimmed so that the upper wall 434 and lower wall 436 extend to ends 456c, d adjacent to the front wall portion 426.
[0040] As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the reinforcing beam 512 includes an outer beam profile 520 and an inner beam profile 522. The inner beam profile 522 includes an upper wall 534 and a lower wall 536 that extend at an angle α' from the front wall 526 at a distance of 20° from the vertical, with the upper wall 534 angled upward and the lower wall 536 angled downward. The edges or ends 556a, b may be located inside the outer beam profile 520 adjacent to the rear wall portion 528. The ends 556a, b may be joined to the rear wall portion 528 by welding, adhesive, etc. Figure 14 illustrates a reinforcing beam 512 without the inner beam profile 522. The sheet material forming the reinforcing beam 512 may be trimmed so that the upper wall 534 and the lower wall 536 extend inward from the outer beam profile 520 adjacent to the ends 556c, d.
[0041] As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the reinforcing beam 612 includes an outer beam profile 620 and an inner beam profile 622. The inner beam profile 622 includes an upper wall 634 and a lower wall 636. Edges or ends 656a, b may be joined to a rear wall portion 628 via welding, adhesive, etc. Figure 16 illustrates a reinforcing beam 612 without an inner beam profile 622. The upper wall 634 may extend only partially through the outer beam profile 620 and may be joined to a single common end 656c via welding, adhesive, etc. to provide a closed section of the outer beam profile 620 having a planar rear side along the rear wall portion 628. The common end 656c may be located closer to the upper wall portion 630 than to the bottom wall portion 632.
[0042] As shown in Figures 17 and 18, the reinforcing beam 712 includes an outer beam profile 720 and an inner beam profile 722. The inner beam profile 722 includes an upper wall 734 and a lower wall 736 that curve toward the front wall portion 720 and then extend from the front wall 726 at an angle α' away from the vertical at 10°, with the upper wall 734 angled upward and the lower wall 736 angled downward. Edges or ends 756a, b may be located inside the outer beam profile 720 adjacent to the rear wall portion 728. The ends 756a, b may be joined to the rear wall portion 528 by welding, adhesive, etc. Figure 18 illustrates the reinforcing beam 712 without the inner beam profile 722. The sheet material forming the reinforcing beam 712 may be trimmed so that the upper wall 734 and the lower wall 736 extend inward into the outer beam profile 720, adjacent to the common end 556c, which is joined together to provide a closed section of the outer beam profile 720.
[0043] For the purposes of this disclosure, the term “join” (all its forms, such as joined, joined, coupled, etc.) generally means a direct or indirect joining of two components (electrically or mechanically) to one another. Such joining may be essentially fixed or essentially movable, may be achieved by two components (electrically or mechanically) that form integrally with each other as a single unit and any additional intermediate members, or may be achieved by two components, and may be essentially permanent or essentially detachable or removable unless otherwise stated.
[0044] The articles “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to indicate that the preceding description contains one or more elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be comprehensive and mean that additional elements other than those listed may exist. Furthermore, it should be understood that any reference in this disclosure to “one embodiment” or “embodiment” is not intended to be construed as excluding the existence of other implementations that also incorporate the described configuration. In addition, as used in this disclosure, terms such as “first,” “second,” etc., are used to distinguish one element from another without indicating any order, quantity, or importance.
[0045] Any number, percentage, ratio, or other value described herein is intended to encompass not only that value but also other values that are “about” or “approximately” that value, as understood by a person skilled in the art who is included by the implementation of this disclosure. Accordingly, the described values should be interpreted broadly to include values that are at least sufficiently close to the described value in order to perform the desired function or achieve the desired result. For example, the terms “approximately,” “about,” and “substantially” may refer to quantities that are less than 5%, less than 1%, less than 0.1%, and less than 0.01% of the described quantity.
[0046] Furthermore, it will be understood that any direction or reference frame in the above description is merely a relative direction or movement. For example, the terms “top,” “bottom,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “inside,” and “outside,” and their derivatives, are based on the orientation shown in Figure 1. However, it will be understood that various alternative orientations may be provided unless otherwise expressly stated. It will also be understood that the specific apparatus and processes illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described herein are merely exemplary embodiments of the concept of the invention as defined in the accompanying claims. Therefore, unless otherwise expressly stated in the claims, the specific dimensions and other physical configurations relating to the embodiments disclosed herein should not be considered limiting.
[0047] Modifications and variations in the embodiments described herein can be carried out without departing from the principles of the present invention, and the present invention is intended to be limited only by the appended claims, which shall be interpreted in accordance with the principles of patent law. It will be understood that this disclosure is described in an exemplary manner, and the terms used are intended to be descriptive and not restrictive. Many modifications and variations of this disclosure are possible in light of the above teachings, and this disclosure may be carried out in manners other than those specifically described herein.
Claims
1. A bumper reinforcement beam (12) is configured to be supported by a plurality of crash cans (14) in the vehicle frame, An outer beam profile (20) having an elongated hollow body formed from a metal sheet material and configured to extend laterally between the plurality of crush cans, wherein the hollow body has a front wall (26) and a rear wall (28) extending along a length defined between a first end and a second end of the hollow body, A bumper reinforcement beam comprising: an inner beam profile (22) integrally formed with the outer beam profile, which is positioned along the central section (24) of the reinforcement beam between a first lateral end section (38a) and a second lateral end section (38b), and having an upper wall (34) and a lower wall (36) extending between the front wall portion and the rear wall portion of the outer beam, respectively.
2. The bumper reinforcing beam according to claim 1, wherein the inner beam profile further includes an intermediate wall (235) positioned between the upper wall and the lower wall, extending between the front wall portion and the rear wall portion.
3. The bumper reinforcing beam according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the central section has a first length, and the first and second lateral end sections have second and third lengths, respectively.
4. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first length is shorter than the sum of the second and third lengths.
5. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first length is equal to the second length and the third length.
6. The bumper reinforcement beam according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the inner beam profile includes an intermediate portion (46) that interconnects the upper wall and the lower wall and together defines a channel located within the outer beam profile.
7. The bumper reinforcement beam according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the intermediate portion is adjacent to the front wall portion of the outer beam profile.
8. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the intermediate portion of the inner beam profile is coupled to the front wall portion of the outer beam profile.
9. A bumper reinforcement beam according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising a single sheet material that forms the outer beam profile and the inner beam profile.
10. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the single sheet material includes a first edge (56a) and a second edge (56b), the first edge and the second edge being positioned adjacent to and coupled to the rear wall portion of the outer beam profile.
11. The bumper reinforcement beam according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the single sheet material includes a first edge (56a) and a second edge (56b), the first and second edges being located inside the outer beam profile.
12. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the single sheet material includes a first edge and a second edge in the central section, and the single sheet material includes a third edge (56c) and a fourth edge (56b) in the first and second lateral end sections.
13. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the first edge and the second edge are different from the third edge and the fourth edge.
14. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein one of the first end or the second end is identical to one of the third end or the fourth end.
15. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the third edge and the fourth edge are spaced apart.
16. The bumper reinforcement beam according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the third and fourth edges are joined together to form a closed cross-section of the outer beam profile at the first and second lateral end sections.
17. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the third and fourth ends are joined together by welding.
18. The bumper reinforcement beam according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the inner beam profile includes one of the first end or the second end.
19. The bumper reinforcement beam according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the inner beam profile includes both the first end and the second end.
20. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the upper wall of the inner beam profile extends rearward and upward at an angle greater than 70° with respect to the front wall.
21. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the upper wall and the lower wall of the inner beam profile extend rearward at an angle of 70° to 90° with respect to the front wall portion.
22. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein the upper wall of the inner beam portion extends rearward and upward at an angle greater than 75° with respect to the front wall.
23. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the lower wall of the inner beam extends rearward and downward at an angle of less than 75° with respect to the front wall portion.
24. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 1 to 23, wherein the front wall portion has a first height, the rear wall portion has a second height, and the first height is greater than the second height.
25. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 1 to 24, wherein the front wall portion forms an upper flange and a lower flange.
26. A bumper reinforcement beam according to any one of claims 1 to 25, wherein the rear wall portion includes a mounting surface adapted for attachment to the crash can.
27. The bumper reinforcement beam according to any one of claims 1 to 26, wherein the upper and lower walls of the inner beam profile divide the internal volume of the hollow body to form a plurality of elongated hollow regions.
28. A bumper reinforcement beam configured to be supported by multiple crash cans in a vehicle frame, A beam including a front wall portion, a rear wall portion, and an upper wall portion and a lower wall portion, defining an outer beam profile having a length configured to span between the crush cans, The system comprises an inner beam profile which is integrally formed with the outer beam profile and includes a shear wall extending between the front wall portion and the rear wall portion, A bumper reinforcement beam in which the inner beam profile has a length shorter than the length of the outer beam profile.
29. A bumper reinforcement beam according to claim 28, comprising any one or a combination thereof of the features described in claims 2 to 27.
30. The bumper reinforcement beam according to claim 28 or 29, wherein the inner beam profile is arranged along the central section between the first lateral end section and the second lateral end section of the beam.
31. The bumper reinforcement beam according to any one of claims 28 to 30, wherein the inner beam profile further includes a second shear wall positioned between the upper wall portion and the lower wall portion and extending between the front wall portion and the rear wall portion, the shear wall of the inner beam profile divides the internal volume of the beam to form a plurality of elongated hollow regions along the central section.
32. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 28 to 31, wherein the central section has a first length, and the first and second lateral end sections have second and third lengths, respectively, and the first length is shorter than the sum of the second and third lengths.
33. The bumper reinforcement beam according to any one of claims 28 to 32, wherein the inner beam profile includes an intermediate portion that interconnects the shear walls and together defines a channel located within the outer beam profile, and the intermediate portion is adjacent to the front wall portion of the outer beam profile.
34. A bumper reinforcement beam according to any one of claims 28 to 33, comprising a single sheet material forming the outer beam profile and the inner beam profile.
35. A reinforcing beam for vehicles, An outer beam profile having a front wall portion, a rear wall portion, and upper and lower flanges extending from the outer beam profile along the upper and lower edges of the outer beam profile, respectively, defining an elongated hollow body having a length defined between the opposing ends of the outer beam profile, It includes an inner beam profile having a C-shape, having an upper shear wall and a lower shear wall extending between the front wall portion and the rear wall portion, respectively. A reinforcing beam having an inner beam profile that is less than half the length of the elongated hollow body.
36. The reinforcing beam according to claim 35, comprising any one or a combination thereof of the features described in claims 2 to 27.