Roll-formed vehicle structural beam with reinforcing inserts

Abstract

A reinforcing beam (12) for a vehicle has an outer beam profile (20) and a reinforcing insert (22) introduced during the roll forming process. The outer beam profile (20) defines an elongated hollow body and includes a front wall (26) and a rear wall (28). The outer beam profile may include an upper flange (40) and a lower flange (42) formed on the planar extension of the front wall. The reinforcing insert may define an upper shear wall (34) and a lower shear wall (36), each extending between the front wall and the rear wall. The reinforcing insert may be introduced into a partial profile in the roll forming process through automated operations. The reinforcing insert is located on the central section (24) of the elongated hollow body and may have a length of less than half the length of the elongated hollow body.

Description

Technical Field

[0004] ,

[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 / 504,941, filed May 30, 2023, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present disclosure generally relates to vehicle structural beams, such as roll - formed bumper structural beams having reinforcing inserts for structural applications, including bumper assemblies, sub - assemblies, and their components.

Background Art

[0003] Vehicle bumper systems generally include at least one structural beam spanning the front or rear end of a vehicle. The primary structural beam is typically supported by a crash can attached to the vehicle frame structure. Vehicle bumper systems are subject to strict testing 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 in order to minimize the overall vehicle weight while balancing the cost of the associated bumper system components. Conventional bumper structural beams may include a plurality of separately formed components, which increase manufacturing time and cost.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] This disclosure provides a structural beam for a vehicle that functions to receive and absorb impact loads from a vehicle collision, such as the mounting of a vehicle bumper beam. The structural beam includes a roll-formed outer beam profile having an elongated hollow body formed from a sheet material. The hollow body has 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. Reinforcement inserts are disposed within the hollow body along the central section of the reinforcement beam between the first lateral end section and the second lateral end section. Each reinforcement insert has an upper wall and a lower wall, each extending between the front wall portion and the rear wall portion of the outer beam profile. The reinforcement inserts are disposed within the outer beam profile during the roll-forming process.

[0005] The structural beam reinforcing insert may further include an intermediate wall disposed between the upper and lower walls. The intermediate wall may be disposed adjacent to the front wall. The intermediate wall of the reinforcing insert may be welded to the front wall of the outer beam profile. The upper and lower walls of the reinforcing insert may extend rearward at an angle of 70 to 90 degrees relative to the front wall. The upper wall of the reinforcing insert may extend rearward and upward at an angle greater than 75 degrees relative to the front wall. The lower wall may extend rearward and downward at an angle less than 75 degrees relative to the front wall. The upper and lower walls of the reinforcing insert may divide the internal volume of the hollow body to form a plurality of elongated hollow regions.

[0006] The central section of the structural beam may have a first length, and the first and second transverse end sections may have a second 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.

[0007] The outer beam profile may include an upper wall and a bottom wall. The upper and bottom walls may extend between the front and rear walls. The outer beam profile may include an upper flange at the joint of the front and upper walls, and / or a lower flange at the joint of the front and bottom walls. The upper and lower flanges may include zero-thickness bends. The zero-thickness bends may be annealed during the roll forming process.

[0008] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a bumper beam configured to be supported by a crash can in a vehicle frame. The rear wall portion may include a mounting surface adapted for attachment to the crash can. The bumper beam includes a roll-formed outer beam profile having an elongated hollow body formed from sheet material. The hollow body has 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 beam includes a reinforcing insert disposed along the central section of the hollow body between a first lateral end section and a second lateral end section. The reinforcing insert has an upper wall and a lower wall, each extending between the front wall portion and the rear wall portion of the outer beam profile. The reinforcing insert is disposed on the outer beam profile during the roll-forming process. The bumper beam may include any one or a combination of the features described with respect to structural beams.

[0009] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for forming a structural beam for a vehicle. The method comprises roll forming a partial profile. The method comprises inserting a reinforcing insert into the partial profile. The method comprises roll forming the partial profile including the reinforcing insert into an outer beam profile of a structural beam for a vehicle, the structural beam having an elongated hollow body. The structural beam of the method may include any one or a combination of the above features. The step of inserting the reinforcing insert may be carried out by an automated process. The automated process may be carried out by a robotic manipulator.

[0010] Each of the above-described independent aspects of this disclosure, and those aspects described in the following detailed description, may include any of the features, 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 features, options, and possibilities described in this disclosure and drawings.

[0011] Details of one or more examples of this disclosure are described in the accompanying drawings and the following description. Other embodiments, advantages, purposes, and features will become apparent when considered in conjunction with the drawings and the following specification. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This is a schematic side view of a vehicle having a bumper assembly that includes a structural beam with reinforcing inserts. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a schematic side view of the structural beam and supporting crush can. [Figure 3] Figures 1 and 2 are front views of the structural beam. [Figure 4] Figures 1 to 3 are schematic perspective views of the structural beam. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram of an exemplary roll forming process manufacturing line that can be used to produce structural beams including reinforcing inserts. [Figure 6] This is a schematic side view of a partially fabricated structural beam including reinforcing inserts. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary structural beam. [Figure 8] This is a cross-sectional view of a second exemplary structural beam. [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view of a third exemplary structural beam. [Figure 10] This is a cross-sectional view of a fourth exemplary structural beam. [Figure 11] This is a cross-sectional view of a fifth exemplary structural beam. [Figure 12] This is a cross-sectional view of a sixth exemplary structural beam. [Figure 13] This is a cross-sectional view of the seventh exemplary structural beam. [Figure 14] This is a cross-sectional view of the eighth exemplary structural beam. [Figure 15] This is a cross-sectional view of the ninth exemplary structural beam. [Figure 16] This is a cross-sectional view of the tenth exemplary structural beam.

[0013] Similar reference numbers indicate the same parts throughout the drawing. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] Structural beams, including reinforcing inserts, for vehicle structures such as vehicle bumper structures or vehicle frame structures are disclosed herein as impact energy absorption and management devices used in various implementations in conjunction with other vehicle components that absorb and manage impact loads and energy to minimize damage and intrusion to the vehicle during impact. For example, a structural beam may be used in a bumper assembly mounted on a vehicle frame, in which case the structural beam is a crosscar structure supported by a crash can. In some examples, such as electric vehicles or rear-engine vehicles, there may be increased demands for front-end stiffness and impact energy absorption from vehicle bumper assemblies, such as having a larger vehicle mass or a front section that is more susceptible to impact intrusion. While it is generally known that bumper structural beams with increased mass can function to meet increased stiffness requirements, increased mass typically increases vehicle cost and reduces efficiency. Structural beams disclosed herein may have improved stiffness by being formed, for example, from a single sheet of metal or other rigid material with reinforcing inserts by roll forming.

[0015] Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative examples shown therein, a bumper assembly 10 for a vehicle 100 is provided. The structural beam 12 includes an outer beam profile 20 and a reinforcing insert 22 that reinforces a central section 24 (FIG. 3) of the structural beam 12. The outer beam profile 20 defines an elongated hollow body formed from a sheet material such as 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.

[0016] The metal sheet material of the structural beam 12 can include any metal or metal alloy having desired properties such as rigidity, tensile strength, etc. For example, the material may be configured to contain aluminum or steel such as high-strength steel or ultra-high-strength steel, as well as various alloys of other related metals. The sheet material may be wholly or partially a non-sheet material such as an injection molded polymer, a composite material, an aluminum extrusion, or a composite drawn molding. The sheet material of the outer beam profile 20 may be formed by various processes such as the use of cold stamping, roll forming, roll stamping, hot stamping, press brake bending, or combinations thereof. Although the present disclosure mentions a particular forming process, this should be understood as non-limiting. Selecting an appropriate forming process for a particular material and applying the structural beam 12 of the present disclosure would be within the scope of the ordinary technical level of those skilled in the art.

[0017] The metal sheet material may include a single material thickness throughout the outer beam profile 20 and the reinforcement insert 22. Alternatively, the metal sheet material may have a variable thickness. For example, the metal sheet material forming the outer beam profile 20 may include a first thickness, and the metal sheet material forming the reinforcement insert 22 may include 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 structural beam 12 is implemented as a bumper reinforcement beam, it may be desirable to make the first thickness thinner than the second thickness to facilitate deformation during a side impact or a corner impact. This is because the greater thickness of the second thickness increases the resistance to deformation against a frontal collision. Alternatively, when the structural beam 12 is implemented as a side beam of a battery tray and provides strength reinforcement without an additional increase in weight, the first thickness may be thicker than the second thickness. In one example, 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 reinforcement insert 22 may be approximately 2 mm. In an additional example, the reinforcement insert 22 may be greater than approximately 1.2 mm, greater than 1.5 mm, or greater than approximately 1.8 mm when the outer beam profile 20 is approximately 1 mm.

[0018] The reinforcement insert 22 reinforces the hollow inner region 44 between the front wall portion 26 and the rear wall portion 28 of the outer beam profile 20 by providing an upper wall 34 and a lower wall 36 that each extend between the front wall portion 26 and the rear wall portion 28. The upper wall 34 and the lower wall 36 may be separated by an intermediate wall 33. The intermediate wall 33 may be disposed adjacent to the front wall portion 26. Some of the wall portions may be integrally formed with each other by bending or in a roll forming process. Also, the upper wall 34 and the lower wall 36 may be referred to as shear walls and may be configured to receive an axial load due to an impact force on a bumper system when the structural beam 12 is used in a vehicle bumper assembly, for example.

[0019] The outer profile 20 may include one or more sets of ribs 37. Ribs 37 formed on the rear wall 28 may be formed to abut against the end sections of the upper wall 34 and lower wall 36 of the reinforcing insert 22. The ribs 37 may assist in the controlled deformation of the structural beam 12 during impact loading. Other ribs 27 may be formed on the front wall and act as reinforcing features or crash initiators. The ribs 27, 37 may extend continuously along the front wall 26 and rear wall 28, respectively, or discontinuously, and may occur only at individual, limited locations along the length of the structural beam 12. The ribs 27, 37 may be angled, curved, or flat recesses extending inward into the hollow interior region 44.

[0020] The upper wall 34 and lower wall 36 of the reinforcing insert 22 may divide the hollow interior region 44 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 reinforcing insert 22 may be configured such that the ribs in the front wall 26 are positioned approximately centered on the respective upper hollow region 44' and lower hollow region 44''''. The upper wall 34 and lower wall 36 of the reinforcing insert 22 may extend rearward from the front wall 26 at an angle α. In some examples, the angle α is 90 degrees, and the upper wall 34 and lower wall 36 are perpendicular to the front wall 26. In other examples, the upper wall 34 and lower wall 36 extend at an angle of less than 90 degrees, such as being inclined at about 70 degrees from each other. In other examples, the angle α of the upper wall 34 of the reinforcing insert 22 extends rearward and upward from the front wall 26 at an angle of 75 to 90 degrees. In some examples, the angle α of the lower wall 36 extends backward and downward at an angle of 75 to 90 degrees relative to the front wall portion 26. The angle may also be 78 degrees, 78 to 80 degrees, 78 to 82 degrees, 75 to 85 degrees, 75 to 90 degrees, 70 to 95 degrees, or other preferred ranges.

[0021] References to the front and rear and other directional derivatives of the reinforcing beam in this example refer to its use on the front bumper assembly (Figure 1) and its relative position on the associated vehicle 100. However, it should be understood that the structural beam 12 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 uses 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 be limiting, and the relative geometric shape may be inverted.

[0022] As shown in Figure 1, the structural beam 12 is supported by crash cans 14 attached to the structural beam 12 at approximately equal intervals from the center of the structural beam 12. Each crash can 14 of the bumper assembly 10 is attached to the end or tip of a frame rail 16, or to other support points on the vehicle frame, positioning the structural beam 12 so that it 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 mounted on the front end of the 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 structural beam 12 in the vehicle frame 16 and function to direct and absorb impact loads 18 received from the supported structural beam 12 (in the longitudinal or x-direction relative to the vehicle) through the crash cans 14 to the mounted frame 16. The bumper assembly 10 and other implementations are also intended to be used or otherwise incorporated at the rear end of the vehicle. Alternatively, the structural beam 12 may be applied as a side frame structure, such as a rocker or battery tray side member, among other possible uses in vehicle structures or subassemblies.

[0023] For example, as shown in Figure 2, a structural beam 12 and a crush can 14 are shown. The crush can 14 is formed as a thin-walled hollow structure, which is a fragile structure designed to absorb the impact energy received by the structural beam 12 by shattering during a vehicle collision. The bumper assembly 10 may include one or more mounting plates 17 between the crush can 14 and the structural beam 12, or between the crush can 14 and a vehicle frame component 16 (Figure 1), or both. One or more mounting plates 17 may include a distribution of openings for attachment to the structural beam 12 or vehicle frame component 16 having screw-type or similar fasteners such as bolts, rivets, etc. The crush can 14 may be welded to one or more mounting plates 17. Alternatively, the crush can 14 may be welded directly to the structural beam 12, or the vehicle frame component 16, or both.

[0024] As further shown in Figures 2 to 4, the reinforcing insert 22 of the structural beam 12 reinforces the central section 24 of the outer beam profile 20. The reinforcing insert 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 profile 20 may be approximately 800 mm to 1,200 mm, such as 1,000 mm, and the length of the reinforcing insert 22 may be approximately 300 mm to 600 mm, such as 400 mm. The upper wall 30 and bottom wall 32 extending between the front wall 26 and the rear wall 28 provide depth D to the outer beam profile 20. The depth D of the section is constant along the length of the structural beam 12 and may be approximately proportional to other features. In the example shown, where the length is 1,000 mm, the depth is approximately 40 mm, but in additional examples, it may be 50 mm to 70 mm or more or less. In other alternatives, the depth D may not be constant along the entire length of the structural beam 12. For example, the depth D may be greater in the central section 24 where the reinforcing insert 22 is located, and smaller in the lateral end sections 38a and 38b. In a further alternative, the depth D may be tapered, continuously changing 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, which are positioned at both ends of the central section 24, lack the reinforcing insert 22. However, the lateral end sections 38a and 38b experience less bending stress than the central section 24 due to the support provided to the outer beam profile 20 by the crush can 14 in the lateral end sections 38a and 38b. Therefore, the reinforcement provided by the reinforcing insert 22 is not provided in the lateral end sections 38a and 38b. It should be understood that the structural beam 12 may be longer in additional examples, and the impact location may differ from that of the central section in other implementations on the vehicle 100. In one alternative, the reinforcing insert 22 may extend longer than half the length of the outer beam profile 20. For example, if the structural beam 12 is used as a battery tray side member, the reinforcing insert 22 may extend along the entire length of the outer beam profile 20 so that the entire beam is consistently reinforced. In another alternative, the reinforcing insert 22 may include two or more distinct portions of the outer beam profile length, for example, near the ends of the reinforcing beam, as well as where the crush can is centrally located. The reinforcing insert 22 may be present at two locations along the length of the reinforcing beam, separated by portions adjacent to the intermediate crush can where the reinforcing insert 22 is not present. Referring to Figure 4, the structural beam 12 is shown in a perspective view to illustrate an exemplary implementation of the relative placement and ratio of the reinforcing insert 22 to the outer beam profile 20.

[0026] The structural beam 12 may be formed by a roll forming process line, where reinforcing inserts 22 are positioned within the outer beam profile 20 during the roll forming of the outer beam profile 20. Figure 5 shows an exemplary roll forming production line 50. Sheet material, such as sheet metal material, is supplied to the production line from a coil 52. The material may be processed through a straightener or coil joining device 54 to straighten, flatten, or join the material supplied from the coil 52. The material may also be processed through a pre-punching machine 55 before entering the roll forming process. Continuous rolls 56 deform the flat sheet material into the desired profile shape. A mandrel (not shown) may also be used to maintain the profile shape during certain process steps. One or more controllers 58 may communicate with process equipment to control continuous operation. One or more heater / annealing devices 60 may be included to heat-treat the sheet material before or after certain process steps, such as when a firmer bend is to be imparted to the sheet material.

[0027] At some point in the roll forming process, the reinforcing insert 22 may be introduced into the sheet material before the outer profile 20 is completed. One exemplary implementation of a partial profile 21 is shown in Figure 6, where the partial profile includes a front wall 26, an upper wall 30, and a bottom wall 32. The hollow internal region 44 is substantially formed and bounded by the partial profile 21. The placement of the insert 62 may be a manual process or may be carried out automatically by a robotic tool such as a pick-and-place robot. In other alternatives, the reinforcing insert 22 may be placed in the partial profile 21 using an automatic dispenser or other suitable mechanism. The reinforcing insert 22 itself may be roll-formed in a separate roll forming process. In other alternatives, the reinforcing insert 22 may be press-forged, extruded, drawn, or formed by another suitable process.

[0028] Once positioned, the roll forming process of the outer profile 20 may be continued through additional rolls 64 until the final profile is obtained. At one or more stages of the process, a welding machine 66, such as a resistance spot welder, induction welder, or laser welder, may be provided. In one example, a laser welder may be provided to fix the reinforcing insert 22 in place within the partial profile 21. Alternatively, a resistance spot welder may be used to fix the reinforcing insert 22. In one exemplary implementation, the reinforcing insert 22 is positioned in the partial profile 21 and may be welded in place using the same automated tools, such as a robotic arm including a manipulator for gripping and positioning the reinforcing insert 22, and a welding machine for fixing it after it has been positioned. An induction welder may be used to join the free ends 67 of the partial profile 21 to form the rear wall 28.

[0029] Once the outer profile 20 is formed and welded in the sheet material, the process continues through the sweep station 68 to give a curve or arc along the longitudinal length, and the cutting device 70 can separate the individual structural beams 12 from the sheet material supply. Such curves or sweeps can generally accommodate the structural beams in the package space permitted by the vehicle design. The curves may have a constant radius of curvature along the length of the structural beam, or, in additional examples, a varying radius of curvature in sections of different lengths, such as a larger curvature (and effectively a smaller radius of curvature) in the lateral end sections of the beam. In certain applications, such as battery tray side members, the structural beam may be linear along its entire length. The completed structural beams 12 may be collected in a run-off table 72. Figure 5 presents, and is not intended to limit, an exemplary implementation of the roll forming process. The steps of the process described may be carried out in an alternative order or in multiple or fewer repetitions. In addition, the process may be carried out in multiple separate processes rather than the suggested continuous process. Further alternatives are intended to be possible without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0030] Figures 2–4 show a structural beam 12 in which the upper flange 40 and lower flange 42 are tightly bent at the joint between the front wall 26 and the upper wall 34 and bottom wall 36, so that the sheet material folds back into itself, resulting in what is called a zero-thickness offset ("0t") bend. This is not intended to be limiting, and other alternatives are considered, for example, as shown in Figures 7–10. Figure 7 shows a first alternative structural beam 112 having bulbous upper flange 140 and lower flange 142, in which the upper wall 130 and bottom wall 132 extend to abut against the front wall 126. The first alternative structural beam 112 also shows an exemplary implementation in which the rib 37 is absent in the rear wall 128. In such alternatives, the ends of the upper wall 134 and lower wall 136 of the reinforcing insert may be free within the hollow internal region 144, abut against the rear wall 128, or welded to the rear wall 128 at a predetermined position. Figure 8 shows a second alternative structural beam 212 having bulbous upper flange 240 and lower flange 242, in which case the upper wall 230 and lower wall 232 do not extend to the front wall 226.

[0031] A reduced length 0t bend is shown in the upper flange 340 and lower flange 342 on the third alternative structural beam 312 in Figure 9. As shown in Figure 9, the reduced length 0t bend may extend above and below the upper wall 330 and bottom wall 332 by approximately 1 or 2 times the thickness of the material, respectively. In a typical example, the lengths of the upper flange 40 and lower flange 42 of the structural beam 12 may extend above and below the upper wall 30 and bottom wall 32 by approximately 4 to 8 times the thickness of the material, respectively. In other examples, the flanges may extend beyond the upper and bottom walls of the structural beam by shorter or longer distances. In some alternatives, the upper and lower flanges may extend by different distances. In further alternatives, the upper and lower flanges may not be present, as shown in Figure 10 with a fourth alternative structural beam 412. The front wall portion 426 may transition directly to the upper wall portion 430 and the bottom wall portion 432, and the bending radii 440 and 442 are determined, for example, by the thickness of the sheet material.

[0032] Referring here to Figures 11-15, additional exemplary configurations of structural beams are provided that demonstrate alternative configurations of reinforcing inserts. In Figure 11, a fifth alternative structural beam 512 is shown, where the reinforcing insert 522 includes an intermediate wall 533 extending between the upper wall 534 and the lower wall 536, with ribs 535 formed thereon. The ribs 535 may provide additional strength to the reinforcing insert 522. In Figures 12 and 13, the reinforcing inserts 622, 722 include additional shear walls 634, 634', 636, 636', 734, 734', 734'', 736, 736', 736'' extending between the respective front wall sections 626, 726 and rear wall sections 628, 728. Increasing the number of shear walls further enhances the stiffness of the structural beam, allowing the use of thinner wall materials as reinforcing inserts and potentially achieving higher beam strength. In Figure 14, the reinforcing insert 822 includes embossing 839 positioned along the length of the upper wall 834 and lower wall 836. In Figure 15, the reinforcing insert 922 includes corrugated upper wall 934 and lower wall 936 having wavy sides. The illustrated alternative features of the reinforcing inserts in Figures 11 to 15 serve to provide additional strength to structural beams and can be used individually or in various combinations to obtain greater deformation resistance while using thinner sheet material thicknesses. Obtaining high-strength performance from thinner sheet material reduces part weight and processing energy demands during manufacturing.

[0033] Referring now to Figure 16, a tenth exemplary structural beam 1012 is shown. The structural beam 1012 includes an outer beam profile 1020 and a reinforcing insert 1022 that reinforces the central section of the structural beam 1012 between two opposing longitudinal end sections where no reinforcing insert 1022 is present. The reinforcing insert 1022 is located in the hollow interior region 1044 of the structural beam 1012 and includes an upper wall 1034 and a lower wall 1036 separated by an intermediate wall 1033. The intermediate wall 1033 is located adjacent to the front wall 1026. The upper wall 1034 and the lower wall 1036 each extend between the front wall 1026 and the rear wall 1028. The upper wall 1034 and the lower wall 1036 each include outwardly curved extensions.

[0034] The outer beam profile 1020 has a longitudinal length and defines an elongated hollow body including a front wall 1026 and a rear wall 1028. The front wall 1026 and the rear wall 1028 are connected by an upper wall 1030 and a bottom wall 1032. An upper flange 1040 and a lower flange 1042 are provided at the joints between the front wall 1026 and the upper wall 1030 and the bottom wall 1032, respectively, with each flange 1040 and 1042 formed as a 0t bend. The front wall 1026 includes a rib 1027 formed in the front wall 1026. The rib 1027 may help position the reinforcing insert 1022 in the hollow internal region 1044. The rear wall 1028 includes a rib 1037 formed in the rear wall 1028. The rib 1037 can assist in positioning the reinforcing insert 1022 within the hollow interior region. The ends of the upper wall 1034 and lower wall 1036 extend adjacent to the rear wall 1028 and may abut against the rib 1037. In the tenth exemplary structural beam, the outer beam profile 1020 securely engages with the reinforcing insert 1022 along the ends of the upper wall 1034 and lower wall 1036 with the rib 1037 along the rear wall 1028, along the intermediate wall 1033 which is bounded by the rib 1027 along the front wall 1026. In this way, the reinforcing insert 1022 can be held in place relative to the outer beam profile 1020 without welding or other retaining means.

[0035] For the purposes of this disclosure, the term “joining” (in all its forms, such as joining, joining, coupled, etc.) generally means a direct or indirect joining (electrically or mechanically) of two components to each other. Such joining may be essentially fixed or essentially movable, achieved by two components (electrically or mechanically) formed integrally with each other as a single unit and any additional intermediate members, or achieved by two components, and may be essentially permanent or essentially removable or detachable unless otherwise stated.

[0036] 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 features. 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.

[0037] 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.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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 structural beam (12) for a vehicle, A roll-formed outer beam profile (20) having an elongated hollow body formed from a sheet material, wherein the hollow body has a front wall portion (26) and a rear wall portion (28) extending along a length defined between a first end and a second end of the hollow body, A structural beam comprising: a reinforcing insert (22) disposed along a central section (24) of a reinforcing beam between a first lateral end section (38a) and a second lateral end section (38b), the reinforcing insert (22) having an upper wall (30) and a lower wall (32) each extending between the front wall and the rear wall of the outer beam profile.

2. The structural beam according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing insert is disposed in the outer beam profile during the roll forming process.

3. The structural beam according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the reinforcing insert further includes an intermediate wall (33) disposed between the upper wall and the lower wall, the intermediate wall being adjacent to the front wall portion of the outer beam profile.

4. The structural beam according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the intermediate wall of the reinforcing insert is joined to the front wall portion of the outer beam profile by welding.

5. A structural beam according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the central section has a first length, the first lateral end section and the second lateral end section have a second length and a third length, respectively, and the first length is less than the sum of the second length and the third length.

6. The structural beam according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the first length is equal to the second length and the third length.

7. The structural beam according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the upper wall of the reinforcing insert portion extends rearward and upward at an angle greater than 70 degrees with respect to the front wall portion.

8. The structural beam according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the lower wall of the reinforcing insert extends rearward and downward at an angle of less than 90 degrees with respect to the front wall portion.

9. The structural beam according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the upper wall and the lower wall of the reinforcing insert extend rearward at an angle of 70 to 90 degrees relative to the front wall portion.

10. The structural beam according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the upper wall of the reinforcing insert portion extends rearward and upward at an angle greater than 75 degrees with respect to the front wall portion.

11. The structural beam according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the lower wall of the reinforcing insert extends rearward and downward at an angle of less than 75 degrees with respect to the front wall portion.

12. The structural beam according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the outer beam profile includes an upper wall portion and a bottom wall portion, and the upper wall portion and the bottom wall portion extend between the front wall portion and the rear wall portion.

13. The structural beam according to any one of claims 1 to 12, further comprising an upper flange at the joint between the front wall portion and the upper wall portion.

14. The structural beam according to any one of claims 1 to 13, further comprising a lower flange at the joint between the front wall portion and the bottom wall portion.

15. The structural beam according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the upper flange and the lower flange include zero-thickness bending.

16. The structural beam according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the zero-thickness bend is annealed during roll forming.

17. The structural beam according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the rear wall portion includes a mounting surface adapted for attachment to a crush can.

18. The structural beam according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the upper wall and the lower wall of the reinforcing insert divide the internal volume of the hollow body to form a plurality of elongated hollow regions.

19. A bumper reinforcement beam (12) is configured to be supported by a crash can (14) in the vehicle frame, A roll-formed outer beam profile (20) having an elongated hollow body formed from a sheet material, wherein the hollow body has a front wall portion (26) and a rear wall portion (28) extending along a length defined between a first end and a second end of the hollow body, A reinforcing insert (22) is disposed along the central section (24) of the hollow body between a first lateral end section (38a) and a second lateral end section (38b), the reinforcing insert (22) having an upper wall (30) and a lower wall (32) each extending between the front wall and the rear wall of the outer beam profile, A bumper reinforcement beam in which the reinforcing insert is positioned in the outer beam profile during roll forming.

20. The bumper reinforcing beam according to claim 19, further comprising an intermediate wall disposed between the upper wall and the lower wall.

21. The bumper reinforcement beam according to claim 19 or 20, wherein the reinforcing insert further includes an intermediate wall (33) disposed between the upper wall and the lower wall, the intermediate wall being adjacent to the front wall portion of the outer beam profile.

22. The bumper reinforcement beam according to any one of claims 19 to 21, wherein the intermediate wall of the reinforcing insert is joined to the front wall portion of the outer beam profile by welding.

23. The bumper reinforcement beam according to any one of claims 19 to 22, wherein the central section has a first length, the first lateral end section and the second lateral end section have a second length and a third length, respectively, and the first length is less than the sum of the second length and the third length.

24. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 19 to 23, wherein the first length is equal to the second length and the third length.

25. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 19 to 24, wherein the upper wall of the reinforcing insert portion extends rearward and upward at an angle greater than 70 degrees with respect to the front wall portion.

26. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 19 to 25, wherein the lower wall of the reinforcing insert extends rearward and downward at an angle of less than 90 degrees with respect to the front wall portion.

27. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 19 to 26, wherein the upper wall and the lower wall of the reinforcing insert extend rearward at an angle of 70 to 90 degrees relative to the front wall portion.

28. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 19 to 27, wherein the upper wall of the reinforcing insert portion extends rearward and upward at an angle greater than 75 degrees with respect to the front wall portion.

29. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 19 to 28, wherein the lower wall of the reinforcing insert extends rearward and downward at an angle of less than 75 degrees with respect to the front wall portion.

30. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 19 to 29, wherein the outer beam profile includes an upper wall portion and a bottom wall portion, and the upper wall portion and the bottom wall portion extend between the front wall portion and the rear wall portion.

31. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 19 to 30, further comprising an upper flange at the joint between the front wall portion and the upper wall portion.

32. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 19 to 31, further comprising a lower flange at the joint between the front wall portion and the bottom wall portion.

33. The bumper reinforcement beam according to any one of claims 19 to 32, wherein the upper flange and the lower flange include zero-thickness bending.

34. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 19 to 33, wherein the zero-thickness bend is annealed during roll forming.

35. The bumper reinforcement beam according to any one of claims 19 to 34, wherein the rear wall portion includes a mounting surface adapted for attachment to a crash can.

36. The bumper reinforcing beam according to any one of claims 19 to 35, wherein the upper wall and the lower wall of the reinforcing insert divide the internal volume of the hollow body to form a plurality of elongated hollow regions.

37. A method for forming a structural beam for a vehicle, Roll forming of partial profiles, Inserting a reinforcing insert into the aforementioned partial profile, A method comprising roll forming the partial profile including the reinforcing insert into an outer beam profile of a structural beam for a vehicle, wherein the structural beam has an elongated hollow body.

38. The method according to claim 37, wherein the outer beam profile includes an elongated hollow body formed from a sheet material, and the hollow body has a front wall portion and a rear wall portion that extend along a length defined between a first end and a second end of the hollow body.

39. The method according to claim 37 or 38, wherein the reinforcing insert is disposed along the central section of the outer beam profile between a first lateral end section and a second lateral end section of the outer beam profile, and the reinforcing insert has an upper wall and a lower wall, each extending between the front wall and the rear wall of the outer beam profile.

40. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 39, wherein the reinforcing insert is disposed in the outer beam profile during the roll forming process.

41. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 40, further comprising an intermediate wall disposed between the upper wall and the lower wall, wherein the intermediate wall is adjacent to the front wall portion of the outer beam profile.

42. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 41, wherein the intermediate wall of the reinforcing insert is joined to the front wall portion of the outer beam profile by welding.

43. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 42, wherein the central section has a first length, the first lateral end section and the second lateral end section have a second length and a third length, respectively, and the first length is less than the sum of the second length and the third length.

44. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 43, wherein the first length is equal to the second length and the third length.

45. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 44, wherein the upper wall of the reinforcing insert portion extends rearward and upward at an angle greater than 70 degrees with respect to the front wall portion.

46. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 45, wherein the lower wall of the reinforcing insert extends rearward and downward at an angle of less than 90 degrees with respect to the front wall portion.

47. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 46, wherein the upper wall and the lower wall of the reinforcing insert extend rearward at an angle of 70 to 90 degrees with respect to the front wall portion.

48. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 47, wherein the upper wall of the reinforcing insert portion extends rearward and upward at an angle greater than 75 degrees with respect to the front wall portion.

49. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 48, wherein the lower wall of the reinforcing insert extends rearward and downward at an angle of less than 75 degrees with respect to the front wall portion.

50. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 49, wherein the outer beam profile includes an upper wall portion and a bottom wall portion, and the upper wall portion and the bottom wall portion extend between the front wall portion and the rear wall portion.

51. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 50, further comprising an upper flange at the joint between the front wall portion and the upper wall portion.

52. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 51, further comprising a lower flange at the joint between the front wall portion and the bottom wall portion.

53. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 52, wherein the upper flange and the lower flange include zero-thickness bending.

54. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 53, wherein the zero-thickness bend is annealed during roll forming.

55. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 54, wherein the rear wall portion includes a mounting surface adapted for attachment to a crush can.

56. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 55, wherein the upper wall and the lower wall of the reinforcing insert divide the internal volume of the hollow body to form a plurality of elongated hollow regions.

57. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 56, wherein the insertion of the reinforcing insert into the partial profile is performed by an automated process.

58. The method according to any one of claims 37 to 57, wherein the automated process is performed by a robotic manipulator.

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