Bi-rectangular vehicle beam with cellular structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10330168-B2
Application number	US-201715592585-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2017
Priority date	May 11, 2017
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

A vehicle beam is provided. The vehicle beam may include an outer tube having four outer walls an inner tube having four inner walls inside the outer tube and a first set and a second set of ribs. The first set of ribs may extend from a midpoint of each inner wall to a midpoint of each outer wall. The second set of ribs may extend from a midpoint of each of the first set of ribs to one corner of the outer tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle beam comprising:
an outer tube having four outer walls an inner tube having four inner walls inside the outer tube;
a first set of ribs extending from a midpoint of each inner wall to a midpoint of each outer wall; and
a second set of ribs extending from a midpoint of each of the first set of ribs to one corner of the outer tube.

2. The vehicle beam of claim 1 , wherein the first and second set of ribs and four walls of the outer tube defines a plurality of triangular cells.

3. The vehicle beam of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of triangular cells are right-angle triangular cells.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a third set of ribs wherein the third set of ribs, the inner tube, and the outer tube define at least one isosceles trapezoidal cells.

5. The vehicle beam of claim 4 , wherein the third set of ribs extend from the corners of the inner tube to one of the corners of the outer tube.

6. The vehicle beam of claim 1 , wherein the outer tube defines a width L xo and the inner tube defines a width L yo , wherein a ratio of L xo and L yo may range from

4
>

Lxo
Lyo

>

0.25
.

7. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the outer tube defines a height L yo and the inner tube defines a height L yi wherein a ratio of L yo and L yi may range from

10.0
>

Lyo
Lyi

>

1.25
.

8. The vehicle beam of claim 1 , wherein the first set of ribs includes a first rib having a length L ab and a second rib having a length L ac wherein a ratio of L ab and L ac may range from

4.0
>

Lab
Lac

>

0.25
.

9. A bumper support beam for a vehicle comprising:
four outer walls forming an outer rectangular tube;
four inner walls forming an inner rectangular tube;
a plurality of corner ribs disposed between the inner and outer periphery wherein the ribs are arranged to define a plurality of trapezoidal cells; and
a plurality of inner ribs intersecting at a center of each trapezoidal cells and defining plural triangular cells.

10. The bumper support beam of claim 9 , wherein the rectangular outer tube defines a height Lyo and the rectangular inner tube defines a height Lyi wherein a ratio of Lyo and Lyi may range from

10
>

Lyo
Lyi

>

1.25
.

11. The bumper support beam of claim 9 , wherein the rectangular outer tube defines a width Lxo and rectangular inner tube defines a width Lxi wherein a ratio of Lxo and Lyi may range from

4
>

Lxi
Lyi

>

0.25
.

12. The bumper support beam of claim 9 , further comprising a first set of interstitial weblinks, wherein the first set of interstitial weblinks extend between a midpoint of the four walls of the inner rectangular tube to a midpoint of the four walls of the outer rectangular tube.

13. The bumper support beam of claim 12 , wherein the four walls of the inner rectangular tube, the plurality of inner ribs, and the first set of interstitial weblinks define plural right angle triangular cells.

14. The bumper support beam of claim 13 , wherein the first set of interstitial weblinks includes a first weblink having a length L ab and a second weblink having a length L ab wherein a ratio of L ab and L ac may range from

4.0
>

Lab
Lac

>

0.25
.

15. The bumper support beam of claim 12 , further comprising a second set of interstitial weblinks wherein the second set of interstitial weblinks extend from a midpoint of each of the first set of interstitial weblinks to each corner of the outer periphery.

16. The bumper support beam of claim 15 , wherein the second set of interstitial weblinks and outer rectangular tube defines plural right angle triangular cells.

17. A vehicle structural member comprising:
four outer walls forming an outer rectangular tube;
four inner walls forming an inner rectangular tube;
a first set of corner ribs extending from the outer rectangular tube; and
a second set of corner ribs extending from the inner rectangular tube wherein the first and second set of corner ribs converge to define plural triangular cells.

18. The structural member of claim 17 , further comprising a first set of interstitial weblinks extending from a midpoint of the outer rectangular tube and terminating at an intersection of the first and second set of corner ribs.

19. The structural member of claim 18 , further comprising a second set of interstitial weblinks extending from a midpoint of the inner rectangular tube and terminating at an intersection of the first and second set of corner ribs.

20. The structural member of claim 19 , further comprising a third set of interstitial weblinks extending from the corner of the outer rectangular tube to the corner of the inner rectangular tube.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Tyan Tau

Classifications

• F16F7/121 Primary

  the members having a cellular, e.g. honeycomb, structure · CPC title

• B62D21/15

  having impact absorbing means, e.g. a frame designed to permanently or temporarily change shape or dimension upon impact with another body (bumpers B60R19/02; shock absorbers in general F16F) · CPC title

• B60R19/34

  destroyed upon impact, e.g. one-shot type · CPC title

• B62D25/00

  Superstructure {or monocoque structure} sub-units; Parts or details thereof not otherwise provided for {(having impact absorbing means B62D21/15; running-boards, steps, or the like as superstructure sub-unit B60R3/00)} · CPC title

• B62D21/02 Primary

  comprising longitudinally or transversely arranged frame members · CPC title