Method for manufacturing a motor vehicle structural component from an extruded multichamber hollow profile

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12252183-B2
Application number	US-202418644129-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 24, 2024
Priority date	Dec 1, 2021
Publication date	Mar 18, 2025
Grant date	Mar 18, 2025

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a motor vehicle structural component from an extruded multichamber hollow profile. The method includes providing an extruded profile with at least two precursor hollow chambers which are separated from one another by an inner wall, wherein in at least one outer wall of at least one precursor hollow chamber in cross-section perpendicularly to a longitudinal extent of the extruded profile has a region with non-linear course. The extruded profile is formed in at least one of its end regions into the motor vehicle structural component, wherein at least the region with non-linear course of the at least one outer wall of the at least one precursor hollow chamber, with non-linear course in cross-section, is at least partially straightened, with a change in cross-section of the respective precursor hollow chamber into the cross-section of the corresponding hollow chamber of the motor vehicle structural component.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a motor vehicle structural component from an extruded multichamber hollow profile, the method comprising:
a) providing an extruded profile with at least two precursor hollow chambers which are separated from one another by an inner wall, wherein in at least one outer wall of at least one precursor hollow chamber in cross-section perpendicularly to a longitudinal extent of the extruded profile has a region with non-linear course; and
b) forming of the extruded profile in at least one of its end regions into the motor vehicle structural component, wherein at least the region with non-linear course of the at least one outer wall of the at least one precursor hollow chamber, with non-linear course in cross-section, is at least partially straightened, with a change in cross-section of the respective precursor hollow chamber into the cross-section of the corresponding hollow chamber of the motor vehicle structural component,
wherein at least one of the hollow chambers of the motor vehicle structural component has a smaller width than the corresponding precursor hollow chamber of the extruded profile and a greater height than the corresponding precursor hollow chamber of the extruded profile,
or
wherein at least one of the hollow chambers of the motor vehicle structural component has a greater width than the corresponding precursor hollow chamber of the extruded profile and a smaller height than the corresponding precursor hollow chamber of the extruded profile.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the forming in step b) takes place in a cavity of a split pressing tool, wherein in one precursor hollow chamber of the extruded profile, the cross-section remains substantially unchanged, and a forming tool or a mandrel is inserted, an outer contour of which corresponds to an inner contour of the hollow chamber of the motor vehicle structural component, while in the precursor hollow chamber of the extruded profile of which the cross-section is changed, an expanding forming tool or a transversely movable mandrel is inserted which expands or is moved transversely during and/or after closing of the split pressing tool until a definitive form of the hollow chamber of the motor vehicle structural component is achieved.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 , wherein both a compression and an expansion are carried out inside the split pressing tool in a same pressing stroke.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein during the forming in step b), a thickness of at least one outer wall of the hollow chamber with cross-section to be changed is reduced, and a thickness of at least one other outer wall of the hollow chamber with cross-section to be changed remains substantially unchanged.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein at least on an outer wall of at least one precursor hollow chamber, a non-linear web is arranged which is at least partially straightened in step b).

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the forming according to step b) takes place so that a circumscribing circle of the extruded profile has a smaller diameter than a circumscribing circle of the motor vehicle structural component.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one precursor hollow chamber is formed in multiple phases so that firstly a compression takes place of at least one outer wall in a compression direction, and during this a width or a height of the precursor hollow chamber is reduced, and then an expansion takes place of this at least one outer wall in an expansion direction, wherein the expansion direction stands at an angle between 30° and 150° to the compression direction.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one precursor hollow chamber is formed in multiple phases so that firstly an expansion of at least one outer wall takes place in an expansion direction, wherein the expansion direction stands at an angle between 30° and 150° to a compression direction, and then a compression of this at least one outer wall takes place in the compression direction and during this a width or a height of the precursor hollow chamber is reduced.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the inner wall is not formed during the forming in step b).

10. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the inner wall is also formed during the forming in step b).

11. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the at least one precursor hollow chamber of the extruded profile in cross-section is formed round, oval or arcuate in at least a partial periphery, and is formed into a polygonal hollow chamber of the motor vehicle structural component.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the forming according to step b) takes place exclusively in one or both end regions of the longitudinal extent of the extruded profile.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the forming in step b) takes place over an entire longitudinal extent of the extruded profile.

Assignees

• Benteler Automobiltechnik Gmbh

Inventors

• Ahuja Gaurav
• Michael Vijay
• Stemnes Per Ivar
• Grewe Jochem

Classifications

• B21C23/142

  Making profiles · CPC title

• B21C23/12

  Extruding bent tubes or rods · CPC title

• B62D29/008 Primary

  predominantly of light alloys, e.g. extruded · CPC title

• B21D41/02

  Enlarging · CPC title

• B21C23/085

  Making tubes (B21C23/10 take precedence) · CPC title