Pultruded beam, and apparatus and methods for manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016167609-A1
Application number	US-201514956518-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 2, 2015
Priority date	Dec 11, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present bumper impact beam includes pultruding polymer (e.g. thermoset polymer, preferably polyurethane) into continuous reinforcement (preferably carbon fibers or glass fibers), the reinforcement including fabrics selectively positioned and extending around corners for improved impact strength. The beam preferably has a 50%-70% fiber volume fraction that is relatively uniform throughout the part. A curved cooling support and/or beam design may be used to cause the cooled beam to have a sweep.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1 . A vehicle bumper system comprising:
an impact beam including polymeric material and at least 30% by volume of longitudinally-extending continuous fiber reinforcement embedded in the polymeric material, with at least some of the reinforcement extending a length of the beam; and attachment structure on ends of the beam for mounting the beam to a vehicle's frame rails.

2 . The bumper system of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement includes at least 40% fiber volume fraction.

3 . The bumper system of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement includes at least one fabric extending around a corner formed by a pair of joined walls in the beam.

4 . The bumper system of claim 1 , wherein the beam includes front and rear walls and also top and bottom and intermediate walls each extending between the front and rear walls.

5 . The bumper system of claim 1 , wherein the beam is at least 40% polymeric material and at least 40% reinforcement.

6 . The bumper system of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material includes at least one of a polyurethane thermoset material, epoxy material, polyester material, and vinylester material.

7 . The bumper system of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric material and the reinforcement define an overall fiber volume fraction optimization throughout the beam of between 50%-70%.

8 . The bumper system of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement includes fibers selected from a group consisting of carbon, aramid, basalt, glass, Spectra™, Diolen™, Sylon™, Dynemma™, boron, ceramic, and natural fibers.

9 . The bumper system of claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement includes fabric consisting of a sheet selected from at least one of: woven fabric, stitched fabric, tailored fabric with stitched patterns therein, braided fabrics, and multi-material hybrid fabrics.

10 . The bumper system of claim 9 , wherein the fabric includes discontinuous sections strategically placed along and around corners defined by the beam to control crack propagation along the corners upon impact.

11 . The bumper system of claim 1 , wherein the attachment structure includes a pattern of holes at ends of the beam.

12 . A beam adapted for impact comprising:
an elongated impact beam including at least 40% polymeric material and at least 40% continuous reinforcement extending a length of the beam, the beam including walls defining a closed section; and attachment structure on ends of the beam for mounting the beam to a vehicle's frame.

13 . The beam of claim 12 , wherein the closed section defines two closed cavities.

14 . The beam of claim 12 , wherein the reinforcement includes at least one fabric extending around a corner formed by a pair of the walls in the beam.

15 . The beam of claim 12 , wherein the polymeric material and the reinforcement define an overall fiber volume fraction optimization throughout the beam of between 50%-70%.

16 . The beam of claim 12 , wherein the reinforcement includes fabric consisting of a sheet selected from at least one of: woven fabric, stitched fabric, tailored fabric with stitched patterns therein, braided fabrics, and multi-material hybrid fabrics.

17 . The beam of claim 12 , wherein the attachment structure includes a pattern of holes at ends of the beam.

18 . A bumper impact beam comprising:
a beam including at least polymeric material and at least 40% reinforcement; the reinforcement including rovings and fabrics of fibers, the beam including a cross section with walls defining a corner, with at least one of the fabrics extending around the corner.

19 . The bumper impact beam of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the fabrics contains first fibers extending primarily along a length of the beam and second fibers extending in directions non-parallel the length, such that the first and second fibers have different orientations.

20 . A bumper impact beam comprising:
a beam made of polymeric material and reinforcement and including walls defining a cross section having a width (W) and height (H); the reinforcement includes at least one first fabric having a first width greater than W but less than H, and at least one second fabric having a second width about equal to H.

21 . The bumper impact beam of claim 20 , wherein the reinforcement includes at least one third fabric having a third width greater than H but less than or equal to W+2H.

22 . A bumper impact beam comprising:
a beam made of polymeric material and reinforcement and, when in a vehicle-mounted position, including front, rear, top and bottom walls defining a cross section having a width (W) and height (H); the reinforcement including at least one fabric that extends fully across the front wall and onto the top and bottom walls.

23 . The bumper impact beam of claim 22 , wherein the beam includes an intermediate wall extending between the front and rear walls and that is located between the top and bottom walls, and wherein the reinforcement includes at least a second fabric that extends fully across the intermediate wall partially onto at least one of the front and rear walls.

24 . The bumper impact beam of claim 22 , wherein the reinforcement includes a first fabric of first fiber material that extends across the front wall and onto the top and bottom walls, and includes a second fabric of second fiber material that extends across the rear wall and onto the top and bottom walls, the first and second fabrics including overlapping portions on the top wall and also on the bottom wall.

25 . A bumper impact beam comprising:
a beam made of polymeric material and elongated reinforcement extending a length of the beam, the beam when in a vehicle-mounted position including front, rear, top, and bottom walls forming a closed section with corners, and at least one internal wall extending between the front and rear walls; the reinforcement including at least one fabric in each wall that extends a full width of each wall and that extends partially onto an adjacent one of the walls.

26 . A process comprising:
pultruding a continuous beam by pulling reinforcement through a pultrusion die while injecting pultrusion polymer into the die, the reinforcement including at least some fabrics extending around corners formed by joined walls in the beam; cutting the continuous beam into bumper impact beams having a length sufficient to extend across a vehicle between vehicle frame rails; and forming attachment structure on ends of the beam including a pattern of holes for receiving bumper attachment fasteners.

27 . A process comprising steps of:
pultruding a continuous bumper impact beam including injecting a polymer into elongated reinforcement made from continuous fibers, the beam being elongated along a longitudinal direction; and forming the beam to a non-linear shape prior to the polymer setting up into a permanent set shape.

Assignees

• Shape Corp

Inventors

• Corwin Cort C
• Jacobson Toby K
• Matecki Joseph R
• Pendergrass Ed C

Classifications

• B60R19/24

  Arrangements for mounting bumpers on vehicles · CPC title

• B60R19/03 Primary

  characterised by material, e.g. composite (B60R19/18 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C70/525

  Component parts, details or accessories; Auxiliary operations · CPC title

• B29C70/523

  and impregnating the reinforcement in the die · CPC title

• B60R2019/186

  Additional energy absorbing means supported on bumber beams, e.g. cellular structures or material · CPC title