Extruded member with altered radial fins

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9975508-B2
Application number	US-201414522352-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 23, 2014
Priority date	Apr 29, 2013
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

A method of extruding a component includes: creating a first design of a component, wherein in the first design the component comprises a member and is configured for an implementation; adding at least one radial fin to the member in the first design, the member and the radial fins being a second design of the component; extruding a piece that conforms to the second design and has at least one extruded radial fin; and altering the extruded radial fin on the extruded piece, the alteration adding or enhancing a structural property of the component in the implementation.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for use in a vehicle comprising:
an extruded hollow longitudinal member of the vehicle having a first end, a second end, and a length wherein the hollow longitudinal member has a cross-section that is uniform over the length; and
a fin attached to and extending radially from the hollow longitudinal member, and further extending from the first end of the hollow longitudinal member to the second end of the hollow longitudinal member;
wherein the fin has a fin height, and wherein the fin height is lower at the first end of the hollow longitudinal member relative to the fin height at the second end of the hollow longitudinal member, the fin having at least one notch where the fin height is lower.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of fins.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the fin and the plurality of fins are equally distributed circumferentially around the hollow longitudinal member.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an additional fin having a different profile from the fin.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the different profile is linear.

6. An apparatus for use in a vehicle comprising:
an extruded hollow longitudinal member of the vehicle having a first end, a second end, and a length wherein the hollow longitudinal member has a cross-section that is uniform over the length; and
a fin attached to and extending radially from the hollow longitudinal member, and further extending from the first end of the hollow longitudinal member to the second end of the hollow longitudinal member;
wherein the fin has a fin height, and wherein the fin height is lower at the first end of the hollow longitudinal member relative to the fin height at the second end of the hollow longitudinal member; and
additional fins, wherein at least one of the additional fins has a different profile than the fin.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the fin and the additional fins are equally distributed circumferentially around the hollow longitudinal member.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the different profile is linear.

9. An apparatus for use in a vehicle comprising:
an extruded hollow longitudinal member of the vehicle having a first end, a second end, and a length wherein the hollow longitudinal member has a cross-section that is uniform over the length; and
a plurality of fins attached to and extending radially from the hollow longitudinal member, and further extending from the first end of the hollow longitudinal member to the second end of the hollow longitudinal member;
wherein the plurality of fins have a respective fin height, and wherein the respective fin height is lower at the first end of the hollow longitudinal member relative to the respective fin height at the second end of the hollow longitudinal member; and
at least one notch in some of the plurality of fins where the respective fin height is lower.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising the plurality of fins are equally distributed circumferentially around the hollow longitudinal member.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising at least one additional fin having a different profile from the plurality of fins.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the different profile is linear.

Assignees

• Tesla Motors Inc
• Tesla Inc

Inventors

• Baldwin Michael J

Classifications

• B21C23/10 Primary

  Making finned tubes · 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 Primary

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

• Y10T29/49622

  Vehicular structural member making · CPC title

• B60R2019/182

  of light metal, e.g. extruded · CPC title