Gestamp Hardtech Ab

Ssab Hardtech Ab

Hans Bodin

Martin Jonsson

Lars Wikstrom

Jan Krispinsson

Daniel Berglund

Paul Akerstrom

Stefan Arvidsson

Martin Holmberg

Joakim Johansson

Jan Larsson

Kenneth Isaksson

Fredrik Lernstal

Emil Olofsson

Kristoffer Lundstrom

Petrus Hedlund

The invention relates to an elongate steel structure () for a vehicle comprising:&#x2014;first steel sheet element (), and a second steel sheet element (), said first and second steel sheet elements constituting opposite ends of the elongate steel structure and said first and second steel sheet elements overlapping each other in a mid-portion of said elongate steel structure, wherein the first and the second steel sheet elements have an overlapping hat profile including a central portion (), two webs (), and two flanges (), wherein at least one of the first and second steel sheet elements include cut-outs () along the flanges () such that the overlap is interrupted along said flanges ().

Overlapping elongate steel structure and method of producing such an elongate steel structure

A vehicle side structure () comprising a side portion () extending in a longitudinal direction (), wherein the side portion comprises a first and a second member () extending in the longitudinal direction. The first and second members () form a closed space (). The side portion () comprises a reinforcing member () located in closed space (), the reinforcement member () extending in the longitudinal direction. The reinforcement member () has a first leg () and a second leg () extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction. Each leg has a foot () extending in the longitudinal direction. The first and second legs () are joined in a head section (). Each leg () is corrugated, wherein the corrugations of the first and second legs () comprise ridges () and grooves () which extend from the head section () to the respective foot (). Each ridge () is more prominent in the head section () than at the foot ().

Vehicle side structure

A B-pillar for a vehicle is made by the press hardening method. The blank is made by placing two blank elements () with an overlap () and welding the elements together before the shaping process.

Method of hot-shaping and hardening an object from a metal sheet, and a B-pillar for a vehicle

A B-pillar is shaped from a sheet blank () into a hat profile with a central flange (), two sides () and two side flanges (), and it has, over a portion of its length, a reinforcing sheet () that make the B-pillar have double sheets. The reinforcing sheet () extends out over the side flanges () over at least &#xbc; of its length and narrows down at both its ends so that it does not extend out over the side flanges over part of its length.

B-pillar and method of manufacturing it

A B-pillar for a vehicle is made by the press-hardening method. The blank is made by placing together two blank elements () with an overlap () and welding the elements together before the shaping process.

Method of hot-stamping and hardening an object from a metal sheet, and a B-pillar for a vehicle

The invention relates to a B-pillar for a vehicle including a main section () with a hat-shaped section () comprising a central flange (), two web portions () and two side flanges (). At least the hat-shaped section () is press-hardened and has a breaking strength in excess of 1400 MPa and the side flanges () of the hat-shaped section () have a breaking strength below 1100 MPa along at least part of the length of the side flanges (). The B-pillar () includes a cover plate () welded to the side flanges () of the hat-shaped section () so as to form a closed profile, the cover plate () having a breaking strength below 1100 MPa at least in the region in which it bears against the side flanges (). The side flanges () of the hat-shaped section have a breaking strength below 1100 MPa in the region in which the side flanges bear against the cover plate ().

B-pillar for a vehicle

An A-pillar for a vehicle includes a first part () extending as far as the windscreen and supporting the door hinges and a second arcuate part () extending up along the windscreen and continuing towards the back in order to serve as a roof beam () above the door. This second part consists of two open sections () with flanges () welded together so as to give the pillar a closed profile. At least one of the sections () is press-hardened and has a breaking strength in excess of 1400 MPa and the flanges () of the sections have a breaking strength below 1100 MPa in a portion () situated above the door.

A-pillar for a vehicle

A vehicle door is manufactured by producing a supportive frame () and a waist rail () and a side impact guard beam () which are formed integrally with the supportive frame. The door is produced by hot stamping a steel sheet blank into the shape of a supportive door frame that includes an integral waist rail () and a side impact guard beam (), and hardening the shaped door frame while the frame remains in the shaping tools, and fastening an outer panel () to the finished door such that the side collision guard beam () of the frame will lie close to the outer panel ().

Method to make a vehicle door

A side rail for vehicles has a tensile strength in excess of 1400 MPa and has one end () projecting from the safety cage of the vehicle and adapted to carry a bumper. The end projecting from the safety cage has lower strength with a yield point of less than 1000 MPa over a length of at least 0.4 m. It has an outer portion with a length of at least 0.2 m and a tensile strength below 800 MPa and an inner portion with a higher tensile strength than the outer portion.

Energy absorbing side rail for a vehicle

A B-pillar () for a vehicle is fastened between a roof member () and a sill member () of the vehicle. The pillar has a martensitic structure and the steel has an tensile strength of at least 1300 MPa. Close to the lower fastening portion () there is a soft portion () with a tensile strength of less than 800 MPa. This soft portion has a height of at least 30 mm, extend over less than &#x2153; of the pillar height, and is so positioned that the lower fastening portion is martensitic.

An impact guard beam for vehicles comprises a beam () with a hat profile, i.e., with a crown (-) and side flanges (-), and the hat profile has its crown facing outwards. The beam has a cover () giving at least a central part of the beam a closed cross section. The cover has a profile allowing it to lengthen by straightening out when the hat beam's profile opens under impact loads, but stops the hat beam profile's opening when the cover is straightened out. The cover may carry a sensor () for an airbag, which is then placed inside the beam profile.

Impact guard beam

A vehicle door has an impact protection beam () which bears a sensor () for releasing one or more impact cushions. The beam () is a hat beam with its concave side facing towards the interior of the vehicle, and a fitting hole () in the central flange () for fitting the sensor () within the beam. One of the hat beam's webs () has clip holes for fitting the sensor's cabling along the beam.

Vehicle door and a side impact beam

In the press hardening process when a blank is formed and cooled in cooled tools (), the tools are used as a fixture during the hardening. The tools have alternately contact surfaces () and clearances () in a certain area against the formed product (-) and the contact surfaces have an area that is less than 20% of the area. As a result, this area will be a soft zone () of the final product and the zone will have good dimensional accuracy.

Method of hot stamping and hardening a metal sheet

A vehicle door has a supportive frame (). A waist rail () and a side impact guard beam () are formed integrally with the supportive frame. The entire frame is made of high strength sheet steel. The door is produced by hot stamping a steel sheet blank into the shape of a supportive door frame that includes an integral waist rail () and a side impact guard beam (), and hardening the shaped door frame while the frame remains in the shaping tools, and fastening an outer panel () to the finished door such that the side collision guard beam () of the frame will lie close to the outer panel ().

Vehicle door and a method to make such a door

A supporting frameof a door with an integrated side impact guard beamis made of high strength steel. The outer panelof the door will be close to the side impact guard beam. All the interior units of the door, such as lock and window structurewith window frame, are mounted on a beam structureThe beam structure is then mounted on the frameso that the window structure will be between the frameand the beam structure

Growing community of inventors

Sodra Sunderbyn, Sweden

Hans Bodin