The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 04, 2008
Filed:
Jun. 13, 2005
Bruce W. Lyons, Grand Haven, MI (US);
Bryan E. Gould, Coopersville, MI (US);
James H. Dodd, Tustin, MI (US);
Richard D. Heinz, Grand Haven, MI (US);
Bruce W. Lyons, Grand Haven, MI (US);
Bryan E. Gould, Coopersville, MI (US);
James H. Dodd, Tustin, MI (US);
Richard D. Heinz, Grand Haven, MI (US);
Shape Corporation, Grand Haven, MI (US);
Abstract
A computer controlled roll-forming apparatus is adapted to provide a repeating pattern of different longitudinal shapes to a continuous beam 'on the fly' during the roll-forming process. A sweep station on the apparatus includes a primary bending roller tangentially engaging the continuous beam along the line level and an armature for biasing the continuous beam against the primary bending roller for a distance partially around a downstream side of the primary bending roller to form a sweep. Further, actuators adjustably move the armature at least partially around the downstream side of the primary bending roller between at least first and second positions for imparting multiple different longitudinal shapes into the continuous beam. In one form, the apparatus also includes a coordinated cut-off, so that when separated into bumper beam segments, the ends of the individual beam segments have a greater sweep than their center sections.