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:
Jul. 12, 2011
Filed:
Jul. 28, 2006
Lou Ratsos, Commerce Township, MI (US);
James Lowe, Temperance, MI (US);
John Reed, Hudson, OH (US);
Lawrence Queener, Pinckney, MI (US);
Sergio Angotti, Canton, MI (US);
Ramakrishna Koganti, Canton, MI (US);
Bryan Mikula, Dexter, MI (US);
Dean Gericke, Brighton, MI (US);
Lou Ratsos, Commerce Township, MI (US);
James Lowe, Temperance, MI (US);
John Reed, Hudson, OH (US);
Lawrence Queener, Pinckney, MI (US);
Sergio Angotti, Canton, MI (US);
Ramakrishna Koganti, Canton, MI (US);
Bryan Mikula, Dexter, MI (US);
Dean Gericke, Brighton, MI (US);
Ford Global Technologies, LLC, Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A hydroforming process forms a hydroformed automotive component as a multiple cell member having an integral internal rib separating the cells and reinforcing the hydroformed component to increase the strength of a hydroformed component with a given size and shape. The tubular blank can be manufactured through a roll-forming process or by welding two structural tubular members, to form a tubular blank that has multiple cells with an internal rib separating the cells. The hydroforming process injects fluid under pressure into each of the cells to expand the tubular blank into the shape defined by the die holding the blank. The internal web separating the cells of the blank becomes an integral internal reinforcement spanning the component to enhance the strength, rigidity and stiffness of the component. Providing differential pressure on the multiple cells can stretch and twist the internal rib for positioning internally as desired.