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:
Jan. 19, 2016
Filed:
Aug. 05, 2011
Eric Boettcher, Columbus, OH (US);
Robb Augustine, Dublin, OH (US);
Eric Boettcher, Columbus, OH (US);
Robb Augustine, Dublin, OH (US);
Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Disclosed are methods, systems and apparatus for manufacturing complex three dimensional open structures by cold forming the component from unhardened metal stock and then selectively heating and quenching the metal to provide the desired strength profile across the component. The metal is initially formed of unheated and unhardened metal through a combination of rolling, stamping and/or milling operations to produce a component having a complex three dimensional open structure. The formed component is then hardened in strategically predetermined areas by sequentially heating and quenching the predetermined areas of the component. The heating and cooling elements are, in turn, provided on at least one robotic apparatus configured for moving the elements across the surface of the component in a manner sufficient to achieve the desired pattern of hardened and unhardened regions across the component.