Patents by Inventor Paul Akerstrom

Paul Akerstrom has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8968496
    Abstract: In a press-hardening plant, a contact-cooling press (12) is provided between the furnace (11) and the press-hardening press (13). Preselected parts of the blank (18) are contact-cooled such that corresponding parts of the finished product are softer and display a lower yield point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Gestamp Hardtech AB
    Inventors: Jan Larsson, Paul Akerstrom, Daniel Berglund
  • Patent number: 8684449
    Abstract: The invention relates to a B-pillar for a vehicle including a main section (20) with a hat-shaped section (21) comprising a central flange (22), two web portions (23, 24) and two side flanges (25, 26). At least the hat-shaped section (21) is press-hardened and has a breaking strength in excess of 1400 MPa and the side flanges (25, 26) of the hat-shaped section (21) have a breaking strength below 1100 MPa along at least part of the length of the side flanges (25, 26). The B-pillar (13) includes a cover plate (40) welded to the side flanges (25, 26) of the hat-shaped section (21) so as to form a closed profile, the cover plate (40) having a breaking strength below 1100 MPa at least in the region in which it bears against the side flanges (25, 26). The side flanges (25, 26) 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 (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Gestamp Hardtech AB
    Inventors: Hans Bodin, Jan Krispinsson, Paul Akerstrom, Daniel Berglund, Lars Wikstrom, Martin Holmberg
  • Patent number: 8465088
    Abstract: An A-pillar for a vehicle includes a first part (15) extending as far as the windscreen and supporting the door hinges and a second arcuate part (16) extending up along the windscreen and continuing towards the back in order to serve as a roof beam (19) above the door. This second part consists of two open sections (23, 24) with flanges (25, 26; 27, 28) welded together so as to give the pillar a closed profile. At least one of the sections (23) is press-hardened and has a breaking strength in excess of 1400 MPa and the flanges (25, 26; 27, 28) of the sections have a breaking strength below 1100 MPa in a portion (35) situated above the door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Gestamp Hardtech AB
    Inventors: Hans Bodin, Jan Krispinsson, Paul Akerstrom, Daniel Berglund, Lars Wikstrom, Martin Holmberg
  • Publication number: 20130048160
    Abstract: In a press-hardening plant, a contact-cooling press (12) is provided between the furnace (11) and the press-hardening press (13). Preselected parts of the blank (18) are contact-cooled such that corresponding parts of the finished product are softer and display a lower yield point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Inventors: Jan Larsson, Paul Akerstrom, Daniel Berglund
  • Publication number: 20120319432
    Abstract: An A-pillar for a vehicle includes a first part (15) extending as far as the windscreen and supporting the door hinges and a second arcuate part (16) extending up along the windscreen and continuing towards the back in order to serve as a roof beam (19) above the door. This second part consists of two open sections (23, 24) with flanges (25, 26; 27, 28) welded together so as to give the pillar a closed profile. At least one of the sections (23) is press-hardened and has a breaking strength in excess of 1400 MPa and the flanges (25, 26; 27, 28) of the sections have a breaking strength below 1100 MPa in a portion (35) situated above the door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2010
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Hans Bodin, Jan Krispinsson, Paul Akerstrom, Daniel Berglund, Lars Wikstrom, Martin Holmberg
  • Publication number: 20120319431
    Abstract: The invention relates to a B-pillar for a vehicle including a main section (20) with a hat-shaped section (21) comprising a central flange (22), two web portions (23, 24) and two side flanges (25, 26). At least the hat-shaped section (21) is press-hardened and has a breaking strength in excess of 1400 MPa and the side flanges (25, 26) of the hat-shaped section (21) have a breaking strength below 1100 MPa along at least part of the length of the side flanges (25, 26). The B-pillar (13) includes a cover plate (40) welded to the side flanges (25, 26) of the hat-shaped section (21) so as to form a closed profile, the cover plate (40) having a breaking strength below 1100 MPa at least in the region in which it bears against the side flanges (25, 26). The side flanges (25, 26) 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 (40).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2010
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventors: Hans Bodin, Jan Krispinsson, Paul Akerstrom, Daniel Berglund, Lars wikstrom, Martin Holmberg
  • Publication number: 20100269957
    Abstract: A high-strength product of sheet steel is produced in the press hardening process. A blank is heated to reach austenite structure and hot-stamped in a pair of cooled tools. The product is kept in the tools to rapidly be cooled to harden with the tools as a fixture. The blank has a surface of black oxide before it is shaped and the shaped product is painted directly on the black surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2008
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventors: Paul Akerstrom, Jan Rolf Larsson
  • Patent number: 6869130
    Abstract: A vehicle door has an inner panel (11) on which an outer panel is fitted. The inner panel is covered by a loose panel, the trim. The inner panel has a front end wall (12) and a rear end wall (13). A reinforcement beam (20) is fastened between the end walls for transmitting force from a door pillar (33) to which the door is attached to a door pillar (34) behind the door, in the event of a collision. The reinforcement beam has a high single hat profile (21) which is fastened to the upper part of the front end wall, and extends in a curve out towards the external part of the inner panel, where the profile height is lower. The profile height decreases continuously from the high profile height to the low profile height, and the single hat profile (21) extends into a double hat profile (22). The reinforcement beam also functions as a side impact guard.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Assignee: SSAB Hardtech AB
    Inventors: Hans Bodin, Paul Akerstrom
  • Publication number: 20040036316
    Abstract: A vehicle door has an inner panel (11) on which an outer panel is fitted. The inner panel is covered by a loose panel, the trim. The inner panel has a front end wall (12) and a rear end wall (13). A reinforcement beam (20) is fastened between the end walls for transmitting force from a door pillar (33) to which the door is attached to a door pillar (34) behind the door, in the event of a collision. The reinforcement beam has a high single hat profile (21) which is fastened to the upper part of the front end wall, and extends in a curve out towards the external part of the inner panel, where the profile height is lower. The profile height decreases continuously from the high profile height to the low profile height, and the single hat profile (21) extends into a double hat profile (22). The reinforcement beam also functions as a side impact guard.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventors: Hans Bodin, Paul Akerstrom