Patents Assigned to Shape Corp.
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Patent number: 9669786Abstract: A reinforcement beam is roll formed from a metal sheet for use in a vehicle bumper system. The reinforcement beam includes adjacent tubes having a common center wall and lateral portions extending from opposing sides of the common center wall that are roll formed simultaneously in the same rotational direction to enclose interior volumes of the adjacent tubes and to define top and bottom walls and front and rear wall of the reinforcement beam. The front walls of the adjacent tubes each include a channel rib depressed into the interior volume of the respective adjacent tube longitudinally along the reinforcement beam for stiffening the respective front wall. A weld is formed separately in each of the seams between the front walls and between the rear walls, thereby defining a crevice rib between the channel ribs to improve the bending strength and torsional strength of the reinforcement beam.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 2014Date of Patent: June 6, 2017Assignee: Shape Corp.Inventors: Thomas Johnson, Doug Witte, Daniel Gatti, Brian Oxley, Brian Malkowski, Kannan Ramamoorthy, Ed Pendergrass
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Patent number: 9527465Abstract: A bumper reinforcement beam includes a beam having a length and mounts at ends of the beam and cross sectional shapes at various locations along the length, including a first cross sectional shape near ends of the beam providing a first bending moment and a second cross sectional shape at a center of the beam providing a second bending moment different than the first bending moment, and further including intermediate cross sectional shapes between the ends and center having intermediate bending moments between the first and second bending moments. The cross sections may define open C-shapes or may include a tubular shape.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2015Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: Shape Corp.Inventors: Thomas J. Johnson, Brian E. Malkowski, Brian P. Oxley
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Patent number: 9394020Abstract: The specification discloses automotive body components including roll-formed components and slip-plane brackets. The roll-formed components may be used in place of components manufactured using other techniques, such as hydroforming. The slip-plane brackets may be adjustably positioned on the roll-formed components. More specifically, the slip-plane brackets are adjustable in two or more dimensions (e.g. laterally and longitudinally) before attachment, so that the brackets may compensate for tolerances in the roll-formed components. Attachment techniques may include welding and/or adhering.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2014Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignee: SHAPE CORP.Inventors: Brian Paul Oxley, Joseph Robert Matecki
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Patent number: 9381880Abstract: A multi-sheet beam includes sheets pre-shaped and/or pre-formed to have integral features and to cause a final beam shape with non-radiused corners and optimal impact properties when assembled, including beams with constant or varied cross sectional shapes. The non-radiused corners offer excellent impact strength over radiused corners. The sheets are selected to have desired (different) thicknesses and material properties for optimal impact results and low beam weight. To assemble, the sheets are fixtured together and welded to form box beam, such as a two-tube monoleg beam, preferably using welding processes having low heat-affected-zones around the weld. The multiple sheets can include grades of aluminum with high tensile strength well above extrudable grades of aluminum. Alternatively, the multiple sheets can be any grade of steel, such as high strength and ultra high strength steels. The fixturing and assembly technique minimizes capital expense on extruding machines and/or roll forming machines.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2015Date of Patent: July 5, 2016Assignee: Shape Corp.Inventors: Joseph R. Matecki, Daniel Gatti, Brian Malkowski
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Patent number: 9211858Abstract: A structural beam includes a reinforcement beam having a length and mounts at ends of the beam and cross sectional shapes at various locations along the length, including a first cross sectional shape near ends of the beam providing a first bending moment and a second cross sectional shape at a center of the beam providing a second bending moment different than the first bending moment, and further including intermediate cross sectional shapes between the ends and center having intermediate bending moments between the first and second bending moments. The cross sections may define open C-shapes or may include a tubular shape.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2014Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignee: SHAPE CORP.Inventors: Thomas J. Johnson, Brian E. Malkowski, Brian P. Oxley
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Patent number: 9108580Abstract: An apron for a vehicle front end comprises a unitary plastic component having a front structure and a rear structure joined by an offset portion. The front and rear structures extend at rearward downward angles and in generally parallel directions, and the offset portion extends at a rearward upward angle. The apron has a relatively constant vertical dimension, such that the angled structures define a wave-shaped envelope. Preferably, a horizontal plane extending from the tip of the front structure stays within the wave-shaped envelope, so that impact forces stay within the boundary in a manner providing improved impact strength and greater energy absorption during an impact. At the same time, the front structure provides a homogeneous structure that distributes local impact stresses uniformly and more widely into the rear structure, thus providing a more uniform impact resistance less sensitive to impact location.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2014Date of Patent: August 18, 2015Assignee: Shape Corp.Inventors: Cort Corwin, Devesh Kumar Soni, Craig Oomen
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Publication number: 20150102613Abstract: A structural beam includes a reinforcement beam having a length and mounts at ends of the beam and cross sectional shapes at various locations along the length, including a first cross sectional shape near ends of the beam providing a first bending moment and a second cross sectional shape at a center of the beam providing a second bending moment different than the first bending moment, and further including intermediate cross sectional shapes between the ends and center having intermediate bending moments between the first and second bending moments. The cross sections may define open C-shapes or may include a tubular shape.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2014Publication date: April 16, 2015Applicant: Shape Corp.Inventors: Thomas J. Johnson, Brian E. Malkowski, Brian P. Oxley
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Patent number: 8973957Abstract: A vehicle bumper system comprises a bumper reinforcement beam and an energy absorber with top and bottom rows of similarly-shaped spaced-apart crush lobes in alternating relation for uniform impact resistance across the bumper system. The illustrated top row of crush lobes provides a high first force-deflection curve for high impact forces, and the bottom row of crush lobes provides a lower second force-deflection curve, for pedestrian reduced injury. An elongated sensor is positioned under shear walls of the top and bottom crush lobes, and is retained by tabs on the energy absorber. This positively retains the sensor in position on the bumper system, with few (or zero) separate fasteners, while facilitating quick assembly and reliable operation of the sensor tube.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2014Date of Patent: March 10, 2015Assignee: Shape Corp.Inventors: Cort Corwin, Joseph Matecki, Craig Oomen
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Publication number: 20140377484Abstract: An apparatus comprises an uncoiling device for unrolling sheet material, an embossing device for embossing a series of crush initiating embossments into the sheet, a slitter to remove deformed edges of the sheet to facilitate welding, and a roll former with rolls configured to deform the sheet into a continuous tubular beam with walls each including some of the embossments, with the rolls being configured to clear the embossments but accurately form corners joining the walls. The apparatus further includes a welder welding abutting edges of the sheet together to fix the tubular beam, with the abutting edges being located inboard of an adjacent one of the corners but outboard of an outboard edge of adjacent ones of the embossments, and a cutoff device for cutting the continuous tubular beam into beam segments. A related method is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2014Publication date: December 25, 2014Applicant: Shape Corp.Inventors: Brian Oxley, Doug Witte, Joe Matecki, Martin Müller
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Publication number: 20140361558Abstract: A bumper reinforcement beam provides improved bending stiffness and strength, while reducing weight and maintaining functional bending impact strength. The illustrated beam is roll formed and includes a B-shaped cross section with upper and lower tubular sections sharing a common horizontal wall. A first material of the lower tubular section, including the common horizontal wall, is thinner than a second material forming a remainder of the upper tubular section. By using this arrangement for bumper beams that are likely to be impacted above a centerline, beam weight can be reduced by 2.5% to 6.7% or greater; while the stroke (intrusion into the vehicle) of impactors is generally maintained and maximum load capability (beam bending strength) is maintained.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2014Publication date: December 11, 2014Applicant: Shape Corp.Inventors: Brian Malkowski, Joe Matecki
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Patent number: 8872060Abstract: An apparatus forms a sheet into a beam having four exterior walls and a common center leg extending between an opposing two of the walls. The apparatus includes a roll former forming the sheet into the beam cross section, a welding station with top and bottom laser welders, and a weld box fixture having inwardly-biased external mandrels (biased by actuators) and outwardly-biased internal split mandrels (biased by springs) that interact to hold a desired shape of the beam in the weld fixture, and also includes a sweeping unit and cutoff device. By this arrangement, the internal and external mandrels, in combination with a bias of the actuators and springs, control a shape of the beam by flexure and movement of material of the sheet when in the weld box fixture during a welding process of the welder.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2013Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: Shape Corp.Inventors: Thomas Johnson, Doug Witte, Daniel Gatti, Brian Oxley, Brian Malkowski
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Publication number: 20140312636Abstract: A vehicle bumper system comprises a bumper reinforcement beam and an energy absorber with top and bottom rows of similarly-shaped spaced-apart crush lobes in alternating relation for uniform impact resistance across the bumper system. The illustrated top row of crush lobes provides a high first force-deflection curve for high impact forces, and the bottom row of crush lobes provides a lower second force-deflection curve, for pedestrian reduced injury. An elongated sensor is positioned under shear walls of the top and bottom crush lobes, and is retained by tabs on the energy absorber. This positively retains the sensor in position on the bumper system, with few (or zero) separate fasteners, while facilitating quick assembly and reliable operation of the sensor tube.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2014Publication date: October 23, 2014Applicant: Shape Corp.Inventors: Cort Corwin, Joseph Matecki, Craig Oomen
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Publication number: 20140306482Abstract: An apron for a vehicle front end comprises a unitary plastic component having a front structure and a rear structure joined by an offset portion. The front and rear structures extend at rearward downward angles and in generally parallel directions, and the offset portion extends at a rearward upward angle. The apron has a relatively constant vertical dimension, such that the angled structures define a wave-shaped envelope. Preferably, a horizontal plane extending from the tip of the front structure stays within the wave-shaped envelope, so that impact forces stay within the boundary in a manner providing improved impact strength and greater energy absorption during an impact. At the same time, the front structure provides a homogeneous structure that distributes local impact stresses uniformly and more widely into the rear structure, thus providing a more uniform impact resistance less sensitive to impact location.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2014Publication date: October 16, 2014Applicant: Shape Corp.Inventors: Cort Corwin, Devesh Kumar Soni, Craig Oomen
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Patent number: 8763437Abstract: An apparatus includes a roll former with rolls configured to form a structural beam from sheet material, and a sweep unit for longitudinally sweeping a beam in any of vertical, horizontal, or combination directions. The sweep unit has a first pair of forming rolls positioned to engage first opposing sides of the structural beam and has a second pair of forming rolls positioned to engage second opposing sides of the structural beam. The sweep unit movably supports the first and second pairs of forming rolls so that any selected one of the forming rolls continuously engages an associated side of the structural beam while an associated one of the forming rolls opposing the selected one forming roll moves downstream and around the selected one forming roll. This provides a very stable beam-bending condition promoting dimensional stability during the sweeping process, and hence dimensional accuracy and repeatability.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2012Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: Shape Corp.Inventors: Richard D. Heinz, Bryan E. Gould
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Patent number: 8727421Abstract: A door beam assembly for a passenger vehicle comprises a roll formed longitudinally-swept tubular beam having a constant cross section defining a generally-orthogonal shape, with the outside wall having an integral channel rib formed into the wall to stiffen the wall. C-shaped mounting brackets are attached to beam ends, with opposing walls welded to and supporting walls of the beam, and with a transverse wall spaced from the adjacent wall of the beam. In one aspect, right and left door beam assemblies includes identical beams, front and rear mounting brackets attached to each end, and identical center brackets.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2012Date of Patent: May 20, 2014Assignee: Shape Corp.Inventors: Aimee N. Cohoon, Corey J. Hoff
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Patent number: 8716624Abstract: A roll former for forming a sheet into a continuous multi-tubular reinforcement beam. The roll former includes a first set of rollers that are configured to bend the sheet to form a common center wall in generally perpendicular orientation relative to first and second lateral portions of the sheet that extend in opposing directions from respective first and second radiused ends of the common center wall. The first set of rollers also form radiused edges on the first and second lateral portions. A second set of rollers is configured to form a channel rib longitudinally along each of the first and second lateral portions. A third set of rollers is configured to bend the first and second lateral portions simultaneously and equally to abut the first and second radiused edges with the respective first and second radiused ends of the common center wall to define adjacent tubes of the beam.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2013Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: Shape Corp.Inventors: Thomas Johnson, Doug Witte, Daniel Gatti, Brian Oxley, Brian Malkowski
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Patent number: 8646552Abstract: An integrated assembly includes a bumper energy absorber section with crush lobes for abutting a bumper beam, an upper air shutter section with subassembled shutter members movable between closed and open positions, a first actuator mechanism for moving the shutter members between positions, an upper fascia support section with upper leg crush lobe therein above the upper air shutter section, a lower air shutter section with subassembled lower shutter members movable between closed and open positions, a second actuator mechanism for moving the lower shutter members between the positions; and a lower leg energy absorber section attached below the lower air shutter section and configured to abut (or replace) a face of a secondary pedestrian impact bar. The shutter members may be molded to a shutter frame using over molding technology rather than separately, manually assembled.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2011Date of Patent: February 11, 2014Assignee: Shape Corp.Inventors: Darin Evans, Dan Ralston, Benjamin R. Zabik
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Publication number: 20140033791Abstract: A roll former for forming a sheet into a continuous multi-tubular reinforcement beam. The roll former includes a first set of rollers that are configured to bend the sheet to form a common center wall in generally perpendicular orientation relative to first and second lateral portions of the sheet that extend in opposing directions from respective first and second radiused ends of the common center wall. The first set of rollers also form radiused edges on the first and second lateral portions. A second set of rollers is configured to form a channel rib longitudinally along each of the first and second lateral portions. A third set of rollers is configured to bend the first and second lateral portions simultaneously and equally to abut the first and second radiused edges with the respective first and second radiused ends of the common center wall to define adjacent tubes of the beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2013Publication date: February 6, 2014Applicant: Shape Corp.Inventors: Thomas Johnson, Doug Witte, Daniel Gatti, Brian Oxley, Brian Malkowski
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Patent number: 8641130Abstract: A vehicle cowl cover includes a main body and a first yielding portion. The main body includes a first lateral end portion defining a first end edge and a second lateral end portion defining a second end edge. The first yielding portion is attached along a majority of the first end edge such that the first yielding portion at least partially forms a first end surface of the first lateral end portion. The first yielding portion has a first elasticity greater than a second elasticity of the main body.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2011Date of Patent: February 4, 2014Assignees: Nissan North America, Inc., Shape Corp.Inventors: Thomas R Morden, Vinod Desai
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Patent number: 8602183Abstract: An energy absorber includes opposing aligned crush lobes expandable in opposite directions, and when expanded, potentially collapse with different energy-absorbing rates and stroke distances. The energy absorber forms a subassembly design that is adaptable and easily modified for predetermined energy absorption crush curves and specific energy-absorbing circumstances, such that it can be used inside a vehicle passenger compartment or outside a vehicle in different locations, such as for a knee bolster on the instrument panel, or on a door inner panel, or on an under-knee seat component, or on a headliner or A-pillar cover, or hood-lifter for pedestrian safety. One version of the energy absorber includes formed sheets bonded along a perimeter to define two cavities and an inflator-holding pocket connected to the cavities by integrally-formed tunnels.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2010Date of Patent: December 10, 2013Assignees: Shape Corp., Autoliv ASP, Inc.Inventors: Thomas C. VandenBerge, Scott D. Wilde, Joel M. Cormier, Geoffrey A. Mills, David Zecchin