Abstract: A vehicle bumper beam includes front, rear, top and bottom walls and parallel reinforcement walls that define upper and lower tubes. The front wall includes a vertical section, an angled section, and a bent section on the upper tube. The reinforcement wall supports the angled section below the bent section to provide predictable and desired energy absorption. The angled section preferably includes an angled portion defining a first vertical dimension in the first tube and the vertical section defining a second vertical dimension, with a ratio of the first and second being about 1:3. In one embodiment, the upper and lower tubes are spaced apart.

Abstract: A vehicle door beam of relatively small profile and high strength. The door beam is fabricated from a web and includes a beam portion and brackets extending from opposite ends of the beam portion. The beam portion includes two lateral portions of the web rolled inwardly into closed configurations, and the two lateral edges of the lateral portions are welded to the beam portion. In an alternative embodiment, a second web is included in the beam portion and is part of both of the closed configurations.

Abstract: An energy-absorbing system includes a tube made of a continuous material, such as heat-treatable steel. The tube has first and second ring sections connected by an intermediate section. In one aspect, the intermediate section is flared and/or pinched to cause one tube section to predictably telescopingly roll upon impact. In another aspect, one section is annealed to optimize elongation and yield properties to facilitate rolling upon impact. By this arrangement, upon the bumper system receiving a longitudinal impact, the first and second ring sections telescopingly collapse with a predictable and consistent rolling collapse. Methods related to the above are also disclosed.

Abstract: A vehicle bumper beam includes front, rear, top and bottom walls and a reinforcement wall that define upper and lower tubes. The front wall includes a vertical section, an angled section, and a bent section. The reinforcement wall supports the angled section below the bent section to provide predictable and desired energy absorption. The angled section preferably includes an angled portion defining a first vertical dimension in the first tube and the vertical section defining a second vertical dimension, with a ratio of the first and second being about 1:3. Also preferably, the front wall is at least about 3 mm and the remaining walls are less than about 2.0 mm thickness, or more preferably the exterior ones of the remaining walls are less than about 1.7 mm. In one embodiment, the upper and lower tubes are spaced apart.

Abstract: The hang tag and method for labeling products. The hang tag is composed of a digital memory encoded with product information and a connecting member which removably couples the digital memory to the product. In this way, the hang tag provides consumers with a wealth of information relating to accessories, operating instructions, general company data, customer service information, web site links, telephone contacts, and other information consumers may find useful.

Abstract: A bumper beam includes an open front section made from a high-strength material such as ultra-high-strength steel (UHSS) material, and further includes a mating back section made of lower strength material attached to a rear side of the front section along abutting flanges. The front and back sections combine to define different tubular cross sections along their length, thus providing selected stiffness and strength at critical areas of the bumper beam. The front section can be roll-formed, and the back section can be stamped, thus taking advantage of roll-forming processes' ability to form high-strength materials, while allowing the back section to have a more complicated shape and be stamped. For example, the back section can be made from a material selected from a group consisting of HSLA steel, aluminum, and/or polymeric material. The back section is attached to the beam using welding or mechanical attachment.

Abstract: A bumper beam includes an open front section made from a high-strength material such as ultra-high-strength steel (UHSS) material, and further includes a mating back section made of lower-strength material attached to a rear side of the front section along abutting flanges. The front and back sections combine to define different tubular cross sections. The front section can be roll-formed, and the back section can be stamped, thus taking advantage of roll-forming processes' ability to form high-strength materials, while allowing the back section to have a more complicated shape and be stamped. The abutting flanges telescopingly overlap in a fore-aft direction of the vehicle and are welded together at locations that potentially experience shear upon impact, but the flanges of the front section are captured within the flanges of the backs section, thus providing impact strength even if the attachment locations shear off.

Abstract: An energy-absorbing system includes a tube made of a continuous material, such as heat-treatable steel. The tube has first and second ring sections connected by an intermediate section. In one aspect, the intermediate section is flared and/or pinched to cause one tube section to predictably telescopingly roll upon impact. In another aspect, one section is annealed to optimize elongation and yield properties to facilitate rolling upon impact. By this arrangement, upon the bumper system receiving a longitudinal impact, the first and second ring sections telescopingly collapse with a predictable and consistent rolling collapse. Methods related to the above are also described.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an improved doorbeam having increased impact strength and reduced weight. The doorbeam is formed from a continuous metal web having opposing lateral edges and a varying thickness therebetween. The stock is rolled into a tubular configuration, and the lateral edges are welded together. The resultant beam provides extra reinforcing material where needed to provide a balance between weight and strength.

Abstract: A vehicle door beam of relatively small profile and high strength. The door beam is fabricated from a web and includes a beam portion and brackets extending from opposite ends of the beam portion. The beam portion includes two lateral portions of the web rolled inwardly into closed configurations, and the two lateral edges of the lateral portions are welded to the beam portion. In an alternative embodiment, a second web is included in the beam portion and is part of both of the closed configurations.

Abstract: A bumper system for vehicles includes a tubular beam having front, top, bottom, and rear walls, and further having open tubular ends. The bumper system further includes a pair of mounting brackets each attached to the rear wall and extending around the associated ends and forwardly to a location where it attaches to the front wall of the one end. One or more crush initiating apertures are formed in one or more of the walls of the ends of the beam to provide more controlled energy absorption upon corner impost so as to reduce or better control damage to the vehicle's frame.

Abstract: A bumper system includes a tubular beam having front and rear walls, and a plurality of horizontally-extending walls that interconnect the front and rear walls. An energy absorber has a rear surface with a recess shaped to mateably receive and support the beam, and includes end sections that extend to be coplanar with the rear wall of the beam. The end sections cover the front wall and also at least partially cover a top, bottom and ends of the beam, and are constructed to flex and absorb energy to reduce a likelihood of vehicle damage. In one form, the end sections include honeycomb sections that engage beam mounts to transfer impact energy directly to the mounts. In another form, the end sections include cantilevered flanges that extend outwardly from ends of the energy absorber for impact absorption at the vehicle corners.

Abstract: A container has mating top and bottom portions that fit together to exteriorly provide an overall shape of a motor vehicle, and to interiorly define a cavity that contains a plurality of unwrapped food pieces. Preferred containers have appropriate colors, logos, entrant identifying numerals and so forth for a racing car. The top and bottom sections can be hinged, and can include a quick-release mechanism that assists in opening the cavity. The cavity preferably contains at least 25, or more preferably 50, 75 or even more pieces of substantially fungible mint or gums. Mints are especially preferred pieces, as are automobile shaped pieces. The mint or gums can be freely movable within the cavity, as opposed for example, to being contained within a bag, or individually sealed such as would be the case with taffy or other sticky products.

Abstract: A protective waistcoat comprising a front section (3) on the front side of a person (1) wearing the waistcoat (2) and a back section (4) on the back side of said person, straps (5a, b; 14a, b; 20a, b; 21a, b; 25a, b; 29a, b, 31a, b) for connecting the two sections (2; 3), and a number of armor cover parts (6; 7a, b; 8a, b; 16a, b; 17; 18) forming the sections. The armor cover pars (16a, b; 17; 18) of the front section (3) furthermore comprises at least one upper plate-formed armor covert part (16a, b) for substantially covering the chest region of a person wearing the waistcoat and at least one lower plate-formed armor cover part (17; 18) for substantially covering the abdominal region of the person, and said armor cover parts are arranged in partly overlapping relationship to each other. The waistcoat according to the invention thereby offers the wearer much more freedom of movement and much more comfort than was available when using a protective waistcoat of conventional type.

Abstract: A bumper system comprises a tubular roll-formed reinforcement beam. A hitch-supporting bracket has an inverted section shaped to fit downwardly onto the beam, and further has a laterally-extending second section. A hitch support tube is secured to the laterally-extending second section and has a hole for receiving a ball hitch for hauling a trailer. An energy absorber is attached to the beam, and includes a rear recess receiving the beam, a center section providing access to the hitch, and end sections that form steps on corners of the vehicle.

Abstract: A method of designing a high power factor integrated ferroresonant constant current source includes the steps of providing an input coil disposed about a ferromagnetic core and to be coupled to an AC voltage source. An output coil is to be coupled to a load. A control coil is coupled to a switch for regulating current output of the constant current source. A first capacitor coil is inductively coupled to the output coil and coupled to a capacitor to provide a first resonant sub-circuit having maximum gain, and a second capacitor coil is inductively coupled to the control coil and coupled to a capacitor to provide a second resonant sub-circuit to control resonant gain. A flux density (BPRI) is selected for a portion of the core around the input coils that is substantially lower than the flux density BCAP of a portion of the core around the capacitor coils.

Abstract: A vehicular bumper system includes a tubular beam and an energy absorber press-fit within the tubular beam. In particularly, the energy absorber includes front and rear wall sections, planar stiffening wall sections that extend horizontally continuously and completely between the front and rear wall sections, and stabilizing wall sections that extend between the planar stiffening wall sections. Pairs of stubby protrusions are formed on the rear wall sections that are aligned with the planar stiffening wall sections and that combine with the front and rear wall sections to define an arrangement where, when the energy absorber is forcibly pressed into the cavity of the tubular beam, the protrusions are deformed and stressed and/or are shaved off such that they friction-fit into the tubular beam.

Abstract: A method includes providing an apparatus that includes a scoring device for making transverse score lines on a roll of sheet material, a dimpler device or dimpler roller for making dimples adjacent the score lines at predetermined width locations, and a rollformer adapted to continuously form the sheet material into a tubular shape with channels. A welder is positioned in line with the rollformer and is adapted to weld the tubular shape into a permanent tube. A break off device positioned in line with the rollformer is adapted to break off sections of the tube at the score lines as the permanent tube exits the rollformer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an improved doorbeam having increased impact strength and reduced weight. The doorbeam is formed from a continuous metal web having opposing lateral edges and a varying thickness therebetween. The stock is rolled into a tubular configuration, and the lateral edges are welded together. The resultant beam provides extra reinforcing material where needed to provide a balance between weight and strength.

Abstract: A bumper system includes a tubular bumper beam, and a hitch-supporting bracket. The bracket has an inverted U-shaped section that fits downwardly onto the tubular bumper beam, and further has a laterally-extending planar section with a hole therein that is shaped to support a ball hitch for hauling a trailer. The beam has offset end sections that extend parallel a center section of the beam, but that are offset horizontally. An energy absorber is supported by the beam, and is sufficiently structural to form steps outboard of ends of the beam, and a fascia substantially covers the beam and energy absorber for aesthetics.