Patents by Inventor Bruno Schepers

Bruno Schepers 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: 9254879
    Abstract: An aluminum alloy rolled sheet product for forming into automotive body panels, and having a yield strength of more than 160 MPa after being subjected to a paint-bake cycle, and having a gauge in a range of 0.5 to 4 mm, and preferably 0.7 to 3.5 mm, and having a composition of, in wt. %: Zn 1.5 to 4.0, Mg 0.3 to 1.5, Cu 0 to 1.0, Ti 0 to 0.15, Fe 0 to 0.35, Si 0 to 0.5, other elements and unavoidable impurities, and balance aluminum. An automotive body part formed from such an aluminum sheet. A method of manufacturing an automotive body part. Also, the use of the aluminum alloy sheet product in such a method of manufacturing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: ALERIS ALUMINUM DUFFEL BVBA
    Inventors: Axel Alexander Maria Smeyers, Sunil Khosla, Bruno Schepers, Alastair Wise
  • Publication number: 20140069557
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a formed aluminium alloy body-in-white (“BIW”) part of a motor vehicle, the BIW part having a yield strength of more than 500 MPa after being subjected to a paint-bake cycle. The method includes providing a rolled aluminium sheet product of an AlZnMgCu alloy and having a gauge in a range of 0.5 to 4 mm and subjected to a solution heat treatment (SHT) and quenched following SHT, and wherein the SHT and quenched aluminium sheet product has a substantially recrystallized microstructure, forming the aluminium alloy sheet to obtain a formed BIW part, assembling the formed BIW part with one or more other metal parts to form an assembly forming a motor vehicle component, subjecting the motor vehicle component to a paint bake cycle, wherein the aluminium alloy sheet in the formed BIW part has a yield strength of more than 500 MPa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicants: Aleris Aluminum Koblenz GmbH, Aleris Aluminum Duffel BVBA
    Inventors: Axel Alexander Maria SMEYERS, SR., Bruno SCHEPERS, SR., Sabine Maria SPANGEL, Alastair WISE, Ingo Günther Kröpfl, Sunil KHOSLA
  • Patent number: 8613820
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a formed aluminum alloy body-in-white (“BIW”) part of a motor vehicle, the BIW part having a yield strength of more than 500 MPa after being subjected to a paint-bake cycle. The method includes (a) providing a rolled aluminum sheet product of an AlZnMgCu alloy and having a gauge in a range of 0.5 to 4 mm and subjected to a solution heat treatment (SHT) and quenched following SHT, and wherein the SHT and quenched aluminum sheet product has a substantially recrystallized microstructure, (b) forming the aluminum alloy sheet to obtain a formed BIW part, (c) assembling the formed BIW part with one or more other metal parts to form an assembly forming a motor vehicle component, (d) subjecting the motor vehicle component to a paint bake cycle, wherein the aluminum alloy sheet in the formed BIW part has a yield strength of more than 500 MPa.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignees: Aleris Aluminum Duffel BVBA, Aleris Aluminum Koblenz GmbH
    Inventors: Axel Alexander Maria Smeyers, Bruno Schepers, Sabine Maria Spangel, Alastair Wise, Ingo Günther Kröpfl, Sunil Khosla
  • Publication number: 20130228252
    Abstract: An aluminium alloy rolled sheet product for forming into automotive body panels, and having a yield strength of more than 160 MPa after being subjected to a paint-bake cycle, and having a gauge in a range of 0.5 to 4 mm, and preferably 0.7 to 3.5 mm, and having a composition of, in wt.%: Zn 1.5 to 4.0, Mg 0.3 to 1.5, Cu 0 to 1.0, Ti 0 to 0.15, Fe 0 to 0.35, Si 0 to 0.5, other elements and unavoidable impurities, and balance aluminium. An automotive body part formed from such an aluminium sheet. A method of manufacturing an automotive body part. Also, the use of the aluminium alloy sheet product in such a method of manufacturing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: ALERIS ALUMINUM DUFFEL BVBA
    Inventors: Axel Alexander Maria Smeyers, Sunil Khosla, Bruno Schepers, Alastair Wise
  • Publication number: 20120090742
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a formed aluminium alloy body-in-white (“BIW”) part of a motor vehicle, the BIW part having a yield strength of more than 500 MPa after being subjected to a paint-bake cycle. The method includes (a) providing a rolled aluminium sheet product of an AlZnMgCu alloy and having a gauge in a range of 0.5 to 4 mm and subjected to a solution heat treatment (SHT) and quenched following SHT, and wherein the SHT and quenched aluminium sheet product has a substantially recrystallized microstructure, (b) forming the aluminium alloy sheet to obtain a formed BIW part, (c) assembling the formed BIW part with one or more other metal parts to form an assembly forming a motor vehicle component, (d) subjecting the motor vehicle component to a paint bake cycle, wherein the aluminium alloy sheet in the formed BIW part has a yield strength of more than 500 MPa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: Aleris Aluminum Koblenz GmbH
    Inventors: Axel Alexander Maria Smeyers, Bruno Schepers, Sabine Maria Spangel, Alastair Wise, Ingo Günther Kröpel, Sunil Khosla
  • Patent number: 7727346
    Abstract: A method of making a wrought aluminium-magnesium alloy rolled product, having a composition (in wt. %) of: 3.1<Mg<4.5; 0.4<Mn<0.85; 0.4<Zn<0.8; 0.06<Cu<0.35; 0.06<Cr<0.2; Fe<0.35; Si<0.2; Zr<0.05; Ti<0.3; impurities?0.05 each up to a total of max. 0.15, and balance aluminium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignees: Corus Aluminum NV, Corus Aluminum Walzprodukte GmbH
    Inventors: Job Anthonius Van Der Hoeven, Linzong Zhuang, Bruno Schepers, Peter De Smet, Jean Pierre Jules Baekelandt
  • Publication number: 20080289732
    Abstract: Method for making an aluminium-magnesium alloy in the form of a rolled product, having the composition in weight percent of: Mg 4.8-5.6, Mn 0.05-0.4, Zn 0.40-0.6, Cu 0.06-0.35, Cr 0.25 max., Fe 0.35 max., Si 0.25 max., Zr 0.12 max., Ti 0.3 max., others (each) max. 0.05, (total) max. 0.15, and balance aluminium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicants: CORUS ALUMINIUM NV, CORUS ALUMINIUM WALZPRODUKTE GMBH
    Inventors: Job Anthonius Van Der Hoeven, Linzhong Zhuang, Bruno Schepers, Peter De Smet, Jean Pierre Jules Baekelandt
  • Publication number: 20070187009
    Abstract: A method of making a wrought aluminium-magnesium alloy rolled product, having a composition (in wt. %) of: 3.1<Mg<4.5; 0.4<Mn<0.85; 0.4<Zn<0.8; 0.06<Cu<0.35; 0.06<Cr<0.2; Fe<0.35; Si<0.2; Zr<0.05; Ti<0.3; impurities?0.05 each up to a total of max. 0.15, and balance aluminium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2007
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicants: Aleris Aluminum Koblenz GmbH, Aleris Aluminum Duffel BVBA
    Inventors: Job Van Der Hoeven, Linzong Zhuang, Bruno Schepers, Peter De Smet, Jean Pierre Jules Baekelandt
  • Publication number: 20040261922
    Abstract: The invention relates to a wrought aluminium-magnesium alloy product, having a composition (in wt. %) of: 3.1<Mg<4.5; 0.4<Mn<0.85; 0.4<Zn<0.8; 0.06<Cu<0.35; Cr<0.25; Fe<0.35; Si<0.2; Zr<0.25; Ti<0.3; others≦0.05, each up to a total of max. 0.15, and balance aluminium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Inventors: Job Anthonius Van Der Hoeven, Linzong Zhuang, Bruno Schepers, Peter De Smet, Jean Pierre Jules Baekelandt
  • Publication number: 20040256036
    Abstract: Aluminium-magnesium alloy in the form of a rolled product or an extrusion, having the composition in weight percent:—Mg 4.5-5.6 Mn 0.05-0.4 Zn 0.40-0.8 Cu 0.06-0.35 Cr 0.25 max. Fe 0.35 max. Si 0.25 max. Zr 0.12 max. Ti 0.3 max. others (each) max. 0.05, (total) max. 0.15 balance aluminium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2004
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Inventors: Job Anthonius Van Der Hoeven, Linzhong Zhuang, Bruno Schepers, Peter De Smet, Jean Pierre Jules Baekelandt