Patents by Inventor Bryan Mikula

Bryan Mikula 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: 7975383
    Abstract: A hydroforming process forms a hydroformed automotive component as a multiple cell member having an integral internal rib separating the cells and reinforcing the hydroformed component to increase the strength of a hydroformed component with a given size and shape. The tubular blank can be manufactured through a roll-forming process or by welding two structural tubular members, to form a tubular blank that has multiple cells with an internal rib separating the cells. The hydroforming process injects fluid under pressure into each of the cells to expand the tubular blank into the shape defined by the die holding the blank. The internal web separating the cells of the blank becomes an integral internal reinforcement spanning the component to enhance the strength, rigidity and stiffness of the component. Providing differential pressure on the multiple cells can stretch and twist the internal rib for positioning internally as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Lou Ratsos, James Lowe, John Reed, Lawrence Queener, Sergio Angotti, Ramakrishna Koganti, Bryan Mikula, Dean Gericke
  • Publication number: 20080028614
    Abstract: A hydroforming process forms a hydroformed automotive component as a multiple cell member having an integral internal rib separating the cells and reinforcing the hydroformed component to increase the strength of a hydroformed component with a given size and shape. The tubular blank can be manufactured through a roll-forming process or by welding two structural tubular members, to form a tubular blank that has multiple cells with an internal rib separating the cells. The hydroforming process injects fluid under pressure into each of the cells to expand the tubular blank into the shape defined by the die holding the blank. The internal web separating the cells of the blank becomes an integral internal reinforcement spanning the component to enhance the strength, rigidity and stiffness of the component. Providing differential pressure on the multiple cells can stretch and twist the internal rib for positioning internally as desired.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Inventors: Lou Ratsos, James Lowe, John Reed, Lawrence Queener, Sergio Angotti, Ramakrishna Koganti, Bryan Mikula, Dean Gericke