Patents by Inventor Douglas S. Baas

Douglas S. Baas 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: 12134425
    Abstract: A rocker component for a vehicle having a reinforcement beam including a metal sheet that is shaped with a plurality of elongated bends extending in parallel along a length of the reinforcement beam that together form a cross-sectional shape extending continuously along the length of the reinforcement beam. The cross-sectional shape of the reinforcement beam includes a beam portion and a flange portion integrally extending from the beam portion and includes an edge of the metal sheet. The rocker component also includes a sill panel having flanges extending longitudinally along upper and lower edges of the sill panel relative to the vehicle, the flange portion of the reinforcement beam joined to one of the flanges of the sill panel to secure the reinforcement beam to the sill panel in replacement of a separate second sill panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2024
    Assignee: Shape Corp.
    Inventors: Brian Oxley, Matthew Kuipers, Joseph R. Matecki, Cody Alger, Douglas S. Baas
  • Publication number: 20230264246
    Abstract: A multi-tubular beam for a vehicle, such as a vehicle structure or a bumper reinforcement, includes an elongated beam formed with a metal sheet. The metal sheet has a central section and outer sections extending along a length of the metal sheet. The outer sections are disposed in opposing directions from the outer edges of the central section to provide adjacent first and second tubular portions. The central section forms a common center wall between the adjacent first and second tubular portions. A first edge portion of the metal sheet is disposed along and in parallel alignment with the center wall. The first edge portion is attached to the center wall at a first weld joint to form the first tubular portion. The first weld joint includes a weld material that extends through a thickness of the center wall and into a thickness of the first edge portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2023
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Inventors: Douglas S. Baas, Joseph R. Matecki, Shawn R. Jasman
  • Patent number: 11660652
    Abstract: A multi-tubular beam for a vehicle, such as a vehicle structure or a bumper reinforcement, includes an elongated beam formed with a metal sheet. The metal sheet has a central section and outer sections extending along a length of the metal sheet. The outer sections are disposed in opposing directions from the outer edges of the central section to provide adjacent first and second tubular portions. The central section forms a common center wall between the adjacent first and second tubular portions. A first edge portion of the metal sheet is disposed along and in parallel alignment with the center wall. The first edge portion is attached to the center wall at a first weld joint to form the first tubular portion. The first weld joint includes a weld material that extends through a thickness of the center wall and into a thickness of the first edge portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: Shape Corp.
    Inventors: Douglas S. Baas, Joseph R. Matecki, Shawn R. Jasman
  • Patent number: 11560180
    Abstract: A rocker component for a vehicle includes a reinforcement beam having a metal sheet that is shaped with a plurality of elongated bends extending in parallel along a length of the reinforcement beam that together form a cross-sectional shape extending continuously along the length of the reinforcement beam. The cross-sectional shape of reinforcement beam includes a beam portion and a flange portion integrally extending from the beam portion. The beam portion has a multi-hollow shape that encloses a plurality of hollow cavities that extend longitudinally between openings at opposing ends of the reinforcement beam. The flange portion integrally extends from the beam portion and includes an edge of the metal sheet. The flange portion is configured to attach to the vehicle for supporting the rocker component along an outboard side region of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: Shape Corp.
    Inventors: Joseph R. Matecki, Brian Oxley, Matthew Kuipers, Cody Alger, Douglas S. Baas
  • Patent number: 11427144
    Abstract: A galvanized reinforcement beam is continuously formed by uncoiling a roll of galvanized sheet stock in a generally horizontal plane. Protrusions are formed at an upper surface of the sheet stock, which is then roll formed to form a tubular shape with the protrusions abutting a surface of the sheet stock to form venting gaps. The sheet stock is laser welded at the protrusions to continuously form a weld joint, where zinc oxide gas generated from the welding is permitted to escape an interior of the tubular shape through the venting gaps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: Shape Corp.
    Inventors: Douglas S. Baas, Joseph R. Matecki, Shawn R. Jasman
  • Publication number: 20220212720
    Abstract: A rocker component for a vehicle having a reinforcement beam including a metal sheet that is shaped with a plurality of elongated bends extending in parallel along a length of the reinforcement beam that together form a cross-sectional shape extending continuously along the length of the reinforcement beam. The cross-sectional shape of the reinforcement beam includes a beam portion and a flange portion integrally extending from the beam portion and includes an edge of the metal sheet. The rocker component also includes a sill panel having flanges extending longitudinally along upper and lower edges of the sill panel relative to the vehicle, the flange portion of the reinforcement beam joined to one of the flanges of the sill panel to secure the reinforcement beam to the sill panel in replacement of a separate second sill panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2022
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Brian Oxley, Matthew Kuipers, Joseph R. Matecki, Cody Alger, Douglas S. Baas
  • Publication number: 20210309297
    Abstract: A rocker component for a vehicle includes a reinforcement beam having a metal sheet that is shaped with a plurality of elongated bends extending in parallel along a length of the reinforcement beam that together form a cross-sectional shape extending continuously along the length of the reinforcement beam. The cross-sectional shape of reinforcement beam includes a beam portion and a flange portion integrally extending from the beam portion. The beam portion has a multi-hollow shape that encloses a plurality of hollow cavities that extend longitudinally between openings at opposing ends of the reinforcement beam. The flange portion integrally extends from the beam portion and includes an edge of the metal sheet. The flange portion is configured to attach to the vehicle for supporting the rocker component along an outboard side region of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: Joseph R. Matecki, Brian Oxley, Matthew Kuipers, Cody Alger, Douglas S. Baas
  • Publication number: 20210053517
    Abstract: A multi-tubular beam for a vehicle, such as a vehicle structure or a bumper reinforcement, includes an elongated beam formed with a metal sheet. The metal sheet has a central section and outer sections extending along a length of the metal sheet. The outer sections are disposed in opposing directions from the outer edges of the central section to provide adjacent first and second tubular portions. The central section forms a common center wall between the adjacent first and second tubular portions. A first edge portion of the metal sheet is disposed along and in parallel alignment with the center wall. The first edge portion is attached to the center wall at a first weld joint to form the first tubular portion. The first weld joint includes a weld material that extends through a thickness of the center wall and into a thickness of the first edge portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventors: Douglas S. Baas, Joseph R. Matecki, Shawn R. Jasman
  • Publication number: 20200164820
    Abstract: A galvanized reinforcement beam is continuously formed by uncoiling a roll of galvanized sheet stock in a generally horizontal plane. Protrusions are formed at an upper surface of the sheet stock, which is then roll formed to form a tubular shape with the protrusions abutting a surface of the sheet stock to form venting gaps. The sheet stock is laser welded at the protrusions to continuously form a weld joint, where zinc oxide gas generated from the welding is permitted to escape an interior of the tubular shape through the venting gaps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2019
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Inventors: Douglas S. Baas, Joseph R. Matecki, Shawn R. Jasman