Patents by Inventor John D. Bowman

John D. Bowman 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).

  • Heat treatment strategically strengthened door beam
    Patent number: 7451630
    Abstract: A method of forming a vehicle component, particularly an elongated impact beam, having an open section structure, in a manner to provide predetermined strategically strengthened portions, comprising the steps of cold forming unhardened steel into a workpiece having mounting surfaces, selectively fixturing the mounting surfaces, static induction heating the workpiece with lengthwise surface eddy currents on selected portions, followed by quenching of the fixtured heated workpiece to form strengthened portions, and unfixturing the resulting component. Also disclosed is apparatus to accomplish this, and the resulting novel vehicle component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Benteler Automotive Corporation
    Inventors: Todd W. J. Tjoelker, John D. Bowman, Alessandro Libriani, Joseph C. Kollaritsch
  • Heat treatment strategically strengthened door beam
    Patent number: 6918224
    Abstract: A method of forming a vehicle component, particularly an elongated impact beam, having an open section structure, in a manner to provide predetermined strategically strengthened portions, comprising the steps of cold forming unhardened steel into a workpiece having mounting surfaces, selectively fixturing the mounting surfaces, static induction heating the workpiece with lengthwise surface eddy currents on selected portions, followed by quenching of the fixtured heated workpiece to form strengthened portions, and unfixturing the resulting component. Also disclosed is apparatus to accomplish this, and the resulting novel vehicle component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Benteler Automotive Corporation
    Inventors: Todd W. J. Tjoelker, John D. Bowman, Alessandro Libriani, Joseph C. Kollaritsch
  • Heat treatment strategically strengthened door beam
    Publication number: 20030205910
    Abstract: A method of forming a vehicle component, particularly an elongated impact beam, having an open section structure, in a manner to provide predetermined strategically strengthened portions, comprising the steps of cold forming unhardened steel into a workpiece having mounting surfaces, selectively fixturing the mounting surfaces, static induction heating the workpiece with lengthwise surface eddy currents on selected portions, followed by quenching of the fixtured heated workpiece to form strengthened portions, and unfixturing the resulting component. Also disclosed is apparatus to accomplish this, and the resulting novel vehicle component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2002
    Publication date: November 6, 2003
    Inventors: Todd W.J. Tjoelker, John D. Bowman, Alessandro Libriani, Joseph C. Kollaritsch