Multi-thickness welded vehicle structure
US11761052B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 24, 2021 |
| Grant date | Sep 19, 2023 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 24, 2041 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC21D2211/008
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A process for preparing a multi-thickness welded steel vehicle rail, the process comprises the steps of: (a) forming a first tube having a first outer diameter, an inner diameter and a first wall thickness; (b) forming a second tube having the first outer diameter, a second inner diameter and a second wall thickness different than the first wall thickness; (c) swaging a first end of the first tube to a second outer diameter less than the second inner diameter of the second tube; (d) inserting the swaged first end of the first tube into an end of the second tube to form a joint; (e) welding the first tube and the second tube together to form a weld at the joint to form a tube blank with a heat affected zone of lower metal strength in the area of the weld; (f) preheating the tube blank to create a common crystalline microstructure along a length of the tube blank; (g) introducing the tube blank into a blow molding tool having inner molding walls; (h) molding the tube blank at an elevated temperature by expanding the tube blank against the inner molding walls of the molding tool by injecting a pressurized medium into an interior cavity of the tube blank; and (i) quenching the tube bla…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.