Lightweight composite automotive door beam and method of manufacturing same

Claim 2

A lightweight, composite reinforcing door beam adapted to be mounted in the cavity of a motor vehicle door which has an outer panel and an inner panel, the door beam providing structural reinforcement in the form of increased side-impact resistance when mounted in the cavity of the vehicle door, the door beam comprising: a body having a longitudinal axis, said body including a first wall and a second wall, said first and second walls extending in the direction of said longitudinal axis and spaced from one another in opposed relation; said body further including a generally U-shaped portion integral with said first and second walls, said generally U-shaped portion being co-extensive with said first and second walls in the direction of said longitudinal axis; said first and second walls and said generally U-shaped portion defining a channel-shaped area in said body, said channel-shaped area extending in the direction of said longitudinal axis; a core disposed in said channel-shaped area of said body, and core substantially filling said channel-shaped area in rigid contact with said first and second walls and with generally U-shaped portion; first and second mounting means attached to opposite ends of said body and adapted for mounting the door beam in the cavity of the vehicle door, with the longitudinal axis of the door beam positioned horizontally with respect to the vehicle door, thereby increasing the side-impact resistance of the vehicle door; and one of said first and second walls being curved outwardly along said longitudinal axis.

Claim 3

The lightweight, composite door beam recited in claim 1, wherein said body and said mounting means are formed of metal and said core is formed of a synthetic resin-based material.

Claim 4

The lightweight, composite door beam recited in claim 1, wherein said door beam is mounted to said inner panel of said vehicle door.

Claim 5

The lightweight, composite door beam recited in claim 1, wherein said core includes from about 70 to about 95 percent by weight synthetic resin, and from about 4.0 to about 29.0 percent by weight filler.

Claim 6

The lightweight, composite door beam recited in claim 4, wherein said synthetic resin is selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic and thermosetting resins.

Claim 7

The lightweight, composite door beam recited in claim 4, wherein said core includes from about 1 to about 10 percent by weight hollow microspheres.

Claim 8

The lightweight, composite door beam recited in claim 4, wherein said core includes from about 1 to about 10 percent by weight of a blowing agent selected from the group consisting of chemical blowing agents and physical blowing agents.

Claim 9

The lightweight, composite door beam recited in claim 4, wherein said filler is selected from the group consisting of glass microspheres, plastic microspheres, fumed silica, calcium carbonate, milled glass fiber and chopped glass strand.

Claim 10

The lightweight, composite door beam recited in claim 1, wherein said first and second mounting means are end pieces and said end pieces are integral with said body.

Claim 11

A lightweight, composite reinforcing door beam adapted to be mounted in the cavity of a motor vehicle door which has an outer panel and an inner panel, the door beam providing structural reinforcement in the form of increased side-impact resistance when mounted in the cavity of the vehicle door, the door beam comprising: a body having a longitudinal axis, said body including a first wall and a second wall, said first and second walls extending in the direction of said longitudinal axis and spaced from one another in opposed relation; said body further including a generally U-shaped portion integral with said first and second walls, said generally U-shaped portion being co-extensive with said first and second walls in the direction of said longitudinal axis; said first and second walls and said generally U-shaped portion defining a channel-shaped area in said body, said channel-shaped area extending in the direction of said longitudinal axis; a core disposed in said channel-shaped area of said body, and core substantially filling said channel-shaped area in rigid contact with said first and second walls and with generally U-shaped portion; first and second mounting means attached to opposite ends of said body and adapted for mounting the door beam in the cavity of the vehicle door, with the longitudinal axis of the door beam positioned horizontally with respect to the vehicle door, thereby increasing the side-impact resistance of the vehicle door; and said first and second walls each having end portions and said end portions of said first wall being attached to said end portions of said second wall to close the ends of said channel-shaped area.

Claim 12

A lightweight, composite reinforcing door beam adapted to be mounted in the cavity of a motor vehicle door which has an outer panel and an inner panel, the door beam providing structural reinforcement in the form of increased side-impact resistance when mounted in the cavity of the vehicle door, the door beam comprising: a body having a longitudinal axis, said body including a first wall and a second wall, said first and second walls extending in the direction of said longitudinal axis and spaced from one another in opposed relation; said body further including a generally U-shaped portion integral with said first and second walls, said generally U-shaped portion being co-extensive with said first and second walls in the direction of said longitudinal axis; said first and second walls and said generally U-shaped portion defining a channel-shaped area in said body, said channel-shaped area extending in the direction of said longitudinal axis; a core disposed in said channel-shaped area of said body, and core substantially filling said channel-shaped area in rigid contact with said first and second walls and with generally U-shaped portion; first and second mounting means attached to opposite ends of said body and adapted for mounting the door beam in the cavity of the vehicle door, with the longitudinal axis of the door beam positioned horizontally with respect to the vehicle door, thereby increasing the side-impact resistance of the vehicle door; and said first and second walls each having end portions and said end portions of said first wall being attached to said end portions of said second wall to close the ends of said channel-shaped area.

Claim 13

The lightweight, composite door beam recited in claim 10, wherein said body and said mounting means are formed of metal and said core is formed of a synthetic reins-based material.

Claim 14

The lightweight, composite door beam recited in claim 10, wherein said door beam is mounted to said inner panel of said vehicle door.

Claim 15

The lightweight, composite door beam recited in claim 10, wherein said core includes from about 70 to about 95 percent by weight synthetic resin, and from about 40 to about 29.0 percent by weight filler.

Claim 16

The lightweight, composite door beam recited in claim 13, wherein said synthetic resin is selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic and thermosetting resins.

Claim 17

The lightweight, composite door beam recited in claim 13, wherein said core includes from about 1 to about 10 percent by weight hollow microspheres.

Claim 18

The lightweight, composite door beam recited in claim 13, wherein said core includes from about 1 to about 10 percent by weight of a blowing agent selected from the group consisting of chemical blowing agents and physical blowing agents.

Claim 19

The lightweight, composite door beam recited in claim 13, wherein said filler is selected from the group consisting of glass microspheres, plastic microspheres, fumed silica, calcium carbonate, milled glass fiber and chopped glass strand.

Claim 20

The lightweight, composite door beam recited in claim 10, wherein said first and second mounting means are end pieces and said end pieces are integral with said body.