Patent ID: 6227609
Filing Date: 2001-05-08
Classification: B60J

Abstract:
A vehicle door reinforcing beam cut and cold formed from a flat sheet of ultrahigh strength steel comprisinga beam blank cut from a flat sheet of ultrahigh strength steel,said beam blank having an elongated generally flat central blank portion extending from end to end of said beam blank and integral side blank portions on opposite sides of said central blank portion,said central blank portion including opposite end wall sections constructed and arranged to be fixedly secured to a vehicle door frame and an elongated central wall section extending between said end wall sections,said side blank portions including leg wall sections integral with the sides of said central wall section and bent by cold forming in a direction away from a flat surface of said central wall section to form a central reinforcing channel structure having 1) leg section free ends defined by said leg wall sections adjacent said end wall sections and 2) central wall section ends integral with said end wall sections,said central blank portion having notches formed therein at positions outwardly of the leg section free ends so as to limit the occurrence of distortional stresses occasioned by the cold form bending of said side wall sections to those insufficient to distort the generally flat extent of said end wall sections with respect to said central wall section.