Shape Corp.

A front rail configured to be supported by a vehicle frame includes a tubular body formed by a roll-formed high-strength metal and configured to undergo axial loading during a frontal vehicle impact. The high-strength metal steel defines a cross-sectional shape along a length of the tubular body. The tubular body includes a central wall extending from a first side wall to a second side wall defining at least a first longitudinal hollow channel and a second longitudinal hollow channel. A first crush initiator is disposed in the first side wall of the tubular body at a first crush area and is formed in the high-strength metal before roll-forming the tubular body. A second crush initiator is disposed in the corners of the tubular body at a second crush area and is formed in the high-strength metal after roll-forming the tubular body.

A reinforcement beam for a vehicle has an outer beam profile and an inner beam profile. The outer beam profile define an elongated hollow body and includes a front wall portion and a rear wall portion. The outer beam profile may include upper and lower flanges that formed in planar extension of the font wall portion. The inner beam profile may include a C-shape defining an upper shear wall and a lower shear wall that each extend between the front wall portion and the rear wall portion. The outer beam profile and the inner beam profile may be formed from a single sheet material through a roll-forming process. The inner beam profile may be present over a central section of the elongated hollow body and have a length that is less than half the length of the elongated hollow body.

A reinforcement beam for a vehicle has an outer beam profile and a reinforcing insert introduced during the roll-forming process. The outer beam profile defines an elongated hollow body and includes a front wall portion and a rear wall portion. The outer beam profile may include upper and lower flanges formed in planar extension of the font wall portion. The reinforcing insert may define an upper shear wall and a lower shear wall that each extend between the front wall portion and the rear wall portion. The reinforcing insert may be introduced to a partial profile in a roll-forming process through an automated operation. The reinforcing insert may be present over a central section of the elongated hollow body and have a length that is less than half the length of the elongated hollow body.

A reinforcement beam for a vehicle has an outer beam and an inner beam. The outer beam spans laterally between crush cans of the vehicle. The outer beam forms an elongated hollow body that has a front wall and a rear wall extending along the length of the reinforcement beam. The inner beam is disposed along an intermediate section of the outer beam. The inner beam further includes an upper wall and a lower wall that each extend between the front wall and the rear wall of the outer beam. The front wall and the rear wall may include at least one rib that extends along the length of the outer beam.

A side frame assembly for a vehicle includes a rocker structure and an inboard stiffening beam. The rocker structure includes a metal sheet that has longitudinal bends along a length of the rocker structure separating the upper wall, the lower wall, and the inner wall of the rocker structure. The inboard stiffening beam is disposed along an inboard-facing surface of the inner wall of the rocker structure. The inboard stiffening beam includes a second metal sheet that is formed to define a tubular shape along a length of the inboard stiffening beam. The tubular shape includes a planar upper wall and/or a planar lower wall, the planar extent of which intersects a portion of the rocker structure, such as the inner wall, to form a lateral load path from the rocker structure to the tubular shape of inboard stiffening beam.

A hybrid bumper assembly for a vehicle includes a steel reinforcement beam and aluminum crush cans attached to end portions of the steel reinforcement beam. The reinforcement beam has a multi-tubular shape that is formed by a high-strength steel sheet that is roll formed to provide at least two tubular portions. A crush can has an interfacing portion that is coupled to an end portion of the reinforcement beam. The end portions of the reinforcement beam and the interfacing portion of the crush cans may be configured to attach together using a select joining technology in a manner that minimizes or eliminates bimetallic or galvanic corrosion between the reinforcement beam and the crush cans.

A vehicle bumper assembly includes a bumper beam and a crush can attached to an end portion of the bumper beam. An impact dispersion plate is attached to a front face of the bumper beam at the end portion of the bumper beam. A front surface of the impact dispersion plate extends downward from the front face of the bumper beam. A lower reinforcement member attached to a rear surface of the impact dispersion plate and extends along a lower section of the impact dispersion plate. An upright reinforcement member has an upper portion attached to the bumper beam and a lower portion attached to the lower reinforcement member. The upright and lower reinforcement members are configured, upon impact with a barrier, to disperse deformation of the barrier over the impact dispersion plate below the bumper beam.

A hybrid bumper assembly for a vehicle includes a steel reinforcement beam and aluminum crush cans attached to end portions of the steel reinforcement beam. The reinforcement beam has a multi-tubular shape that is formed by a high-strength steel sheet that is roll formed to provide at least two tubular portions. A crush can has an interfacing portion that is coupled to an end portion of the reinforcement beam. The end portions of the reinforcement beam and the interfacing portion of the crush cans may be configured to attach together using a select joining technology in a manner that minimizes or eliminates bimetallic or galvanic corrosion between the reinforcement beam and the crush cans.

A hybrid bumper assembly for a vehicle includes a steel reinforcement beam and aluminum crush cans attached to end portions of the steel reinforcement beam. The reinforcement beam has a multi-tubular shape that is formed by a high-strength steel sheet that is roll formed to provide at least two tubular portions. A crush can has an interfacing portion that is coupled to an end portion of the reinforcement beam. The end portions of the reinforcement beam and the interfacing portion of the crush cans may be configured to attach together using a select joining technology in a manner that minimizes or eliminates bimetallic or galvanic corrosion between the reinforcement beam and the crush cans.

A reinforcement beam for a vehicle bumper assembly includes a metal sheet formed into a beam having at least one tubular section extending along a length of the beam. The length of the beam has a central section disposed between end sections of the beam, such that the length of the beam spans laterally across a vehicle frame. The beam also has bend sections formed between the central section and the end sections of the beam to dispose the end sections rearward from the central section relative to the vehicle frame. The end sections of the beam terminate at distal ends an extended length outboard along the length of the beam from the pair of connection features configured to attach the beam to crush cans.