Sheet-metal elements made of flexibly rolled material strip

Abstract

The invention relates to sheet-metal elements made of flexibly rolled material strip having different thicknesses in the longitudinal direction of the strip. A solution according to the invention consists in a sheet-metal element reshaped about the longitudinal direction of the strip or reshaped transverse to the longitudinal direction of the strip from a flexibly rolled material strip having different thicknesses in the longitudinal direction of the strip to form a tube or profile body having an out-of-round cross-section and variable wall thickness over the length or over the circumference.

1 . A sheet-metal element reshaped about the longitudinal direction of the strip from flexibly rolled material strip having different thicknesses in the longitudinal direction of the strip to form a tube or profile body having an out-of-round cross-section and variable wall thickness over the length.  
   
   
       2 . A sheet-metal element reshaped transverse to the longitudinal direction of the strip from flexibly rolled material strip having different thicknesses in the longitudinal direction of the strip to form a tube or profile body having an out-of-round cross-section and variable wall thickness over the circumference.  
   
   
       3 . The element according to claims  1  or  2 , wherein it is closed in cross-section and welded in the longitudinal direction.  
   
   
       4 . The element according to claims  1  or  2 , wherein it is open in cross-section.  
   
   
       5 . The element according to  claim 1 , wherein it has a variable cross-section in the longitudinal direction, especially a continuously and similarly varying cross-section.  
   
   
       6 . The element according to  claim 2 , wherein it has longitudinal sections which differ from the uniform cross-section.  
   
   
       7 . The element according to  claim 5 , wherein it runs curved in the longitudinal direction.  
   
   
       8 . The element according to  claim 6 , wherein it has a constant inner cross-section and differences in wall thickness on the outside.  
   
   
       9 . The element according to  claim 5 , wherein it has a constant outer cross-section and differences in wall thickness on the inside.  
   
   
       10 . The element according to  claim 6 , wherein the difference in wall thickness is at least 25% relative to the maximum thickness.  
   
   
       11 . The element according to  claim 10 , wherein it is provided with indentations, especially in a uniform grid arrangement.  
   
   
       12 . The element according to any claims  9 , wherein it is provided with punched holes in its surface.  
   
   
       13 . The element according to  claim 12 , wherein it has end sections having greater wall thickness.  
   
   
       14 . The element according to  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the end sections is broadened in cross-section as a push-fit fitting.  
   
   
       15 . Sheet-metal element with variable wall thickness in one direction, which is reshaped in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the strip from flexibly rolled material strip having different thicknesses in the longitudinal direction of the strip to form a corrugated surface element so that regions of equal wall thickness run perpendicular to the direction of beads, edges or cylinder lines.  
   
   
       16 . Sheet-metal element with variable wall thickness in one direction, which is reshaped substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the strip from flexibly rolled material strip having different thicknesses in the longitudinal direction of the strip to form a corrugated surface element so that regions of equal wall thickness run parallel to the direction of beads, edges or cylinder lines.  
   
   
       17 . Sheet-metal element with variable wall thickness in one direction, which is reshaped from flexibly rolled material strip having different thicknesses in the longitudinal direction of the strip to form a spatially deformed surface element.  
   
   
       18 . Sheet-metal element composed of a plurality of sheet-metal elements according to claims  15  or  17  along longitudinal edges to form a surface element.  
   
   
       19 . Sheet-metal element composed of a plurality of sheet-metal elements according to claims  15  or  17  along longitudinal edges to form a hollow body.  
   
   
       20 . Sheet-metal element composed of a plurality of sheet-metal elements according to claims  15  or  17  along circumferential edges to form a hollow body.  
   
   
       21 . Sheet-metal element composed of a plurality of sheet-metal elements according to  claim 16  along longitudinal edges to form a surface element.  
   
   
       22 . Sheet-metal element composed of a plurality of sheet-metal elements according to  claim 16  along longitudinal edges to form a hollow body.  
   
   
       23 . Sheet-metal element composed of a plurality of sheet-metal elements according to  claim 16  along circumferential edges to form a hollow body.  
   
   
       24 . The element according to  claim 19 , characterized in that it is open at two ends.  
   
   
       25 . The element according to  claim 22  or  23 , wherein it has a variable cross-section in one longitudinal direction, especially a continuously and similarly varying cross-section.  
   
   
       26 . The element according to claims  22  or  23 , wherein it has longitudinal sections which differ from a uniform cross-section in one longitudinal direction.  
   
   
       27 . The element according to  claim 26 , wherein it runs curved in the longitudinal direction.  
   
   
       28 . The element according to  claim 27 , wherein it has a constant inner cross-section and differences in wall thickness on the outside.  
   
   
       29 . The element according to  claim 27 , wherein it has a constant outer cross-section and differences in wall thickness on the inside.  
   
   
       30 . The element according to  claim 29 , wherein the difference in wall thickness is at least 25% relative to the maximum thickness.  
   
   
       31 . The element according to  claim 30 , wherein it is provided with indentations, especially in a uniform grid arrangement.  
   
   
       32 . The element according to  claim 31 , wherein it is provided with punched holes in its surface.  
   
   
       33 . The element according to  claim 20 , wherein it has end sections having greater wall thickness.  
   
   
       34 . The element according to  claim 33 , wherein at least one of the end sections is broadened in cross-section as a push-fit fitting.  
   
   
       35 . Use of sheet-metal element according to claims  1  or  3  as a vehicle supporting member having a defined graded loading or deformation behavior in the longitudinal direction.  
   
   
       36 . Use of a sheet-metal element according to claims  1  or  3  as impact absorber having a defined graded loading or deformation behavior in the longitudinal direction.  
   
   
       37 . Use of a sheet-metal element according to claims  2  or  16  as a vehicle supporting member having a defined graded deformation behavior over the circumference.  
   
   
       38 . Use of a sheet-metal element according to claims  15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  21 ,  22  or  23  as a vehicle floor pan.  
   
   
       39 . Use of a sheet-metal element according to any one of claims  15 ,  16 ,  17 ,  21 ,  22  or  23  as a vehicle outer panel.