Precision folded vehicular structural and aesthetic component and sheet therefor

Abstract

A sheet material is provided for forming a precision folded structural and aesthetic component of a contoured three-dimension. The sheet material may include a forward-panel bend line separating a forward panel and a fold panel, the forward-panel bend line may be curved to impart contour on at least the fold panel upon bending of the sheet material about the forward-panel bend line, and a fold line extending along the fold panel, the fold line may be substantially straight to impart the contour of the fold panel to the upper panel upon bending of the sheet material about the fold line. The sheet material may include an upper panel, a first upper-panel-flange bend line separating a forward upper flange from a warp zone of the upper panel, the first upper-panel-flange bend line may be curved to impart a first contour on one or more of the first upper flange and the warp zone, a second upper-panel-flange bend line separating a second upper flange from the warp zone, the second upper-panel-flange bend line may be curved to impart a second contour on one or more of the second upper flange and the warp zone, and first and second curved warp zone bend lines separating the warp zone from a remainder of the upper panel, the first and second curved warp zone bend lines configured to localize bending along the bend line and substantially isolate warpage within the warp zone. A method of forming the same is also disclosed.

1 . A sheet material for forming a contoured three-dimensional structure, the sheet material comprising:
 a forward-panel bend line separating a forward panel and a fold panel, the forward-panel bend line being curved to impart a pre-selected contour on at least the fold panel upon bending of the sheet material about the forward-panel bend line; and   a fold line extending along the fold panel, the fold line being shaped to impart the pre-selected contour of the fold panel to the upper panel upon bending of the sheet material about the fold line.   
     
     
         2 . A sheet material according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the fold line is substantially straight.   
     
     
         3 . A sheet material according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a supplemental fold line separating the fold panel from a supplemental fold panel, the supplemental fold line being substantially straight to impart the contour of the first fold panel to the second fold panel upon bending of the sheet material about the supplemental fold line,   wherein the contour of the forward-panel bend line is imparted to the upper panel via the fold panel and the second fold panel upon bending the fold line and the supplemental fold line.   
     
     
         4 . A sheet material according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a forward-panel-flange bend line separating the forward panel and a forward-panel flange, the forward-panel-flange bend line being curved to impart contour on one or more of the forward panel and the forward-panel flange upon bending of the sheet material about the forward-panel-flange bend line.   
     
     
         5 . A sheet material according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the forward-flange bend line is S-shaped thereby imparting both concave and convex contour on the forward panel.   
     
     
         6 . A sheet material according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the forward-panel bend line is downwardly concave to impart an upwardly convex contour on at least a portion of the upper panel.   
     
     
         7 . A sheet material according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a first distance between the forward-panel bend line to the first fold panel is different than a second distance between the first fold line and the second fold line whereby a forward edge of the upper panel defined by the second fold line is spaced from the forward panel.   
     
     
         8 . A sheet material according to  claim 7 , wherein the first distance is shorter than the second distance thereby recessing the forward panel beyond the forward edge. 
     
     
         9 . A sheet material according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a first upper-panel-flange bend line separating a forward upper flange from a warp zone of the upper panel, the first upper-panel-flange bend line being curved to impart a first contour on one or more of the first upper flange and the warp zone;   a second upper-panel-flange bend line separating a second upper flange from the warp zone, the second upper-panel-flange bend line being curved to impart a second contour on one or more of the second upper flange and the warp zone; and   first and second curved warp zone bend lines separating the warp zone from a remainder of the upper panel, the first and second curved warp zone bend lines configured to localize bending along the bend line and substantially isolate warpage within the warp zone.   
     
     
         10 . A sheet material according to  claim 9 , wherein
 both the first and second warp zone bend lines terminate at an intersection point; and   both the first and second warp zone bend lines have compound curvatures, in which portions of the bend lines adjacent the intersection point have smaller radii of curvature thereby prohibiting creasing within the warp zone adjacent the intersection point.   
     
     
         11 . A sheet material according to  claim 1 , wherein
 at least one of said bend lines and said fold lines is formed with a plurality of slits through the sheet of material, adjacent slits are positioned alternating on either said of said at least one of said bend lines of fold lines.   
     
     
         12 . A sheet material according to  claim 1 , wherein
 at least one of said bend lines and said fold lines is formed with a plurality of displacements, wherein adjacent displacements are positioned alternating on either side of said at least one of said bend lines or fold lines.   
     
     
         13 . A three-dimensional structure comprising the sheet material according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A method of forming a three-dimensional structure comprising:
 providing the sheet material according to  claim 1 ;   bending the sheet of material along the forward-panel bend line; and   bending the sheet of material along the fold line.   
     
     
         15 . A sheet material for forming a contoured three-dimensional structure, the sheet material comprising:
 an upper panel;   a first upper-panel-flange bend line separating a forward upper flange from a warp zone of the upper panel, the first upper-panel-flange bend line being curved to impart a first contour on one or more of the first upper flange and the warp zone;   a second upper-panel-flange bend line separating a second upper flange from the warp zone, the second upper-panel-flange bend line being curved to impart a second contour on one or more of the second upper flange and the warp zone; and   first and second curved warp zone bend lines separating the warp zone from a remainder of the upper panel, the first and second curved warp zone bend lines configured to localize bending along the bend line and substantially isolate warpage within the warp zone.   
     
     
         16 . A sheet material according to  claim 15 , wherein
 the first upper-panel-flange bend line is downwardly concave in a first direction and the second upper-panel-flange bend line is downwardly concave in a second direction that is not parallel to the first, wherein the warp zone elastically deforms to accommodate the different contours of the first and second upper-panel-flange bend lines.   
     
     
         17 . A sheet material according to  claim 15 , wherein
 both the first and second bend lines terminate at an intersection point; and   both the first and second bend lines have compound curvatures, in which portions of the bend lines adjacent the intersection point have smaller radii of curvature thereby prohibiting creasing within the warp zone adjacent the intersection point.   
     
     
         18 . A sheet material according to  claim 15 , wherein
 at least one of said bend lines and said fold lines is formed with a plurality of slits through the sheet of material.   
     
     
         19 . A sheet material according to  claim 18 , wherein
 adjacent slits are positioned alternating on either said of said at least one of said bend lines of fold lines.   
     
     
         20 . A sheet material according to  claim 15 , wherein
 at least one of said bend lines and said fold lines is formed with a plurality of displacements, wherein adjacent displacements are positioned alternating on either side of said at least one of said bend lines or fold lines.   
     
     
         21 . A three-dimensional structure comprising the sheet material according to  claim 15 . 
     
     
         22 . A method of forming a dashboard comprising:
 providing the sheet material according to  claim 15 ;   bending the sheet of material along the first and second upper-panel bend lines, wherein the first and second warp zone bend lines allow warpage within the warp to accommodate the varying contour imparted by the first and second dashboard-flange bend lines.   
     
     
         23 . A sheet material for forming a contoured three-dimensional dashboard, the sheet material comprising:
 a dash-panel-flange bend line separating a dash panel and a dash-panel flange, the dash-panel-flange bend line being curved to impart contour on one or more of the dash panel and the dash-panel flange upon bending of the sheet material about the dash-panel-flange bend line;   a dash-panel bend line separating the dash panel and a first fold panel, the dash-panel bend line being curved to impart contour on at least the first fold panel upon bending of the sheet material about the dash-panel bend line;   a first fold line separating the first fold panel from a second fold panel, the first fold line being substantially straight to impart the contour of the first fold panel upon the second fold panel upon bending of the sheet material about the first fold line;   a second fold line separating the second fold panel from a dashboard panel, the second fold line being substantially straight to impart the contour of the second fold panel to the dashboard panel upon bending of the sheet material about the second fold line;   a first dashboard-flange bend line separating a forward dashboard flange from a warp zone of the dashboard panel, the first dashboard-flange bend line being curved to impart a first contour on one or more of the first dashboard flange and the warp zone;   a second dashboard-flange bend line separating a second dashboard flange from the warp zone, the second dashboard-flange bend line being curved to impart a second contour on one or more of the second dashboard flange and the warp zone; and   first and second curved warp zone bend lines separating the warp zone from a remainder of the dashboard panel, the first and second curved warp zone bend lines configured to localize bending along the bend line and substantially isolate warpage within the warp zone.   
     
     
         24 . A sheet material according to  claim 23 , wherein
 the dash-panel-flange bend line is S-shaped thereby imparting both concave and convex contour on dash panel.   
     
     
         25 . A sheet material according to  claim 23 , wherein
 the dash-panel bend line is downwardly concave to impart an upwardly convex contour on at least a portion of the dashboard panel.   
     
     
         26 . A sheet material according to  claim 23 , wherein
 a first distance between the dash-panel bend line to the first fold line is different than a second distance between the first fold line and the second fold line whereby a forward edge of the dashboard panel defined by the second fold line is spaced from the dash panel.   
     
     
         27 . A sheet material according to  claim 26 , wherein the first distance is shorter than the second distance thereby recessing the dash panel beyond the forward edge. 
     
     
         28 . A sheet material according to  claim 23 , wherein
 both the first and second bend lines terminate at an intersection point; and   both the first and second bend lines have compound curvatures, in which portions of the bend lines adjacent the intersection point have smaller radii of curvature thereby prohibiting creasing within the warp zone adjacent the intersection point.   
     
     
         29 . A dashboard comprising the sheet material according to  claim 23 . 
     
     
         30 . A method of forming a dashboard comprising:
 providing the sheet material according to  claim 23 ;   bending the sheet of material along the dash-panel-flange bend line;   bending the sheet of material along the dash-panel bend line;   bending the sheet of material along the first and second fold lines; and   bending the sheet of material along the first and second dashboard-flange bend lines, wherein the first and second warp zone bend lines allow warpage within the warp to accommodate the varying contour imparted by the first and second dashboard-flange bend lines.