Sixteen-cornered strengthening member for vehicles

Abstract

A strengthening member for a motor vehicle, the strengthening member has a cross section that comprises sixteen corners and includes sides and corners creating eight internal angles and eight external angles. Each internal angle ranges between about 90° and about 145° and each external angle ranges between about 95° and about 175°. One or more tunable parameters of a cross section can vary along a longitudinal axis of the strengthening member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A strengthening member for a motor vehicle, the strengthening member comprising a sixteen-cornered cross section including sixteen corners and including sides and corners creating eight internal angles and eight external angles,
 wherein each internal angle ranges between about 90° and about 145°, and   wherein each external angle ranges between about 95° and about 175°.   
     
     
         2 . The strengthening member of  claim 1 , wherein each of the eight internal angles is substantially the same. 
     
     
         3 . The strengthening member of  claim 1 , wherein each of the eight external angles is substantially the same. 
     
     
         4 . The strengthening member of  claim 1 , wherein at least one internal angle is a right angle. 
     
     
         5 . The strengthening member of  claim 4 , wherein each of the internal angles is a right angle. 
     
     
         6 . The strengthening member of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one recessed portion. 
     
     
         7 . The strengthening member of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one recessed portion is defined by two internal angles and two external angles of the strengthening member. 
     
     
         8 . The strengthening member of  claim 7 , wherein the two external angles defining the recessed portion are adjacent to one another. 
     
     
         9 . The strengthening member of  claim 8 , wherein the two external angles defining the recessed portion are the same. 
     
     
         10 . The strengthening member of  claim 8 , wherein the two internal angles are each greater than 90 degrees. 
     
     
         11 . The strengthening member of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one recessed portion is defined by three sides of the strengthening member. 
     
     
         12 . The strengthening member of  claim 11 , wherein the three sides of the strengthening member defining the at least one recessed portion have the same length. 
     
     
         13 . The strengthening member of  claim 11 , wherein two of the three sides of the strengthening member defining the at least one recessed portion have the same length and the other of the three sides has a different length. 
     
     
         14 . The strengthening member of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one recessed portion comprises four recessed areas, wherein each recessed area extends along a length of the strengthening member from a first end of the strengthening member to a second end of the strengthening member. 
     
     
         15 . The strengthening member of  claim 1 , wherein the corners of the cross section have substantially the same thickness as the sides of the cross section. 
     
     
         16 . A strengthening member for a motor vehicle, the strengthening member comprising:
 a cross section comprising sixteen corners and including sides and corners creating eight internal angles and eight external angles; and   a longitudinal axis, wherein the strengthening member tapers along the longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         17 . The strengthening member of  claim 16 , wherein each internal angle is adjacent to another internal angle and an external angle. 
     
     
         18 . The strengthening member of  claim 17 , wherein the cross section has more than two bisecting planes of symmetry. 
     
     
         19 . The strengthening member of  claim 18 , wherein the cross section has four bisecting planes of symmetry. 
     
     
         20 . The strengthening member of  claim 16 , wherein at least one internal angle of the cross section varies along at least a portion of a length of the strengthening member. 
     
     
         21 . The strengthening member of  claim 16 , wherein a thickness of at least one side of the strengthening member varies along at least a portion of a length of the strengthening member. 
     
     
         22 . A vehicle comprising:
 a strengthening member comprising a sixteen-cornered cross section including sixteen corners and including sides and corners creating eight internal angle corners and eight external angle corners.   
     
     
         23 . The vehicle of  claim 22 , wherein the strengthening member is, or is within, at least one vehicle structural member selected from the group consisting of:
 a crush can, a front horn, a front rail, a front side rail, a rear side rail, a rear rail, a frame cross member, a shotgun, a hinge-pillar, an A-pillar, a B-pillar, a C-pillar, a door beam, a cross car beam, a front header, a rear header, a cow top, a roof rail, a lateral roof bow, longitudinal roof bow, a body cross member, a back panel cross member, a rocker, an underbody cross member, and an engine compartment cross member.