IP Library Granted Patent US 12674648
Granted Patent B2
US 12674648 · App. 18/977,948 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Zigzag-shaped protection element and method for its production

Inventors: Werner Von Mueller (Bruchsal, DE); Udo Klasfauseweh (Guetersloh, DE); Andreas Ruwe (Bad Essen, DE)
Assignee: BENTELER AUTOMOBILTECHNIK GMBH
F41H5/02B21D53/00B23K11/087B23K26/38
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12674648
App. No.
18/977,948
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for the production of a zigzag-shaped protection element formed from multiple individual profiles includes the following steps: providing the individual profiles, welding the individual profiles to form a zigzag-shaped preform of the protection element such as to form at least one weld seam, wherein the individual profiles are welded to each another at an angle of 30° to 120°, inserting the preform into a hot molding tool, molding the preform into the zigzag-shaped protection element in the hot molding tool, and mold hardening of the zigzag-shaped protection element in the hot molding tool.

Claims (38)

1 . A method of producing a zigzag-shaped protection element, the method comprising:

welding a plurality of individual profiles to form a zigzag-shaped preform of the zigzag-shaped protection element so as to form at least one weld seam between each pair of adjacent individual profiles among the plurality of individual profiles, wherein the adjacent individual profiles are welded to each another at an angle of 30° to 120°,

inserting the zigzag-shaped preform into a hot molding tool,

molding the zigzag-shaped preform into the zigzag-shaped protection element in the hot molding tool, and

mold hardening of the zigzag-shaped protection element in the hot molding tool.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

after the mold hardening of the zigzag-shaped protection element, laser cutting the zigzag-shaped protection element.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one weld seam comprises:

a first weld seam on a first side of the adjacent individual profiles facing a shot impact, and

a second weld seam on a second side of the adjacent individual profiles facing away from the shot impact.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein a welding filler material used during the welding of the first weld seam on the first side facing the shot impact has a higher hardness than a welding filler material used during the welding of the second weld seam on the second side facing away from the shot impact.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

after at least one of the welding or the mold hardening, in a region of the at least one weld seam, joining at least one reinforcement element to the welded adjacent individual profiles.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

after at least one of the welding or the mold hardening, forming, by deposition welding, a deposition weld seam on the at least one weld seam.

7 . The method according to claim 6 , wherein a welding filler material used during the deposition welding of the deposition weld seam has a higher hardness than a welding filler material used during the welding of the at least one weld seam.

8 . The method according to claim 6 , further comprising:

a final calibration of the zigzag-shaped protection element after the forming of the deposition weld seam.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein

in the welding, the adjacent individual profiles are welded such that one of the adjacent individual profiles comprises a protrusion, and

the protrusion is bent during the molding of the zigzag-shaped preform into the zigzag-shaped protection element in the hot molding tool, such that the at least weld seam is covered by the bent protrusion.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the adjacent individual profiles are welded to one another at an angle of 45° to 110°.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of individual profiles comprise steel sheet metal.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of individual profiles comprises a hardness of 500 to 700 Brinell.

13 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of individual profiles comprises a wall thickness of 3 to 10 mm.

14 . A zigzag-shaped protection element, comprising:

a plurality of individual profiles welded in a zigzag shape with at least one weld seam between each pair of adjacent individual profiles among the plurality of individual profiles, wherein the adjacent individual profiles are welded to one another at an angle of 30° to 120°, and the zigzag-shaped protection element is hot molded and mold hardened.

15 . The zigzag-shaped protection element according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one weld seam comprises:

a first weld seam on a first side of the adjacent individual profiles facing a shot impact, and

a second weld seam on a second side of the adjacent individual profiles facing away from the shot impact.

16 . The zigzag-shaped protection element according to claim 15 , wherein the first weld seam on the first side facing the shot impact has a welding filler material which has a higher hardness than a welding filler material of the second weld seam on the second side facing away from the shot impact.

17 . The zigzag-shaped protection element according to claim 14 , further comprising:

in a region of the at least one weld seam, at least one reinforcement element joined to the welded adjacent individual profiles.

18 . The zigzag-shaped protection element according to claim 14 , further comprising:

a deposition weld seam formed on the at least one weld seam.

19 . The zigzag-shaped protection element according to claim 18 , wherein the deposition weld seam has a welding filler material which has a higher hardness than a welding filler material of the at least one weld seam.

20 . The zigzag-shaped protection element according to claim 14 , wherein one of the adjacent individual profiles comprises a protrusion, which is bent over to cover the at least one weld seam.

21 . The zigzag-shaped protection element according to claim 14 , wherein the adjacent individual profiles are welded to one another at an angle of 45° to 110°.