JP2006504004A5 - - Google Patents

Claims (20)

A roll-formed beam having a substantially rectangular cross section formed from a single metal member,
Opposing first and second generally parallel walls formed of at least three adjacent layers of the metal member;
Opposing third and fourth substantially parallel wall portions between the first and second wall portions, one of the third or fourth wall portions being two opposing longitudinal edges of the metal member And a wall portion having a seam for joining the portions.   The beam of claim 1, wherein the opposing first and second walls are formed of three adjacent layers of the metal member.   The beam of claim 2, wherein the three layers span the entire width of the first and second walls.   The three layers of the first and second walls are composed of two metal layers spanning approximately half the width of the first and second walls and one layer spanning the entire width of the first and second walls. The beam according to claim 2, wherein the beam is formed.   The beam of claim 4, wherein the two half-width layers form the outside of the beam.   The beam of claim 4, wherein the two half-width layers form the inside of the beam.   The beam according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the beam also includes at least two adjacent layers of the metal member in a region facing away from the first and second walls of the four corners. Beams.   The beam according to claim 7, wherein the beam comprises three adjacent layers of the metal member in the region of its four corners.   The beam according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the beam also includes a plurality of outwardly recessed depressions in the third and fourth wall portions.   The beam according to claim 9, wherein the beam comprises three equally spaced depressions in each of the third and fourth walls, one of the depressions being formed by a seam.   The beam according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the first and second wall portions are smaller than the third and fourth wall portions. A method of roll-forming a beam having a substantially rectangular cross section from a single member of a substantially flat metal,
Forming a pair of spaced planarized portions of at least three layers of the metal on the metal member;
Bend the outer edge of the metal member approximately perpendicular to the flattened portion so as to approach the outermost end of the flattened portion;
Bend the outer edge of the bent metal member approximately perpendicular to the flattened portion so as to approach the innermost end of the flattened portion;
A method comprising sequential steps of folding a joint seam between adjacent outermost longitudinal edges of a metal member.   The planarizing portion forms a pair of spaced apart channels each having one base and two sides on the metal member, and the channel base is planarized across the sides with respect to the rest of the metal member. The method of claim 12 formed by:   13. The method of claim 12, wherein the planarizing portion is formed by forming a channel having one base and two sides in a metal member and planarizing the channel side with respect to the channel base. 15. A method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the channel base is planarized by approximating an edge remote from the base on the side of each channel.   16. The outer edge of the metal member is folded at about a right angle to the flattened channel base along about 15% of the length of the flattened channel base. the method of.   17. The folded outer edge of the metal member is preferably folded at about a right angle to the flattened channel base along about 15% of the length of the flattened channel base. Method. 18. A method according to any one of claims 12 to 17 , further comprising forming a plurality of indentations in the metal member before folding the outer edge of the metal member against the planarized channel base. 19. A method according to claim 18 , preferably also comprising forming five said indentations. 20. A method according to claim 18 or 19 , wherein three indentations are folded between the flattened channel bases and one indentation is folded into the metal member towards the outside of each flattened channel base.