U.S. patent application number 13/682483 was filed with the patent office on 2013-09-05 for vehicle cross-member assembly with adhesive reservoirs.
This patent application is currently assigned to Ford Global Technologies LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is Michael M. Azzouz, Eric William Barrett, Xiaoming Chen, John Martin Knittel, Sanjay Mehta, Mark Wlotkowski. Invention is credited to Michael M. Azzouz, Eric William Barrett, Xiaoming Chen, John Martin Knittel, Sanjay Mehta, Mark Wlotkowski.
Application Number | 20130229005 13/682483 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47596633 |
Filed Date | 2013-09-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130229005 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Knittel; John Martin ; et
al. |
September 5, 2013 |
Vehicle Cross-Member Assembly with Adhesive Reservoirs
Abstract
A method of manufacturing a vehicle cross-member assembly
includes: adding adhesive to an adhesive reservoir in an
interconnecting member composed of a first material; overlapping a
first rail composed of a second material with the interconnecting
member; and welding the interconnecting member to a second rail in
a position perpendicular with respect to the second rail. The
second rail is composed of a different material than the first
rail.
Inventors: |
Knittel; John Martin;
(Canton, MI) ; Chen; Xiaoming; (Canton, MI)
; Mehta; Sanjay; (Plymouth, MI) ; Azzouz; Michael
M.; (Livonia, MI) ; Barrett; Eric William;
(Milford, MI) ; Wlotkowski; Mark; (Royal Oak,
MI) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Knittel; John Martin
Chen; Xiaoming
Mehta; Sanjay
Azzouz; Michael M.
Barrett; Eric William
Wlotkowski; Mark |
Canton
Canton
Plymouth
Livonia
Milford
Royal Oak |
MI
MI
MI
MI
MI
MI |
US
US
US
US
US
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Ford Global Technologies
LLC
|
Family ID: |
47596633 |
Appl. No.: |
13/682483 |
Filed: |
November 20, 2012 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
13221142 |
Aug 30, 2011 |
|
|
|
13682483 |
|
|
|
|
61512559 |
Jul 28, 2011 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
280/781 ;
156/305; 228/101 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B23K 2103/16 20180801;
B23K 2103/15 20180801; B23K 33/008 20130101; B23K 2103/42 20180801;
B23K 26/28 20130101; B23K 33/006 20130101; B23K 2103/04 20180801;
Y10T 29/49826 20150115; B23K 2103/20 20180801; B62D 21/02 20130101;
B23K 2103/18 20180801; Y10T 156/1002 20150115; B23K 2103/10
20180801; B23K 2101/28 20180801; B23K 2101/006 20180801; B23K
2103/14 20180801; B23K 2103/172 20180801; Y10T 156/1051 20150115;
B23K 2103/08 20180801; Y10T 29/49956 20150115; B23K 31/02 20130101;
B32B 37/1284 20130101; Y10T 29/49622 20150115; B23K 2101/185
20180801 |
Class at
Publication: |
280/781 ;
228/101; 156/305 |
International
Class: |
B62D 21/02 20060101
B62D021/02; B32B 37/12 20060101 B32B037/12; B23K 31/02 20060101
B23K031/02 |
Claims
1. A method of manufacturing a vehicle cross-member assembly,
comprising: overlapping a first rail composed of a first material
with an interconnecting member; and welding the interconnecting
member to a second rail in a position perpendicular with respect to
the second rail; wherein the second rail is composed of a different
material than the first rail.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: adding adhesive to an
adhesive reservoir in the interconnecting member composed of a
second material.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: forming the adhesive
reservoir in the interconnecting member.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the forming the adhesive
reservoir includes forming an oblong recess or protrusion in the
interconnecting member.
5. The method of claim 2, further comprising: applying pressure to
the interconnecting member or first rail so as to distribute
adhesive therebetween.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising: crimping the first
rail.
7. The method of claim 5, wherein applying pressure to the
interconnecting member or first rail includes oozing adhesive out
of one end of the interconnecting member and one end of the first
rail so as to create a protective barrier of adhesive.
8. A method of manufacturing a vehicle cross-member assembly,
comprising: adding adhesive to an adhesive reservoir in a first
rail composed of a first material; overlapping an interconnecting
member composed of a second material with the first rail; and
welding the interconnecting member to the second rail in a position
perpendicular to the second rail; wherein the second rail is
composed of a different material than the first rail.
9. The method of claim 8, further comprising: forming the adhesive
reservoir in the first rail.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the forming the adhesive
reservoir includes forming an oblong recess or protrusion in the
first rail.
11. The method of claim 8, further comprising: applying pressure to
the interconnecting member or first rail so as to distribute
adhesive therebetween.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising: crimping the
interconnecting member.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein applying pressure to the
interconnecting member or first rail includes oozing adhesive out
of one end of the interconnecting member and one end of the first
rail so as to create a protective barrier of adhesive.
14. A vehicle cross-member assembly, comprising: a first rail
composed of a first material; a second rail, perpendicularly
positioned with respect to the first rail, composed of a second
material; and an interconnecting member composed of the second
material having adhesive in reservoirs formed thereon to join the
interconnecting member and the first rail; wherein the
interconnecting member is welded to the second rail.
15. The vehicle assembly of claim 14, wherein the reservoir is a
protrusion or recess.
16. The vehicle assembly of claim 14, wherein an inner corner of
the first rail includes adhesive included therein.
17. A vehicle cross-member assembly, comprising: a first rail
composed of a first material having adhesive in reservoirs formed
thereon; a second rail, perpendicularly positioned with respect to
the first rail, composed of a second material; and an
interconnecting member composed of the second material; wherein the
interconnecting member is welded to the second rail.
18. The vehicle assembly of claim 17, wherein the reservoir is a
protrusion or recess.
19. The vehicle assembly of claim 17, wherein an inner corner of
the interconnecting member includes adhesive included therein.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation and claims the benefit of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/221,142 titled "Vehicle Support
Frames with Interlocking Features for Joining Members of Dissimilar
Materials" filed Aug. 30, 2011, U.S. patent application Ser. No.
13/239,592 titled "Vehicle Support Frames with Interlocking
Features for Joining Members of Dissimilar Materials" filed Sep.
22, 2011, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/545,584 titled
"Vehicle Support Frames with Interlocking Features for Joining
Members of Dissimilar Materials" filed Jul. 10, 2012, which are
hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates to vehicle support frames
with rails having dissimilar materials and methods for
manufacturing the same.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Conventional vehicle support frames can be composed of
different materials including, for example, steel, aluminum and
reinforced polymer composites. Vehicle manufacturers attempt to
strike a balance between weight reduction and structural rigidity.
It is desirable to design lightweight vehicle frames for full-sized
light trucks. Aluminum structural members can be designed to
achieve up to a 50% weight reduction while still meeting
performance targets. Joining aluminum members to steel frame rails
presents challenges as the two materials, when welded, have limited
structural integrity.
[0004] One existing reference teaches the use of an overlapping
configuration for the rails of dissimilar materials. A first and
second structural member sandwiches one end of a third structural
member and adhesive is applied therebetween. The second structural
member is thereafter welded to the first structural member. U.S.
Patent Publication No. 2009/0188206, titled "System and Method for
Joining Dissimilar Materials" teaches an overlapping configuration
with a surface weld on the second structural member. Still, it is
desirable to have a vehicle cross-member assembly as opposed to a
collinear assembly; it is also desirable to improve this design by
providing a point of access for spot weld fixtures or other weld
fixtures that require a clamped fitting.
[0005] Therefore, it is desirable to have improved interconnecting
techniques for joining two structural members composed of
dissimilar materials.
SUMMARY
[0006] The present disclosure addresses one or more of the
above-mentioned issues. Other features and/or advantages will
become apparent from the description which follows.
[0007] One exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure relates
to a method of manufacturing a vehicle cross-member assembly,
includes: adding adhesive to an adhesive reservoir in an
interconnecting member composed of a first material; overlapping a
first rail composed of a second material with the interconnecting
member; and welding the interconnecting member to a second rail in
a position perpendicular with respect to the second rail. The
second rail is composed of a different material than the first
rail.
[0008] Another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure
relates to a method of manufacturing a vehicle cross-member
assembly, the method including: adding adhesive to an adhesive
reservoir in a first rail composed of a first material; overlapping
an interconnecting member composed of a second material with the
first rail; and welding the interconnecting member to the second
rail in a position perpendicular to the second rail. The second
rail is composed of a different material than the first rail.
[0009] Another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure
relates to a vehicle cross-member assembly, having: a first rail
composed of a first material; a second rail, perpendicularly
positioned with respect to the first rail, composed of a second
material; and an interconnecting member composed of the second
material having adhesive in reservoirs formed thereon to join the
interconnecting member and the first rail. The interconnecting
member is welded to the second rail.
[0010] Yet another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure
relates to a vehicle cross-member assembly, having: a first rail
composed of a first material having adhesive in reservoirs formed
thereon; a second rail, perpendicularly positioned with respect to
the first rail, composed of a second material; and an
interconnecting member composed of the second material. The
interconnecting member is welded to the second rail.
[0011] One advantage of the present disclosure is that it provides
improved interconnecting techniques for joining two structural
members composed of dissimilar materials.
[0012] Another advantage of the present disclosure is that it
teaches the manufacture and use of light-weight vehicle structural
frames that can be utilized with vehicles of different sizes,
including full-sized truck frames. The weight reduction for the
disclosed frame assemblies compared to contemporary structural
frames can be as great as 50%. Fuel efficiency and performance can
be enhanced by the use of the disclosed frame assemblies.
[0013] Another advantage of the present disclosure is that it
teaches joining techniques for structural members having dissimilar
material composition and a closed-section configuration. Structural
members can be positioned at any angle with respect to each
other.
[0014] Joining vehicle frame assembly rails composed of dissimilar
materials will be explained in greater detail below by way of
example with reference to the figures, in which the same reference
numbers are used in the figures for identical or essentially
identical elements. The above features and advantages and other
features and advantages of the present teachings are readily
apparent from the following detailed description of the best modes
for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the
accompanying drawings. In the figures:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a vehicle support frame
assembly.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the vehicle support
frame assembly of FIG. 1 at circle 2.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the interconnecting member
of FIG. 2.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating application of
adhesive in reservoirs formed in the interconnecting member of FIG.
3.
[0019] FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the assembly of
the interconnecting member and cross rail of FIG. 2.
[0020] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a die for forming recesses
in a cross rail.
[0021] FIG. 7 is a partial perspective view of another exemplary
vehicle support frame assembly with adhesive outside of the
interconnecting member.
[0022] FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view the vehicle support
frame assembly of FIG. 7 from the inside of the cross rail.
[0023] FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating application of
adhesive outside of an interconnecting in another exemplary vehicle
support frame assembly.
[0024] FIG. 10 is a partial perspective view of the vehicle support
frame assembly of FIG. 9 illustrating application of adhesive
inside of the cross rail at the corners.
[0025] FIG. 11 is a partial perspective view of the interconnecting
member of FIG. 9.
[0026] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of another exemplary
embodiment of an interconnecting member and rail with adhesive
outside of the interconnecting member.
[0027] FIG. 13 is a partial perspective view the vehicle support
frame assembly of FIG. 12 from the inside of the cross rail.
[0028] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view the vehicle support frame
assembly of FIG. 12 at line 14-14.
[0029] FIG. 15 is an assembly view of another exemplary vehicle
support frame assembly.
[0030] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the interconnecting member
for use with the vehicle support frame assembly of FIG. 15.
[0031] FIG. 17 is as perspective view of another exemplary
interconnecting member for use with a vehicle support frame
assembly.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0032] Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters represent
examples of the same or corresponding parts throughout the several
views, there are shown vehicle support frames having joined
structural members composed of different materials. Particularly,
lighter weight aluminum structural members are joined to steel side
rails in most embodiments. The aluminum and steel members are
joined through an interconnecting member juxtaposed between them.
The disclosed interconnecting members mitigate several challenges
incumbent with joining dissimilar materials by teaching an
interconnecting member having multiple portions. Each portion can
be composed of a different material. Once attached to each other
the portions form as a link or bridge between rails attached to a
portion of the interconnecting member. In some embodiments, the
rails are attached to the interconnecting member via MIG
welding.
[0033] The teachings herein are applicable to any type of vehicle
frame including frames for pickup trucks, vans, minivans, sports
utility vehicles, sedans, coupes, commercial vehicles, and all
utility vehicles.
[0034] Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown therein a vehicle
cross-member assembly (or support frame) 10. The illustrated
cross-member assembly 10 is configured for use in a pickup truck.
Cross-member assembly 10 (as shown) is taken from the rear section
of the truck frame, which supports the truck bed (not shown).
Assembly 10 is a support frame. Side rail assemblies 20 and 30
extend longitudinally with respect to the assembly 10 and the
vehicle. In the shown embodiment, side rail assemblies 20, 30 can
be composed of different materials. Rails 20, 30 can be formed via
any standard forming process, e.g., stampings, hydro-forming, or
roll forming. The rearward ends of the rails 20, 30 are
interconnected through a rearward steel cross-member 40. Attached
to cross-member 40 is a tow hitch 50. Each end of the rails is
fitted with a side bracket 60 for interconnecting cross-member 40
with the rails and for connecting the rails 20, 30 to other vehicle
structure (e.g., the truck bed, rear fascia or bumper, etc.). At
the frontward end of the cross-member assembly 10, shown in FIG. 1,
there is another steel cross-member 70 intersecting each side rail
20, 30. As shown, rails 20, 30 are welded to cross-member 70.
[0035] Rails 90, 100 (as shown in FIG. 1) are positioned
perpendicularly with respect to rails 20, 30. Rails 90, 100 are a
part of a spare tire support frame 75. Rails 90, 100 are fitted
with an interconnecting member 80, as discussed hereinbelow. Rails
90, 100 are mechanically interlocked with interconnecting member
80. As discussed below, in this embodiment, adhesive is used to
attach the interconnecting member to rails.
[0036] Now with reference to FIG. 2 there is shown a partial
perspective view of the cross-member assembly 10 of FIG. 1 at
circle 2. The assembly 10 has rails 20 and 100 composed of
different materials. The material used for side rail 20 is not weld
compatible with the material used for the rail 100. In this
embodiment, the side rail 20 is composed of steel and the cross
rail 100 is made of aluminum.
[0037] Shown in FIG. 2 is an intersection of the side rail 20,
interconnecting member 80 and rail 100. Interconnecting member (or
"ICM") 80 passes through side rail 20 at a 90 degree angle or
perpendicularly. ICM 80 is welded to side rail. Interconnecting
member 80 is a steel tube in the illustrated embodiment of FIG.
2.
[0038] As shown in FIG. 3, the interconnecting member 80 has a
series of oblong recesses or reservoirs 110 formed via crimping on
an outer surface of the interconnecting member. Reservoirs are
configured to hold adhesive 120 therein, as shown in FIG. 4.
Different types of adhesives can be used including e.g., resins or
two-way epoxies. Rail 100 also includes a series of crimps 130 (as
shown in FIG. 2) formed on the outer surface of rail 100. Crimps
130 are located at the same longitudinal position as reservoirs 110
when the interconnecting member 80 is assembled with the rail 100
to form an interlock between the two members. In the illustrated
embodiment, rail 100 includes eight crimps 130.
[0039] The support frame assembly of FIGS. 2-3 is manufactured
using a method of manufacture as described hereinbelow. The method
includes the steps of: (1) adding adhesive to an adhesive reservoir
in an interconnecting member, as shown and discussed with respect
to FIG. 4; (2) overlapping the cross-member and the interconnecting
member, e.g., as shown in FIG. 5; (3) performing a second crimping;
and (4) welding the interconnecting member to a side rail, in a
position perpendicular with respect to the second rail, as shown in
FIG. 2.
[0040] With respect to the first step, adding adhesive to an
adhesive reservoir in the interconnecting member, this step is
shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4 an operator, O, is shown holding the
interconnecting member 80 in one hand and an adhesive applicator
140 in the other hand. Adhesive 120 is inserted in the reservoirs
110. In this embodiment, adhesive 120 is applied to fill the
reservoirs 110. Less or more adhesive can be used.
[0041] Once the adhesive is applied, the operator moves to the next
step, as shown in FIG. 5. The rail 100 and interconnecting member
80 are positioned in an overlapping configuration, as shown in FIG.
5. In this embodiment, ICM 80 is inserted in the rail 100 with a
spatial gap of approximately 0.5 mm between the inner surface of
rail and the outer surface of ICM on each side. In other
embodiments, the spatial gap between rail and ICM can be greater or
less than 0.5 mm. In other embodiments, ICM 80 and rail 100 can
overlap in different configurations. E.g., in one embodiment, rail
100 is inserted in the ICM 80.
[0042] After ICM 80 and rail 100 are placed in an overlapping
configuration, pressure is applied to the rail and/or ICM, as shown
in FIG. 6. This is part of a two-step crimping process--(i) forming
reservoirs in the ICM and then (ii) crimping the cross member with
compatible crimps. In FIG. 6, there is a stamp press 150 having a
mandrel 160 configured to form crimps 130 in the rail 100 and/or
ICM 80. Crimps 130 in the rail 100 are formed to match crimps or
reservoirs 110 on ICM 80. Crimps 130 act as a secondary mechanical
interlock between rail 100 and interconnecting member 80 in this
embodiment. The press 150 is configured to evenly distribute the
adhesive between the rail 100 and ICM 80. In this embodiment, the
press 150 is configured to apply pressure to the cross rail 100 and
ICM 80 so as to cause adhesive to ooze out of the reservoirs of the
ICM. Adhesive is spread between the outer surface of the ICM and
the inner surface of the rail 100 to form a joint between the two
members. Rail 100 has four sets of two crimps 130 formed on each
side of the outer surface of rail. Rail 100 and ICM 80 are rotated
in 90 degree iterations between each press.
[0043] The finished assembly of the ICM 80 and rail 100 is shown in
FIG. 7-8. After, the pressing process, adhesive 120 seeps out of
one end of the rail 100 and one end of the ICM 80. As shown in FIG.
7, adhesive 120 is squeezed in the crimping process. Adhesive 120
seeped out of the end of rail 100 to overflow on the outside of the
ICM and rail, thereby forming a barrier between the cross rail 100
and ICM 80 joint and the surrounding environment. FIG. 8 is a
cross-section in the rail 100 taken from the inside the rail
looking toward the side rail 20 (of FIG. 2). As shown in FIG. 8,
adhesive 120 is squeezed in the crimping process so as to seep out
of an end of ICM 80. Adhesive 120 that seeps out of end of the ICM
80 overflows on the inside of the rail, thereby forming a barrier
between the rail and ICM joint and the surrounding environment on
an inside surface as well.
[0044] Another exemplary support frame assembly 200 is partially
shown and discussed with respect to FIGS. 9-14. Shown is a method
of manufacturing the support frame assembly 200, which is a vehicle
cross-member assembly. The method includes the steps of: (1) adding
adhesive to an adhesive reservoir in an interconnecting member, as
shown and discussed with respect to FIG. 9-11; (2) overlapping the
cross rail and the interconnecting member, e.g., as shown in FIG.
12; (3) crimping the overlapped ICM and rail; and (4) welding the
interconnecting member to a side rail in a position perpendicular
to the second rail, as shown in FIG. 2.
[0045] With respect to the first step, adding adhesive to an
adhesive reservoir in the interconnecting member, this step is
shown in FIG. 9. An adhesive applicator 210 includes a tip 220
marked at "M" for filling each reservoir 230 in an interconnecting
member 240 to a desired level. In FIG. 9, an operator, I, is shown
with the adhesive applicator 210 in one hand. ICM 240 includes at
least three adhesive reservoirs 230 on each surface in this
configuration. Adhesive 250 is inserted in the reservoirs. Adhesive
250 is also applied at a midpoint (280), 360 degrees around an
outer surface of interconnecting member 240. The ICM 240 with
adhesive 250 is also illustrated in FIG. 11.
[0046] In this embodiment, additional adhesive 250 is applied to
the inner walls of rail 270, as shown in FIG. 10. Adhesive 250 is
longitudinally applied along corners 290 of cross rail 270, as
shown in FIG. 10. FIG. 10 is a cross-section view of the rail 270
pre-assembly with ICM 240.
[0047] Once the adhesive 250 is applied, the operator moves to the
next step, as shown in FIG. 12. The rail 270 and interconnecting
member 240 are positioned in an overlapping configuration, as shown
in FIG. 12. In this embodiment, ICM 240 is inserted in the rail
270. After ICM 240 and rail 270 are placed in an overlapping
configuration, pressure is applied to the rail 270 and ICM 240. The
press is configured to evenly distribute the adhesive between the
rail and ICM by squeezing the adhesive out of the reservoirs and to
create matching crimps between the rail and ICM for interlocking
the two parts. Rail 270 has four sets of three crimps 260 formed on
each side of the outer surface of rail. In this embodiment, the
adhesive used is an epoxy (e.g., a two-part epoxy). Alternative
one-part epoxies or other adhesives can also be used.
[0048] ICM 240 includes an optional reservoir 230--as exposed in
FIGS. 9 and 11--that can be filled with adhesive or left unfilled
(e.g., as shown in FIG. 9). Reservoir 230 can be filled, for
example, for more overlapping or stronger joints. In those
embodiments, ICM 240 is inserted farther into cross rail 270 and
three reservoirs on each side of the rail are filled to link ICM
and cross rail. The use of optional reservoirs allows for
commonality of parts for the cross rails and ICMs between different
vehicle platforms.
[0049] After, the pressing process, adhesive 250 seeps out of one
end of the rail 270 and one end of the ICM 240. As shown in FIG.
13, adhesive 250 is squeezed in a crimping process so as to seep
out of an end of ICM 240. Adhesive 250 that seeps out of the ends
of rail and ICM forms a barrier between the rail 270 and ICM 240
joint and the surrounding environment on the inside surface and
outside surface as well. Different types of adhesives can be used
to create barriers of different kinds. In the illustrated
embodiment of FIG. 13 a less viscous adhesive is used than in the
embodiment of FIG. 8, for example, thus a thicker barrier is formed
by the overflow of adhesive on the exterior of the ICM and in the
interior of the rail.
[0050] FIG. 14 illustrates a cross-section in the support frame
assembly 200 of FIG. 12 at line 14-14 shown therein. As shown,
adhesive 250 is completely filled between the ICM 240 and rail 270
at all four corners through the overlap length. Rail 270 is
journaled onto the ICM 240. Adhesive 250 is evenly distributed at
the shown cross-section and the entire overlap as well.
[0051] Now with reference to FIGS. 15-16 there is shown another
exemplary embodiment of a support frame assembly 500. FIGS. 15-16
show partial perspective views of the support frame 500. The
support frame (or support frame assembly) 500 has rails 510, 520
composed of different materials. The material used for side rail
510 is not weld compatible with the material used for the
cross-member. In this embodiment, the side rail 510 is composed of
steel and the rail 520 is made of aluminum. Shown is an
interconnecting member 530 formed with the side rail 510.
Interconnecting 530 is casted with side rail 510 in this
embodiment. In other embodiments ICM 530 is, e.g., welded to rail
510. Interconnecting member 530 is a steel tube. As shown in FIGS.
15 and 16, the rail 520 has a series of recesses or reservoirs 540
formed on the outer surface of the rail 520. Reservoirs 540 are
oblong in shape and configured to hold adhesive therein. Different
types of adhesives can be used including e.g., resins or two-way
epoxies.
[0052] The support frame assembly of FIGS. 15-16 is manufactured
using a method of manufacture as described hereinbelow. A method of
manufacturing a vehicle cross-member assembly includes: adding
adhesive to an adhesive reservoir in a rail; overlapping an
interconnecting member with the rail by inserting the rail inside
of the interconnecting member; performing a second crimping to
distribute the adhesive and create the interlock between the two
members; and, if needed, welding the interconnecting member to a
side rail in a position perpendicular to the side rail, the side
rail composed of a different material than the cross-member
rail.
[0053] In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 17, an
interconnecting member fits inside of the rail 550. The
interconnecting member can include a series of complementary
reservoirs formed on the outer surface of interconnecting member,
e.g., 230, as shown in FIG. 9. A second crimping is performed on
the rail 550 after the assembly to form protrusions. Complementary
reservoirs and protrusions are located at the same positions to
create mechanical interlocks between the two members. The interlock
can also be created by a single step crimping on the
interconnector-rail assembly without pre-existing protrusions.
[0054] Reservoirs can be any combination of recesses, protrusions,
or a recess with protrusion and so forth. Reservoirs can be formed
using known forming procedures (e.g., stamping, hydroforming, or
die casting). Additionally, any of the aforementioned assembly or
forming process steps can be executed by an operator, automated
machine or a combination of the two.
[0055] Those familiar with the art to which this invention relates
will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for
practicing the invention within the scope of the appended
claims.
* * * * *