Assembly and method for minimizing an overlap of a composite member riveted to another member

An assembly comprising:

• a first member having a first surface and an opposite facing second surface defining a reverse chamfered segment;
• a second member having a first surface defining a reverse chamfered segment and an opposite facing second surface, wherein the reverse chamfered segment of the first member is overlapped with the reverse chamfered segment of the second member, thereby forming an overlapped region, wherein the reverse chamfered segment of the first member is complementary to the reverse chamfered segment of the second member;
• and
• at least one rivet extending through the first member and at least partially through the second member in the overlapped region, thereby interlocking the second member to the first member;
• wherein the first member includes a first member thickness and the second member includes a second member thickness, and the overlapped region includes an overlapped region thickness that is greater than the sum of the thicknesses of the first and second members;
• and
• wherein the second member includes a distal end defining a plurality of adjacent curved symmetrical structures and a curved recess separating immediately adjacent curved symmetrical structures, thereby defining an undulating scallop shaped distal end.

A method of joining two members, comprising the steps of:

• (a) placing a first member onto a second member,
• wherein the first member includes a first surface and an opposite facing second surface defining an overlap area,
• wherein the second member having a first surface defining an overlap area and an opposite facing second surface, and
• wherein the overlap area of the first member is in direct contact with the overlap area of the second member, thereby forming an overlapped region;
• (b) driving at least one rivet through the first member and at least partially through the second member in the overlapped region, wherein the at least one rivet includes a head portion defining a bottom surface and a tubular portion extending outwardly from the bottom surface of the head along a central axis, and the tubular portion includes a tapered edge;
• and
• (c) deforming the tubular portion and tapered edge radially outward from the central axis of the rivet, thereby interlocking the second member to the first member;
• wherein the second member includes a distal end in the overlapped region defining at least one curved projection;
• wherein the at least one curved projection is a curved symmetrical structure defining a curve apex, and wherein step (b) includes driving the rivet in the overlapped region where a radius extending from the central axis of the rivet is perpendicular to a tangent extending through the curve apex;
• and
• wherein the second member comprises a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of Polypropylene (PP), Polyurethane (PUR), Poly-Vinyl-Chloride (PVC), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polyamide (PA, Nylon 6/6, Nylon 6), Polystyrene (PS), Polyethylene (PE), Polyoxymethylene (POM), Polycarbonate (PC), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), and Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA).