Vehicle component joining assembly
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsVladimir Vladimirovich Bogachuk, Shawn Michael Morgans, Amanda Kay Freis
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A vehicle assembly includes a first component having a stand-off that provides a cavity. The stand-off protrudes from an insertion side of the first component. The stand-off includes at least one side wall that extends from a floor of the cavity to at least one outer surface of the stand-off. The assembly further includes a second component that contacts the first component at an interface. The cavity is configured to receive a mechanical fastener that joins the first component to the second component. A distance between the floor of the cavity and the interface is greater in some areas than in other areas such that a cross-sectional thickness at a bottom of the cavity is varied.
Claims16
A vehicle assembly, comprising:
- a first component having a stand-off that provides a cavity, the stand-off protruding from an insertion side of the first component, the stand-off including at least one side wall that extends from a floor of the cavity to at least one outer surface of the stand-off;
- and a second component contacting the first component at an interface, wherein the cavity is configured to receive a mechanical fastener that joins the first component to the second component, wherein the at least one outer surface of the stand-off is disposed along an outer surface plane, and the interface is disposed along an interface plane that is transverse to the outer surface plane, wherein the insertion side is disposed along an insertion side plane that is transverse to the outer surface plane, wherein a distance between the floor of the cavity and the interface is greater in some areas than in other areas such that a cross-sectional thickness at a bottom of the cavity is varied, wherein the first component does not provide a clearance throughhole for the mechanical fastener prior to rotating the mechanical fastener to drive the mechanical fastener through the floor;
- wherein the at least one side wall is an at least one inner side wall, the stand-off further including at least one outer side wall extending from the insertion side of the first component to the at least one outer surface.
A vehicle assembly, comprising:
- a first component having a stand-off that provides a cavity, the stand-off protruding from an insertion side of the first component, the stand-off including at least one side wall that extends from a floor of the cavity to at least one outer surface of the stand-off;
- and a second component contacting the first component at an interface, wherein the cavity is configured to receive a mechanical fastener that joins the first component to the second component wherein a distance between the floor of the cavity and the interface is greater in some areas than in other areas such that a cross-sectional thickness at a bottom of the cavity is varied, wherein the mechanical fastener is a single-sided fastener;
- wherein the at least one outer surface of the stand-off is disposed along an outer surface plane, and the interface is disposed along an interface plane that is transverse to the outer surface plane;
- wherein the at least one side wall is an at least one inner side wall, the stand-off further including at least one outer side wall extending from the insertion side of the first component to the at least one outer surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.