# US 2019/0168811 A1 · Method for manufacturing vehicle body member and vehicle body member for vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0168811 A1 - Document ID: US20190168811A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/200,963 - Filed: 2018-11-27 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-12-04 - Assignees: Mazda Motor Corporation - Applicants: Mazda Motor Corporation - Inventors: Tadashi YAMAZAKI; Toshiyuki GENDO; Naoyuki IRIE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190168811A1 ## CPC - B62D 25/04: Door pillars {; windshield pillars} - B21D 22/203: {of compound articles} - B21D 35/007: {Layered blanks (B21D22/203 takes precedence; joining superposed plates B21D39/031, B21D39/034, B21D39/035)} - B21D 53/88: other parts for vehicles, e.g. cowlings, mudguards - B23K 31/003: {relating to controlling of welding distortion} - B23K 31/10: relating to cutting or desurfacing - B62D 27/02: rigid - B23K 2101/006: {Vehicles} - B23K 2103/04: Steel {or steel} alloys - B62D 29/007: {predominantly of special steel or specially treated steel, e.g. stainless steel or locally surface hardened steel} - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) - B21D: WORKING OR PROCESSING OF SHEET METAL OR METAL TUBES, RODS OR PROFILES WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL (working or processing of wire B21F) - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM ## Abstract A method for manufacturing a vehicle body member from a joined sheet. The joined sheet is press formed into a vehicle body member with a predetermined shape by: welding a second sheet material to a first sheet material at a plurality of points including a first joint and a second joint separated from each other; press forming the joined sheet so that a ridge crossing an imaginary line segment connecting the first joint and the second joint is formed in a portion where the first sheet material overlaps the second sheet material; and before the joining step, forming a displacement facilitating portion, which facilitates displacement of the second sheet material relative to the first sheet material in a longitudinal direction of the imaginary line segment, in a portion corresponding to between the first joint and the second joint in the second sheet material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for manufacturing a vehicle body member in which a second sheet material is placed on and joined to a first sheet material and a joined sheet material formed by the joining of the first and second sheet members is press formed into a vehicle body member with a predetermined shape, comprising: a joining step of joining the second sheet material to the first sheet material by welding at a plurality of points including a first joint and a second joint which are separated from each other, thereby forming the joined sheet material; a forming step of press forming the joined sheet material so that a ridge crossing an imaginary line segment connecting the first joint and the second joint is formed in a portion where the first sheet material overlaps the second sheet material; and a preparation step of, before the joining step, forming a displacement facilitating portion, which facilitates displacement of the second sheet material relative to the first sheet material in a longitudinal direction of the imaginary line segment, in a portion corresponding to between the first joint and the second joint in the second sheet material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the displacement facilitating portion includes an opening. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first sheet material is an elongated member extending in a predetermined direction, in the forming step, the joined sheet material is formed so as to form two of the ridges extending in a longitudinal direction of the first sheet material on both sides of the displacement facilitating portion and a wall connecting the two ridges, and in the preparation step, the displacement facilitating portion is formed in a portion corresponding to the wall in the second sheet material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the displacement facilitating portion includes a slot extending in the longitudinal direction of the first sheet material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein in the preparation step, a plurality of the slots that are located next to each other at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the first sheet material are formed in the second sheet material. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein in the joining step, the second sheet material is welded to the first sheet material at a third joint located between adjacent ones of the slots. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: a heating step of heating the joined sheet material after the joining step and before the forming step. ### Claim 8 A vehicle body member for a vehicle which includes a body member having a predetermined ridge portion, and a reinforcing member placed on and welded to a part of the body member which includes the ridge portion, wherein a joint of the reinforcing member to the body member includes a first joint located on one side of the ridge portion or on the ridge portion, and a second joint located on the other side of the ridge portion, and the reinforcing member has, in a portion between the ridge portion and the second joint, a displacement facilitating portion that facilitates displacement of the reinforcing member relative to the body member in a longitudinal direction of an imaginary line segment connecting the first joint and the second joint. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle body member of claim 8, wherein the displacement facilitating portion includes an opening. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The vehicle body member of claim 8, wherein the body member is an elongated member having a wall extending in a predetermined direction and two of the ridge portions formed along edges on one side and the other side in a lateral direction of the wall so as to extend in a longitudinal direction of the wall, and the displacement facilitating portion is formed in a part of the reinforcing member which is placed on the wall. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The vehicle body member of claim 10, wherein the displacement facilitating portion includes a plurality of slots formed so as to extend in a longitudinal direction of the body member and located next to each other at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the body member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The vehicle body member of claim 8, wherein the body member is a pillar body member disposed on a side of a vehicle body so as to extend in a vertical direction of the vehicle body, and the reinforcing member is a pillar reinforcing member that reinforces the ridge portion of the pillar body member. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The vehicle body member of claim 9, wherein the body member is an elongated member having a wall extending in a predetermined direction and two of the ridge portions formed along edges on one side and the other side in a lateral direction of the wall so as to extend in a longitudinal direction of the wall, and the displacement facilitating portion is formed in a part of the reinforcing member which is placed on the wall. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The vehicle body member of claim 13, wherein the displacement facilitating portion includes a plurality of slots formed so as to extend in a longitudinal direction of the body member and located next to each other at intervals in the longitudinal direction of the body member. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The vehicle body member of claim 9, wherein the body member is a pillar body member disposed on a side of a vehicle body so as to extend in a vertical direction of the vehicle body, and the reinforcing member is a pillar reinforcing member that reinforces the ridge portion of the pillar body member. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The vehicle body member of claim 10, wherein the body member is a pillar body member disposed on a side of a vehicle body so as to extend in a vertical direction of the vehicle body, and the reinforcing member is a pillar reinforcing member that reinforces the ridge portion of the pillar body member. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The vehicle body member of claim 11, wherein the body member is a pillar body member disposed on a side of a vehicle body so as to extend in a vertical direction of the vehicle body, and the reinforcing member is a pillar reinforcing member that reinforces the ridge portion of the pillar body member. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The vehicle body member of claim 13, wherein the body member is a pillar body member disposed on a side of a vehicle body so as to extend in a vertical direction of the vehicle body, and the reinforcing member is a pillar reinforcing member that reinforces the ridge portion of the pillar body member. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The vehicle body member of claim 14, wherein the body member is a pillar body member disposed on a side of a vehicle body so as to extend in a vertical direction of the vehicle body, and the reinforcing member is a pillar reinforcing member that reinforces the ridge portion of the pillar body member. ### Claim 20 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the first sheet material is an elongated member extending in a predetermined direction, in the forming step, the joined sheet material is formed so as to form two of the ridges extending in a longitudinal direction of the first sheet material on both sides of the displacement facilitating portion and a wall connecting the two ridges, and in the preparation step, the displacement facilitating portion is formed in a portion corresponding to the wall in the second sheet material.