Bonded structural joints and method of assembling such joints
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorPeter Jolley
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AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorPeter Jolley
Estimating the term…
A joint assembly comprises a hollow extrusion member of an asymmetrical hexagonal section and a flange casting comprising a base flange and several webs including a top web and upper side webs which have joint faces presented to corresponding joint areas on the outside of the extrusion while a bottom web and lower side webs have joint faces which are presented to corresponding joint areas on the inside of the extrusion. To assemble the joint assembly an adhesive is applied to the joint faces and the extrusion aligned with the flange casting but offset vertically. The extrusion is then moved longitudinally towards the flange casting to the full extent permitted by abutment of an extrusion end face with steps to bring the joint faces into overlapping alignment with the corresponding joint areas on the extrusion, there being a substantial clearance due to the vertical offset so that the adhesive on the joint faces does not contact the joint areas on the extrusion at this stage. Then the extrusion is moved transversely relative to the flange casting so that each joint face complete with the adhesive is brought into contact with its corresponding joint area on the extrusion. Holes are then pierced and blind rivets inserted to ensure full contact of the adhesive with the joint areas. The assembly of extrusion and flange casting is then placed in an oven to cure the adhesive.
A joint assembly for adhesively joining two structural members, a first structural member being in the form of an elongate hollow section, said section being hexagonal in cross-section and having a continuous end face extending substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said section, and a second structural member having longitudinally extending webs presenting joint faces coated with an adhesive, the joint faces in use overlying and being adhesively bonded to corresponding joint areas of the first member with the end face abutting the second structural member, wherein at least one of the joint areas is on the outside of the hollow section and at least one other of the joint areas is on the inside of the hollow section, the webs being arranged so that before bonding the first structural member can be moved longitudinally relative to the second structural member to bring the joint areas and the joint faces into overlapping alignment with a substantial clearance therebetween and then moved transversely relative to the second structural member to bring the joint faces into adhesive contact with the joint areas, there being a first arrangement of said webs having joint faces for bonding to the inside of the section and a second arrangement of said webs having joint faces for bonding to the outside of the section, the first arrangement of webs forming a saddle and the second arrangement of webs forming a trough, the saddle being formed by a bottom web and two inclined lower side webs and the trough being formed by a top web and two inclined upper side webs, gaps being formed between the first arrangement of said webs and the second arrangement of said webs such that the hollow section extends into the gaps.
A joint assembly for adhesively joining two structural members, the joint assembly comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.