Sheet metal bead
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsWilliam George Heckman, Darrin Neil Wagner, Sone Sadakhom, Joshua Walters
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bracket has an elongate portion of a predetermined length. The elongate portion terminates in a clamp end that includes a downward sloping portion connected to a curved contact portion. The curved contact portion is configured to contact a tunable bead of a sheet metal portion of a vehicle body structure such as a pillar. The sheet metal portion comprises a generally planar mating surface, an opening in the depression, and a bead rising from the mating surface, wherein the height of the bead is configured for a top surface of the bead to contact a bottom portion of a clamp when the clamp is in a secured position.
Claims21
A sheet metal portion for a vehicle, comprising:
- a generally planar mating surface;
- an opening in the mating surface;
- and
- a bead rising from the mating surface, wherein the bead has a predetermined height configured for a top surface of the bead to contact a bottom portion of a standardized bracket that is convex with respect to the bead when the bracket is in a secured position;
- wherein the bracket includes a T-shaped securing portion including upper edges configured to contact a bottom surface of one of the sheet metal portion and a reinforcement affixed to the sheet metal portion.
A bracket system for a vehicle, comprising:
- a clamp that includes an elongate portion terminating in an end that includes a downward sloping portion connected to a curved contact portion;
- and
- a sheet metal portion that includes a generally planar mating surface, an opening in the bottom surface of a depression;
- and a bead rising from the mating surface, wherein the height of the bead is configured for a top surface of the bead to contact a bottom of the curved contact portion when the clamp is in a secured position.
A seatbelt bracket for installation on a vehicle and for providing an adjustable shoulder anchor for a safety restraint belt, the bracket comprising:
- a clamp having an elongate portion of a predetermined length,
- the elongate portion terminating in a clamp end that includes a downward sloping portion connected to a curved contact portion, the curved contact portion configured to contact a tunable bead of a sheet metal portion of the vehicle,
- the sheet metal including a generally planar mating surface, an opening in the mating surface, and a bead rising from the mating surface, wherein a height of the bead is configured for a top surface of the bead to contact a bottom of the curved contact portion when the clamp is in a secured position.
A sheet metal portion for a vehicle, comprising:
- a generally planar mating surface;
- an opening in the mating surface;
- and
- a bead rising from the mating surface, wherein the bead has a predetermined height configured for a top surface of the bead to contact a bottom portion of a standardized bracket when the bracket is in a secured position, wherein the bracket includes an adjustable seat-belt clamp.
A sheet metal portion for a vehicle, comprising:
- a generally planar mating surface;
- an opening in the mating surface;
- and
- a bead rising from the mating surface, wherein the bead has a predetermined height configured for a top surface of the bead to contact a bottom portion of a standardized bracket when the bracket is in a secured position, wherein an axis defined by a line defined by points of a bottom-most portion of a curved contact portion is generally perpendicular to a length of the bead when the clamp is in the secured position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.