Patch welded blank on an A-pillar

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10099726-B2
Application number	US-201615358697-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2016
Priority date	Nov 22, 2016
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

A body for a vehicle includes an A-pillar defining a C-channel along a first surface of the A-pillar. The body further includes a support disposed within the C-channel and defining a shape matching the C-channel to mate the support along an entirety of the first surface via pre-formed spot welds aligned with the first surface. The welds are defined along a single plane being parallel to the first surface, wherein the welds are spaced to secure the support within the C-channel to form flush contact between the support and the first surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a body including an A-pillar having a first surface defining a C-channel; and
a support disposed on the body, aligned and in contact with the C-channel such that the support defines a shape that matches a shape of the first surface and extends along an entirety of the first surface, wherein the support is attached to the A-pillar via pre-forming spot welds defining an orientation such that a distance between welds, defined from a central axis of each weld, increases from a point defined on the first surface as the welds attach the support to the first surface away from the point along the entirety of the first surface within a single plane being parallel to the first surface.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the welds are formed at regular intervals along the entirety of the first surface.

3. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the welds are formed starting at the point on the first surface such that the support increases stiffness of the first surface.

4. A body for a vehicle comprising:
an A-pillar defining a C-channel along a first surface of the A-pillar; and
a support disposed within the C-channel and defining a shape matching the C-channel to mate the support along an entirety of the first surface via pre-formed spot welds aligned with, and formed on the first surface starting at a point such that the welds are defined along a single plane being parallel to the first surface in a number of welds to stiffen the A-pillar at the point such that the number of welds decreases along the first surface away from the point, wherein the welds are spaced to secure the support within the C-channel to form flush contact between the support and the first surface.

5. The body of claim 4 , wherein the point is defined based on an interconnection between the support and the first surface such that the support stiffens the first surface of the A-pillar.

6. The body of claim 4 , wherein the welds are disposed in sections across the first surface.

7. The body of claim 4 , wherein the welds define at least one section across the first surface.

8. The body of claim 6 , wherein the sections of welds are defined such that the support maintains flush contact with the first surface of the A-pillar.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Rowe Nicholas
• Zuniga Armando
• Acosta Flores Alejandro Eli
• Fragoso Medina Omar

Classifications

• B62D25/04 Primary

  Door pillars {; windshield pillars} · CPC title

• B62D21/15

  having impact absorbing means, e.g. a frame designed to permanently or temporarily change shape or dimension upon impact with another body (bumpers B60R19/02; shock absorbers in general F16F) · CPC title