Assembly and method for minimizing an overlap of a composite member riveted to another member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10240624-B2
Application number	US-201615238438-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2016
Priority date	Aug 16, 2016
Publication date	Mar 26, 2019
Grant date	Mar 26, 2019

Abstract

An assembly and method for minimizing an overlap of a composite member riveted to another member includes a first member having a first overlap area and a second member having a second overlap area. The overlap areas of the first and second members are in direct contact, thereby forming an overlapped region. The overlapped region may be thicker than the sum of the individual members. The second member includes an end defining a projection in the overlapped region. The rivet is disposed through the first member and at least partially through the second member in the projection, thereby interlocking the second member to the first member. The projections include a curved symmetrical body defining an apex. The rivet extends through the body such that a line extending from the center axis of the rivet is perpendicular to a tangent extending through the apex of the projection.

First claim

The following is claimed:

1. An assembly comprising:
a first member having a first overlap area;
a second member having a second overlap area, wherein the overlap area of the first member is in direct contact with the overlap area of the second member, thereby forming an overlapped region, and wherein the second member includes an end defining a plurality of projections in the overlapped region; and
a rivet disposed through the first member and at least partially through the second member in at least one of the projections, thereby interlocking the second member to the first member;
wherein at least one of the projections include a body defining an apex, and wherein the rivet extends through the body such that a line extending from the center axis of the rivet is perpendicular to a tangent extending through the apex;
wherein each of the plurality of projection is a curved symmetrical structure defining a scalloped shape distal end;
wherein the distal end of the second member further defines a curved recess separating adjacent curved symmetrical structures, thereby defining an undulating scalloped shape end; and
wherein each of the adjacent curved symmetrical structures includes a first radius and the curved recess includes a second radius, wherein the first radius is greater than the second radius.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rivet includes a tubular diameter, and wherein the central axis of the rivet is at least 2.0 tubular diameters from the apex.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the assembly further comprises a washer in contact with the second surface of the second member in the overlapped region, wherein the rivet locks the washer against the second surface of the second member.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first member includes a first member thickness and the second member includes a second member thickness, and the overlapped region includes an overlapped region thickness that is equal to the sum of the thicknesses of the first and second members.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second member comprises a polymeric material comprising a thermoplastic.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second member comprises a polymeric composite material selected from the group consisting of Polypropylene (PP), Polyurethane (PUR), Poly-Vinyl-Chloride (PVC), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polyamide (PA, Nylon 6/6, Nylon 6), Polystyrene (PS), Polyethylene (PE), Polyoxymethylene (POM), Polycarbonate (PC), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), and Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA).

7. An assembly comprising:
a first member having a first surface and an opposite facing second surface defining a reverse chamfered segment;
a second member having a first surface defining a reverse chamfered segment and an opposite facing second surface, wherein the reverse chamfered segment of the first member is overlapped with the reverse chamfered segment of the second member, thereby forming an overlapped region, wherein the reverse chamfered segment of the first member is complementary to the reverse chamfered segment of the second member; and
at least one rivet extending through the first member and at least partially through the second member in the overlapped region, thereby interlocking the second member to the first member;
wherein the first member includes a first member thickness and the second member includes a second member thickness, and the overlapped region includes an overlapped region thickness that is greater than the sum of the thicknesses of the first and second members; and
wherein the second member includes a distal end defining a plurality of adjacent curved symmetrical structures and a curved recess separating immediately adjacent curved symmetrical structures, thereby defining an undulating scallop shaped distal end.

8. The assembly of claim 7 , further comprising a washer disposed on the second surface of the second member in the overlapped region, and wherein the at least one rivet extends through the second member and deformed against the washer, thereby interlocking the washer against the second surface of the second member.

9. A method of joining two members, comprising the steps of:
(a) placing a first member onto a second member,
wherein the first member includes a first surface and an opposite facing second surface defining an overlap area,
wherein the second member having a first surface defining an overlap area and an opposite facing second surface, and
wherein the overlap area of the first member is in direct contact with the overlap area of the second member, thereby forming an overlapped region;
(b) driving at least one rivet through the first member and at least partially through the second member in the overlapped region, wherein the at least one rivet includes a head portion defining a bottom surface and a tubular portion extending outwardly from the bottom surface of the head along a central axis, and the tubular portion includes a tapered edge; and
(c) deforming the tubular portion and tapered edge radially outward from the central axis of the rivet, thereby interlocking the second member to the first member;
wherein the second member includes a distal end in the overlapped region defining at least one curved projection;
wherein the at least one curved projection is a curved symmetrical structure defining a curve apex, and wherein step (b) includes driving the rivet in the overlapped region where a radius extending from the central axis of the rivet is perpendicular to a tangent extending through the curve apex; and
wherein the second member comprises a polymeric material selected from the group consisting of Polypropylene (PP), Polyurethane (PUR), Poly-Vinyl-Chloride (PVC), Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), Polyamide (PA, Nylon 6/6, Nylon 6), Polystyrene (PS), Polyethylene (PE), Polyoxymethylene (POM), Polycarbonate (PC), Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), and Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA).

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein step (b) includes driving the rivet in the overlapped region at a distance from the curve apex such that the curved symmetrical structure provides sufficient structural integrity to prevent fracturing of the second member in the overlapped region resulting from the driving and deforming of the rivet.

11. The method of claim 10 , further includes the step of placing a washer on the second surface of the second member in the overlapped region, wherein step (b) further includes driving the rivet through the second member in the overlapped region such that the tapered edge extends beyond the second surface of the second member and through the washer, and wherein step (c) further includes deforming the tapered edge radially outward from the central axis of the rivet and axially in contact with the washer in the direction of the second surface of the second member, thereby interlocking the washer against the second surface of the second member.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the overlap area of the second surface of the first member defines a reverse chamfered segment and wherein the overlap area of the first surface of the second member defines a reverse chamfered segment complementary to the reverse chamfered segment of the first member.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Blaski Bradley J
• Janis Richard C
• Wang Pei-Chung
• Linn Douglas M

Classifications

• F16B19/08

  Hollow rivets; Multi-part rivets · CPC title

• F16B5/04 Primary

  by means of riveting (rivets F16B19/04) · CPC title

• B29C66/43

  Joining a relatively small portion of the surface of said articles (B29C66/45 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C65/601 Primary

  using extra riveting elements, i.e. the rivets being non-integral with the parts to be joined · CPC title