Method for joining bumper members and bumper structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10926314-B2
Application number	US-201615763403-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2016
Priority date	Sep 28, 2015
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

In a method for joining bumper members, a bumper reinforcement including a rear inclined wall provided with a hole, and a bumper stay in a hollow shape are prepared. The method for joining bumper members includes the steps of: inserting the bumper stay through the hole of the bumper reinforcement to pass through the rear inclined wall; inserting rubber into the bumper stay; and compressing the rubber in a direction of an axis L of the bumper stay to expand the rubber outward from inside to expand and deform at least a portion of the bumper stay inserted into the hole, thereby joining the bumper stay to the rear inclined wall by press-fitting.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for joining bumper members comprising:
providing a bumper reinforcement including a front wall and a rear wall, the rear wall being provided with a first hole, and
a bumper stay in a hollow shape with openings at both ends;
inserting the bumper stay into the first hole of the bumper reinforcement to pass through the rear wall and abut the front wall;
inserting an elastic body into the bumper stay to abut the front wall; and
compressing the elastic body in an axial direction of the bumper stay to expand the elastic body outward from inside, thereby expanding and deforming at least a portion of the bumper stay inserted into the first hole to join the bumper stay to the rear wall by press-fitting.

2. The method for joining bumper members according to claim 1 , wherein
the first hole of the bumper reinforcement has a shape similar to a cross-sectional shape of a portion of the bumper stay inserted into the first hole.

3. The method for joining bumper members according to claim 1 , wherein
an outer frame mold is disposed outside the bumper stay, and at least a part of the bumper stay is formed along the outer frame mold, and is joined by press-fitting.

4. The method for joining bumper members according to claim 1 , wherein
burring is applied to an edge of the first hole.

5. The method for joining bumper members according to claim 1 , wherein
the elastic body is separated at a joint portion between the bumper reinforcement and the bumper stay.

6. The method for joining bumper members according to claim 1 , wherein
the bumper stay is provided in its inside with a partition wall, and includes an outer wall extending in the axial direction, and
a plurality of elastic bodies are inserted into respective spaces partitioned by the partition wall to join the bumper stay by press-fitting.

7. The method for joining bumper members according to claim 1 , wherein
the bumper stay is provided at its one end with at least one cut-out portion.

8. The method for joining bumper members according to claim 2 , wherein
an outer frame mold is disposed outside the bumper stay, and at least a part of the bumper stay is formed along the outer frame mold, and is joined by press-fitting.

9. The method for joining bumper members according to claim 2 , wherein
burring is applied to an edge of the first hole.

10. The method for joining bumper members according to claim 2 , wherein
the elastic body is separated at a joint portion between the bumper reinforcement and the bumper stay.

11. The method for joining bumper members according to claim 2 , wherein
the bumper stay is provided in its inside with a partition wall, and includes an outer wall extending in the axial direction, and
a plurality of elastic bodies are inserted into respective spaces partitioned by the partition wall to join the bumper stay by press-fitting.

12. The method for joining bumper members according to claim 2 , wherein
the bumper stay is provided at its one end with at least one cut-out portion.

Assignees

• Kobe Steel Ltd

Inventors

• Maeda Yasuhiro
• Hashimura Toru
• Naitou Junya
• Katsuma Hideto

Classifications

• B21D39/20

  with mandrels, e.g. expandable · CPC title

• B21D53/88 Primary

  other parts for vehicles, e.g. cowlings, mudguards · CPC title

• B21D39/044

  perpendicular · CPC title

• B60R19/04

  formed from more than one section {in a side-by-side arrangement} · CPC title

• B60R19/023

  Details · CPC title