C-pillar to box side to cab back joint

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11254370-B2
Application number	US-202016928112-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2020
Priority date	Jul 14, 2020
Publication date	Feb 22, 2022
Grant date	Feb 22, 2022

Abstract

A structural joint for a pickup truck, according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a C-pillar, a gusset bracket, a cab back bracket, and a box panel. The C-pillar, gusset bracket, cab back bracket, and box panel are directly welded to each other to provide an assembly having a box section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A structural joint for a pickup truck, comprising:
a pillar;
a gusset bracket;
a cab back bracket;
a box panel;
wherein the pillar is directly welded to the gusset bracket, the pillar is directly welded to the cab back bracket, and the cab back bracket is welded directly to the box panel to provide an assembly having a box section; and
wherein the pillar comprises a pillar outer panel and a pillar inner panel that are secured together at a flange interface, and wherein the cab back bracket comprises a cab back outer bracket and a cab back inner bracket, and wherein the cab back outer bracket is also attached to the flange interface, and wherein the cab back inner bracket is attached to the pillar inner panel separate from the cab back outer bracket.

2. The structural joint according to claim 1 , wherein the assembly is mated to a cab back lower panel.

3. The structural joint according to claim 1 , wherein the pickup truck comprises a unibody pickup truck having a box associated with a cab via the structural joint that comprises the box section, and wherein the box section is continuously maintained along a cross-vehicle width of the box panel.

4. The structural joint according to claim 3 , wherein the box panel comprises a box inner panel attached to a box rail, and wherein the cab back bracket is attached to a cab back panel.

5. The structural joint according to claim 1 , wherein the assembly is for a unibody configuration.

6. The structural joint according to claim 1 , wherein the box panel comprises a box inner panel that is securable to a box rail, and wherein the box inner panel is attached to the flange interface.

7. The structural joint according to claim 6 , wherein the gusset bracket is attached to the pillar outer panel at a first attachment and is attached to the box rail at a second attachment that is separate from the first attachment, and wherein the box rail is attached to the pillar outer panel at a third attachment that is separate from the first and second attachments.

8. The structural joint according to claim 7 , including a cab back inner panel, a cab back outer panel secured to the cab back inner panel, a cab back lower panel secured to at least the cab back outer panel.

9. A unibody pickup truck, comprising:
a cab;
a box associated with the cab via a structural joint;
wherein the structural joint comprises a pillar, a gusset bracket, a cab back bracket, and a box panel;
wherein the pillar is directly welded to the gusset bracket, the pillar is directly welded to the cab back bracket, and the cab back bracket is welded directly to the box panel to provide an assembly having a box section; and
wherein the cab back bracket comprises a cab back outer bracket, and including a cab back inner panel, a cab back outer panel secured to the cab back inner panel, a cab back lower panel secured to at least the cab back outer panel, and a cab back inner bracket that is attached to the pillar separate from the cab back outer bracket.

10. The unibody pickup truck according to claim 9 , wherein the assembly is mated to the cab back lower panel.

11. The unibody pickup truck according to claim 10 , wherein the pillar comprises a pillar outer panel and a pillar inner panel that are secured together at a flange interface, and wherein the cab back outer bracket is also attached to the flange interface.

12. The unibody pickup truck according to claim 11 , wherein the box panel comprises a box inner panel that is securable to a box rail, and wherein the box inner panel is attached to the flange interface.

13. The unibody pickup truck according to claim 12 , wherein the gusset bracket is attached to the pillar outer panel at a first attachment and is attached to the box rail at a second attachment that is separate from the first attachment, and wherein the box rail is attached to the pillar outer panel at a third attachment that is separate from the first and second attachments.

14. The unibody pickup truck according to claim 9 , wherein the box section is continuously maintained along a cross-vehicle width of the box panel.

15. A method comprising:
directly welding a pillar directly to a gusset bracket, welding the pillar directly to a cab back bracket, and welding a box panel directly to the cab back bracket to provide an assembly having a box section for a unibody pickup truck;
wherein the pillar comprises a pillar outer panel and a pillar inner panel that are secured together at a flange interface, and wherein the cab back bracket comprises a cab back outer bracket and a cab back inner bracket;
attaching the cab back outer bracket to the flange interface; and
attaching the cab back inner bracket to the pillar inner panel separate from the cab back outer bracket.

16. The method according to claim 15 , including associating a box of the unibody pickup truck with a cab via a structural joint that comprises the box section, and wherein the box section is continuously maintained along a cross-vehicle width of the box panel.

17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the box panel comprises a box inner panel attached to a box rail, and wherein the cab back bracket is attached to a cab back panel.

18. The method according to claim 15 , including mating the assembly to a cab back lower panel.

19. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the flange interface comprises a first flange interface, and wherein the pillar outer panel and the pillar inner panel are secured together at a second flange interface separate from the first flange interface, and including spacing the pillar outer panel and the pillar inner panel apart from each other between the first and second flange interfaces to form an open box section for the pillar.

20. The structural joint according to claim 1 , wherein the flange interface comprises a first flange interface, and wherein the pillar outer panel and the pillar inner panel are secured together at a second flange interface separate from the first flange interface, and wherein the pillar outer panel and the pillar inner panel are spaced apart from each other between the first and second flange interfaces to form an open box section for the pillar.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Hewitt Daniel
• Vijayakumar Srinath
• Ganti Satish
• Chimento Vince Anthony
• Brooke Matthew

Classifications

• B62D27/023 Primary

  Assembly of structural joints · CPC title

• B62D27/02

  rigid · CPC title

• B62D23/00 Primary

  Combined superstructure and frame, i.e. monocoque constructions ({having impact absorbing means B62D21/15; } superstructure {or monocoque structure} sub-units {or parts or details thereof} B62D25/00 {; characterised by the material thereof B62D29/00}) · CPC title

• B62D65/02

  Joining sub-units or components to, or positioning sub-units or components with respect to, body shell or other sub-units or components · CPC title

• B62D25/04

  Door pillars {; windshield pillars} · CPC title