Method and system for joining aluminum roof component to steel vehicle body component

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018297644-A1
Application number	US-201715485819-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 12, 2017
Priority date	Apr 12, 2017
Publication date	Oct 18, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A vehicle assembly method includes providing an aluminum roof component including a peripheral flange structure that defines a roof adhesive bonding zone; providing a steel vehicle body component including a body adhesive bonding zone; removably fastening the roof component to the vehicle body component with the peripheral flange structure spaced from the vehicle body component; electrocoating the roof component secured to the vehicle body component including the roof adhesive bonding zone and the body adhesive bonding zone; painting the roof component secured to the vehicle body component; removing the painted roof component from the painted vehicle body component; applying an adhesive that is curable at room temperature to at least one of the roof adhesive bonding zone and the body adhesive bonding zone; securely fastening the painted roof component to the painted vehicle body component with the adhesive spanning the adhesive bonding zones; and curing the adhesive.

First claim

1 . A method of securing a roof component formed of aluminum or aluminum-based alloy to a vehicle body component formed of a steel or steel-based alloy, the method comprising:
providing a roof component including a peripheral flange structure that defines a roof adhesive bonding zone; providing a vehicle body component, the vehicle body component includes a body adhesive bonding zone; removably fastening the roof component to the vehicle body component with the peripheral flange structure spaced from the vehicle body component; electrocoating the roof component secured to the vehicle body component including the roof adhesive bonding zone and the body adhesive bonding zone; painting the roof component secured to the vehicle body component; removing the painted roof component from the painted vehicle body component; applying an adhesive that is curable at room temperature to at least one of the roof adhesive bonding zone and the body adhesive bonding zone; securely fastening the painted roof component to the painted vehicle body component with the adhesive spanning the adhesive bonding zones; and curing the adhesive.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further including providing at least one bracket formed of an aluminum or aluminum-based alloy on the roof component, the at least one bracket fixedly attached to the roof component and fastened to the vehicle body component.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one bracket is configured to vertically space the flange structure of the roof component from the vehicle body component.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the at least one bracket provides a continuous vertical spacing between the flange structure of the roof component and the vehicle body component of approximately 4 mm to approximately 6 mm.

5 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the adhesive provided in the spacing is outwardly of the fastened connection of the roof component and the vehicle body component and seals the fastened connection from moisture to prevent galvanic corrosion between the dissimilar materials of the roof component and the vehicle body component.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the roof component is releasably fastened to the vehicle body component for electrocoating and painting in an installation position, and the roof component is securely fastened to the vehicle body component after application of the adhesive in the same installation position.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further including positioning the fastened connection of the roof component and the vehicle body component inwardly of the adhesive.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the roof component and vehicle body component are painted without masking the electrocoated roof adhesive bonding zone and the electocoated body adhesive bonding zone.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the adhesive is a high modulus urethane adhesive that can adhere to paint oversprayed on the adhesive bonding zones.

10 . A method of securing a roof component formed of aluminum or aluminum-based alloy to a vehicle body component formed of a steel or steel-based alloy, the method comprising:
providing a roof component that includes a roof adhesive bonding zone; providing a vehicle body component that includes a body adhesive bonding zone; positioning the roof adhesive bonding zone opposite the body adhesive bonding zone to define a spacing therebetween having a predetermined distance; removably fastening the roof component to the vehicle body component, the fastened connection is inwardly of the roof and body adhesive bonding zones; electrocoating the roof component secured to the vehicle body component including the roof adhesive bonding zone and the body adhesive bonding zone; painting the roof component secured to the vehicle body component without masking the e-coated adhesive bonding zones; removing the painted roof component from the painted vehicle body component; applying an adhesive to at least one of the roof adhesive bonding zone and the body adhesive bonding zone; securely fastening the painted roof component to the painted vehicle body component with the adhesive positioned in the spacing to bond the roof adhesive bonding zone to the body adhesive bonding zone; and curing the adhesive.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further including providing at least one bracket formed on an aluminum or aluminum-based alloy on the roof component, the at least one bracket fixedly attached to the roof component and having a fastening member to be fastened to the vehicle body component.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the fastening member is positioned inwardly of the roof adhesive bonding zone.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one bracket is configured to vertically space the roof adhesive bonding zone from the body adhesive bonding zone.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the roof component is releasably fastened to the vehicle body component for electrocoating and painting in an installation position, and the roof component is securely fastened to the vehicle body component after application of the adhesive in the same installation position.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the adhesive is a high modulus urethane adhesive that can adhere to paint oversprayed on the adhesive bonding zones.

16 . A system for assembling a vehicle body including an assembly line having a plurality of stations, the system comprising:
at least one first station adapted to weld first structural components that define a vehicle body component, the vehicle body component having a body adhesive bonding zone which defines an opening on the vehicle body component; the first structural components are formed of a first material, at least one second station for receiving the vehicle body component from the at least one first station, the at least one second station adapted to releasably fasten second structural components that define a roof component to the vehicle body component, the roof component covering the opening and having a roof adhesive body zone corresponding to the body adhesive boding zone, the second structural components formed of a second material that is different from the first material, at least one third station downstream of the at least one second station adapted to at least one of electrocoat and paint the vehicle body component together with the roof component fastened thereto, at least one fourth station for receiving the vehicle body component together with the roof component fastened thereto from the at least one third station, the at least one fourth station adapted to detach the roof component from the vehicle body component, apply a structural adhesive to at least one of the body adhesive bonding zone and the roof adhesive bonding zone that is curable at room temperature, and securely fasten the roof component to the vehicle body component after the application of the adhesive.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the first material is a steel or steel-based alloy and the second material is an aluminum or aluminum-based alloy.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein in the at least one second station the roof component is releasably fastened to the vehicle body component in an installation position, and the roof component is securely fastened to the vehicle body component in the at least one fourth station in the same installation position.

19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the fastened connection of the roof component to the vehicle body component is inwardly of the adhesive.

Assignees

• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Rompage Adam J
• Bach Edward W
• Helton Kevin D
• Ishikawa Masahiro
• Meaige Benjamin J

Classifications

• B23K2101/006

  Vehicles · 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

• B23K2101/18

  Sheet panels · CPC title

• B23K31/02

  relating to soldering or welding · CPC title

• B62D27/026 Primary

  Connections by glue bonding (in general F16B11/00; processes C09J5/00) · CPC title