Net shaped substrate material for substrate joint

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021308742-A1
Application number	US-202117352638-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 21, 2021
Priority date	Oct 5, 2017
Publication date	Oct 7, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

An assembly includes an upper substrate, a lower substrate, and a self-piercing rivet. The lower substrate defines a preformed interior cavity and a preformed exterior profile adjacent the interior cavity to define a variable thickness wall. The self-piercing rivet extends through the upper substrate and into the preformed interior cavity of the lower substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An assembly comprising:
a first substrate; a second substrate, a front side of the second substrate facing the first substrate and defining a preformed interior cavity, a rear side of the second substrate being opposite the front side of the second substrate and defining a preformed exterior profile that cooperates with the interior cavity to define a variable thickness wall; and a self-piercing rivet extending through the first substrate and into the preformed interior cavity of the second substrate, wherein the preformed interior cavity is configured to receive material from the first substrate during installation of the self-piercing rivet and the variable thickness wall is configured to direct flaring of the self-piercing rivet.

2 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the preformed interior cavity of the second substrate is not plastically deformed during installation of the self-piercing rivet.

3 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the preformed interior cavity of the second substrate is plastically deformed during installation of the self-piercing rivet.

4 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the second substrate is an aluminum casting or an aluminum extrusion such that the preformed interior cavity and preformed exterior profile are formed by a corresponding casting or extrusion process.

5 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the second substrate is a composite material.

6 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the preformed interior cavity defines a circular trench and a raised central region such that, before installation of the self-piercing rivet, the variable thickness wall has a greater thickness in the raised central region than in the circular trench.

7 . The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the preformed exterior profile defines a closed cylinder.

8 . The assembly according to claim 7 , wherein the preformed exterior profile further defines a radiused area extending between a rear surface of the second substrate and the cylinder.

9 . An assembly comprising:
a first substrate; a second substrate, a front side of the second substrate defining a plurality of preformed interior cavities and a back side of the second substrate defining a corresponding plurality of preformed exterior profiles that cooperate with the interior cavities to define variable thickness walls therebetween; and a plurality of self-piercing rivets extending through the first substrate and into the preformed interior cavities of the second substrate, wherein the preformed interior cavities and variable thickness walls are configured to direct flaring of the self-piercing rivets.

10 . The assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the second substrate is an aluminum casting or an aluminum extrusion.

11 . The assembly according to claim 9 , wherein the second substrate is a composite material.

12 . The assembly according to claim 9 , wherein preformed exterior profiles define closed cylinders.

13 . A motor vehicle having the assembly according to claim 9 .

14 . A method of forming a riveted connection, the method comprising:
positioning a first substrate and a second substrate between a riveter punch and a die, the second substrate defining a preformed interior cavity and a preformed exterior profile that cooperate to define a variable thickness wall, the preformed exterior profile being disposed in an interior cavity of the die; pressing a self-piercing rivet toward the die until the first substrate deforms into the preformed interior cavity and the variable thickness wall directs flaring of the self-piercing rivet into the preformed interior cavity of the second substrate.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the preformed interior cavity of the second substrate has a raised central region and an annular trench that surrounds the raised central region.

16 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the second substrate has a front surface and a rear surface, the front surface facing toward the first substrate, the preformed exterior profile extending from the rear surface in a direction away from the first substrate, wherein the rear surface is disposed between the front surface and an entirety of the raised central region.

17 . The method according to claim 15 , wherein the second substrate has a front surface and a rear surface, the front surface facing toward the first substrate, the preformed exterior profile extending from the rear surface in a direction away from the first substrate, wherein a portion of the raised central region is disposed between the front surface and the rear surface.

18 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the exterior profile substantially matches a profile of the interior cavity of the die.

19 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein, before pressing a self-piercing rivet toward the die, the exterior profile extends from a rear surface of the second substrate in a direction away from the first substrate and a rear surface of the preformed exterior profile is substantially flat.

20 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the self-piercing rivet is pressed toward the die until an insertion end of the self-piercing rivet extends through the first substrate.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Huff Garret Sankey
• Freis Amanda Kay

Classifications

• Y10T428/24322

  Composite web or sheet · CPC title

• B32B2250/02

  2 layers · CPC title

• B32B15/20

  comprising aluminium or copper {(B32B15/016 and B32B15/017 take precedence)} · CPC title

• B32B15/04

  comprising metal as the main or only constituent of a layer, {which is} next to another layer of {the same or of} a {different material (next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/08; next to a water-setting substance layer B32B13/06; next to a glass layer B32B17/061; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/042)} · CPC title

• B32B9/041

  of metal · CPC title