Dual function rocker and seat reinforcement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9469348-B2
Application number	US-201414287648-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2014
Priority date	Jun 28, 2013
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

A number of variations may include a product including a vehicle rocker side reinforcement attached to an inboard face of the vehicle rocker. A number of variations may include a product including a vehicle rocker side reinforcement having a tipped surface. A number of variations may include a method comprising: attaching a rocker side reinforcement to a first wall of a rocker.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A product comprising:
a vehicle rocker having a first wall, and a rocker side reinforcement attached to the first wall, a seat support defining at least one recess attached to the rocker side reinforcement, a first lateral beam attached and received by the at least one recess and a second lateral beam attached to and received by the at least one recess and wherein the seat support includes a flange, and wherein the rocker side reinforcement includes a first planar wall and a second planar wall, the first planar wall and second planar wall forming an obtuse angle, the flange attached to the second planar wall of the rocker side reinforcement and a plurality of flow drill screws extending through the flange and the second planar wall of the rocker side reinforcement, wherein the first planar wall, the second planar wall and the obtuse angle, and the flange are constructed and arranged to prevent the flow drill gun from engaging the first planar wall of the rocker side reinforcement or the first planar wall of the rocker during driving a flow drive screw.

2. A product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the rocker side reinforcement comprises an extrusion.

3. A product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first lateral beam has an end engaging the rocker side reinforcement, and wherein the rocker side reinforcement is constructed and arranged to prevent the end of the first lateral beam from penetrating the first wall of the rocker.

4. A product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the rocker side reinforcement includes a pocket structure defining a pocket.

5. A product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the rocker side reinforcement includes a first section including a planar face; a second section including first wall having a planar surface, a second wall connected to the first wall and a base wall connected to the second wall; and a third section including a planar wall connected to the second section.

6. A product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the rocker side reinforcement includes a triangular pocket for receiving a shaft and pointed end of a flow drill screw.

7. A method comprising:
attaching a rocker side reinforcement comprising a seat support defining at least one recess to a first wall of a rocker wherein the rocker side reinforcement includes a first planar wall and a second planar wall, the first planar wall and second planar wall forming an obtuse angle wherein the attaching a rocker side reinforcement to a first wall of a rocker comprises driving plurality of a flow drill screws through the first wall of the rocker side reinforcement and into the first wall of the rocker, further comprising providing a seat support having an angled flanged and using a flow drill gun to drive a plurality of flow drill screws through the angled flange and into the second wall of the rocker side reinforcement, wherein the angled flange and the second wall of the rocker side reinforcement are constructed and arranged to prevent the flow drill gun from engaging the first wall of the rocker side reinforcement or the first wall of the rocker during driving a flow drive screw.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the rocker is an extrusion.

9. A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the rocker side reinforcement is an extrusion.

10. A method as set forth in claim 7 further comprising attaching a first lateral beam to the seat support.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10 wherein the first lateral beam has an end engaging the rocker side reinforcement to prevent the end of the first lateral beam from penetrating the first wall of the rocker.

12. A product comprising:
a rocker side reinforcement comprising a seat support defining at least one recess and an extrusion having a pocket for receiving a portion of a shaft and a pointed end of a fastener, a first lateral beam disposed within the at least one recess and attached to the seat support and wherein the seat support includes a flange, and wherein the rocker side reinforcement includes a first planar wall and a second planar wall, the first planar wall and second planar wall forming an obtuse angle, the flange attached to the second planar wall of the rocker side reinforcement and a plurality of flow drill screws extending through the flange and the second planar wall of the rocker side reinforcement, wherein the first planar wall, the second planar wall, and the flange are constructed and arranged to prevent the flow drill gun from engaging the first planar wall of the rocker side reinforcement during driving the flow drive screws extending through the flange and the second planar wall of the rocker side reinforcement.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Saje Robert N
• Kielbik Robert M
• Wyszynski Artur

Classifications

• B60N2/015

  Attaching seats directly to vehicle chassis · CPC title

• B62D65/00

  Designing, manufacturing, e.g. assembling, facilitating disassembly, or structurally modifying motor vehicles or trailers, not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B62D25/025 Primary

  Side sills thereof · CPC title

• B62D25/2036 Primary

  the subunits being side panels, sills or pillars (B62D21/157 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y10T29/49622

  Vehicular structural member making · CPC title