Flow drill screw assembly and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9488210-B2
Application number	US-201414501149-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2014
Priority date	Sep 30, 2014
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

An assembly is provided including a first workpiece and a second workpiece that are positioned together. A groove is provided in an exposed face of one of the workpieces. A location is provided at the bottom of the groove having a reduced cross-sectional thickness. The flow drill screw is extended through this location when joining the workpieces together.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of fastening a plurality of workpieces together to form an assembly, comprising:
forming a groove in a face of a first workpiece;
positioning a second workpiece into engagement with said first workpiece so as to not cover said groove thereby leaving said groove exposed to view;
providing a location of said first workpiece with an area of reduced cross-sectional thickness at a bottom of said groove; and
inserting a flow drill screw into said first and second workpieces so that said flow drill screw extends through said groove.

2. The method of claim 1 , including visually locating said groove before inserting said flow drill screw.

3. The method of claim 2 , including using said first workpiece to form a front side of said assembly.

4. The method of claim 2 , including using said first workpiece to form a rear side of said assembly.

5. The method of claim 1 , including forming said groove by machining.

6. The method of claim 1 , including forming said groove by coining.

7. The method of claim 1 , including driving said flow drill screw through said location.

8. An assembly, comprising:
a first workpiece including a first face and a second face;
a second workpiece including a third face and a fourth face wherein said first and second workpieces are positioned together with said second face abutting said third face;
a groove provided in at least one of said first face and said fourth face whereby workpiece material at a bottom of said groove is characterized by a location of reduced cross-sectional thickness; and
a flow drill screw extending through said location and securing said first and second workpieces together.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein said flow drill screw includes a head and a tip.

10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein said groove is in said first face and said head of said flow drill screw abuts said first face.

11. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein said groove is in said fourth face and said head of said screw abuts said first face.

12. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein said location is void of any clearance hole.

13. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein said groove is void of any clearance hole.

14. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein said first workpiece and said second workpiece are void of any clearance hole.

15. The assembly of claim 8 , further including a third workpiece provided between said second face of said first workpiece and said third face of said second workpiece.

16. An assembly, comprising:
a first workpiece including a first face and a second face;
a second workpiece including a third face and a fourth face wherein said first and second workpieces are positioned together with said second face abutting said third face along an entirety of the second and third faces;
a groove provided in at least one of said first face and said fourth face whereby workpiece material at a bottom of said groove is characterized by a location of reduced cross-sectional thickness; and
a flow drill screw extending through said location and securing said first and second workpieces together.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Freis Amanda Kay

Classifications

• F16B25/0021 Primary

  the material being metal, e.g. sheet-metal or aluminium (F16B25/0031 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16B25/106 Primary

  by means of a self-piercing screw-point, i.e. without removing material · CPC title

• B21J5/066

  Flow drilling · CPC title