Body panel assembly and a method for manufacturing a body panel assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9555510-B2
Application number	US-201314136844-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2013
Priority date	Aug 29, 2011
Publication date	Jan 31, 2017
Grant date	Jan 31, 2017

Abstract

A body panel assembly and a method for manufacturing a body panel assembly are disclosed herein. In a non-limiting embodiment, the body panel assembly includes, but is not limited to, an inner panel having a lower portion. The body panel assembly further includes an outer panel that is connected to the inner panel. The outer panel has a main portion, a transitional portion, and a bent portion. The main portion and the bent portion are positioned on opposite sides of the lower portion. The main portion, the transitional portion, and the bent portion are arranged to form a cavity having an elongated configuration below the inner panel. The bent portion defines an opening extending therethrough. The opening is positioned at least partially below the lower portion of the inner panel. The opening provides ventilation to the cavity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for manufacturing a body panel assembly, the body panel assembly including an inner panel having a lower portion and an outer panel having a first end, a second end, and an opening extending through the outer panel, the opening being spaced apart from the first end, the method comprising the steps of:
positioning the inner panel over the outer panel such that the lower portion of the inner panel is spaced apart from the opening;
partially bending a portion of the outer panel around the lower portion of the inner panel, the portion including the first end of the outer panel and the opening;
moving the inner panel towards the second end to a position where the lower portion of the inner panel will avoid obstruction of the opening once the bending of the portion of the outer panel has been completed; and
completely bending the portion of the outer panel towards the inner panel to form the body panel assembly having the outer panel having a main portion, a transitional portion, and a bent portion, the main portion and the bent portion being positioned on opposite sides of the lower portion of the inner panel, the main portion, the transitional portion and the bent portion forming a cavity having an elongated configuration below the inner panel, and the opening extending through the bent portion to provide ventilation for the cavity.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of applying an adhesive to the body panel assembly to attach the inner panel to the outer panel.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of applying the adhesive to the body panel assembly comprises applying the adhesive to a surface of the outer panel corresponding to the main portion of the outer panel.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of applying the adhesive to the body panel assembly comprises applying the adhesive to a surface of the outer panel corresponding to the main portion of the outer panel at a location proximate the transitional portion.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of applying the adhesive to the body assembly comprises applying the adhesive in an amount sufficient to coat at least portions of opposite sides of the inner panel.

6. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the steps of:
positioning a plug in the opening prior to the completely bending step; and
removing the plug from the opening subsequent to the completely bending step.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of at least partially coating the cavity with an anti-corrosion material.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of at least partially coating the cavity with an anti-corrosion material comprises coating at least portions of oppositely disposed inner walls of the bent portion and the main portion, respectively.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of moving the inner panel towards the second end comprises moving the inner panel to a position where the lower portion of the inner panel will avoid any obstruction of the opening once the bending of the portion of the outer panel has been completed.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of completely bending the portion of the outer panel comprises bending the portion of the outer panel such that the bent portion and the main portion compress against opposite sides of the inner panel.

11. A method for manufacturing a body panel assembly, the body panel assembly including an inner panel having a lower portion and an outer panel having an opening defined therethrough, the opening being spaced apart from an end of the outer panel and a portion of the outer panel being partially bent towards the inner panel to form a bent portion and a transitional portion, the bent portion including the end and the opening, the method comprising the steps of:
positioning the inner panel and a gauge over the outer panel such that the gauge positions the lower portion of the inner panel in a spaced apart relationship with respect to the transitional portion of the outer panel;
partially bending the bent portion of the outer panel around the gauge;
removing the gauge; and
completely bending the bent portion of the outer panel towards the inner panel to form the body panel assembly having the outer panel having a main portion, the transitional portion, and the bent portion, the main portion and the bent portion being positioned on opposite sides of the lower portion of the inner panel, the main portion, the transitional portion and the bent portion forming a cavity having an elongated configuration below the inner panel, and the opening extending through the bent portion to provide ventilation for the cavity.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the step of applying an adhesive to the body panel assembly to attach the inner panel to the outer panel.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of applying the adhesive to the body panel assembly comprises applying the adhesive to a surface of the outer panel corresponding to the main portion of the outer panel.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising controlling a flow of the adhesive using the gauge.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of applying the adhesive to the body assembly comprises applying the adhesive in an amount sufficient to coat at least portions of opposite sides of the inner panel.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising the step of at least partially coating the cavity with an anti-corrosion material.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of at least partially coating the cavity with an anti-corrosion material comprises coating at least portions of oppositely disposed inner walls of the bent portion and the main portion, respectively.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of positioning the inner panel and the gauge over the outer panel comprises positioning the inner panel at a location where the lower portion of the inner panel will avoid obstruction of the opening once the bending of the portion of the outer panel has been completed.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of positioning the inner panel and the gauge over the outer panel comprises positioning the inner panel at a location where the lower portion of the inner panel will avoid any obstruction of the opening once the bending of the portion of the outer panel has been completed.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of completely bending the portion of the outer panel comprises bending the portion of the outer panel such that the bent portion and the main portion compress against opposite sides of the inner panel.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Song Guangling

Classifications

• B62D25/10

  Bonnets or lids {, e.g. for trucks, tractors, busses, work vehicles (for truck beds B60J7/1607; for boats B63B19/12; doors arranged at the vehicle rear B60J5/10; inlet covers for vehicle fuel tanks B60K15/05; for protecting non-occupants of a vehicle B60R21/38)} · CPC title

• B23P19/04 Primary

  for assembling or disassembling parts · CPC title

• B62D27/026

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

• Y10T156/1034

  Overedge bending of lamina about edges of sheetlike base · CPC title

• Y10T29/49622

  Vehicular structural member making · CPC title