Reduced-corrosion fastened assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9689418-B2
Application number	US-96846910-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2010
Priority date	Dec 15, 2010
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

A reduced-corrosion assembly includes a first and a second component joined by a fastener having a head and a body. A coating covers a section of the body. The assembly also includes a washer, a compression limiter, and a nut arranged on the first component and adapted to engage the fastener body to thereby tighten the assembly. When the assembly is tightened, the compression limiter is arranged on the fastener body between the first and second components, while the second component is arranged on the fastener body between the compression limiter and the washer. Furthermore, the washer is arranged on the fastener body between the fastener head and the second component, while the coating covers the body substantially up to where the nut engages the body such that corrosion of the assembly is limited or reduced. A vehicle employing the reduced-corrosion fastening system is also provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A reduced-corrosion assembly comprising:
a first component;
a second component;
a fastener formed from a first material, the fastener having a fastener head and a fastener body that includes a threaded first portion;
a coating that covers a section of the threaded first portion;
a washer formed from a second material;
a nut arranged on the first component and adapted to engage the threaded first portion of the body to thereby tighten the assembly;
a compression limiter adapted to transfer a load from the fastener when the assembly is tightened; and
a sleeve arranged on the fastener body, wherein the sleeve is configured to be displaced and thereby fill a space between the head and the nut when the assembly is tightened;
wherein when the assembly is tightened:
the compression limiter is arranged on the fastener body between the first component and the second component;
the second component is arranged on the fastener body between the compression limiter and the washer;
the washer is arranged on the fastener body between the fastener head and the second component; and
the coating covers the threaded first portion substantially up to, but not including where the nut engages the threaded first portion, such that galvanic corrosion of the assembly is limited.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is formed from a polymeric material.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the nut is fixed on the first component.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fastener body includes a non-threaded second portion disposed between the head and the first portion.

5. The assembly of claim 4 , wherein the coating covers the second portion of the fastener.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first material is steel and the second material is aluminum.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first component is formed from steel and the second component is formed from magnesium.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the compression limiter is embedded in a third component and adapted to protect the third component from being damaged when the assembly is tightened.

9. The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the third component is formed from plastic.

10. A vehicle comprising:
a vehicle frame; and
a reduced-corrosion assembly mounted on the frame, the assembly including:
a first component;
a second component;
a fastener formed from a first material, the fastener having a fastener head and a fastener body that includes a threaded first portion;
a coating that covers a section of the threaded first portion;
a washer formed from a second material;
a nut arranged on the first component and adapted to engage the threaded first portion of the fastener body to thereby tighten the assembly;
a compression limiter adapted to transfer a load from the fastener when the assembly is tightened; and
a sleeve arranged on the fastener body, wherein the sleeve is configured to be displaced and thereby fill a space between the head and the nut when the assembly is tightened;

wherein when the assembly is tightened:
the compression limiter is arranged on the fastener body between the first component and the second component;
the second component is arranged on the fastener body between the compression limiter and the washer;
the washer is arranged on the fastener body between the fastener head and the second component; and
the coating covers the threaded first portion substantially up to, but not including where the nut engages the threaded first portion, such that galvanic corrosion of the assembly is limited.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the sleeve is formed from a polymeric material.

12. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the nut is fixed on the first component.

13. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the fastener body includes a non-threaded second portion disposed between the head and the first portion.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the coating covers the second portion of the fastener.

15. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the first material is steel and the second material is aluminum.

16. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the first component is formed from steel and the second component is formed from magnesium.

17. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the compression limiter is embedded in a third component.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the third component is formed from plastic.

Assignees

• Schumacher William A
• Meli Louis
• Quinn Shawn G
• Schachermeyer Brian J
• Gandhi Milind S
• Declerck David B
• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Schumacher William A
• Meli Louis
• Quinn Shawn G
• Schachermeyer Brian J
• Gandhi Milind S
• Declerck David B

Classifications

• F16B33/008 Primary

  Corrosion preventing means · CPC title

• F16B5/02

  by means of fastening members using screw-thread ({F16B5/0004 takes precedence}; construction of screw-threaded connections F16B25/00 - F16B39/00) · CPC title

• F16B33/06

  Surface treatment of parts furnished with screw-thread, e.g. for preventing seizure {or fretting (corrosion preventing means F16B33/008; settable coatings for locking threaded members F16B39/225; deformable coatings for locking threaded members F16B39/34)} · CPC title

• F16B5/0258

  using resiliently deformable sleeves, grommets or inserts (F16B43/001 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16B31/02

  for indicating {the attainment of a particular tensile load} or limiting tensile load {(apparatus for, or method of, determining value of torque or twisting moment for tightening a nut or other member similarly stressed G01L5/24)} · CPC title