Patent Application
20150291222
The subject invention relates to matable components and, more specifically, to elastically averaged matable components for precise alignment therebetween.
Components, in particular vehicular components used in automotive vehicles, which are to be mated together in a manufacturing process may be mutually located with respect to each other by alignment features that are oversized holes and/or undersized upstanding bosses. Such alignment features are typically sized to provide spacing to freely move the components relative to one another to align them without creating an interference therebetween that would hinder the manufacturing process. One such example includes two-way and/or four-way male alignment features; typically upstanding bosses, which are received into corresponding female alignment features, typically apertures in the form of slots or holes. The components are formed with a predetermined clearance between the male alignment features and their respective female alignment features to match anticipated size and positional variation tolerances of the male and female alignment features that result from manufacturing (or fabrication) variances.
As a result, significant positional variation can occur between two mated components having the aforementioned alignment features, which may contribute to the presence of undesirably large variation in their alignment, particularly with regard to gaps and/or spacing therebetween. In the case where misaligned components are also part of another assembly, such misalignment may also affect the function and/or aesthetic appearance of the entire assembly. Regardless of whether such misalignment is limited to two components or an entire assembly, it can negatively affect function and result in a perception of poor quality. Moreover, clearance between misaligned components may lead to relative motion therebetween, which may cause undesirable noise such as squeaking, and rattling.
In one aspect, an elastically averaged alignment system is provided. The system includes a first component having a plurality of opposed alignment members, the plurality of opposed alignment members defining a channel therebetween, and a second component configured for insertion into the channel between the plurality of opposed alignment members. At least one of the plurality of opposed alignment members and the second component is an elastically deformable material such that when the second component is inserted into the channel, at least one of the plurality of opposed alignment members and the second component elastically deform to an elastically averaged final configuration to facilitate aligning the first component and the second component in a desired orientation.
In another aspect, a vehicle is provided. The vehicle includes a body and an elastically averaged alignment system integrally arranged within the body. The elastically averaged alignment system includes a first component having a plurality of opposed alignment members, the plurality of opposed alignment members defining a channel therebetween, and a second component configured for insertion into the channel between the plurality of opposed alignment members. At least one of the plurality of opposed alignment members and the second component is an elastically deformable material such that when the second component is inserted into the channel, at least one of the plurality of opposed alignment members and the second component elastically deform to an elastically averaged final configuration to facilitate aligning the first component and the second component in a desired orientation
In yet another aspect, a method of manufacturing an elastically averaged alignment system is provided. The method includes forming a first component comprising a plurality of opposed alignment members, the plurality of opposed alignment members defining a channel therebetween, forming a second component configured for insertion into the channel between the plurality of opposed alignment members, and fabricating at least one of the plurality of opposed alignment members and the second component from an elastically deformable material. The elastically deformable material is such that when the second component is inserted into the channel, at least one of the plurality of opposed alignment members and the second component elastically deform to an elastically averaged final configuration to facilitate aligning the first component and the second component in a desired orientation.
The above features and advantages and other features and advantages of the invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Other features, advantages and details appear, by way of example only, in the following detailed description of embodiments, the detailed description referring to the drawings in which:
The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, its application or uses. For example, the embodiments shown are applicable to vehicle components, but the system disclosed herein may be used with any suitable components to provide securement and elastic averaging for precision location and alignment of all manner of mating components and component applications, including many industrial, consumer product (e.g., consumer electronics, various appliances and the like), transportation, energy and aerospace applications, and particularly including many other types of vehicular components and applications, such as various interior, exterior, electrical and under hood vehicular components and applications. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.
As used herein, the term “elastically deformable” refers to components, or portions of components, including component features, comprising materials having a generally elastic deformation characteristic, wherein the material is configured to undergo a resiliently reversible change in its shape, size, or both, in response to the application of a force. The force causing the resiliently reversible or elastic deformation of the material may include a tensile, compressive, shear, bending or torsional force, or various combinations of these forces. The elastically deformable materials may exhibit linear elastic deformation, for example that described according to Hooke's law, or non-linear elastic deformation.
Elastic averaging provides elastic deformation of the interface(s) between mated components, wherein the average deformation provides a precise alignment, the manufacturing positional variance being minimized to Xmin, defined by Xmin=X/√N, wherein X is the manufacturing positional variance of the locating features of the mated components and N is the number of locating features. To obtain elastic averaging, an elastically deformable component is configured to have at least one feature and its contact surface(s) that is over-constrained and provides an interference fit with a mating feature of another component and its contact surface(s). The over-constrained condition and interference fit resiliently reversibly (elastically) deforms at least one of the at least one feature or the mating feature, or both features. The resiliently reversible nature of these features of the components allows repeatable insertion and withdrawal of the components that facilitates their assembly and disassembly. Positional variance of the components may result in varying forces being applied over regions of the contact surfaces that are over-constrained and engaged during insertion of the component in an interference condition. It is to be appreciated that a single inserted component may be elastically averaged with respect to a length of the perimeter of the component. The principles of elastic averaging are described in detail in commonly owned, co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/187,675, published as U.S. Pub. No. 2013/0019455, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. The embodiments disclosed above provide the ability to convert an existing component that is not compatible with the above-described elastic averaging principles, or that would be further aided with the inclusion of a four-way elastic averaging system as herein disclosed, to an assembly that does facilitate elastic averaging and the benefits associated therewith.
Any suitable elastically deformable material may be used for the mating components and alignment features disclosed herein and discussed further below, particularly those materials that are elastically deformable when formed into the features described herein. This includes various metals, polymers, ceramics, inorganic materials or glasses, or composites of any of the aforementioned materials, or any other combinations thereof suitable for a purpose disclosed herein. Many composite materials are envisioned, including various filled polymers, including glass, ceramic, metal and inorganic material filled polymers, particularly glass, metal, ceramic, inorganic or carbon fiber filled polymers. Any suitable filler morphology may be employed, including all shapes and sizes of particulates or fibers. More particularly any suitable type of fiber may be used, including continuous and discontinuous fibers, woven and unwoven cloths, felts or tows, or a combination thereof. Any suitable metal may be used, including various grades and alloys of steel, cast iron, aluminum, magnesium or titanium, or composites thereof, or any other combinations thereof. Polymers may include both thermoplastic polymers or thermoset polymers, or composites thereof, or any other combinations thereof, including a wide variety of co-polymers and polymer blends. In one embodiment, a preferred plastic material is one having elastic properties so as to deform elastically without fracture, as for example, a material comprising an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) polymer, and more particularly a polycarbonate ABS polymer blend (PC/ABS). The material may be in any form and formed or manufactured by any suitable process, including stamped or formed metal, composite or other sheets, forgings, extruded parts, pressed parts, castings, or molded parts and the like, to include the deformable features described herein. The elastically deformable alignment features and associated component may be formed in any suitable manner. For example, the elastically deformable alignment features and the associated component may be integrally formed, or they may be formed entirely separately and subsequently attached together. When integrally formed, they may be formed as a single part from a plastic injection molding machine, for example. When formed separately, they may be formed from different materials to provide a predetermined elastic response characteristic, for example. The material, or materials, may be selected to provide a predetermined elastic response characteristic of any or all of the elastically deformable alignment features, the associated component, or the mating component. The predetermined elastic response characteristic may include, for example, a predetermined elastic modulus.
As used herein, the term vehicle is not limited to just an automobile, truck, van or sport utility vehicle, but includes any self-propelled or towed conveyance suitable for transporting a burden.
Described herein are elastic averaging alignment systems and methods. The alignment systems include a first component with a plurality of alignment members, and a second component that is inserted between the alignment members. The alignment members and/or the second component elastically deforms to facilitate precisely aligning and the two components together in a desired orientation.
In the exemplary embodiment, second component 200 is an elastically deformable material and is configured and disposed to interferingly, deformably, and matingly engage alignment members 102, as discussed herein in more detail, to precisely align first component 100 with second component 200 in two or four directions, such as the +/−x-direction and the +/−y-direction of an orthogonal coordinate system, for example, which is herein referred to as two-way and four-way alignment. Moreover, elastically deformable second component 200 matingly engages alignment members 102 to facilitate a stiff and rigid connection between first component 100 and second component 200, thereby reducing or preventing relative movement therebetween
In the exemplary embodiment, first component 100 generally includes a base 106, opposed sidewalls 108 and 109 coupled to base 106, an outer surface 110, and an inner face 112 from which alignment members 102 extend. Alignment members 102 define channel 104 therebetween that includes a channel axis 105, and opposed sidewalls 108, 109 may also at least partially define channel 104. Alternatively, first component 100 may not include sidewalls 108 and/or 109. In the exemplary embodiment, first component 100 is fabricated from a rigid material such as plastic. However, first component 100 may be fabricated from any suitable material that enables system 10 to function as described herein. Moreover, alignment members 102 may be fabricated from an elastically deformable material.
Each alignment member 102 has a trapezoidal shape and includes a first wall 114 coupled to base 106, a second wall 116 coupled (if present) to one sidewall 108, 109, and, in the exemplary embodiment, a ramped wall 118. However, alignment members 102 may have any suitable shape that enables system 10 to function as described herein. For example, each alignment member may be rectangular and not include a ramped wall. As best shown in
Second component 200 generally includes an outer face 202, an inner face 204, and opposed ends 206 and 208. Although illustrated as rectangular in shape, second component 200 may have any shape that enables system 10 to function as described herein. In the exemplary embodiment, second component 200 is fabricated from an elastically deformable material. However, second component 200 may be fabricated from any suitable material that enables system 10 to function as described herein. For example, alignment members 102 may be fabricated from an elastically deformable material and second component 200 may be fabricated from a rigid material such as plastic.
To provide an arrangement where elastically deformable second component 200 is configured and disposed to interferingly, deformably and matingly engage the plurality of opposed alignment members 102, a width “w” (
In an exemplary embodiment, portion 118 of alignment members 102 are ramped or angled to provide an interference with second component 200 that facilitates a predetermined force to insert second component 200 into channel 104. As best shown in
In view of the foregoing, and with reference now to
An exemplary method of fabricating elastically averaged alignment system 10 includes forming first component 100 with a plurality of opposed alignment members 102 defining channel 104, and forming second component 200 configured for insertion into channel 104. At least one of the plurality of alignment members 102 and second component 200 are fabricated from an elastically deformable material such that when second component 200 is inserted into channel 104, at least one of the plurality of alignment members 102 and second component 200 elastically deform to an elastically averaged final configuration to facilitate aligning first component 100 and second component 200 in a desired orientation. First component 100 is formed with base 106 and may also be formed with opposed sidewalls 108, 109. Alignment members 102 may be formed with ramped walls 118, and alignment members 102 may be staggered along channel 104 alternating between either side of channel axis 105.
Systems and methods for elastically averaging mating and alignment systems are described herein. The systems generally include a first component with a plurality of opposed alignment members at least partially defining a channel therebetween. An elastically deformable second component is positioned for insertion into the channel. The mating of the first and second components is elastically averaged over the plurality of alignment members to precisely mate the components in a desired orientation. Accordingly, the described systems and methods facilitate precise alignment of two or more components in a desired orientation.
While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the application.
