Patent Application
20170021871
The present disclosure generally relates to mechanisms for joining structures, and more particularly to an improved joiner and methods of making and installing the joiner.
Typically, multi-passenger buses and other vehicles are constructed of a frame onto which panels are attached (as illustrated in
The vehicle frame is often a rigid structure made of a metal (such as steel) and the panels are often aluminum or fiberglass. Since the frame is rigid and the panels are made of malleable, brittle materials, a crash or rollover of the vehicle often results in the panels deforming and the frame breaking, causing serious injury to passengers. As a result, present multi-passenger vehicles contain limited residual space (i.e., a survival zone for passengers) within the passenger compartment of the bus or vehicle (illustrated in
Reinforcement structures have been implemented to increase the structural integrity of known frames and panels. For example, steel plates or another heavy, durable material is appended to the frame and/or panels to increase their structural integrity. However, these reinforcement techniques cause the multi-passenger vehicles to become excessively heavy, creating issues regarding Gross Vehicle Weight and fuel economy
In general, the present disclosure relates to a structural joiner including box beams for joining sidewall panels and a roof of a multi-passenger bus or like vehicle, and methods for making and installing/using the structural joiner. The light weight, durable structural joiner and a method of construction include one or more box beams disposed interior to at least one extrusion having inner and outer arcuate surfaces. The joiner may be formed as inner and outer extrusions that are assembled together with box beams interior thereto.
The box beam(s), which may be hollow or solid cross-section of insulating material that can create a thermal barrier between inner and outer arcuate surface, or which may be pultrusion(s), while adding structural integrity to the joiner, also serve to create a thermal barrier between the inner and outer arcuate surfaces. In order to provide a structural joiner that satisfies and/or exceeds required impact and strength considerations, pultruded box beams may be disposed in parallel locations in relation to one another within the joiner.
Space between the inner and outer arcuate surfaces or extrusion(s), and/or within the box beams may be used as a conduit to route lines, such as electrical lines, within the joiner, and/or a filler material may be disposed in the internal space(s). The filler material may impart further structural integrity to the joiner and/or may provide other desirable properties, such as a thermal insulation, vibration damping, or the like. For example, the filler material may be disposed in a central channel between the inner and outer surfaces/extrusions.
Embodiments of devices, systems, and methods are illustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings which are meant to be exemplary and not limiting, in which like references are intended to refer to like or corresponding parts, and in which:
Detailed embodiments of devices, systems, and methods are disclosed herein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the devices, systems, and methods, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure.
In general, the present disclosure relates to a light weight, durable structural joiner and a method of construction including one or more box beams disposed interior to at least one extrusion having inner and outer arcuate surfaces. The joiner may be formed as a single extrusion into which box beams are installed, or it may not be formed as inner and outer extrusions that are assembled together with box beams interior thereto. The term “box beam” as used herein should not be limited to a construction of having four equal length perpendicular sides, but rather should be construed to have any cross-section shape sufficient to perform the functions and characteristics disclosed herein. One or both of the inner and outer extrusions may be constructed using anodized aluminum, steel, fiberglass pultrusion, or the like.
The box beams may be created using a pultrusion process, which includes pulling fiberglass reinforcements through a bath of thermosetting resin and into a heated forming-and-curing die to produce composite structural shapes. Thus, the box beams may be constructed of a pultruded combination of fiberglass reinforcements and polyester or vinyl ester resin, with the combination being thermoset. An example of such a box beam is sold under the trade name EXTREN® by Strongwell Corporation. The box beams, or pultrusions, while adding structural integrity to the joiner, also serve to create a thermal barrier between the inner and outer arcuate surfaces. In order to provide a structural joiner that satisfies and/or exceeds required impact and strength considerations, the pultruded box beams may be disposed in parallel locations in relation to one another within the joiner.
A filler material may also be disposed between the inner and outer arcuate surfaces or extrusions, and/or within the box beams. The filler material may impart further structural integrity to the joiner and/or may provide other desirable properties, such as a thermal insulation, vibration damping, or the like. For example, the filler material may be disposed in a central channel between the inner and outer surfaces/extrusions.
The inner extrusion 700 is an arcuate structure having an arcuate or curved surface 703 that is convex with respect to an inner passenger compartment when implemented. Furthermore, one or more support channels 705 are created along the curved surface by walls 707 that extend from the curved surface. For example, these walls may extend substantially perpendicularly from the curved surface. Moreover, the curved surface may have at least one substantially linear or planar surface 709 from which the walls extend. One or more box beam channels may be created by the walls proximate to ends of the curved surface. Additionally, a sidewall panel channel is described further hereinafter created proximate to or at an end of the curved surface and a roof channel is created proximate or at a different end of the curved surface. One or both of the sidewall panel and roof channels may be partially created by the curved surface and partially created by a wall of a respective box beam channel.
The outer extrusion 702 in this illustrative embodiment, like the inner extrusion 700, is also an arcuate structure having an arcuate or curved surface that is convex with respect to an inner passenger compartment when implemented. As illustrated, the arcuate surface of the outer extrusion 702 is not a uniform curve (it may contain one or more bends). However, one skilled in the art should appreciate that the arcuate surface of the outer extrusion 702 may be substantially or perfectly arcuate without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. A rigid channel 706 may be defined within or proximate to an end of the outer extrusion 702, which forms a conduit that allows cables, wires or lines, such as air conditioning lines, and the like to be routed or passed through the joiner 506. Walls 711 extend from the curved surface and/or rigid channel to create a sidewall panel channel 713, roof channel 715, and one or more box beam channels. These walls may extend perpendicularly from the curved surface and/or rigid channel, for example. Each of the one or more box beam channels formed by walls 711 houses one or more box beams 704. At least one of the box beam channels may be created by walls proximate to ends of the curved surface.
The sidewall panel channel 713 is created proximate to or at an end of the curved surface and the roof channel 715 is created proximate to or at a different end of the curved surface. One or both of the sidewall panel and roof channels 713, 715 may be partially created by the curved surface and/or a wall of a respective box beam channel. A portion of the rigid channel 706 may be used to create either a portion of the roof channel 715 or a portion of the sidewall panel channel 713, or the rigid channel 706 may not be used in the construction of either the sidewall panel channel or roof channel, for example. Moreover, a portion of the rigid channel 706 may be used to partially create one or more of the box beam channels for housing box beams 704.
The one or more box beams 704 may be formed using a pultrusion process known in the art, which includes pulling fiberglass reinforcements through a bath of thermosetting resin and into a heated forming-and-curing die to produce composite structural shapes. Thus, the box beams 704 may be constructed of a pultruded combination of fiberglass reinforcements and polyester or vinyl ester resin, with the combination being thermoset. An example of such a box beam 704 is sold under the trade name EXTREN® by Strongwell Corporation. The box beams 704 may provide corrosion resistance, low thermal conductance, low electrical conductance, electromagnetic transparency, light weight, high strength, fire resistance, and/or dimensional stability to the joiner 506, for example. The box beams 704 may be any hollow or solid cross-section of insulating material capable of creating a thermal barrier between the inner and outer extrusions 700, 702. The box beams 704 could be dimensioned to be 0.75 inch by 3.5 inch square beams to provide desired strength and weight characteristics. Furthermore, the box beams 704 may be used to pass cables, lines, and the like through the joiner 506. The one or more box beams 704 may be disposed in selected locations within the box beam channels of the inner and outer extrusions 700, 702 to provide necessary weight, strength, and structural integrity to the joiner 506. Thus, each box beam 704 may have a length substantially equal to or identical to the length of the structural joiner 506, resulting in a single box beam 704 being implemented within each box beam channel. However, one skilled in the art should appreciate the box beams 704 having different lengths resulting in one or more box beam 704 being implemented within a single box beam channel.
Unassembled, the box beam, sidewall panel, and roof channels of the inner and outer extrusions 700, 702 each only partially house the box beam(s) 704, sidewall panel 708, and roof 710. When assembled, these channels of the inner extrusion 700 correspond with respective channels of the outer extrusion 702 to fully encapsulate or house the box beams(s) 704, and engage portions of sidewall panels 708, and portions of the roof 710. All or some of the channels (that is the box beam, sidewall panel, roof, and rigid channels) may run parallel or substantially parallel to each other along their respective extrusion 700, 702.
As illustrated in
Coupling of the inner and outer extrusions 700, 702, when not a single unitary structure, may include ensuring respective channels of the extrusions 700, 702 (such as box beam-box beam, roof-roof, etc.) substantially correspond or line up with each other. Moreover, coupling of the extrusions 700, 702 may include the use of an adhesive, epoxy, resin, fasteners or like light weight, durable material.
In an exemplary implementation, the rigid channel 706 has a wall containing a hole/opening 716 therethrough (illustrated in
While not illustrated, a filler material may be disposed within the channels of the inner and outer extrusions 700, 702 or within the single extrusion. The filler material may impart further structural integrity to the joiner and/or may act as a thermal insulator. For example, the filler material may be disposed in the channels that house the box beams 704 in a way that either completely fills the channel, forms a barrier between the channel walls and the box beams 704, and/or fills the box beams 704. The filler material may be a fluid, a foam, or other lightweight, durable material.
The above embodiments of the present disclosure are meant to be illustrative. They were chosen to explain the principles and application of the disclosure and are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Many modifications and variations of the disclosed embodiments may be apparent to those of skill in the art. Moreover, it should be apparent to one skilled in the art, that the disclosure may be practiced without some or all of the specific details and steps disclosed herein.
The concepts disclosed herein may be applied within a number of different devices and systems, including, for example, vehicles, watercraft, residential construction, commercial construction, etc. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. It should, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereunto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the disclosure as set forth in the claims.
