Patent Application
20180073808
This document relates generally to the thermal processing (i.e. heating and cooling) of automotive closures in E-coat and paint ovens and, more particularly, to a thermal distortion arrestor which minimizes relative movements between panels during thermal processing in order to avoid hem slippage.
Automobile body panels including, particularly, door, hood, deck lid or any automotive closures undergo E-coat and paint oven processing. All parts undergo some degree of thermal expansion and contraction during this thermal process which tends to induce thermal strain potentially leading to distortion of the panels. Further, some parts are bonded through adhesive that has a low adhesive modulus at ambient temperature which will not provide good joint strength, but when cured at a higher temperature in an oven provides a higher adhesive modulus for a stronger joint.
In the ovens, automotive panels and parts need to be well supported to minimize/eliminate movement/slip between panels and parts during heating and cooling and avoid distortion due to thermal expansion.
This document relates to a new and improved thermal distortion arrestor which is effective to minimize movement or slippage between panels and parts undergoing thermal processing. Such a thermal distortion arrestor is effective in avoiding hem slippage between, for example, a door inner panel and a door outer panel. Advantageously, the thermal distortion arrestor disclosed in this document is easy to install and use and represents a significant advance in the art.
In accordance with the purposes and benefits described herein, a thermal distortion arrestor is provided. That thermal distortion arrestor comprises a body including a base and a plurality of positioning lugs extending from a first face of the base. The plurality of positioning lugs may include a first lug having a first flange at a first distal end thereof and a second lug having a second flange at a second distal end thereof.
The plurality of positioning lugs may also include a third lug having a third flange at a third distal end thereof and a fourth lug having a fourth flange at a fourth distal end thereof.
The first lug may be aligned with the second lug along a first axis. Additionally, the third lug may be aligned with the fourth lug along a second axis. That first axis may be perpendicular to the second axis.
The first flange may be oriented outward on the first lug. The second flange may be oriented outward on the second lug. The third flange may be oriented outward on the third lug. The fourth flange may be oriented outward on the fourth lug.
The first flange may include a first abutment surface. The second flange may include a second abutment surface. The third flange may include a third abutment surface. The fourth flange may include a fourth abutment surface.
The first abutment surface and the second abutment surface may be oriented within a perimeter of the base. In contrast, the third abutment surface and the fourth abutment surface may be oriented outside the perimeter of the base. The four abutment surfaces may all be oriented toward the base.
In accordance with an additional aspect, a door assembly is provided. That door assembly comprises a door inner panel including an aperture, a door outer panel and a thermal distortion arrestor. The thermal distortion arrestor includes a base secured to the door outer panel and a plurality of positioning lugs nested in the aperture of the door inner panel.
The plurality of positioning lugs may include a first lug having a first abutment surface engaging a first side of the door inner panel and a second lug having a second abutment surface engaging a first side of the door inner panel.
Further, the plurality of positioning lugs may include a third lug having a third abutment surface engaging the first side of the door inner panel and a fourth lug having a fourth abutment surface engaging the first side of the door inner panel.
In addition, the door inner panel may include a margin around the aperture. The first lug may engage a first side edge of the margin while the second lug engages a second side edge of the margin, the third lug engages a third side edge of the margin and the fourth lug engages a fourth side edge of the margin.
In accordance with yet another aspect, a method is provided for installing a thermal distortion arrestor in a door assembly including a door inner panel and a door outer panel. That method comprises the steps of inserting a first end of the thermal distortion arrestor into an aperture in the door inner panel and bonding a base of the thermal distortion arrestor to the door outer panel.
The method may also include the step of nesting a plurality of positioning lugs on the thermal distortion arrestor within the aperture in the door inner panel. Still further, the method may include the step of engaging a margin of the door inner panel around the aperture with a plurality of positioning lugs.
In the following description, there are shown and described several preferred embodiments of the thermal distortion arrestor. As it should be realized, the thermal distortion arrestor is capable of other, different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the thermal distortion arrestor as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
The accompanying drawing figures incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the thermal distortion arrestor and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof. In the drawing figures:
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the thermal distortion arrestor, an example which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures.
Reference is now made to
The first lug 16 includes a first flange 26 at a first distal end thereof. The first flange 26 is oriented outward on the first lug 16. The second lug 18 includes a second flange 28 at a second distal end thereof. The second flange 28 is oriented outward on the second lug 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the first lug 16 is aligned with the second lug 18 along a first axis A1.
As further illustrated in
In the illustrated embodiment, the third lug 20 is aligned with the fourth lug 22 along a second axis A2. In the illustrated the embodiment the first axis A1 and the second axis A2 are perpendicular to one another.
As best illustrated in
Reference is now made to
More specifically, the first abutment surface 34 on the first lug 16 engages a first side 60 of the door inner panel 52 at the margin 58. The second abutment surface 36 of the second lug 18 engages the first side 60 of the door inner panel 52 at the margin 58. The third abutment surface 38 on the third lug 20 and the fourth abutment surface 40 on the fourth lug 22 also engage the first side 60 of the door inner panel 52 at the margin 58.
More specifically, the first lug 16 engages a first side edge 64 of the margin 58. The second lug 18 engages a second side edge 66 of the margin 58. The third lug 20 engages a third side edge 68 of the margin 58. The fourth lug 22 engages a fourth side edge 70 of the margin 58.
As should be appreciated, this arrangement of the positioning lug 16, 18, 20, 22 and this engagement of the side edges 64, 66, 68, 70 of the margin 58 when the thermal distortion arrestor 10 is nested and fully seated in the aperture 56 in the door inner panel 52 functions in cooperation with the bonding of the base 14 to the door outer panel 54 to eliminate slippage and relative movement between the door inner panel 52 and the door outer panel 54 as a result of thermal expansion that may be induced in either or both of those components in the E-coat and paint oven. Thus, it should be appreciated that the thermal distortion arrestor 10 functions to resist and eliminate distortion/deflection in the door inner panel 52 and door outer panel 54 thereby maintaining hem integrity.
Reference is now made to
The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, the illustrated embodiment of the thermal distortion arrestor 10 includes four positioning lugs 16, 18, 20, 22. It should be appreciated that the thermal distortion arrestor 10 could include fewer or more positioning lugs 16, 18, 20, 22 as desired or required by the needs of any particular application.
The door assembly 50 illustrated in
It should also be appreciated that one or more of the positioning lugs 16, 18, 20, 22 or the flanges 26, 28, 30, 32 provided on those positioning lugs may be made to be breakable should they in any way hinder the manufacturing or assembly process after they have completed their function to limit part movement or slippage and distortion during the paint drying process.
All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled.
