Joining of tubular parts in a T-joint by riveting/brazing

• US 20030088983A1
• Filed: 11/13/2001
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Sun, Peter C., Wang, Pei-Chung, Chen, Chih-Chang
• Granted Patent: US 6,688,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/897.2
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/04 Tubular or hollow articles
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 33/006 for cylindrical workpieces
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 23/005 with integrated chassis in the whole shell, e.g. meshwork, tubes, or the like B62D33/044 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/04 Door pillars ; windshield pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 27/02 rigid
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 33/044 built up with profiles of constant elongated shape, e.g. extruded, mechanically interconnected by coupling members, e.g. by clamping, riveting or bolting
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 7/00 Connections of rods or tubes, e.g. of non-circular section, mutually, including resilient connections F16B11/008, F16B17/00 take precedence; umbrella frames A45B25/02; welding or soldering of connections B23K; vehicle connections in general B60D; railway couplings B61G; bicycle frames B62K; couplings for transmitting rotation F16D; couplings for tubes conveying fluids F16L
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49622 Vehicular structural member making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49623 Static structure, e.g., a building component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49634 Beam or girder
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49805 Shaping by direct application of fluent pressure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49892 Joining plate edge perpendicularly to frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49899 by multiple cooperating aligning means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49956 Riveting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49968 Metal fusion joining

Abstract

In attempting to reduce deformity when joining vehicle frame components, a riveting/brazing process has been proposed. This process includes joining tubular members, such as hydroformed parts, by cutting at least one flange into one end of a first body member, shaped in conformance with the surface of a second body member. Location holes are formed into each flange as well as into the surface of the second member in suitable alignment with each other. A brazing filler material is fixed into a side of the flange, usually within a pocket, intending to lie on the surface of the second member when the two structures are attached. The flange(s) are initially attached to the surface of the second member by means of a rivet to formed an actual vehicle body assembly. Heat is then applied to the assembly to form a brazed T-joint.

Claims

1. A method of joining an end of a first sheet metal tubular or channel shaped member to the side of a second sheet metal tubular or channel shaped member, said method comprising:

forming at least one flange strip at said end of said first member, said strip being adapted for shaping into conformance with the surface of the side of said second member at which the joint is to be formed;

forming corresponding location holes in said flange and in the surface of said second member for locating said flange;

fixing a brazing filler material to a side of said flange intended to lie against the surface of said second member;

shaping said flange against said side of said second member with said location holes are aligned;

mechanically attaching said flange to said second member with rivets; and

brazing said flange to said second member.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said second member is hydroformed.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said first member is hydroformed.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, comprising forming a pocket in said flange for receiving a body of brazing filler material and placing said body into said pocket prior to said brazing step.

5. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein said brazing filler material is in the form of a ring, sheet, or rod, and having a thickness of approximately 0.1 to 3 millimeters.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said rivet is a blind rivet that is inserted through said location hole in said flange into said horizontal member.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 or 5, wherein said brazing filler material comprises a silver-copper-zinc base alloy if said horizontal body member and/or said vertical body member comprise steel.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 or 5, wherein said brazing filler material comprises an aluminum-silicon base alloy if said horizontal body member and/or said vertical body member comprise aluminum.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said first member is a channel shaped pillar member and said second member is a tubular rocker member.

10. A method as recited in any of claims 1-9, in which a plurality of flange strips are formed at the end of said first member and each strip is subjected to the following process steps of claim 1.

12. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein said horizontal body member is hydroformed.

13. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein said vertical body member is hydroformed.

14. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein said body of brazing material is in the form of a ring, sheet, or rod, and having a thickness of approximately 0.1 to 3 millimeters.

15. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein said rivet is a blind rivet that is inserted through said location hole in said flange into said horizontal member.

16. A method as recited in claim 10 or 14, wherein said brazing material comprises a silver-copper-zinc base alloy if said horizontal body member and/or said vertical body member comprise steel.

17. A method as recited in claim 10 or 14, wherein said brazing material comprises an aluminum-silicon base alloy if said horizontal body member and/or said vertical body member comprise aluminum.

18. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein said first member is a channel shaped pillar member and said second member is a tubular rocker member.

11. A method of joining an end of a first sheet metal tubular or channel shaped member to a second sheet metal tubular or channel shaped member in a T-shaped joint where said first member is to be the vertical portion of the T and the second member is the crossing portion of the T, said method comprising:

cutting from said end of said first member to form a plurality of flanges for shaping into conformance with the surface of said second member at which the joint is to be formed, and with respect to each said flange;

forming corresponding location holes in each of said flange and in the surface of said horizontal body member for locating said flange;

forming a pocket into said flange to receive a body of brazing filler material;

fixing said body of brazing material in said pocket of said flange such that said body protrudes from said pocket;

shaping said flange against said side of said second member with said location holes in alignment such that said protruding body defines a gap between said flange and the underlying surface for the flow of braze alloy;

mechanically attaching said flange to said second member with rivets; and

brazing said flange to said second member.

19. A method of joining an end of a first hydroformed member to a second hydroformed member, comprising steel or aluminum, in a T-shaped joint where said first member is to be the vertical portion of the T and the second member is the crossing portion of the T, said method comprising:

cutting from said end of said first member to form at least one flange strip for shaping into conformance with the surface of said second member at which the joint is to be formed;

forming corresponding location holes in each of said flange(s) and in the surface of said horizontal body member for locating said flange(s);

forming a pocket into said flange(s) to receive a body of brazing filler material, such that said body protrudes from said pocket to define a brazing gap;

fixing said brazing filler body in said pocket of said flange(s), where said brazing filler material comprises a silver-copper-zinc alloy in application to steel body members or an aluminum-silicon alloy in application to aluminum body members;

shaping said flange against said side of said second member with said location holes in alignment of the two so that the protruding brazing body causes a brazing fillet gap between said flange and said second member;

mechanically attaching said flange(s) to said second member with rivets, where said rivets are inserted through said location holes to which said flange and said second member to preserve said brazing gap among said flange and said second member; and

brazing said flange(s) to said second member.