ROOF ATTACHMENT METHOD FOR AN APPLIED COMPOSITION ROOF

• US 20170073021A1
• Filed: 05/06/2015
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Magna Exteriors Inc. (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Magna Exteriors Inc. (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Martin, Mark C., Roddy, Stephen R., Kapadia, Ameil A., Plauman, Matthew R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,214,249 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 13/04 External Ornamental or guard strips; Ornamental inscriptive devices thereon fastening strips or bars to sheets or plates by means of clips F16B5/12
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/06 Fixed roofs non-fixed roofs or like shelters B60J7/00; roof liners B60R13/02; insulating elements B60R13/08
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 27/026 Connections by glue bonding in general F16B11/00; processes C09J5/00
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 29/043 Superstructures B62D25/161 takes precedence

Abstract

A roof attachment system and method for connecting a composite molded roof to a vehicle body structure, having a plurality of mounting members that each create a C-like section part that is shaped to match the inside surface of the composite Class A roof. The mounting member is bonded to the roof panel with adhesive. The roof is aligned with key features to locate the roof within an opening, where the mounting member is then also bonded to the body structure with adhesive.

Claims

1. A roof attachment system for a vehicle, comprising:

at least one mounting member having a predetermined cross section;

an upper flange of each mounting member shaped to match an inside surface of a roof of the vehicle, said upper flange bonded to the inside surface by a structural adhesive;

a lower flange of each mounting member bonded to an attachment flange of a body side ring assembly by the structural adhesive, where bonding the at least one mounting member connects the roof to the body side ring assembly of the vehicle.

2. The roof attachment system of claim 1, wherein said roof is a composite molded roof and the mounting member is a molded or stamped bracket.

3. The roof attachment system of claim 1, further comprising a gap generally disposed between the roof and body side ring assembly.

4. The roof attachment system of claim 3, further comprising an edge trim coupled to the roof to close out the gap between the roof and the body side ring assembly.

5. The roof attachment system of claim 4, wherein the edge trim is extruded thermoplastic vulcanizate.

6. The roof attachment system of claim 1, wherein the cross section of the mounting member is a uniform cross section C-shaped channel.

7. The roof attachment system of claim 1, wherein the mounting member is C-shaped.

8. The roof attachment system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of retention clips that are selectively removable, where the plurality of retention clips help retain the plurality of mounting members in position against the attachment flange of the body side ring assembly while the structural adhesive cures.

9. A method for attaching a composite roof to a body structure of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one mounting member having a predetermined cross section;

applying a structural adhesive to an upper flange of said mounting member and/or to an inside surface of the composite roof in at least one location where attachment of the mounting member is desired, and bonding the upper flange to the inside surface with the adhesive;

applying the structural adhesive to a lower flange of each mounting member and/or to an attachment flange of a body side ring assembly in at least one location where attachment of the mounting member is desired;

locating the composite roof and mounting member along the body side ring assembly, and bonding the lower flange to the attachment flange with the adhesive;

wherein bonding the at least one mounting member connects the composite roof to the body side ring assembly of the vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of applying a retention clip that is selectively removable to each of the at least one mounting member to hold the position of the mounting member against the attachment flange as the structural adhesive cures.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the mounting member is roll formed.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein providing the mounting member further comprises the step of forming a mounting member that is shaped to match the inside surface of the composite roof.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the mounting member is pull or roll formed and stretch bent to match curvature and angularity of the inside surface of the composite roof.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the mounting member has a uniform cross section.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the mounting member is bonded to the composite roof and, optionally, an edge trim is installed on the mounting member, for material handling as a finished unit prior to bonding the lower flange to the body side ring assembly.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing an edge trim that is extruded thermoplastic vulcanizate and installing the edge trim on an edge of the mounting member, wherein the edge trim closes out a gap at the edge of the composite roof.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising providing a plurality of predetermined locating features, to locate the composite roof and mounting member within the opening along the body side ring assembly both cross-car and fore-aft.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the locating features are selected from the group consisting of studs, screws, rivets, fasteners and combinations thereof used to align to key features on the body side ring assembly.

19. The method of claim 9, wherein the mounting member is C-shaped and allows for a smaller gap between the composite roof and body side ring assembly.

20. A method for attachment of a composite molded roof to a body side ring assembly of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

providing at least one mounting member having a C-shape channel with an upper flange that matches the curvature and angularity of an inside surface of the composite molded roof, where the mounting member is formed using carbon fiber epoxy laminate;

applying a structural adhesive to the upper flange of said mounting member and/or to the inside surface of the composite molded roof in at least one location where attachment of the mounting member is desired, and bonding the upper flange to the inside surface with the adhesive;

optionally, extruding an edge trim and installing the edge trim on an edge of the mounting member;

applying the structural adhesive to a lower flange of each mounting member and/or to an attachment flange of a body side ring assembly in at least one location where attachment of the mounting member is desired;

locating the composite molded roof and mounting member along the body side ring assembly, and bonding the lower flange to the attachment flange with the adhesive;

wherein bonding the at least one mounting member connects the composite molded roof to the body side ring assembly and creates a smaller gap between the composite molded roof and body side ring assembly, and wherein the edge trim closes out the smaller gap.