IP Library Granted Patent US 12663035
Granted Patent B2
US 12663035 · App. 18/568,886 · Granted Jun 23, 2026

Joint structure, joint body, and member set

Inventors: Kota Kawahara (Iyo-gun, JP); Hiroaki Matsutani (Iyo-gun, JP); Masato Honma (Iyo-gun, JP)
Assignee: TORAY INDUSTRIES, INC.
F16B12/04B29C66/124B29C66/12423F16B4/004A47B2230/0074F16B2012/046F16B2200/30
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12663035
App. No.
18/568,886
Granted
Jun 23, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a joint structure, a joined assembly, and a set of members. It provides a joint structure including a first joint part formed in a first member and a second joint part formed in a second member that are fitted and fixed together wherein at least either of the first member and the second member is made of a fiber reinforced plastic material that contains reinforcing fibers with an average fiber length of 1 mm or more; the first joint part has a recessed shape in at least one cross-section of the joint structure while the second joint part has a shape that fits into the recessed shape of the first joint part in that cross-section; and there exists a pressing force between the first joint part and the second joint part so that the first member and the second member are fitted and fixed together.

Claims (23)

1 . A joint structure comprising:

a first joint part formed in a first member and a second joint part formed in a second member that are fitted and fixed together wherein at least either of the first member and the second member is made of a fiber reinforced plastic material that contains reinforcing fibers with an average fiber length of 1 mm or more;

wherein the first joint part has a recessed shape in at least one cross-section of the joint structure while the second joint part has a shape that fits into the recessed shape of the first joint part in that cross-section; and

wherein a pressing force exists between the first joint part and the second joint part so that the first member and the second member are fitted and fixed together.

2 . The joint structure as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the pressing force arises from a difference in size between the first joint part and the second joint part so that the first member and the second member are fitted and fixed together by the pressing force.

3 . The joint structure as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the member that is made of a fiber reinforced plastic material has a partial compression modulus of 1 MPa or more and 80 GPa or less in the direction where the pressing force occurs.

4 . The joint structure as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the member that is made of a fiber reinforced plastic material has a layered structure.

5 . The joint structure as set forth in claim 4 , wherein the layered structure has an average thickness per layer of 200 μm or more.

6 . The joint structure as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing fibers present in the member that is made of a fiber reinforced plastic material has an average fiber length of 300 mm or less.

7 . The joint structure as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing fibers present in the member that is made of a fiber reinforced plastic material are dispersed in a web-like manner so that reinforcing fibers are adhered together with resin at at least part of their intersections.

8 . The joint structure as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the fiber reinforced plastic material contains voids in an amount in the range of 20 vol % or more and 95 vol % or less.

9 . The joint structure as set forth in claim 1 , wherein in the portion where the first joint part and the second joint part face each other, the area proportion of the portion where contact is maintained by a pressing force accounts for 30% or more.

10 . The joint structure as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the vertical pull-out strength is 0.05 MPa or more.

11 . The joint structure as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the recessed portion is either a groove or a hole.

12 . The joint structure as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the recessed portion is a combination of a groove and a hole overlapping each other.

13 . The joint structure as set forth in claim 1 , wherein both the first member and the second member are made of fiber reinforced plastic material.

14 . A joined assembly at least partly comprising the joint structure as set forth in claim 1 .

15 . A set of members comprising the first member and the second member and designed to form the joint structure as set forth in claim 1 .

16 . A joint structure comprising:

a first joint part formed in a first member and a second joint part formed in a second member that are fitted and fixed together wherein at least either of the first member and the second member is made of an elastic fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) member that contains reinforcing fibers with an average fiber length of 1 mm or more;

wherein the reinforcing fibers are dispersed in a web-like manner so that reinforcing fibers are adhered together with resin at at least part of their intersections, and that contains voids in an amount in the range of 20 vol % or more and 95 vol % or less;

wherein the first joint part has a recessed shape in at least one cross-section of the joint structure while the second joint part has a shape that fits into the recessed shape of the first joint part in that cross-section; and

wherein a pressing force exists between the first joint part and the second joint part so that the first member and the second member are fitted and fixed together.