IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,201,398
Granted Patent B1
US 7,201,398 · App. 10/279,085 · Granted Apr 10, 2007

Offset joint between structural members in a vehicle frame assembly to facilitate a coating process

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,201,398
App. No.
10/279,085
Granted
Apr 10, 2007
Kind
B1
Abstract

A joint between two or more structural members in a vehicular body and frame assembly facilitates the application of a coating of a material thereto after assembly of the joint. The first and second structural members have respective outer surfaces provided thereon. A spacer is provided either as a portion of a reinforcement member disposed within the first structural member or integrally with the first structural member. The first structural member is connected to the second structural member with the spacer therebetween so as to define a joint defining a gap between the outer surfaces of the first and second structural members. Lastly, a coating of a material is applied to the outer surfaces of the first and second structural members.

Claims (13)

1. A joint comprising:

a first structural member including first and second web portions, said first web portion defining an entire outer joint surface and having an aperture formed therethrough;

a second structural member including an entire outer joint surface; and

a reinforcement member disposed within said first structural member, said reinforcement member including a first end that engages said second web portion and a second end that extends through said aperture into engagement with said outer surface of said second structural member, said reinforcement member maintaining a gap between said entire outer joint surfaces of said first and second structural members.

2. The joint defined in claim 1 wherein said first structural member is a side rail for a vehicular frame assembly and said second structural member is a cross member for a vehicular frame assembly.

3. The joint defined in claim 1 wherein a coating of a material applied to said outer surfaces of said first and second structural members.

4. The joint defined in claim 1 wherein said second web portion has an aperture formed therethrough, and wherein a fastener extends through said apertures formed through said first and second web portions to secure said first and second structural members together.

5. The joint defined in claim 4 wherein said second structural member has an aperture formed therethrough, and wherein said fastener extends through said aperture formed through said second structural member to secure said first and second structural members together.

6. The joint defined in claim 5 wherein said aperture formed through said second structural member is threaded, and wherein said fastener is a threaded fastener that cooperates with said threaded aperture.

7. The joint defined in claim 1 wherein said first web portion has a pair of apertures formed therethrough, and wherein said reinforcement member includes a pair of first ends that each engage said second web portion and a pair of second ends that respectively extend through said apertures into engagement with said outer surface of said second structural member.

8. The joint defined in claim 7 wherein said second web portion has a pair of apertures formed therethrough, and wherein a pair of fasteners respective extend through said pair of apertures formed through said first and second web portions to secure said first and second structural members together.

9. The joint defined in claim 8 wherein said second structural member has a pair of apertures formed therethrough, and wherein said pair of fasteners respectively extend through said pair of apertures formed through said second structural member to secure said first and second structural members together.

10. The joint defined in claim 9 wherein each of said pair of apertures formed through said second structural member is threaded, and wherein each of said pair of fasteners is a threaded fastener that cooperates with said pair of threaded apertures.

Assignments (7)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 29, 2010
From: DANAAUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GROUP, LLC
To: METALSA S. A. DE C.V.
Reel/Frame 024151/0335 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2010
From: CITICORP USA, INC.
To: DANA HOLDING CORPORATION; DANA LIMITED; DANA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GROUP, LLC; DANA DRIVESHAFT PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA DRIVESHAFT MANUFACTURING, LLC; DANA LIGHT AXLE PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA LIGHT AXLE MANUFACTURING, LLC; DANA SEALING PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA SEALING MANUFACTURING, LLC; DANA STRUCTURAL PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA THERMAL PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA HEAVY VEHICLE SYSTEMS GROUP, LLC; DANA COMMERCIAL VEHICLE PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA COMMERCIAL VEHICLE MANUFACTURING, LLC; SPICER HEAVY AXLE & BRAKE, INC.; DANA OFF HIGHWAY PRODUCTS, LLC; DTF TRUCKING INC.; DANA WORLD TRADE CORPORATION; DANA AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET, INC.; DANA GLOBAL PRODUCTS, INC.; DANA STRUCTURAL MANUFACTURING, LLC
Reel/Frame 024055/0753 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 10, 2010
From: CITICORP USA, INC.
To: DANA HOLDING CORPORATION; DANA LIMITED; DANA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GROUP, LLC; DANA DRIVESHAFT PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA DRIVESHAFT MANUFACTURING, LLC; DANA LIGHT AXLE PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA LIGHT AXLE MANUFACTURING, LLC; DANA SEALING PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA SEALING MANUFACTURING, LLC; DANA STRUCTURAL PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA THERMAL PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA HEAVY VEHICLE SYSTEMS GROUP, LLC; DANA COMMERCIAL VEHICLE PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA COMMERCIAL VEHICLE MANUFACTURING, LLC; DANA OFF HIGHWAY PRODUCTS, LLC; DTF TRUCKING INC.; DANA WORLD TRADE CORPORATION; DANA AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET, INC.; DANA GLOBAL PRODUCTS, INC.; DANA STRUCTUCTURAL MANUFACTURING, LLC; SPICER HEAVY AXLE & BRAKE, INC.
Reel/Frame 024055/0498 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY TERM FACILITY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 25, 2008
From: DANA HOLDING CORPORATION; DANA LIMITED; DANA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GROUP, LLC; DANA DRIVESHAFT PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA DRIVESHAFT MANUFACTURING, LLC; DANA LIGHT AXLE PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA LIGHT AXLE MANUFACTURING, LLC; DANA SEALING PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA SEALING MANUFACTURING, LLC; DANA STRUCTURAL PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA THERMAL PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA HEAVY VEHICLE SYSTEMS GROUP, LLC; DANA COMMERCIAL VEHICLE PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA COMMERCIAL VEHICLE MANUFACTURING, LLC; SPICER HEAVY AXLE & BRAKE, INC.; DANA OFF HIGHWAY PRODUCTS, LLC; DTF TRUCKING INC.; DANA WORLD TRADE CORPORATION; DANA AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET, INC.; DANA GLOBAL PRODUCTS, INC.; DANA STRUCTURAL MANUFACTURING, LLC
To: CITICORP USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 020859/0359 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY REVOLVING FACILITY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 25, 2008
From: DANA HOLDING CORPORATION; DANA LIMITED; DANA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GROUP, LLC; DANA DRIVESHAFT PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA DRIVESHAFT MANUFACTURING, LLC; DANA LIGHT AXLE PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA LIGHT AXLE MANUFACTURING, LLC; DANA SEALING PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA SEALING MANUFACTURING, LLC; DANA STRUCTURAL PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA THERMAL PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA HEAVY VEHICLE SYSTEMS GROUP, LLC; DANA COMMERCIAL VEHICLE PRODUCTS, LLC; DANA COMMERCIAL VEHICLE MANUFACTURING, LLC; SPICER HEAVY AXLE & BRAKE, INC.; DANA OFF HIGHWAY PRODUCTS, LLC; DTF TRUCKING INC.; DANA WORLD TRADE CORPORATION; DANA AUTOMOTIVE AFTERMARKET, INC.; DANA GLOBAL PRODUCTS, INC.; DANA STRUCTURAL MANUFACTURING, LLC
To: CITICORP USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 020859/0249 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 22, 2008
From: DANA CORPORATION
To: DANA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS GROUP, LLC
Reel/Frame 020540/0476 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 3, 2003
From: CHRISTOFARO, PAUL A.; GREENAWALT, STEVEN C.
To: DANA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 013719/0262 →