Method of securing a body mount support bracket on a vehicle body and frame assembly
View Patent ↗A body mount support bracket, including a central body portion having a pair of leg portions depending therefrom, is secured to a frame portion of a vehicle body and frame assembly by flexing the leg portions from a first, unstressed position to a second, stressed position so as to create internal stresses within the body mount support bracket. Then, the central body portion and the leg portions of the body mount support bracket are secured to the frame portion, such as by welding, adhesives, and the like. The flexing of the leg portions is performed to create internal stresses within the body mount support bracket that remain after the body mount support bracket has been secured to the frame assembly. These residual internal stresses are effective to increase the strength and rigidity of the body mount support bracket beyond what would normally be obtained if the body mount support bracket was secured to the frame assembly side rail in an unstressed condition.
1. A method for securing a body mount support bracket to a portion of a vehicle body and frame assembly comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a body mount support bracket including a central body portion having a pair of leg portions depending therefrom;
(b) creating internal stresses within the body mount support bracket by moving the leg portions of the body mount support bracket relative to the central body portion of the body mount support bracket to create the internal stresses within the body mount support bracket; and
(c) securing the body mount support bracket to a portion of a vehicle body and frame assembly so as to maintain the internal stresses therein.
2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said step (a) is performed by providing the central body portion with an aperture therethrough.
3. The method defined in claim 2 wherein said step (a) is performed by providing leg portions that extend from the central body portion and diverge apart from one another.
4. The method defined in claim 3 wherein said step (b) is performed by moving the leg portions of the body mount support bracket inwardly toward one another.
5. The method defined in claim 3 wherein said step (b) is performed by moving the leg portions of the body mount support bracket outwardly apart from one another.
6. The method defined in claim 2 wherein said step (a) is performed by providing leg portions that extend from the central body portion generally parallel to one another.
7. The method defined in claim 6 wherein said step (b) is performed by moving the leg portions of the body mount support bracket inwardly toward one another.
8. The method defined in claim 6 wherein said step (b) is performed by moving the leg portions of the body mount support bracket outwardly apart from one another.
9. The method defined in claim 1 wherein said step (c) is performed by securing the body mount support bracket to a portion of a vehicle body and frame assembly by one of welding and adhesives.
10. The method defined in claim 2 wherein said step (a) is performed by providing leg portions that extend from the central body portion and converge toward one another.
11. The method defined in claim 10 wherein said step (b) is performed by moving the leg portions of the body mount support bracket inwardly toward one another.
12. The method defined in claim 10 wherein said step (b) is performed by moving the leg portions of the body mount support bracket outwardly apart from one another.
13. A method of manufacturing a vehicle body and frame assembly comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a frame portion;
(b) securing a body mount support bracket to a portion of the frame portion by providing a body mount support bracket including a central body portion having a pair of leg portions depending therefrom; creating internal stresses within the body mount support bracket by moving the leg portions of the body mount support bracket relative to the central body portion of the body mount support bracket to create the internal stresses within the body mount support bracket; and securing the body mount support bracket to a portion of a vehicle body and frame assembly so as to maintain the internal stresses therein;
(c) providing a body portion having a body mount; and
(d) supporting the body mount of the body portion on the body mount support bracket of the frame portion to provide a vehicle body and frame assembly.