Methods for joining more than two panels together and assemblies formed by the methods
An assembly for a vehicle and a method of making an assembly including more than three panels stacked together and joined by self-piercing rivets or by clinch joints. A first panel and a second panel are joined together at a first attachment point. A third panel and the first panel are joined together at a second attachment point. A fourth panel and the third panel are joined together at a third attachment point. The first, second and third attachment points are spaced apart to avoid interference between the self-piercing rivets or the clinch joints.
1. A method of attaching a plurality of panels together comprising:
assembling a first panel and a second panel together in a face-to-face relationship;
clinching the first panel and the second panel at a first attachment point to form a sub-assembly;
assembling a third panel over the first panel covering the first attachment point;
clinching the third panel and the sub-assembly at a second attachment point that is spaced from the first attachment point.
2. A method of assembling multiple parts comprising:
clinching a first flange and a second flange in a first set of locations;
assembling a third flange over the first flange; and
clinching the third flange and the first flange in a second plurality of locations that are spaced from the first set of locations.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
assembling a fourth flange over the third flange; and
clinching the fourth flange and the third flange in a third plurality of locations that are spaced from the second plurality of locations.
4. An assembly comprising:
a first part;
a second part overlapping the first part in a first overlap area;
a third part overlapping the first part in a second overlap area;
a first clinch joint formed in the first overlap area to join the first and second parts; and
a second clinch joint formed in the second overlap area to join the first and third parts with the third part covering the first clinch joint.
5. The assembly of claim 4 , further comprising:
a fourth part overlapping the third part in a third overlap area; and
a third clinch joint formed in the third overlap area to join the third and the fourth part.
6. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the third clinch joint formed in the third overlap area joins the third part and the fourth part to the first part.