Stock material or miscellaneous articles – All metal or with adjacent metals – Intermediate article
Patent
1993-11-05
1996-05-07
Zimmerman, John
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
All metal or with adjacent metals
Intermediate article
428597, 428598, 403274, B62D 2109, B62D 2702, B62D 2900
Patent
active
055144810
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD
This present invention relates to a light metal casting for use in mounting heavy subassemblies, such as doors, on a light metal motor vehicle body framework, and to methods of producing and using the casting of this invention.
BACKGROUND
There is an increasing trend in motor vehicle body design, and in particular private passenger car body design, to assemble the vehicle supporting structure from light metal elements. An example of one such system is known from European Patent Document EP 0 146 716 B1 which discloses a vehicle body assembled from a plurality of extruded light metal hollow sections joined together by cast light metal node elements.
A disadvantage which such a light-metal bodywork design however is that in view of the lower yield strength of the light metal material as compared with heavy subassemblies, such as for example conventionally used sheet metal stampings, doors or the like, cannot be directly fastened to a light metal frame member without additional and often expensive reinforcement.
It has therefore already been proposed to provide on such light metal castings additional metal holding parts (holders) which serve to hold the heavy subassemblies. However, in order to mount these holders on the castings, it is necessary to machine the castings after they are formed. Thus, a relatively considerable expenditure of time is required for finishing the connection between the holding part and the casting. This additional time increases the cost of assembling the motor vehicle.
Accordingly, there is a definite need in the art for a light metal casting for use in mounting heavy vehicle subassemblies to a light-metal frame component which does not require additional machining after its formation in order to receive a metal holder.
THE INVENTION
OBJECTS
It is a principal object of the present invention to reduce the time and expense of mounting a heavy subassembly, such as for example a door or the like, to a light metal vehicle bodywork.
It is a related object of the invention to provide a light metal casting for use in mounting heavy subassemblies which can be produced in a simple manner and which is configured to quickly receivingly engage a metal holder without additional machining or great expense.
These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following written description, drawings and appended claims.
SUMMARY
The invention comprises an apparatus, its use, method of fabrication of a light metal casting for use in combination with a metal holder for mounting heavy subassemblies, such as for example doors or the like, to a light metal frame member of a light metal vehicle body framework. The invention is directed to overcoming the problem of how to mount the metal holder to the light metal casting in a simple, inexpensive and strong manner.
In accordance with the apparatus aspects of the invention, the light metal casting comprises: a first, vertical leg portion having an outward facing surface to which a metal holder is mounted; and a second, inwardly-extending horizontal leg portion connected at an upper end of the first leg portion. The second leg portion is provided with a vertical through-hole oriented transversely to its surface, and, at the edge of the opening which faces the first leg, an upstanding tongue member is formed integrally on the second leg which points away from the first leg and can be bent over the holder.
In order to fasten the holder to the light metal casting, the holder is first placed against the outer side of the vertical first leg, whereupon the tongue is bent in the direction of this outer side of the first leg and turned over the holding part until it presses the latter against the outer side of the first leg to hold it fast against the light metal casting.
The holding part can thus be mounted on the light metal casting in a simple manner and very quickly, since it is only necessary to bend over the tongue. Since the tongue and the light metal casting are formed integrally joined to one another during the same casting
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Enning Norbert
Spies Robert
Timm Heinrich
Audi AG
Dulin Jacques M.
Zimmerman John
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