GB2375510A

GB2375510A - Vehicle floor and side panel two piece joint

Info

Publication number: GB2375510A
Application number: GB0111306A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenneth Barry Wilson
Original assignee: D W Marshall & Co Ltd
Current assignee: D W Marshall & Co Ltd
Priority date: 2001-05-09
Filing date: 2001-05-09
Publication date: 2002-11-20
Also published as: GB0111306D0

Abstract

Apparatus, for use in a vehicles, comprises a first joint member 12 connectable to a cross-member 4 and capable of supporting a floor panel 10 and side panel 6, and a second joint member 14 locatable against the inner face of the side panel 6. The side panel 6 can be gripped between a limb of each member 16, 40. The first joint member 12 comprises two perpendicular limbs 16, 20, one of which is capable of lying between the floor panel 10 and cross-member 4. The joint members 12,14 are preferably provided with interlocking serrated angled faces 34,48, which cause a gripping action on the side panel when the joint members, which are preferably aluminium extrusions are riveted together. Flanges 18,22 preferably enable the first joint member 12 to engage slots 28,30 in an angle member 24 mounted at the end of the cross-member 4. The side panel may also be fixed with adhesive. The invention eliminates the corrosion risk and cost implications of using exposed fasteners.

Description

VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION The present invention relates to the construction of vehicles, particularly but not exclusively vans, lorries and heavy goods vehicles.

Freight vehicles such as lorries usually have a loadcontaining body defined by a floor, wall panels and a roof.

The floor provides an even, rigid platform for holding the load, and is generally supported by a number of spaced, parallel, crossbearers each extending transversely of the vehicle. The walls of the vehicle define the sides, front and sometimes the rear of the load-containing body, and consist of panels which are also attached to and supported by the crossbearers.

The standard method of constructing the sides and floor of such a vehicle body is shown in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings. A tee-section member 2 is first fastened vertically along the sides of the crossbearers 4, the upper end of the vertical limb of the member 2 extending to a height above that of the crossbearers 4.

The side panel 6 of the body is then vertically positioned on the horizontal limb of the member 2, and is fastened against the upper end of the vertical limb of the member 2 using conventional"Avtainer" (trade mark) fasteners.

These fasteners, one of which is shown at 8, are spaced

along the length of the side panel 6, the fasteners being at different levels to avoid establishing a potential break line, some of the fasteners being below the level of the fastener 8 shown in Fig. 1 at the anticipated level of the floor 10.

The present method of construction suffers from several drawbacks. Firstly, the steel fasteners used for attaching the side panels are prone to corrosion since they are located externally along the lower edges of the vehicle and are exposed to moisture, salt and dirt from the road.

Furthermore, a large number of fasteners must be used, typically at intervals of around 200mm along the length of the vehicle body. They are expensive and are furthermore considered unsightly. An additional inconvenience is that, as some of the fasteners are at the level of the floor, the floor can only be laid down once the sides have been assembled, making the fitting of the side panels a slow and difficult task, the assemblers having only the crossbearers to tread on for support whilst working.

It would be desirable to be able to provide an alternative method of securing the sides and floor of a vehicle with respect to the crossbearers, which alleviates at least some of the above-mentioned problems.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for securing a floor panel and a side

panel with respect to the vehicle crossbearer, the apparatus comprising a first member mounted to an end of the crossbearer and including a first limb upstanding from the crossbearer and a second limb projecting substantially perpendicular to the first limb to overlie the outer edge regions of the crossbearer, the free end extent of said second limb underlying the outer edge regions of the floor panel, the side panel having an operative position seating on the other end extent of said second limb with the outer face of the lower regions thereof abutting the inner face of the first limb, the second limb further including, between the inner face of the side panel and the free end extent thereof, a first interlocking component, and a second member having an upstanding third limb, and, adjacent the lower end of said third limb, a second interlocking component, the arrangement being such that, with the side panel in its operative position, the second member has an operative position with the third limb abutting the inner face of the lower regions of the side panel and with the first and second interlocking components co-operating whereby the lower regions of the side panel are securely gripped between the first and third limbs.

The first limb of the first member and the side panel are preferably held together by an adhesive.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the lower end of the first limb of the first member has a lower flange of generally L-shape projecting therefrom, while a corresponding flange projects downwardly from the other end extent of the second limb, the crossbearer being provided with a pair of corresponding slots or recesses in the upper and lower edge regions thereof, the flanges on the first and second limbs being received within said slots or recesses to secure the first member to the crossbearer.

Alternatively an angle member incorporating upper and lower slots or recesses therein may be fastened to the end of the crossbearer, the flanges on the first member being received in the slots or recesses in the angle member to mount the first member to the crossbearer.

Conveniently the first and second interlocking components may each incorporate an angled face defining a wedge configuration thereto, said faces frictionally abutting one another with the first and second members in their operative positions whereby the first and third limbs are urged towards one another to grip the lower regions of the side panel therebetween.

Preferably the abutting faces of the first and second interlocking components are serrated.

The apparatus may further include fastening means, for example a rivet, reacting between the first and second

members to retain said members in their operative gripping positions.

The first and second members may be of extruded aluminium.

The first limb of the first member preferably has a textured inner surface with indentations therein for receiving adhesive for bonding with the side panel. This increases the area of contact and thus improves bonding of the surface of the limb to the side panel via the adhesive.

Preferably the third limb of the second member also has a textured surface thereto with indentations therein for contacting the side panel. This increases the degree of frictional grip against the side panel, and thus prevents or hinders the side panel being moved or slipping out of position.

The first limb of the first member may have one or more protruding lips thereon for engagement with the side panel to maintain a space between the first limb and the side panel, which space is preferably filled with an adhesive.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of securing a floor panel and a side panel with respect to a vehicle crossbearer using the apparatus of the first aspect of the invention, the method comprising the steps of mounting the first member to the

crossbearer, installing the floor panel over the crossbearer and the free end extent of the second limb of the first member, locating the side panel in its operative position seating on the other end extent of the second limb with the outer face of the lower regions of the side panel abutting the inner face of the first limb, and locating the second member to interlock with the first member.

Assembly of the panels according to this method has the advantage that the floor panel is laid down over the crossbearer before installation of the side panel, thus providing an even supporting surface from which the subsequent assembly steps can be performed conveniently.

The method preferably includes, prior to locating the side panel in its operative position, applying an adhesive to the inner face of the first limb.

By way of example only, the aspects of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Fig. 1 is a sectional view of part of a standard vehicle construction assembly according to the prior art and as already described; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the relevant part of a first embodiment of the first aspect of the invention; Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a relevant part of a second embodiment of the first aspect of the invention, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of an apparatus for connecting together the front and side panels of a vehicle body.

Referring to Fig. 2, the body of the illustrated vehicle is formed from a floor 10 of, for example, 18mm plywood, and a side panel 6 consisting of, for example, a plywood core typically 11 to 20mm thick faced with lmm of GRP on each side, as is commonly used in the art.

The floor 10 and side panel 6 are located and secured relative to the crossbearer 4 by a combination of a first member indicated generally at 12 and a second member indicated generally at 14, both formed from, for example, 6082 T6 specification extruded aluminium.

The first member 12 comprises a vertical first limb 16 from the lower end of which projects a generally L-shaped flange 18 and from an intermediate region of which projects a second limb 20. A flange 22 depends from the lower regions of the inner end extent of the limb 20 to be aligned with and opposed to the free end extent of the flange 18.

An aluminium angle member 24 is fastened to the end of the crossbearer 4 by bolts 26, the member 24 being provided with slots 28,30 in the upper and lower edges thereof. The first member 12 is secured to the crossbearer 4 by slidably inserting the flanges 18,22 thereon into the slots 28,30 in

the angle member 24. Once interlocked with the angle member 24, the first member 12 is held securely and is unable to undergo lateral or vertical displacement. Such an arrangement enables rapid assembly without the need for external fasteners, thereby substantially overcoming the problem of corrosion.

In this operative position of the first member 12, the upper extent of the first limb 16 projects above the crossbearer 4 while the undersurface of the second limb overlies the upper surface of the edge region of the crossbearer 4.

Integrally formed on the upper surface of the second limb 20, intermediate the length thereof, is a first hollow box-section interlocking component 32 an outer wall 34 of which extends upwardly at an angle to the limb 20, the outer face of said wall 34 being serrated, all for reasons which will become apparent.

The hollow section of the component 32 is completed by an inner wall 36 extending perpendicular to the limb 20, and a top wall 38.

Subsequent to securing the first member 12 to the crossbearer 4, the floor panel 10 can be installed into position, the edge regions of the panel 10 being located over the free end extent of the limb 20 with the edge of the panel abutting the wall 36 of the interlocking

component 32. Thus the limb 20 and component 32 serve to provide accurate location of the floor panel 10 on the vehicle.

It will also be appreciated that the installation of the floor panel 10 prior to the installation of the side panels 6 is such as to provide a continuous, level surface for walking on early in the installation procedure, thereby facilitating subsequent handling of the side panels 6.

The side panel 6 is then installed as follows. A flexible polyurethane adhesive such as"Sikaflex 252" manufactured by Sika is applied to the inner surface of the upper extent of the first limb 16 using an air gun or a manual sealant gun, and the side panel 6 is lowered such that its bottom edge seats on the upper surface of the limb 20 with the outer surface of the lower regions of the side panel 6 abutting the inner surface of the upper extent of the first limb 16 provided with the adhesive.

The installation of the side panel 6 is completed by the second member 14 which comprises an upstanding third limb 40 the outer face of which is serrated and a second hollow, box-section interlocking component 42 which is integral with the lower end extent of the limb 40 and which is defined by a bottom wall 44 extending perpendicularly from the lower end of the limb 40, a top wall 46 parallel with the bottom wall 44 extending from an intermediate

region of the limb 40, and a side wall 48 interconnecting the top and bottom walls 46,44 and tapering upwardly and outwardly relative to the limb 40. The top wall 46 extends beyond the junction with the side wall 48 to define an end flange 50 to the member 14.

The second interlocking component 42 of the member 14 is located in the space between the first interlocking component 32 of the first member 12 and the lower regions of the side panel 6 with the tapering side wall 48 of the component 42 engaging the tapering wall 34 of the component 32.

The member 14 is driven downwardly towards the floor panel 10 until the operative position shown in Fig. 2 is reached, in which position the lower regions of the side panel 6 are securely gripped between the upper extent of the first limb 16 of the member 12 and the third limb 40 of the member 14.

Preferably the members 12,14 are retained relative to one another in their operative positions by a fastener such as the rivet 52 which extends through aligned apertures in the flange 50 of the member 14 and the top wall 38 of the component 32 of the member 12.

The upper extent of the first limb 16 is provided with three lips 54 at the top, middle and bottom thereof to abut the side panel 6 and define spaces 56,58 between the limb

16 and the side panel 6 to receive therein the adhesive, the surfaces of the spaces 56,58 being serrated to improve retention of the adhesive prior to installation of the side panel 6.

The face of the limb 40 abutting the side panel 6 is also serrated to improve the grip between the limb 40 and the side panel 6.

Fig. 3 shows an alternative embodiment of the invention permitting the side panels 6 to be disposed laterally outwardly relative to the ends of the crossbearers 4. More particularly, the lower extent of the limb 16 of the first member is of generally curved shape to define a generally segment-shaped space 60 between the limb 16 and the end of the crossbearer. Otherwise the construction and operation of the embodiment of Fig. 3 are the same as those of the embodiment of Fig. 2.

In both embodiments, the angle member 24 may be dispensed with, and the groves 28,30 formed directly in the upper and lower edges of the crossbearer 4. Other adhesives or bonding materials may be used in place of the flexible polyurethane adhesive detailed above, while the adhesive may be applied to one or both sides of the lower regions of the side panel 6 as well as the upper extent of the limb 16.

Panels can also be secured at the front and at the rear of the vehicle body using the method shown in Fig. 4, which shows a side panel 62 connected to a front panel 64.

A pair of sections 66,68 are arranged to fit together, such that wall portions 66a and 68a lie parallel to the front panel 64, defining a recess for gripping the panel 64.

Similarly, wall portions 66b and 68b define a recess for receiving and securing the roof panel 62. The sections 66 and 68 are secured together by means of a bolt 70.

A roof to the vehicle may be attached to the side and front panels according to any of the known standard methods.

The above-described examples depict the features of preferred embodiments of the invention and are intended to be exemplary only. Modifications to these embodiments may be made as will be realised by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. Apparatus for securing a floor panel and a side panel with respect to a vehicle crossbearer, the apparatus comprising a first member mounted to an end of the crossbearer and including a first limb upstanding from the crossbearer and a second limb projecting substantially perpendicular to the first limb to overlie the outer edge regions of the crossbearer, the free end extent of said second limb underlying the outer edge regions of the floor panel, the side panel having an operative position seating on the other end extent of said second limb with the outer face of the lower regions thereof abutting the inner face of the first limb, the second limb further including, between the inner face of the side panel and the free end extent thereof, a first interlocking component, and a second member having an upstanding third limb, and, adjacent the lower end of said third limb, a second interlocking component, the arrangement being such that, with the side panel in its operative position, the second member has an operative position with the third limb abutting the inner face of the lower regions of the side panel and with the first and second interlocking components co-operating whereby the lower regions of the side panel are securely gripped between the first and third limbs.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the first limb of the first member and the side panel are held together by an adhesive.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which the lower end of the first limb of the first member has a lower flange of generally L-shape projecting therefrom, while a corresponding flange projects downwardly from the other end extent of the second limb, the crossbearer being provided with a pair of corresponding slots or recesses in the upper and lower edge regions thereof, the flanges on the first and second limbs being received within said slots or recesses to secure the first member to the crossbearer.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 in which an angle member incorporating upper and lower slots or recesses therein is fastened to the end of the crossbearer, the flanges on the first member being received in the slots or recesses in the angle member to mount the first member to the crossbearer.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 in which the first and second interlocking components each incorporate an angled face defining a wedge configuration thereto, said faces frictionally abutting one another with the first and second members in their operative positions whereby the first and third limbs are urged towards one

another to grip the lower regions of the side panel therebetween.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 in which the abutting faces of the first and second interlocking components are serrated.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 and further include fastening means reacting between the first and second members to retain said members in their operative gripping positions.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 in which the fastening means comprise a rivet.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 in which first and second members are of extruded aluminium.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9 in which the first limb of the first member has a textured inner surface with indentations therein for receiving adhesive for bonding with the side panel.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 in which the third limb of the second member also has a textured surface thereto with indentations therein for contacting the side panel.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 in which the first limb of the first member has one or more protruding lips thereon for engagement with the side panel

to maintain a space between the first limb and the side panel.

13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12 in which said space is filled with an adhesive.

14. A method of securing a floor panel and a side panel with respect to a vehicle crossbearer using the apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, the method comprising the steps of mounting the first member to the crossbearer, installing the floor panel over the crossbearer and the free end extent of the second limb of the first member, locating the side panel in its operative position seating on the other end extent of the second limb with the outer face of the lower regions of the side panel abutting the inner face of the first limb, and locating the second member to interlock with the first member.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14 and including, prior to locating the side panel in its operative position, applying an adhesive to the inner face of the first limb.

16. Apparatus for securing a floor panel and a side panel with respect to a vehicle crosbearer substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated by Figs. 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

17. A method of securing a floor panel and a side panel with respect to a vehicle crossbearer substantially

as described with reference to Figs. 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.