Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.

Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

University of Michigan

Daniel Shriver

Shixin Jack Hu

Mihaela Banu

Prasanth Mohankumar

Kaifeng Wang

Yongqiang Li

Jorge F Arinez

A ultrasonic welding method of joining dissimilar-material workpieces, such as sheet materials, and the joined components formed thereby. The method includes applying ultrasonic energy to a thermoplastic piece to fill a hole of a dissimilar piece to form a weld point that is made up with polymer from the thermoplastic piece. In general, the geometry of the thermoplastic piece is not altered during the process. The dissimilar piece generally has a higher melting temperate and can be metal, thermoset polymers, or other thermoplastic material. The welded pieces can be arranged in a lap, laminate, or double lap configuration. In some embodiments, the hole of the dissimilar sheet material includes undercut features that improve the mechanical interlock between the dissimilar pieces. In some embodiments, the weld point has a mushroom cap to improve mechanical interlock.

Ultrasonic welding of dissimilar sheet materials

A method of filling a roof ditch of a vehicle roof assembly is provided. The method includes delivering a sealer material to a mold channel of a mold. The sealer material is heated within the mold channel at a pre-gel heating temperature forming a pre-gelled roof ditch sealer strip. The pre-gelled roof ditch sealer strip is removed from the mold. The pre-gelled roof ditch sealer strip is installed into the roof ditch of the vehicle roof assembly.

Roof ditch sealing assemblies for vehicles including pre-gelled roof ditch sealer strips and methods of sealing roof ditches

A fastener and method for joining dissimilar materials. The fastener has a metal body and a hollow portion. The method includes the steps of: layering a thermoplastic first component with a second component such that the first component covers an opening formed through the second component; pressing the metal fastener against the first component through the opening in the second component; and heating the thermoplastic at an interface of the metal fastener and the first component so that the thermoplastic flows into the hollow portion of the metal fastener during the step of pressing. A portion of the metal fastener is thus embedded in the thermoplastic and a joint is formed that attaches the first and second components together when the thermoplastic is cooled.

Fastener and method for joining dissimilar materials

A vehicle includes a roof assembly including a roof having an outer facing surface and a roof ditch that extends below the outer facing surface. The roof ditch extends in a vehicle longitudinal direction between a front windshield and a rear window. A rear roof ditch molding is located at least partially within the roof ditch at a rear portion of the roof ditch. A cured roof ditch sealer extends along a front portion of the roof ditch and rearward in the vehicle longitudinal direction toward the rear roof ditch molding. A roof ditch sealer dam is located between a rear end of the cured roof ditch sealer and a front end of the rear roof ditch molding.

Growing community of inventors

Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America

Daniel Shriver