Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Masahiro Ishikawa

Edward William Bach

Eric J Boettcher

Takashi Nakano

Adam J Rompage

Matthew W Wolfe

Andrew Keenan Swayne

Christopher D Hinz

James Paul Ryan

Patrick Ellison

Robert Zummallen

Kevin D Helton

Thomas H Croyle

Kenichi Kitayama

Patrick Joseph Ellison

Aron K Madsen

Hirokazu Matsuura

Matthew Weyand Schmitt

Kurtis Ray Horner

Anthony Ordonio, Jr

Todd Andrew Fitz

Matthew Plett

Benjamin J Meaige

Edouard Stuart Sandoz

Shawn Lee Tarr

Joseph M Riggsby

Kris Lemmon

Henry DiCato

Christos Agouridis, Jr

Teruo Yamazaki

Carmen Crowley

Matt Wolfe

Skye Malcom

Pete Cardimen

A vehicle assembly method includes providing an aluminum roof component including a peripheral flange structure that defines a roof adhesive bonding zone; providing a steel vehicle body component including a body adhesive bonding zone; removably fastening the roof component to the vehicle body component with the peripheral flange structure spaced from the vehicle body component; electrocoating the roof component secured to the vehicle body component including the roof adhesive bonding zone and the body adhesive bonding zone; painting the roof component secured to the vehicle body component; removing the painted roof component from the painted vehicle body component; applying an adhesive that is curable at room temperature to at least one of the roof adhesive bonding zone and the body adhesive bonding zone; securely fastening the painted roof component to the painted vehicle body component with the adhesive spanning the adhesive bonding zones; and curing the adhesive.

Method and system for joining aluminum roof component to steel vehicle body component

A vehicle assembly includes a steel vehicle body with a vehicle body component defined by a pair of body members. The vehicle body component defines a body adhesive bonding zone. Front and rear roof rails span laterally between the body members. An aluminum vehicle roof component includes a roof panel having a peripheral flange structure which defines a roof adhesive bonding zone corresponding to the body adhesive bonding zone. Forward and rear support brackets extend laterally across the roof panel, a portion of each support bracket is located on the flange structure inwardly of the roof adhesive bonding zone. The support brackets are configured to provide a vertical spacing between the flange structure and the vehicle body. The vehicle roof component is bonded to the vehicle body via an adhesive applied to the body and roof adhesive bonding zones.

Vehicle assembly

A masking system and method for painting a vehicle with parts made of dissimilar materials is provided. The masking system includes a masking gasket temporarily mounted between a mounting surface of a first part and a mounting surface of a second part. The masking gasket further includes a plurality of links, thermal expansion joints linking together the plurality of links, and mounting locations for securing the masking gasket to the first and second parts of the vehicle.

Paint masking system and method

A vehicle sashless door sealing assembly, fastening assembly and method include an elongated structural member, a garnish member, and a door seal retainer disposed below the garnish assembly for holding a window pane door seal. The fastening assembly, which secures the garnish member and the door seal retainer to the elongated structural member, includes a collar having a radial flange portion interposed between the door seal retainer and an exterior surface of the garnish member and having an axial neck portion extending from the radial flange portion into a garnish aperture defined in the garnish member. The fastening assembly further includes a fastener received through a fastener aperture defined in the door seal retainer, through a fastener aperture defined in the collar and through a fastener aperture defined in the elongated structural member to thereby secure the garnish member and the door seal retainer to the elongated structural member.

Sashless door sealing assembly, fastening assembly and method

The projection weld element can include a barrel having a first axial end and a second axial end, a central axial bore being defined through the barrel from the first axial end towards the second axial end, and at least a portion of the central axial bore including an attachment structure, such as internal threads. A radial flange can extend from the second axial end of the barrel, with the flange including a distal axial face on a side of the flange facing away from the first axial end of the barrel and a proximal axial face on a side of the flange facing toward the first axial end of the barrel. The flange can include an annular projection weld ring formed along the proximal axial face of the flange on the same side of the flange as the barrel that extends from the flange. A method for joining a working piece with a weld element can include joining a working piece with the above-described weld element and heating the structures to effect a projection welding between the working piece and the weld element.

Sealed weld element for attachment to a vehicle component and method

A vehicle body assembly includes a front pillar including a unitary, one-piece tubular structural member having a first end portion and an opposite second end portion. The structural member defines a vehicle exterior-side wall section and a passenger compartment-side wall section. A first structural node is fastened to the passenger compartment-side wall section at the first end portion of the structural member. A second structural node is fastened to the passenger compartment-side wall section at the second end portion of the structural member. The structural member is formed of a first metal and each of the first and second structural nodes are formed of a second metal different than the first metal. An electrically nonconductive adhesive is interposed between the structural member first end portion and the first structural node and is interposed between the structural member second end portion and the second structural node.

Front pillar attachment for a vehicle body

A vehicle assembly includes a roof structure having a roof panel formed of aluminum or an aluminum-based alloy and a vehicle body formed of steel or a steel alloy supporting the roof structure. The vehicle body includes a pair of laterally spaced side panels, a front roof rail and a rear roof rail. A bracket formed of steel or a steel alloy secures the roof structure to the vehicle body. The bracket has a first portion fastened to the roof panel and a second portion extending away from the roof structure and welded to the vehicle body. An adhesive located inward of the connection of the vehicle body and second portion of the bracket bonds the second portion to the vehicle body. The adhesive seals the connection of the roof panel and bracket first portion and reduces thermal distortion of the attached roof panel relative to the vehicle body.

Vehicle roof structure

A vehicle assembly includes a body including a pair of laterally spaced body members and a front roof rail and a rear roof rail spanning between the body members. The body members together with the front and rear roof rails support a roof structure. The body is formed of a steel or steel alloy. The roof structure includes a roof panel, a roof stiffener, a forward connecting member and a rearward connecting member. The roof structure is formed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The roof structure is bonded to the body via an adhesive. A plurality of bolts is installed along adhesive application areas between the body and the roof structure. At least one bolt connects the forward connecting member to the front roof rail and at least one bolt connects the rearward connecting member to the rear roof rail.

An apparatus and system for electromotively coating a part can include a conveyor that has a plurality of hangars that are configured to be positively connected to respective parts that are to be coated. An attachment mechanism can be provided on the hangar and the part, the attachment mechanism being configured to exert force in more than a single direction. The part can be a conductive plastic part and can include an attachment structure that is formed thereon, for example, screw threads integrally formed in the part. The hangar can include a similar fastener that is configured to connect to the attachment structure of the part. For example, the fastener of the hangar can be a screw thread that mates with threads integrally or otherwise formed on the part. Other combinations of attachment structures and fasteners can be used to provide the mechanical and electrical coupling between the hangar and the part such that a robust electrical and mechanical connection can be achieved between the conveyor and the part to be coated.

Coating system and method

A main beam support mounting bracket formed from aluminum for a vehicle. The main beam support mounting bracket has a first lateral end that is mechanically secured to a main beam support and a second lateral end that is mechanically secured to a center support. A bottom wall of the main beam support mounting bracket includes slotted mounting openings for receipt of fasteners for attachment to a floor tunnel of a vehicle floor and frame cross-member. The fasteners threadingly engage weld-nuts on the frame cross-member. The bottom wall includes first, second, and third planar surfaces that interact with first, second, and third surfaces of the floor tunnel in the vehicle. Further, the main beam support mounting bracket provides for lateral attachment with the main beam support and the center support.

Hanger beam assembly

A hanger beam assembly is formed from aluminum and includes first and second support brackets, a main beam hanger, a driver beam, a main beam, a main beam support, and a main beam support mounting bracket. The driver beam extends between the first support bracket and the main beam hanger. The main beam extends between the main beam hanger and the second support bracket. The main beam support bracket is secured to a vehicle floor, and the main beam support is secured between the main beam hanger and the main beam support mounting bracket. The resulting hanger beam assembly is light-weight and provides a desired natural frequency at the associated steering wheel.

A main beam support is formed from aluminum and includes an upper end and a lower end. The upper end is attached to a first end of a main beam hanger, while the lower end is attached to a main beam support mounting bracket that is secured to a vehicle floor. The lower end of the main beam support includes first and second sockets with downwardly directed extensions. The first and second sockets are adapted to receive mounting posts that extend from the main beam support mounting bracket. The first socket is disposed relatively vertically above and rearward of the second socket. Integral keys of the main beam support mounting bracket cooperate with the downwardly directed extensions during assembly to align and restrict movement of the main beam support in forward/rearward and up/down directions.

A hook and catch assembly for use in securing a door to a body of a vehicle. The hook and catch assembly includes a hook that is secured to the door, a rocker panel that the door engages, a catch that is secured to the rocker panel upper surface, and a rocker panel garnish that is disposed over the rocker panel upper surface and the catch. The hook is positioned such that, when the door is in a closed position, the hook extends through a slot in the rocker panel garnish and is received between the catch and said rocker panel upper surface.

Hook and catch assembly

A vehicle body reinforcement structure includes a first reinforcement material ( ) of hard resin disposed in a center pillar ( ), a second reinforcement material ( ) of hard resin disposed in a roof side portion ( ) and a joint portion ( ) formed on the first and second reinforcement materials ( ), ( ).

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Dublin, OH, United States of America

Masahiro Ishikawa