The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 23, 2013
Filed:
Sep. 14, 2010
John E. Carsley, Oakland, MI (US);
Chih-cheng Hsu, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Stewart Edmison, Oshawa, CA;
John E. Carsley, Oakland, MI (US);
Chih-Cheng Hsu, Rochester Hills, MI (US);
Stewart Edmison, Oshawa, CA;
GM Global Technology Operations LLC, Detroit, MI (US);
Abstract
The substitution of aluminum alloy roof panels for the low carbon steel roof panels most commonly used in motor vehicles is an attractive option for vehicle mass reduction. Often, however, the remainder of the vehicle body structure continues to be fabricated of steel. The combination of the aluminum alloy roof attached to the steel body may create compressive stresses in the aluminum roof when the body is subjected to elevated temperatures such as those required to cure or bake the paint applied to the body. These stresses may lead to unacceptable appearance features in the visible segment of the roof. By modifying the roof stamping to introduce a tabbed flange for attachment to the body and/or modifying the generally-vertical wall joining the flange to the roof interior, the stresses may be minimized and relocated to segments of the roof not normally visible.