Expandable roof panel perimeter reinforcement

摘要

A vehicle roof frame includes an adhering structure having an adhesive carrier and an expanding structural adhesive coupled to at least a portion of an outer surface of the adhesive carrier. The expanding structural adhesive includes an installation state and a structural state, and the structural state has a larger volume than the installation state. The vehicle roof frame also includes a plurality of vehicle frame members that cooperate to form a frame joint and a joint cavity defined within the frame joint. The adhering structure is disposed within the joint cavity and the adhesive carrier and the expanding structural adhesive in the structural state substantially occupies the joint cavity and fixably couples the plurality of framing members such that the frame joint is free of supplemental mechanical connections proximate the joint cavity.

主权项

1. A vehicle roof frame comprising:
first and second adhering structures adhered to first and second members of a frame joint, respectively, the first and second adhering structures selectively connected to define a directly-engaged position; and a supplemental tether extending between the first and second adhering structures and defining a slack position when the first and second adhering structures are in the directly-engaged position, wherein when a predetermined impact force is applied to the frame joint, the first adhering structure and first member at least partially separate from the second adhering structure and second member toward a distally-engaged position, wherein the supplemental tether defines a tensioned position when the first and second adhering structures are in the distally-engaged position.