Patent Publication Number: US-2021171140-A1

Title: Setting bracket for bolster adjustment

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This disclosure relates to a locator pin assembly for setting a relative position between frame members of a motor vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Vehicle frame members and structures are assembled within set tolerances. Assemblies can include a locator pin to set the desired position between structural members and fasteners utilized to secure components. The position of the locator pin is set relative to a reference point. The position of the reference point may vary and therefore a position of the locator pin may also need to vary to compensate for variations within manufacturing tolerances. 
     SUMMARY 
     A locator pin assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a locator pin including a locator portion and a threaded portion, a bracket assembly including a tab portion and a nut portion that receives the threaded portion, and a structure including an opening receiving the locator pin and a slot near the opening that receives the bracket assembly. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing locator pin assembly, the opening in the structure is larger than the threaded portion of the locator pin to enable movement of the locator pin to set a desired position. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing locator pin assemblies, the locator portion is larger than the opening. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing locator pin assemblies, the tab portion is wider than the slot to prevent the entire bracket assembly from entering the slot. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing locator pin assemblies, an end portion supports the nut portion and extends from the tab portion. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing locator pin assemblies, the bracket assembly is a single integrally formed part. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing locator pin assemblies, the end portion and tab portion are an integrally formed part and the nut portion is attached to the end portion. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing locator pin assemblies, the slot includes sides that limit rotation of the bracket assembly. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing locator pin assemblies, the opening is disposed on a locator surface of the structure and the slot is spaced vertically and horizontally from the locator surface. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing locator pin assemblies, a fastener opening is disposed on the locator surface proximate the opening. 
     A vehicle frame assembly according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a first frame member including an opening and a slot, a locator pin received within the opening, the locator pin including a locating portion and a threaded portion and a bracket assembly including a tab portion and a nut portion, the nut portion received into the slot and the nut portion receives the threaded portion of the locator pin. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing vehicle frame assembly, the opening is formed on a locating surface, the locating surface defining a first plane and the slot is spaced apart from the first plane. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing vehicle frame assemblies, the opening is larger than the threaded portion of the locator pin to enable movement of the locator pin relative to the first frame member to set a desired position. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing vehicle frame assemblies, the tab portion is wider than the slot to prevent the entire bracket assembly from entering the slot. 
     In a further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing vehicle frame assemblies, a second frame member includes a locator opening receiving the location portion of the locator pin for orientating the second frame member relative to the first frame member. 
     A method assembling a vehicle frame assembly according to another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, inserting a bracket assembly including a nut portion through a slot within a first frame member to align the nut portion with an opening defined in the first member and threading a threaded portion of a locator pin through the opening and into the nut portion such that the locator pin is movable within the opening. 
     A further non-limiting embodiment of the foregoing method includes including holding a tab portion of the bracket assembly to position the nut portion into alignment with the opening. 
     A further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods includes assembling a template onto the locator pin that moves the locator pin to a desired position within the opening and tightening the locator pin to the nut portion to secure and hold the locating pin in the desired position. 
     A further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods includes limiting rotation of the bracket assembly while tightening the locator pin with sides of the slot. 
     A further non-limiting embodiment of any of the foregoing methods includes removing the template and assembling a second frame member to the first frame member by inserting the locating pin onto a locator opening of the second frame member to define a relative position between the first frame member and the second frame member. 
     The various features and advantages of this disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an example frame assembly embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an example locator pin assembly. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of an example locator pin. 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of an example bracket assembly embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a top view of a portion of an example frame member. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of the example locator pin assembly. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the example locator pin assembly. 
         FIG. 8  is a schematic view of an example method of assembling a vehicle frame. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an example vehicle frame assembly  10  includes a first frame member  12  and a second frame member  14 . The example second frame member  14  is a bolster and is positioned relative to the first frame member  12  by a locator pin  16 . The locator pin  16  defines a reference point to orientate the second frame member  14  relative to the first frame member  12  according to a predefined tolerance. The locator pin  16  extends through a locating opening within the second member  14  within an established tolerance. A fastener  18  is included to secure the second member  14  to the first member  12 . 
     A position of the example locator pin  16  is adjustable to establish a predefined orientation between the first member  12  and the second member  14  to accommodate variations in manufacturing processes. The locator pin  16  is attached to a bracket assembly  20  that enables one-sided assembly and positional adjustment of the locator pin  16 . It should be appreciated, that although a frame member  12  and a bolster  14  are disclosed by way of example, any structure and/or frame members that are attached in a relative orientation to each other and a reference point would benefit from and is within the scope and contemplation of this disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5 , an example locator pin assembly  15  includes the locator pin  16 , the bracket  20  and features within the first frame member  12 . The features within the first frame member  12  include a slot  46  for the bracket  20  and an opening  44  for the locator pin  16 . The locator pin  16  is fastened within the opening  44  of the first frame member  12 . The bracket  20  includes a nut portion  32  and a tab portion  34 . The locator pin  16  includes a threaded portion  24  and a locating portion  22 . The threaded portion  24  is engaged to the nut portion  32  to hold the locator pin  16  in place on the first frame member  12 . 
     The bracket  20  is inserted through the slot  46  to align the nut portion  32  with the threaded portion  24  of the locator pin  16 . The tab  34  enables an operator to hold and align the nut portion  32  within the frame member  12  relative to the opening  44  without reaching into a cavity  68  of the frame member  12 . 
     The locating portion  22  of the locating pin includes a tapered surface  30  that is received within a locating opening of a second frame member. A width  28  of the locating portion  22  is greater than a width  64  of the opening  44 . Accordingly, the locating portion  22  is secured against the locating surface surrounding the opening  44 . A width  26  of the threaded portion  26  is less than that of the opening  44  to enable movement of the locator pin  16  in two dimensions. 
     The tab portion  34  of the bracket  20  includes a width  40  that is greater than a width  62  of the slot  46 . The larger width  40  of the tab portion  34  prevents the bracket  20  from sliding entirely into the inner cavity  68  of the first member  12 . An end portion  36  of the bracket  20  supports the nut portion  32  and has a width  38 . The width  38  is less than the width  62  of the slot  46  to enable some relative side to side movement within the slot  46 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6  with continued reference to  FIG. 4 , an opening  35  of the nut portion  32  is spaced a distance  42  from the beginning of the tab  34 . The distance  42  is larger than a distance  54  between a centerline  50  of the opening  44  and a vertical centerline  52  through the slot  46 . The distance  42  and distance  54  are sized to place the nut portion  32  in an orientation aligned with the opening  44  to enable assembly of the locator pin  16  to the nut portion  32 . Moreover, the bracket  20  along the distance  44  will contact sides  45  of the slot  46  to limit rotation of the nut portion  32  relative to the locator pin  16 . 
     In one disclosed embodiment, the nut portion  32 , end portion  36  and tab portion  34  are one single unitary part. In another disclosed embodiment, the bracket  20  includes the tab portion  34  and the end portion as a single part with the nut portion  32  attached to the end portion. The bracket  20  remains as part of the completed assembly one the second member  14  is positioned and attached to the first frame member  12 . 
     The opening  44  and fastener opening  48  are arranged on a locating surface  58  of the first frame member  12 . The locating surface  58  is disposed within a horizontal plane  56 . The slot  46  is located along a horizontal plane  55  that is spaced a vertical distance  60  from the horizontal plane  56 . The slot  46  is therefore spaced both vertically and horizontally apart from the opening  44  on the locating surface  58 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7  with continued reference to  FIG. 6 , the locator pin  16  is shown in an initial assembly position. In the initial assembly position, the locator pin  16  is threaded onto the nut portion  32  but not tightened. The bracket assembly  20  is assembled through the slot  46  with the tab portion  34  extending outward and the end portion  36  extended into the inner cavity  68  of the frame member  12 . 
     In the initial assembly position, the locator pin  16  is movable in X and Y directions about the centerline  50  as is schematically shown at  66 . The initial engagement between the locator pin  16  and the nut portion  32  allows for adjustment to compensate for manufacturing tolerances. 
     A master template is assembled over the locating pin to set a position that establishes a reference point for attachment of the second member  14 . The locator pin  16  includes a tool interface  65  for engagement with a tool to tighten the locator pin  16  once set to a desired position. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , a method of assembling a vehicle frame assembly  10  is schematically shown and generally indicated at  70 . According to a disclosed method, assembly begins by inserting the bracket  20  into the slot  46  to align the nut portion  32  with the opening  44  as indicated at  72 . Alignment is performed by hand with an operator grasping the bracket  20  at the tab portion  34  and inserting the end portion with the nut portion  32  into alignment with the opening  44 . The locator pin  16  is then inserted through the opening  44  and threaded to the nut portion  32 . 
     Both the alignment of the bracket  20  and threading of the locator pin  16  are accomplished from a common side of the frame member  12 . In this example, both are accomplished from a top side of the frame member  12 . The bracket  20  eliminates the need to reach from a different side or into a cavity of the frame member  12 . 
     The locator pin  16  is hand tightened to a point where the locator pin  16  is secured to the frame member  12 , but may also be moved relative to the opening  44  as is shown at  74 . Initial assembly of the locator pin  16  to the bracket  20  can be performed well before any other steps assembly steps are performed. As appreciated, the locator pin  16  may be assembled to the frame  12  as part of a sub-assembly at a location different from subsequent and final assembly operations. 
     The locator pin  16  is movable and therefore upon assembly of a master template  84  as indicated at  76 , the locator pin  16  will move to a set position. The master template  84  includes an opening  86  that receives the locator pin  16 . The master template  84  will include another side and/or feature that engages with another or several reference features to set a desired position. The locator pin  16  will move within the opening  44  based on the position set by the master template  84 . 
     Once the desired location is set, a tool  82  is used to tighten the locator pin  16  in place. The locator pin  16  is tightened to a predefined torque to hold the locator pin  16  in place during final assembly. Once tightened, the master template  84  is removed as indicated at  78  and the frame member  12  is moved to a final assembly. 
     At final assembly indicated at  80 , a second frame member  14  is located onto the first frame member  12  by aligning a locating opening  88  onto the locator pin  16 . A fastener  18  is then used to secure the second frame member  14  to the first frame member  12  within the desired relative orientation. 
     Accordingly, the example locator pin assembly  15  provides for one-sided assembly and adjustment to compensate for variations within manufacturing tolerances. 
     Although the different non-limiting embodiments are illustrated as having specific components or steps, the embodiments of this disclosure are not just a material specification and are not limited to those particular combinations. It is possible to use some of the components or features from any of the non-limiting embodiments in combination with features or components from any of the other non-limiting embodiments. 
     It should be understood that like reference numerals identify corresponding or similar elements throughout the several drawings. It should be understood that although a particular component arrangement is disclosed and illustrated in these exemplary embodiments, other arrangements could also benefit from the teachings of this disclosure. A worker of ordinary skill in the art would understand that certain modifications could come within the scope of this disclosure. For these reasons, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this disclosure.