Patent ID: 8689516

Claim:
A vehicle assembly comprising: a first elongated vehicle frame member; a second elongated vehicle cross beam member extending in a direction perpendicular to the first elongated vehicle frame member; a thermally expandable structural adhesive material; a cavity formed within a wall of the first elongated vehicle frame member; a connector having a shaped polymeric carrier located within the cavity of the first elongated vehicle frame member, wherein a portion of the second elongated vehicle cross beam member is located into the connector, the connector: i. carrying the thermally expandable structural adhesive material; ii. spacing the first elongated vehicle frame member from the second elongated vehicle cross beam member to prevent contact between the first elongated vehicle frame member and the second elongated vehicle cross beam member prior to and after activation for thermal expansion of the structural adhesive material; iii. limiting movement of the first elongated vehicle frame member relative to the second elongated vehicle cross beam member at least prior to activation for thermal expansion of the structural adhesive material; iv. wherein the expandable structural adhesive material is shaped and positioned only at selective locations around the shaped polymeric carrier for defining a plurality of gaps, the gaps located around the shaped polymeric carrier and located between the first elongated vehicle frame member and the second elongated vehicle cross beam member wherein prior to expansion but upon activation the expandable structural adhesive material will expand and flow in a direction to fill the gaps located in between the first elongated vehicle frame member and the second elongated vehicle cross beam member, so that the first elongated vehicle frame member and the second elongated vehicle cross beam member are connected together and are insulated relative to each other by the expandable structural adhesive material; and wherein the connector includes a front wall including an edge that extends beyond the height and width of the cavity and the edge prevents the shaped polymeric carrier from extending further into the cavity than desired.