Location feature design

Abstract

This application relates to the design of positioning features. Specifically, a sheet metal component assembly includes a primary component and a secondary component. The primary component has a top surface defining a first plane, a bottom surface defining a second plane, and a positioning boss formed therein and extending upward from the top surface, having an outer sidewall. A portion of the outer sidewall extending above the first plane is vertical relative to the first plane. The secondary component includes a positioning opening formed therein, and the positioning boss of the primary component engages with the positioning opening formed in the secondary component to position the secondary component relative to the primary component.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention generally relates to the assembly of two components for a vehicle (e.g., vehicle components such as a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) or a battery system). Background Technology

[0002] A typical RESS assembly includes a cap attached to it. The process of assembling the cap onto the RESS assembly relies on manual operation to correctly position the cap onto the RESS assembly, particularly the RESS tray. This manual process is incompatible with highly automated assembly facilities. RESS assemblies incorporating positioning features allow for precise positioning of components; however, the formation of these features leaves a fillet radius at the formation point, which can interfere with the cap's assembly onto the RESS assembly.

[0003] Therefore, while current systems and methods achieve their intended purpose, there is a need for an improved positioning boss formed within a primary component (e.g., the tray of a RESS) that allows the positioning boss to engage a secondary component (e.g., the cover of a RESS) for precise positioning of the primary and secondary components relative to each other, without interfering with the assembly and engagement of the primary and secondary components. Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to several aspects of this disclosure, a sheet metal component assembly includes a primary component and a secondary component. The primary component has a top surface defining a first plane, a bottom surface defining a second plane, and a positioning boss formed therein and extending upward from the top surface, having an outer sidewall, wherein a portion of the outer sidewall extending above the first plane is vertical relative to the first plane. The secondary component includes a positioning opening formed therein, and wherein the positioning boss of the primary component engages the positioning opening formed in the secondary component to position the secondary component relative to the primary component.

[0005] According to another aspect, the top surface of the main component includes a recessed channel that extends along and is adjacent to the positioning boss, such that the fillet radius of the positioning boss is positioned below the first plane.

[0006] On the other hand, the top surface of the main component is in direct contact with the adjacent surface of the secondary component.

[0007] According to another aspect, the main component includes an offset portion that extends along and adjacent to the positioning boss and extends below the second plane, the offset portion defining a recessed channel within the top surface of the main component.

[0008] On the other hand, the nominal thickness of the main components and the thickness of the offset portion are uniform.

[0009] According to another aspect, no part of the bottom surface of the main component extends below the second plane.

[0010] According to another aspect, the portion of the recessed channel within the top surface of the main component has a thickness less than the nominal thickness of the main component.

[0011] According to another aspect, the positioning boss includes a tapered profile tip.

[0012] According to another aspect, the positioning boss includes a portion that folds onto the secondary component to secure the secondary component in place relative to the primary component.

[0013] According to another aspect, the positioning boss includes one of a continuous cylindrical or conical wall, a discontinuous flange, or a combination of a continuous wall and a discontinuous flange.

[0014] According to several aspects of this disclosure, a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) includes a primary component defining a tray and including a top surface defining a first plane, a bottom surface defining a second plane, and a positioning boss formed therein and extending upward from the top surface and having an outer sidewall. The top surface of the primary component includes a recessed channel extending along and adjacent to the positioning boss, such that the fillet radius of the positioning boss is positioned below the first plane, wherein a portion of the outer sidewall extending above the first plane is vertical relative to the first plane; one or more RESS cells positioned within the primary component; and a secondary component defining a cover mounted on the primary component, wherein the top surface of the primary component directly contacts an adjacent surface of the secondary component to enclose the RESS cells within the RESS, the secondary component including a positioning opening formed therein, and wherein the positioning boss of the primary component engages with the positioning opening formed in the secondary component to position the secondary component relative to the primary component.

[0015] According to several aspects of this disclosure, a vehicle has a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) operatively connected to a propulsion system of the vehicle. The RSS includes a primary component defining a tray and including a top surface defining a first plane, a bottom surface defining a second plane, and a positioning boss formed therein and extending upward from the top surface and having an outer sidewall. The top surface of the primary component includes a recessed channel extending along and adjacent to the positioning boss, such that the fillet radius of the positioning boss is positioned below the first plane, wherein a portion of the outer sidewall extending above the first plane is vertical relative to the first plane; one or more RSS units positioned within the primary component; and a secondary component defining a cover mounted on the primary component, wherein the top surface of the primary component is in direct contact with an adjacent surface of the secondary component to enclose the RSS units within the RSS. The secondary component includes a positioning opening formed therein, and wherein the positioning boss of the primary component engages with the positioning opening formed in the secondary component to position the secondary component relative to the primary component.

[0016] Other applicable areas will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the descriptions and specific examples are intended for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The accompanying drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure in any way.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a vehicle having a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure;

[0019] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a secondary component assembled to a primary component according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0020] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of an RESS according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0021] Figure 4 It is marked as "4" Figure 3 The circled part shown Figure 3 The amplified portion;

[0022] Figure 5 It is marked as "5" Figure 4 The circled part shown Figure 4 The amplified portion;

[0023] Figure 5A It is marked as "5A" Figure 5 The circled part shown Figure 5 The amplified portion;

[0024] Figure 6 According to another embodiment of this disclosure, and Figure 5 Similar views;

[0025] Figure 7 It is similar to Figure 2 The view shows that the locating boss and the locating opening have a roughly square shape;

[0026] Figure 8 It is similar to Figure 4 A cross-sectional view, in which the main components include a tapered profile tip; and

[0027] Figure 9 It is similar to Figure 4 The cross-sectional view shows that the discontinuous flange of the positioning boss is folded onto the secondary component.

[0028] The accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of specific components. In some cases, well-known components, systems, materials, or methods have not been described in detail to avoid obscuring this disclosure. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be construed as limiting, but rather serve only as the basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to apply this disclosure in various ways. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The following description is exemplary in nature only and is not intended to limit this disclosure, its application, or its uses. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any express or implied theory presented in the foregoing technical fields, background art, summary of the invention, or the following detailed description. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals denote the same or corresponding parts and features. As used herein, the term "module" individually or in any combination refers to any hardware, software, firmware, electronic control components, processing logic, and / or processor device, including but not limited to: application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), electronic circuits, processors (shared, dedicated, or grouped) and memories executing one or more software or firmware programs, combinational logic circuits, and / or other suitable components providing the described functionality. Although the drawings shown herein depict examples of certain arrangements of elements, additional intermediate elements, devices, features, or components may be present in actual embodiments. It should also be understood that the drawings are merely illustrative and may not be drawn to scale.

[0030] As used herein, the term "vehicle" is not limited to automobiles. While this article primarily describes the technology in the context of automobiles, the technology is not limited to automobiles. These concepts can be used in a wide variety of applications, such as those related to aircraft, ships, other vehicles, and consumer electronics components.

[0031] Example embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and will fully convey the scope to those skilled in the art. Numerous specific details, such as examples of specific compositions, components, apparatuses, and methods, are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of this disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details are not required, that example embodiments may be implemented in many different forms, and that neither should be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known apparatus structures, and well-known techniques are not described in detail.

[0032] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not restrictive. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are inclusive and thus specify the presence of stated features, elements, compositions, steps, integers, operations, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. Although the open-ended term “comprising” should be understood as a non-limiting term used to describe and claim the various embodiments described herein, in some aspects it may be understood alternatively as a more restrictive and limiting term, such as “consisting of” or “substantially consisting of.” Therefore, for any given embodiment that describes compositions, materials, components, elements, features, integers, operations, and / or process steps, this disclosure also specifically includes embodiments that consist of or substantially consist of such described compositions, materials, components, elements, features, integers, operations, and / or process steps. In the case of “consisting of…”, the alternative embodiments exclude any additional compositions, materials, components, elements, features, integrals, operations and / or process steps, while in the case of “consisting substantially of…”, any additional compositions, materials, components, elements, features, integrals, operations and / or process steps that substantially affect the basic and novel features are excluded from such embodiments, but any compositions, materials, components, elements, features, integrals, operations and / or process steps that do not substantially affect the basic and novel features may be included in the embodiments.

[0033] Unless specifically indicated as to the order of execution, any method steps, procedures, and operations described herein should not be construed as requiring them to be performed in the particular order discussed or shown. It should also be understood that, unless otherwise stated, additional or alternative steps may be employed.

[0034] When a component, element, or layer is referred to as “on another component or layer,” “joined to,” “connected to,” or “attached to” another component or layer, the component, element, or layer may be directly on, joined to, connected to, or attached to the other component, element, or layer, or there may be intermediate elements or layers present. Conversely, when an element is referred to as “directly on another component or layer,” “directly joined to,” “directly connected to,” or “directly attached to” another component or layer, there may be no intermediate elements or layers present. Other terms used to describe relationships between elements should be interpreted in a similar manner (e.g., “between” vs. “directly between,” “adjacent” vs. “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the term “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0035] Although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used herein to describe various steps, elements, components, regions, layers, and / or portions, these steps, elements, components, regions, layers, and / or portions should not be limited by these terms unless otherwise stated. These terms may be used only to distinguish one step, element, component, region, layer, or portion from another. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms used herein do not imply order or sequence unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Therefore, the first step, element, component, region, layer, or portion discussed below may be referred to as the second step, element, component, region, layer, or portion without departing from the teachings of the exemplary embodiments.

[0036] For ease of description, this document may use spatially or temporally relative terms, such as “before,” “after,” “inner,” “outer,” “below,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” etc., to describe the relationship between one element or feature and another element or feature as shown. Spatially or temporally relative terms may be intended to cover different orientations of the device or system in use or operation other than those depicted in the accompanying drawings.

[0037] Throughout this disclosure, numerical values ​​represent approximate measurements or limitations of a range to cover minor deviations from a given value and embodiments having approximately the mentioned value as well as embodiments having precisely the mentioned value. Except for the working examples provided at the end of the detailed description, all numerical values ​​of parameters (e.g., quantities or conditions) in this specification (including the appended claims) should be understood to be modified in all cases by the term “about,” regardless of whether “about” actually appears before the numerical value. “About” indicates that the numerical value allows for some slight inaccuracy (some closeness to the value; approximately or reasonably close to the value; almost). If the inaccuracy provided by “about” is not otherwise understood in the art in this common sense, then “about” as used herein at least indicates a variation that may arise from common methods of measuring and using such parameters. For example, “about” with respect to percentages includes a variation of ±5%, “about” with respect to temperature includes a variation of ±5 degrees, and “about” with respect to distance includes ±10%. Furthermore, the disclosure of ranges includes the disclosure of all values ​​throughout the range and further subdivisions of the range, including endpoints and subranges given for the range.

[0038] According to an exemplary embodiment, Figure 1 A vehicle 10 with an associated rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) 50 according to this disclosure is shown. Typically, the sheet metal component assembly 50 works in conjunction with other systems within the vehicle 10. The vehicle 10 typically includes a chassis 12, a body 14, front wheels 16, and rear wheels 18. The body 14 is arranged on the chassis 12 and substantially surrounds the components of the vehicle 10. The body 14 and the chassis 12 may together form a frame. The front wheels 16 and the rear wheels 18 are each rotatably coupled to the chassis 12 near a respective corner of the body 14.

[0039] In various embodiments, vehicle 10 is an autonomous vehicle, and component 50 is incorporated into autonomous vehicle 10. Autonomous vehicle 10 is, for example, a vehicle 10 automatically controlled to transport passengers from one location to another. Vehicle 10 is depicted as a passenger car in the illustrated embodiment, but it should be understood that any other vehicle, including motorcycles, trucks, sports utility vehicles (SUVs), recreational vehicles (RVs), etc., may also be used. In exemplary embodiments, vehicle 10 is equipped with a so-called Level 4 or Level 5 automation system. Level 4 system indicates “high automation,” referring to the driving mode-specific performance of the automated driving system for all aspects of a dynamic driving task, even if the human driver does not appropriately respond to intervention requests. Level 5 system indicates “full automation,” referring to the full-time performance of the automated driving system for all aspects of a dynamic driving task under all road and environmental conditions that can be managed by a human driver. Novel aspects of this disclosure also apply to non-autonomous vehicles.

[0040] As shown, vehicle 10 typically includes a propulsion system 20, a transmission system 22, a steering system 24, a braking system 26, a sensor system 28, an actuator system 30, at least one data storage device 32, a vehicle controller 34, and a wireless communication module 36. In embodiments where vehicle 10 is an electric vehicle, the transmission system 22 may be absent, and the propulsion system 20 may be operatively connected to a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) 50 or a battery. In various embodiments, the propulsion system 20 may include an internal combustion engine, an electric motor such as a traction motor, and / or a fuel cell propulsion system. The transmission system 22 is configured to transmit power from the propulsion system 20 to the front wheels 16 and rear wheels 18 of the vehicle according to a selectable speed ratio. According to various embodiments, the transmission system 22 may include a graded automatic transmission, a continuously variable transmission (CVT), or other suitable transmission. The braking system 26 is configured to provide braking torque to the front wheels 16 and rear wheels 18 of the vehicle. In various embodiments, the braking system 26 may include friction brakes, brake-by-wire brakes, regenerative braking systems (such as electric motors), and / or other suitable braking systems. Steering system 24 affects the position of the front wheels 16 and the rear wheels 18. Although depicted as including a steering wheel for illustrative purposes, in some embodiments contemplated within the scope of this disclosure, such as for fully autonomous vehicles, steering system 24 may not include a steering wheel.

[0041] Sensor system 28 includes one or more sensing devices 40a-40n that sense observable conditions of the external and / or internal environment of autonomous vehicle 10. Sensing devices 40a-40n may include, but are not limited to, radar, lidar, global positioning system, optical camera, thermal camera, ultrasonic sensor, and / or other sensors. In an exemplary embodiment, the plurality of sensing devices 40a-40n includes at least one of a motor speed sensor, a motor torque sensor, an electric drive motor voltage and / or current sensor, an accelerator pedal position sensor, a coolant temperature sensor, a cooling fan speed sensor, and a transmission oil temperature sensor. Actuator system 30 includes one or more actuator devices 42a-42n that control one or more features of vehicle 10, such as, but not limited to, propulsion system 20, transmission system 22, steering system 24, and braking system 26.

[0042] The vehicle controller 34 includes at least one processor 44 and a computer-readable storage device or medium 46. The at least one data processor 44 can be any custom or commercially available processor, central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), auxiliary processor among several processors associated with the vehicle controller 34, semiconductor-based microprocessor (in the form of a microchip or chipset), macroprocessor, any combination thereof, or any device generally used for executing instructions. The computer-readable storage device or medium 46 can include volatile and non-volatile storage, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), and keep-alive memory (KAM). KAM is persistent or non-volatile memory that can be used to store various operational variables when at least one data processor 44 is powered off. The computer-readable storage device or medium 46 can be implemented using any of many known memory devices, such as PROM (programmable read-only memory), EPROM (electrical PROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable PROM), flash memory, or any other electrical, magnetic, optical, or combined memory device capable of storing data, some of which represents executable instructions used by the controller 34 in controlling the vehicle 10.

[0043] although Figure 1 Only one controller 34 is shown, but embodiments of vehicle 10 may include any number of controllers 34 that communicate via any suitable communication medium or combination of communication media and cooperate to process sensor signals, perform logic, calculations, methods and / or algorithms, and generate control signals to automatically control the features of autonomous vehicle 10.

[0044] The wireless communication module 36 is configured to wirelessly transmit information to and from other remote entities 48, such as, but not limited to, other vehicles (“V2V” communication), infrastructure (“V2I” communication), remote systems, remote servers, cloud computers, and / or personal devices. In an exemplary embodiment, the communication system 36 is a wireless communication system configured to communicate using the IEEE 802.11 standard or via a wireless local area network (WLAN) using cellular data communication. However, additional or alternative communication methods, such as Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) channels, are also considered to be within the scope of this disclosure. A DSRC channel refers to a one-way or two-way short-to-medium range wireless communication channel specifically designed for automotive applications, along with a corresponding set of protocols and standards.

[0045] The vehicle controller 34 is a non-general-purpose electronic control device that includes a pre-programmed digital computer or processor, memory or non-transitory computer-readable medium for storing data such as control logic, software applications, instructions, computer code, data, lookup tables, etc., and a transceiver [or input / output port]. Computer-readable medium includes any type of media accessible by a computer, such as read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), hard disk drive, compact disc (CD), digital video disc (DVD), or any other type of memory. "Non-transitory" computer-readable medium excludes wired, wireless, optical, or other communication links that transmit transient electrical or other signals. Non-transitory computer-readable medium includes media in which data can be permanently stored and media in which data can be stored and later rewritten, such as rewritable optical discs or erasable memory devices. Computer code includes any type of program code, including source code, object code, and executable code.

[0046] refer to Figure 2 The diagram shows a sheet metal component assembly 50, wherein a primary component 52 includes a positioning boss 54 formed therein, and a secondary component 56 is placed on the primary component 52 as indicated by arrow 58, wherein the positioning boss 54 engages a positioning opening 60 within the secondary component 56 to position the primary component 52 and the secondary component 56 relative to each other.

[0047] refer to Figure 3 In an exemplary embodiment, the sheet metal component assembly 50 is a rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) 50. Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the RESS assembly 50. The RESS assembly 50 includes a primary component 52 defining a tray having a plurality of units 62 disposed therein. A secondary component 56 defines a cover to close the RESS assembly 50. The primary component 52 includes a tray flange 64, which in some embodiments defines an outer periphery of the primary component 52. Similarly, the secondary component 56 includes a cover flange 66, which in some embodiments defines an outer periphery of the secondary component 56. In some embodiments, the primary component 52 and the secondary component 56 are formed of sheet metal. However, those skilled in the art will readily understand that the primary component 52 and / or the secondary component 56 may be formed of another material such as plastic or fiber-reinforced composite material. While this arrangement has been shown and described herein, those skilled in the art will readily understand that in some embodiments, the configuration may be substantially reversed, wherein the primary component 52 defines a cover of the RESS 50, and the secondary component 56 defines a tray of the RESS 50.

[0048] refer to Figure 4 and Figure 5The main component 52 includes a top surface 68 defining a first plane 70 and a bottom surface 72 defining a second plane 74. A locating boss 54 is integrally formed with the main component 52 and extends upward from the top surface 68. The locating boss 54 also includes an outer sidewall 76. The top surface 68 of the main component 52 includes a recessed channel 78 extending along and adjacent to the locating boss 54, such that the fillet radius 80 of the locating boss 54 is positioned below the first plane 70, and the portion of the outer sidewall 76 extending above the first plane 70 (as shown in 82) is vertical relative to the horizontal first plane 70.

[0049] Refer again Figure 2 The locating opening 60 within the secondary component 56 has an internal dimension 84, and the locating boss 54 has an external dimension 86, which are adapted to precisely locate the secondary component 56 relative to the primary component 52. For example... Figure 2 As shown, in an exemplary embodiment, the positioning opening 60 and the positioning boss 54 are generally circular in shape, wherein the inner dimension 84 of the positioning opening 60 is the inner diameter, and the outer dimension 86 of the positioning boss is the outer diameter. Figure 7 As shown, in another exemplary embodiment, the positioning opening 60 and the positioning boss 54 are generally square (quadrilateral) in shape, wherein the internal dimension 84 of the positioning opening 60 includes an internal dimension 84A along the X-axis and an internal dimension 84B along the Y-axis, and the external dimension 86 of the positioning boss includes an external dimension 86A along the X-axis and an external dimension 86B along the Y-axis. Those skilled in the art will understand that the general shape of the positioning boss 54 and the corresponding shape of the positioning opening 60 can be circular, elliptical, square, or any other polygonal shape.

[0050] The design and formation of the positioning boss 54 are further described in the related U.S. patent application No. 18 / 800,395, filed on August 12, 2024, entitled “Self-Location Features for Component Assembly,” the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0051] To facilitate precise positioning of the secondary component 56 relative to the primary component 52, the tolerance between the internal dimension 84 of the positioning opening 60 and the external dimension 86 of the positioning boss 54 must be close. In an exemplary embodiment, the internal dimension 84 of the positioning opening 60 is slightly larger than the external dimension 86 of the positioning boss 54, wherein when the secondary component 56 is assembled to the primary component 52, reference... Figure 5AA gap 88 will exist between the locating opening 60 and the outer wall 76, allowing for very small movement of the secondary component 56 relative to the primary component 52, as indicated by arrow 90. The difference between the inner dimension 84 of the locating opening 60 and the outer dimension 86 of the locating boss 54 is carefully calibrated to maintain positional tolerances between the primary component 52 and the secondary component 56.

[0052] In another exemplary embodiment, the internal dimension 84 of the positioning opening 60 is slightly smaller than the external dimension 86 of the positioning boss 54, wherein when the secondary component 56 is assembled to the primary component 52, there is an interference fit between the outer wall 76 of the positioning boss 54 and the positioning opening 60, wherein movement is not permitted between the secondary component 56 and the primary component 52.

[0053] Because the portion of the outer wall 76 extending above the first plane 70 (as shown at 82) is vertical relative to the first plane 70, and because the fillet radius 80 of the positioning boss 54 is positioned below the first plane 70, the secondary component 56 can be directly positioned on the primary component 52, wherein the top surface 68 of the primary component 52 is in direct contact with the adjacent bottom surface 92 of the secondary component 56. Excessive interference or the presence of the fillet radius 80 of the positioning boss 54 positioned above the first plane 70 would cause the secondary component 56 to hang above the top surface 68 of the primary component 52.

[0054] Refer again Figure 5 In an exemplary embodiment, the main component 52 includes an offset portion 94 that extends along and abuts the positioning boss 54 and extends below the second plane 74. The offset portion 94 defines a recessed channel 78 within the top surface 68 of the main component. The nominal thickness 96 of the main component 52 and the thickness 98 of the offset portion 94 are uniform.

[0055] refer to Figure 6 In another exemplary embodiment, no portion of the bottom surface 72 of the main component 52 extends below the second plane 74, and the portion of the main component 52 that defines a recessed channel 78 within the top surface 68 of the main component 52 has a thickness 100 less than the nominal thickness 96 of the main component 52.

[0056] refer to Figure 8 In another exemplary embodiment, the outer wall 76 of the positioning boss 54 includes a tapered profile tip 102. The tapered profile tip 102 provides a distal dimension 104 that is narrower than the outer dimension 86 of the positioning boss 54. This facilitates engagement of the positioning boss 54 with the positioning opening 60 during assembly.

[0057] In various embodiments, the positioning boss 54 may include a continuous cylindrical or conical (conical profile tip 102) wall 106, a discontinuous flange 108, or a combination of a continuous wall 106 and a discontinuous flange 108. (See reference...) Figure 2 The circular locating boss 54 includes a continuous cylindrical wall portion 106 and a plurality of (four shown) discontinuous flanges 108 extending from the continuous cylindrical wall 106. (See reference) Figure 7 The square (and other polygonal shapes) positioning boss 54 cannot have continuous walls, but instead includes multiple (four for the square shape shown, five for the pentagon, six for the hexagon, etc.) discontinuous flanges 108. Each of the multiple flanges 108 includes a recessed channel 78 extending along it and immediately adjacent to it.

[0058] refer to Figure 9 In another exemplary embodiment, the positioning boss 54 includes a portion 110 folded onto the secondary member 56 to secure the secondary member 56 in place relative to the primary member 52. This feature is implemented in embodiments where the positioning boss 54 includes discontinuous flanges 108, wherein the distal portion 110 of each discontinuous flange 108 folds onto the secondary member 56.

[0059] The locating boss 54 of this disclosure provides the advantage of allowing a secondary component 56 to be placed on a primary component 52, wherein the secondary component 56 is precisely positioned relative to the primary component 52, wherein the fillet radius 80 of the locating boss 54 is positioned below a first plane 70 defined by the top surface 68 of the primary component 52, and therefore does not interfere with the positioning of the secondary component 56 to be in direct contact with the top surface 68 of the primary component 52. Existing solutions to interference with the fillet radius of the locating boss include increasing the internal dimensions of the corresponding locating opening in the secondary component; however, this reduces the ability to precisely position the secondary component relative to the primary component. The novel feature of this disclosure allows for precise positioning without interference from the fillet radius.

[0060] The description in this disclosure is exemplary in nature only, and variations thereof that do not depart from the spirit and scope of this disclosure are intended to fall within its scope. Such changes should not be considered as departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A metal sheet component assembly, comprising: The main component has: Top surface, which defines a first plane; A bottom surface that defines a second plane; and A positioning boss is formed therein and extends upward from the top surface, having an outer sidewall, wherein the portion of the outer sidewall extending above the first plane is vertical relative to the first plane; and Secondary component, the secondary component including a positioning opening formed therein; and The positioning boss of the primary component engages with a positioning opening within the secondary component to position the secondary component relative to the primary component.

2. The sheet metal component assembly of claim 1, wherein the top surface of the main component includes a recessed channel extending along and adjacent to the positioning boss, such that the fillet radius of the positioning boss is located below the first plane.

3. The sheet metal component assembly according to claim 2, wherein the top surface of the primary component is in direct contact with the adjacent surface of the secondary component.

4. The sheet metal component assembly of claim 3, wherein the main component includes an offset portion extending along and adjacent to the positioning boss and extending below the second plane, the offset portion defining the recessed channel within the top surface of the main component.

5. The sheet metal component assembly according to claim 4, wherein the nominal thickness of the main component and the thickness of the offset portion are uniform.

6. The sheet metal component assembly of claim 3, wherein no portion of the bottom surface of the main component extends below the second plane.

7. The sheet metal component assembly of claim 6, wherein the portion of the main component defining the recessed channel within the top surface of the main component has a thickness less than the nominal thickness of the main component.

8. The sheet metal component assembly of claim 3, wherein the positioning boss includes a tapered profile tip.

9. The sheet metal component assembly of claim 3, wherein the positioning boss includes a portion folded onto the secondary component to secure the secondary component in place relative to the primary component.

10. The sheet metal component assembly according to claim 3, wherein the positioning boss comprises one of the following: One of a continuous cylindrical wall or a conical wall; Discontinuous flange; or A combination of continuous walls and discontinuous flanges.

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