Method of producing a panel assembly

Abstract

A method of constructing a reinforced closure panel assembly for a vehicle roof assembly includes providing a substantially planar panel having two opposite surfaces, providing a reinforcement having a circumferential flange fitting on one of the surfaces of the panel, providing adhering material, positioning the reinforcement on said surface of the panel with interposition of the adhering material at least temporarily adhering the reinforcement to the panel such that an enclosed space is formed between the reinforcement and the panel, sealed by the adhering material, and injecting fluid encapsulating material into the space so as to substantially completely fill the space, allowing it to solidify and forming adherence of the reinforcement to the panel.

1 . A method of constructing a reinforced closure panel assembly for a vehicle roof assembly, comprising:
 providing a substantially planar panel having an upper surface and a lower surface;   providing a reinforcement having a circumferential flange fitting on the lower surface of the panel;   providing adhering material;   positioning the reinforcement on said lower surface of the panel with interposition of the adhering material at least temporarily adhering the reinforcement to the lower surface of the panel such that an enclosed space is formed between the reinforcement and the panel, the enclosed space being completely sealed by the adhering material around the circumferential flange; and   injecting fluid encapsulating material into the space so as to substantially completely fill the space, and allowing it to solidify and forming adherence of the reinforcement to the panel, the encapsulating material being of a fluidic type prior to solidification wherein the adhering material prevents the encapsulating material from leaving the enclosed space before solidifying.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , and further comprising: providing at least two holes in the reinforcement, and injecting the fluid encapsulating material into the space through one hole and allowing air to escape from the space through another hole. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the adhering material is provided in the form of double sided adhesive tape which is positioned on either the flange of the reinforcement or the lower surface of the panel to form a completely closed loop around the space before the reinforcement and the panel are put together. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the panel is provided with a circumferential sealing arrangement which is fastened to the panel by encapsulation which is done simultaneously or separate from the filling of the reinforcement with fluid encapsulating material. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the height of the space between the reinforcement and the panel is substantially less than the width thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said space is elongated having two ends, and at least two holes being provided in the reinforcement entering the space near the respective ends. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement has an adjacent portion laterally offset from said space that is more rigid along a length thereof than a portion of the reinforcement surrounding the space. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the reinforcement includes a bracket being laterally offset from and extending away from a portion of the reinforcement surrounding the space, the bracket having a free edge spaced apart from the lower surface. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the panel is rectangular and wherein the reinforcement is secured to the panel proximate a first edge of the panel, the method further comprising:
 providing a second reinforcement having a second circumferential flange fitting on the lower surface of the panel; 
 positioning the second reinforcement on said lower surface of the panel along a second edge of the panel that is opposite the first edge with interposition of the adhering material at least temporarily adhering the second reinforcement to the lower surface of the panel such that an enclosed second space is formed between the second reinforcement and the panel, the enclosed second space being completely sealed by the adhering material around the second circumferential flange; and 
 injecting fluid encapsulating material into the second space so as to substantially completely fill the second space, and allowing it to solidify and forming adherence of the second reinforcement to the panel, the encapsulating material being of a fluidic type prior to solidification wherein the adhering material prevents the encapsulating material from leaving the enclosed second space before solidifying. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , and further comprising: providing at least two holes in the second reinforcement, and injecting the fluid encapsulating material into the second space through one hole and allowing air to escape from the second space through another hole. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the adhering material is provided in the form of double sided adhesive tape which is positioned on either the flange of the second reinforcement or the lower surface of the panel to form a completely closed loop around the second space before the reinforcement and the panel are put together. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the panel is provided with a circumferential sealing arrangement which is fastened to the panel by encapsulation which is done simultaneously or separate from the filling of the second reinforcement with fluid encapsulating material. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9  and further comprising:
 providing a third and a fourth reinforcement, each of the third and fourth reinforcements having a third and fourth circumferential flange, respectively, fitting on the lower surface of the panel; 
 positioning the third reinforcement on said lower surface of the panel along a third edge of the panel with interposition of the adhering material at least temporarily adhering the third reinforcement to the lower surface of the panel such that an enclosed third space is formed between the third reinforcement and the panel, the enclosed third space being completely sealed by the adhering material around the third circumferential flange; 
 positioning the fourth reinforcement on said lower surface of the panel along a fourth edge of the panel with interposition of the adhering material at least temporarily adhering the fourth reinforcement to the lower surface of the panel such that an enclosed fourth space is formed between the fourth reinforcement and the panel, the enclosed fourth space being completely sealed by the adhering material around the fourth circumferential flange; and 
 injecting fluid encapsulating material into each of the second space and third space so as to substantially completely fill the second space and third space, and allowing it to solidify and forming adherence of each of the third and fourth reinforcements to the panel, the encapsulating material being of a fluidic type prior to solidification wherein the adhering material prevents the encapsulating material from leaving the enclosed third space and fourth space before solidifying. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , and further comprising: providing at least two holes in each of the third reinforcement and fourth reinforcement, and injecting the fluid encapsulating material into the corresponding space through one hole and allowing air to escape from the corresponding space through another hole. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the adhering material is provided in the form of double sided adhesive tape which is positioned on either the flanges of the third and fourth reinforcements or the lower surface of the panel to form a completely closed loop around the corresponding space before the reinforcement and the panel are put together. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the reinforcements are united together apart from being secured to the panel.