System and method for joining dissimilar materials

Abstract

An assembly includes a first structural member made from a first material, such as aluminum, a second structural member made from a second material, such as magnesium, and adapted to mate and interlock with the first member, and a third structural member made from the first material to facilitate a permanent affixation between the first and second members. The second member fits within the first member and the third member fits within the second member. The second member includes at least one aperture surrounded by a protrusion, and the third member includes at least one aperture that mates and interlocks with the protrusion. A surface of the third member is exposed through the apertures of the first and second members. The first member is welded to the third member through the apertures in order to permanently affix the first and second members to one another without metallurgical altering or local welding of the second member.

1 . An assembly, comprising:
 a first structural member made from a first material and having at least one locking member;   a second structural member made from a second material and having at least one retention structure, the at least one locking member of the first structural member is sized and shaped to mate with the at least one retention structure of the second structural member so as to interlock the first and second structural members with one another;   a third structural member made from the first material and mated with the first and second structural members, the first structural member and the third structural member being joined directly to one another so as to facilitate a permanent connection between the first and second structural members.   
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first structural member includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and wherein the at least one locking member of the first structural member includes at least one protrusion extending from the second surface, and wherein the second structural member includes a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface of the second structural member, the at least one retention structure of the second structural member includes an aperture extending from the first surface of the second structural member to the second surface of the second structural member. 
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first structural member includes at least one aperture that extends from the first surface of the first structural member to the second surface of the first structural member, the at least one protrusion surrounds the at least one aperture of the first structural member, the at least one aperture of the first structural member and the at least one aperture of the second structural member being aligned substantially with one another. 
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the third structural member includes a first surface, the first, second and third structural members being positioned relative to one another such that the first surface of the third structural member is exposed through the at least one aperture of the first structural member and the at least one aperture of the second structural member. 
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the at least one protrusion of the first structural member includes a plurality of protrusions, and the at least one aperture of the second structural member includes a plurality of apertures, one of the plurality of protrusions of the first structural member being sized and shaped to mate with a corresponding one of the plurality of apertures of the second structural member. 
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one aperture of the first structural member includes a plurality of apertures, one of the plurality of protrusions of the first structural member surrounds a corresponding one of the plurality of apertures of the first structural member, and one of the plurality of apertures of the first structural member and a corresponding one of the plurality of apertures of the second structural member being aligned substantially with one another. 
   
   
       7 . The assembly of  claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of protrusions of the first structural member is welded to the first surface of the third structural member. 
   
   
       8 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein each of the plurality of apertures of the first structural member is circular in shape, and each of the plurality of apertures of the second structural members is circular in shape. 
   
   
       9 . The assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the first material is aluminum. 
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the second material is magnesium. 
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the second material is steel. 
   
   
       12 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the second material is an organic based composite. 
   
   
       13 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the second material is an inorganic based composite. 
   
   
       14 . An assembly, comprising:
 a first structural member made from a first material and having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a cavity extending from the first end to the second end;   a second structural member made from a second material and having a first end, a second end opposite the first end of the second structural member, and a cavity extending from the first end of the second structural member to the second end of the second structural member; and   a third structural member made from the first material and having a first end and a second end opposite thereof,   the cavity of the second structural member is sized and shaped to receive slidably the third structural member at the first end of the second structural member, the cavity of the first structural member is sized and shaped to receive slidably the second and third structural members at the second end of the first structural member, the first structural member and the third structural member being joined directly to one another so as to facilitate a permanent connection between the first and second structural members.   
   
   
       15 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the first structural member includes a first wall having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and at least one protrusion extending from the second surface, the second structural member includes a first wall having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface of the first wall of the second structural member, and at least one aperture extending from the first surface of the first wall of the second structural member to the second surface of the first wall of the second structural member, the at least one protrusion is sized and shaped to mate with the at least one aperture so as to interlock the first and second structural members with one another. 
   
   
       16 . The assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the first structural member includes at least one aperture that extends from the first surface of the first wall of the first structural member to the second surface of the first wall of the first structural member, the at least one protrusion surrounds the at least one aperture of the first structural member, and the at least one aperture of the first structural member and the at least one aperture of the second structural member being aligned substantially with one another. 
   
   
       17 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the third structural member includes a first wall having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface of the third structural member, the first, second and third structural members being positioned relative to one another such that the first surface of the first wall of the third structural member is exposed through the at least one aperture of the first structural member and the at least one aperture of the second structural member. 
   
   
       18 . The assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one protrusion of the first structural member is welded to the first surface of the first wall of the third structural member. 
   
   
       19 . The assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one protrusion of the first structural member includes a plurality of protrusions, and the at least one aperture of the second structural member includes a plurality of apertures, one of the plurality of protrusions of the first structural member being sized and shaped to mate with a corresponding one of the plurality of apertures of the second structural member. 
   
   
       20 . The assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one aperture of the first structural member includes a plurality of apertures, one of the plurality of protrusions of the first structural member surrounds a corresponding one of the plurality of apertures of the first structural member, and one of the plurality of apertures of the first structural member and a corresponding one of the plurality of apertures of the second structural member being aligned substantially with one another. 
   
   
       21 . The assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the first structural member includes a second wall having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface of the second wall, and at least one protrusion extending from the second surface of the second wall, the second structural member includes a second wall having a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface of the second wall of the second structural member, and at least one aperture extending from the first surface of the second wall of the second structural member to the second surface of the second wall of the second structural member, the at least one protrusion of the second wall of the first structural member is sized and shaped to mate with the at least one aperture of the second wall of the second structural member so as to interlock the first and second structural members with one another. 
   
   
       22 . The assembly of  claim 21 , wherein the first structural member includes at least one aperture that extends from the first surface of the second wall of the first structural member to the second surface of the second wall of the first structural member, the at least one protrusion of the second wall of the first structural member surrounds the at least one aperture of the second wall of the first structural member, and the at least one aperture of the second wall of the first structural member and the at least one aperture of the second wall of the second structural member being aligned substantially with one another. 
   
   
       23 . The assembly of  claim 22 , wherein the third structural member includes a second wall having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface of the second wall of the third structural member, the first, second and third structural members being positioned relative to one another such that the first surface of the second wall of the third structural member is exposed through the at least one aperture of the second wall of the first structural member and the at least one aperture of the second wall of the second structural member. 
   
   
       24 . The assembly of  claim 23 , wherein the at least one protrusion of the first structural member is welded to the first surface of the second wall of the third structural member. 
   
   
       25 . The assembly of  claim 24 , wherein the at least one protrusion of the second wall of the first structural member includes a plurality of protrusions, and the at least one aperture of the second wall of the second structural member includes a plurality of apertures, one of the plurality of protrusions of the second wall of the first structural member being sized and shaped to mate with a corresponding one of the plurality of apertures of the second wall of the second structural member. 
   
   
       26 . The assembly of  claim 25 , wherein the at least one aperture of the second wall of the first structural member includes a plurality of apertures, one of the plurality of protrusions of the second wall of the first structural member surrounds a corresponding one of the plurality of apertures of the second wall of the first structural member, and one of the plurality of apertures of the second wall of the first structural member and a corresponding one of the plurality of apertures of the second wall of the second structural member being aligned substantially with one another. 
   
   
       27 . The assembly of  claim 26 , wherein the third structural member includes a cavity extending from the first end of the third structural member to the second end of the third structural member, and wherein the second structural member includes a pair of slots formed within the first wall of the second structural member and each extending from the first end of the second structural member to a point distal from the first end of the second structural member, and the third structural member includes a pair of slots formed within the first wall of the third structural member and each extending from the first end of the third structural member to a point distal from the first end of the third structural member,
 each of the pair of slots of the second structural member being sized and shaped to enable the first wall of the second structural member to move between an undeflected position to a deflected position, the first wall of the second structural member is urged from the undeflected position toward the deflected position when the second structural member is partially inserted within the cavity of the first structural member, and the first wall of the second structural member returns from the deflected position to substantially its the undeflected position when the second structural member is fully inserted within the cavity of the first structural member, and   each of the pair of slots of the third structural member being sized and shaped to enable the first wall of the third structural member to move between an undeflected position to a deflected position, the first wall of the third structural member is urged from its the undeflected position toward its the deflected position when the second structural member is partially inserted within the cavity of the first structural member, and the first wall of the third structural member returns from its the deflected position to substantially its the undeflected position when the second structural member is fully inserted within the cavity of the first structural member.   
   
   
       28 . The assembly of  claim 27 , wherein the second structural member includes a second pair of slots formed within the second wall of the second structural member and each extending from the first end of the second structural member to a point distal from the first end of the second structural member, and the third structural member includes a second pair of slots formed within the second wall of the third structural member and each extending from the first end of the third structural member to a point distal from the first end of the third structural member,
 each of the second pair of slots of the second structural member being sized and shaped to enable the second wall of the second structural member to move between an undeflected position to a deflected position, the second wall of the second structural member is urged from its the undeflected position toward its the deflected position when the second structural member is partially inserted within the cavity of the first structural member, and the second wall of the second structural member returns from its the deflected position to substantially its the undeflected position when the second structural member is fully inserted within the cavity of the first structural member, and   each of the second pair of slots of the third structural member being sized and shaped to enable the second wall of the third structural member to move between an undeflected position to a deflected position, the second wall of the third structural member is urged from its the undeflected position toward its the deflected position when the second structural member is partially inserted within the cavity of the first structural member, and the second wall of the third structural member returns from its the deflected position to substantially its the undeflected position when the second structural member is fully inserted within the cavity of the first structural member.   
   
   
       29 . The assembly of  claim 28 , wherein each of the first, second and third structural members is generally rectangular in cross section. 
   
   
       30 . The assembly of  claim 28 , wherein the first material is aluminum. 
   
   
       31 . The assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the second material is magnesium. 
   
   
       32 . The assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the second material is steel. 
   
   
       33 . The assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the second material is an organic based composite. 
   
   
       34 . The assembly of  claim 30 , wherein the second material is an inorganic based composite. 
   
   
       35 . A method, comprising the steps of:
 providing a first structural member made from a first material and having at least one locking member;   connecting a second structural member, made from a second material and having at least one retention structure, to the first structural member, the at least one locking member of the first structural member is sized and shaped to mate with the at least one retention structure of the second structural member so as to interlock the first and second structural members when the are connected to one another;   providing a third structural member, made from the first material, and mating it with the first and second structural members; and   joining directly the first structural member and the third structural member with one another so as to facilitate a permanent connection between the first and second structural members.