Staked reinforced strips

Claim 2

In an oil pan having a side wall, a flange extending outwardly from the side wall for mounting the pan, a reinforcing strip on the flange, and a mechanical connection for securing the reinforcing strip to the flange, the mechanical connection comprising a tab formed in the outer edge of the flange, opposed notches formed in the outer edges of the reinforcing strip and aligned with the tab, and a staked segment of the side wall adjacent the strip engaging one of the notches, the tab also being staked, and engaging the other notch to secure the strip to the flange.

Claim 3

The mechanical connection of claim 1 wherein the staked segment of the side wall comprises a tapered embossment.

Claim 4

The mechanical connection of claim 1 wherein the staked segment of the side wall comprises a spherically dimpled embossment.

Claim 5

The mechanical connection of claim 1 wherein the opposed notches are substantially rectangular.

Claim 6

The mechanical connection of claims 1 or 4, further comprising bolt holes in the flange and apertures in the reinforcing strip, said bolt holes being spaced and sized to align with corresponding apertures in the reinforcing strips.

Claim 7

In an oil pan having side walls terminating in an outwardly extending perimetral flange with an outer edge for mounting the pan and a reinforcing strip engaging the flange, the improvement comprising a mechanical connection for securing the reinforcing strip to the flange which includes at least one tab provided on the outer edge of the flange and wherein the reinforcing strip includes diametrically opposed notches aligned with the tab, the tab and a segment of the side wall of the receptacle adjacent the notches being staked into engagement with the notches to connect the strip to the flange.

Claim 8

In an oil pan having side walls terminating in an outwardly extending perimetral flange with an outer edge for mounting the pan and a reinforcing strip engaging the flange, the improvement comprising a mechanical connection for securing the reinforcing strip to the flange which includes at least one tab provided on the outer edge of the flange and wherein the reinforcing strip includes diametrically opposed notches aligned with the tab, the tab and a segment of the side wall of the receptacle adjacent the notches being staked into engagement with the notches to connect the strip to the flange.

Claim 9

The improvement of claim 6 wherein the staked segment of the side wall comprises a tapered embossment.

Claim 10

The improvement of claim 6 wherein the staked segment of the side wall comprises a spherically dimpled embossment.

Claim 11

The improvement of claim 6, further comprising bolt holes in the flange and apertures in the reinforcing ring, said bolt holes being spaced and sized to align with corresponding apertures in the reinforcing strips.

Claim 12

In an oil pan having a side wall, a flange extending outwardly from the side wall for mounting the pan, the flange having a substantially flat, upper planar sealing surface and a substantially flat, lower planar surface opposed to the sealing surface, a reinforcing strip on the surface opposed to the sealing surface, and a mechanical connection for securing the reinforcing strip to the flange, the mechanical connection comprising a tab formed on the outer edge of the flange, and a notch formed in the outer edge of the reinforcing strip and aligned with the tab, the notch defining an opening through the strip, the tab being staked and engaging the notch to secure the strip to the flange.

Claim 13

In an oil pan having a side wall, a flange extending outwardly from the side wall for mounting the pan, the flange having a substantially flat, upper planar sealing surface and a substantially flat, lower planar surface opposed to the sealing surface, a reinforcing strip on the surface opposed to the sealing surface, and a mechanical connection for securing the reinforcing strip to the flange, the mechanical connection comprising a tab formed on the outer edge of the flange, and a notch formed in the outer edge of the reinforcing strip and aligned with the tab, the notch defining an opening through the strip, the tab being staked and engaging the notch to secure the strip to the flange.

Claim 14

The mechanical connection of the claim 10, further comprising a notch formed on the inner edge of the reinforcing strip in opposition to the notch on the outer edge and a staked segment of the side wall adjacent the strip engaging the notch on the inner edge of the strip.

Claim 15

In an oil pan having a side wall, a flange extending outwardly from the side wall for mounting the pan, a reinforcing strip on the flange, and a mechanical connection for securing the reinforcing strip to the flange, the mechanical connection comprising a tab formed on the outer edge of the flange, a notch formed in the outer edge of the reinforcing strip, the tab being staked and engaging the notch in the outer edge of the strip, and a staked segment of the side wall engaging an inner edge of the strip to secure the strip to the flange.

Claim 16

In an oil pan having a side wall, a flange extending outwardly from the side wall for mounting the pan, a reinforcing strip on the flange, and a mechanical connection for securing the reinforcing strip to the flange, the mechanical connection comprising a tab formed on the outer edge of the flange, a notch formed in the outer edge of the reinforcing strip, the tab being staked and engaging the notch in the outer edge of the strip, and a staked segment of the side wall engaging an inner edge of the strip to secure the strip to the flange.

Claim 17

The mechanical connection of claim 12, further comprising opposed notches formed in the outer and inner edges of the reinforcing strip and aligned with the tab, the staked tab engaging the notch in the outer edge of the strip and the staked segment engaging the notch in the inner edge of the strip.

Claim 18

In an oil pan having a side wall, a flange extending outwardly from the side wall for mounting the pan, the flange having a substantially flat, upper planar sealing surface and a substantially flat, lower planar surface opposed to the sealing surface, a reinforcing strip on the surface opposed to the sealing surface and having substantially flat upper and lower planar surfaces, and a mechanical connection for securing the reinforcing strip to the flange, the mechanical connection comprising a skirt formed on the outer edge of the flange at generally a right angle thereto, a tab formed on the outer edge of the flange, and a notch formed in the outer edge of the reinforcing strip defining an opening therethrough from the upper surface to the lower surface of the strip, the strip being positioned adjacent the flange between the side wall and the skirt and the tab being staked inwardly into engagement with the notch in the strip to secure the strip to the flange.

Claim 19

In an oil pan having a side wall, a flange extending outwardly from the side wall for mounting the pan, the flange having a substantially flat, upper planar sealing surface and a substantially flat, lower planar surface opposed to the sealing surface, a reinforcing strip on the surface opposed to the sealing surface and having substantially flat upper and lower planar surfaces, and a mechanical connection for securing the reinforcing strip to the flange, the mechanical connection comprising a skirt formed on the outer edge of the flange at generally a right angle thereto, a tab formed on the outer edge of the flange, and a notch formed in the outer edge of the reinforcing strip defining an opening therethrough from the upper surface to the lower surface of the strip, the strip being positioned adjacent the flange between the side wall and the skirt and the tab being staked inwardly into engagement with the notch in the strip to secure the strip to the flange.

Claim 20

In an oil pan having a side wall, a flange extending outwardly from the side wall for mounting the pan, the flange having a substantially flat, upper planar sealing surface and a substantially flat, lower planar surface opposed to the sealing surface reinforcing means on the flange, and a mechanical connection for securing the reinforcing means to the flange, the improvement wherein the reinforcing means includes a plurality of reinforcing strips on the flange surface opposed to the sealing surface, each strip having substantially flat upper and lower planar surfaces and the mechanical connection includes tabs formed on the outer edge of the flange and at least one notch formed in the outer edge of each strip and aligned with a tab, each notch defining an opening through the strip from the upper surface to the lower surface thereof, each tab being staked and engaging a notch to individually secure the strips to the flange.

Claim 21

In an oil pan having a side wall, a flange extending outwardly from the side wall for mounting the pan, the flange having a substantially flat, upper planar sealing surface and a substantially flat, lower planar surface opposed to the sealing surface reinforcing means on the flange, and a mechanical connection for securing the reinforcing means to the flange, the improvement wherein the reinforcing means includes a plurality of reinforcing strips on the flange surface opposed to the sealing surface, each strip having substantially flat upper and lower planar surfaces and the mechanical connection includes tabs formed on the outer edge of the flange and at least one notch formed in the outer edge of each strip and aligned with a tab, each notch defining an opening through the strip from the upper surface to the lower surface thereof, each tab being staked and engaging a notch to individually secure the strips to the flange.