A side member (example of second member) having a hollow shape is inserted into holes formed in a cross member (example of first member) (member insertion step). The cross member and the side member are joined by caulking by expanding an insertion portion of the side member from the inside of the insertion portion (caulked junction step). The insertion portion of the side member is a portion inserted into the cross member.

According to the present invention, a conveyor pulley for use in a belt conveyor is provided, comprising: a roller tube (1); wherein the roller tube (1) is formed by plastically deforming a central portion of a substantially cylindrical metal tube (2) radially outwardly so as to form a crowned portion (4) having an enlarged outer diameter (OD.sub.ENL) with respect to remaining portions (6) of the metal tube (2).

A method for joining members of the present invention is as follows: a second member is inserted through a hole part of a first member; a guide shaft is inserted through a through hole of rubber; the rubber with the guide shaft inserted is inserted into the second member; and a drive mechanism relatively moves pushers and toward each other to compress the rubber in the extending direction of the guide shaft so that the rubber is expanded outward from inside to expand and deform at least a portion of the second member inserted into the hole part, thereby joining the second member to the first member.

In a method for joining bumper members, a bumper reinforcement including a rear inclined wall provided with a hole, and a bumper stay in a hollow shape are prepared. The method for joining bumper members includes the steps of: inserting the bumper stay through the hole of the bumper reinforcement to pass through the rear inclined wall; inserting rubber into the bumper stay; and compressing the rubber in a direction of an axis L of the bumper stay to expand the rubber outward from inside to expand and deform at least a portion of the bumper stay inserted into the hole, thereby joining the bumper stay to the rear inclined wall by press-fitting.

A first annular groove is filled with a material of a solenoid case and a first joined portion is formed after a second annular groove is filled with the material of the solenoid case and a second joined portion is formed. This allows a load applied to a piston rod when the material of the solenoid case flows into the first annular groove to be partially received by the second joined portion, thereby contributing to reducing a reaction force received by the piston rod and thus preventing the deformation of an upper-end portion of the piston rod due to the reaction force received by the piston rod.

A joining method of a structure includes preparing a first member including a first portion provided with a first hole and a second portion provided with a second hole, a second member, a die, and an elastic member, inserting the second member into the first hole, inserting the elastic member into the second member, in a state where one end of the second member in an axial direction is located between the first portion and the second portion, compressing and expanding the elastic member in the axial direction, thereby expanding and deforming the second member at a portion passing through the first hole to be swaged and joined to the first portion. The die includes a support surface for applying a compressive force from the die to the elastic member through the second hole. The support surface is perpendicular to an axial direction of the elastic member.

In the present invention, a method for joining members involves preparing a steel component having a bottom wall in which a hole is provided, and a hollow aluminum pipe. The aluminum pipe is slipped through the hole in the steel component and passed through the bottom wall, rubber is inserted into the interior of the aluminum pipe, and the rubber is compressed in the direction of the axis (L) of the aluminum pipe and induced to distend towards the outside from the inside. As a result of the foregoing, at least a section of the aluminum pipe slipped through the hole is induced to undergo expansion and is joined by clinching to the bottom wall. This method for joining members reduces the load on the members, improves the joint strength, and enables two members to be joined at reduced cost.

A first member provided with a hole, a second member having a tubular shape, and a composite elastic body obtained by combining at least two types of elastic bodies having different hardness are prepared, the second member is inserted into the hole of the first member, the composite elastic body is inserted into the second member, and the composite elastic body is pressed to cause the second member to bulge out, thereby joining the first member and the second member by press-fitting.

A spherical decoupler conduit for connecting misaligned components, and a method for making the same, where the spherical decoupler includes an inlet connection with a first spherical portion; an outer slider with a second spherical portion for pivotably mating with the first spherical portion and a tubular portion; an inner slider having a tubular portion in a telescoping relationship with the tubular portion of the outer slider and a third spherical portion; and an outlet connection with a fourth spherical portion for pivotably mating with the third spherical portion.

A vehicle structural member 1 includes a tube body having an expanded tube portion that is partially expanded, and a wall surface body having a first wall provided with a first through-hole, a second wall provided with a second through-hole, and a connecting wall connecting the first wall and the second wall. The tube body is inserted through the first through-hole and the second through-hole, and is joined to the wall surface body by being pressure welded to the first through-hole and the second through-hole. The expanded tube portion is provided only between the first wall and the second wall.