Press-Hardened Sheet Metal Component with at Least One Predetermined Breaking Point, and Component Assembly and Motor Vehicle Body with Such a Sheet Metal Component

Abstract

A sheet metal component that is made of a press-hardened steel sheet material and is to be used as a vehicle body component for a motor vehicle, is provided. The sheet metal component has at least one overhardened component region which is provided to act as a predetermined breaking point in the event of being subject to a crash load. A component assembly and a motor vehicle body, which have at least one such press-hardened sheet metal component, are also provided.

Claims

1. A vehicle sheet metal component made of a press-hardened steel sheet material, comprising: at least one overhardened component region which is provided to act as a predetermined breaking point in an event of being subject to a crash load.

2. The vehicle sheet metal component according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle sheet metal component is a vehicle body component for a motor vehicle.

3. The vehicle sheet metal component according to claim 1, wherein outside the at least one overhardened component region, the steel sheet material has a substantially homogeneous strength, which ranges from 1,300 MPa to 1,500 MPa.

4. The vehicle sheet metal component according to claim 1, wherein outside the at least one overhardened component region, the steel sheet material has different strengths than a strength of the at least one overhardened component region.

5. The vehicle sheet metal component according to claim 3, wherein outside the at least one overhardened component region, the steel sheet material has different strengths than a strength of the at least one overhardened component region.

6. The vehicle sheet metal component according to claim 1, wherein in the at least one overhardened component region, the steel sheet material has a strength that is at least by 100 MPa above the highest strength outside the at least one overhardened component region.

7. The vehicle sheet metal component according to claim 1, wherein in the at least one overhardened component region, the steel sheet material has a strength that is at least by 200 MPa above the highest strength outside the at least one overhardened component region.

8. The vehicle sheet metal component according to claim 1, wherein in the at least one overhardened component region, the steel sheet material has a strength that is at least by 300 MPa above the highest strength outside the at least one overhardened component region.

9. The vehicle sheet metal component according to claim 1, wherein in the at least one overhardened component region, the steel sheet material has a strength that is at least by 400 MPa above the highest strength outside the at least one overhardened component region.

10. The vehicle sheet metal component according to claim 1, wherein in the at least one overhardened component region, the steel sheet material has a strength of at least 1,600 MPa.

11. The vehicle sheet metal component according to claim 1, wherein in the at least one overhardened component region, the steel sheet material has a strength of at least 1,700 MPa.

12. The vehicle sheet metal component according to claim 1, wherein in the at least one overhardened component region, the steel sheet material has a strength of at least 1,800 MPa.

13. The vehicle sheet metal component according to claim 1, wherein in the at least one overhardened component region, the steel sheet material has a strength of at least 1,900 MPa.

14. The vehicle sheet metal component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one overhardened component region extends from an outer edge of the sheet metal component to at least one other outer edge of the sheet metal component.

15. The vehicle sheet metal component according to claim 1, wherein the sheet metal component has a substantially homogeneous sheet metal thickness.

16. A component assembly for a motor vehicle body, comprising: at least one press-hardened sheet metal component according to claim 1, wherein in an event of being subject to a crash load, the at least one press-hardened sheet metal component is tearable and/or breakable in at least one overhardened component region in order to deflect collision energy in a targeted manner into one or more other components.

17. The component assembly according to claim 16, further comprising: additional components joined with the at least one press-hardened sheet metal component, which include at least one of castings, sheet metal parts, profile parts or plastic composite parts.

18. A motor vehicle body for a passenger car, comprising: at least one press-hardened sheet metal component according to claim 1; and/or at least one component assembly, comprising: at least one press-hardened sheet metal component, wherein in an event of being subject to a crash load, the at least one press-hardened sheet metal component is tearable and/or breakable in at least one overhardened component region in order to deflect collision energy in a targeted manner into one or more other components.

19. The vehicle sheet metal component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one overhardened component region has reduced ductility and/or increased embrittlement compared to the steel sheet material outside the at least one overhardened component region.

20. The vehicle sheet metal component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one overhardened component region is generated by way of a cooling device of a press-hardening tool to produce the press-hardened steel sheet material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the front end of a motor vehicle body.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the forward transverse support of the front end of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The front end 100 of a passenger motor vehicle body schematically illustrated without any constructive details in FIG. 1 has two longitudinal supports 111 and 112, which are connected at their forward ends by a forward transverse support 120. The longitudinal supports 111/112 and the forward transverse support 120 are particularly crash-relevant or crash-functional motor vehicle body components. The front end 100 further includes two supporting carriers 131 and 132 as well as several upper support elements 141, 142 and 143.

[0029] In the illustrated example, the forward transverse support 120, the forward ends or sections of the longitudinal supports 111/112 and the two supporting carriers 131/132 form a vehicle body structure region, which, within the meaning of the invention, is a component assembly in which, in a supplementary fashion, additional components, such as the support elements 141/142/143, may also be included.

[0030] The illustrated cutout of the motor vehicle body also includes a front wall 150 having an upper front wall transverse support or windshield transverse support 155, several roof bows 160, two side skirts 171 and 172, two A-pillars 181 and 182 and a tunnel 190.

[0031] FIG. 2 illustrates a forward transverse support 120 designed as a press-hardened sheet metal part which, according to FIG. 1, is connected at its two ends with the longitudinal supports 111/112 and supporting carriers 131/132. This forward transverse support 120 has an overhardened component region or an overhardened zone 125, in which the steel sheet material M only has a very low ductility because of an overhardening which took place during the press-hardening, so that at this point, a tear and/or break will occur, as a result of a crash load (as shown, for example, by means of the arrow F). The overhardened component region 125 extends between the opposite longitudinal edges in a contiguous surface piece (or surface section), within which the sheet metal material M has a very high and substantially homogeneous strength. In an analogous manner, the transverse support 120 may have several overhardened component regions.

[0032] The component failure at the point predetermined by overhardening is intentional. As a result, the occurring collision energy can be deflected in a targeted manner into the adjacent longitudinal supports 111/112 and supporting carriers 131/132 and is forwarded by the latter, for example, into the support elements 141/142/143, and/or can be absorbed and reduced by the latter by deformation.

[0033] The longitudinal supports 111/112 and supporting carriers 131/132 may act quasi as energy absorption elements and are preferably constructed correspondingly, so that a defined deformation (i.e. deformation with predetermined deformation possibilities) is made possible. The support elements 141/142/143 may also act as energy absorption elements and be constructed correspondingly.

[0034] Analogously, other press-hardened vehicle body components, such as, for example, the front wall reinforcement or the front wall transverse support 155, may be constructed with overhardened regions or zones, which represent predetermined breaking points in the described fashion.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0035] 100 Front end (motor vehicle body) [0036] 111 Longitudinal support [0037] 112 Longitudinal support [0038] 120 Transverse support [0039] 125 Overhardened component region, predetermined breaking point [0040] 131 Supporting carrier [0041] 132 Supporting carrier [0042] 141 Support element [0043] 142 Support element [0044] 143 Support element [0045] 150 Front wall [0046] 155 Front wall transverse support [0047] 160 Roof bow [0048] 171 Side skirt [0049] 172 Side skirt [0050] 181 A-pillar [0051] 182 A-pillar [0052] 190 Tunnel [0053] F Crash load [0054] M Steel sheet material

[0055] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.