Method for producing an overlapping connection, and body component for a vehicle

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method for producing a overlapping connection, in which at least two overlapping components are connected to one another via a folded flange, with a first edge of a first component being folded over a second edge of a second component to form the folded flange, along with a body component that includes such an overlapping connection for a vehicle and a stamping tool for such a body component. According to the disclosure at least one connection region is formed on the folded flange, in which the stamping tool stamps the first component through the second component at least one stamping point, with displaced material of the first component passing into the second component and producing a positive connection.

Claims

1. A method comprising: folding a first edge of a first component over a second edge of a second component to form a folded flange; forming at least one connection region on the folded flange; stamping, with a stamping tool, the first component through the second component simultaneously at two adjacent stamping points, wherein displaced material of the first component passes into the second component and produces a positive connection.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a double tip of the stamping tool stamps the two adjacent stamping points simultaneously into the first component in the at least one connection region of the folded flange.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of connection regions are formed at a predefined distance from one another on the folded flange.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising: applying an adhesive between the first edge of the first component and the second edge of the second component to form an adhesive bond.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of connection regions are formed at a predefined distance from one another on the folded flange.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising: applying an adhesive between the first edge of the first component and the second edge of the second component to form an adhesive bond.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: applying an adhesive between the first edge of the first component and the second edge of the second component to form an adhesive bond.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of connection regions are formed at a predefined distance from one another on the folded flange.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: applying an adhesive between the first edge of the first component and the second edge of the second component to form an adhesive bond.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the invention are depicted in the set of drawings and will be explained in greater detail in the following description. In the drawings, the same reference signs denote components or elements that perform the same or similar functions. The drawings show:

(2) FIG. 1 a schematic block diagram of a method according to the invention for producing an overlapping connection, and

(3) FIG. 2 a schematic sectional view of a detail of a body component according to the invention during a stamping process in which a first exemplary embodiment of a stamping tool according to the invention is used.

(4) FIG. 3 a schematic detailed view of a stamping point from FIG. 2.

(5) FIG. 4 a schematic sectional view of a detail of a body component according to the invention during a stamping process in which a second exemplary embodiment of a stamping tool according to the invention is used,

(6) FIG. 5 a schematic sectional view of a detail of the stamping tool according to the invention from FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) As is clear from FIG. 1, in the depicted exemplary embodiment of a method 100 according to the invention for producing an overlapping connection 2, in a method step S120, at least two overlapping components 10, 20 are connected to one another by means of a folded flange 30. In this step, a first edge 11 of a first component 10 is folded over a second edge 22 of a second component 20 to form the folded flange 30.

(8) According to the invention, in a method step S130 at least one connection region 32 is formed on the folded flange 30, in which a stamping tool 40 stamps the first component 10 through the second component 20 at at least one stamping point 34, with displaced material of the first component 10 passing into the second component 20 and producing a positive connection.

(9) As is further clear from FIGS. 2 to 4, the depicted exemplary embodiments of a body component 1 for a vehicle according to the invention each have at least two components 10, 20 in the detail shown, which are connected to one another via a overlapping connection 2 having at least one folded flange 30, in which a first edge 11 of a first component 10 is folded over a second edge 22 of a second component 20.

(10) According to the invention, the folded flange 30 of the overlapping connection 2 of the body component 1 according to the invention comprises at least one connection region 32, in which the first component 10 is stamped through the second component 20 at at least one stamping point 34, with displaced material 15 of the first component 10 passing into the second component 20 and producing a positive connection.

(11) In an alternative exemplary embodiment of the body component 1 according to the invention (not shown), the first edge 11 of the first component 10 can be folded over more than one second component 20. This enables three components, for example, to be connected to one another by means of an overlapping connection 2 according to the invention to form a body component 1.

(12) As is further clear from FIGS. 2 and 3, the first stamping tool 40A used for the method 100 according to the invention in the first exemplary embodiment shown has a bearer 42A, which is guided in a stripper 44 and on which a single tip 43 is arranged. As is further clear from FIGS. 4 and 5, in an alternative second exemplary embodiment the stamping tool 40B has a bearer 42B which is guided in a stripper 44 and on which a double tip 43B, which comprises two single tips, is arranged. The stripper 44 enables the first component 10 and the second component 20 to be detached from the single tip 43 or the double tip 43B of the stamping tool 40A, 40B after stamping. This allows additional lubrication in the case of unwashed components 10, 20 to be dispensed with. In addition, each of the depicted stamping tools 40A, 40B has a counter bearing 46. The folded flange 30 rests its a bottom surface 38 on the counter bearing 46. A top surface 36 of the folded flange 30 faces the single tip 43 or the double tip 43B. The top surface 36 and the bottom surface 38 of the folded flange 30 are formed by the first edge 11 of the first component 10, which envelops the second edge 22 of the second component 20. The single tip 43 or the double tip 43B of the stamping tools 40A, 40B stamps from the top through the first component 10 and into the second component 20 without passing all the way through the second component 20.

(13) In an alternative embodiment of the method 100 according to the invention, the stamping tools 40A, 40B can also have more than two individual tips 43. Additionally, the stamping tools 40A, 40B can each have a C-clamp, which can be manipulated by an industrial robot. This enables many stamping points 34 to be introduced into the body component 1 according to the invention flexibly and using only one stamping tool 40A, 40B.

(14) In the depicted exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention, the stamping tool 40A uses the single tip 43 to set one or more stamping points 34 in succession into the connection region 32. In a preferred exemplary embodiment of the method 100 according to the invention, the single tip 43 of the stamping tool 40A sets two stamping points 34 in succession in the at least one connection region 32 of the folded flange 30.

(15) In an alternative exemplary embodiment of the method 100 according to the invention, the stamping tool 40B with the double tip 43B that is used sets two adjacent stamping points 34 simultaneously in the at least one connection region 32. In this case, the double tip 43B can set two stamping points 34 multiple times inn a connection region 32, so that the connection region 32 can have a multiple of two stamping points.

(16) In the method 100 according to the invention, a plurality of connection regions 32 are formed on the folded flange 30 at a predefined distance from one another. The number and the spacing of the connection regions 32 are selected based upon the dimensions of the folded flange 30.

(17) As is further clear from FIG. 1, in the depicted exemplary embodiment of the method 100 according to the invention an adhesive 2.2 is applied between the first edge 11 of the first component 10 and the second edge 22 of the second component 20 prior to folding, thereby forming an adhesive bond.

(18) As is further clear from FIGS. 2 to 4, the first edge 11 of the first component 10 envelops the second edge 22 of the second component 20 in each of the depicted exemplary embodiments of the body component 1 according to the invention. The connection region 32 depicted in FIGS. 2 and 3 has one stamping point 34, and the connection region 32 depicted in FIG. 4 has two stamping points 34. In an alternative exemplary embodiment of the body component 1 according to the invention (not shown), the connection region 32 may have more than two stamping points 34. Additionally, in the depicted exemplary embodiments of the body component 1 according to the invention, an adhesive 2.2 is placed between the first edge 11 of the first component 10 and the second edge 22 of the second component 20. The folded flange 30 may be arranged around the entire periphery of the body component 1 according to the invention, forming a rounded end region of the body component 1 according to the invention. In that case, the connection regions 32 can be positioned at a predefined distance from one another on the folded flange 30. Alternatively, the folded flange 30 may be arranged only in certain areas of the body component 1 according to the invention. In that case, the body component 1 according to the invention may be embodied as a vehicle door or as some other suitable body component 1.

(19) In each of the depicted exemplary embodiments of the body component 1, the first component 10 is embodied as an exterior panel and the second component 20 is embodied as an interior panel. In addition, the first component 10 and the second component 20 can be embodied at least partially as steel and/or aluminum components. Components with a high aluminum content are used if the body component 1 according to the invention is required to be lightweight. Components with a high steel content are used in areas where the body component 1 according to the invention requires a high degree of stability or rigidity.

(20) The method 100 according to the invention for producing an overlapping connection 2 creates an overlapping connection 2 that permits little or no relative movement between the connected components 10, 20. Body components 1 having a plurality of components 10, 20 that are connected to one another by such an overlapping connection 2 are highly reproducible since the relative movements between the components 10, 20 are prevented or at least impeded.