METHOD FOR PRODUCING A LIQUID CONTAINER, LIQUID CONTAINER FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE, AND STRUCTURE FOR REDUCING SLOSHING SOUNDS

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a liquid container (28) for a motor vehicle, having the method steps: providing a wall (14), which is provided in order to delimit an interior chamber (26) of the liquid container (28) for receiving a liquid (34); providing a structure (2), which is provided in order to be arranged in order to reduce sloshing noises in the interior chamber (26) of the liquid container (28), wherein the structure (2) comprises a random arrangement of threads (4) cross-linked with each other and wherein a plurality of the threads (4) of the structure (2) are integrally joined, at least in sections, to at least one or more additional threads (4) of the structure (2), such that a substantially monolithic structure (2) is formed; connecting the structure (2) to the wall (14).

Claims

1. A liquid container (28) for a motor vehicle, comprising, a wall (14) which delimits an interior (26) for receiving liquid (34), and a structure (2) which is arranged in the interior (26) in order to reduce sloshing sounds, wherein the structure (2) comprises a random arrangement of interlinked threads (4), wherein a multiplicity of the threads (4) of the structure (2) are connected at least in portions by substance bonding to at least one or more further threads (4) of the structure (2), such that a substantially monolithic structure is formed; and the structure (2) is welded and/or glued to the wall (14).

2. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the structure (2) is connected by form fit to the wall (14).

3. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wall (14) is configured to delimit an interior (26) of the liquid container (28) for receiving a liquid (34) and containing the liquid (34) therein, the wall (14) being formed of one shell or two half-shells.

4. The liquid container as claimed in claim 3, wherein the structure (2) is welded and/or glued directly to the shell or at least one of the half-shells of the wall (14) to provide a substance-bonded connection between the structure (2) and the wall (14)

5. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the structure (2) is connected to the wall (14) by an inseparable connection between the structure (2) and the wall (14) so that the wall (14) and the structure (2) are formed integrally.

6. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the structure (2) is connected to the wall (14) via a full-surface connection between structure (2) and the wall (14), so that a plurality of randomly arranged connecting points are formed between the structure (2) and the wall (14) and distributed over a connecting region (16); or wherein structure (2) is connected to the wall (14) via separate or local connecting regions between the wall (14) and the structure (2).

7. The liquid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein the structure (2) is deformed at least in portions for bearing against the wall (14).

8. A structure (2) for reducing sloshing sounds, configured to be arranged in a liquid container (28) for a motor vehicle, comprising, a random arrangement of interlinked threads (4), wherein a multiplicity of the threads (4) of the structure (2) are connected at least in portions by substance bonding to at least one or more further threads (4) of the structure (2), such that a substantially monolithic structure (2) is formed, wherein the structure (2) has threads (4) of different thread thickness or diameter; and/or the structure (2) has threads (4) of different materials.

9. The structure (2) of claim 8, wherein a plurality of randomly arranged connecting points is provided inside the structure (2), in particular local welds of crossing threads (4).

10. The structure (2) of claim 8, wherein the threads (4) in a first region have a greater diameter than in a second region.

11. The structure (2) of claim 8, wherein the threads (4) in a first region are made from a first material, and the threads in the second region are made from a second material.

12. The structure (2) of claim 8, wherein the structure (2) is welding and/or glued directly to a shell or at least one of the half-shells of a wall (14) to provide a substance-bonded connection between the structure (2) and the wall (14).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0097] The invention is described in more detail below with reference to some exemplary embodiments. The drawings indicate diagrammatically:

[0098] FIG. 1A a structure according to the invention in a perspective view from above;

[0099] FIG. 1B a further structure according to the invention in a perspective view from above;

[0100] FIG. 2A the rolling of the structure;

[0101] FIG. 2B the hot caulking of a structure;

[0102] FIG. 3A an extract of a wall of a liquid container with a structure;

[0103] FIG. 3B a further extract of a wall of the liquid container with a structure;

[0104] FIG. 4A a device for producing a liquid container;

[0105] FIG. 4B a liquid container according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0106] FIG. 1A shows a structure 2 according to the invention for reducing sloshing sounds, which is intended to be arranged in a liquid container 28 (FIG. 4B) of a motor vehicle. The structure 2 has a random arrangement of interlinked threads 4. A multiplicity of threads 4 of the structure 2 are connected at least in portions by substance bonding to at least one or more further threads 4 of the structure 2 such that a substantially monolithic structure 2 is formed.

[0107] The structure 2 contains a plurality of randomly arranged connecting points, in the present case local weld points of crossing threads 4. The substance-bonded connection between the threads 4 is formed in each case by local welding of the threads 4 in the region of their casing surfaces 6, as depicted in exemplary fashion in FIG. 1A. The threads 4 of the structure 2 are made of HDPE.

[0108] FIG. 1B shows a further embodiment of a structure 2 according to the invention. In the case of the structure 2 shown in FIG. 1B, each of the threads 4 of the structure 2 is connected by substance bonding to at least one further thread 4 of the structure 2 so that a monolithic structure 2 is formed. The structure 2 consequently contains no threads 4 which could be detached from the structure 2 without destruction.

[0109] As in the structure 2 shown in FIG. 1A, the structure 2 depicted in FIG. 1B has chaotically tangled, interlinked threads 4 which are locally welded together to form a thread mesh. The dotted lines in FIG. 1B indicate the substantially cuboid volume assumed by the structure 2. The structure 2 has a multiplicity of randomly arranged connecting points of crossing threads 4 which are distributed over its entire volume and in the present case are formed as local weld points of the threads 4.

[0110] A structure 2 shown in FIG. 1A or 1B may be provided as an endless material in the form of a matting or plate-like product, and may be made up from this for use in a liquid container.

[0111] The structure 2 may be compacted by rollers 8 as shown in FIG. 2A. The arrows in this depiction indicate the movement direction of the rollers and the rolled structure. In this way, the thread density required for the respective application may be set. The structure 2 is rolled in a heated state in which shaping is possible without destroying the substance-bonded connections between the threads 4. The structure 2 is adapted by thermoforming, by means of the rollers 8, to a wall shape of a liquid container 28 and/or is locally compacted in the edge regions assigned to the rollers.

[0112] In order to compact or form the structure 2, or to weld individual thread ends to the structure after making up, a device 10 may be provided for hot caulking of the separating or covering surfaces 12 of the structure 2 using pressure and heat.

[0113] FIG. 3A shows an extract of a wall 14 of a liquid container 28 (FIG. 4B) which is welded to a structure 2 in a connecting region 16. The structure 2 is inseparably connected by substance bonding to the wall 14 and therefore formed integrally with the wall 14. The structure 2 has been connected to the wall 14 in the forming heat of the wall 14. A substantially full-surface connection is provided between the structure 2 and the wall 14, so that a plurality of randomly arranged connecting points are formed between the structure 2 and the wall 14, distributed over the connecting region 16. The connecting region 16 may extend over an entire covering surface 18 of a cuboid structure 2 from FIG. 1B. Such a covering surface 18, which may comprise the connecting region 16, may be defined by rolling (FIG. 2A).

[0114] FIG. 3B depicts a form-fit connection between the wall 14 and structure 2, which was also formed in the forming heat of the wall 14. Here, the thread ends and thread loops 20 of the threads 4 protrude into the wall 14 in the connecting region 16 and are at least partially surrounded by the material of the wall 14.

[0115] FIG. 4A shows a blow-molding tool 22 for creating a wall 14 for a liquid container 28. Firstly, a preform 24 extruded in the manner of a hose is introduced into the two-piece blow-molding tool 22. The wall 14 is formed from the preform 24 by internal pressurization by means of a blowing mandrel (not shown). The wall defines an interior 26 of the liquid container 28 (FIG. 4B).

[0116] By means of an actuator 30, the structure 2 is introduced into the blow-molding tool at the end and connected to the wall 14 in the forming heat of the wall 14. For this, the structure 2 is pressed against the wall 14. For superficial contact on the wall 14, the structure 2 is at least partially deformed. Individual structural elements 2 may be attached to both vertical and horizontal wall portions.

[0117] FIG. 4B shows a fuel tank 28 in which a structure 2 has been arranged in the corner regions 32 in order to damp the sloshing sounds caused by wave movements of the liquid 34.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0118] 2 Structure [0119] 4 Threads [0120] 6 Casing surfaces [0121] 8 Rollers [0122] 10 Hot-caulking device [0123] 12 Separating surfaces [0124] 14 Wall [0125] 16 Connecting region [0126] 18 Covering surfaces [0127] 20 Thread ends/thread loops [0128] 22 Blow-molding tool [0129] 24 Preform [0130] 26 Interior [0131] 28 Fuel tank/liquid container [0132] 30 Actuator [0133] 32 Corner regions [0134] 34 Liquid