METHOD FOR PRODUCING A BODY COMPONENT OF A VEHICLE BODY OF A VEHICLE, AND BODY COMPONENT AND VEHICLE BODY

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing a body component (1) of a vehicle body (21) of a vehicle (20), wherein the method has the steps of: (a) providing a structural part (2) of the body component (1) provided with adhesive film (4), wherein the adhesive film (4) is applied to at least one adhesive surface (6) of the structural part (2), (b) providing a further part (3) of the body component (1), (c) applying an adhesive (5) to the adhesive film (4), and (d) adhesively bonding the structural part (2) provided with adhesive film (4) to the further part (3) by means of the adhesive (5) applied to the adhesive film (4), so that the body component (1) is obtained as the structural part (2) adhesively bonded to the further part (3) and provided with adhesive film (4).

The invention further relates to a body component (1) of a vehicle body (21) of a vehicle (20), as well as to a vehicle body (21) of a vehicle (20) having at least one such body component (1).

Claims

1. Method for producing a body component (1) of a vehicle body (21) of a vehicle (20), wherein the method has the steps of: (a) providing a structural part (2) of the body component (1) provided with adhesive film (4), wherein the adhesive film (4) is applied to at least one adhesive surface (6) of the structural part (2), (b) providing a further part (3) of the body component (1), (c) applying an adhesive (5) to the adhesive film (4), and (d) adhesively bonding the structural part (2) provided with adhesive film (4) to the further part (3) by means of the adhesive (5) applied to the adhesive film (4), so that the body component (1) is obtained as the structural part (2) adhesively bonded to the further part (3) and provided with adhesive film (4).

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the structural part (2) is an aluminum part.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein at least one surface (7), exposed to the environment, of the structural part (2) provided with adhesive film (4) oxidizes, so that an aluminum oxide layer (8) forms or enlarges on the at least one exposed surface (7).

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims claim 1, wherein, to provide the structural part (2) provided with adhesive film (4), the method further has the steps of providing the structural part (2) and applying the adhesive film (4) to the at least one adhesive surface (6) of the structural part (2) provided, so that the structural part (2) provided with adhesive film (4) is obtained.

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein the adhesive film (4) is thermally cured after application to the at least one adhesive surface (6) of the structural part (2).

6. Method according to claim 4, wherein the adhesive film (4) is provided as tape material and is applied to the at least one adhesive surface (6) of the structural part (2).

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive is, a 1 component adhesive in paste form.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one adhesive surface (6) is uncoated.

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein the structural part (2) is provided as an extruded profile or cast part.

10. Method according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive film (4) comprises epoxy resin.

11. Method according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive film (4) has two adhesive layers (10.1, 10.2) and a carrier layer (9) arranged between the two adhesive layers (10.1, 10.2).

12. Body component (1) of a vehicle body (21) of a vehicle (20), wherein the body component (1) has a structural part (2) of the vehicle body (21) and a further part (3) of the vehicle body (21), wherein an adhesive film (4) is arranged between the structural part (2) and the further part (3), and wherein an adhesive (5) which holds the structural part (2) and the further part (3) together is arranged on the adhesive film (4).

13. Body component (1) according to claim 1, wherein the body component (1) is produced according to a method of claim 1.

14. Body component (1) according to claim 12, wherein the structural part (2) is an aluminum part, the adhesive film (4) is arranged on at least one adhesive surface (6) of the structural part (2), and no adhesive film (4) is arranged on at least one exposed surface (7) of the structural part (2), wherein the structural part (2) has an aluminum oxide layer (8) on the at least one exposed surface (7), and (a) the structural part (2) does not have an aluminum oxide layer (8) on the at least one adhesive surface (6), or (b) does have an aluminum oxide layer (8) on the at least one adhesive surface (6), but the aluminum oxide layer (8) located on the exposed surface (7) is thicker than the aluminum oxide layer (8) on the at least one adhesive surface (6).

15. Vehicle body (21) of a vehicle (20) having at least one body component (1) according to claim 12.

Description

[0036] A method according to the invention for producing a body component of a vehicle body, a body component according to the invention, and a vehicle body according to the invention are explained in more detail below by way of example and schematically, with reference to drawings. In the figures:

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a sectional view of a body component according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention,

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of a further sectional view of the body component from FIG. 1,

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a side view of a vehicle with a vehicle body according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, and

[0040] FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of the sequence of method steps in a method for producing the body component from FIGS. 1 and 2 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[0041] Elements with the same function and mode of operation are provided with the same reference symbols in FIGS. 1 through 4.

[0042] FIG. 1 schematically shows a section through a body component 1 for a vehicle body 21 of a vehicle 20 (see FIG. 3). The body component 1 can be arranged in the visible region of the vehicle body 21 or in the non-visible region of the vehicle body 21.

[0043] The cross-sectional view from FIG. 1 illustrates the parts of the body component 1 and an exemplary arrangement. The body component 1 has a structural part 2. In the present case, the structural part 2 is an aluminum part. The structural part 2 is a torsionally-rigid part, which ensures a high degree of rigidity in the body component 1 in order to meet crash safety requirements in the vehicle body 21.

[0044] The body component 1 also has a further part 3. The further part 3 is connected to the structural part 2 by an adhesive bond, as explained in more detail below. The adhesive bond must likewise meet the crash safety requirements of the vehicle body 21, i.e., withstand certain minimum loads without coming undone. The further part 3 can likewise be a structural part 2, e.g., made of aluminum, or can be a simpler part, such as a metal sheet, e.g., a steel sheet—in particular, a paneling sheet of the vehicle body 21.

[0045] The adhesive bond is designed in such a way that an epoxy-based adhesive film 4.1, 4.2 is applied to various adhesive surfaces 6 of the structural part 2—in the present case, for example, ten adhesive surfaces 6—wherein only the one adhesive surface 6 is labeled. In the present exemplary embodiment, the adhesive film 4.1, 4.2 is shown by way of example in two portions or adhesive film strips which have been unrolled from a tape material. However, the adhesive film 4 can also be only one adhesive film portion or strip, or more than two portions. In particular, one portion of the adhesive film 4 can be applied to one adhesive surface 6 in each case. There is, due to production, a tolerance gap between the portions of the adhesive film 4.1, 4.2. These portions of the adhesive film 4.1, 4.2 are thermally cured.

[0046] The adhesive film 4 has been applied to the adhesive surfaces 6 directly or promptly after the production of the structural part 2, so that the aluminum of the structural part 2 could not oxidize, or could only slightly oxidize, on the adhesive surfaces 6. A good adhesion effect between the adhesive film 4.1, 4.2 and the structural part 2 could be achieved thereby.

[0047] If an aluminum oxide layer 8 (see FIG. 2) had formed on the adhesive surfaces 6 or if the aluminum oxide layer 8 were relatively thick, the adhesion of the adhesive film 4.1, 4.2 thereon would be poor, and it would not be possible to fasten the further part 3 thereto by means of the adhesive 5 in such a way that the crash safety requirements could be met.

[0048] In contrast, the adhesive film 4.1, 4.2 adheres well to the structural part 2 and continues to provide good adhesion properties for adhesively bonding the structural part 2 to the further part 3 at the surface of the adhesive film 4.1, 4.2. As a result, the structural part 2 was adhesively bonded to the further part 3 by means of the adhesive film 4.1, 4.2 and the adhesive 5 arranged thereon - in the present case, a 1-component adhesive. The body component 1 produced in this way, which in turn can be assembled with or joined to further body components 1 of the vehicle body 21, thus fulfills the necessary crash requirements with regard to the joining connection between the structural part 2 and the further part 3.

[0049] Unlike in the prior art, the structural part 2 does not have to be dip-coated separately before being joined to the further part 3. The structural part 2 can also be obtained from a supplier and joined to the further part 3 only at the body manufacturer or vehicle manufacturer, since the aluminum of the structural part 2 cannot oxidize on the adhesive surfaces 6. Instead, the surface of the adhesive film 4 is used for adhesive bonding to the further part 3 by means of the adhesive 5. Furthermore, the structural part 2 can then later be dip-coated together with the entire vehicle body 21 in a cathodic dip bath.

[0050] FIG. 2 shows an alternative cross-sectional view of the body component 1 from FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows that, in addition to the adhesive surfaces 6, there are also, on the structural part 2, surfaces 7 exposed to the environment. These exposed surfaces 7 are not provided with adhesive film 4 and are also not dip-coated. The exposed surfaces 7 therefore oxidize on the way from the supplier to the vehicle manufacturer, as a result of which an aluminum oxide layer 8 forms on the exposed surfaces 7. However, this is not disadvantageous for the adhesion of the structural part 2 to the further part 3, since the structural part 2 is adhesively bonded to the further part 3 only at the surfaces of the adhesive film 4 which cover the adhesive surfaces 6. There, the adhesion properties are better than on the aluminum oxide layer 8 on the exposed surfaces 7, due to the adhesive film 4.

[0051] FIG. 2 also shows the structure of the adhesive film 4. The adhesive film 4 has a mesh-like carrier layer 9 with an adhesive layer 10.1, 10.2 located below and above it. This structure of the adhesive film 4 ensures good adhesion to the structural part 2, as well as good adhesion for the adhesive 5.

[0052] FIG. 4 schematically shows a sequence of the method steps in a method for producing the body component 1 from FIGS. 1 and 2, as is used in the vehicle body 21 from FIG. 3.

[0053] In a first method step 31, the structural part 2 is produced. This production of the structural part 2 can be carried out by a supplier of the manufacturer of the vehicle body 21 or of the vehicle manufacturer of the vehicle 20. For example, the structural part 2 can be produced as an aluminum extruded profile by extrusion molding. Alternatively, the structural part 2 can be produced as a cast part by means of casting.

[0054] In the second method step 32, the adhesive film 4, which is provided as tape material, is applied to the adhesive surfaces 6 of the structural part 2. This takes place immediately after or shortly after the production of the structural part 2, so that no, or at most the smallest possible, aluminum oxide layer 8 is formed on the adhesive surfaces 6. This makes it possible to ensure good adhesion of the adhesive film 4 to the adhesive surfaces 6. Accordingly, this second method step 32 is preferably likewise carried out by the supplier.

[0055] In the third method step 33, the adhesive film 4 is thermally cured. This can take place, for example, in a furnace into which the structural part 2 provided with adhesive film 4 is introduced. Alternatively, this can be done by inductive and local heating at the adhesive surfaces 6.

[0056] In the fourth method step 34, the structural part 2 with the thermally-cured adhesive film 4 is transported and provided to the manufacturer of the vehicle body 21 or the vehicle manufacturer of the vehicle 20. A long period of time can pass here. In the process, the exposed surface 7 on the structural part 2 can oxidize. However, since the adhesive surfaces 6 on the structural part 2 are provided with the cured adhesive film 4, the structural part 2 continues to have a good adhesion effect, viz., on the cured adhesive film 4 on the adhesive surfaces 6.

[0057] In the fifth method step 35, the further part 3 of the body component 1 is provided at the manufacturer of the vehicle body 21 or the vehicle manufacturer of the vehicle 20, which in turn can originate from another supplier.

[0058] In the sixth method step 36, the structural part 2 is adhesively bonded to the further part 3 on the adhesive film 4 by means of the adhesive 5. The body component 1 is thus obtained as the structural part 2 adhesively bonded to the further part 3 and provided with adhesive film 4.

[0059] In the seventh method step 37, the body component 1 consisting of structural part 2 and further part 3 is then connected to further components to form the vehicle body 21.

[0060] Finally, in the eighth method step 38, cathodic dip coating of the vehicle body 21 with the body component 1 takes place in one or more dip baths. In the process, the aluminum oxide layer 8, which has formed in the meantime on the exposed surfaces 7, is coated as well. This constitutes the first coating of the exposed surfaces 7 of the structural part 2.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0061] 1 Body component [0062] 2 Structural part [0063] 3 Further part [0064] 4 Adhesive film [0065] 5 Adhesive [0066] 6 Adhesive surface [0067] 7 Exposed surface [0068] 8 Aluminum oxide layer [0069] 9 Carrier layer [0070] 10 Adhesive layer [0071] 20 Vehicle [0072] 21 Vehicle body [0073] 31 . . . 38 Method steps