METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A SANDWICH PANEL FOR A VEHICLE AND A SANDWICH PANEL FOR A VEHICLE

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a sandwich panel for a vehicle includes: etching a sheet, which etches one surface of a metal sheet; pressing the sheet, which forms a pattern of a specific shape on the one surface of the metal sheet; laminating a pair of the metal sheets; and performing injection-molding by injecting a plastic resin into the laminated pair of the metal sheets. The method may improve the bonding performance of the sandwich panel, thereby improving the degree of freedom of shape due to the press-molding.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a sandwich panel for a vehicle, the method comprising: etching a sheet, which etches one surface of a metal sheet; pressing the sheet, which forms a pattern of a specific shape on the one surface of the metal sheet; laminating a pair of the metal sheets; and performing injection-molding by injecting a plastic resin into the laminated pair of the metal sheets.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the etching of the sheet etches the metal sheet by immersing the metal sheet into an etching solution.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein an undercut is formed on the one surface of the metal sheet by the etching of the sheet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a void portion having a pattern shape formed by the pressing of the sheet is formed inside the pair of the laminated metal sheets, and wherein the performing of the injection-molding injects the plastic resin into the void portion.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the shapes of the pattern formed on the pair of the metal sheets are the same.

6. A sandwich panel for a vehicle, wherein a plurality of void portions are formed inside a pair of metal sheets laminated by etching the surfaces of the metal sheets, and at least one of the plurality of void portions is filled with a plastic resin.

7. The sandwich panel for a vehicle of claim 6, wherein the plurality of void portions are spaced apart from each other and formed parallel to each other.

8. The sandwich panel for a vehicle of claim 6, wherein at least one of the plurality of void portions is in a hollow state.

9. The sandwich panel for a vehicle of claim 8, wherein both ends of the void portion in the hollow state communicate with the outside.

10. The sandwich panel for a vehicle of claim 8, wherein the plurality of void portions are spaced apart from each other and formed parallel to each other, and wherein a resin bonding layer filled with the plastic resin and an air layer in the hollow state are alternately formed.

11. The sandwich panel for a vehicle of claim 8, wherein the plastic resin is filled in the wall surface of the air layer in the hollow state in a form surrounding the air layer.

12. A sandwich panel for a vehicle, wherein a void portion is formed inside a pair of metal sheets laminated by etching the surfaces of the metal sheets, wherein both ends of the void portion communicate with the outside.

13. The sandwich panel for a vehicle of claim 12, wherein the plastic resin is filled in the wall surface of the void portion communicated with the outside in a form surrounding the void portion.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a configuration of a conventional sandwich panel.

[0035] FIGS. 2-4 sequentially illustrate a process of manufacturing a sandwich panel according to the present disclosure.

[0036] FIG. 5A illustrates a planar shape of a sandwich panel according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0037] FIG. 5B illustrates a side cross-sectional shape of the sandwich panel of FIG. 5A.

[0038] FIG. 6A illustrates a planar cross-sectional shape of a sandwich panel according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0039] FIG. 6B illustrates a cross-sectional shape taken along the line X1-Y1 of the sandwich panel illustrated in FIG. 6A.

[0040] FIG. 7A illustrates a planar cross-sectional shape of a sandwich panel according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0041] FIG. 7B illustrates a cross-sectional shape taken along the line X2-Y2 of the sandwich panel illustrated in FIG. 7A.

[0042] FIG. 8A illustrates a planar cross-sectional shape of a sandwich panel according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0043] FIG. 8B illustrates a cross-sectional shape taken along the line X3-Y3 of the sandwich panel illustrated in FIG. 8A.

[0044] FIG. 9A illustrates a planar cross-sectional shape of a sandwich panel according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0045] FIGS. 9B and 9C illustrate cross-sectional shapes taken along the line X4-Y4 of the sandwich panel illustrated in FIG. 9A.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

[0046] To fully understand the present disclosure, operational advantages of the present disclosure, and objects achieved by the implementation of the present disclosure, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings illustrating various embodiments of the present disclosure and the contents described in the accompanying drawings.

[0047] In describing the embodiments of the present disclosure, the descriptions of known technologies or repetitive descriptions, which may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present disclosure, have been reduced or omitted.

[0048] FIGS. 2-4 sequentially illustrate a process of manufacturing a sandwich panel according to the present disclosure. Hereinafter, a method for manufacturing a sandwich panel for a vehicle, and a sandwich panel according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, are described with reference to FIGS. 2-4.

[0049] The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a sandwich panel exerting durability suitable for a vehicle part by directly bonding the sheet and the resin without interposing a bonding film or the like therebetween.

[0050] The present disclosure relates to manufacturing the sandwich panel by giving an undercut or protrusion shape to a resin bonding surface of a metal sheet.

[0051] The undercut may be generated using a difference in the degree of corrosion of fine elements in the metal. Conventional metal surface treatment methods include a shot blast, a laser, or the like. However, these have a limit to forming the undercut and have a bonding force smaller than that of the conventional bonding fusion method upon injection bonding.

[0052] The present disclosure goes through a sheet etching step in order to form the undercut on the surface of the metal sheet.

[0053] As illustrated in FIG. 2, a metal sheet 11 is immersed in an etching water tank 32 in the continuous roll process by a roll forming apparatus 31. Thus, the surface of the metal sheet 11 may be formed with the undercut ‘u’ by the etching.

[0054] Next, a pattern is formed on the etched surface of a metal sheet blank 12 illustrated in FIG. 3 having gone through the aforementioned process. The pattern to be formed is to form a void, as described below. An engraved pattern having a specific shape is formed on the etched surface of a pair of metal sheets through the sheet press step. The forms of the patterns to be formed on the pair of metal sheets may be the same.

[0055] Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 4, a sandwich panel 10, in which the void portion 20 is formed, is manufactured according to the patterns. The patterned surfaces of the pair of metal sheets 12 are laminated to face each other. The sandwich panel 10 is manufactured by injecting a plastic resin 30 through an injector 13 formed in the laminated sandwich panel 10.

[0056] The sandwich panel 10 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure is manufactured as described above. As illustrated in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the metal sheets are laminated by interposing a plastic resin between the metal sheets. The metal sheets may be made of steel or aluminum. The sandwich panel may be manufactured by maintaining a strong bonding force between the metal sheets and the resin without a bonding film by the undercut shape formed on the metal sheets.

[0057] The sandwich panel 10 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure is characterized in that the plastic resin is completely filled between the metal sheets to form a resin bonding layer 21, thereby having strong bondability. The void portions having various forms may be formed therein by a sheet press step in addition to the overall resin bonding layer.

[0058] The sandwich panel 10 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure has very good bonding strength and thus is easily applied to a vehicle body or a body part.

[0059] Hereinafter, sandwich panels 10 according to various embodiments implemented by the void portions having various forms are described.

[0060] FIG. 6A illustrates a planar cross-sectional shape of a sandwich panel 10 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6B illustrates a cross-sectional shape taken along the line X1-Y1 of the sandwich panel 10 illustrated in FIG. 6A.

[0061] As illustrated, the sandwich panel 10 according to a second embodiment is characterized in that the void portion is formed in an oblique direction on the plane. The plastic resin is filled in the void portion, such that the resin bonding layer 21 is formed between the metal sheets.

[0062] The oblique direction is not necessarily needed. As illustrated, a plurality of void portions are formed to be spaced apart from each other at intervals.

[0063] The rigidity may be further reinforced by the sandwich panel, and the bonding strength may be controlled by a sheet shape. The rigidity of the manufactured sandwich sheet is improved compared to the first embodiment in that the improvement in the rigidity is differentiated according to the type of the pattern. Generally, upon patterning unidirectionally, the strength is improved by 30% or more.

[0064] FIG. 7A illustrates a planar cross-sectional shape of a sandwich panel 10 according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7B illustrates a cross-sectional shape taken along the line X2-Y2 of the sandwich panel 10 illustrated in FIG. 7A.

[0065] As illustrated, the sandwich panel 10 according to a third embodiment is the same as the second embodiment in that the void portion is formed in the oblique direction on the plane.

[0066] However, all of the plurality of void portions spaced apart from each other at intervals are not filled with the resin in the resin bonding layer 21. Some of the void portions are not filled with the resin and are formed as air layers 22 having a hollow shape.

[0067] This may further improve the NVH and insulation characteristics compared to the aforementioned embodiments. Also, the resin bonding layers 21 and the air layers 22 may be alternately formed or alternated.

[0068] The additional air layer can maximize insulation performance and improve NVH with the rigidity reinforcement, since the air layer is a superior insulation material. Insulation performance is thereby maximized and NVH with the rigidity reinforcement is also improved.

[0069] Therefore, when the insulation performance of a roof and a headliner is improved, it is possible to improve fuel efficiency and reduce the weight of the vehicle. In addition, it is possible to reinforce the rigidity of a door or a hood inner panel.

[0070] FIG. 8A illustrates a planar cross-sectional shape of a sandwich panel according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8B illustrates a cross-sectional shape taken along the line X3-Y3 of the sandwich panel 10 illustrated in FIG. 8A.

[0071] As illustrated, the sandwich panel 10 according to a fourth embodiment is characterized in that a plurality of void portions having constant forms are formed between the sheets. A void portion is formed as an air layer 22 having a hollow shape and the resin bonding layer 21 is formed in a wall surface of the air layer 22 and formed surrounding the air layer 22.

[0072] The sandwich panel 10 has the strong insulation feature.

[0073] By controlling the air layer to occupy the volume as much as possible, it is possible to isolate the air layer after blank molding with a structure having a large rigidity effect in a hexagonal embossed type. Improved insulation is thereby implemented.

[0074] Lastly, FIG. 9A illustrates a planar cross-sectional shape of a sandwich panel 10 according to a fifth embodiment of the present disclosure. FIGS. 9B and 9C illustrate cross-sectional shapes taken along the line X4-Y4 of the sandwich panel 10 illustrated in FIG. 9A.

[0075] As illustrated, the sandwich panel 10 according to a fifth embodiment has void portions, which are formed to be bent, i.e., change directions, several times and to be evenly distributed to the entire area between the sheet. The sandwich panel 10 is particularly formed so that both ends of the void portion are opened, i.e., communicate with the outside.

[0076] Therefore, the void portion according to the fifth embodiment forms a cooling channel 23 so that coolant may circulate between the sheets.

[0077] According to a configuration illustrated in FIG. 9A, as described in the second or third embodiment, some of the void portions may be formed with the resin bonding layer 21 and other of the void portions may be formed with the cooling channel 23. Such a configuration does not match the cross-sectional shape illustrated in FIG. 9A. Such a configuration may be implemented by forming both ends of the cooling channel 23 to communicate with the outside and by forming the resin bonding layer 21 separately from the cooling channel 23.

[0078] Alternatively, according to a configuration illustrated in FIG. 9B, as described in the fourth embodiment, the void portion may be formed as the cooling channel 23 and the resin bonding layer 21 may be formed on the wall surface of the cooling channel 23.

[0079] To implement the cooling channel, a structure for preventing leakage may be manufactured by inserting a separate pipe or welding the cooling channel. However, in the case of the fifth embodiment of the present disclosure, both surfaces of the blank formed with the cooling channel are bonded by the plastic injection, thereby manufacturing a simple and integral structure and increasing the degree of freedom of design.

[0080] As described above, the present disclosure includes treating a surface of a sheet, thereby improving bondability, such that it is possible to manufacture a sandwich panel in which a pattern is freely formed. Thus, various void portions may be formed between the sheets.

[0081] As described above, the present disclosure has been described with reference to the drawings but is not limited to the described embodiments. It should be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that the present disclosure may be variously modified and changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, the modified examples or the changed examples should be included in the claims of the present disclosure, and the scope of the present disclosure should be construed based on the appended claims.