VEHICLE DOOR AND PRODUCTION OF THE SAME

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle door which comprises at least one support part of plastics material and at least two frame parts, wherein the frame parts are connected to one another by way of connection nodes, wherein the connection nodes are able to be produced by insert-moulding, wherein the support part of the same plastics material is simultaneously linked to the connection node.

Claims

1. A vehicle door, comprising: at least one support part of a plastic material and having at least two frame parts, wherein the frame parts are connected to one another by way of at least one connection node, wherein the connection node is constructed from at least two metal tubes and at least one insert which is plugged into the metal tubes and has at least one recess, wherein the metal tubes collapse toward the at least one recess of the at least one insert during an insert moulding process.

2. The vehicle door according to claim 1, wherein the at least one insert has two or more legs each for being plugged into one of the metal tubes.

3. The vehicle door according to claim 2, wherein an angle between the legs is between 180° and 30°.

4. The vehicle door according to claim 1, wherein the insert-moulding process of the connection node also includes insert-moulding of the support part.

5. A method for producing a vehicle door according to claim 1, said method comprising the following steps: placing the at least one insert into the metal tubes; inserting the frame parts with inserts at the connection nodes into an injection-moulding tool; insert-moulding the connection nodes, wherein each of the metals tubes are formed in such a manner that each of said metal tubes have a shape which is adapted to the insert; and simultaneously injection-moulding the support part while insert-moulding the connection nodes.

Description

DRAWINGS

[0029] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0030] In the drawings:

[0031] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary tailgate;

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a schematic vehicle door;

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a schematic sectional illustration of an exemplary connection;

[0034] FIGS. 4 and 5 show a tube-to-tube connection using an injection-moulding tool; and

[0035] FIG. 6 shows a variant of a corner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0036] The main components of a vehicle door 1, of a tailgate, are illustrated in FIG. 1. A support 2 part which is produced from fibre-reinforced plastics materials serves as the base of the vehicle door. The reinforcing frame 3 is either a closed shape or else a non-closed, arbitrary shape of metal or plastics materials. The cladding parts 4 are connected to the support part 2. Reinforcement elements 5 which in this exemplary embodiment are produced from metal are provided for reinforcing the vehicle door 1, i.e. the tail gate.

[0037] Such a frame 3 in the solution according to the invention is produced from individual frame parts 3a, 3b by way of connection nodes 6. Two frame parts 3a and 3b of the frame 3 are present in the example illustrated; a construction from a multiplicity of frame parts is however also possible. In the method for producing a fixed connection, the frame parts which are composed of metal tubes are provided with a metallic insert; this will be described in yet more detail by means of FIG. 3.

[0038] A schematic side door 1′ having the frame 3 thereof is illustrated in FIG. 2. Such a side door has an inner cladding which is of plastics material and which is connected to the frame and the outer skin of the side door. In addition to the embodiment of the tail gate, this frame 3 for side-impact protection also contains reinforcement elements which are configured as frame parts 3c. The metallic frame parts of the frame 3 are connected at the connection nodes 6.

[0039] A connection node 6 on a metal tube 10 is shown in FIG. 3, specifically after the connection using the injection-moulding method according to DE 10 2019 121 725 A1 has already been completed. The metal tube 10 is a commercially available metal tube which can first be brought to the desired shape and/or the desired cross section. In this example shown, an insert 40 is connected to the metal tube 10, said insert 40 in this example being a shaft of metal. It is important herein that the insert 40 has a structure having a recess 41 which in the radius is offset toward the inside and which serves as an undercut region H in the subsequent connection process. The insert 40 has an external diameter which corresponds to approximately the internal diameter of the metal tube. The insert at one side or at both sides moreover terminates in a cylindrical region which serves for facilitating the introduction of the insert into the metal tube. In the connection of two metal tubes as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the insert 40 serves as an internal guide for and for positioning the two metal tubes which both terminate in a butt joint.

[0040] Such an insert 40 herein has recesses 41 which serve in each case for fastening one of the two metal tubes 10. The recesses 41 are distributed radially on the insert 40; for example, these are four recesses 41 which are distributed uniformly across the radius.

[0041] The insert 40 shown in FIG. 6 is composed of an L-shaped component and on both legs thereof has recesses 41 which are disposed so as to be mutually perpendicular.

[0042] The metal tubes 10 as the frame 3 are inserted into the injection-moulding tool for the support part of the tail gate 1 or the internal cladding of the vehicle door 1′, so as to be loosely connected by way of the insert 40.

[0043] In order for the connection node 6 between the individual metal tubes 10 to be configured, the injection-moulding tool 50a, 50b has a structure which is adapted and corresponds to the shape 20 of the connection node 6 to be produced.

[0044] An injection-moulding tool of which the components are disposed above and below the metal tubes is indicated in FIG. 4. The injection-moulding tool is shaped for the support part and additionally for the configuration of the connection nodes.

[0045] During the injection-moulding process for the support part 2 or the inner cladding, each metal tube 10 at the connection node 6 is formed by the injection pressure in such a manner that said metal tube 10 has a shape which is adapted to the insert 40. The forming of the metal tube 10 takes place by the pressure of the injection-moulding process, said pressure being between 300 bar and 600 bar. On account of the pressure, the metal tube at the recesses 41 of the insert is indented in the direction of the centre of the tube, wherein the plastics material configures a sleeve-type shape 20. In order for this pressure to be achieved at the connection nodes, the plastics material has to be injected into the tool at the connection nodes.

[0046] The taper 11 of the metal tube 10 that is created in the region of the recesses 41 of the insert 40 is illustrated in FIG. 3 or 5. On account of the pressure of the injected plastics material, the metal tube 10 collapses in the direction towards the insert 40.

[0047] The sleeve, or shape 20, respectively, formed by the insert-moulding engages in the recesses 41 in such a manner that the taper 11 in the axial direction A forms an undercut for the plastics material.

[0048] The support part 2 is connected to the connection node 6 by way of the undercut region H.

[0049] FIG. 6 shows a corner connection in which the insert has an L-shaped form. The recesses of the insert are schematically illustrated. Said recesses are mutually perpendicular and axially offset. The regions 12 of the metal tube in the injection-moulding procedure collapse in the direction towards the insert.

[0050] Connection nodes for a plurality of metal tubes are likewise implementable. The insert here in this instance has to be formed in a corresponding manner.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0051] 1 Vehicle door [0052] 2 Support part [0053] 3 Frame [0054] 3a, 3b, 3c Frame parts [0055] 4 Cladding parts [0056] 5 Reinforcement elements [0057] 6 Connection nodes [0058] 10 Metal tube [0059] 11 Taper [0060] 12 Region of the metal tube [0061] 20 Shape [0062] 40 Insert [0063] 41 Recess [0064] 50a, 50b Injection-moulding tool [0065] H Undercut region