Profile Bond

Abstract

A profile assembly produced from a first profile and a second profile connected longitudinally by cold joining. Both profiles bear complementary clamping structures on long sides thereof facing toward one another for cold joining together. The clamping structure of the first profile comprises a clamping head formed on a web and forming an undercut on each side of the web by way of a greater extension in the profile transverse direction in relation to that of the web. The clamping structure of the second profile comprises a clamping head receptacle for accommodating a section of the clamping head and a clinching leg, formed on a profile-exterior leg of the clamping head receptacle, having a first profile arm protruding before cold joining and a second profile arm formed at an angle thereon, the free end of which engages behind the clamping head and, before cold joining, faces toward a clamping pocket of the first profile. The clamping head receptacle is tapered with respect to its open width and/or the clamping head is tapered with respect to its material thickness of the section to be inserted into the clamping head receptacle, wherein the section of the clamping head pressed into the clamping head receptacle is connected to the clamping head receptacle in a metallically sealed manner.

Claims

1. A profile assembly comprising: a first metal profile and a second metal profile longitudinally connected to the first metal profile by cold joining, which two profiles bear complementary clamping structures on sides thereof facing toward one another for cold joining the two profiles, wherein the clamping structure of the first profile comprises a clamping head formed on a web and forming an undercut on both sides of the web by a greater extension in the profile direction in relation to that of the web, wherein the clamping structure of the second profile comprises a clamping head receptacle for accommodating a section of the clamping head of the first profile and a clinching leg formed on a leg of the clamping head receptacle, the clinching leg having a first profile arm protruding before the cold joining and having a second profile arm formed at an angle thereon, the free end of the second profile arm is provided for engaging behind the clamping head and before the cold joining connection faces toward a clamping pocket of the first profile delimited by the web, wherein the clinching leg is formed on the profile-exterior leg of the clamping head receptacle, and the clamping head receptacle is tapered with respect to the design of its open width and/or the clamping head is tapered with respect to the material thickness of the section thereof to be inserted into the clamping head receptacle in the direction toward the bottom of the clamping head receptacle, wherein the section of the clamping head pressed by the second profile arm as a result of the cold joining connection into the clamping head receptacle of the second profile is connected metallically sealed at least in regions to the clamping head receptacle in profile cross section.

2. The profile assembly of claim 1, wherein tapering of the clamping head receptable and/or clamping head is embodied having uniform taper angle.

3. The profile assembly of claim 1, wherein the section of the clamping head of the first profile to be inserted into the clamping head receptacle of the second profile has a material thickness such that after the cold joining, a vertex of the clamping head is spaced apart from the bottom of the clamping head receptacle.

4. The profile assembly of claim 1, wherein the width of the clamping pocket, at least before the cold joining, is greater than the material thickness of the second profile arm of the clinching leg to be introduced therein by the cold joining process, so that in the profile assembly, the vertex of the second profile arm presses against the bottom of the clamping pocket.

5. The profile assembly of claim 1, wherein a wall delimiting the clamping pocket on the profile side is embodied as a positioning surface for introducing the second profile arm into the clamping pocket during the cold joining process.

6. The profile assembly of claim 1, wherein the plane of the maximum extension of the clamping head in the profile transverse direction is located within the continuation of the belts of the two profiles in profile cross section.

7. The profile assembly of claim 1, wherein the center longitudinal plane of the second profile arm of the clinching leg is inclined in relation to the plane of the profile outer side in the direction toward the belt of the second profile.

8. The profile assembly of claim 7, wherein the angle enclosed by the first profile arm and the second profile arm of the clinching leg is smaller in the profile assembly than before the cold joining of the two profiles.

9. The profile assembly of claim 1, wherein the second profile arm of the second profile loosely engages behind the clamping head of the first profile with its free end when the profiles are assembled together before the cold joining.

10. The profile assembly of claim 1, wherein a locking bead is arranged protruding from the outer side of the first profile on the side of the clamping pocket opposite to the clamping head, which locking bead acts during the cold joining connection against the outer side of the clinching leg, forming an undercut, in which the clinching leg engages.

11. The profile assembly of claim 1, wherein both of the two profiles each bear the first clamping structure on one long side thereof and the second clamping structure complementary to the first clamping structure on the opposing long side thereof.

12. The profile assembly of claim 11, wherein the two profiles each comprise an upper belt and a lower belt, and both the upper and lower belts each bear a clamping structure at an end thereof.

13. The profile assembly of claim 12, wherein the two belts are only connected to one another by a profile web or a double web in the region of the ends of the belts bearing the clamping heads.

14. The profile assembly of claim 13, wherein, before the cold joining of the two profiles, a U-shaped receptable of the second profile is equipped with at least one object to be accommodated there, the U-shaped receptacle of the second profile being closed by the profile web of the first profile after cold joining.

15. The profile assembly of claim 14, wherein the object is clamped between the two belts of the second profile by pre-tension acting from the two belts on the object.

16. The profile assembly of claim 13, wherein multiple profiles connected to one another form a battery housing for accommodating battery modules.

17. The profile assembly of claim 14, wherein multiple profiles connected to one another form a battery housing for accommodating battery modules.

18. The profile assembly of claim 15, wherein multiple profiles connected to one another form a battery housing for accommodating battery modules.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The present disclosure is described hereafter on the basis of example embodiments with reference to the appended figures. In the figures:

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a detail view of a profile composite to be produced from a first profile and a second profile,

[0026] FIG. 2 shows the profile composite produced from the two profiles of FIG. 1,

[0027] FIG. 3 shows detail view of a profile composite made of two profiles according to a further design,

[0028] FIG. 4 shows the profiles of the profile composite shown in detail in FIG. 3 before the assembly thereof,

[0029] FIG. 5 shows the illustration of FIG. 4 having the profiles assembled with one another before carrying out the cold joining pressing procedure,

[0030] FIG. 6 shows the two profiles of FIG. 5 after carrying out the cold joining pressing procedure, wherein further identical profiles are attached to these two profiles to form a larger profile composite,

[0031] FIG. 7 shows the profiles of FIG. 1 in a modified design before carrying out the cold joining connection, and

[0032] FIG. 8 shows the profile composite produced from the two profiles of FIG. 7.

[0033] Before further explaining the depicted embodiments, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of the particular arrangements shown, since the present disclosure is capable of other embodiments. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purposes of description and not limitation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] The longitudinal ends of a first profile 1 and a second profile 2 facing toward one another are shown in FIG. 1. The two profiles 1, 2 are produced in the illustrated embodiment from an aluminum alloy, as is well known for such profiles to be connected by a cold joining process. The two profiles 1, 2 are extruded profiles. The first profile bears a clamping head 5 as a clamping structure in extension of its belt 3 recognizable in FIG. 1, the surface 4 of which represents the profile outer side. The clamping head 5 is formed on a web 6, which is in turn formed on a transition section 8 that connects the belt 3 to a protruding profile web 7 facing away from its surface 4. In the profile transverse direction shown in FIG. 1, the clamping head 5 protrudes beyond both sides of the web 6, so that from the viewing direction of the profile outer side, the clamping head 5 is undercut on both sides. The section of the clamping head 5 which protrudes beyond the web 6 in the direction toward the belt 3 forms a clamping pocket 9 together with the web 6 and the outer wall of the transition section 8 between belt 3 and profile web 7. In this case, the web 6 forms the bottom 10 of the clamping pocket 9. The wall at 11 provided by the transition section 8 and delimiting the clamping pocket 9 is curved in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The bottom 10 of the clamping pocket 9 fundamentally faces in the direction toward the second profile 2.

[0035] The second profile 2 bears as a clamping structure a clamping head receptacle 12, in which the section 13 of the clamping head 5 facing toward the second profile 2 engages. The clamping head receptacle 12 is tapered, like the section 13 of the clamping head 5 engaging therein, in the direction toward the second profile 2 or its belt 14. The clamping head receptacle 12 is provided by a forked end section of the second profile 2. A clinching leg identified as a whole by the reference sign 16 is formed on the leg 15 of the second profile 2 on the outer side of the profile with respect to the clamping head receptacle 12. In the illustrated embodiment, a wedge groove 17 is located on the profile inner side at the transition from the leg 15 into the clinching leg 16. A bending zone is provided by this groove. The clinching leg 16 has a first profile arm 18, which is arranged protruding in relation to the leg 15 of the second profile and thus in relation to its outer side 19 before the cold joining procedure. The first profile arm merges into a second profile arm 20 via a connecting section 21, which is embodied as rounded, so that the clinching leg 16 of this embodiment is approximately V-shaped as a result of the inclination of the profile arm 20 in relation to the profile arm 18. The free end of the second profile arm 20 provided by the vertex 22 faces in the direction toward the clamping pocket 9 of the first profile 1. The center longitudinal plane of the second profile arm 20 is identified by the reference sign 23 in FIG. 1. The center longitudinal plane 23 is inclined in relation to the plane of the profile outer side formed by the surface 4, specifically in the direction toward the web 6. The angle of inclination is approximately 75-80 in the illustrated embodiment.

[0036] FIG. 1 shows the two profiles 1, 2 in a preassembled position. To produce the profile composite, they are cold joined, specifically by a pressing method in which a reshaping force, as schematically indicated in FIG. 1 by a tool W and a block arrow, is applied to the transition section 21 of the clinching leg 16. This can be performed, for example, by means of a roller reshaping tool having one or more reshaping steps and thus having one or more rollers. A lower-side support is used as the buttress for this purpose. For the case in which the profile comprises an upper belt and a lower belt which are connected to one another by the above-described web and both belts have identical clamping structures, a second roller reshaping tool of the above-mentioned type is used as the buttress. The location of the force application is in the alignment of the profile web 7 because of the conception of the complementary clamping structures of the two profiles 1, 2. In the case of such a force application, the second profile arm 20 is pressed into the clamping pocket 9 of the first profile, wherein the transition between the first profile arm 18 and the leg 15 is plastically reshaped in the region of the wedge groove 17. If the vertex 22 of the second profile arm 20 reaches the wall 11, which is curved in the direction toward the web 6 and thus in the direction toward the bottom 10, the inclination between the two profile arms 18, 20 or the angle enclosed thereby in the connecting section 21 is also reduced by plastic reshaping. This bending zone is located in the connecting section 21 of the clinching leg 16. The vertex 22 of the second profile arm 20 is displaced by the applied joining force at the wall 11 used as the positioning surface in the direction toward the bottom 10 of the clamping pocket 9. The touch contact between the second profile arm 20 and the bottom 10 in the clamping pocket 9 results before the first profile arm 18 has been brought into the plane of the belt 14. Accordingly, the further cold joining pressing procedure, during which the first profile arm 18 is brought into the plane of the belt 14, results in a movement, which is caused by the deflection at the curved wall 11, of the vertex 22 of the second profile arm 20 in the direction toward the clamping pocket 9. The continuously applied force application results in tightening of the clamping by successive reduction of the angle enclosed by the first profile arm 18 and the second profile arm 20. A movement acting on the web 6 results therefrom, as indicated in FIG. 2 by block arrows, with which the section 13 of the clamping head 5 is pressed into the clamping head receptacle 12 of the second profile 2. Because of the above-described inclination of the contact surfaces between the clamping head receptacle 12 and the section 13 of the clamping head 12, a metallic seal results because of the high surface pressure at the contact regions. The inclination of these contact surfaces is relatively slight, so that in this way a force transmission ratio is provided to apply the desired surface pressure to achieve the metallic seal.

[0037] The profile composite 26 of the two profiles 1, 2 produced by the above-described process is shown in FIG. 2. The surface regions at which a metallic seal has formed are identified in FIG. 2 by the reference signs 24, 24.1. It can be seen clearly that the vertex of the clamping head 5 engaging in the clamping head receptacle 12 has no contact with the bottom of the clamping head receptacle 12.

[0038] In the same manner, the section 25 of the clamping head 5 forming the clamping pocket 9 is also not supported on the inner side of the reshaped connecting section 21 of the clinching leg 16. It may be seen clearly from the illustration of the profile composite of FIG. 2 that a reduction of the angle between the two profile arms 18 and 20 of the clinching leg 16 results in a force coupled into the bottom 10 of the web 6 which, as indicated in FIG. 2 by the block arrow, is oriented in the direction toward the second profile 2. This movement direction corresponds to the movement direction of the section 13 of the clamping head 5 with which it is pressed into the clamping head receptacle 12.

[0039] The profile composite 26 formed from the profiles 1 and 2 comprises an outer side located in a common plane. It is of particular significance that by way of the design of the clinching leg 16 in the profile composite 26, even a tensile stress of the profile composite 26 does not result in a negative effect thereon, therefore the metallic seal 24, 24.1 is maintained. With correspondingly high surface pressure between the vertex 22 of the second profile arm 20 and the bottom 10 of the clamping pocket 9, a metallic seal can also be formed at this point, whereby the sealing is improved once again.

[0040] The provision of a metallic seal between the two profiles 1, 2 is desirable if the profiles 1, 2 are hollow chamber profiles, the interior of which is to be sealed gas-tight in relation to the surroundings.

[0041] FIG. 3 shows a further profile composite 26.1 having a first profile 1.1 and a second profile 2.1, which two profiles 1.1, 2.1 are identically constructed in principle as the profiles 1, 2 of the embodiment described with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2. In the profile composite 26.1, the dimensioning of the clamping leg 16.1 having its first profile arm 18.1 and its second profile arm 20.1 is dimensioned somewhat differently, as is the clamping head 5.1. The profile composite 26.1 is interconnected gas-tight and particularly durably for the same reasons as described for the profile composite 26. The statements on the profile composite 26 of FIGS. 1 and 2 therefore apply similarly to the profile composite 26.1 or its individual profiles 1.1, 2.1, respectively.

[0042] FIG. 4 shows the two profiles 1.1, 2.1, from which the profile composite 26.1 has been produced, in a perspective view and not only having the detail of the lateral end section of its belts 3.1, 14.1 shown in FIG. 3. The profiles 1.1, 2.1 are identical. In addition to the upper belt 3.1, they have a lower belt 27, which are connected to one another by the profile web 7.1. The lower belt 27 therefore also bears a clamping head 5.2 on its side opposite to the clamping head 5.1. At the ends opposite to the clamping heads 5.1, 5.2, the profile 1.1 bears clamping structures as described with reference to the second profile 2.1. However, the two profiles 1.1, 2.1 are only shown in a slice. The longitudinal extension thereof is substantially longer. The length is adapted to the respective intended use. The identical profiles 1.1, 2.1 are U-shaped. An object 28 is inserted into the second profile 2.1 in the U-shaped receptacle, specifically already before the second profile 2.1 has been cold joined with the first profile 1.1. In order that the object 28, which can be a battery module, for example, does not readily fall out of the opening between the two belts 3.1, 27, the object 28 follows, with respect to its outline contour, the taper of the receptacle chamber in the region of the transition from the belt 14.1 (or 3.1) into the fork to form the clamping head receptacle 12.1. Such a preassembly of objects, for example, as with the object 28 in the profile 2.1, is already possible before the joining, since no heat and also no pressure is introduced into the profile receptacle by the joining.

[0043] In a first step, the profiles 1.1, 2.1 are engaged with one another with respect to the clamping structures thereof, as shown in FIG. 5. This position of the two profiles in relation to one another finally corresponds to the position between the two profiles 1, 2 shown in the detail in FIG. 1. This preassembly position can be distinguished in that the second profile arm 20.1 already loosely engages behind the clamping head 5.1, so that assembly is possible utilizing the material-elastic properties and these elements do not readily fall apart again independently. The profile composite 26.1 is produced by applying a pressure force. FIG. 6 shows the two profiles 1.1, 2.1 in the profile composite, wherein further profiles of this type, already equipped with objects, can be attached in the same manner to the profile 2.1. The attachment of these further profiles 2.1 can be performed in a single joining process or in cold joining pressing procedures carried out one after another in succession.

[0044] In this manner, for example, battery enclosures, so-called battery housings for vehicles operated by electric motors, for example, can be produced. The number of the profiles to be connected to one another can be determined depending on the required battery volume.

[0045] FIG. 7 shows two further profiles 1.2, 2.2, which are fundamentally constructed like the profiles 1 and 2 of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2. If not described to the contrary hereafter, the statements on the profiles 1, 2 apply similarly to the profiles 1.2, 2.2 and to the production of the profile composite. The profile 2.2 is identical to the profile 2. The profile 1.2 differs from the profile 1 in that a locking bead 29 is formed on its belt 3.2 in the region of the orifice of the clamping pocket 9.1. This bead protrudes from the outer side of the profile 1.2 and is somewhat inclined in the direction toward the clamping pocket 9.1 or the clamping head 5.3. The protruding height of the locking bead 29 is less than the amount of the protrusion of the clinching leg 16.2 of the second profile 2.2 before the cold joining.

[0046] The profile composite produced from the two profiles 1.2, 2.2 is shown in FIG. 8. As a result of the cold joining method, as is explained for the embodiment of FIGS. 1, 2, the clinching leg 16 has been pressed with its profile arm into the clamping pocket 9.1. The locking bead 29 has also been reshaped by the same joining procedure, so that it presses against the outer side of the clinching leg 16.2 at the completion of the cold joining process, specifically in the region of its connecting section 21.1. The locking bead 29 acts against the outer side behind the leg of the connecting section 21.1, so that the clinching leg 16.2 engages with a section in the undercut formed by the locking bead 29. The clinching leg 16.2 of the second profile 2.2 is fixed in a formfitting manner in the clamping pocket 9.1 by this measure, so that this profile composite also withstands higher bending strains.

[0047] Although multiple identical profiles are connected to one another to form a profile composite, for example, a battery enclosure, in the above-described embodiments, it is obvious that profiles of different designs can also be connected to one another in the same manner.

[0048] The invention has been described on the basis of exemplary embodiments. Without leaving the scope of the applicable claims, numerous further options result for a person skilled in the art for implementing this invention, without these options having to be described in detail in the scope of these statements. While a number of aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations therefore. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims hereinafter introduced are interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations, which are within their true spirit and scope. Each embodiment described herein has numerous equivalents.

[0049] The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the present disclosure claimed. Thus, it should be understood that although the present disclosure has been specifically disclosed by preferred embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those skilled in the art, and that such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of this present disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Whenever a range is given in the specification, all intermediate ranges and subranges, as well as all individual values included in the ranges given are intended to be included in the disclosure. When a Markush group or other grouping is used herein, all individual members of the group and all combinations and sub-combinations possible of the group are intended to be individually included in the disclosure.

[0050] In general, the terms and phrases used herein have their art-recognized meaning, which can be found by reference to standard texts, journal references and contexts known to those skilled in the art. The above definitions are provided to clarify their specific use in the context of the present disclosure.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0051] 1, 1.1, 1.2 first profile [0052] 2, 2.1, 2.2 second profile [0053] 3, 3.1, 3.2 belt [0054] 4 surface [0055] 5, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 clamping head [0056] 6 web [0057] 7, 7.1 profile web [0058] 8 transition section [0059] 9, 9.1 clamping pocket [0060] 10 bottom [0061] 11 wall [0062] 12, 12.1 clamping head receptacle [0063] 13 section [0064] 14, 14.1 belt [0065] 15 leg [0066] 16, 16.1, 16.2 clinching leg [0067] 17 wedge groove [0068] 18, 18.1 profile arm [0069] 19 outer side [0070] 20, 20.1 profile arm [0071] 21, 21.1 connecting section [0072] 22 vertex [0073] 23 center longitudinal plane [0074] 24, 24.1 metallic seal [0075] 25 section [0076] 26, 26.1 profile bond, composite or assembly [0077] 27 bottom belt [0078] 28 object [0079] 29 locking bead [0080] W tool