Method for mounting a fiber composite component in the flow of force of a clamp connection

Abstract

A method is provided for mounting a fiber composite component in the force flow of a clamping connection. The fiber composite material is heated and locally compressed in a mounting region such that the fiber composite material sets by a predefined measure. The fiber composite component is then clamped in the mounting region.

Claims

1. A method for mounting a fiber composite component in a force flow of a clamping connection, the method comprising the acts of: heating the fiber composite component; locally compressing the heated fiber composite component in an assembly region such that the fiber composite component has a reduced thickness in the assembly region of the fiber composite component to produce in the assembly region an accelerated settlement operation in which the reduced thickness corresponds to a natural settlement operation without prior compressing and heating; introducing a first through-opening into the fiber composite component in the assembly region; and clamping the fiber composite component in the assembly region to a component by a securing device disposed through the first through-opening of the fiber composite component and a second through-opening of the component.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fiber composite component is clamped for compression between a die with a pressing face which corresponds to the assembly region and a retention member counter-face.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the die and/or the retention member counter-face are heated.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the assembly region is heated by a current flow and/or prior to the compression by heating in an oven.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein a temperature of the die and/or the retention member counter-face during the compression is from 80 C. to 250 C.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein a temperature of the die and/or the retention member counter-face during the compression is 100 C.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a temperature of the fiber composite component during the compression is from 80 C. to 250 C.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein a temperature of the fiber composite component during the compression is 100 C.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the compression is carried out with a surface pressure of from 20 to 140 MPa.

10. The method according to claim 5, wherein the compression is carried out with a surface pressure of from 20 to 140 MPa.

11. The method according to claim 7, wherein the compression is carried out with a surface pressure of from 20 to 140 MPa.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein a duration of the compression is from 1 to 5 minutes.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein a duration of the compression is 3 minutes.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein a duration of the compression is 3 minutes.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein a duration of the compression is 3 minutes.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the fiber composite component is a fiber-reinforced plastics material.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic sectioned view of a fiber composite component clamped between a die and a retention member counter-face before a first step of the method according to the invention is carried out; and

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic sectioned view of a clamping connection with a fiber composite component in a second step of a method according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(3) The drawings are not to scale.

(4) In order to be able to connect a fiber composite component 10, for example, a carbon fiber reinforced plastics material, to another component 12 in a clamping connection 14 (see FIG. 2), without the pretensioning force applied as a result of the clamping connection 14 decreasing excessively as a result of a settlement of the fiber composite, the fiber composite component 10 is pre-treated in a first method step before the clamping connection 14 is produced.

(5) As shown in FIG. 1, to this end the fiber composite component 10 is clamped in a device between a retention member counter-face 16 and a die 18, wherein the die 18 has at the end thereof directed toward the component 10 a pressing face 20. The pressing face 20 corresponds in terms of shape and size to a subsequent assembly region 22.

(6) There is applied between the die 18 and the retention member counter-face 16, a predetermined fixed surface pressure force P which produces, for example, a pressure between 20 and 140 MPa. Preferably, the surface pressure force P applied is equal to or greater than the pretensioning force subsequently applied by the clamping connection.

(7) The pressure applied is maintained for some time, for example, approximately 3 minutes.

(8) At the same time, in order to apply the surface pressure force P, the die 18 is heated in this case, in particular in the region of the pressing face 20 by way of a heating device 24 which determines a predetermined heating temperature T.

(9) In this example, the retention member counter-face 16 in the region of the assembly region 22 is also further heated to the same temperature T at the same time. However, it would also be possible to heat only the die 18 or only the retention member counter-face 16.

(10) The temperature T of the die 18 and/or the retention member counter-face 16 may, for example, be approximately 100 C., wherein the component 10 is also heated to a temperature of approximately 100 C. in this case.

(11) It is also possible to heat the assembly region 22 in another manner, for example, before the introduction into the device in an external oven or, with an electrically conductive fiber composite, by means of current flow.

(12) As a result of the action of pressure and temperature, the fiber composite component 10 settles below the pressing face 20 of the die 18 so that the thickness of the component 10 in the assembly region 22 is reduced. This is indicated in FIG. 2.

(13) The pressure, time and temperature during the pressing operation are intended to be adapted to each other for the respective component at the discretion of the person skilled in the art. It is thus possible, for example, to reduce the surface pressure when a higher temperature is used in the assembly region.

(14) After the heating and pressing operation has been completed, the component 10 is removed from the device and can now be further processed.

(15) FIG. 2 shows an example of a clamping connection 14. Here, a screw/nut connection is provided between the pre-treated fiber composite component 10 and the additional component 12, wherein the individual components are illustrated spaced apart for reasons of clarity.

(16) The component 10 has, in this instance, in the assembly region 22 a through-opening 26 through which the screw engages.

(17) As a result of the screw head and as a result of the nut, a clamping force is applied in the assembly region 22 which has already been compressed by the previous settlement operation.

(18) After the clamping connection 14 has been tightened, the pretensioning force applied is substantially maintained since, in the assembly region 22, the settlement process of the fiber composite is already substantially terminated and consequently with the action of the pretensioning force only an insignificant change of thickness is brought about.

(19) In a possible variant, the clamping connection 14 is also used to carry out the accelerated settlement process by the assembly region 22 first being heated in an appropriate manner and the clamping connection 14 being tightened. After the fiber composite has settled to the desired extent and the component has cooled again, the clamping connection 14 is tightened with the definitive clamping force.

(20) The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.