Vehicle body component

Abstract

A vehicle body component includes a basic element reinforced with a reinforcing element of fiber-reinforced plastics material. The basic element reinforced with the reinforcing element is a basic element of a pillar of a vehicle body or a roof element. The reinforcing element has a constant thickness or a variable thickness.

Claims

1. A vehicle body component comprising: a basic element; a reinforcing element reinforcing the basic element, the reinforcing element being a fiber-reinforced plastics material and being joined form-fittingly at least in discrete locations to the basic element with at least one friction stir welded joint that joins the reinforcing element directly to a base, a flange, or a flank of the basic element without disturbing any fibers within the reinforcing element, wherein the basic element is a pillar of a vehicle body or a roof element of a vehicle, wherein the reinforcing element is bonded to the basic element by an adhesive layer that extends along the base and the flange of the basic element.

2. The vehicle body component according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer extends along substantially an entire region in which the reinforcing element overlaps the basic element.

3. The vehicle body component according to claim 1, wherein the basic element is selected from the group consisting of a formed metal sheet and a casting.

4. The vehicle body component according to claim 1, wherein the basic element is a steel material.

5. The vehicle body component according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing element is selected from the group consisting of a carbon fiber-reinforced plastics material and a glass fiber-reinforced plastics material.

6. The vehicle body component according to claim 1, wherein an active side of the basic element is flat after friction stir welding.

7. The vehicle body component according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing element is arranged on an inside of the basic element.

8. The vehicle body component according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing element is arranged on an outside of the basic element.

9. The vehicle body component according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing element has a constant thickness.

10. The vehicle body component according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing element has a variable thickness.

11. A vehicle body component comprising: a basic element including a pair of first flanks and a first base that define a generally U-shaped central member; a reinforcing element reinforcing the basic element, the reinforcing element being a fiber-reinforced plastics material and being joined form-fittingly at least in discrete locations to the basic element, the reinforcing element including a pair of second flanks and a second base that define a generally U-shaped reinforcement body nested with the generally U-shape of the central member so that the first base contacts the second base and each first flank contacts one of the second flanks, the reinforcement body joined to the basic element by at least one friction stir welded joint and an adhesive, wherein the basic element is a pillar of a vehicle body or a roof element and is a material selected from the group consisting of steel, aluminum, and magnesium.

12. The vehicle body component according to claim 11, wherein the adhesive bonds the first base to the second base and bonds at least one of: a) the first flanks to the second flanks; and b) a pair of first flanges to a pair of second flanges, wherein the first flanges extend laterally outward from an inboard side of each first flank and the second flanges extend laterally outward from an inboard side of each second flank.

13. The vehicle body component according to claim 11, wherein the second base and the second flanks are nested inside the first base and first flanks of the basic element.

14. The vehicle body component according to claim 11, wherein the first base and the first flanks are nested inside the second base and the second flanks of the reinforcing element.

15. The vehicle body component according to claim 11, wherein the reinforcing element has a constant thickness.

16. The vehicle body component according to claim 11, wherein the reinforcing element has a variable thickness.

17. The vehicle body component according to claim 11, wherein the reinforcing element is selected from the group consisting of a carbon fiber-reinforced plastics material and a glass fiber-reinforced plastics material.

18. A vehicle body component comprising: a basic element comprising a material selected from the group consisting of steel, aluminum, and magnesium, the basic element including a pair of first flanges, a pair of first flanks, and a first base, the first flanks being spaced apart on opposite sides of a longitudinal axis of the basic element, the first base extending laterally between an outboard side of the first flanks to define a generally U-shaped central member, the first flanges extending laterally outward from an inboard side of the first flanks; a reinforcing element comprising a fiber-reinforced plastics material consisting of fibers and a matrix, the reinforcing element including a pair of second flanks and a second base, the second flanks being spaced apart on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the basic element and overlapping corresponding ones of the first flanks, the second base extending laterally between an outboard side of each second flank and overlapping the first base to define a generally U-shaped reinforcement body nested with the U-shaped central member, the reinforcement body being joined to the first base, the first flanges, or the first flanks by at least one friction stir welded joint, the reinforcement body extending longitudinally along a region of the U-shaped central member that is less than an entire longitudinal length of the U-shaped central member and being bonded to the U-shaped central member with an adhesive, wherein the matrix of the reinforcing element is melted at the stir welded joint and the fibers are undamaged.

19. The vehicle body component according to claim 18, wherein the adhesive bonds the first flanks to the second flanks and the first base to the second base.

20. The vehicle body component according to claim 18, wherein the reinforcing element has a variable thickness.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) In order that the disclosure may be well understood, there will now be described various forms thereof, given by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of a vehicle body component comprising a basic element with a reinforcing element in a first configuration constructed in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure;

(3) FIG. 2 shows the vehicle body component of FIG. 1 in a perspective rear view;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a magnified portion of FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 is a front view of a vehicle body component comprising a basic element with a reinforcing element in a second configuration constructed in accordance with the principles of the present disclosure; and

(6) FIG. 5 shows a magnified portion of FIG. 4.

(7) The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features.

(9) Identical parts are always provided in the various figures with the same reference numerals, for which reason they are as a rule described only once.

(10) FIG. 1 shows a vehicle body component 1 comprising a basic element 2 which has been reinforced with a reinforcing element 3. According to the present disclosure, the basic element 2 reinforced with the reinforcing element 3 is a basic element of a pillar, i.e. a B pillar of a vehicle body, wherein the reinforcing element 3 is formed of a fiber-reinforced plastics material, preferably of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics material and in a first form has a constant thickness. The basic element 2 has a constant thickness. The reinforcing element 3 may also be formed from a glass fiber-reinforced plastics material.

(11) The basic element 2 comprises a roof joint region 4 and a sill joint region 6 opposite thereto. The two regions 4 and 6 are by way of example planar in shape as shown. A recess 7 is arranged between the two regions 4 and 6. The recess 7 comprises obliquely extending transitional regions 8 and 9 both at the roof end and at the sill end, these regions each leading into a central region 11. Flanges 12 are arranged laterally on the basic element 2. On both sides of a midline, the flange 12 develops in each case curved in the same orientation into the roof joint region 4 and the sill joint region 6.

(12) The basic element 2 may thus have been formed in a rolling process or in a pressing process from a rolled sheet, or cast as a casting. The basic element 2 may include a light metal or of a steel material.

(13) The reinforcing element 3 is for example arranged in places on the basic element 2. As is apparent, the reinforcing element 3 starts at a distance from the roof joint region 4 and extends towards the sill joint region 6, ending before reaching the latter. By way of example, the reinforcing element 3 extends, when viewed in the longitudinal extent, i.e. in the plane of the drawing, from the top downwards over half of the basic element 2. Thus, the basic element reinforced with the reinforcing element has the target characteristic of the vehicle body component 1, i.e. for example of the B pillar. Of course, the reinforcing element 3 may also cover more or less than illustrated of the basic element 2.

(14) It is significant that the basic element 2 is produced without a special configuration, as known in the case of tailored rolled blanks, but nonetheless has the necessary characteristics for example with regard to rigidity and crash behavior, brought about by means of the reinforcing element 3. In addition, the vehicle body component 1 is lighter than if a tailored rolled blank made from the basic material is formed into the basic element.

(15) The reinforcing element 3 and the basic element 2 are joined in form-fitting manner by refilling friction stir welding. In addition, an additional bonded joint, i.e. an adhesive joint, is also provided in one form of the present disclosure.

(16) The friction stir welded joints 16 are visible for example in FIGS. 2 and 3. As is apparent, these are spaced apart in the manner of spot welded joints. They are only particularly emphasized for reasons of illustration. In principle, the side on which the friction stir welded joints in FIGS. 2 and 3 are apparent is substantially flat after friction stir welding.

(17) The friction stir welded joints 16 are produced with a refilling friction stir welding device, which comprises a pin, a sleeve and a clamping ring. In this case, friction stir welding is carried out in four phases: friction, first pressing, second pressing and withdrawal. The clamping ring holds the basic element in position and hinders, i.e. prevents, material flow during the process. While the pin and the sleeve begin rotation in the same direction, these may move mutually independently in the axial direction. In this case, the pin for example penetrates the material while the sleeve is moved upwards. In this way, a space is formed for the plasticized, i.e. melted material. Once the desired depth has been reached, the pin and sleeve are reversed in the axial direction of movement, such that the sleeve is moved towards the basic element and the pin is withdrawn. In this way, the material collected in the welding crater is transported back, such that a substantially flat, crater-free surface is formed. Penetration depth is such that the fibers are not touched, i.e. destroyed, the frictional heat being sufficient to melt the material of the basic element and also the plastics material. However, a form-fit is produced by the sleeve on the joint sides of the basic element and the reinforcing element facing one another in that a raised portion on the basic element side engages in the molten plastics material of the reinforcing element and remains in this position on cooling of the plastics material. For the purposes of the present disclosure, this form-fitting joint is reinforced still more if a bonded joint, preferably an adhesive joint, is combined therewith. In this case, adhesive is applied to the mutually facing joint faces of the basic element and/or reinforcing element prior to production of the form-fitting joint. The adhesive joint may harden further.

(18) The friction stir welding device acts on an active side 17 of the basic element 2, i.e. preferably on the free side of the basic element 2, by way of example on the respective flange 12, wherein this active, i.e. free side 17, as apparent by way of example in FIGS. 2 and 3, is opposite the reinforcing element 3. By way of example, the friction stir welding device produces the form-fitting joints on the flanges 12. These may however also be arranged additionally or only on the side flanks 18 of the recess 7, and/or on the base 19 of the recess 7. On the side flanks 18, the base and/or the flanges 12 or on the corresponding regions of the reinforcing element 3, adhesives may also be arranged to produce the bonded joint.

(19) The reinforcing element 2 is produced to correspond to the desired target characteristics of the respective B pillar. By way of example, it is embodied to correspond to the recess with its side flanks 18 and its base 19 and to the flanges 12. As is apparent, the reinforcing element 3 is guided into the transitional regions 8 and 9 but not completely conformed to the transitional regions 8 and 9. The reinforcing element 3 terminates with its end edge 21 flush with the end edge 22 of the flange 12 of the basic element 2.

(20) FIG. 4 shows a vehicle body component 23 with a basic element 2 and a reinforcing element 24 in a second configuration. The basic element 2 has a constant thickness, and is embodied identically to the form according to FIGS. 1 to 3 as the basic element of a B pillar.

(21) The reinforcing element 24 is formed of a fiber-reinforced plastics material and has a variable thickness. In this respect, the reinforcing element 24 has a region 13 which is thicker than another region 14. By way of example, only two regions 13 and 14 of different thicknesses are apparent. Of course, more than two regions may also have different thicknesses. Regions may also be provided which are spaced apart but have the same thickness, wherein one or more regions may be arranged therebetween which are thinner or thicker than the respective other regions.

(22) In the exemplary form shown in FIG. 4, the flanges 12 of the basic element 2 are free, i.e. not covered by the reinforcing element 24. The reinforcing element 24 is accordingly, by way of example, merely conformed to the configuration of the recess 7 with the side flanks 18 and the base 19. This may thus also apply to the reinforcing element 3 according to FIGS. 1 to 3.

(23) The reinforcing element 24 may be produced so as to be conformable in its longitudinal extent and with its variable thickness to the desired characteristics. Like the reinforcing element 3, the reinforcing element 24 in its longitudinal extent covers for instance half of the basic element 2. The reinforcing element 24 is inserted into the recess 7 without covering the flanges 12, as already mentioned.

(24) The friction stir welded joints 16 are, by way of example, arranged on the side flanks 18 (FIG. 5), but may also be arranged additionally or solely on the base 19. An additional adhesive joint may also be provided, as already described.

(25) The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the substance of the disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.