REINFORCING ELEMENT, SYSTEM OF A REINFORCED STRUCTURAL ELEMENT AND METHOD FOR REINFORCING A STRUCTURAL ELEMENT

Abstract

A reinforcing element for reinforcing structural elements including at least one channel on an outer side. The outer side forms a shoulder next to the channel. Furthermore, the reinforcing element is provided for forming an open system in terms of an adhesion of the reinforcing element in the structural element, wherein, in a use state of the reinforcing element in the structural element, a space is formed between the shoulder of the reinforcing element and the structural element, which is open relative to an adjacent cavity of the structural element.

Claims

1. A system of a reinforced structural element, the system comprising: a structural element having a cavity; a reinforcing element which is disposed in the cavity of the structural element and which has at least one channel on an outside of the reinforcing element, the outside of the reinforcing element forming shoulder alongside the channel; and an adhesive, which is disposed at least partly in the channel and at least partly on the shoulder and bonds the reinforcing element to the structural element, wherein a joining region directly adjoining the shoulder, of the outside of the reinforcing element is free of adhesive, wherein a first space between shoulder and structural element and a second space between joining region and structural element are open to one another.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a spacing between shoulder and structural element is between 0.5 and 5 mm.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reinforcing has at least one channel on an outside, the outside of the reinforcing element forming, alongside the channel, a shoulder, and the reinforcing element is configured to be disposed in the structural element and form an open system with the structural element during adhesive bonding, and form a space between the shoulder of the reinforcing element and the structural element, the space being open in relation to a bordering cavity of the structural element.

4. A method for reinforcing a structural element, the method comprising the steps of: providing a structural element having a cavity; disposing a reinforcing element in the cavity of the structural element, the reinforcing element having at least one channel on an outside of the reinforcing element, and the outside of the reinforcing element forming a shoulder alongside the channel; introducing an adhesive into the channel; and spreading the adhesive at least partly in the channel and at least partly on the shoulder for bonding the reinforcing element to the structural element, wherein the spreading of the adhesive is stopped on the shoulder.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one of (i) the spreading of the adhesive on the shoulder is stopped by solidification of the adhesive on the shoulder, and (ii) the method comprises the step of curing the adhesive by application of a temperature of at least 120° C.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one of (i) the adhesive, on introduction into the channel, is conveyed by a pump from an adhesive tank, (ii) the adhesive on introduction into the channel is conveyed through a filling opening in the structural element, and (iii) the adhesive on introduction into the channel is conveyed through a filling opening and a line in the reinforcing element.

Description

[0083] Details and advantages of the invention are described below using exemplary embodiments and with reference to schematic drawings. The following are shown:

[0084] FIG. 1 an exemplary representation of a prior-art vehicle body;

[0085] FIGS. 2a and 2b a schematic representation of an exemplary reinforcing element in a prior-art structural element;

[0086] FIGS. 3a to 3c schematic representation of an exemplary reinforcing element;

[0087] FIGS. 4a to 4d schematic representation of a cross section of an exemplary reinforcing element in a structural element;

[0088] FIGS. 5a to 5c schematic representation of an exemplary introduction of an adhesive into the intermediate space between reinforcing element and structural element; and

[0089] FIG. 6 a schematic representation of an introduction facility.

[0090] FIGS. 3a to 3c represent various embodiments of an exemplary reinforcing element 16. Each such reinforcing element 16 has a longitudinal axis 21. At least one channel 3 is disposed on an outside of the reinforcing element 16. Moreover, the reinforcing element 16 in each case has a shoulder 6 alongside the channel 3, with a joining region 15 disposed directly bordering the shoulder 6. The shoulder 6 and the joining region 15 may lie in the same plane A, as shown in FIG. 3a.

[0091] The exemplary reinforcing element in FIG. 3a has a channel 3 which goes completely around the reinforcing element 16 and which is self-contained. In this exemplary embodiment, moreover, the channel 3 is disposed transversely to the longitudinal axis 21 of the reinforcing element 16.

[0092] In the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3a, the reinforcing element has two channels 3, each of which go completely around the reinforcing element 16. Moreover, the two circulating channels 3 are connected to one another by side channels.

[0093] The exemplary embodiment of a reinforcing element 16 represented in FIG. 3c likewise has a channel 3 which goes completely around the reinforcing element 16. In contrast to the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 3a, the circulating channel 3 in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 3c additionally has side channels on each longitudinal side of the reinforcing element 16, in order to be able to distribute the adhesive more widely on the reinforcing element 16.

[0094] FIGS. 4a to 4d represent various embodiments of filling openings 2 and channels 3 of an open system 100. These figures show in each case a detail from a cross section through a structural element 12, 14 and a reinforcing element 16 disposed therein.

[0095] In FIG. 4a, the channel 3 is configured with a rectangular cross section. In this exemplary embodiment, the filling opening 2 is disposed in the structural element 12, 14 for filling the channel 3 with adhesive.

[0096] The drawing in FIG. 4a, moreover, shows the directions along which measurements are made in each case of a channel width 17, a channel depth 18, a filling opening 2 diameter 22, a spacing 9 between shoulder 6 and structural element 12, 14, and a shoulder width 26.

[0097] In this case the shoulder 6 is configured directly adjoining the channel 3, and the joining region 15 having a width 32 is in turn configured directly adjoining the shoulder 6.

[0098] FIG. 4b represents a further embodiment in relation to the filling opening 2 and the channel 3. In this exemplary embodiment, and in contradistinction to the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 4a, the filling opening 2 is provided in the channel 3. In this case a line 4 leads through an interior of the reinforcing element 16 and to the filling opening 2, in order to guide the adhesive (not shown) from a filling opening in the reinforcing element (not shown) into the channel 3. This line 4 has a diameter 23. Again, the channel 3 is configured with a rectangular cross section. Disposed directly adjoining the channel 3 is the shoulder 6, and disposed adjoining the shoulder 6 is the joining region 15.

[0099] FIGS. 4c and 4d represent further exemplary embodiments. The channel 3 in FIG. 4c has a semicircular or U-shaped cross section. The channel 3 in FIG. 4d has an angular or V-shaped cross section. In these exemplary embodiments, moreover, there is again a filling opening 2 disposed in the structural element 12, 14, for the filling of the channel 3 with adhesive.

[0100] FIGS. 5a to 5c represent an exemplary process of introducing the adhesive 8 into an intermediate space between reinforcing element 16 and structural element 12, 14 having a cavity 31. FIG. 5a shows a situation shortly after commencement of the introduction with adhesive 8. The drawing in FIG. 5a, moreover, shows the direction along which measurement is made in a channel length 19. FIG. 5b shows a situation in which the adhesive 8, which has already been introduced, is spreading primarily along the channel 3, and in which at the same time new adhesive 8 is being continually introduced. FIG. 5c, finally, shows a situation in which the adhesive 8 has all been introduced into the intermediate space, and the reinforcing element 16 is bonded in the manner envisaged to the structural element 12, 14.

[0101] The adhesive 8 is introduced into the channel 3 through a filling opening 2. The liquid adhesive 8 spreads primarily in the direction of the channel 3 and flows at least partly onto the shoulder 6 of the reinforcing element 16. Because the spacing between shoulder 6 and structural element 12, 14 is smaller than the spacing between a base of the channel 3 and the structural element 12, 14, the adhesive 8 in the region of the shoulder 6 cools quicker than in the region of the channel 3, and, as a consequence of this cooling, solidifies in the region of the shoulder 6. This results in a self-sealing function of the adhesive 8 in the region of the shoulder 6. The system here is configured such that the adhesive 8 does not flow over the region of the shoulder 6, and so the joining region 15 remains free of adhesive 8.

[0102] In this exemplary embodiment, moreover, an inspection opening 5 is provided, which allows examination of the progress of the spreading of the adhesive 8 in the intermediate region between reinforcing element 16 and structural element 12, 14.

[0103] In FIGS. 5a and 5b, the adhesive 8 has not yet spread to the inspection opening 5. FIG. 5c, in contrast, shows a situation in which the adhesive 8 fills the intermediate space between reinforcing element 16 and structural element 12, 14 in the intended way, and reaches the inspection opening 5.

[0104] FIG. 6 represents a facility for introducing the adhesive into the intermediate region between structural element 12, 14 and reinforcing element (not visible in this representation). Here, a pump 25 conveys adhesive from an adhesive tank 24 through a filling opening 2 in the structural element 12, 14 into the intermediate region between structural element and reinforcing element. To verify the progress of distribution of the adhesive in this intermediate region, an inspection opening 5 is provided in the structural element 12, 14.