FRONT WALL FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A front wall for a motor vehicle, which has a partition wall to an engine compartment located at the front in the longitudinal direction (x) of the motor vehicle, wherein the partition wall is oriented in the installed state in the vertical direction (z) of the motor vehicle and, connected to it in one piece, has a front region of a footwell metal sheet, wherein the footwell metal sheet runs at least in portions in the longitudinal direction (x) of the motor vehicle, the front wall being produced as a one-piece sheet-metal forming component, in particular in a single press stroke, characterized in that the footwell metal sheet has a greater wall thickness and/or tensile strength than the partition wall.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A front wall for a motor vehicle, the front wall comprising: a partition wall to an engine compartment located at a front in a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, wherein the partition wall, in an installed state, is oriented in a vertical direction of the motor vehicle; and a footwell metal sheet, wherein the footwell metal sheet is oriented at least in portions in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, and a front region of the footwell metal sheet is connected to the partition wall in one piece, wherein the front wall is a one-piece sheet-metal forming component formed in a single press stroke, wherein the footwell metal sheet has at least one of a greater wall thickness or a greater tensile strength than the partition wall, wherein the front wall has a high-strength region which has a tensile strength greater than or equal to 1350 MPa, and a soft region which has a tensile strength of less than 1000 MPa, wherein a bead extending in a transverse direction of the motor vehicle comprises a transition between the partition wall and the footwell metal sheet, and wherein the bead is formed in a cross section in at least one of the longitudinal direction (x) or the vertical direction of the motor vehicle.

15. The front wall according to claim 14, wherein as the one-piece sheet-metal forming component is a hot-formed and press-cured component.

16. The front wall according to claim 14, wherein a region of the front wall has at least one of a forming geometry integrated in the region, an increased material thickness or a higher strength, such that the region is configured to function as a cross member.

17. The front wall according to claim 14, wherein a region of the front wall has at least one of a forming geometry integrated in the region, an increased material thickness or a higher strength such that the region is configured to function as a longitudinal member.

18. The front wall according to claim 14, wherein the soft regions re has a tensile strength of less than 850 MPa.

19. The front wall according to claim 14, further comprising: a reinforcing patch applied in a region of the bead that extends in the transverse direction, a central or outer longitudinal bead of the front wall, or a wheel arch of the front wall.

20. The front wall according to claim 14, wherein the bead has a bead depth which corresponds to at least five times a wall thickness of a sheet-metal blank.

21. The front wall according to claim 14, wherein the tensile strength in a region of the bead is greater than 1,180 MPa.

22. The front wall according to claim 14, further comprising: a patchwork metal sheet attached in a region of the bead, wherein the tensile strength in this region is greater than 980 MPa.

23. The front wall according to claim 14, wherein the footwell metal sheet is curved along multiple axes or in three dimensions on an outer side thereof in the transverse direction of the motor vehicle such that a wheel arch is formed at least in portions.

24. The front wall according to claim 14, wherein outer regions of the footwell metal sheet comprise a soft zone, with a tensile strength of less than 980 MPa, wherein and the outer regions have a width of less than 100 mm in the transverse direction of the motor vehicle.

25. The front wall according to claim 14, wherein the one-piece sheet-metal forming component comprises a coated steel component produced from a precoated steel alloy, wherein a precoating of the precoated steel alloy is an AlSi coating, with a layer thickness between 15 and 40 m.

26. The front wall according to claim 14, wherein the footwell metal sheet has a central tunnel with at least one central longitudinal bead and configuring a front longitudinal portion of a transmission tunnel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Further advantages, features, characteristics and aspects of the present disclosure are the subject of the following description. Various embodiments are illustrated in schematic figures. These serve to facilitate an understanding of the present disclosure. In:

[0023] FIG. 1 shows a front wall according to at least one embodiment,

[0024] FIG. 2 shows a plan view and a cross-sectional view of the front wall at least one embodiment,

[0025] FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment variant to FIG. 2,

[0026] FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment variant,

[0027] FIG. 5 shows a schematic embodiment variant of the front wall.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The same reference numerals are used in the figures for the same and similar components and also when a repeated description is omitted for reasons of simplification.

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a front wall 1 according to the present disclosure. This has a partition 2 that is oriented upwards in the vertical direction of the motor vehicle and a front section of a footwell metal sheet 3 that is arranged below in the vertical direction of the motor vehicle. According to the present disclosure, the partition 2 and footwell metal sheet 3 are one piece. In a central portion, a front longitudinal portion of a transmission tunnel 4 is formed in the footwell metal sheet 3. On the respective outer sides, partially spherical portions are formed in the footwell metal sheet 3. A wheel arch 5 is able to be arranged here. However, these outer portions, with respect to the transverse direction y of the motor vehicle, are able to be formed as a door sill connection.

[0030] In at least one embodiment, a bead 6 is formed between the partition 2 and the footwell metal sheet 3. The bead 6 extends over the entire width of the front wall 1. The bead is oriented in the transverse direction of the motor vehicle y. The bead 6 then has a deformation in cross section which is oriented in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle x and/or the vertical direction of the motor vehicle z, as shown for example in the figures below. A bulge of a U-shaped bead 6 is arranged oriented in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle x.

[0031] FIG. 2 shows a plan view and a cross-sectional view of the front wall 1. The partition wall 2 arranged at the top in the vertical direction of the motor vehicle is oriented vertically in the motor vehicle. The part of the footwell metal sheet 3 located below the footwell metal sheet 3 is slightly curved and oriented in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle x or, with reference to the direction of travel of the motor vehicle, is oriented against the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle x. A bead 6 is formed between the two components. The bead 6 is U-shaped in cross-section. In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, a depth 7 of the bead 6 is more than five times the wall thickness 8. The bead 6 is formed with a depth 7 larger than 30 mm, or larger than 40 mm. However, the bead 6 should not be designed with a depth 7 exceeding 200 mm.

[0032] In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, outer regions in the form of wheel arch connections are formed on the footwell metal sheet 3. The outer regions have a width 9 that is less than 100 mm.

[0033] FIG. 3 shows an alternative embodiment to FIG. 2. In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, a bead 10 located on the partition wall 2 in the direction of the vehicle vertical z is also molded in. This upper bead 10 is able to additionally reinforce or function as a lower window frame cross member of a window frame or roof support to be connected. This increases rigidity, for example, in the transverse direction of the vehicle.

[0034] FIG. 4 shows an alternative embodiment variant. Here, a component patch is molded in. The component patch is molded in the region of a central region of the footwell metal sheet 3. In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, longitudinal beads 11 are formed into the footwell metal sheet 3, which are able to serve for additional stiffening. The longitudinal beads 11, designed as an island, are able to be designed as continuous beads up to the lower edge of the footwell metal sheet 3. These are able to form a load path with further subsequently coupled longitudinal members.

[0035] FIG. 5 shows a schematic embodiment variant of the front wall 1. Here, regions are shown in the upper partition wall 2 and the lower footwell metal sheet 3, which are identified by a respective wall thickness 8 and/or strength. In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the wall thickness 8 of the footwell metal sheet 3 is greater than the wall thickness 8 of the partition wall 2. The respective strength ranges, which also vary in the transverse direction of the motor vehicle, are characterized in each case as strong or less strong. Less strong, according to the present disclosure, means 500 MPa to 1,000 MPa tensile strength. Strong means exceeding 1,000 MPa tensile strength. The schematic overview according to FIG. 5 is able to be applied to all embodiment variants of the present disclosure, for example, combined with the aforementioned exemplary embodiments of the bead 10. For manufacturing, a sheet metal blank or component blank is able to be used for production, which is produced as a tailor welded blank, i.e., a welded component, but which is also formed as a tailor rolled blank, i.e., a rolled blank. The entire front wall 1 with partition wall 2 and footwell metal sheet 3 is then formed in a press into a one-piece component.

[0036] The steel grades used are able to be used subsequently as examples and for all variants of present disclosure. In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, different steel grades are able to be combined with each other in a tailored welded blank. The table shows the corresponding strength ranges for hard or soft regions or solid or ductile regions. All alloy components are given in percent by weight, with the respective curable steel alloy then being added to the residual iron and impurities caused by melting.

TABLE-US-00001 1 TWB-Ab chnitt C Si Mn P S Al B Cr 2 us min max min max min max min max min max min max min max min max 3 > 0.19 0.25 0.1 0.4 1.1 1.4 0.02 0.005 0 0.06 0.001 0.005 0.3 1350 MPa 4 0.2 0.23 0.2 0.3 1.1 1.4 0.02 0.006 0 0.06 0.002 0.004 0.1 0.3 1500 MPa 5 > 0.31 0.37 0.1 0.6 1 1.5 0.025 0.02 0.1 0.001 0.004 0.06 0.35 1750 MPa 6 0.33 0.35 0.15 0.35 1 1.5 0.025 0.015 0.01 0.08 0.001 0.004 0.06 0.5-Mo 1300 MPa 7 > 0.06 0.13 0.7 1.9 0.05 0.05 0.1 0.003 0.15 450 MPa 8 0.07 0.11 0.02 0.6 1.2 1.8 0.03 0.01 0.01 0.07 0.0007 0.002 0.15 -1000 MPa 1 TWB-Ab chnitt Cu N Nb Ni Ti V Mo 2 us min max min max min max min max min max min max min max 3 > 0.1 0.05-Ti 0.1 0.02 0.01 0.1 0.35 1350 MPa 4 0.1 0.01 0.05-Ti 0.1 0.02 0.02 0.05 0.01 0.35 1500 MPa 5 > 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.002 0.05 0.35 1750 MPa 6 0.2 0.2 0.01 0.05 0.2 0.005 0.015 0.01 0.5-Cr 1300 MPa 7 > 0.2 0.2 0.1 1.2 0.1 0.1 450 MPa 8 0.2 0.2 0.04 0.1 0.03 0.2 0.1 0.1 -1000 MPa indicates data missing or illegible when filed
The foregoing description of some embodiments of the disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. The description is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The specifically described embodiments explain the principles and practical applications to enable one ordinarily skilled in the art to utilize various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Various changes, substitutions and alterations are able to be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.