Functionalised and Sealed Part

Abstract

A component comprising a sheet-like reinforcing component having a first stiffness and a sheet-like attachment made of an attachment material having a second stiffness, wherein the first stiffness is higher than the second stiffness, wherein the planar reinforcing component has an upper and lower side and the attachment is connected at least to the upper or lower side of the planar reinforcing component in a first partial area of the planar reinforcing component.

Claims

1. A component suitable for a front end module support, a seat structure, a door system, a fuel tank housing, a vehicle underbody structure, an underride guard, a structural component for battery systems or a battery housing, the component comprising a sheet-like reinforcing component having a first stiffness and at least one sheet-like attachment made of an attachment material having a second stiffness, the first stiffness being higher than the second stiffness, wherein the planar reinforcing component has an upper and lower side and the attachment is connected at least to the upper or lower side of the planar reinforcing component in a first partial area of the planar reinforcing component.

2. Component according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing component is a plastic, a fiber composite of thermoplastic or thermosetting type, a metal plate or a wooden plate.

3. Component according to claim 1, wherein the edge material is an injection molding material of thermoplastic type, or an impact extrusion material of thermoplastic or thermosetting type.

4. Component according to claim 1, wherein the sheet-like reinforcing component has at least one aperture from the upper side to the lower side of the sheet-like reinforcing component, the at least one sheet-like attachment covering the at least one aperture.

5. Component according to claim 4, wherein the at least one flat attachment has an extension which is connected by a material bond and fills the at least one opening.

6. Component according to claim 4, wherein the length of the overlapping area of the at least one sheet-like attachment with the sheet-like reinforcing component is at least 2.0 times, 2.5 times, 3.0 times, 3.5 times, or 4.0 times the wall thickness of the sheet-like reinforcing component.

7. Component according to claim 4, wherein the length of the overlap region of the at least one sheet-like attachment with the sheet-like reinforcing component is at least 2.5 times, 3.0 times, 3.5 times, 4.0 times, or 4.5 times the diameter of the at least one aperture.

8. Component according to claim 1, wherein the at least one attachment has a channel which is connected by a material bond, connects the attachment to the edge of the sheet-like reinforcing component and is applied to a second subregion of the sheet-like reinforcing component.

9. Component according to claim 8, wherein the channel is bifurcated at least once and the partial channel of each bifurcation is connected to a different attachment in each case.

10. Component according to claim 1, wherein the height of the at least one attachment is 0.5 to 1.5 times the wall thickness of the flat reinforcing component.

11. Component according to claim 1, wherein the component comprises a sheet-like edge material, wherein the composition of the sheet-like edge material corresponds to the composition of the attachment material, wherein the reinforcing component has a first end on a first narrow side and the edge material has a second end divided into two strips on a second narrow side, and the two strips of the second end enclose the first end on both sides in an enclosing region (U).

12. Component according to claim 1, wherein the component comprises at least two attachments and at least one of the at least two attachments is connected to the upper side of the planar reinforcing component in the first subregion and at least one of the at least two attachments is connected to the lower side of the planar reinforcing component in the first or a further subregion.

13. A functional component comprising a component according to claim 4 and a functional component, wherein the one functional component or a portion of a functional component is provided in the aperture and is sealed from the wall of the aperture by the attachment material of the attachment.

14. An apparatus comprising a component that is suitable for a front end module support, a seat structure, a door system, a fuel tank housing, a vehicle underbody structure, an underride guard, a structural component for battery systems, or a battery housing, the apparatus comprising a sheet-like reinforcing component having a first stiffness and at least one sheet-like attachment made of an attachment material having a second stiffness, the first stiffness being higher than the second stiffness, wherein the planar reinforcing component has an upper and lower side, wherein the attachment is connected at least to the upper or lower side of the planar reinforcing component in a first partial area of the planar reinforcing component, wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one functional component connected to the at least one sheet-like attachment.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said functional component comprises at least two functional components and at least two attachments, wherein at least one the attachments connects to the upper side region of the planar reinforcing component in the first subregion, wherein at least one of the attachments connects to the lower side of the planar reinforcing component in the first or a further subregion and wherein at least one of said at least two functional components is connected to said at least one attachment on the upper side of said planar reinforcing component and at least one of said at least two functional components is connected to said attachment on the lower side of said planar reinforcing component.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the radius of the at least one attachment at the contact point to the functional component is at least 5 mm larger than the radius of the functional component at the contact point.

17. The component of claim 1 further comprising the front end module support, the seat structure, the door system, the fuel tank housing, the vehicle underbody structure, the underride protection, or the structural component for battery systems or the battery housing.

18. A method of manufacturing a component that is suitable for a front end module support, a seat structure, a door system, a fuel tank housing, a vehicle underbody structure, an underride guard, a structural component for battery systems or a battery housing, the component comprising a sheet-like reinforcing component having a first stiffness and at least one sheet-like attachment made of an attachment material having a second stiffness, the first stiffness being higher than the second stiffness, wherein the planar reinforcing component has an upper and lower side and the attachment is connected at least to the upper or lower side of the planar reinforcing component in a first partial area of the planar reinforcing component, the method comprising: a. providing the reinforcing component in at least a two-part form; b. placing of the attachment material in the mold; c. forming the component by injection molding or impact extrusion in the mold; d. removal of the obtained component from the opened mold.

19. A method of manufacturing a functional component according to comprising: a. providing a component, the component being one that is suitable for a front end module support, a seat structure, a door system, a fuel tank housing, a vehicle underbody structure, an underride guard, a structural component for battery systems or a battery housing and that comprises a sheet-like reinforcing component having a first stiffness and at least one sheet-like attachment made of an attachment material having a second stiffness, the first stiffness being higher than the second stiffness, wherein the planar reinforcing component has an upper and lower side and the attachment is connected at least to the upper or lower side of the planar reinforcing component in a first partial area of the planar reinforcing component; b. heat the attachment until it is in the plastic range; c. adding a functional component to the attachment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0103] FIG. 1 illustrates the component according to the invention in a cross-sectional view.

[0104] FIG. 2 illustrates the component according to the invention in a cross-sectional view.

[0105] FIG. 3 illustrates the component according to the invention in a cross-sectional view.

[0106] FIG. 4 illustrates the component according to the invention in a cross-sectional view.

[0107] FIG. 5 illustrates the component of FIG. 4 according to the invention with additional reference signs.

[0108] FIG. 6 illustrates the component according to the invention in a plan view.

[0109] FIG. 7 illustrates the component according to the invention in a plan view.

[0110] FIG. 8 illustrates the functional component according to the invention in cross-sectional view.

[0111] FIG. 9 illustrates the functional component according to the invention in cross-sectional view.

[0112] FIG. 10 illustrates the functional component according to the invention in a plan view.

[0113] FIG. 11 illustrates the functional component according to the invention in a plan view.

[0114] FIG. 12 illustrates the reinforcing component of the component according to the invention in a plan view.

[0115] FIG. 13 illustrates the component according to the invention with the reinforcing component from FIG. 12 in a plan view.

[0116] FIG. 14 illustrates the edge region of the component according to the invention in a cross-sectional view.

[0117] FIG. 15 illustrates the edge region of the component according to the invention in a plan view.

[0118] FIG. 16 illustrates the flat edge material of the component according to the invention in a perspective view in which indentations are visible.

EXAMPLE

[0119] In the description that now follows, identical reference signs designate identical components or identical components, respectively, so that a description carried out in relation to one figure with respect to a component also applies to the other figures, thus avoiding a repetitive description. Furthermore, individual features described in connection with one embodiment can also be used separately in other embodiments.

[0120] FIG. 1 illustrates the component 1 according to the invention in a cross-sectional view.

[0121] The attachment 3 rests on the reinforcing component 2 in a partial area and is firmly connected to it.

[0122] FIG. 2 illustrates the component according to the invention in a cross-sectional view.

[0123] As shown in FIG. 2, the reinforcing component 2 may have an aperture 4 and the attachment 3 may have an extension 5 that sealingly fills the aperture 4 and thus seals against fluid that may pass from the top 9 to the bottom 10 (or vice versa). The attachment 4 also has a sealing effect at the contact surface to the upper side 9. Alternatively, it may be provided that the attachment 3 does not contain an extension and only has a sealing effect by bonding to the contact surface of the upper side 9 (not shown).

[0124] FIG. 3 illustrates the component according to the invention in a cross-sectional view, in which a channel 6 is also provided.

[0125] The channel 6 connects the attachment 3 to an edge region of the reinforcing component 2 or optionally to a flat edge material, the structure of which is explained further below.

[0126] FIG. 4 illustrates the component according to the invention in a cross-sectional view, in which the channel 6 and the aperture 4 are provided.

[0127] FIG. 5 illustrates the component of FIG. 4 according to the invention with additional elements. For simplification, the reference signs in FIG. 4 have been omitted.

[0128] Here, X1 denotes the width of the breakthrough, X2 the overlap length of the attachment with the reinforcing component, X3 the height of the attachment, and a the height/thickness of the reinforcing component (also called the base material thickness).

[0129] The width X1 of the opening 4 corresponds to the width X1 of the opening at its widest point. The overlap length X2 of the attachment 3 with the reinforcing component is understood as the shortest distance lying on the straight line parallel to the top of the reinforcing component, starting from the center of the breakthrough to the edge of the attachment 3, and bounded by the intersection points of the straight line with the edge of the attachment 3 and the edge of the breakthrough.

[0130] The height X3 of the attachment is measured orthogonally to the top 10 of the reinforcing element, the height being determined at the center of the attachment 3.

[0131] The height/thickness a of the reinforcing component corresponds to the thickness or average thickness of the reinforcing component.

[0132] The height X4 of the channel corresponds to 30-100%, 50-100% or 80-100% of the height a of the gain component.

[0133] FIG. 6 illustrates the component according to the invention in a plan view.

[0134] The attachment 3 may be connected to the planar wall material 300 via a channel 6. The channel 6 may be narrower than the diameter of the attachment 3 at its widest point.

[0135] FIG. 7 illustrates the component according to the invention in a plan view and in cross-section.

[0136] The extension 5 of the attachment 3 fills the opening 4.

[0137] FIG. 8 illustrates the functional component according to the invention in cross-sectional view.

[0138] This FIG. 8 differs from FIG. 3 only in the functional component 7 applied to the attachment 3. Attachment 3 improves the connection of functional component 7 to reinforcing component 2 because it contains more weldable components than the reinforcing component.

[0139] FIG. 9 illustrates the functional component according to the invention in cross-sectional view. In contrast to FIG. 8, here the reinforcing component 2 also has an aperture 4. The aperture is used in FIG. 9 to pass a functional component from the top 9 to the bottom 10. For example, a channel can be passed through the extension 5, which in turn is sealed off from the edge of the aperture 4.

[0140] FIG. 10 illustrates the component according to the invention in a plan view before the attachment of a functional component 7, 8. As can be seen, the component may be connected to the planar edge material 300 via channels 6 (attachments 6 in the lower and middle halves of FIG. 10). These channels 6 can bifurcate into subchannels, which in turn are connected to the attachments 3 (attachments 6 in the center of FIG. 10). Alternatively, the attachment 3 may be connected to the edge material 300 without a channel and thus be directly adjacent to it (attachment 6 in the upper right half of FIG. 10).

[0141] FIG. 11 illustrates the functional component according to the invention in a plan view and differs from the representation in FIG. 10 by the attached functional components 7, 8.

[0142] FIG. 12 illustrates the reinforcing component of the component according to the invention in a plan view.

[0143] Several apertures 4 can be seen in the reinforcing component 2, which were created, for example, by gripping tools such as needle grippers.

[0144] FIG. 13 shows the reinforcing component 2 from FIG. 12 with four attachments 3 in the upper part of the figure. Furthermore, the edge of the reinforcing component 2 is comprised with an edge material 300 that is connected to the attachments 3. The attachments are used to close and thus seal the apertures 4. In the present case, the apertures were sealed by an attachment in the shape of a cross, in which the legs of the cross seal the apertures.

[0145] FIG. 14 illustrates the edge region of the component according to the invention in a cross-sectional view.

[0146] The component 1 includes a reinforcing component 2, which is two-dimensional and has a high degree of rigidity. Fiber composites of a thermoplastic or thermoset nature, as well as metal plates and other sheets, come into question here.

[0147] The reinforcing component 2 has a narrow side 500a at a first end 400 (shown on the right side in FIG. 1), which is bounded by a top side 500b and bottom side 500c. The opposite end of the gain component is not shown in the picture.

[0148] This reinforcing component 2 is overmolded on both sides with a less rigid (injection-molded) edge material 300 in an enclosing region U of length u. This edge material 300 is also largely planar in appearance. As a result of the overmolding on both sides, the edge material 300 forms two strips 800, 900 of the edge material 300 at a second end 600 (in FIG. 14 on the left side of the edge material 300), which lie against the reinforcing component 2 in an overlap region L (directly, i.e. without cavity formation). The opposite end of the edge material 300 is not shown in the picture. An illustration of the edge material 300 with the two strips 800, 900 without the reinforcing component 2 can be found in FIG. 16. It can be seen in FIGS. 15 and 16 that the two strips are located one above the other on the narrow side of the edge material 300, and project approximately the same distance above the reinforcing component 2.

[0149] The enclosing region U comprises the region in which the edge material 300 initially thickens in a ramp region R with respect to a base material region A and starting therefrom, but does not yet overlap with the reinforcing plate, and an overlapping region L in which the edge material 300 overlaps with the reinforcing plate.

[0150] The sheet-like edge material 300 may extend in an arc-like manner over the entire enclosure area U (in cross-section, i.e., transverse to the extent of the surface of the edge material 300), as shown in FIG. 14.

[0151] Arc-like in the sense of the invention may denote a continuous steady increase/decrease in the wall thickness of the edge material 300 in the enclosing region U, i.e. an actual arc shape. However, arc-like (or arcuate) can mean that there is a shape consisting of a plurality of straight sections, where the transitions between the plurality of straight sections are angular and/or formed by an arc, as shown in FIG. 14.

[0152] In particular, the highest wall thickness h.sub.1, h.sub.2 of the edge material 300 or the strips 800, 900 may be in the region above the interface of the reinforcing component 2 and the edge material 300. Therefore, the wall thickness h.sub.1, h.sub.2 of the edge material 300 may be maximum at the position where the first end 400 forms a narrow side 500a of the planar reinforcing component 2. At this position, where the first end 400 forms a narrow side 500a of the planar reinforcing component 2, the surface (upper side 700b or lower side 700c) of the edge material 300 has the greatest distance to the opposite surface (upper side 500b or lower side 500c) of the reinforcing component 2.

[0153] As a result, the wall thickness h.sub.1, h.sub.2 of the edge material 300, or of the strip 800, 900, of the strips 800, 900, which forms the edge material 300 at this position, is highest in the transition region between the sheet-like reinforcing component 2 and the sheet-like edge material 300 (“maximum wall thickness”). This position is the one at which component 1 is most likely to break under load. Therefore, the wall thickness of the edge material 300 at this position is particularly effective in counteracting breakage of the component 1.

[0154] Furthermore, this maximum wall thickness h.sub.1, h.sub.2 is equal to or greater than the base material wall thickness ½ a, that is, the wall thickness of the edge material 300 outside the enclosure region U.

[0155] Therefore, the wall thickness h.sub.1, h.sub.2 of the edge material 300 at this position counteracts fracture of the component 1 in a particularly advantageous manner Furthermore, this ensures that the wall thickness also in the transition region, i.e. the region where the narrow side 500a of the reinforcing component meets flat edge material 300, is at least equal to the wall thickness ½ a in the base material region A, and therefore the strength in this region is approximately the same as that found in the rest of component 1.

[0156] The length of the overlap area L is, for example, 2 to 4 times the base material wall thickness a.

[0157] It has been found that this ratio between the length of the overlap area L and the edge material 300 ensures a particularly high stability of the component 1, while at the same time avoiding excessive use of the edge material 300.

[0158] FIG. 15 illustrates the component 1 according to the invention in a plan view and FIG. 16 shows a detailed perspective view of the edge material 300 from FIG. 15.

[0159] As can be seen from FIGS. 15 and 16, indentations 1200, 1300 (i.e., recesses, recesses) may be provided on the face 1100 of the strips 800, 900 from the overlap region.

[0160] These indentations 1200, 1300 can be made by hold-downs provided in the mold or tool used to make the component 1. Hold-downs can reduce or prevent displacement or “splicing” (e.g. loosening of the bond between the fabric layers in the case of an organosheet) of the reinforcing component 2 by the oncoming (plastic) melt the pressed-on edge material and stabilize the flat reinforcing component 2 against the melt flow so that it is ideally held centrally to the wall thickness of the edge material (or this is not pressed to the edge region of the wall on one side).

[0161] In the FIG. 300, indentations 1200, 1300 are provided in both strips 800,900.

[0162] This offers the advantage of largely symmetrical stabilization of the two-dimensional reinforcing component 2 with respect to the melt flow during the manufacturing process.

[0163] As shown in FIG. 16 by way of example, the indentations 1200, 1300 of the first strip 800 may be arranged opposite the indentations of the second strip 900.

[0164] Thus, in the two strips 800, 900, the respective indentations 1200, 1300 are directly above each other.

[0165] This offers the advantage of very symmetrical stabilization of the two-dimensional reinforcing component 2 relative to the melt stream or the pressed edge material during the manufacturing process.

[0166] As shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the indentations 1200, 1300 may have two different lengths and the indentations 1200, 1300 may alternate with two different lengths. Here, an indentation 1300 with a long length in the upper ledge 800, as in the indentations arranged on the left and right in FIG. 300, may be opposite an indentation 1200 with a short length in the ledge 900 below. Accordingly, an indentation 1200 having a short length in the upper ledge 800, as in the indentation 1200 centered in FIG. 300, may be opposed by an indentation 1300 having a long length in the ledge 900 below.

[0167] This arrangement has the advantage that the finished component 1 is particularly tight against the fluid when used, for example, in a fluid container. Furthermore, a visible weld line is avoided.

[0168] As shown in FIG. 15, the edge material 300 may completely surround the narrow side 500a of a planar reinforcing component 2. However, it is also conceivable that the edge material 300 is only attached to one or more partial areas of the planar reinforcing component 2.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0169] 1: Component

[0170] 2: (two-dimensional) reinforcing component

[0171] 3: Attachment

[0172] 4: Breakthrough

[0173] 5: Extension

[0174] 6: Channel

[0175] 7,8: Functional component

[0176] 9: Top side of the reinforcing component

[0177] 10: Underside of the reinforcing component

[0178] 11: Functional component

[0179] X1: Breakthrough width

[0180] X2: Overlap length of the attachment with the reinforcing component

[0181] X3: Attachment height

[0182] a: Height/thickness of the reinforcing component/base material thickness

[0183] 300: (flat) edge material

[0184] 400: first end of the flat reinforcing component

[0185] 500a: Narrow side of the flat reinforcing component

[0186] 500b: Top side of the flat reinforcing component

[0187] 500c: Underside of the flat reinforcing component

[0188] 600: second end of flat edge material

[0189] 700a: Narrow side of the flat edge material

[0190] 700b: Top side of the flat edge material

[0191] 700c: Underside of the flat edge material

[0192] 800: first bar

[0193] 900: second bar

[0194] 1000: Position of the maximum wall thickness of the edge material

[0195] 1100: Front side of the overlap area

[0196] 1200: Indentation, short

[0197] 1300: Indentation, long

[0198] U, u: Enclosure area, length of the enclosure area

[0199] R, r: Ramp area

[0200] A: Basic material range

[0201] L, l: Overlap area, length of the overlap area

[0202] h.sub.1: Wall thickness of the first bar

[0203] h 2: Wall thickness of the second bar