PARTITION

Abstract

The invention relates to a partition (1) for sealing and/or supporting a cavity, comprising a carrier (2) and an expansion material (3) arranged on the carrier (2), which expansion material can be transferred from an initial state to an expanded state by means of activation, wherein the carrier (2) comprises at least one compensation element (4), which provides variability of the effective sealing surface (5) of the carrier (2), such that a change in the effective sealing surface (5) of the carrier (2) can be brought about by means of a force acting on the carrier (2), a limiting element (6) being provided, by means of which a movement of at least one portion of the carrier (2) which accompanies the change in the effective sealing surface (5) is limited.

Claims

1. A partition (1) for sealing and/or supporting a cavity, comprising a carrier (2) and an expansion material (3) arranged on the carrier (2), which expansion material can be transferred from an initial state to an expanded state by means of activation, characterized in that the carrier (2) comprises at least one compensation element (4), which provides variability of the effective sealing surface (5) of the carrier (2), such that a change in the effective sealing surface (5) of the carrier (2) can be brought about by means of a force acting on the carrier (2), a limiting element (6) being provided, by means of which a movement of at least one portion of the carrier (2) which accompanies the change in the effective sealing surface (5) is limited.

2. The partition (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the compensation element (4) is designed as a bending element by means of which a bending angle is enclosed between two portions of the carrier (2).

3. The partition (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the compensation element (4) is designed as a thin spot.

4. The partition (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the limiting element (6) is arranged on a stationary portion (8) of the carrier (2).

5. The partition (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the limiting element (6) is arranged on a movable portion (9) of the carrier (2).

6. The partition (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the partition (1) is equipped with at least one positioning aid (7), the positioning aid (7) comprising a support rib, which has an element for positioning the carrier (2).

7. The partition (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the limiting element (6) comprises an abutment edge (10), which is designed to absorb shocks.

Description

[0033] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0034] FIG. 1: shows an embodiment of the partition according to the invention in a sectional view;

[0035] FIG. 2: shows another embodiment of the partition in a sectional view;

[0036] FIG. 3: shows another embodiment of the partition in a sectional view;

[0037] FIG. 4: shows another embodiment of the partition in a perspective view.

[0038] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an embodiment of a partition 1 which is positioned in a cavity between two metal sheets 11 of a bodywork. The partition 1 comprises a carrier 2 and expansion material 3 arranged on the edge of the carrier 2. In the view in FIG. 1, the expansion material 3 is in an initial state in which it has not yet foamed or expanded.

[0039] The carrier 2 further comprises a compensation element 4, which is designed as a spring element. The spring element allows for linear changes in the length of the carrier 2 along an axis extending on the carrier 2. As a result, the length of the carrier 2 along this axis and thus the effective sealing surface 5 of the carrier 2 can change in response to a force acting on the carrier 2. The effective sealing surface 5 of the carrier 2 is shown as a projection surface of the surface of the carrier 2 in FIG. 1.

[0040] A limiting element is not shown in FIG. 1 for reasons of clarity. Its function is explained in more detail below in conjunction with FIGS. 2 to 4.

[0041] The partition 1 is also equipped with two positioning aids 7. The positioning aids 7 are designed as support ribs, which are each arranged on the edges of the carrier 2. Here, the support ribs help to guide the edges of the carrier 2 equipped with expansion material 3 against the metal sheets 11. Each support rib has a support surface which is applied against the relevant metal sheet.

[0042] The cavity is sealed by means of the partition 1 as follows: The partition 1 is held in position in the cavity by the positioning aids 7. The expansion material 3 is then activated by heat input. When the expansion material 3 is activated, it initially expands or foams, and comes to rest against the metal sheets 11. If the expansion process persists, a force acts on the metal sheets 11 and on the carrier 2. In response to this acting force, the compensation element 4 designed as a spring element reacts and is compressed. As a result, the effective sealing surface 5 of the carrier 2 changes. In other words, distance compensation is produced by the carrier 2 such that an outward deflection or bulging of the metal sheets 11 can be prevented. Significant expansion of the expansion material 3 in the course of activation thus causes the carrier 2 to react with a reduction in the size of the effective sealing surface 5 thereof, such that the overall area sealed by the expansion material 3 and the carrier 2 remains substantially constant and no bulges form on the outer metal sheets 11.

[0043] Likewise, after activation during cooling of the expansion material, a retraction of the metal sheets 11 into the cavity can be prevented. The cooling expansion material 3 contracts at least partially again. This process also makes it possible to effect forces on the carrier 2 and on the metal sheets 11, which are now directed in the opposite direction. In response to these acting forces, the compensation element 4 is stretched, as a result of which the effective sealing surface 5 of the carrier 2 becomes larger. The overall area sealed by the expansion material 3 and the carrier 2 thus remains substantially constant in this case.

[0044] FIG. 2 shows an alternative embodiment of a partition 1. In this case, the carrier 2 is equipped with a compensation element 4 designed as an integral hinge, which is not shown in more detail in the representation in the figure. In an installed state of the partition 1, a movable portion 9 is movable relative to a stationary portion 8 of the carrier 2 on account of the integral hinge. In the state shown in FIG. 2, the portions 8 and 9 enclose a bending angle of approximately 120° with respect to one another. In response to a force acting on the carrier 2 due to the expansion behavior of the expansion material 3, the movable portion 9 can pivot relative to the stationary portion 8 such that the enclosed bending angle increases or decreases. When the bending angle is reduced, a limiting element 6 arranged on the movable portion 9 limits the pivoting movement of the portion 9 to a small angular range. A pivoting of the portion 9 away from the right-hand metal sheet 11 very soon leads to the limiting element 6 stopping against the stationary portion 8. As a result, it is ensured that the movable portion 9 cannot deflect arbitrarily in response to an acting force and that the expansion material 3 comes to rest against the metal sheet 11 with sufficient contact pressure despite the yielding of the portion 9, and therefore a secure connection with a good sealing effect between the partition 1 and the metal sheet 11 is produced. The pivoting of the movable portion 9 relative to the stationary portion 8 is accompanied by a change in the effective sealing surface 5 of the carrier 2.

[0045] FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the partition 1 having a compensation element 4 designed as an integral hinge. The mode of operation corresponds in principle to that described in connection with FIG. 2. In the initial state shown here, a bending angle of approximately 90° is enclosed between the stationary portion 8 and the movable portion 9 of the carrier 2. In this embodiment variant, a limiting element 6 is arranged on the stationary portion 8 of the carrier 2. Accordingly, a pivoting movement of the movable portion 9 from the right-hand metal sheet 11 can take place only up to the stop of the portion 9 on the limiting element 6 and is thus limited to defined angular ranges. By pivoting the movable portion 9 relative to the stationary portion 8 in response to an acting force, the effective sealing surface 5 of the carrier 2 changes.

[0046] FIG. 4 shows a detail of another embodiment of the partition 1 in a perspective view. Here, too, the partition 1 is equipped with a compensation element 4 designed as an integral hinge. The thin spot forming the integral hinge can be clearly seen in this view. Bending of the carrier 2 in the region of the thin spot is limited by the limiting element 6, which is arranged here on a stationary portion 8 of the carrier 2. The limiting element 6 comprises an abutment edge 10, which can be designed to absorb shocks, such that no damage to the carrier 2 arises due to the impact. The significance of the effective sealing surface 5 as a projection surface of the carrier 2 is further clearly apparent from FIG. 4.

TABLE-US-00001 List of reference signs 1 Partition 2 Carrier 3 Expansion material 4 Compensation element 5 Effective sealing surface 6 Limiting element 7 Positioning aid 8 Stationary portion 9 Movable portion 10 Abutment edge 11 Metal sheet