STRUCTURAL COMPONENT FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE

Abstract

A structural component for a motor vehicle, with a component body (2) made from a sheet, which includes at least one shell-shaped body portion (3) formed from the sheet and at least one receiving bush (6) formed from the sheet that extends along its circumference between first and second circumferential ends (4, 5), which at the first circumferential end (4) merges into the shell-shaped body portion (3) and at the second circumferential end (5) merges into a strengthening strip (7) formed from the sheet and attached to the shell-shaped body portion (3). The strengthening strip (7) completes the shell-shaped body portion (3) to form an at least partially closed hollow section (8).

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A structural component for a motor vehicle, the structural component comprising: a component body (2) being made from a sheet, which comprises at least one shell-shaped body portion (3) formed from the sheet and at least one receiving bush (6) formed from the sheet that extends along its circumference between first and second circumferential ends (4, 5), which mergers, at the first circumferential end (4), into the shell-shaped body portion (3) and mergers, at the second circumferential end (5), into a strengthening strip (7) formed from the sheet and attached to the shell-shaped body portion (3), and the strengthening strip (7) at least partially completes the shell-shaped body portion (3) to form a closed hollow section (8).

17. The structural component according to claim 16, wherein the shell-shaped body portion (3) is at least partially in the form of an open hollow section.

18. The structural component according to claim 16, wherein the strengthening strip (7) is welded to the shell-shaped body portion (3).

19. The structural component according to claim 16, wherein the shell-shaped body portion (3) comprises a back (9) and two sidepieces (10, 11) located opposite one another that extend away therefrom and are connected together by the back (9), and the strengthening strip (7) extends between the two sidepieces (10, 11) spaced away from the back (9).

20. The structural component according to claim 19, wherein the strengthening strip (7) extends parallel to the back (9).

21. The structural component according to claim 19, wherein the strengthening strip (7) is welded to the sidepieces (10, 11).

22. The structural component according to claim 16, wherein the shell-shaped body portion (3) has at least partially a U-shaped profile.

23. The structural component according to claim 16, wherein the receiving bush (6) has a cylindrical shape.

24. The structural component according to claim 16, wherein an elastomeric bearing (19) is fitted into the receiving bush (6).

25. The structural component according to claim 16, wherein the component body (2) extends in a longitudinal direction (x) of the structural component and the receiving bush (6) is provided at one axial end of the component body (2).

26. The structural component according to claim 24, wherein a joint (14) or other elastomeric bearing is attached to the component body (2) spaced away from the receiving bush (6).

27. The structural component according to claim 26, wherein either the joint (14) or the other elastomeric bearing is provided at another axial end of the component body (2).

28. A method of producing a structural component (1) for a motor vehicle, which component comprises a component body (2), the method comprising: forming the component body (2) by deforming a sheet into a blank (30) having at least one shell-shaped body portion (3); deforming at least one intermediate area (31) of the blank (30) connected with the body portion (3) to produce a receiving bush (6); attaching an end area (32) of the blank (30), connected to the intermediate area (31), to the shell-shaped body portion (3) so as to form a strengthening strip (7); and attaching the end area (32) of the blank (30) to the shell-shaped body portion (3) in such manner that the strengthening strip (7) completes the shell-shaped body portion (3) at least partially to form a closed hollow section (8).

29. The method according to claim 28, further comprising fitting an elastomeric bearing (19) into the receiving bush (6).

30. The method according to claim 28, wherein attaching either a joint (14) or other elastomeric bearing to the component body (2) at a location spaced away from the receiving bush (6).

31. A structural component for a motor vehicle, the structural component comprising: a component body extending in a longitudinal direction and being made from a metallic sheet, the component body comprising at least one shell-shaped body portion, at least one receiving bush and a strengthening strip which are each formed from the metallic sheet, a first longitudinal end of the shell-shaped body portion merging into a first circumferential end of the receiving bush and a longitudinal end of the strengthening strip merges into a second circumferential end of the receiving bush, the receiving bush being cylindrical and defining an axis that is normal to the longitudinal direction, and the strengthening strip and the shell-shaped body portion being fixed to one another to form a closed hollow section.

32. The structural component according to claim 31, wherein the shell-shaped body portion comprises a back piece and two side pieces, each of the two side pieces extends from a respective side of the back piece parallel such that the shell-shaped body portion has a U-shaped cross-section.

33. The structural component according to claim 32, wherein the strengthening strip is welded to the side pieces of the shell-shaped body portion such that the U-shaped cross-section of the shell-shaped body portion at least partially encloses a hollow section.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] Below, the invention is described with reference to preferred embodiments related to the drawing, which shows:

[0040] FIG. 1: A perspective view of a structural component according to a first embodiment,

[0041] FIG. 2: A view of the structural component of FIG. 1, seen from above,

[0042] FIG. 3: A longitudinal section through the structural component according to the first embodiment, along the section line 3-3 shown in FIG. 2, with a rubber bearing inserted,

[0043] FIG. 4: A cross-section through the structural component according to the first embodiment, along the section line 4-4 shown in FIG. 2,

[0044] FIG. 5: A perspective view of a structural component according to a second embodiment,

[0045] FIG. 6: A view of the structural component of FIG. 5, seen from above,

[0046] FIG. 7: A cross-section through the structural component according to the second embodiment, along the section line 7-7 shown in FIG. 6,

[0047] FIG. 8: A schematic longitudinal section through the structural component according to the second embodiment, along the section line 8-8 shown in FIG. 6,

[0048] FIG. 9: A perspective view of a structural component according to a third embodiment,

[0049] FIG. 10: A side view of the structural component in FIG. 9,

[0050] FIG. 11: A view of the structural component of FIG. 9, seen from above,

[0051] FIG. 12: A schematic longitudinal section through the structural component according to the third embodiment, along the section line 12-12 shown in FIG. 11,

[0052] FIG. 13: A perspective view of a blank formed from a sheet, for producing the structural component according to the third embodiment,

[0053] FIG. 14: A perspective view of the blank during a bending process,

[0054] FIG. 15: A perspective view of the blank at a later stage of the bending process, and

[0055] FIG. 16: A perspective view of the blank at the end of the bending process.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0056] FIGS. 1 to 4 show various views and partial views of a structural component 1 according to a first embodiment, wherein FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the structural component 1, FIG. 2 a view of the structural component 1 seen from above, FIG. 3 a longitudinal section through the structural component 1 along the section line 3-3 in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 a cross-section through the structural component 1 along the section line 4-4 shown in FIG. 2. The structural component 1 has a rod-shaped component body 2 formed from a sheet, which extends in a longitudinal direction x. The component body 22 comprises a shell-shaped body portion 3 made from the sheet and, also made form the sheet, a receiving bush 6 that extends along its circumference between two circumferential ends 4 and 5, which at its circumferential end 4 merges into the shell-shaped body portion 3 and at its circumferential end 5 merges into a strengthening strip 7 formed from the sheet and attached to the shell-shaped body portion 3, which strip completes the shell-shaped body portion 3 over most of its longitudinal extension in the direction x to form a closed hollow section 8 which can be seen in cross-section in FIG. 4. In addition, it can be seen from FIG. 4 that the shell-shaped body portion 3 forms an open hollow section in the shape of a U-section, which comprises a back 9 and two sidepieces 10 and 11, these being connected to one another by the back 9. To form the hollow section 8, the two sidepieces 10 and 11 are additionally connected to one another by the strengthening strip 7, which for that purpose is welded to the sidepieces 10 and 11, the associated weld seams being indexed 12. In the area of the hollow section 8 the strengthening strip 7 extends parallel to the back 9 and is arranged between the sidepieces 10 and 11.

[0057] The receiving bush 6 is of cylindrical shape, positioned at one axial end of the component body 2 with the axis of symmetry y of the receiving bush 6 extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction x. Moreover, it can be seen from FIG. 3 that the strengthening strip 7 extends in a schematically indicated central longitudinal plane P, which is defined by the symmetry axis y and the longitudinal direction x. At its other axial end the component body 2 has a connection area 13 made from the sheet and provided with a through-going fitting aperture 18, in which aperture a ball joint 14 is fixed to the component body 2. The ball joint 14 comprises a joint housing 15 that is fitted into the fitting aperture 18 and a ball pin 17 with a joint ball 16, which with its joint ball 16 is fitted and can move in the joint housing 15 and which extends outward therefrom. The connection area 13 merges into the shell-shaped body portion 3, which extends substantially straight in the longitudinal direction x from the receiving bush 6 to the connection area 13. As can be seen from FIGS. 1 to 4, The entire component body 2 is formed from a single sheet.

[0058] FIG. 3 also shows a rubber bearing 19 inserted into the receiving bush 6, which bearing comprises an inner part 20, an outer sleeve 21 surrounding the inner part 20 and a rubber body 22 between the inner part 20 and the outer sleeve 21. Although the rubber bearing 19 is not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, it can also be present there.

[0059] FIGS. 5 to 8 show various views and partial views of a structural component 1 according to a second embodiment; in these figures, features identical or similar to those of the first embodiment are given the same indexes as in the first embodiment. FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the structural component 1, FIG. 6 shows a view of the structural component 1 seen from above, FIG. 7 shows a cross-section through the structural component 1 along the section line 7-7 in FIG. 6, and FIG. 8 shows a schematic representation of a longitudinal section through the structural component 1 along the section line 8-8 in FIG. 6.

[0060] Otherwise than in the first embodiment, the strengthening strip 7 completes the shell-shaped body portion 3 from the first axial end only over almost half its longitudinal extension to form the closed hollow section 8. This can be seen from the schematic longitudinal section in FIG. 8, in which the sidepiece 10 has been omitted. Furthermore, at the other axial end of the component body 2, instead of a ball joint another receiving bush 23 formed from the sheet is provided, which is made analogously to the receiving bush 6. The receiving bush 23 extends along its circumference between two circumferential ends 24 and 25, such that at its circumferential end 24 the receiving bush 23 merges into the shell-shaped body portion 3 and at its circumferential end 25 it merges into a strengthening strip 26 formed from the sheet and attached to the body portion 3, which strip completes the shell-shaped body portion 3 from the other axial end over almost half its longitudinal extension to form a closed hollow section. The receiving bush 23 is of cylindrical shape, with the symmetry axis z of the receiving bush 23 extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction x. Furthermore, the symmetry axis z is parallel to the symmetry axis y and lies in the central longitudinal plane P. Analogously to the strengthening strip 7, the strengthening strip 26 is welded to the sidepieces 10 and 11 of the body portion 3.

[0061] Apart from these differences the second embodiment is essentially the same as the first embodiment, so that for any more detailed description of the second embodiment reference should be made to the description of the first embodiment. In particular, the entire component body 2 in the second embodiment is again made from a single sheet. Moreover, in particular rubber bearings are inserted into each of the receiving bushes 6 and 23.

[0062] FIGS. 9 to 12 show various views and partial views of a structural component 1 according to a third embodiment, wherein features identical with or similar to those of the previous embodiments are indexed in the same way as in the previous embodiments. FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of the structural component 1, FIG. 10 shows a side view of the structural component 1, FIG. 11 shows the structural component 1 as seen from above, and FIG. 12 shows a schematic representation of a longitudinal section through the structural component 1 along the section line 12-12 in FIG. 11.

[0063] Otherwise than in the previous embodiments, the component body 2 formed from a sheet comprises two receiving bushes 6 and 23 formed from the sheet for holding rubber bearings, and a connection area 13 formed from the sheet for holding a ball joint. Furthermore, the component body 2 has two arms 27 and 28 formed from the sheet, which extend in the longitudinal direction x, which arms merge in to a central area 29 of the component body 2 formed from the sheet, which contains the connection area 13, whereas at the free ends of the arms 27 and 28, respectively, one of the receiving bushes 6 or 23 is arranged. The symmetry axes y and z of the cylindrical receiving bushed 6 and 23 extend transversely to the longitudinal direction x and in this third embodiment are coincident with one another.

[0064] In the connection area 13 is arranged a ball joint 14 comprising a joint housing 15 fixed to the component body 2 in the connection area 13, in which housing 15 a ball pin 17, extending outward therefrom, is fitted and able to move. In addition, in each of the receiving bushes 6 and 23 a rubber bearing 19 is inserted, which in each case comprises an inner part 20, an outer sleeve 21 surrounding the inner part 20 and a rubber body 22 between the inner part 20 and the outer sleeve 21.

[0065] Since, relative to a symmetry plane Q that extends in the longitudinal direction x and transversely to the symmetry axes y and z, the arms 27 and 28 are designed mirror-symmetrically, only the arm 27 will be described below.

[0066] The arm 27 comprises a shell-shaped body portion 3 formed from the sheet and the receiving bush 6 that extends along its circumference between two circumferential ends 4 and 5, which at its circumferential end 4 merges into the shell-shaped body portion 3 and at its circumferential end 5 merges into a strengthening strip 7 formed from the sheet and attached to the shell-shaped body portion 3, which strip completes the shell-shaped body portion 3 at least partially to form a closed hollow section. This can be seen from the longitudinal section shown schematically in FIG. 12. The shell-shaped body portion 3 is at least partially in the form of an open, hollow, U-shaped section, which comprises a back 9 and two sidepieces 10 and 11 connected to one another by the back 9. To form the hollow section, the two sidepieces 10 and 11 are connected to one another by the strengthening strip 7, which for that purpose is welded to the sidepieces 10 and 11.

[0067] Referring now to FIGS. 13 and 14, the production of the component body 2 of the structural component 1 according to the third embodiment will be described below. By deforming a sheet, a blank 30 of the component body 2 is formed, a perspective view of which is shown in FIG. 13. The blank 30 already has the shell-shaped body portion 3, the arms 27 and 28 and the central area 29 of the component body 2 to be produced. Furthermore, the blank 30 also already has the connection area 13, in which, however, a fitting aperture for inserting the joint housing 15 of the ball joint 14 still has to be made. To each of the shell-shaped body portions 3 there is connected an intermediate area 31, followed in each case by an end area 32. Each intermediate area 31 is, in a section 33 facing toward the central area 29, already of curved shape. To form the receiving bushes the intermediate areas 31 are now bent, taking the end areas 31 with them. This can be seen from FIGS. 14 and 15, in which FIG. 15 shows the bending process at a later stage than FIG. 14. After the bending process has been completed, the receiving bushes 6 and 23 have been formed completely, as shown in FIG. 16. Moreover, each end area 32 is bent back over its respective shell-shaped body portion 3 and is welded thereto, so that each end area 32 completes the associated shell-shaped body portion 3 to form a hollow section. Thus, the end areas 32 now form the strengthening strips. Finally the rubber bearings 19 are inserted into the receiving bushes 6 and 23, a fitting aperture is made in the connection area 13 and the ball joint 14 is fitted into the connection area 13, so that the structural component 1 according to FIG. 9 is produced.

INDEXES

[0068] 1 Structural component [0069] 2 Component body [0070] 3 Shell-shaped body portion [0071] 4 Circumferential end of the receiving bush [0072] 5 Circumferential end of the receiving bush [0073] 6 Receiving bush [0074] 7 Strengthening strip [0075] 8 Hollow section [0076] 9 Back of the shell-shaped body portion [0077] 10 Sidepiece of the shell-shaped body portion [0078] 11 Sidepiece of the shell-shaped body portion [0079] 12 Weld seam [0080] 13 Connection area [0081] 14 Ball joint [0082] 15 Housing of the ball joint [0083] 16 Joint ball of the ball pin [0084] 17 Ball pin of the ball joint [0085] 18 Fitting aperture is the connection area [0086] 19 Rubber bearing [0087] 20 Inner part of the rubber bearing [0088] 21 Outer sleeve of the rubber bearing [0089] 22 Rubber body of the rubber bearing [0090] 23 Receiving bush [0091] 24 Circumferential end of the receiving bush [0092] 25 Circumferential end of the receiving bush [0093] 26 Strengthening strip [0094] 27 Arm of the component body [0095] 28 Arm of the component body [0096] 29 Central area of the component body [0097] 30 Blank for the component body [0098] 31 Intermediate area of the blank [0099] 32 End area of the blank [0100] 33 Section of the intermediate area [0101] P Central longitudinal plane [0102] Q Plane of symmetry [0103] x Longitudinal direction [0104] y Symmetry axis [0105] z Symmetry axis