INSULATION MEMBER

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an insulation member for a hollow space of a vehicle bodywork. The insulation member comprises an expandable insulation body and a gas-impermeable cover. The cover comprises a yieldable chamber portion enclosing the expandable insulation body, wherein a pressure inside the chamber portion in a non-expanded state of the insulation member is less than atmospheric pressure. The cover further comprises at least one attachment portion adapted for attachment to the vehicle bodywork. The disclosure further relates to a vehicle comprising the insulation member, a use of the insulation member, a method of manufacturing an insulation member and a method of mounting an insulation member.

Claims

1. An insulation member for a hollow space of a vehicle bodywork, said insulation member comprising: an expandable insulation body; and a gas-impermeable cover, said cover comprising a yieldable chamber portion enclosing said expandable insulation body, wherein a pressure inside said chamber portion in a non-expanded state of said insulation member is less than atmospheric pressure, wherein said cover further comprises at least one attachment portion adapted for attachment to said vehicle bodywork.

2. The insulation member according to claim 1, wherein said attachment portion protrudes in relation to said chamber portion, wherein said attachment portion extends at least 10 millimeters (mm) from said chamber portion as measured along a surface of said attachment portion.

3. The insulation member according to claim 1, wherein said attachment portion comprises at least one aperture and/or indicium for an aperture.

4. The insulation member according to claim 1, wherein said chamber portion is at least partly surrounded by a seal, said seal having a width in the range of from 1 mm to 20 mm.

5. The insulation member according to claim 1, wherein said attachment portion is at least partly surrounded by an attachment portion seal.

6. The insulation member according to claim 3, wherein said aperture and/or indicium for an aperture is at least partly surrounded by an aperture seal.

7. The insulation member according to claim 1, wherein said cover comprises a first layer of cover material joined to a second layer of cover material with said insulation body located in between said first and second layers of cover material.

8. A vehicle comprising: a vehicle bodywork with a hollow space, and an insulation member according to claim 1, wherein said insulation member is arranged in said hollow space, such that said at least one attachment portion is used to hold said insulation member in a predefined position in said hollow space.

9. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein said insulation member in an at least partly expanded state at least partly fills said hollow space.

10. A use of the insulation member according to claim 1 for at least partly filling a hollow space of a vehicle bodywork.

11. A method of manufacturing an insulation member, said method comprising: providing a first layer of gas-impermeable cover material, providing an expandable insulation body on top of said first layer of cover material, providing a second layer of gas-impermeable cover material on top of said insulation body, compressing said insulation body, sealing said first and second layers of cover material around said insulation body while applying a pressure less than atmospheric pressure, thereby forming a cover with a yieldable chamber portion enclosing said insulation body, wherein a pressure inside said chamber portion is less than atmospheric pressure, said cover further providing at least one attachment portion.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: cutting said first and second layers of cover material to obtain a predefined shape of said insulation member.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein said compressing and sealing are performed at the same time.

14. The method according to claim 11, further comprising: providing at least one aperture and/or indicium for an aperture in said attachment portion, and as an option, providing an aperture seal at least partly surrounding said aperture and/or indicium for an aperture.

15. A method of mounting an insulation member according to claim 1 in a hollow space of a vehicle bodywork, said method comprising: inserting said insulation member in said non-expanded state into said hollow space, attaching said attachment portion to said vehicle bodywork, allowing gas to enter said chamber portion, said insulation member thereby expanding to said at least partly expanded state, in which it at least partly fills said hollow space.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] The present invention will hereinafter be further explained by means of non-limiting examples with reference to the appended drawings wherein:

[0054] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an insulation member according to the invention in a non-expanded state.

[0055] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the insulation member in an at least partly expanded state.

[0056] FIG. 3 illustrates the insulation member mounted in a vehicle.

[0057] FIG. 4 illustrates a method of manufacturing an insulation member.

[0058] It should be noted that the appended drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that the dimensions of some features of the present invention may have been exaggerated for the sake of clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0059] The invention will, in the following, be exemplified by embodiments. It should however be realized that the embodiments are included in order to explain principles of the invention and not to limit the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims. Details from two or more of the embodiments may be combined with each other.

[0060] FIG. 1 illustrates an insulation member 1 according to the invention in a non-expanded state. The insulation member 1 is intended to be used in a hollow space of a vehicle bodywork. The insulation member 1 may be used as NVH-insulation, i.e. noise, vibration and heat insulation. The insulation member 1 comprises an expandable insulation body 3 and a gas-impermeable cover 5.

[0061] The insulation body 3 extends in a plane spanned by an x-direction and a y-direction. The insulation body 3 comprises a volume-compressible material, such as foam, e.g. made of PUR, polyurethane. The cover 5 comprises a yieldable chamber portion 7 enclosing the insulation body 3. In the non-expanded state of the insulation member 1, as in FIG. 1, the pressure inside the chamber portion 7 is less than atmospheric pressure. The insulation body 3 has a first thickness t.sub.1 in the non-expanded state, e.g. being compressed to the first thickness t.sub.1. The chamber portion 7 of the cover 5 retains the insulation body 3 in the non-expanded state due to the under-pressure in the chamber portion 7.

[0062] However, once the gas-impermeable nature of the cover 5 is changed, e.g. by making a puncture hole in the chamber portion 7, air or another gas will enter the chamber portion 7 and the pressure in the chamber portion 7 will rise. Thereby the chamber portion 7 and the enclosed insulation body 3 will expand at least in the z-direction. See FIG. 2 showing the insulation member 1 in an expanded state, wherein it has a second thickness t.sub.2 being larger than the first thickness t.sub.1. The chamber portion 7 is yieldable such that it can expand together with the expandable insulation body 2.

[0063] The cover 5 is made of a gas-impermeable material, e.g. a polymer film. The cover 5 should at least be impermeable to air.

[0064] The insulation member 1 having the shape illustrated FIGS. 1 and 2 is intended to be mounted inside a front fender 9 of a vehicle 11 as schematically indicated in FIG. 3. When mounted in the front fender 9, the x-direction of the insulation member 1 substantially corresponds to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle 11, the y-direction of the insulation member 1 substantially corresponds to a height direction of the vehicle 11, and the z-direction of the insulation member 1 substantially corresponds to a lateral direction of the vehicle 11. Insulation members having other shapes may be intended for other hollow spaces of the vehicle bodywork.

[0065] The insulation member 1 is in its non-expanded state when inserted into the hollow space in the vehicle bodywork. Once the insulation member 1 has obtained its desired position in the hollow space, the gas-impermeable nature of the chamber portion 7 is changed, e.g. by making a puncture hole in the chamber portion 7, such that the insulation body 3 expands in the z-direction and at least partly fills the hollow space. The cover 5 encloses the insulation body 3 also in the at least partly expanded state and will help to protect the insulation body 3 from moisture both in the non-expanded state and in the at least partly expanded state.

[0066] The chamber portion may have a predefined puncture location, in which the puncture hole in the chamber portion is intended to be made. The material of the cover 5 may e.g. be locally weakened. As an alternative, or a complement, the chamber portion 7 may comprise a purposely made fold, which is easy to cut. As yet an alternative or complement, the chamber portion 7 may comprise a portion, e.g. in the shape of a tap, protruding from the rest of the chamber portion 7 and which is easy to cut.

[0067] The insulation body 3 extends in the x-y-plane, which is best seen in FIG. 1. The shape of the insulation body 3 is preferably chosen after the hollow space, in which the insulation member 1 is to be located. The cover 5 has a larger projected area in the x-y plane than the insulation body 3.

[0068] A seal 13 at least partly, in the illustrated case completely, surrounds the chamber portion 7. The seal 13 has a width in the range of from 1 mm to 20 mm, more preferably in the range of from 2 mm to 15 mm, most preferably in the range of from 3 mm to 10 mm. The seal 13 may be formed by welding and/or an adhesive. The seal 13 is gas-impermeable.

[0069] The cover 5 comprises at least one attachment portion adapted for attachment to the vehicle bodywork. In the illustrated embodiment, there are two attachment portions, a first 15 and a second 17. Preferably, the attachment portions 15, 17 are located in a non-yieldable part of the cover 5. The attachment portions 15, 17 protrude in relation to the chamber portion 7, when the insulation member 1 is in its non-expanded state as in FIG. 1, forming ear-shaped structures or flaps. The attachment portions 15, 17 extends a distance, d.sub.1 and d.sub.2 respectively, of at least 10 mm from the chamber portion 7 as measured along a surface of the attachment portion 15, 17, preferably at least 20 mm, more preferably at least 30 mm, most preferably at least 40 mm.

[0070] When the insulation member 1 is being mounted in the vehicle 11 and when it has been mounted in the vehicle 11, the attachment portions 15, 17 hold the insulation member 1 in a desired location in the hollow space. It has been found to be suitable to use at least two attachment portions 15, 17 protruding in two different directions, since the insulation member 1 thereby can be held in a fixed position as seen in its x-y plane. Once the insulation body 3 has been allowed to expand, the insulation member 1 will also be held in the z-direction by the expansion forces of the insulation body 3.

[0071] FIG. 1 illustrates the insulation member 1 in the non-expanded state. The attachment portions 15, 17 thereby protrude in the x-y plane from the chamber portion 7. However, due to a flexible nature of the material of the cover 5, the attachment portions 15, 17 may be bent or folded out of the x-y-plane, as may be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, wherein the first attachment portion 15 is bent, such that it also at least partly extends in the z-direction, which is helpful when mounting the insulation member 1 in the vehicle 9.

[0072] The first attachment portion 15 is provided with an aperture 19, which is useful when mounting the insulation member 1 in the vehicle 9. The aperture 19 may e.g. be placed around a bolt or other protrusion in the vehicle bodywork.

[0073] An attachment portion seal 21 follows an edge of the first attachment portion 15. In the illustrated embodiment, the attachment portion seal 21 also surrounds the aperture 19. The attachment portion seal 21 reinforces the attachment portion 15. The attachment portion seal 21 preferably follows the edge of the attachment portion 15. The whole attachment portion 15 may be sealed or the seal may be located along the edge only, as is illustrated in FIG. 1. It would also be feasible with an aperture seal, being separate from the attachment portion seal 21, at least partly surrounding the aperture 19, or having an aperture 19 without a surrounding seal.

[0074] In a corresponding way, the second attachment portion 17 is provided with an aperture 23. An attachment portion seal 25 follows an edge of the second attachment portion 17. The aperture 23 of the second attachment portion 17 is surrounded by an aperture seal 26, which reinforces the aperture 23.

[0075] In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, the cover 5 comprises a first layer of cover material joined to a second layer of cover material with the insulation body 3 located in between the first and second layers of cover material. A method of manufacturing the insulation member 1 is further described below in conjunction with FIG. 4. The seal 13 holds the first and second layers of cover material together, such that the chamber portion 7 is formed. The attachment portions 15, 17 may be formed by one of the layers. However, it is generally preferred that the attachment portions 15, 17 comprise both layers, as in the illustrated embodiment, since that will result in a stronger attachment portion 15, 17.

[0076] FIG. 4 schematically illustrates a method of manufacturing the insulation member 1.

[0077] First, a first layer 27 of cover material is provided. It may e.g. be in the form a sheet or a web rolled off from a roll.

[0078] Thereafter, the insulation body 3 is placed on the first layer 27 of cover material. The insulation body 3 is in an uncompressed state having the second thickness t.sub.2.

[0079] In order to obtain the desired three-dimensional shape of the insulation member 1, the first layer 27 of cover material may be placed in a first mould 29 having a cavity with a predefined shape corresponding to that of the desired shape of the insulation body 3. The insulation body 3 is then placed on top of the first layer 27 of cover material in the first mould 29.

[0080] Then, a second layer 31 of cover material is provided. It may e.g. be in the form a sheet or a web rolled off from a roll. The second layer 31 may be separate from the first layer 27, e.g. forming two different sheets or webs. As an alternative, a single sheet or a single web may be folded around the insulation member 1, thus forming both the first 25 and second 27 layers of cover material. As yet an alternative, the cover material may be provided as a tube and the insulation body 3 being inserted into the tube. In the two latter cases, the above-mentioned seal 13 will only partly surround the chamber portion 7.

[0081] As a next step, the insulation body 3 is compressed in a compression unit 33 to reach a non-expanded state.

[0082] The first 27 and second 31 layers of cover material are sealed by means of a sealing unit 35 while applying a pressure less than atmospheric pressure, thereby forming the cover 5 with the yieldable chamber portion 7 enclosing the insulation body 3, wherein the pressure inside the chamber portion 7 is less than atmospheric pressure. The cover 5 further has a shape such that it comprises at least one attachment portion 15, 17.

[0083] Compressing of the insulation body 3 and sealing may be performed in a common step. Thereby the compression unit 33 and the sealing unit 35 may be combined as in FIG. 4. If using the above-mentioned mold 29, the insulation body 3 is located in the mold 29 during compression and sealing. A mating second mold with a suitable cavity may be used to shape the second 31 layer of cover material. As an alternative, the second mold may be flat or a flat surface of the combined compression and sealing unit 33, 35 may be utilized, as is illustrated in FIG. 4.

[0084] Usually the dimensions of the cover 5 are larger during the step of compression and sealing than for the ready product illustrated in FIG. 1. Therefore, the cover 5 may be cut by a cutting unit 37 to obtain the predefined shape of the insulation member 1 including the above-mentioned attachment portions 15, 17, which shape is illustrated in FIG. 1. The optional step of cutting may be combined with the step of sealing or be combined with the both the steps of compressing and sealing.

[0085] As an alternative to cutting, the first 27 and second 31 layers of cover material may be provided pre-cut, i.e. having the desired shape, e.g. as pre-cut sheets.

[0086] As an option, the above-mentioned step of sealing, or a separate additional sealing step, may comprise providing the attachment portion seals 21, 25 around the attachment portions 15, 17. This may help to reinforce the attachment portions 15, 17.

[0087] As an option, the method may comprise providing at least one aperture 19, 23 and/or indicium for an aperture in the attachment portion 15, 17. In that case, the above-mentioned step of sealing, or a separate additional sealing step may as an option comprise providing the aperture seal mentioned above.

[0088] In the insulation member 1, see FIGS. 1 and at the right-hand side of FIG. 4, the first layer 27 of cover material and the second layer 31 of cover material are two-dimensional mirror images as seen in planes parallel to the x-y plane. The insulation member 1 is in its non-expanded state having the first thickness t.sub.1.

[0089] If utilizing the above-mentioned first mould 29, the extension in the z-direction of the first layer 27 of cover material is usually larger than that of the second layer 31 in the non-expanded state, illustrated in FIG. 1. It may even be so that the second layer 31 forms a substantially planar surface having a negligible extension in the z-direction.

[0090] As an alternative, as mentioned above, it would be possible to instead use two moulds, one for the first layer 27 of cover material and one for the second layer 31. In that case, the first 27 and second 31 layers of cover material may have the same extension in the z-direction, thus forming three-dimensional mirror images.

[0091] Further modifications of the invention within the scope of the appended claims are feasible. As such, the present invention should not be considered as limited by the embodiments and figures described herein. Rather, the full scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims, with reference to the description and drawings.