Use of a part in chassis of motor vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10850329-B2
Application number	US-201816108983-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2018
Priority date	Feb 23, 2016
Publication date	Dec 1, 2020
Grant date	Dec 1, 2020

Abstract

A chassis of a motor vehicle, having at least one part that consists of a metal material and absorbs or transmits forces, at least one tape-shaped reinforcing element that consists of a fiber-reinforced metal matrix being applied to the surface of the part by thermal joining in the broadest sense. Chassis, which are of different motor-vehicle types in terms of their weight and/or their drive power and the same part, in terms of its geometric dimensions, that absorbs or transmits said forces, are characterized in that, when used in a motor-vehicle type with a higher weight and/or a greater drive power, a reinforcing element is applied to at least one surface portion, forming a load path, of this part, which reinforcing element is either not provided at all or is provided in a smaller size in a different motor-vehicle type with a lower weight and/or lower drive power.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of using an identical part formed of a metal material that absorbs or transmits forces in a chassis of different motor vehicles, and a tape-shaped reinforcing element formed of a fiber-reinforced metal matrix that is applied to a surface of the part via thermal joining, the method of using comprising the steps of:
for motor vehicles differing in terms of weight and/or drive power, in a first motor vehicle type having a higher weight and/or greater drive power, applying the tape-shaped reinforcing element to at least one surface portion, forming a load path, of said part, wherein said part is underdimensioned for use in the chassis of the first motor vehicle type without the applied tape-shaped reinforcing element; and
in a second motor vehicle type having a lower weight and/or lower drive power, either: (i) not applying the tape-shaped reinforcing element at all to said part, or (ii) applying a tape-shaped reinforcing element of a smaller size to the part of the second motor vehicle type, wherein said part is dimensioned for use in the chassis of the second motor vehicle type without the tape-shaped reinforcing part or only with the smaller size tape shaped-reinforcing element.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the part is used in a chassis which comprises an axle carrier having at least two longitudinal members and at least one cross member connecting said two longitudinal members, wherein
the tape-shaped reinforcing element is applied by thermal joining to one or more of the: two longitudinal members, the at least one cross member, and a shear panel that stiffens the axle carrier.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the chassis further comprises a wheel attachment component for an articulated connection of a wheel of the vehicle to the axle carrier and/or to a body of the vehicle, wherein
the metal part having the tape-shaped reinforcing element applied by thermal joining is or has a part of the wheel attachment component.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein
the tape-shaped reinforcing element is formed by a hybrid-yarn semifinished product which, in addition to reinforcement fibers, has metal-matrix forming fibers made of a metal material.

5. The method according to claim 2 , wherein
the tape-shaped reinforcing element is applied via ultrasonic additive manufacturing.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the tape-shaped reinforcing element is further connected in a form-fit manner to the part that absorbs or transmits forces.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
reinforcement fibers of the tape-shaped reinforcing element are either carbon fibers, ceramic fibers, consist of glass, or a metal material different than a metal matrix of the reinforcing element.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein
the tape-shaped reinforcing element contains, in addition to the metal material forming the metal matrix, substantially only reinforcement fibers embedded in the metal matrix.

Assignees

• Bayerische Motoren Werke Ag

Inventors

• Tenhaeff Katja

Classifications

• B60G2206/71

  Light weight materials · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title

• B60G13/00

  Resilient suspensions characterised by arrangement, location or type of vibration dampers (adjusting damping effect B60G17/06; vibration dampers per se F16F) · CPC title

• B60G2206/124

  the arm having triangular or Y-shape, e.g. wishbone · CPC title

• B62D21/11

  with resilient means for suspension {, e.g. of wheels or engine; sub-frames for mounting engine or suspensions} · CPC title