Connection of body elements in motor vehicles

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11180199-B2
Application number	US-201816614654-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 21, 2018
Priority date	Jun 22, 2017
Publication date	Nov 23, 2021
Grant date	Nov 23, 2021

Abstract

A system of connected body elements for a motor vehicle includes a first body element and a second body element. The first body element has at least one duct on a surface, wherein a shoulder is formed next to the duct. The system furthermore includes an adhesive which is arranged at least partially in the duct and at least partially on the shoulder and adhesively bonds the first body element to the second body element. A connection region, directly adjoining the shoulder, of the surface of the first body element is free here from adhesive. A first space between shoulder and second body element and a second space between connection region and second body element are open towards each other.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system of connected body elements for a motor vehicle, the system comprising:
a first body element which has at least one channel on a surface of the body element, a shoulder being formed next to the channel;
a second body element; and
an adhesive which is arranged at least partially in the channel and at least partially on the shoulder and adhesively bonds the first body element to the second body element,
wherein the adhesive is at least partially hardened on the shoulder so as to stop spreading of the adhesive on the shoulder,
a connection region, directly adjoining the shoulder, of the surface of the first body element is free from adhesive, and
a first space between the shoulder and the second body element, and a second space between the connection region and the second body element, are open towards each other.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first body element is a profile, a casting, or a panel-shaped element, and
the second body element is a profile, a casting, or a panel-shaped element.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first body element and the second body element consist at least partially of metal, plastic, or fiber-reinforced plastic.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a distance between the shoulder and the second body element is between 0.2 and 5 mm.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of (i) a channel width is between 5 and 300 mm, (ii) a channel depth is between 0.5 and 10 mm, and (iii) a channel length is between 50 and 500 mm.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the channel runs completely around the first body element and is thus closed in itself.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of (i) the channel has branches, and (ii) the channel comprises a main channel and side channels connected thereto.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a width of the shoulder, measured in the same direction as the channel width, is less than 30 mm.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a width of the connection region, measured in the same direction as the channel width, is more than 1 mm.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the shoulder and the connection region lie in the same plane.

11. A method for connecting body elements of a motor vehicle, the method comprising the steps:
provision of a first body element which has at least one channel on a surface of the first body element, the surface of the first body element forming a shoulder next to the channel;
provision of a second body element;
arrangement of the first body element and the second body element such that an open cavity is formed between the channel and the shoulder of the first body element and the second body element;
introduction of an adhesive into the channel; and
spreading of the adhesive at least partly in the channel and at least partly on the shoulder for bonding the first body element to the second body element,
wherein the spreading of the adhesive on the shoulder is stopped by an at least partial hardening of the adhesive on the shoulder.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein on introduction into the channel, at least one of (i) the adhesive is conveyed from an adhesive tank by a pump, and (ii) the adhesive is conveyed through a filling opening in the second body element.

13. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the method comprises the step of hardening of the adhesive by application of a temperature of at least 120° C.

14. The method as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the method is carried out with elements of a system of connected body elements for a motor vehicle, the system comprising:
a first body element which has at least one channel on a surface of the body element, a shoulder being formed next to the channel;
a second body element; and
an adhesive which is arranged at least partially in the channel and at least partially on the shoulder and adhesively bonds the first body element to the second body element,
wherein a connection region, directly adjoining the shoulder, of the surface of the first body element is free from adhesive, and
a first space between the shoulder and the second body element, and a second space between the connection region and the second body element, are open towards each other.

Assignees

• Sika Tech Ag

Inventors

• Munzinger Noah
• Souvay Denis
• Rheinegger Urs

Classifications

• C09J5/00

  Adhesive processes in general; Adhesive processes not provided for elsewhere, e.g. relating to primers · CPC title

• B62D27/026 Primary

  Connections by glue bonding (in general F16B11/00; processes C09J5/00) · CPC title

• B62D27/023

  Assembly of structural joints · CPC title

• F16B11/008

  of tubular elements or rods in coaxial engagement · CPC title

• B62D29/005

  preformed metal and synthetic material elements being joined together, e.g. by adhesives · CPC title