Closed section geometry, hollow shape, vehicle components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9981534-B2
Application number	US-201415027799-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 7, 2014
Priority date	Oct 7, 2013
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

In an embodiment, a vehicle component for a vehicle can comprise: a carrier comprising a top portion, a bottom portion, a first side portion, and a second side portion; a cavity, wherein the cavity comprises a bottom cavity wall, cavity side walls, and a top portion of the cavity having an upper cavity wall; an insert covering at least a portion of the cavity and attached to the upper cavity wall, the bottom cavity wall, and/or the cavity side walls; and a cover attached to the carrier.

First claim

We claim:

1. A vehicle component for a vehicle comprising:
a carrier comprising a top portion, a bottom portion, a first side portion, and a second side portion;
a cavity, wherein the cavity comprises a bottom cavity wall, cavity side walls, and a top portion of the cavity having an upper cavity wall;
an insert covering at least a portion of the cavity and attached to the upper cavity wall the bottom cavity wall, and/or the cavity side walls;
a cover attached to the carrier, and
corner wings extending laterally from the first side portion and the second side portion and corner fairings configured to cover at least a portion of the corner wings, and wherein the corner wings comprise hinges.

2. The vehicle component of claim 1 , wherein the insert is attached to the cavity with a first attachment mechanism, wherein the insert is removably attached.

3. A vehicle component for a vehicle comprising:
a carrier comprising a top portion, a bottom portion, a first side portion, and a second side portion;
a cavity, wherein the cavity comprises a bottom cavity wall, cavity side walls, and a top portion of the cavity having an upper cavity wall;
an insert covering at least a portion of the cavity and attached to the upper cavity wall the bottom cavity wall, and/or the cavity side walls; and
a cover attached to the carrier;
wherein the insert is attached to the cavity with a second attachment mechanism, wherein the second attachment mechanism is a permanent attachment, and wherein the second attachment mechanism comprises a heat stake.

4. The vehicle component of claim 1 , wherein the insert is a polymeric material and wherein the polymeric material comprises long glass fiber filled polypropylene.

5. The vehicle component of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first side portion, the second side portion, and the top portion comprises ribs.

6. The vehicle component of claim 1 , further comprising a window opening located below the top portion and above the cavity, wherein the cavity is located over 60% to 90% of the distance from the first side portion to the second side portion.

7. The vehicle component of claim 1 , wherein the cavity is free of ribbing.

8. The vehicle component of claim 1 , wherein below a window opening and below light openings, the vehicle component is free of ribbing.

9. The vehicle component of claim 8 , wherein the vehicle component has ribbing above the window opening and to the sides of the window opening.

10. The vehicle component of claim 1 , wherein the corner fairings are not formed as a part of another component.

11. The vehicle component of claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises a first wing portion and a second wing portion configured to cover at least a portion of corner wings.

12. The vehicle component of claim 1 , wherein the cover further comprises a first side flange and a second side flange configured to receive the first side portion, and the second side portion.

13. A vehicle component for a vehicle comprising:
a carrier comprising a top portion, a bottom portion, a first side portion, and a second side portion;
a cavity, wherein the cavity comprises a bottom cavity wall, cavity side walls, and a top portion of the cavity having an upper cavity wall;
an insert covering at least a portion of the cavity and attached to the upper cavity wall the bottom cavity wall, and/or the cavity side walls; and
a cover attached to the carrier, wherein the top portion, the bottom portion, the first side portion, the second side portion, the insert, and the cover are each formed from a polymeric material and wherein the polymeric material comprises long glass fiber filled polypropylene, and wherein the polymeric material is free of metal.

14. The vehicle component of claim 1 , wherein the cavity has a depth of greater than or equal to 10 millimeters.

15. A vehicle comprising: a structural body and the vehicle component of claim 1 .

16. A method for making the vehicle component of claim 1 comprising: forming the vehicle component via a molding process, wherein the molding process uses media, and wherein the media comprises at least one of fluids and cores and sliders.

17. The vehicle component of claim 1 , wherein the walls of the cavity form a cavity depth; and wherein the insert comprises a base, an upper wall, a bottom wall, first and second side walls, wherein the upper wall, the bottom wall, the first side wall and second side walls protrude away from the base such that the upper wall, the bottom wall and the first and second side walls define an insert depth protruding from the base, and wherein the insert abuts the carrier forming a closed hollow profile.

18. The vehicle component of claim 17 , wherein the upper wall, bottom wall, and first and second side walls fit inside the cavity walls such that a depth of a box structure is equal to the depth of the upper wall, bottom wall, and first and second side walls.

19. The vehicle component of claim 17 , further comprising protrusions positioned on the upper wall, bottom wall, and first and second side walls and the cavity further comprises slots such that the protrusions are configured to mate with the slots to join the insert and the carrier.

Assignees

• Sabic Global Technologies Bv

Inventors

• Dassen Tim Willem Joseph Leonard
• Brands Davy Wilhelmus Anna
• Martin Claire Marie-Annick
• Yanev Angel Stoyanov
• Schellekens Geert Jan

Classifications

• B60J5/107 Primary

  constructional details, e.g. about door frame, panels, materials used, reinforcements · CPC title

• B62D27/023

  Assembly of structural joints · CPC title

• B60J5/10

  arranged at the vehicle rear (B60J5/04 takes precedence {; bonnets or lids B62D25/10; tail gates for pick-up trucks B62D33/0273; counterbalancing E05F; springs, e.g. pneumatic F16F}) · CPC title

• B62D25/085

  Front-end modules · CPC title

• B62D33/06

  Drivers' cabs {(overhead guards, e.g. against loads falling down B60R21/11; roll-over protection B60R21/13)} · CPC title