GB2478414A

GB2478414A - Bodyshell of a passenger vehicle with a rear spoiler module

Info

Publication number: GB2478414A
Application number: GB1103434A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Joachim Paul; Tobias Posch; Uwe Heller
Original assignee: Dr Ing HCF Porsche AG
Current assignee: Dr Ing HCF Porsche AG
Priority date: 2010-03-04
Filing date: 2011-02-28
Publication date: 2011-09-07
Anticipated expiration: 2031-02-28
Also published as: ITMI20110327A1; FR2957047A1; FR2957047B1; GB201103434D0; DE102010000634A1; DE102010000634B4; GB2478414B

Abstract

A bodyshell 1 of a passenger vehicle with a rear spoiler module 9, the spoiler module 9 having a mounting support 10, a drive unit mounted in the mounting support 10 and a spoiler 12 which is mounted in the drive unit and can be extended and retracted by means of the drive unit. The spoiler module 9 forms a unit which is preassembled outside the bodyshell 1, and the mounting support 10 is mounted in a centered manner in the bodyshell 1 via centering units 17, 21 and, in the centered position, is connected to the bodyshell 1 by means of fastening elements 22. This configuration of the bodyshell of the passenger vehicle and of the spoiler module permits rapid and precise mounting of the spoiler module in the passenger vehicle assembly line.

Description

Bodyshell of a passenger vehicle with a rear spoiler module The invention relates to a bodyshell of a passenger vehicle with a rear spoiler module mounted therein.

Sports vehicles are frequently designed with rear spoilers which form part of a rear spoiler module and can be extended and retracted by means of a drive unit in order thereby, owing to the circulating air flow in the extended state, to increase the pressure on the rear axle of the passenger vehicle.

The rear spoiler module is mounted here generally during the assembly of the passenger vehicle, and therefore when the latter is conveyed along an assembly line and is assembled there. This is highly time-consuming and, irrespective of the fact that parts of the rear spoiler module are entirely premanufactured and preassembled, associated with a considerable outlay in terms of the assembly times and requirements when adjusting the parts of the rear spoiler module because of exact joints which have to be taken into consideration between the parts of the rear spoiler module.

Against this background, the invention seeks to provide a configuration of a bodyshell of a passenger vehicle and of a rear spoiler module for a passenger vehicle, which permits rapid and precise mounting of the spoiler module during production of the passenger vehicle along an assembly line.

In order to achieve this, the invention proposes a bodyshell of a passenger vehicle with a rear spoiler module mounted therein, wherein the spoiler module has a mounting support, a drive unit mounted in the mounting support and a spoiler which is mounted in the drive unit and can be extended and retracted by means of the drive unit, wherein the spoiler module forms a unit which is preassembled outside the bodyshell, and the mounting support is mounted in a centered manner in the bodyshell via centering units and, in the centered position, is connected to the bodyshell by means of fastening elements.

According to the invention, provision is therefore made to preassemble the rear spoiler module entirely outside the bodyshell, and therefore at a location which is independent of the passenger vehicle assembly line. Said preassembled rear spoiler module, which therefore forms a preassembled unit, is brought to the assembly line on which the bodyshell is conveyed and merely has to be positioned in the bodyshell and connected to the latter. The positioning is carried out by means of the centering units. In the centered position of the spoiler module with respect to the bodyshell, the spoiler module then merely has to be connected to the bodyshell by means of fastening elements.

Owing to the fact that the spoiler module forms a preassembled unit, said spoiler module can be positioned rapidly and precisely in the bodyshell and can be connected to the latter. Only a small period of time is therefore required during production of the passenger vehicle in the assembly line in order to bring the rear spoiler, in particular the rear spoiler module, together as a whole with the bodyshell.

The rear spoiler module has a mounting support. With regard to the operation of the rear spoiler, said mounting support is firstly a functional component because it serves to mount the rear spoiler module in the bodyshell and to receive the drive unit for the spoiler and, secondly, said mounting support is a mounting component because it serves as a base element for the mounting of the further elements of the rear spoiler module.

The individual components of the rear spoiler module are preferably configured in such a manner that, when the spoiler module is assembled, the individual components can be aligned precisely with respect to one another and connected to one another in said aligned position. By this means, tolerance problems can be largely eliminated owing to the precise accuracy to size of the arrangement of the components, and therefore a spoiler module which is assembled with extreme accuracy to size then merely needs to be mounted in a centered manner in the bodyshell and fastened to the latter. This precise positioning of the spoiler module with respect to the bodyshell is ensured by a precise arrangement of the centering units.

For the mounting of the spoiler module in the bodyshell, the centering units are arranged in particular in such a manner that, referring to an X, Y and Z co-ordinate system, the respective centering unit centers the mounting support in the X and Y direction with respect to the bodyshell and the fastening elements connect the mounting support and the bodyshell in the Z direction. In particular, the co-ordinate system is oriented in such a manner that the X direction is the direction in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the Y direction is the direction in the transverse direction of the vehicle, and the Z direction is the direction in the vertical direction of the vehicle. The rear spoiler module is therefore arranged in the transverse direction of the vehicle and is centered in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and transverse direction of the vehicle by means of the centering units and is connected in the Z direction to the bodyshell by means of the fastening elements.

The respective centering unit is configured in particular in such a manner that it has a centering pin connected to the mounting support and a hole arranged in the bodyshell. The hole is preferably a punched hole in the box-type bodyshell of the passenger vehicle. The centering pin is in particular configured in such a manner that it tapers conically toward the free end thereof, wherein the hole has a circular cross section. This configuration makes it possible to produce the respective centering unit in a simple manner. If the centering pin tapers conically toward the free end thereof, the mounting support and therefore the spoiler module are inevitably centered upon insertion into the hole in the bodyshell. When two correspondingly configured centering units are used, an unambiguous position of the spoiler module with respect to the bodyshell is therefore provided, and therefore the spoiler module and the bodyshell merely have still to be connected by means of the fastening elements. The latter are in particular screws. For the exact centering of the mounting support with respect to the bodyshell, the centering units are arranged at the largest possible distance from each other. With regard thereto, the mounting support has the mounting-support components of the centering units preferably in the region of the ends facing both sides of the vehicle.

The spoiler is preferably configured in such a manner that it has a lower spoiler part which is mounted in the drive unit and an upper spoiler part which is mounted in the lower spoiler part. The lower spoiler part serves in particular to receive the functional components in order to raise or lower the spoiler, and, furthermore, for example, to receive a brake light positioned at a higher level while the task of the aerodynamic component inducing the spoiler characteristics is primarily attached to the upper spoiler part.

The lower spoiler part is mounted in the drive unit. It is aligned preferably in the X and Y direction by means of aligning means. In addition, alignment can also be carried out in the Z direction. In this respect, the spoiler part can preferably be adjusted in the Z direction with respect to the drive unit by means of adjusting means. The abovementioned directions are in particular the above-defined directions, namely the X direction in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the Y direction in the transverse direction of the vehicle and the Z direction in the vertical direction of the vehicle. Any three axes could alternatively be used, which may be mutually orthogonal, for example the plane of the receiving portion of the bodyshell and a direction perpendicular thereto. The lower spoiler part can be aligned with the drive unit by means of the aligning means or, if the lower spoiler part is in the lowered position thereof, with the mounting support.

Said aligning means permit precise positioning of the lower spoiler part with respect to the drive unit and the mounting support during mounting. Tolerance problems which previously existed when mounting the individual components of the spoiler module can therefore be virtually completely eliminated.

The upper spoiler part is mounted in the lower spoiler part.

In particular, the upper spoiler part is held at the rear on the lower spoiler part by means of clips pushed onto the lower spoiler part and is screwed at the front to the lower spoiler part. This configuration also permits a simple and largely tolerance-free assembly of the upper spoiler part and lower spoiler part. In addition, adjusting means for adjusting the position of the upper spoiler part with respect to the lower spoiler part can be provided, in particular adjusting means which are arranged as buffer elements between the upper spoiler part and lower spoiler part. By means of said adjusting elements, optimum adjustment of the spoiler can be implemented in a structurally simple manner.

Further components can form part of the spoiler module, for example a lock and a setting element for the lock, the lock and setting element being connected to the mounting support.

The lock serves to secure a passenger vehicle tailgate in the closed position. In this respect, the lock likewise has to be based on the reference system of the mounting support.

The invention therefore proposes a particular arrangement of a spoiler module in a bodyshell of a passenger vehicle and a particular construction of the spoiler module. In particular, joint-forming components of the spoiler module, which are of particular importance with regard to styling, accordingly in particular the upper spoiler part and the lower spoiler part, are aligned precisely with respect to the mounting support and therefore in the bodyshell because of the centered mounting of the mounting support, and joints between said components of the rear spoiler module and the components adjacent thereto, in particular bodywork components of the passenger vehicle, can be formed precisely.

Further features of the invention emerge from the dependent claims, the appended drawing and the description of the preferred exemplary embodiment reproduced in the drawings, without being limited to said exemplary embodiment.

In the drawings, in a schematic illustration: fig. 1 shows, in a three-dimensional illustration, the rear region of the BW 61

B

bodyshell of a passenger vehicle with a rear spoiler module, before the spoiler module and bodyshell are assembled; fig. 2 shows a three-dimensional illustration of components of the spoiler module, namely a mounting support, a drive unit which is mounted in the mounting support, a lock and a setting element for the lock, before the lock and setting element are attached to the mounting support; fig. 3 shows, in a three-dimensional illustration, the mounting support and the drive unit, and furthermore further components of the spoiler module, namely a lower spoiler part and an expansion bellows, before the lower spoiler part is connected to the drive unit and the expansion bellows is connected to the mounting support and the lower spoiler part; and fig. 4 shows a three-dimensional illustration firstly of the spoiler module components shown in fig. 3, when the components are mounted, and, secondly, of an upper spoiler part forming part of the spoiler module, before the upper spoiler part is attached to the lower spoiler part.

The figures illustrate a concept for mounting a rear spoiler module, including installing the rear spoiler module in the passenger vehicle, specifically in the bodyshell thereof.

Reference is first of all made here to the illustration of fig. 1: The bodyshell 1 of a passenger vehicle, specifically for the rear region of a sports vehicle, is illustrated. For the bodyshell 1, two lateral wings 2, two longitudinal members 3, a rear crossmember 4, an opening 5 for a rear window, and a transverse brace 6 which is located behind the opening 5 and is arranged between the two wings 2 are illustrated. A rear opening 7 is formed in the bodyshell 1 between the two wings 2, on the one hand, and the crossmember 4 and the transverse brace 6, on the other hand. A tailgate 8 which is illustrated in the open position thereof is mounted pivotably in the transverse brace 6 of the bodyshell 1.

The X co-ordinate shown illustrates the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the Y co-ordinate illustrates the transverse direction of the vehicle and the Z co-ordinate illustrates the vertical direction of the vehicle.

A rear spoiler module 9, abbreviated below to spoiler module, can be connected to the bodyshell 1 in the region of the opening 7. Said spoiler module 9 has a mounting support 10, a drive unit 11 mounted in the mounting support 10 (fig. 2) and a spoiler 12 which is mounted in the drive unit 11 and can be extended and retracted by means of the drive unit 11, and also an expansion bellows 13 which is connected to the mounting support 10 and the spoiler 12 and covers the drive unit 11 toward the rear. The spoiler 12 is specifically formed by a lower spoiler part 14 and an upper spoiler part 15 (fig. 4) which are connected to each other, wherein the lower spoiler part 14 is mounted in the drive unit 11.

For the left-hand side of the spoiler module 9 in the longitudinal direction X of the vehicle, fig. 1 illustrates that two holes 16 are provided in the mounting support 10, said holes having a circular cross section and passing through the mounting support io. On said left-hand side, the mounting support 10 is provided on the lower side thereof with a centering pin 17 which tapers conically toward the free end thereof. The mounting support 10 is correspondingly provided on the other, right-hand side thereof with the two holes 16 and the centering pin 17, with only one hole 16 being visible. In the region of these two ends, the mounting support 10 forms a substantially horizontally oriented bearing plate section 18 which can be brought in each case into contact with a corresponding substantially horizontally formed bearing plate section 19 of the bodyshell 1 adjacent to the respective wing 2. Said bearing plate section 19 has two holes 20 punched into the box-type bodyshell, corresponding to the arrangement of the two holes 16 in the respective bearing plate section 18, and, furthermore, a further hole 21, corresponding to the position of the centering pin 17. The holes 20 have a circular cross section which corresponds to that of the holes 16. The hole 21 has a circular cross section which corresponds to that of the centering pin 17 in the region of the widened end thereof.

On the respective side of the vehicle, the centering pin 17 and the assigned hole 21 form a centering unit. One side is provided here with an elongated hole for compensation in the Y direction, i.e. longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

The preassembled spoiler module 9 is brought into position above the opening 7 and the mounting support 10 of said spoiler module is laid by the bearing plate sections 18 onto the bearing plate sections 19, with a defined mounting position of the spoiler module 9 with respect to the bodyshell 1 arising as the two centering pins 17 are driven into the two holes 21. Owing to the exact arrangement of the centering pins 17 of the mounting support 10 and of the holes 21 in the bodyshell 1, the spoiler module 9 is exactly positioned in the bodyshell 1. The holes 16 in the mounting support 10 are aligned here with the holes 20 in the bodyshell 1, and therefore all that is required to connect the spoiler module 9 and bodyshell 1 is for the illustrated four screws 22 to be inserted through the holes 16, 20 and to be introduced into nuts (not illustrated specifically) in the region of the lower side of the bearing plate sections 19.

The complete preassembly of the spoiler module 9 and the formation of the mounting support 10 with the two centering pins 17 and the holes 16, 20 and 21 which are provided enable the spoiler module 9 to be mounted rapidly and precisely on an assembly line of the vehicle.

Figs 2 to 4 illustrate the individual assembly steps for forming the spoiler module 9: Fig. 2 shows the mounting support 10 as an essential component of the spoiler module 9. Since said mounting support is configured with the two centering pins 17 for aligning the mounting support 10 on a base and with the four holes 16 for the fastening on a base by means of screws -in the case of the specific use according to fig. 1 with the base which is in the form of the bearing plate sections 19, said mounting support 10 is suitable as a mounting base part, according to the selected choice of words, in order for the further components of the spoiler module 9 to be directly or subsequently mounted thereon. The mounting support 10 is held on a base -preassembly device -which is correspondingly provided with the holes 20 and 21 (shown in Fig. 1) such that the mounting support 10 is aligned in a defined manner in the X, Y and Z direction. Owing to said defined co-ordinates, the body parts or add-on parts of the spoiler module 9 can then be mounted.

it is thus shown with regard to fig. 2, without a preassembly device which holds the mounting support 10 in the described manner, that the drive unit 11 has already been connected to the mounting support 10. Said drive unit has setting-out mechanisms 23 which are arranged adjacent to the bearing plate section 18 and can be retracted and extended by means of force means (not illustrated specifically), with the effect of providing an extension and retraction movement of the lower spoiler part 14 and therefore of the spoiler 12. In specific terms, the region of each bearing plate section 18 is provided with two setting-out mechanisms 23 which are movable in the Z direction and, in the region of the upper end thereof, have circular ring-shaped support plates 24 on which the lower spoiler part 14 rests. Threaded bores for receiving fastening screws, for the purpose of fastening the lower spoiler part 14 to the setting-out mechanisms 23, extend centrally through the support plates 24. A connecting plate is arranged between the pairs of setting-out mechanisms 23 arranged on the right and left, said plate being mounted in the setting-out mechanisms 23, and therefore likewise being raisable and lowerable and being bent downwards slightly in the Z direction. Said connecting plate 25 supports the lower spoiler part 14 between the fastening points thereof in the region of the setting-out mechanisms 23.

The rear spoiler module 9 is illustrated in fig. 2 without the lower spoiler part 14. A lock 26 which can be connected to the mounting support 1 in the Y extent, approximately at half the width of the mounting support 10 on the front side thereof, is shown. By means of the lock 26, a locking mechanism (not illustrated) of the tailgate 8 can be locked when the tailgate 8 is closed. In order to actuate the lock 26, a setting element 27 which can be connected to the mounting support 10 is provided.

By means of the precisely fitting mounting of the mounting support 10 in the base -preassembly device -the described further components of the spoiler module 9 can be exactly and rapidly mounted on the mounting support 10 and in the setting-out mechanisms 23.

Fig. 3 shows the arrangement according to fig. 2. When the setting-out mechanisms 23 are retracted and therefore the connecting plate 25 is also retracted, the lower spoiler part 14 which curves slightly downward in the Y direction is aligned and adjusted in the X, Y and Z direction with respect to the setting-out mechanisms 23 and the mounting support 10. The alignment in the Z direction is carried out in the drive unit 11, specifically at the support plates 24 of the four setting-out mechanisms 23. An adjustment of the lower spoiler part 14 in the Z direction is optionally possible. The alignment of the lower spoiler part 14 in the Y direction is carried out on the basis of the lower spoiler part 14 being lowered and therefore the mounting support 10 being contacted in this position by means of a guide 28 which runs in the X direction, is open at the top and engages a guide projection (not shown) of the mounting support 10. The alignment in the X direction is carried out by means of guides 29 which, with reference to the Y extent of the lower spoiler part 14, are provided in the region of remote ends of the lower spoiler part 14 and interact with lateral projections (not illustrated) in the mounting support 10. In the completely lowered position of the lower spoiler part 14, the described guiding of the lower spoiler part 14 in the X, Y and Z direction is therefore provided, and, when the lower spoiler part 14 is raised, if the latter is not in contact with the mounting support 10, the lower spoiler part 14 is merely mounted and fastened in the four setting-out mechanisms 23.

The lower spoiler part 14 is fixedly connected to the setting-out mechanisms 23 by means of four screws 30 which pass through holes 31 in the lower spoiler part 14 and are screwed into the threaded bores of the setting-out mechanisms 23.

Fig. 3 furthermore illustrates the expansion bellows 13 which forms part of the spoiler module 9. Said expansion bellows extends on the rear side of the spoiler module 9 between the two pairs of setting-out mechanisms and surrounds the latter laterally. The expansion bellows 13 is connected in the region of the lower end thereof to the mounting support 10 by means of five expanding rivets 32 and, in the region of the upper end thereof, to the lower spoiler part 14 by means of five further expanding rivets 33. The expansion bellows 13 is illustrated with the lower spoiler part 14 raised both in fig. 3 and in fig. 1.

Fig. 4 illustrates the mounting of the upper spoiler part 15 on the lower spoiler part 14 while the mounting support 10 continues to be mounted in the preassembly device: the upper spoiler part 15 which is specially configured aerodynamically is held at the rear on the lower spoiler part 14 by means of clips (not illustrated) pushed onto the lower spoiler part 14 and is screwed at the front to the lower spoiler part 15 by means of five screws 34.

The spoiler module 9 which is completed to this extent can then be removed from the preassembly device and, in the form of a functional spoiler module 9 forming a unit, as illustrated with respect to fig. 1, immediately adjusted to the bodyshell 1 and connected by means of the screws 22.

Claims

Patent Claims 1. A bodyshell of a passenger vehicle with a rear spoiler module mounted therein, wherein the spoiler module has a mounting support, a drive unit mounted in the mounting support and a spoiler which is mounted in the drive unit and can be extended and retracted by means of the drive unit, wherein the spoiler module forms a unit which is preassembled outside the bodyshell, and the mounting support is mounted in a centered manner in the bodyshell via centering units and, in the centered position, is connected to the bodyshell by means of fastening elements.
2. The bodyshell as claimed in claim 1, wherein, referring to an X, Y and Z co-ordinate system, the respective centering unit centers the mounting support in the X and Y direction with respect to the bodyshell and the fastening elements connect the mounting support and the bodyshell in the Z direction.
3. The bodyshell as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the respective centering unit has a centering pin connected to the mounting support and a hole mounted in the bodyshell.
4. The bodyshell as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the hole is a punched hole in the box-type bodyshell of the passenger vehicle.
5. The bodyshell as claimed in claim 3 or 4, wherein the centering pin tapers conically toward the free end thereof and the hole has a circular cross section.
6. The bodyshell as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the fastening elements are designed as screws.
7. The bodyshell as claimed in one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the mounting support has the mounting-support components of the centering unit in the region of the ends facing both sides of the vehicle.
8. The bodyshell as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the spoiler has a lower spoiler part which is mounted in the drive unit and an upper spoiler part which is mounted in the lower spoiler part.
9. The bodyshell as claimed in claim 8, wherein the lower spoiler part is mounted in the drive unit and is aligned in the X, Y and Z direction by means of aligning means.
10. The bodyshell as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the lower spoiler part can be adjusted in the Z direction with respect to the drive unit via adjusting means.
11. The bodyshell as claimed in one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the spoiler module has an expansion bellows which is connected to the mounting support and to the lower spoiler part on the sides thereof which face the rear end of the vehicle.
12. The bodyshell as claimed in one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the upper spoiler part is held at the rear on the lower spoiler part by means of clips pushed onto the lower spoiler part and is screwed at the front to the lower spoiler part.
13. The bodyshell as claimed in claim 12, wherein adustirig means for adjusting the position of the upper spoiler part with respect to the lower spoiler part are provided, in particular adjusting means which are arranged as buffer elements between the upper spoiler part and lower spoiler part.
14. The bodyshell as claimed in one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the spoiler module has a lock and a setting element for the lock, the lock and setting element being connected to the mounting support, and wherein the lock serves to secure a passenger vehicle tailgate in the closed position.
15. The bodyshell as claimed in one of claims 2 to 14, wherein the X direction is the direction in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, the Y direction is the direction in the transverse direction of the vehicle, and the Z direction is the direction in the vertical direction of the vehicle.
16. A bodyshell of a passenger vehicle, substantially as herein before described with reference to any of the accompanying drawings.
17. A rear spoiler module for a passenger vehicle, substantially as herein before described with reference to any of the accompanying drawings.