WO2020043450A1

WO2020043450A1 - Covering component for a shaft component of a vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2020043450A1
Application number: PCT/EP2019/071216
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sven Müller; Julius Rausch; Fabian Groh
Original assignee: Audi Ag
Priority date: 2018-08-30
Filing date: 2019-08-07
Publication date: 2020-03-05
Also published as: DE102018214703B3

Abstract

The invention relates to a covering component (10, 10A) for a shaft component (5) of a vehicle, which shaft component is arranged at least vertically movably in the region of a cut-out (3) of an underbody cladding (1), and to a corresponding method for producing a covering component (10, 10A) of this type. According to the invention, a protective component (12) made of a hard material (HM) is rigidly connected to the movably mounted shaft component (5) and at least partly extends around the same, the protective component (12) being connected at the outer border (12.1) thereof to a highly elastic membrane-like cover part (14) made of a soft material (WM) by means of a transition region (18), the cover part (14) being connected in the outer region (14.1) thereof to the underbody cladding (1) such that the cut-out (3) in the underbody cladding (1) is closed, relative movements between the protective component (12) and the underbody cladding (1) being compensated by the highly elastic membrane-type cover part (14).

Description

Cladding component for an axle component of a vehicle

DESCRIPTION: The invention relates to a trim component for an axle component of a vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing such a trim component. Cladding components for axle components of vehicles are known in numerous variations. The demands on vehicle aerodynamics are increasing, in particular in the case of vehicles powered by battery electricity. By improving vehicle aerodynamics, either the range of this vehicle class can be increased or battery costs can be saved if the range remains the same. The aerodynamic view of the rear axle is not optimally clad in current vehicle generations. The underbody paneling is cut out in the area of the axle beam and air turbulence can occur which can have a negative impact on the vehicle's drag coefficient.

From DE 32 39 946 A1 an aerodynamic fairing for the underside of motor vehicles is known. The cover is made of a flexible material, such as a plastic film, which can avoid the movements of wheel guide members.

EP 0 888 956 A1 discloses a floor area of a motor vehicle close to the rear axle with a cladding component of the generic type. The floor area comprises floor parts which form flat, aerodynamic floor surfaces in front of and behind a receiving space for the rear axle, and means for closing the receiving space. These means allow temporary movements of the rear axle under the floor surface.

The invention is based on the object of providing a cladding component for an axle component of a vehicle and a method for producing such a cladding component which protects the axle component and improves the vehicle aerodynamics and can be produced and assembled cost-effectively.

This object is achieved by a cladding component for an axle component of a vehicle with the features of claim 1 and by methods for producing such a cladding component with the features of claim 10. Advantageous refinements with expedient developments of the invention are specified in the dependent patent claims.

In order to provide a cladding component for an axle component of a vehicle, which protects the axle component and improves the vehicle aerodynamics and can be manufactured and assembled inexpensively, a protective component made of a hard material is rigidly connected to the movably mounted axle component and at least partially encloses it - wise. Here, the protective component is connected at its outer edge via a transition area to a highly elastic membrane-like cover component made of a soft material, the cover component being connected to an underbody paneling on its outer area, so that a recess in the underbody paneling is closed. In addition, the highly elastic membrane-like cover component compensates for relative movements between the protective component and the underbody paneling. The axle component of the vehicle is arranged to be movable at least vertically in the area of the recess in the underbody paneling.

In addition, a method for producing such a cladding component by means of a two-stage injection molding process in a tool proposed, which comprises the following steps: molding the at least one hard component from a suitable thermoplastic base material, and molding the highly elastic soft component from a suitable thermoplastic elastomer.

Embodiments of the cladding component according to the invention close the cutout for the axle component in the underbody paneling while improving the aerodynamic behavior of the vehicle and permitting movements of the axle component in different spatial directions, in particular in the vehicle vertical direction. The two-stage injection molding process enables simple and inexpensive production of the cladding component according to the invention.

Embodiments of the cladding component according to the invention combine the protection component of the hard component from environmental influences, such as mechanical loads and corrosive media, with the aerodynamically favorable covering of the cutout in the underbody covering by the use of the highly elastic membrane-like component Cover component, which is also able to compensate for the movements of the protective component connected to the axis component. The protective components can preferably be designed as an inherently rigid hard component and have an aerodynamically favorable shape. As already stated above, the highly elastic membrane-like cover component can be connected to the protective component by injection molding in a two-stage injection molding process. The cover component covers the area of the cutout in the underbody paneling which is not already covered by the protective component, so that the cutout for the axle component in the underbody paneling is completely closed by embodiments of the trim component according to the invention.

In an advantageous embodiment of the trim component, the outer area of the cover component can be made from a hard material. In this case, the soft material of the cover component can be covered by another Transition area are connected to the hard material of the outer area of the cover component. By designing the outer area of the cover component from a hard material, conventional connection techniques can be used.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the cladding component, the hard material of the outer border or of the outer region can be connected to the soft material of the cover component at the corresponding transition area via a material and / or positive connection. With such a design, the connections of the soft material components to the hard material components can withstand cyclical loads over the life of the vehicle.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the cladding component, the hard material of the outer border or of the outer region can be made, for example, with a lip on the corresponding transition region, which is extrusion-coated with the soft material of the cover component. Such an overmolded lip enables the cyclical load application to be homogenized and provides a long flange length to provide an adhesive surface. In addition, such a lip can be implemented easily and inexpensively. To implement a simple positive connection, at least one opening can be made in the lip, which can be filled with soft material of the cover component.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the cladding component, the lip can have a spherical end for voltage homogenization during load changes in the positive and negative vehicle vertical direction, which end can form a swivel joint with the overmolded soft material of the cover component.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the cladding component, the hard material of the outer border or of the outer region can have a rounding, which can form a hinge with the overmolded soft material of the cover component. The rounding of the hard component leads to the homogenization of the loads with cyclical deflection in positive and negative vehicle vertical direction. In addition, the lip can have a cross-shaped end, which can increase the form fit between the hard material and the overmolded soft material of the cover component. At the same time, the positive fit between the hard material and the overmolded soft material of the cover component is flexible due to a smaller wall thickness of the overmolded soft material with deflections in the positive and negative vehicle vertical direction.

The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description and the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures can be used not only in the combination indicated in each case, but also in other combinations or on their own, without leaving the scope of the invention. Thus, versions are also to be regarded as encompassed and disclosed by the invention, which are not explicitly shown or explained in the figures, but which emerge and can be generated by separate combinations of features from the explained versions.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawing and are explained in more detail in the following description. In the drawing, the same reference symbols denote components or elements that perform the same or analog functions. Here show:

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of a

Underbody cladding with an exemplary embodiment of a cladding component according to the invention for an axle component of a vehicle from below;

Fig. 2 is a schematic and partial sectional view of the

Underbody cladding from Fig. 1;

3 shows a schematic and sectional view of an underbody paneling with another Embodiment of a trim component according to the invention for an axle component of a vehicle;

4 shows a schematic sectional illustration of a first exemplary embodiment of a transition area between a hard material component and a soft material component for the lining component according to the invention for an axle component of a vehicle from FIGS. 1 to 3; 5 shows a schematic sectional illustration of a second exemplary embodiment of a transition region between a hard material component and a soft material component for the trim component according to the invention for an axle component of a vehicle from FIGS. 1 to 3;

6 shows a schematic sectional illustration of a third exemplary embodiment of a transition area between a hard material component and a soft material component for the lining component according to the invention for an axle component of a vehicle from FIGS. 1 to 3; and

7 shows a schematic sectional illustration of a fourth exemplary embodiment of a transition region between a hard material component and a soft material component for the trim component according to the invention for an axle component of a vehicle from FIGS. 1 to 3.

As can be seen from FIGS. 1 to 7, a cladding component 10, 10A, 10B for an axle component 5 of a vehicle, which is arranged at least vertically movable in the area of a recess 3 of an underbody panel 1, according to the invention comprises a protective component 12, 12A, 12B , 12C, 12D made of a hard material HM, which is rigidly connected to the movably mounted axle component 5 and at least partially surrounds it. The protective component 12, 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D is on its outer Border 12.1 is connected via a transition area 18, 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D to a membrane-like cover component 14, 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D made of a soft material WM. The cover component 14, 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D is connected at its outer area 14.1 to the underbody panel 1, so that the recess 3 in the underbody panel 1 is closed. Here, relative movements between the protective component 12, 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D and the underbody cladding 1 are compensated for by the highly elastic membrane-like cover component 14, 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D.

As can also be seen from FIGS. 1 to 3, the outer area 14.1 of the cover component 14 in the exemplary embodiments shown is connected to the underbody cladding 1 via conventional fastening elements 7, which are designed, for example, as bolts, screws, rivets, etc. bound. The protective component 12 is also rigidly connected to the axle component 5 in the illustrated exemplary embodiments via conventional fastening elements 7.

As can also be seen from FIG. 1, the underbody paneling 1, which is arranged in the region of a front vehicle axle, in the exemplary embodiment shown comprises two recesses 3, one of which is shown in FIG. 1 below, from a first exemplary embodiment of the covering. tion component 10A is closed. A recess 3 shown at the top in FIG. 1 is left open in order to clarify the effect of the cladding component 10A. A wheel 9 shown in dashed lines in FIG. 1 schematically shows the position of the lower recess 3 in the underbody paneling 1. As can also be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the outer region 14.1 of the cover component 14 in the first exemplary embodiment of the cladding component 10A shown is made of a hard material HM. This facilitates the mechanical connection of the outer area 14.1 of the cover component 14 to the underbody panel 1. 1 and 2, the soft material WM of the cover component 14 is connected to the hard material HM of the outer area 14.1 of the cover component 14 via a further transition region 18. As can also be seen from FIG. 3, the outer region 14.1 of the cover component 14 in the second exemplary embodiment of the cladding component 10B shown is likewise made from the soft material WM.

As can also be seen from FIGS. 4 to 7, the hard material HM of the outer border 12.1 or of the outer region 14.1 is at the corresponding transition region 18, 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D via a material and / or positive connection with the soft material WM Cover components 14, 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D connected.

Various embodiments of the transition region 18, 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D are described below with reference to FIGS. 4 to 7.

As can further be seen from FIG. 4, in the illustrated first exemplary embodiment of the transition area 18A, the hard material HM of the outer border 12.1 or of the outer area 14.1 is made with a lip 12.2 which is overmolded with the soft material WM of the cover component 14A.

As can further be seen from FIG. 5, in the second exemplary embodiment of the transition region 18B shown, two openings 12.3 are made in the lip 12.2, which are filled with soft material WM of the cover component 14B, so that a simple positive fit between the cover components 14B and the protective component 12B.

As can also be seen from FIG. 6, in the third exemplary embodiment of the transition region 18C shown, the lip 12.2 has a spherical end 12.4 which forms a swivel joint with the overmolded soft material WM of the covering component 14C. In addition, in the embodiment shown to improve the positive connection between the protective component 12C and the cover component 14C, an opening 12.3 is optionally made in the lip 12.2, which is filled with soft material WM of the cover components 14C. As can also be seen from FIG. 7, in the fourth exemplary embodiment of the transition region 18D shown, the hard material HM of the outer border 12.1 or of the outer region 14.1 has a rounding 12.6, which forms a hinge with the overmolded soft material WM of the cover component 14D. In order to increase the positive fit between the hard material HM of the protective component 12D and the overmolded soft material WM of the cover component 14D, the lip 12.2 in the exemplary embodiment shown has a cross-shaped end 12.5. According to the method according to the invention, such a cladding component 10, 10A, 10B is produced in one tool by means of a two-stage injection molding process. In a first step, the at least one hard component HM is molded from a suitable thermoplastic base material. In a subsequent step, the soft component WM is then molded from a suitable thermoplastic elastomer.

Embodiments of the trim component according to the invention for an axle component of a vehicle advantageously improve the overall vehicle aerodynamics. In addition, the integration of sub-functions in a single component enables implementation with little additional effort, so that there are only minor additional costs in production. By using known connection technologies, the additional costs in assembly can be reduced in an advantageous manner.

REFERENCE SIGN LIST

1 underbody paneling

3 recess

5 axis component

7 fastener

9 wheel

10, 10A, 10B cladding component

12, 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D protective component 12.1 border

12.2 lip

12.3 breakthrough

12.4 spherical end

12.5 cruciform end 12.6 rounding

14, 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D cover component 14.1 outdoor area

18, 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D connection area HM hard material

WM soft material

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS:

Cladding component (10, 10A, 10B) for an axle component (5) of a vehicle, which is arranged to be at least vertically movable in the area of a recess (3) in an underbody paneling (1)

characterized in that

a protective component (12, 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D) made of a hard material (HM) is rigidly connected to the movably mounted axle component (5) and at least partially surrounds it, the protective component (12, 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D) on their outer border (12.1) over a transition area (18, 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D) with a highly elastic membrane-like cover component (14, 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D) made of a soft material (WM ) is connected, the cover component (14, 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D) being connected at its outer area (14.1) to the underbody paneling (1), so that the recess (3) in the underbody paneling (1) is closed , whereby relative movements between the protective component (12, 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D) and the underbody paneling (1) are compensated for by the highly elastic membrane-like cover component (14, 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D).

Cladding component (10, 10B) according to claim 1,

characterized in that

the outer area (14.1) of the cover component (14, 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D) is made of a hard material (HM).

Cladding component (10, 10B) according to Claim 2,

characterized in that

the soft material (WM) of the cover component (14, 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D) over a further transition area (18, 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D) with the hard material (HM) of the outer area (14.1) of the cover component (14 , 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D).

Cladding component (10, 10A, 10B) according to Claim 1 or 3, characterized in that

at the corresponding transition area (18, 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D) the hard material (HM) of the outer border (12.1) or the outer area (14.1) via a material and / or positive connection with the soft material (WM) Cover component (14, 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D) is connected.

Cladding component (10, 10A, 10B) according to Claim 4,

characterized in that

at the corresponding transition area (18, 18A, 18B, 18C, 18D) the hard material (HM) of the outer border (12.1) or the outer area (14.1) is designed with a lip (12.2) which is made with the soft material (WM ) the covering component (14, 14A, 14B, 14C, 14D) is overmolded.

Cladding component (10, 10A, 10B) according to claim 5,

characterized in that

at least one opening (12.3) is made in the lip (12.2), which is filled with soft material (WM) of the cover component (14, 14B, 14C).

Cladding component (10, 10A, 10B) according to Claim 5 or 6,

characterized in that

the lip (12.2) has a spherical end (12.4) which forms a swivel joint with the overmolded soft material (WM) of the cover component (14, 14C).

Cladding component (10, 10A, 10B) according to Claim 5 or 6,

characterized in that

the hard material (HM) of the outer border (12.1) or of the outer area (14.1) has a rounding (12.6) which forms a hinge with the molded soft material (WM) of the cover component (14, 14D).

9. cladding component (10, 10A, 10B) according to claim 8, characterized in that

the lip (12.2) has a cross-shaped end (12.5), which increases the form fit between the hard material (HM) and the overmolded soft material (WM) that of the cover component (14, 14D).

10. A method for producing a cladding component (10, 10A, 10B) according to one of the preceding claims by means of a two-stage injection molding process in a tool, comprising the following steps:

Molding the at least one hard component (HM) from a suitable thermoplastic base material, and

Forming the highly elastic soft component (WM) from a suitable thermoplastic elastomer.