阅读说明：本技术 绝缘元件 (Insulating element ) 是由 G·圣特·梅达 D·亨里昂 M·迪米特里 于 2020-03-19 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明涉及一种用于绝缘机动车中的结构元件的绝缘元件,所述绝缘元件包括具有第一壁和第二壁的载体。在所述壁之间设置有第一肋和第二肋。绝缘元件还包括可膨胀材料,其设置在壁之间并且分别设置在肋的两侧。绝缘元件还包括用于将绝缘元件固定在结构元件中的固定元件。(The invention relates to an insulating element for insulating a structural element in a motor vehicle, comprising a carrier having a first wall and a second wall. First and second ribs are disposed between the walls. The insulating element further comprises an expandable material disposed between the walls and on either side of the rib. The insulating element further comprises a fixing element for fixing the insulating element in the structural element.)

1. An insulating element (16) for insulating a structural element (12, 14) in a motor vehicle, the insulating element (16) comprising:

a carrier (11) having a first wall (2) and a second wall (3) and having a first rib (6) and a second rib (7), the walls (2, 3) being designed and arranged to be substantially congruent and the walls (2, 3) having a first edge (4) and a second edge (5) opposite each other, respectively, the ribs (6, 7) being arranged between the walls (2, 3) and the ribs (6, 7) extending between the first edge (4) and the second edge (5), respectively, the ribs (6, 7) being at least half as long as the total distance between the first edge (4) and the second edge (5) in the direction of the ribs (6, 7), respectively;

expandable material (13) disposed between the walls (2, 3) and on either side of the ribs (6, 7), respectively; and

a fixing element (8) for fixing the insulating element (16) in the structural element (12, 14), the fixing element (8) being arranged in the region of the first edge (4) of the wall (2, 3).

2. Insulating element (16) according to claim 1, characterized in that said walls (2, 3) are configured substantially quadrangular and/or rectangular and/or flat.

3. Insulating element (16) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said ribs (6, 7) extend substantially orthogonally to the first edge (4) and/or to the second edge (5).

4. Insulating element (16) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the ribs (6, 7) extend at an angle of 0 ° to 30 ° or 5 ° to 25 ° or 5 ° to 20 ° with respect to the orthogonal line of the first edge (4) and/or the second edge (5).

5. Insulating element (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ribs (6, 7) are at least 60% or 70% or 80% or 90% long, respectively, of the total distance between the first edge (4) and the second edge (5) in the direction of the ribs (6, 7).

6. Insulating element (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ribs (6, 7) divide the volume between the two walls (2, 3) such that 30% to 80%, or 35% to 65%, or 40% to 60% of this volume is provided between the ribs (6, 7).

7. Insulating element (16) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said ribs (6, 7) extend substantially to the first edge (4) of the wall (2, 3), but at a distance from the second edge (5) of the wall (2, 3).

8. An insulating element (16) according to claim 7, characterized in that the distance is at least 10% or 15% or 20% or 25% or 30% of the length of the ribs (6, 7).

9. Insulating element (16) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said expandable material (13) has an expansion rate of 800% to 5000%, or of 1000% to 4000%, or of 1500% to 3000%.

10. Insulating element (16) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said expandable material (13) is provided on 50% to 95%, or 60% to 95%, or 70% to 90% of the base surface of the wall (2, 3).

11. Insulating element (16) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the regions of the walls (2, 3) immediately adjacent to the second edge (5) are each free of expandable material (13).

12. Insulating element (16) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fixing element (8) is configured as a clip and/or that the fixing element (8) is configured in one piece with the carrier (11).

13. Insulating element (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the insulating element (16) comprises one or more spacer elements (9) which support the insulating element (16) on the structural element (12, 14) when the insulating element (16) is fixed on the structural element (12, 14) by means of the fixing element (8).

14. Insulating element (16) according to claim 13, characterized in that one spacer element (9) is provided on each side of the fixing element (8) and/or in that the spacer elements (9) are constructed to be flexible.

15. A system in a motor vehicle, the system comprising:

a structural element (12, 14) having a cavity; and

-an insulating element (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 14;

the insulating element (16) is arranged in a cavity of the structural element (12, 14).

Technical Field

The invention relates to an insulating element for insulating a structural element in a motor vehicle

Background

In many cases, assemblies such as bodies and/or frames of vehicles and transport means, in particular water or land or air vehicles, have a structure with a cavity in order to achieve a lightweight structure. These cavities cause various problems. Depending on the type of cavity, it must be sealed to prevent ingress of moisture and dirt that could cause corrosion of the assembly. It is also generally desirable to significantly reinforce the cavity and hence the assembly, but to keep the weight low. It is also often desirable to stabilize the cavity and thus the assembly to reduce noise that would otherwise be transmitted along or through the cavity. Many of these cavities have irregular shapes or narrow dimensions making it difficult to properly seal, reinforce and dampen.

In particular in automobile construction and in aircraft and boat construction, therefore, sealing elements (bag) are used to seal and/or acoustically insulate the cavity, or reinforcing elements (reinforcer) are used to reinforce the cavity.

Fig. 1 schematically shows a body of a motor vehicle. The body 10 here has different structures with cavities, such as pillars 14 and beams or pillars 12. Such structural elements 12, 14 with cavities are typically sealed or reinforced with sealing and/or reinforcing elements 16.

A disadvantage of the sealing and/or reinforcing elements known hitherto is that individually adapted elements have to be produced for each body type and for each cavity of the body. This results in high development and manufacturing costs and is particularly disadvantageous for smaller vehicle systems.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved insulating element for insulating structural elements in motor vehicles, which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art. The insulating element should have economic advantages in particular in a small vehicle system and reduce the development and production costs of the insulating element as a whole.

The object is achieved by an insulating element for insulating a structural element in a motor vehicle, comprising: a carrier having first and second walls and having first and second ribs, the walls being designed and arranged to be substantially congruent and the walls having respectively opposed first and second edges, the ribs being arranged between the walls and the ribs extending between the first and second edges, respectively, the ribs being at least half as long as the total distance between the first and second edges, respectively, in the direction of the ribs; an expandable material disposed between the walls and on either side of the rib; and a fixing element for fixing the insulating element in the structural element, which fixing element is arranged in the region of the first edge of the wall.

The advantages of this solution are: an insulating element is thereby provided which ensures a very efficient filling of the cavity with foam. By the sandwich-like structure, the expandable material is already oriented in the desired direction during expansion. The ribs arranged between the walls now further improve this orientation effect. On the one hand, the ribs guide the expansion in the longitudinal direction of the ribs, i.e. substantially beyond the second edge of the wall, which is desirable since the maximum gap between the carrier and the structural element often has to be overcome in this direction. Furthermore, the ribs function such that the expandable material may be supported on both ribs during expansion. Depending on the spatial orientation of the insulating element, it may happen that the expansion is deflected in an undesired direction by gravity. The ribs ensure expansion characteristics which are as stable as possible in the desired direction, irrespective of the spatial orientation of the insulating element.

The core idea of the invention is in particular that a large number of cavities of different shapes can be insulated by means of standardized insulating elements. The insulating element proposed herein can also be used to insulate cavities with large gaps between the carrier and the structural element, since the guidance of the expansion process is improved by the walls and ribs. For this reason, the insulating element proposed herein can be used both for structural elements with large gaps and for structural elements with small gaps between the carrier and the structural element. This has the advantage that the insulating element can be mass produced, which is advantageous in terms of mould costs and development costs. In particular, large quantities are required in the injection molding process in order to be able to produce them at low cost.

In the context of the present invention, the term "insulating element" or "insulating" or "insulated" includes an element or structure or method step for isolating and/or enclosing and/or reinforcing and/or insulating a structural element. These different properties of the insulating element can be present here individually or in combination with one another.

In an exemplary embodiment, the wall is configured to be substantially quadrangular and/or rectangular.

An advantage of this design of the wall is that a compact insulating element can thereby be formed, which has an overall shape of substantially a cuboid. By this shape a large number of cavities in the structural element can be insulated.

In an alternative embodiment, the wall has a substantially circular, polygonal, elliptical or irregular profile.

In an exemplary embodiment, the wall is configured to be substantially flat.

An advantage of a substantially flat wall is that the direction of the expandable material during its expansion can thereby be optimally guided in the cross-sectional direction of the construction element.

In an exemplary embodiment, the rib extends substantially orthogonally to the first edge and/or the second edge.

An advantage of such an orientation of the ribs is that the expandable material is thereby effectively guided during its expansion in a direction towards the wall of the structural element, which wall is opposite to the wall of the structural element to which the insulating element is fixed. Thereby, a large distance between the opposite walls of the insulating element and the structural element can be bridged. This orientation of the ribs also has the advantage that a support of the material against the action of gravity is thereby achieved in the case of a vertical extension of the wall of the structural element.

In an alternative embodiment, the ribs extend at an angle of 0 ° to 30 ° or 5 ° to 25 ° or 5 ° to 20 ° relative to an orthogonal line to the first edge and/or the second edge.

The ribs may be angled (anwinkeln) such that they are oriented substantially parallel, or the ribs may be oriented such that they are disposed at an angle to one another. In this case, an angle between the ribs that tapers toward the first edge and opens toward the second edge is particularly advantageous.

In an exemplary embodiment, the rib is at least 60% or 70% or 80% or 90% long, respectively, of the total distance between the first edge and the second edge in the direction of the rib.

In an exemplary embodiment, the ribs divide the volume between the two walls such that 30% to 70%, or 35% to 65%, or 40% to 60% of the volume is arranged between the ribs.

This division of the volume between the two walls is understood here to mean the division of the volume by ribs or, if appropriate, their extension.

The volume can be divided differently by the ribs depending on whether the expansion is to be guided more strongly in the direction of the ribs or in the direction transverse to the ribs.

In an exemplary embodiment, the rib extends substantially to the first edge of the wall but at a distance from the second edge of the wall.

In an exemplary embodiment, the distance is at least 10% or 15% or 20% or 25% or 30% of the length of the rib.

In an exemplary embodiment, the expandable material is disposed on 50% to 95% or 60% to 95% or 70% to 90% of the base surface of the wall.

The amount of expandable material or the arrangement of expandable material on the wall can be individually adjusted depending on the expansion ratio and the size of the cavity of the structural element without having to change the carrier of the insulating element.

In an exemplary embodiment, the wall regions immediately adjacent to the second edge are each free of expandable material.

In an exemplary embodiment, a rib is provided on at least one of the first edges, the rib extending substantially perpendicular to the wall.

In an exemplary embodiment, such ribs are provided on both first edges.

In an exemplary embodiment, the ribs are dimensioned and arranged such that the cross section of the opening between the two first edges is thereby reduced by at least 10% or at least 20% or at least 30% or at least 40% or at least 50% compared to the case without ribs.

In an exemplary embodiment, the rib extends over the entire length of the first edge.

An advantage of such a rib on the first edge is that the expansion direction can thereby be more remote from the opening between the first edges, which may be advantageous depending on the application.

In an exemplary embodiment, the fixing element is configured as a clip.

In an exemplary embodiment, the fastening element is formed integrally with the carrier and/or from the same material as the carrier.

In an exemplary embodiment, the insulating element comprises a plurality of spacer elements which support the insulating element on the structural element when the insulating element is positioned on the structural element by the fixing element.

An advantage of such a spacer element is that the position of the insulating element in the structural element can thereby be defined more precisely.

In an exemplary embodiment, a spacer element is arranged on each side of the fastening element.

In a further exemplary embodiment, the spacer element is configured to be flexible.

In principle, different materials which can be used for foaming can be used as expandable material. The material may or may not have reinforcing properties. Typically, the expandable material expands due to heat, humidity, or electromagnetic radiation.

Such expandable materials typically include chemical or physical blowing agents. Chemical blowing agents are organic or inorganic compounds that decompose under the influence of temperature, humidity or electromagnetic radiation, wherein at least one decomposition product is a gas. As the physical blowing agent, for example, a compound that becomes a gaseous aggregate when the temperature is increased can be used. Thus, both chemical and physical blowing agents are capable of creating a foam structure in the polymer.

Preferably, the expandable material is thermally foamed, where a chemical blowing agent is used. Suitable chemical blowing agents are, for example, azodicarbonamide, sulfonyl hydrazides, hydrogen carbonates or carbonates. Suitable blowing agents are also available, for example, from Aksunobel, the Netherlands under the trade nameOr from Chemtura, USA under the trade nameAnd (4) carrying out commercial purchase.

The heat required for foaming can be introduced by an external or internal heat source, such as an exothermic chemical reaction. The foamable material is preferably foamable at a temperature of 250 ℃ or less, in particular from 100 ℃ to 250 ℃, preferably from 120 ℃ to 240 ℃, preferably from 130 ℃ to 230 ℃.

Suitable expandable materials are, for example, one-component epoxy resin systems which do not flow at room temperature, in particular have increased impact toughness and comprise thixotropic agents, such as fumed silica or nanoclays. Such epoxy resin systems comprise, for example, from 20 to 50% by weight of a liquid epoxy resin, from 0 to 30% by weight of a solid epoxy resin, from 5 to 30% by weight of a toughness modifier, from 1 to 5% by weight of a physical or chemical blowing agent, from 10 to 40% by weight of a filler, from 1 to 10% by weight of a thixotropic agent and from 2 to 10% by weight of a heat-activated hardener. Suitable toughness modifiers are reactive liquid rubbers based on nitrile rubber or polyether polyurethane derivatives, core shell polymers and similar systems known to the skilled worker.

Likewise suitable expandable materials are one-component polyurethane compositions containing blowing agents, which are obtained by mixing crystalline polyesters containing OH groups with other polyols, preferably polyether polyols, and polyisocyanates having blocked isocyanate groups. The melting point of the crystalline polyester should be greater than or equal to 50 ℃. The isocyanate groups of the polyisocyanates can be blocked, for example, with nucleophiles such as caprolactam, phenol or benzophenones. Furthermore, blocked polyisocyanates, such as are used in powder coating technology and are commercially available from Degussa GmbH, germany, for example under the trade names vestogon BF 1350 and BF 1540, are also suitable. So-called encapsulated or surface-deactivated polyisocyanates which are known to the skilled worker and are described, for example, in EP 0204970 are also used as isocyanates.

Furthermore, two-component epoxy resin/polyurethane compositions containing blowing agents, as described, for example, in WO 2005/080524A 1, are also suitable as expandable materials.

In addition, ethylene vinyl acetate mixtures containing blowing agents are also suitable as expandable materials.

Likewise suitable expandable materials are, for example, those known under the trade name OrSold by Sika corporation of america and described in US 5,266,133 and US 5,373,027. Such expandable materials are particularly preferred for the present invention.

Preferred expandable materials having reinforcing properties are, for example, those available under the trade name Sika corporation, USAThe materials sold. Such a material is described in US 6,387,470.

In an exemplary embodiment, the expandable material has an expansion ratio of 800% to 5000%, preferably 1000% to 4000%, particularly preferably 1500% to 3000%. An expandable material having such an expansion rate has the advantage that a reliable sealing or insulation of the structural element against liquids and sound can thereby be achieved.

In an exemplary embodiment, the expandable material is configured as a temperature-inducing material.

This has the following advantages: an oven may be used to bake the dip-coating liquid in order to expand the expandable material and thereby insulate the cavity. Therefore, no additional work step is required.

The carrier may be made of any material. Preferred materials are plastics, in particular polyurethanes, polyamides, polyesters and polyolefins, preferably high-temperature-resistant polymers such as polyphenylene ethers, polysulfones or polyether sulfones, which are also foamed in particular; metals, especially aluminum and steel; or grown organic material, in particular wood or other (pressed) fibrous material or vitreous or ceramic material; especially such foamed materials; or any combination of these materials. Particular preference is given to using polyamides, in particular polyamide 6, polyamide 11, polyamide 12 or mixtures thereof.

Furthermore, the carrier may have any configuration and any structure. It may for example be solid, hollow or foamed or have a grid-like structure. The surface of the support may be generally smooth, rough or structured.

In the case of an insulating element in which the expandable material is located on a carrier, the manufacturing process differs depending on whether the carrier is made of a material that can be processed by injection moulding. If this is the case, a two-component injection molding process is generally used. The first component, in this case the support, is first injected. After the first component has cured, the cavity in the mould is enlarged or adjusted, or the finished die cast part is placed in a new mould, and then a second component, in this case an expandable material, is injected onto the first component by means of a second injection unit.

If the carrier is made of a material which cannot be produced by injection moulding, for example metal, the carrier is placed in a corresponding mould and the expandable material is injected onto the carrier. Of course, the expandable material may also be fixed to the carrier by special fixing means or methods.

Furthermore, the carrier can also be produced by other methods, for example by extrusion.

The object set forth at the outset is also achieved by a system in a motor vehicle, comprising: a structural element having a cavity; and an insulating element according to the above description; the insulating element is arranged in the cavity of the structural element.

In an exemplary embodiment, the structural element is a section of a pillar or a beam or a pillar of a motor vehicle body.

Drawings

The details and advantages of the invention are explained below with the aid of examples and with reference to the schematic drawings. The attached drawings are as follows:

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary illustration of a vehicle body;

FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram of an exemplary carrier;

FIG. 3 shows a schematic view of an exemplary insulating element;

fig. 4a to 4c show schematic views of exemplary insulating elements;

FIG. 5 shows a schematic view of an exemplary insulating element; and

fig. 6 shows a schematic view of an exemplary insulating element.

Detailed Description

The carrier 11 is schematically and exemplarily shown in fig. 2. The carrier 11 has a first wall 2 and a second wall 3 which are designed and arranged substantially congruent. The two walls 2, 3 have a first edge 4 and a second edge 5, respectively. Between the first wall 2 and the second wall 3 a first rib 6 and a second rib 7 are arranged. Said ribs 6, 7 extend between the first edge 4 and the second edge 5 of the walls 2, 3, respectively. The ribs 6, 7 are here at least half as long as the total distance between the first edge 4 and the second edge 5 in the direction of the ribs 6, 7, respectively.

In this exemplary embodiment, the walls 2, 3 have a quadrangular contour and are flat or planar. Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment the walls each have a rib on the first edge 4, which rib extends perpendicularly to the walls 2, 3.

The insulating element 16 is schematically and exemplarily shown in fig. 3. The carrier also comprises a first wall 2 and a second wall 3, said walls having a first edge 4 and a second edge 5, respectively. An expandable material 13 is now arranged between said walls 2, 3. The ribs cannot be seen in this illustration because they are completely surrounded by the expandable material 13 in this embodiment. The insulating element 16 further comprises a fixing element 8 which is arranged in the region of the first edge 4 of the walls 2, 3. In this embodiment, the fixing element 8 is configured as a clip.

Another exemplary insulating element 16 is schematically illustrated in fig. 4a to 4 c. The insulating element 16 is shown here in a side view in fig. 4A, and the same insulating element 16 is shown in fig. 4b and 4c along the section line a-a of fig. 4A.

As can be seen in the cross-sectional view of fig. 4b, the expandable material 13 is arranged on both sides of the ribs 6, 7.

The first direction 17 and the second direction 18 are also shown in the sectional view of fig. 4 c. By the specific arrangement of the ribs 6, 7, the expandable material 13 is guided more strongly in the first direction 17 during its expansion by the channeling effect created between the ribs 6, 7. Thereby, the expandable material 13 may expand further in the first direction than without the ribs 6, 7.

In the horizontal orientation of the structural element (not shown), the insulating element 16 may be oriented in space as shown in fig. 4 c. In this case, the ribs 6, 7, in this embodiment the first rib 6, support the expansion of the expandable material 13 in the second direction 18, since in this case there is the problem that the expandable material 13 may be undesirably deflected by gravity during its expansion. For this case, the ribs 6 provide support for the expandable material 13 so that the expandable material 13 can expand further in the second direction 18 than without the first ribs 6.

Two further exemplary embodiments of the insulating element 16 are schematically shown in fig. 5 and 6. In these embodiments, the insulating element 16 also has a spacing element 9. In fig. 5, these spacer elements 9 are arranged on both sides of the fixing element 8, respectively. And in fig. 6 these spacer elements 9 are each configured as a projection of the first wall 2 and the second wall 3 in the region of the first edge 4. In these embodiments, neither the ribs nor the expandable material are visible.

List of reference numerals

2 first wall

3 second wall

4 first edge

5 second edge

6 first Rib

7 second Rib

8 fixing element

9 spacer element

10 vehicle body

11 vector

12 structural element

13 Expandable material

14 structural element

16 insulating element

17 first direction

18 second direction