CN112170695A

CN112170695A - Method for producing a frame and/or a housing

Info

Publication number: CN112170695A
Application number: CN202010626389.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: H.费纳
Original assignee: Volkswagen Automotive Co ltd
Current assignee: Volkswagen Automotive Co ltd
Priority date: 2019-07-02
Filing date: 2020-07-01
Publication date: 2021-01-05
Anticipated expiration: 2040-07-01
Also published as: CN112170695B; DE102019209706A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a frame (10), wherein first a section of an extruded profile is provided, the length of which corresponds to the circumference of the frame (10) to be produced from said section, wherein the section is bent into a ring (12) and the ends of the section are connected to one another. The frame (10) is given an at least substantially rectangular shape by additional deformation after the joining of the ends.

Description

Method for producing a frame and/or a housing

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a frame and a method of manufacturing a housing. The method for producing a housing is in particular a method for producing a housing of a battery, in particular of a motor vehicle.

Background

A framework is required in many technical applications. The frame is typically an at least substantially rectangular formation. In this connection, "at least substantially" is to be understood in particular as meaning that deviations from the strictly rectangular basic shape are possible. This relates in particular to the corners of the substantially rectangular frame. These corners may in particular be rounded.

Such a frame may constitute an intermediate product which is further processed into a housing. Subsequently, the respective frame is usually provided with a cover and/or a bottom.

A disadvantage of the production methods of the frames to date is that they are relatively complex with respect to the complexity of the resulting frame. The straight sections forming the sides of the respective frame are usually produced and are connected at the corners either to each other or to likewise prefabricated corner sections. Alternatively, the corner can be produced by bending a straight profile section. In this production, elongated material sections, for example profiles, which form the entire frame, can be used. Bending the profile in the region of the corner to be produced, connecting the ends of the profile to one another. This production, in particular on suitable bending machines, for producing corners with high dimensional stability is very complex in practice.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a method for producing a frame and a method for producing a housing, which enable the frame and/or the housing to be produced without the disadvantages mentioned in the background art occurring or at least being reduced.

The object is achieved by a method for producing a frame and a method for producing a housing. The method provides that first a section of the extruded profile is provided, the length of which corresponds to the circumference of the frame to be produced from said section. The segment is bent into a ring. The ends of the segments are connected to each other. The frame is given an at least substantially rectangular shape by additional deformation after the end portions have been connected.

The at least substantially rectangular frame can be produced simply by means of an intermediate product via a ring, which can be produced simply in a single bending process from a section of the extruded profile. In connection therewith it has been shown, inter alia, that the deformation of the ring at one time into an at least substantially rectangular frame is simpler than the manufacture of a plurality of bends at the corner regions of the frame. In addition, the production is simpler than the joining of a plurality of previously produced primary products separately produced for the edges of the frame and, if appropriate, for the corner regions of the frame. In this way, in particular, frames that can withstand high mechanical loads can also be produced.

In this case, it is particularly suitable for the extruded profile to be produced from an aluminum alloy, in particular a forged aluminum alloy. This alloy has a good ratio between weight and strength and can be deformed effectively by extrusion.

The further deformation can be carried out in particular in that a plurality of deformation elements act from the inside on the initially still annular frame and are moved away from one another in order to deform the frame. In this way, the ring can be simply deformed into a frame. In this case, in particular four deformation elements can be moved away from each other. In particular, in this case, each two deformation elements move away from each other in opposite directions along a common, linear movement path. In this process, corner regions of the frame are formed at the locations where the deformation elements act on the frame. The two movement paths through which the two deformation elements move away from each other are thus diagonals of the rectangular basic shape of the frame. Such a deformation can be achieved relatively simply mechanically. Suitable devices for carrying out the method can, for example, have two intersecting guides in which each two moving elements are moved away from one another. However, it is also possible to provide a separate guide for each moving element, in which the respective moving element moves. The guide may be provided in a flat face, which may be designed, for example, in the manner of a table. It is then merely necessary to place the ring on this flat surface in such a way that it surrounds the moving element. If the moving elements are moved away from each other, the centering of the ring around the moving elements which are moved away from each other is first carried out automatically. As soon as all moving elements come into contact with the ring, the ring begins to deform plastically, wherein the deformation naturally has a corresponding elastic portion depending on the respective active ingredient.

The connection of the ends of the segments of the extruded profile can be carried out in particular by welding. The connection can be made in particular by flash butt welding. Flash butt welding results in a particularly high load-bearing capacity of the end connections. In flash butt welding, the material in the vicinity of the weld is especially compressed. The method may in particular provide for a reworking in which material protruding from the contour of the frame by compression in the region of the weld seam is removed, for example by machining, for example milling, of the frame. The further processing can be carried out in particular on the side on which the connection of the frame to the cover and/or the base is to be carried out in order to produce the housing from the frame.

The provision of the sections of the extruded profile can be achieved in particular by first producing the extruded profile by extrusion and cutting out a plurality of sections from the extruded profile, the length of which corresponds to the circumference of the frame to be produced from the respective section. In the case of a length of the plurality of segments which is adapted to the circumference in each case, a change in length can be taken into account in particular, which is produced during a further process by plastic compression and/or elongation which occurs in particular when the ends are connected by welding methods, elongation which occurs in particular when a further deformation is carried out, and also thermal deformation which occurs, for example, by first working the material of the frame at elevated temperature. In connection therewith, "coinciding with the circumference" should therefore be understood as meaning that a frame with a suitable circumference is obtained at the end of the described manufacturing method, and not as meaning that the length of the section of the extruded profile must at the moment of provision in particular not exactly equal to the circumference of the frame to be manufactured.

The extruded profile can first be rolled up before the individual sections are cut out. The extruded profile can thus be stored and/or transported in a simple manner. The rolling can take place in particular on a winding support, such as a drum and/or a winch. The extruded profile is then unwound, in particular from the winding frame, before the individual sections are cut out.

The method may provide for overstretching the frame during the additional deformation. Over-stretching of the frame is to be understood in particular to mean that the profile section forming the frame undergoes plastic deformation which leads to an increase in the length of the profile section and thus to an increase in the circumference of the frame. Such over-stretching is advantageous in particular in the construction of straight sections of the frame. During this overstretching, the frame obtains in particular a larger size, in particular a larger circumference, than the final size of the frame to be manufactured. The oversize is selected in particular in such a way that the frame reaches its desired size after the elastic part of the frame deformation has decreased.

The method may provide that a heat treatment for hardening the frame is carried out. The heat treatment can be carried out in particular after the additional deformation. The strength of the aluminum alloy can be particularly significantly increased by this heat treatment. The material is thus in particular a hardenable wrought aluminium alloy, i.e. an alloy of 2000 series, 4000 series, 6000 series, 7000 series and/or 8000 series. In particular, a heat treatment for transforming the alloy into the hardened state T6 may be carried out.

Such a frame may be used in a variety of applications. Such a frame may be used, for example, as a frame for windows and doors in a vehicle, which may be, for example, a rail vehicle, but also a road vehicle, an aircraft and/or a water vehicle. It is also conceivable to use corresponding frames when building a building and/or when manufacturing containers of various types, for example luggage bags.

The frame manufactured according to the method described above can be used particularly advantageously in the manufacture of the housing. Such a method provides, in particular, that the frame is first produced according to the method described above and then connected to the base and/or the cover. The connection is realized in particular by material bonding. This has the advantage, in particular, that a gas-tight housing can be produced relatively simply. Such a housing can be used in particular for a battery. The battery may in particular be a battery for an electrically driven vehicle. Such batteries need not only to be gas-tight, but also to be able to withstand high mechanical loads in the event of an accident. A housing with a frame produced according to the method described above is particularly suitable for this, since such a frame has a high strength on the one hand and only one connection point on the other hand, but this connection point can be reliably designed gas-tight, in particular by connecting the ends by welding.

The support can be inserted into the housing and connected to the frame during the production of the housing. The connection can be realized in particular by welding. Such a support in turn improves the stability of the manufactured housing. Such a housing is particularly advantageous for use as a housing for a motor vehicle battery, since the interior of such a battery is better protected in the event of an accident. The support increases the energy required for deformation of the housing. This increases the probability of such a housing remaining gas-tight, in particular in the event of an accident.

In the production of the extruded profile, a profiled section for receiving a sealing material for sealing the connection of the frame to the cover and/or the base can be formed in the extruded profile. The production of the gas-tight housing is thereby further simplified. Such a profile may be filled with a suitable sealing material. Here, the amount of the sealing material may be determined such that the sealing material protrudes with respect to the frame in a direction in which the cover and/or the bottom is connected to the frame. In the case of the use of a suitable sealing material, it is merely necessary to place the cover or the base on the frame, wherein the sealing material is connected materially to the cover or the base and produces a materially bonded connection to the frame. The material-bonded connection can be, in particular, a gas-tight material-bonded connection.

The sealing material may for example be butyl. The butyl groups can be introduced into the profile, in particular at elevated temperatures, for example at least 140 ℃, in particular at least 160 ℃. When the butyl is cooled, a relatively dimensionally stable but still viscous consistency results. The frame with the prepared butyl seal can thus be handled in a simple manner before it is connected to the lid and/or the base.

Drawings

Further embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings:

figure 1 shows a schematic view of an exemplary extruded profile bent into a ring,

figure 2 shows the ring according to figure 1 after its end connection,

figure 3 shows the ring according to figure 2 shortly before the further deformation in the respective deformation device,

figure 4 shows the frame at the end of a further deformation in the deforming device made from the ring shown in figure 3 by means of a further deformation,

figure 5 shows the frame according to figure 4 after the end of the further deformation in the deformation device,

fig. 6 shows the resulting frame.

Detailed Description

The method for producing the frame 10 shown in fig. 6 provides that a section of the extruded profile is first provided and is formed into the ring 12. Such a ring 12 is shown in fig. 1. The ends of the segments are connected to each other. Flash butt welding may be used as a joining method. Excess material in the region of the weld seam 14 may be removed.

Subsequently, the ring 12 is given an at least substantially rectangular shape by further deformation. This is shown in fig. 3 and 4. Fig. 3 shows the start of the further deformation and fig. 4 shows the end of the further deformation. For further deformation, the ring 12 is first accommodated in particular in the deformation device 16. The deformation device 16 can, as in the example, in particular have a support surface 18, on which support surface 18 the ring 12 rests. A plurality of deformation elements 20, in particular four deformation elements 20 as in the example, can act on the ring 12 from the inside. The deformation element 20 can be guided in a guide 22. The guide 22 may be arranged in a cross-like manner, in particular as exemplarily shown. If the deformation elements 20 are then moved away from one another, as is shown in particular by the sequence of fig. 3 and 4, the ring 12 is shaped into the frame 10 by further deformation. After this shaping, as shown in fig. 5, after the deformation elements 20 have been moved closer to one another and the frame 10 has thus been released, it is only necessary in the embodiment shown to remove the frame 10 from the support surface 18 of the deformation device 16. This state is shown in fig. 5.

All of the disclosed features of the invention may be essential to the implementation of the invention in its various embodiments, both individually and in any combination. Variations of the invention may be made within the scope of the claims and in view of the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

List of reference numerals

10 frame

12 ring

14 welding seam

16 deforming device

18 bearing surface

20 deformation element

22 guide member

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a frame (10), characterized in that first a section of an extruded profile is provided, the length of which corresponds to the circumference of the frame (10) to be manufactured from the section, wherein the section is bent into a ring (12) and the ends of the section are connected to each other, wherein the frame (10) is brought into an at least substantially rectangular shape by additional deformation after the ends have been connected.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that for the further deformation four deformation elements (20) act from the inside on the initially still annular frame (10) and the four deformation elements (20) are moved away from each other in order to deform the frame (10).

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the joining of the ends of the segments is performed by a welding method, in particular by flash butt welding.

4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in order to provide the segments, an extruded profile is first manufactured by extrusion, and a plurality of segments are cut out of the extruded profile, the length of which all correspond to the circumference of the frame (10) to be manufactured from the respective segment.

5. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that the extruded profile is first rolled up before cutting out individual sections.

6. Method according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the frame (10) is over-stretched during the further deformation.

7. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a heat treatment for hardening the frame (10) is carried out after the additional deformation.

8. Method for producing a housing, in particular for a battery, wherein a frame (10) is first produced according to the method of one of the preceding claims and the frame (10) is materially connected to a base and/or a cover.

9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that a support is inserted into the housing and connected, in particular welded, to the frame (10).

10. Method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that in the manufacture of the extruded profile, a profile for accommodating a sealing material for sealing the connection of the frame (10) to the lid and/or the bottom is formed in the extruded profile.