GB2521937A - Body component for a vehicle and method for manufacturing a body component for a vehicle - Google Patents
Body component for a vehicle and method for manufacturing a body component for a vehicle Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2521937A GB2521937A GB1422041.2A GB201422041A GB2521937A GB 2521937 A GB2521937 A GB 2521937A GB 201422041 A GB201422041 A GB 201422041A GB 2521937 A GB2521937 A GB 2521937A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- roof
- body component
- vehicle
- frame
- pillars
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
- B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
- B62D25/00—Superstructure or monocoque structure sub-units; Parts or details thereof not otherwise provided for
- B62D25/04—Door pillars ; windshield pillars
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
- B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
- B62D25/00—Superstructure or monocoque structure sub-units; Parts or details thereof not otherwise provided for
- B62D25/06—Fixed roofs
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
- B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
- B62D29/00—Superstructures, understructures, or sub-units thereof, characterised by the material thereof
- B62D29/04—Superstructures, understructures, or sub-units thereof, characterised by the material thereof predominantly of synthetic material
- B62D29/043—Superstructures
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
- B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
- B62D29/00—Superstructures, understructures, or sub-units thereof, characterised by the material thereof
- B62D29/04—Superstructures, understructures, or sub-units thereof, characterised by the material thereof predominantly of synthetic material
- B62D29/046—Combined superstructure and frame, i.e. monocoque constructions
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Transportation (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Architecture (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Body Structure For Vehicles (AREA)
Abstract
The invention relates to a body component 10 for a vehicle, comprising a roof 12 made of a carbon fibre reinforced plastic, wherein the body component comprises a frame structure 14 made of the same carbon fibre reinforced plastic as the roof, having a roof frame 16 enclosing the roof , two A-pillars 18 arranged at a front side of the roof frame and two additional pillars 20 arranged at a back side of the roof frame, whereby the frame structure and the roof are formed in one piece. The roof may be of a sandwich construction comprising a central foam core (fig.3). The component may comprise pillar reinforcements (24,26 Fig.2), and may further comprise at least one transverse reinforcement (28) which may be constructed of metal adhesively bonded to the component. The body component may be adhesively bonded to the lower section of vehicle. The invention furthermore relates to a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, with a body component and a method for manufacturing a body component for a vehicle.
Description
Body component for a vehicle and method for manufacturing a body component for a vehicle The invention relates to a body component for a vehicle and a method for manufacturing a body component for a vehicle according to the preambles of patent claims 1 and 8.
Furthermore, the invention relates to a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, with a body component.
Car manufacturers are making increased efforts to reduce the weight of their cars. A weight reduction contributes to a reduced fuel consumption and hence leads to lower emissions of the respective cars. Therefore, fibre reinforced plastics are used more and more for different car components.
CN 102745247 shows a body component for a vehicle, comprising a roof made of a carbon fibre reinforced plastic. The vehicle roof comprises a carbon fibre composite material layer, wherein the carbon fibre composite material layer comprises an upper layer and a lower layer, whereby a closed-cell foam material layer is arranged between the upper layer and the lower layer. Hence, the body component has sandwich structure.
US 2014/0199515 Al also shows a component with a sandwich structure, whereby the outer layers of the component are made of carbon fibre sheets between which a foam of a thermoplastic resin is sandwiched.
JR 20217944 shows an automobile panel which is made of a fibre reinforced plastic using a cloth substrate made of continuous fibre as a reinforcing fibre.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a body component for a vehicle and a method for manufacturing a body component for a vehicle of the kind indicated in the preamble of patent claims 1 and 8, by means of which a reduced weight and reduced complexity in design and assembly for a body component of a vehicle can be realized.
This object is solved by a body component for a vehicle having the features of patent claim 1, a vehicle with such a body component according to patent claim S and by a method for manufacturing a body component for a vehicle having the features of patent claim 8. Advantageous embodiments with expedient developments of the invention are indicated in the other patent claims.
The body component for a vehicle according to the invention comprises a roof made of a carbon fibre reinforced plastic. To provide a body component for a vehicle with reduced weight and reduced complexity in design and assembly, the body component according to the invention comprises a frame structure made of the same carbon fibre reinforced plastic as the roof, having a roof frame enclosing the roof, two A-pillars arranged at a front side of the roof frame and two additional pillars arranged at the back side of the roof frame, whereby the frame structure and the roof are formed in one piece.
In other words, the body component according to the invention is a single piece, whereby the frame structure and the roof are integral parts of the body component. Preferably, the carbon fibre reinforced plastic comprises an epoxy or polyurethane resin as a resin system.
As a result of the single piece or integrated structure of the body component according to the invention, a significant weight reduction of the car body in white having this body component can be achieved. By the body component according to the invention, preferably a roof, roof frame pillars, a lower windscreen frame and pillar reinforcements can all be an integral part of the body component according to the invention, whereby the body component exhibits reduced weight as well as a reduced complexity in design and assembly.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the roof has a sandwich structure comprising an upper layer and a lower layer made of the carbon fibre reinforced plastic, whereby a foam core made of polyurethane foam is arranged between the two layers. In other words, the roof is made of a sandwich-structured composite, whereby two thin but stiff skins in form of the upper and lower layer are attached to a light weight but thick core in form of the foam core. Due to the sandwich structure of the roof, the roof can be very light as well as very stable.
In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the roof frame comprises at least one pair of pillar reinforcements made of the carbon fibre reinforced plastic, arranged laterally at longitudinal side portions of the roof frame. Thereby, the roof frame can be connected very stable to one or more pillars of a remaining portion of a body in white of a vehicle.
According to another advantageous embodiment of the invention the body component comprises at least one transverse reinforcement pillar made of a metal adhesively bonded to the bottom side of the root. This contributes to a further stiffening of the body component in a transverse direction of the body component as well as in a vertical direction of the body component.
In a further alternative advantageous embodiment of the invention, the frame structure comprises at least one transverse reinforcement pillar made of the carbon fibre reinforced plastic. In other words, the at least one transverse reinforcement pillar made of the carbon fibre reinforced plastic is an integral part of the frame structure. The transverse reinforcement pillar made of the carbon fibre reinforced plastic also contributes to a stiffening of the body component in its transverse as well as in its vertical direction.
Furthermore, the weight and the complexity in design and assembly can be reduced due to the integration of the transverse reinforcement pillar into the frame structure itself.
The vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, according to the invention comprises a body component according to the invention or an advantageous embodiment of the body component.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the vehicle, the body component is adhesively bonded to a remaining portion of the body in white of the vehicle. Thereby, the whole body in white of the vehicle is very light-weight because no other fasteners or connectors have to be used to bond the body component at the remaining portion of the body in white of the vehicle.
In a method for manufacturing a body component for a vehicle according to the invention, a roof of the body component is manufactured of a carbon fibre reinforced plastic, whereby a frame structure of the body component is manufactured of the same carbon fibre reinforced plastic as the roof, having a roof frame enclosing the roof, two A-pillars arranged at a front side of the roof frame and two additional pillars arranged at the back side of the roof frame, whereby the frame structure and the roof are manufactured in one piece.
In an advantageous embodiment of the method, the frame structure and the roof are manufactured by a resin transfer moulding process. Especially with a resin transfer moulding process, components with a complex geometry can be manufactured and especially a lot of different functions can be integrated directly into the body component.
Furthermore, the body component manufactured by a resin transfer moulding process exhibits a very high surface quality. In other words, with the help of in-mould-coatings and advanced processes such as surface resin transfer moulding, surface paintability and especially a class-A surface finish can be achieved.
Further advantages, features, and details of the invention derive from the following description of a preferred embodiment as well as from the drawings. The features and feature combinations previously mentioned in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned in the following description of the figures and/or shown in the figures alone can be employed not only in the respective indicated combination but also in any other combination or taken alone without leaving the scope of the invention.
The drawing shows in: Fig. 1 a schematic perspective view of a body component for a vehicle, comprising a frame structure having a roof frame enclosing a roof, and two A-pillars arranged at a front side of the roof frame and two additional pillars arranged at a back side of the roof frame, whereby the frame structure and the roof are formed in one piece; Fig. 2 a schematic perspective view of the frame structure of the body component without the roof; and in Fig. 3 a schematic sectional view of the roof, whereby the roof has a sandwich structure comprising an upper layer and a lower layer, whereby a foam core is arranged between the two layers.
In the figures the same elements or elements having the same functions are designated with the same reference signs.
A body component 10 for a vehicle is shown in a schematic perspective view in Fig. 1.
The body component 10 comprises a roof 12 made of a carbon fibre reinforced plastic.
The body component 10 furthermore comprises a frame structure 14 made of the same carbon fibre reinforced plastic as the roof 12. The frame structure 14 has a roof frame 16 enclosing the roof 12. two A-pillars 18 arranged at a front side of the roof frame 16 and two additional pillars 20 arranged at a back side of the roof frame 16. Furthermore, the frame structure 14 comprises a lower windscreen frame 22 which is arranged between the two A-pillars 18. The whole frame structure 14 and the roof 12 as well are formed in one piece. In other words, the frame structure 14 and the roof 12 is a single integrated piece.
The carbon fibre reinforced plastic from which the frame structure 14 and the roof 12 are made of, comprises an epoxy or polyurethane resin as a resin system.
In Fig. 2 the frame structure 14 of the body component 10 is shown without the roof 12 in a schematic perspective view. The roof frame 16 comprises two pairs of pillar reinforcements 24, 26 made of the same carbon fibre reinforced plastic as the whole frame structure 14. The pillar reinforcements 24, 26 are arranged laterally at longitudinal side portions of the roof frame 16.
Furthermore, the frame structure 14 comprises several transverse reinforcement pillars 28 also made of the same carbon fibre reinforced plastic as the whole frame structure 14.
Alternatively, the transverse reinforcement pillars 28 can be made of a metal adhesively bonded to the bottom side of the roof 12. For manufacturing the body component 10, the roof 12 of the body component 10 as well as the frame structure 14 of the body component 10 are manufactured of the same carbon fibre reinforced plastic as the roof.
Hence, also the roof frame 16, the two A-pillars 18 arranged at the front side of the roof frame 16 and the two additional pillars 20 arranged at the back side of the roof frame are also manufactured of the same carbon fibre reinforced plastic, whereby the frame structure and the roof 12 are manufactured in one piece. Preferably, the frame structure 14 and the roof 12 are manufactured by a resin transfer moulding process.
With the help of in-mould coatings and advanced processes such as surface resin transfer moulding, surface paintability and a class-A surface finish can be achieved.
During a manufacturing process of a whole vehicle the body component 10 is adhesively bonded to a remaining portion of a body in white of the vehicle. In other words, the body component 10 will be joined to the rest of a body in white with the help of adhesives.
In Fig. 3 the roof 12 is shown in a schematic sectional view. As it can be seen, the roof 12 has a sandwich-like structure comprising an upper layer 30 and a lower layer 32 made of the same carbon fibre reinforced plastic as the frame structure 14 of the body component 10. A foam core 34 made of polyurethane foam is arranged between the two layers 30, 32. The high stiffness of the carbon fibre reinforced plastic material of the upper layer 30 and the lower layer 32 guarantees for a high bending stiffness to weight ratio of the roof 12, whereby the foam core 34 ensures a resistance to buckling or other kinds of deformations.
The body component 10 contributes to a weight reduction of a whole car body in white by using composite materials. The body component 10 is made as a single composite structure, combining the roof 12 and the frame structure 14, which comprises different frame pillars like the A-pillars 18, the other pillars 20, the pillar reinforcements 24, 26 arranged laterally at longitudinal side portions of the roof frame 16 and the transverse reinforcement pillars 28. The body component 10 is an integrated part with reduced weight and reduced complexity in design and assembly. Furthermore, the carbon fibre reinforced plastic structure of the body component 10 helps to achieve a very high stiffness to weight ratio of the whole body component 10.
List of reference signs bodyconiponent 12 roof 14 frame structure 16 roof frame 18 A-pillar additional pillar 22 lower windscreen frame 24 pillar reinforcement 26 pillar reinforcement 28 transverse reinforcement pillar upper layer 32 lower layer 34 foam core
Claims (9)
- Claims Body component (10) for a vehicle, comprising a root (12) made of a carbon fibre reintorced plastic, characterized in that the body component (10) comprises a trame structure (14) made ot the same carbon tibre reintorced plastic as the roof (12), having a root frame (16) enclosing the root (12), two A-pillars (18) arranged at a front side of the roof frame (16) and two additional pillars (20) arranged at a back side of the roof trame (16), whereby the trame structure (14) and the root (12) are tormed in one piece.
- 2. Body component (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the root (12) has a sandwich structure comprising an upper layer (30) and a lower layer (32) made ot the carbon tibre reinforced plastic, whereby a toam core (34) made ot polyurethane toam is arranged between the two layers (30, 32).
- 3. Body component (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the root frame (16) comprises at least one pair of pillar reinforcements (24, 26) made ot the carbon tibre reintorced plastic, arranged laterally at longitudinal side portions of the roof trame (16).
- 4. Body component (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the body component (10) comprises at least one transverse reinforcement pillar (28) made ot a metal adhesively bonded to the bottom side ot the roof (12).
- 5. Body component (10) according to one of the claims ito 3, characterized in that the trame structure (14) comprises at least one transverse reinforcement pillar (28) made ot the carbon tibre reintorced plastic.
- 6. Vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, with a body component (10) according to one of the preceding claims.
- 7. Vehicle according to claim 6, characterized in that the body component (10) is adhesively bonded to a remaining portion of a body in white of the vehicle.
- 8. Method for manufacturing a body component (10) for a vehicle, whereby a roof (12) of the body component (10) is manufactured of a carbon fibre reinforced plastic, characterized in that a frame structure (14) of the body component (10) is manufactured of the same carbon fibre reinforced plastic as the roof (12), having a roof frame (16) enclosing the roof (12), two A-pillars (18) arranged atafront-side of the roof frame (16) and two additional pillars arranged at a back-side of the roof frame (16), whereby the frame structure (14) and the roof (12) are manufactured in one piece.
- 9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the frame structure (14) and the roof (12) are manufactured by a resin transfer moulding process.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1422041.2A GB2521937A (en) | 2014-12-11 | 2014-12-11 | Body component for a vehicle and method for manufacturing a body component for a vehicle |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1422041.2A GB2521937A (en) | 2014-12-11 | 2014-12-11 | Body component for a vehicle and method for manufacturing a body component for a vehicle |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB2521937A true GB2521937A (en) | 2015-07-08 |
Family
ID=53370293
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB1422041.2A Withdrawn GB2521937A (en) | 2014-12-11 | 2014-12-11 | Body component for a vehicle and method for manufacturing a body component for a vehicle |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2521937A (en) |
Cited By (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE102016110586B3 (en) * | 2016-06-08 | 2017-08-24 | Roof Systems Germany Gmbh | Roof module for a vehicle and method of making a roof module |
| CN107323533A (en) * | 2017-06-29 | 2017-11-07 | 北京新能源汽车股份有限公司 | Upper body and the vehicle with it |
| WO2018036014A1 (en) * | 2016-08-23 | 2018-03-01 | 北京新能源汽车股份有限公司 | Vehicle roof, vehicle, and method for manufacturing vehicle roof |
| IT201600130313A1 (en) * | 2016-12-22 | 2018-06-22 | Automobili Lamborghini Spa | CARRYING STRUCTURE OF VEHICLE |
| CN108791504A (en) * | 2018-06-13 | 2018-11-13 | 芜湖恒信汽车内饰制造有限公司 | A kind of body structure and the center body pillar with the structure and body C pillar |
| US10160500B2 (en) * | 2017-02-28 | 2018-12-25 | Hyundai Motor Company | Vehicle roof |
| DE102017219701A1 (en) * | 2017-11-07 | 2019-05-09 | Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft | Vehicle roof and motor vehicle with vehicle roof |
| US11135903B2 (en) | 2019-10-17 | 2021-10-05 | Honda Motor Co., Ltd. | Method of assembling a composite side cabin structure with integrated structural core for a vehicle |
Citations (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP2011088493A (en) * | 2009-10-20 | 2011-05-06 | Mazda Motor Corp | Vehicle body structure of vehicle |
| WO2012107899A1 (en) * | 2011-02-11 | 2012-08-16 | Automobili Lamborghini S.P.A. | Process and system for manufacturing composite material products, as well as products manufactured with this process or system |
| CN102745247A (en) * | 2012-07-18 | 2012-10-24 | 奇瑞汽车股份有限公司 | Vehicle roof |
-
2014
- 2014-12-11 GB GB1422041.2A patent/GB2521937A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP2011088493A (en) * | 2009-10-20 | 2011-05-06 | Mazda Motor Corp | Vehicle body structure of vehicle |
| WO2012107899A1 (en) * | 2011-02-11 | 2012-08-16 | Automobili Lamborghini S.P.A. | Process and system for manufacturing composite material products, as well as products manufactured with this process or system |
| CN102745247A (en) * | 2012-07-18 | 2012-10-24 | 奇瑞汽车股份有限公司 | Vehicle roof |
Cited By (14)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE102016110586B3 (en) * | 2016-06-08 | 2017-08-24 | Roof Systems Germany Gmbh | Roof module for a vehicle and method of making a roof module |
| US10427505B2 (en) | 2016-06-08 | 2019-10-01 | Roof Systems Germany Gmbh | Roof module for a vehicle and method for manufacturing a roof module |
| CN107471685A (en) * | 2016-06-08 | 2017-12-15 | 天窗***(德国)有限公司 | Method for the roof module and manufacture roof module of vehicle |
| WO2018036014A1 (en) * | 2016-08-23 | 2018-03-01 | 北京新能源汽车股份有限公司 | Vehicle roof, vehicle, and method for manufacturing vehicle roof |
| CN110087976A (en) * | 2016-12-22 | 2019-08-02 | 兰博基尼汽车股份有限公司 | Vehicle load bearing structure |
| WO2018116077A1 (en) * | 2016-12-22 | 2018-06-28 | Automobili Lamborghini S.P.A. | Vehicle load-bearing structure. |
| IT201600130313A1 (en) * | 2016-12-22 | 2018-06-22 | Automobili Lamborghini Spa | CARRYING STRUCTURE OF VEHICLE |
| CN110087976B (en) * | 2016-12-22 | 2021-12-28 | 兰博基尼汽车股份有限公司 | Vehicle bearing structure |
| US11312424B2 (en) | 2016-12-22 | 2022-04-26 | Automobili Lamborghini S.P.A. | Vehicle load-bearing structure |
| US10160500B2 (en) * | 2017-02-28 | 2018-12-25 | Hyundai Motor Company | Vehicle roof |
| CN107323533A (en) * | 2017-06-29 | 2017-11-07 | 北京新能源汽车股份有限公司 | Upper body and the vehicle with it |
| DE102017219701A1 (en) * | 2017-11-07 | 2019-05-09 | Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft | Vehicle roof and motor vehicle with vehicle roof |
| CN108791504A (en) * | 2018-06-13 | 2018-11-13 | 芜湖恒信汽车内饰制造有限公司 | A kind of body structure and the center body pillar with the structure and body C pillar |
| US11135903B2 (en) | 2019-10-17 | 2021-10-05 | Honda Motor Co., Ltd. | Method of assembling a composite side cabin structure with integrated structural core for a vehicle |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| GB2521937A (en) | Body component for a vehicle and method for manufacturing a body component for a vehicle | |
| US8511742B2 (en) | Automobile component made of plastic | |
| US11904583B2 (en) | Vehicle constituent member and manufacturing method thereof | |
| US8114239B2 (en) | Polycarbonate panel assembly for a vehicle | |
| US6843525B2 (en) | Reinforced composite vehicle load floor of the cellular core sandwich-type | |
| WO2013094515A1 (en) | Automobile fiber-strengthening resin member and method for producing automobile fiber-strengthening resin member | |
| US20130052392A1 (en) | Composite component for a vehicle | |
| EP1914097A3 (en) | Framework for a motor vehicle roof | |
| US20160121936A1 (en) | Side Panel Assembly for Passenger Vehicles | |
| US9227672B2 (en) | Composite vehicle body and manufacturing method thereof and vehicle body structure using the same | |
| US9975581B2 (en) | Vehicle body structure | |
| KR20120105407A (en) | Vehicle chassis | |
| US10377422B2 (en) | Vehicle chassis structures | |
| US20160137226A1 (en) | Body center module | |
| US10576811B2 (en) | Folding top having panel bows | |
| KR101705628B1 (en) | Automobile trunk board and its manufacturing method | |
| CN108068895B (en) | Integral part of a motor vehicle frame | |
| CN108290529B (en) | Decorative element for a side body of a vehicle intended to cover at least a portion of a window pillar and a roof rail | |
| CN111267455A (en) | Automobile top cover made of honeycomb material | |
| US10427505B2 (en) | Roof module for a vehicle and method for manufacturing a roof module | |
| US11554815B2 (en) | Fiber-reinforced vehicle body | |
| JP7035906B2 (en) | Manufacturing method of roof reinforcement and resin hollow skeleton member | |
| KR20170019039A (en) | Seatback panel of vehicle | |
| US11932094B2 (en) | Passenger car having a roof module | |
| CN115723698A (en) | Lightweight crash structure for a motor vehicle and method for the production thereof |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |