Insulating element

Abstract

The invention relates to an insulating element for insulating a structural element in a motor vehicle, comprising a carrier. The carrier has at least one fastening element for fastening the carrier to a structural element and at least one receiving element. An elongate expansion element has an expandable material, and the expansion element is fitted over the receiving element of the carrier.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to an insulating element for insulating a component in a motor vehicle. Background Art

[0002] In many cases, components, such as bodies and / or frames of vehicles and conveyances, in particular water or land or air vehicles, have structures with cavities in order to achieve a lightweight structure. However, these cavities give rise to various problems. Depending on the type of cavity, it must be sealed to prevent the ingress of moisture and dirt, which can lead to corrosion of the component. It is often also desirable to significantly reinforce the cavity and therefore the component, but to keep the weight low. It is often also necessary to stabilize the cavity and therefore the component in order to reduce noise that would otherwise be transmitted along or through the cavity. Many of these cavities have irregular shapes or narrow dimensions, making them difficult to properly seal, reinforce and damp.

[0003] Therefore, in particular in automobile construction and in aircraft and boat construction, sealing elements (English: baffles) are used to seal and / or acoustically isolate cavities, or reinforcing elements (English: reinforcers) are used to reinforce cavities.

[0004] exist Figure 1 Schematically shows the body of a motor vehicle. The body 10 has different structures with cavities, such as pillars 14 and beams or support bodies 12. Such structural elements 12, 14 with cavities are usually sealed or reinforced with insulating elements 16.

[0005] A disadvantage of the sealing and / or reinforcing elements known to date is that individually adapted elements must be produced for each body shape and each body cavity. This leads to high development and production costs and is disadvantageous in particular in the case of smaller vehicle series. Summary of the invention

[0006] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an improved insulating element for insulating components in motor vehicles which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art. The insulating element should offer economic advantages, in particular in small batches, and should overall reduce the development and production complexity of the insulating element.

[0007] This object is achieved by an insulating element for insulating a structural element in a motor vehicle, comprising: a carrier having at least one fixing element for fixing the carrier to the structural element and at least one receiving element; and at least one elongated expansion element having an expandable material, which is placed on the receiving element of the carrier.

[0008] The core idea of ​​the invention is in particular that by using modular components (carrier and expansion element) a wide variety of different insulation elements can be provided, with the aid of which cavities of a wide variety of shapes can be insulated. In this case, it is not necessary to design a new insulation element for each new application, which is usually very costly since a new injection mold is required each time. By using individually assembleable carriers and expansion elements, the same module can be used repeatedly for different applications.

[0009] Especially in small batches or in other applications with small numbers of parts, it is usually not worthwhile to produce a separate injection mold for a specific insulation element. By using standardized modules, especially expansion elements, a low-cost solution can be provided for such applications.

[0010] The term "insulating element" or "insulation" in the context of the present invention includes elements or structures or method steps for isolating and / or sealing and / or insulating structural elements. These different characteristics of such an insulating element may occur alone or in combination with one another.

[0011] In an exemplary embodiment, the expansion element is manufactured by an extrusion process.

[0012] The use of an extrusion process to produce expansion elements has the advantage that different expansion elements can be produced using one production process or one production device. For example, the cross section of the elongated expansion element can be varied, or the length of the elongated expansion element can also be varied. Thus, different expansion elements can be provided depending on the application.

[0013] In an exemplary embodiment, the expansion element is made only of expandable material.

[0014] In an alternative embodiment, the expansion element comprises a film-like or strip-like insert which is covered on both sides with expandable material.

[0015] In one exemplary embodiment, the insert is completely surrounded by the expandable material.

[0016] In an exemplary embodiment, the insert is a metal foil or a metal strip, in particular a steel foil or a steel strip.

[0017] In one exemplary embodiment, the insert is arranged substantially in the center of the expansion element.

[0018] In an exemplary embodiment, the expansion element has one or two or more than two holes.

[0019] Providing such a hole has the advantage that the expansion element can be placed on the carrier more easily. In particular, in the case of expansion elements with inserts, it is advantageous if the expansion element has holes through which the receiving element of the carrier can be passed.

[0020] In one exemplary embodiment, the hole has an elongated contour.

[0021] The provision of such an elongated hole has the advantage that, in embodiments with two or more holes and two or more receiving elements, the distances between the holes are less subject to tolerance requirements.

[0022] In an exemplary embodiment, the expandable material has an expansion ratio between 1000% and 4000%, in particular between 1500% and 3000%.

[0023] In one exemplary embodiment, the carrier has one or two fastening elements.

[0024] In one exemplary embodiment, the one or more fastening elements are designed as clips or push pins.

[0025] In one exemplary embodiment, the carrier has one or two or more than two receiving elements.

[0026] In one exemplary embodiment, the carrier is manufactured by an injection molding process.

[0027] In one exemplary embodiment, the at least one receiving element has a barb at the free end.

[0028] Such a barb has the advantage that the applied expansion element cannot or substantially cannot fall out of the receiving element.

[0029] In an exemplary embodiment, only one expansion element is placed on each receiving element.

[0030] In an alternative embodiment, two to eight expansion elements, in particular two to six expansion elements and in particular two to four expansion elements are placed on each receiving element.

[0031] In an exemplary embodiment, the carrier includes two fixing elements and two receiving elements. Two to eight expansion elements are mounted on the two receiving elements, and each of the expansion elements is mounted on the two receiving elements of the carrier.

[0032] This configuration of the insulating element has the advantage that the expansion element forms a wall-shaped expanded material after expansion, which is very suitable for closing a cross section in the insulating structural element. By movably placing the expansion element on the receiving element, it is achieved that the expansion element or the expandable material can be moved along the receiving element during expansion. This achieves a very strong expansion of the expandable material in the direction of the receiving element, which can effectively close the cross section.

[0033] Expandable materials

[0034] In principle, various materials can be used as expandable materials, which can be foamed. The material can have or not have reinforcing properties. Usually, expandable materials expand by heat, moisture or electromagnetic radiation.

[0035] Such expandable materials usually have 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 of the decomposition products is a gas. Physical blowing agents can be used, for example, compounds that convert into a gaseous aggregate state when the temperature rises. Thus, both chemical and physical blowing agents are able to produce foam structures in polymers.

[0036] Preferably, the expandable material is thermally foamed, using a chemical foaming agent. Suitable chemical foaming agents are, for example, azodicarbonamide, sulfonyl hydrazide, bicarbonate or carbonate. Suitable foaming agents can also be purchased from Akzo Nobel in the Netherlands under the trade name Expancel® or from Chemtura in the United States under the trade name Celogen®.

[0037] The heat required for foaming can be introduced by an external heat source or an internal heat source, such as an exothermic chemical reaction. The foamable material is preferably foamable at a temperature of ≤250°C, especially 100°C to 250°C, preferably 120°C to 240°C, preferably 130°C to 230°C.

[0038] Suitable expandable materials are, for example, one-component epoxy resin systems that do not flow at room temperature, which especially have increased impact toughness and contain thixotropic agents, such as aerosols or nanoclays. Such epoxy resin systems, for example, contain 20 to 50% by weight of liquid epoxy resins, 0 to 30% by weight of solid epoxy resins, 5 to 30% by weight of toughness modifiers, 1 to 5% by weight of physical or chemical foaming agents, 10 to 40% by weight of fillers, 1 to 10% by weight of thixotropic agents and 2 to 10% by weight of heat-activated hardeners. Suitable toughness modifiers are reactive liquid rubbers, core-shell polymers and similar systems known to technicians based on nitrile rubber or polyether polyol polyurethane derivatives.

[0039] Likewise suitable expandable materials are one-component polyurethane compositions containing a blowing agent, which are mixed with crystalline polyesters containing OH groups and other polyols, preferably polyether polyols, and polyisocyanates with blocked isocyanate groups. The melting point of the crystalline polyester should be ≥50° C. The isocyanate groups of the polyisocyanates can be blocked, for example, with nucleophiles such as caprolactam, phenol or benzoxazoline. In addition, blocked polyisocyanates, for example, such as are used in powder coating technology and are commercially available from Degussa GmbH, Germany, for example under the trade names Vestagon® BF 1350 and Vestagon® BF 1540, are also suitable. So-called encapsulated or surface-deactivated polyisocyanates known to the skilled person and described, for example, in EP 0 204 970 are also used as isocyanates.

[0040] Furthermore, two-component epoxy resin / polyurethane compositions containing a blowing agent, such as are described, for example, in WO 2005 / 080524 A1, are also suitable as expandable materials.

[0041] Furthermore, ethylene vinyl acetate compositions containing a blowing agent are also suitable as expandable materials.

[0042] Likewise suitable expandable materials are sold, for example, under the trade names SikaBaffle® 240, SikaBaffle® 250 or SikaBaffle® 255 by the American company Sika and are described in US 5,266,133 and US 5,373, 027. Such expandable materials are particularly preferred for the present invention.

[0043] A preferred expandable material with reinforcing properties is for example the material sold by the American company Sika under the trade name SikaReinforcer® 941. This material is described in US 6,387,470.

[0044] In an exemplary embodiment, the expandable material has an expansion ratio of 800% to 5000%, preferably 1000% to 4000%, more preferably 1500% to 3000%. The advantage of expandable materials with such expansion ratios is that reliable sealing or insulation of structural elements against liquids and sound can be achieved thereby.

[0045] In one exemplary embodiment, the expandable material is configured as a temperature inducing material.

[0046] This has the advantage that the furnace can be used to bake the varnishing liquid in order to expand the expandable material and thus insulate the cavity. No additional work steps are therefore required.

[0047] Carrier

[0048] The carrier can be made of any material. Preferred materials are plastics, in particular polyurethanes, polyamides, polyesters and polyolefins, preferably high-temperature-resistant polymers such as polyphenylene ether, polysulfone or polyethersulfone, which are also in particular foamed; metals, in particular aluminum and steel; or grown organic materials, in particular wood or other (pressed) fiber materials or glassy materials or ceramic materials; in particular such foamed materials; or any combination of these materials. Particularly preferably, polyamides, in particular polyamide 6, polyamide 6,6, polyamide 11, polyamide 12 or mixtures thereof are used.

[0049] Furthermore, the carrier can be, for example, solid, hollow or foamed or have a grid-like structure. The surface of the carrier can generally be smooth, rough or structured.

[0050] system

[0051] Furthermore, the object mentioned at the outset is 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 being arranged in the cavity of the structural element.

[0052] In one exemplary embodiment, the structural element is a section of a pillar or a beam or a support body of a motor vehicle body. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] The details and advantages of the present invention are described below with the aid of exemplary embodiments and with reference to the schematic drawings. The drawings are as follows:

[0054] Figure 1 An exemplary view showing a vehicle body;

[0055] Figure 2a and 2b A schematic diagram showing an exemplary insulation element;

[0056] Figure 3 A schematic diagram showing an exemplary insulation element;

[0057] Figure 4a and 4b A schematic diagram showing an exemplary expansion element;

[0058] Figure 5 a schematic diagram showing an exemplary vector; and

[0059] Figure 6a and 6b A schematic diagram of an exemplary system is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0060] exist Figure 2a and 2b, an exemplary insulating element 16 is shown. In both embodiments, only one expansion element 2 is mounted on each receiving element 5. The carrier 11 of the insulating element 16 comprises a plurality of receiving elements 5. In addition, the carrier 11 comprises a fixing element 8 for fixing the carrier 11 to a structural element (not shown). The receiving elements 5 each have a barb 7 at the free end, which prevents the expansion element 2 from falling off the receiving element 5 after mounting. Figure 2b In the embodiment shown, the carrier also has feet 6 in the region of the fixing elements 8, so that the carrier 11 is better supported on the structural element. In both embodiments, the expansion element 2 is shown in each case in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the expansion element.

[0061] exist Figure 3 2 shows another embodiment of an insulating element 16. The insulating element 16 again has a carrier 11, which again has a fixing element 8 with a foot 6 and a receiving element 5 with a barb 7. In this embodiment, a plurality of expansion elements 2 are mounted on the receiving element 5.

[0062] exist Figure 4a and 4b Two exemplary embodiments of the expansion element 2 are shown in FIG. Figure 4a 1 shows a first expansion element 2 having an elongated hole 4. The expansion element 2 also has an insert 3 which is arranged approximately centrally in the expandable material 13. Figure 4b A second embodiment of an expansion element 2 is shown in FIG. The expansion element 2 has two elongated holes 4 which are arranged at a certain distance from each other. In this embodiment, the expansion element 2 is made of expandable material 13 only.

[0063] exist Figure 5 An exemplary carrier 11 is shown in FIG. In this exemplary embodiment, the carrier 11 has two fixing elements 8 and two receiving elements 5 with barbs 7 .

[0064] Finally, in Figure 6a and 6b A system 1 is shown, which comprises Figure 5 The carrier 11 and according to Figure 4b Insulation elements 16 are arranged in the structural elements 12 , 14 . Figure 6a shows the state of the expandable material 13 before expansion, and Figure 6b The state after expansion is shown, so that expanded material 13 ′ is now present. By guiding the expansion element 2 on the receiving element 5 , a directed expansion in the plane of the receiving element 5 is achieved, so that the cross section of the structural elements 12 , 14 can be effectively filled or closed with foam.

[0065] Reference numerals list

[0066] 1 System

[0067] 2 Expansion element

[0068] 3Insert

[0069] 4 holes

[0070] 5. Accommodating components

[0071] 6 legs

[0072] 7 Barb

[0073] 8Fixing elements

[0074] 10 Body

[0075] 11 Carrier

[0076] 12 Structural elements

[0077] 13. Expandable Materials

[0078] 13' Expanded Material

[0079] 14 Structural elements

[0080] 16 Insulation elements

Claims

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 at least one fixing element (8) for fixing the carrier (11) to a structural element (12, 14) and having at least one receiving element (5); and At least one elongated expansion element (2) having an expandable material (13) is placed on a receiving element (5) of a carrier (11).

2. The insulating element (16) according to claim 1, wherein The expansion element (2) is produced by an extrusion process.

3. The insulating element (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The expansion element (2) is made only of expandable material (13).

4. The insulating element (16) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein: The expansion element (2) comprises a film-like or strip-like insert (3) which is covered on both sides with an expandable material (13).

5. The insulation element (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The expansion element has one or two or more than two holes (4).

6. The insulating element (16) according to claim 5, wherein The hole (4) or the holes (4) have an elongated profile.

7. The insulation element (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The expandable material (13) has an expansion ratio between 1000% and 4000%.

8. The insulation element (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The carrier (11) has one or two fixing elements (8).

9. The insulation element (16) according to claim 8, wherein The fixing element is designed as a clip or a push pin.

10. The insulation element (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The carrier (11) has one or two or more than two receiving elements (5).

11. The insulation element (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The carrier (11) is manufactured by an injection molding process.

12. The insulation element (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein The at least one receiving element (5) has a barb (7) at the free end.

13. The insulation element (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein Only one expansion element (2) is mounted on each receiving element (5).

14. The insulation element (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein Two to eight expansion elements (2) are mounted on each receiving element (5).

15. A system (1) in a motor vehicle, the system (1) 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).

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