Integrated die-casting automobile hinge column inner plate

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of automobile part manufacturing, in particular to an integrated die-casting automobile hinge column inner plate. The connecting structure comprises a main body frame, a connecting module, a reinforcing rib group, a flanging structure and a mounting point assembly. The main body frame is made of an aluminum alloy material and is integrally formed by die casting, and the thickness is differentiated; and the reinforcing rib groups are distributed in a grid shape, so that the bending resistance and torsion resistance are improved. Compared with the prior art, the integrated die-casting forming technology is adopted in the technical scheme, the number of parts and connecting areas are reduced, the problem of stress concentration caused by welding or bolt connection in a traditional split splicing structure is solved, the stability of the whole structure is improved, and the service life of the whole structure is prolonged.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive parts manufacturing technology, and in particular to an integrated die-cast automotive hinge pillar inner plate. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of new energy vehicles, lightweight design has become a key direction for improving driving range and energy efficiency. In the vehicle body structure, the hinge pillar inner panel, as a crucial load-bearing and connecting component, significantly impacts vehicle safety, weight control, and manufacturing complexity. However, current mainstream automotive hinge pillar inner panels typically employ a split, spliced ​​structure composed of multiple hot-stamped parts and high-strength steel plates connected by welding or bolts. This design suffers from numerous components and connection areas, easily leading to stress concentration points, insufficient structural strength and stability, and potentially causing abnormal noises or even breakage during long-term use, posing safety hazards.

[0003] Existing technology, patent document CN111301530B, discloses a front door hinge pillar and a vehicle, published on May 31, 2022. This design optimizes the hinge pillar structure by incorporating an energy-absorbing cavity and a reinforcing cavity. The energy-absorbing cavity is used for deformation-based energy absorption, thereby reducing the transfer of collision energy to the reinforcing cavity, achieving the goal of weight reduction and improved safety. However, this solution still employs a split structure, with the energy-absorbing cavity and reinforcing cavity fixed by welding or bolts. This split design requires multiple welding and assembly operations during manufacturing, increasing process complexity and production costs, and potentially leading to a decrease in overall strength due to unstable welding quality. Furthermore, due to the split structure, stress concentration issues still exist during long-term use, which may lead to localized fatigue failure and affect service life.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to design an integrated die-cast automotive hinge pillar inner plate to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide an integrated die-cast automotive hinge pillar inner plate to overcome the aforementioned shortcomings of the existing technology.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: A one-piece die-cast automotive hinge pillar inner plate, comprising: The main frame is made of aluminum alloy and manufactured using an integrated die-casting process, and has an overall rectangular plate structure. The connecting modules are located around the main frame and are used for fixed connection with other parts of the vehicle body; Reinforcing ribs are distributed in the internal area of ​​the main frame to form a grid-like support structure; The flange structure extends outward along the edge of the main frame to overlap with other body parts and enhance local rigidity; Mounting point components are located on the side of the main frame and are used to secure key components such as the dashboard crossbeam.

[0007] Preferably, the main frame is divided into a load-bearing area and a non-load-bearing area, and the load-bearing area and the non-load-bearing area have different thicknesses. The thickness of the load-bearing area is 4 mm to 6 mm, and the thickness of the non-load-bearing area is 2 mm to 3 mm.

[0008] Preferably, the connection module includes multiple connection holes and positioning pins. The connection holes are distributed around the main frame and are used to fix the connection to other parts of the vehicle body by bolts or rivets.

[0009] Preferably, the reinforcing rib group is composed of multiple transverse and longitudinal ribs arranged in a cross pattern to form a grid-like distribution structure; some of the reinforcing ribs extend to the root of the flange structure to enhance the connection strength between the flange and the main frame.

[0010] Preferably, the flange structure includes an upper flange, a lower flange, a left flange, and a right flange; the upper flange is disposed at the top of the main frame and is used to overlap with the outer panel of the upper A-pillar; the lower flange is disposed at the bottom of the main frame and is used to overlap with the sill; the left flange and the right flange are respectively disposed on both sides of the main frame and are used to overlap with the outer panel of the hinge column.

[0011] Preferably, the mounting point assembly includes an instrument panel crossbeam mounting point, which is located at the middle of the side of the main frame; the instrument panel crossbeam mounting point is fixedly connected to the instrument panel crossbeam by bolts, and a rubber gasket is provided at the connection.

[0012] The beneficial effects of this invention are: This technical solution adopts an integrated die-casting molding process, which reduces the number of parts and connection areas, avoids the stress concentration problem caused by welding or bolt connection in traditional split splicing structures, and improves the stability and service life of the overall structure. By setting up a grid-like reinforcing rib group, the bending and torsional resistance of the main frame is enhanced. At the same time, the reinforcing ribs are extended at the root of the flange structure to further improve the connection strength between the flange and the main frame. By using differentiated thickness design and setting up weight reduction grooves, the goal of lightweighting was achieved while ensuring strength, which helps to improve the driving range of new energy vehicles; The application of various advanced connection processes (such as FDS, SPR and aluminum spot welding) ensures high-strength connections between the main frame and other body components, while reducing assembly difficulty and production costs. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an integrated die-cast automotive hinge pillar inner plate according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another perspective of the integrated die-cast automotive hinge pillar inner plate of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of the occupant compartment view of an integrated die-cast automotive hinge pillar inner plate according to the present invention. In the diagram: 1. Main frame; 2. Reinforcing rib assembly; 3. Flanged structure; 4. Mounting point assembly; 5. Connecting module; 6. Drainage channel; 31. Upper flange; 32. Lower flange; 33. Left flange; 34. Right flange. Detailed Implementation

[0014] Reference Figures 1 to 3 A one-piece die-cast automotive hinge pillar inner plate, comprising: The main frame is made of aluminum alloy and manufactured using an integrated die-casting process, and has an overall rectangular plate structure. The connecting modules are located around the main frame and are used for fixed connection with other parts of the vehicle body; Reinforcing ribs are distributed in the internal area of ​​the main frame to form a grid-like support structure; The flange structure extends outward along the edge of the main frame to overlap with other body parts and enhance local rigidity; Mounting point components are located on the side of the main frame and are used to secure key components such as the dashboard crossbeam.

[0015] The main frame 1 is made of aluminum alloy and manufactured using an integrated die-casting process. It has an overall rectangular plate structure, with its thickness varying in different areas according to stress conditions. The thickness of the load-bearing areas is 4mm-6mm, while the thickness of the non-load-bearing areas is 2mm-3mm. This design allows the main frame 1 to achieve lightweighting while meeting strength requirements. The surface of the main frame 1 is anodized, forming a dense oxide film to improve corrosion resistance. Multiple weight-reducing grooves are located inside the main frame 1, distributed in the non-load-bearing areas, further reducing the overall weight.

[0016] The reinforcing ribs 2 are distributed within the internal area of ​​the main frame 1, forming a grid-like support structure. Each reinforcing rib 2 consists of multiple transverse and longitudinal ribs arranged in a crisscross pattern. Some reinforcing ribs extend to the root of the flange structure 3, enhancing the connection strength between the flange structure 3 and the main frame 1. The height of the reinforcing ribs is 8mm-12mm, and the width is 3mm-5mm, ensuring that strength requirements are met while minimizing material usage. A circular transition area with a radius of 5mm-8mm is provided at the intersection of the reinforcing ribs 2 to reduce stress concentration. A sloping transition section with an angle of 30°-45° is provided between the end of the reinforcing rib 2 and the edge of the main frame 1 to avoid stress concentration caused by right-angle connections.

[0017] In addition, the arrangement of the reinforcing ribs also takes into account the position of the wiring harness through-hole 7 to ensure that the arrangement and connection of the electrical wiring harness are not interfered with.

[0018] The flange structure 3 extends outward along the edge of the main frame 1, including an upper flange 31, a lower flange 32, a left flange 33, and a right flange 34. The upper flange, 20mm wide, is located at the top of the main frame 1 and overlaps with the outer panel of the upper A-pillar; the lower flange, 16mm wide, is located at the bottom of the main frame 1 and overlaps with the door sill; the left and right flanges, 22mm wide, are located on either side of the main frame 1 and overlap with the outer panel of the hinge pillar. The inner side of the flange structure 3 has a groove to accommodate a sealing strip, improving the vehicle's sealing performance. The outer edge of the flange structure 3 has a chamfer, 2mm-3mm wide, to reduce the risk of interference during assembly. The inner side of the flange structure 3 has reinforcing ribs, 5mm-8mm high and 2mm-3mm wide, to enhance the overall rigidity of the flange.

[0019] The mounting point assembly 4 is located on the side of the main frame 1 and is used to fix key components such as the instrument panel crossbeam. The mounting point assembly 4 includes an instrument panel crossbeam mounting point, which is located at the middle of the side of the main frame 1. The instrument panel crossbeam mounting point is fixedly connected to the instrument panel crossbeam with bolts, and a rubber gasket is provided at the connection to absorb vibration and reduce noise.

[0020] The system also includes connecting modules positioned around the main frame 1 for fixed connections to other body components. Each connecting module includes multiple connecting holes and locating pins. The connecting holes, distributed around the main frame 1, are used for fixed connections to other body components via bolts or riveting. The locating pins are located at the four corners of the main frame 1 for precise positioning during assembly. The Z-axis connection between the main frame 1 and the door sill is secured using the FDS (Flow Drill Screw) process, employing self-tapping screws to create a heat-fusion effect at the connection point, achieving a high-strength connection. The connection between the main frame 1 and the front bulkhead is also secured using the FDS process, with a reinforcing liner at the connection point to distribute stress. The connection between the main frame 1 and the crossbeam on the front bulkhead is secured using aluminum spot welding, with weld point spacing of 50mm-80mm to ensure connection strength. The connection between the main frame 1 and the root of the upper short beam is also secured using aluminum spot welding, with at least four weld points. The connection between the main frame 1 and the front large casting is secured using the SPR (Self-Piercing Rivet) process, achieving a firm connection by rivets penetrating both layers of material. The connection between the main frame 1 and the hinge column outer plate is also secured using the SPR process, with a positioning boss at the connection point to prevent misalignment during assembly. The connection between the main frame 1 and the sill flange is also secured using the SPR process, with a guide groove at the connection point to guide the precise insertion of the rivets.

[0021] The integrated die-cast automotive hinge pillar inner plate of this invention is manufactured using an integrated die-casting process, reducing the number of parts and connection areas, and avoiding stress concentration problems caused by welding or bolt connections in traditional split-joint structures. The grid-like distribution of the reinforcing rib group 2 enhances the bending and torsional resistance of the main frame 1, while the reinforcing ribs extending at the root of the flange structure 3 further improve the connection strength between the flange structure 3 and the main frame 1. The differentiated thickness design and the placement of the weight-reducing groove achieve the goal of lightweighting while ensuring strength, contributing to improving the driving range of new energy vehicles.

[0022] In one implementation case, during the assembly of a new energy vehicle body, the main frame 1 of the one-piece die-cast automotive hinge pillar inner panel is first preliminarily positioned with the body assembly using locating pins. At this point, the locating pins in the connecting module are inserted into corresponding holes in the body to ensure the precise positioning of the main frame 1 during assembly. Subsequently, the FDS process is used to fix the Z-direction connection between the main frame 1 and the door sill. Specifically, self-tapping screws penetrate the main frame 1 and door sill materials under high-speed rotation, forming a heat-melting effect at the contact surface, thereby achieving a high-strength connection. In this process, the FDS process eliminates the need for pre-drilling, reducing the number of steps, while the heat-melting effect effectively enhances the strength of the connection area, avoiding stress concentration problems that may occur with traditional welding.

[0023] Next, the same FDS process is used to fix the main frame 1 to the front bulkhead. To disperse stress in the connection area, a reinforcing liner is placed inside the connection. Its function is to evenly distribute the load by increasing the contact area, thereby improving the fatigue resistance of the overall structure. Meanwhile, the connection between the main frame 1 and the crossbeams on the front bulkhead is completed using aluminum spot welding. The welding points are evenly distributed at intervals of 50mm-80mm to ensure that the connection strength meets design requirements. During welding, current is transmitted to the welding area through electrodes, causing the aluminum alloy material to locally melt and rapidly cool to form a strong joint. This process not only improves production efficiency but also significantly reduces the risk of overall strength reduction due to unstable welding quality.

[0024] For the connection between the main frame 1 and the front large casting and the hinge column outer plate, the SPR process is used for fixation. In actual operation, after the rivet penetrates the main frame 1 and the target component from above, it expands at the bottom to form a mechanical locking structure. The advantage of this process is that it can achieve a firm connection between two or more layers of materials without heating, making it particularly suitable for the assembly requirements of lightweight materials such as aluminum alloys. In addition, to prevent misalignment during assembly, a positioning boss and a guide groove are provided at the connection point. The positioning boss can limit the lateral movement of the rivet, while the guide groove guides the rivet to be precisely inserted into the predetermined position, thereby ensuring assembly accuracy.

[0025] After the aforementioned connection process is completed, the flange structure 3 begins to function. For example, when the upper flange overlaps with the outer panel of the upper A-pillar, a sealing strip is pre-installed in its inner groove to improve the sealing performance of the vehicle body. The chamfered design of the outer edge of the flange structure 3 reduces the risk of interference during assembly, while the inner reinforcing ribs further enhance the overall rigidity of the flange. These detailed designs collectively ensure that the flange structure 3 will not loosen or deform due to vibration or impact during long-term use.

[0026] The reinforcing ribs 2 inside the main frame 1 provide additional support through a grid-like distribution. When the vehicle is subjected to external loads, the reinforcing ribs 2 effectively disperse stress and prevent excessive strain in localized areas. In particular, the circular transition areas at the intersections of the reinforcing ribs and the sloping transition sections between the ends of the reinforcing ribs and the edges of the main frame 1 help reduce the probability of stress concentration. This optimized design allows the main frame 1 to maintain high structural stability even when subjected to complex loads.

[0027] The advantages of this invention are that the integrated die-casting process reduces the number of parts and connection areas, avoids stress concentration problems caused by welding or bolting in traditional split splicing structures, and improves the stability and service life of the overall structure. By setting up a grid-like reinforcing rib group, the bending and torsional resistance of the main frame is enhanced. At the same time, the reinforcing ribs are extended at the root of the flange structure to further improve the connection strength between the flange and the main frame. By using differentiated thickness design and setting up weight reduction grooves, the goal of lightweighting was achieved while ensuring strength, which helps to improve the driving range of new energy vehicles; The application of various advanced connection processes (such as FDS, SPR and aluminum spot welding) ensures high-strength connections between the main frame and other body components, while reducing assembly difficulty and production costs.

[0028] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A one-piece die-cast automotive hinge pillar inner plate, characterized in that: It includes: The main frame is made of aluminum alloy and manufactured using an integrated die-casting process, and has an overall rectangular plate structure. The connecting modules are located around the main frame and are used for fixed connection with other parts of the vehicle body; Reinforcing ribs are distributed in the internal area of ​​the main frame to form a grid-like support structure; The flange structure extends outward along the edge of the main frame to overlap with other body parts and enhance local rigidity; Mounting point components are located on the side of the main frame and are used to secure key components such as the dashboard crossbeam.

2. The one-piece die-cast automotive hinge pillar inner plate according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main frame is divided into a load-bearing area and a non-load-bearing area. The thickness of the load-bearing area and the non-load-bearing area are different. The thickness of the load-bearing area is 4 mm to 6 mm, and the thickness of the non-load-bearing area is 2 mm to 3 mm.

3. The one-piece die-cast automotive hinge pillar inner plate according to claim 1, characterized in that: The connection module includes multiple connection holes and positioning pins. The connection holes are distributed around the main frame and are used to fix the connection to other parts of the vehicle body by bolts or rivets.

4. The one-piece die-cast automotive hinge pillar inner plate according to claim 1, characterized in that: The reinforcing rib group is composed of multiple transverse and longitudinal ribs arranged in a cross pattern to form a grid-like distribution structure; some reinforcing ribs extend to the root of the flange structure to enhance the connection strength between the flange and the main frame.

5. The one-piece die-cast automotive hinge pillar inner plate according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flange structure includes an upper flange, a lower flange, a left flange, and a right flange; the upper flange is located at the top of the main frame and is used to overlap with the outer panel of the upper A-pillar; the lower flange is located at the bottom of the main frame and is used to overlap with the sill; the left flange and the right flange are respectively located on both sides of the main frame and are used to overlap with the outer panel of the hinge column.

6. The one-piece die-cast automotive hinge pillar inner plate according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mounting point assembly includes an instrument panel crossbeam mounting point, which is located at the middle of the side of the main frame; the instrument panel crossbeam mounting point is fixedly connected to the instrument panel crossbeam by bolts, and a rubber gasket is provided at the connection.

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