Body structure for a vehicle and method for manufacturing a vehicle
By using suspension strut covers as plate inserts in the front of the vehicle and connecting them with large cast components, the problems of tooling and production costs for vehicle models with different axle geometries were solved, and the stability and ease of maintenance were improved.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- VOLKSWAGEN AG
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-06
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-19
Smart Images
Figure CN122249362A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a body structure for a front box (Vorderwagen, sometimes referred to as front body) of a dual-track vehicle according to the preamble of claim 1, and a method for manufacturing a vehicle according to claim 10. Background Technology
[0002] Compared to traditional manufacturing methods, producing the vehicle body structure as large cast components can lead to a reduction in vehicle weight, thereby improving vehicle performance and fuel efficiency. Furthermore, large cast components are structurally more stable and provide increased strength, which can result in improved vehicle safety.
[0003] This type of body structure for the front of a vehicle has a large cast member with at least one suspension strut receiving portion. The suspension strut receiving portion is configured to have a suspension strut cover (sometimes called a suspension strut tower), at which the upper end of the suspension strut, in particular the cover support of the suspension strut, can be supported.
[0004] When producing vehicle models with different axle geometries (i.e., different wheel track widths and / or different structural heights), dedicated casting tools must be provided for each of these vehicle models in order to cast large casting components that match the desired axle geometry. This is associated with high tooling costs and high production technology costs.
[0005] DE 10 2010 013 842 A1 relates to a vehicle body structure having at least one suspension strut receiving portion. Here, in at least a partially modular body structure, a first suspension strut receiving portion module with a specific cover construction and a connecting element having a specific connecting geometry for connection with associated body structure elements is used. Furthermore, for assembly purposes, at least one additional suspension strut receiving portion module with the same connecting geometry but a different cover construction is used to accommodate variations in the body structure due to the suspension strut position. A load-bearing structure for a vehicle body is known from DE 198 47 876 A1. This load-bearing structure has a longitudinal beam and a suspension strut bracket connectable to the longitudinal beam, the suspension strut bracket including a suspension strut receiving portion of which is constructed as a single piece. The suspension strut bracket is implemented as a casting. Summary of the Invention
[0006] The objective of this invention is to provide a body structure for the front box of a dual-track vehicle and a method for manufacturing the vehicle, which can reduce tooling or manufacturing costs compared to the prior art.
[0007] This task is solved by the features of claim 1 or 10. Preferred improvements of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.
[0008] This invention relates to a body structure for the front box of a dual-track vehicle. The body structure is provided as a large cast member with at least one suspension strut receiving portion having a suspension strut cover, at which the upper end of the suspension strut can be supported, particularly via a cover support member. According to the characteristic portion of claim 1, the suspension strut cover is not a materially uniform and monolithic component of the large cast member. Instead, the suspension strut cover is formed as a separate plate insert (sometimes referred to as a metal plate insert) from the large cast member. The plate insert can be connected to the suspension strut receiving portion, which is a component of the large cast member, using a hybrid structural joint connection (e.g., by bonding). The plate insert can be geometrically modified independently of the large cast member to match the axle geometry of the vehicle to be manufactured. Nevertheless, the suspension strut receiving portion, which is a component of the large cast member, remains unchanged. For example, for vehicle models with different axle geometries, large cast components with the same structure can be prepared, but with different plate inserts. This can reduce tooling costs in the casting process and production technology costs in manufacturing vehicle models compared to existing technologies.
[0009] In one technical implementation, the suspension strut cover may have a swivel surface at which the upper end of the suspension strut, i.e., the cover support of the suspension strut, can be swivelly connected. More precisely, it is preferably swivelly connected in the normal direction, i.e., perpendicular to the swivel surface. A suspension strut swivelly connected to the swivel surface of the suspension strut cover in the normal direction offers several advantages: simple maintenance, quick replacement of the suspension strut, and improved stability due to direct fixation at the swivel surface, which contributes to improved driving stability.
[0010] Given sufficient component rigidity, the suspension strut receiver can have a hollow cylindrical peripheral wall that terminates upward in the vehicle height direction with a surrounding flange. This flange has a reduced diameter compared to the peripheral wall. The reduced diameter surrounding flange improves the shape stability of the hollow cylindrical suspension strut receiver.
[0011] The suspension strut cover, which is implemented as a plate insert, can be technologically suitably manufactured as a cup-shaped deep-drawn part. The deep-drawn part has a profile base from which a surrounding sidewall is drawn upward. The surrounding sidewall can end with a ring shoulder, which is designed to have a larger diameter than the surrounding sidewall, thereby achieving both shape stability and component rigidity for the plate insert (i.e., the suspension strut cover).
[0012] In the assembled state, it is preferable that the large-diameter annular shoulder of the suspension strut cover engages from below the reduced-diameter flange of the suspension strut receiver. In this case, the flange of the suspension strut receiver forms a height stop, through which the suspension strut cover, configured as a plate insert, can abut against the height stop in the vehicle height direction along the engagement direction, bringing it into a preferably annular, large-area contact. This large-area connection simplifies the assembly process because it allows for greater tolerance to orientation errors. Furthermore, the large-area connection enables effective force transfer between the plate insert and the suspension strut receiver, which is part of a large cast component. Given the large-area contact connection with as little clearance as possible, it is preferable that the annular shoulder of the suspension strut cover and the flange of the suspension strut receiver are designed to match each other's contours. The profile bottom of the suspension strut cover can provide a screw-in surface for the upper end of the suspension strut (i.e., the cover support). In addition, the surrounding flange of the suspension strut receiver can define a central mounting opening through which the profile bottom of the suspension strut cover can be accessed from above.
[0013] There may be a requirement to provide at least two vehicle models with correspondingly different axle geometries during vehicle manufacturing. According to the invention, the same large cast components can be installed in both vehicle models, but different plate inserts can be used. Each of these plate inserts is shaped to fit the desired axle geometry. Preferably, the annular shoulder profiles of the two differently shaped plate inserts are identical to each other to achieve a seamless hybrid structural engagement with the flange of the suspension strut receiving portion. Conversely, the profile bases of the two plate inserts forming the screw-in surfaces for the suspension struts can be spatially oriented differently. Therefore, depending on whether the first or second plate insert is installed, the suspension strut can be screwed onto the profile base of the corresponding plate insert at different suspension strut angles. In this way, the two vehicle models can have different structural heights and / or different wheel track distances.
[0014] For example, the leaf spring insert installed in the first vehicle model may have a flat-oriented profile base, thereby allowing the suspension struts screwed onto it to be positioned (aufgestellt, sometimes referred to as erected) to be placed more steeply. This results in a reduced wheel track and / or a higher structural height. Conversely, in the second vehicle model, the profile base of the leaf spring insert installed therein may be oriented more steeply. In this case, an increased wheel track and / or a reduced structural height is achieved compared to the first vehicle model.
[0015] In one specific implementation, a large cast component is formed with body longitudinal beams and body transverse beams on each side of the vehicle in a mirror-symmetrical manner about the longitudinal plane of the vehicle's center. The two body longitudinal beams can be connected to each other, wherein a suspension strut receiver is molded as a single piece of material on each side of the corresponding body longitudinal beam. Attached Figure Description
[0016] Embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0017] in: Figures 1 to 3 Different views are shown respectively, according to which the suspension strut receiving part according to the invention is illustrated. Detailed Implementation
[0018] exist Figure 1 The diagram illustrates a body structure for the front box of a dual-track vehicle. The body structure is constructed as a large cast component with longitudinal body beams 1 on each side of the vehicle about the vehicle's center longitudinal plane. The longitudinal body beams 1 transition rearward in the vehicle's longitudinal direction x into a battery or vehicle floor connection 3. The two longitudinal body beams 1 are connected to each other via crossbeams 5. Furthermore, a suspension strut receiver 7 is molded at each of the two longitudinal body beams 1. The battery or vehicle floor connection 3, the crossbeams 5, and the two suspension strut receivers 7, together with the two longitudinal body beams 1, constitute a large cast component implemented with mirror symmetry about the vehicle's center longitudinal plane.
[0019] Each of the two suspension strut receivers 7 includes a hollow cylindrical peripheral wall 9 that terminates upward in the vehicle height direction z with a surrounding flange 10. This flange has a reduced diameter compared to the hollow cylindrical peripheral wall 9. The suspension strut receiver 7 further has a suspension strut cover 11 configured as a plate insert, at which a cover support 15 can be accessed. Figure 2 Or 3) Support the suspension strut 13. The suspension strut cover 11 is connected to the suspension strut receiving part 7 by a hybrid structure joint, such as an adhesive connection.
[0020] For a stable connection, the suspension strut cover 11 is implemented as a cup-shaped, deep-drawn member with a profile base 17. A surrounding sidewall 19 is drawn upwards from the profile base. The surrounding sidewall 19 ends with an enlarged annular shoulder 21. This annular shoulder is designed to have a larger diameter than the surrounding sidewall 19 of the suspension strut cover 11. During assembly, the suspension strut cover 11, constructed as a plate insert, is guided upwards along the vehicle height direction z through the hollow cylindrical peripheral wall 9 of the suspension strut receiver 7 in the engagement direction until the large-diameter annular shoulder 21 of the suspension strut cover 11 and the small-diameter flange 10 of the suspension strut receiver 7 reach annular contact. Therefore, in the assembled state, the large-diameter annular shoulder 21 of the suspension strut cover 11 engages from below with the smaller-diameter flange 10 of the suspension strut receiver 7. The hybrid structure joint connection between the suspension strut cover 11 and the suspension strut receiver 7 thus formed is subjected only to compressive loads, thereby achieving high connection strength.
[0021] As from Figure 2 As further understood, the profile bottom 17 of the suspension strut cover 11 provides a screw-in surface at which the cover support 15 of the suspension strut 13 can be screwed in via a threaded connector 16. The surrounding flange 10 of the suspension strut receiving portion 7 defines a central mounting opening 23 through which the profile bottom 17 of the suspension strut cover 11 can be accessed from above.
[0022] A core aspect of this invention relates to a method for manufacturing at least two vehicle models, each with a different axle geometry. According to the invention, the same large cast components can be used in both vehicle models, but suspension strut covers 11 specifically matched to the corresponding axle geometry are used, such as… Figure 2 and 3 As indicated in [the document]. According to [the document]... Figure 2 The first plate insert 11 is installed as a suspension strut cover into the hollow cylindrical suspension strut receiving part 7, with its profile bottom 17 oriented flat. Therefore, the suspension strut 13, which is screwed to the normal of the profile bottom 17, is positioned relatively vertically at a steep suspension strut angle α, resulting in a correspondingly increased structural height and a reduced wheel track distance.
[0023] Conversely, in Figure 3 In the middle, the second plate insert 11 is installed into the hollow cylindrical suspension strut receiving part 7, and the profile bottom 17 of the second plate insert is... Figure 2 Compared to a steeper orientation, the suspension strut 13, which is normally screwed to the bottom of the profile 17, is positioned at a relatively gentle suspension strut angle β, resulting in a correspondingly reduced structural height and increased wheel track distance.
[0024] As from Figure 2 and 3 As further understood, the annular shoulders 21 of the two differently designed suspension strut covers 11 and the flanges 10 of their respective associated suspension strut receivers 7 are contour-matched to achieve the largest possible contact area. Furthermore, from... Figure 2 and 3 It is understood that the annular shoulder profiles of the two plate inserts 11 are structurally identical, while the profile bases 17 of the two plate inserts 11 are spatially oriented differently.
[0025] Reference number list 1. Vehicle body longitudinal beams 3. Battery or vehicle connection point 5. Body crossbeams 7. Suspension strut receiving section 9. Hollow cylindrical perimeter 10 Flanges 11 Suspension strut cover 13 Suspension struts 15. Cover support components 16 Threaded fasteners 17 Profile Bottom 19 Surrounding sidewalls 21. Circular shoulder 23. Central assembly opening α, β suspension strut angles
Claims
1. A body structure for a front trunk of a twin-track vehicle, with a large cast component, which has at least one suspension strut receptacle (7) with a suspension strut cover (11) at which an upper end of a suspension strut (13), in particular a cover bearing (15) of the suspension strut (13), can be supported, characterized in that The suspension strut cover (11) is a plate insert that is joined by a hybrid structure, such as by adhesive bonding, to the suspension strut receiver (7), which is part of the large cast component.
2. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1, characterized in that, The suspension strut cover (11) has a swivel surface at which the upper end of the suspension strut (13) can be swiveled, more specifically in the normal direction, i.e., perpendicular to the swivel surface.
3. The vehicle body structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The suspension strut receiving portion (7) includes a hollow cylindrical peripheral wall (9) that ends upward in the vehicle height direction (z) with a surrounding flange (10) that is smaller in diameter than the hollow cylindrical peripheral wall (9).
4. The vehicle body structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The suspension strut cover (11) is a cup-shaped deep-drawn member having a profile bottom (17) from which a surrounding sidewall (19) is drawn upward, ending at an annular shoulder (21) which is larger in diameter than the surrounding sidewall (19), and in particular the profile bottom (17) forms the pivot surface for the suspension strut (13).
5. The vehicle body structure according to claim 4, characterized in that, In the assembled state, the large-diameter annular shoulder (21) of the suspension strut cover (11) engages from below the reduced-diameter flange (10) of the suspension strut receiver (7), and in particular, the flange (10) of the suspension strut receiver (7) forms a height stop. The suspension strut cover (11), configured as a plate insert, can abut against the height stop in the vehicle height direction (z) in the engagement direction to a preferably annular contact. And / or the hybrid structure engagement between the reduced-diameter flange (10) of the suspension strut receiver (9) and the large-diameter annular shoulder (21) of the suspension strut cover (11) is substantially subjected to pressure load in the installed position.
6. The vehicle body structure according to claim 5, characterized in that, The annular shoulder (21) of the suspension strut cover (11) and the flange (10) of the suspension strut receiving part (7) are contour-matched to provide a large area of contact.
7. The vehicle body structure according to any one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that, The surrounding flange (10) of the suspension strut receiving portion (7) defines a central mounting opening (23) through which the profile bottom (17) of the suspension strut cover (11) can be accessed from above.
8. The vehicle body structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, To provide vehicles with different axle geometries, at least a first plate insert (11) and a second plate insert (11) can be prepared, the first plate insert and the second plate insert having different component geometries, and in particular the annular shoulder profiles of the two plate inserts (11) are structurally identical, while the profile bases (17) of the two plate inserts (11) are spatially oriented differently, such that, in particular depending on whether the first plate insert or the second plate insert (11) is installed, the suspension struts (13) can be screwed onto the profile bases (17) of the corresponding plate inserts (11) at different suspension strut angles (α, β), thereby enabling the manufacture of vehicles with varying structural heights and / or varying wheel track distances.
9. The vehicle body structure according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The large cast component is formed with a body longitudinal beam (1) on each side of the vehicle in a mirror-symmetrical manner about the longitudinal plane of the vehicle center, and in particular with a body cross beam (5) connecting the two body longitudinal beams (1) to each other, and / or the suspension strut receiving part (7) is molded in a single piece at the corresponding body longitudinal beam (1) in a consistent material manner.
10. A method for manufacturing vehicles with different axle geometries, wherein, The vehicles each have a body structure according to any one of the preceding claims.