Front end of a vehicle and method for assembling the front end of a vehicle

Abstract

Front section (1) of a vehicle, comprising a front module (4) to be connected to the vehicle body (2) during the assembly process of the vehicle, wherein at least one adjustable and lockable stop element (5) is arranged on the front module (4) and / or on the vehicle body (2), with which the relative position between the front module (4) and the vehicle body (2) can be determined with respect to at least one vehicle axis when connecting the front module (4) and the vehicle body (2), characterized by that at least three adjustable and lockable stop elements (5) designed as countersunk screws or as stop screws or as bolts are provided on the vehicle body (2), of which at least one stop element (5) is provided for determining the relative position between front module (4) and vehicle body (2) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (x-direction) and / or in the transverse direction of the vehicle (y-direction) and / or in the vertical direction of the vehicle (z-direction) when connecting front module (4) and vehicle body (2). and that the adjustable and lockable stop elements (5) are locked after their adjustment by means of fixing means or by self-locking.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a front end of a vehicle according to the preamble of patent claim 1 and a method for assembling the front end of a vehicle.

[0002] A generic front end of a vehicle is known from the subsequently published DE 10 2022 207 118 A1.

[0003] During the vehicle assembly process, a so-called front module or front-end module is typically used, on which various components and parts of the vehicle are pre-assembled, such as headlights and / or crash elements and / or radiator components and / or sensor units for various applications. This front module or front-end module, with its pre-assembled components, is attached to the body or body shell of the vehicle during the final assembly of the vehicle. In particular, the front module is positioned on the front end of the vehicle and then bolted to it.

[0004] DE 10 2009 036 763 A1 describes a method for mounting a cooling module on a motor vehicle, in which a front-end module is also mounted as part of the assembly of the cooling module on the body shell.

[0005] However, during the assembly of the front module to the body or body shell of the vehicle, undefined tolerances arise due to manufacturing processes that arise during various assembly steps of the vehicle body. To avoid or eliminate these undesirable tolerances, complex measures must be taken, which often have a negative impact on the assembly process.

[0006] For this purpose, DE 10 2009 016 937 A1 discloses a connection arrangement for a front module to a body of a passenger car, in which the front module is attached to retaining means arranged on various longitudinal member levels of the body. The retaining means are adjustable relative to an outer trim part of the front module at least on one longitudinal member level of the body and can be secured to the body.

[0007] Furthermore, CN 2 19 790 309 U also describes such a connection arrangement for a front-end module to a vehicle body. To position the front-end module relative to the vehicle body, positioning devices are attached to a longitudinal member of the vehicle body. These devices can be used to effectively determine the position of the front-end module during assembly with the vehicle body. This also allows for parts subsequently attached to the front-end module to be mounted easily and precisely.

[0008] The invention is based on the object of specifying a front end of a vehicle according to the preamble of patent claim 1, in which a front module of the vehicle is connected to the body of the vehicle in a simple manner and with process precision.

[0009] This object is achieved according to the invention by a front end of a vehicle having the features of patent claim 1.

[0010] Furthermore, this object is achieved by a method for assembling the front end of a vehicle having the features of patent claim 5.

[0011] Advantageous further developments of the invention are part of the further patent claims.

[0012] In the front end or front end of a vehicle according to the invention, at least three adjustable and lockable stop elements acting as compensating elements and designed as flat head screws or stop screws or bolts are arranged on the front module to be connected to at least one body component of the vehicle body and / or on this at least one body component of the vehicle body. By means of these adjustable and lockable stop elements designed as flat head screws or stop screws or bolts, the relative position between the front module and vehicle body with respect to the vehicle axes can be determined when connecting the front module and vehicle body, i.e. with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (in the x direction), with respect to the transverse direction of the vehicle (in the y direction), and with respect to the vertical direction of the vehicle (in the z direction).

[0013] In particular, of the at least three adjustable and lockable stop elements designed as flat-head screws, stop screws, or bolts on the front module and / or on the at least one body component of the vehicle body, at least one such stop element is provided for determining the relative position between the front module and the vehicle body with respect to one of the vehicle axes. This means that at least one such stop element serves to determine the relative position between the front module and the vehicle body in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (in the x-direction), the transverse direction of the vehicle (in the y-direction), and the vertical direction of the vehicle (in the z-direction).

[0014] In this case, all such adjustable and lockable stop elements are preferably arranged on one of the two components to be connected to each other, i.e., all such adjustable and lockable stop elements are arranged either on the front module or on the vehicle body. However, the adjustable and lockable stop elements are preferably arranged on the vehicle body, and in particular on at least one body component of the vehicle body.

[0015] As a result, when connecting the front module and the vehicle body, the relative position between the front module and at least one add-on part of the vehicle body with respect to at least one vehicle axle is also determined, for example the relative position between the front module and the bonnet as an add-on part or outer skin part of the vehicle body or the relative position between the front module and the fender as an add-on part or outer skin part of the vehicle body.

[0016] According to the invention, the adjustable and lockable stop elements are designed as flat head screws or stop screws or bolts, and preferably as threaded bolts with a stop surface formed thereon. After adjustment of these stop elements, which preferably have a thread, the stop elements are locked in place by means of fixing means. The adjustable and lockable stop elements, which have a thread, are preferably secured in the thread with an adhesive as a fixing means or another fixing means, or have a high degree of self-locking and are thus locked in the desired setting position.

[0017] According to the invention, during the assembly process of the vehicle on an assembly line, before the front module is connected to the vehicle body at an assembly position on the assembly line, i.e. before these two components move closer to one another or before these two components come into contact to connect the front module and vehicle body, in order to establish the relative position between the front module and vehicle body, the reference position of at least one reference point of the front module or vehicle body with respect to the respective adjustable and lockable stop element of the front module or vehicle body, designed as a pan-head screw, stop screw or bolt, is determined at a measuring position in order to establish the relative position between the front module and vehicle body. The respective adjustable and lockable stop element, designed as a pan-head screw, stop screw or bolt, is then adjusted and locked at a setting position based on the determined reference position.

[0018] Preferably, both the measuring position and the adjustment position are each located at a distance from the assembly position of the assembly line, wherein the measuring position and the adjustment position can also coincide, in particular if the adjustable and lockable stop elements designed as flat head screws or as stop screws or as bolts are arranged on the vehicle body.In this case, for example, a robot is used to carry out the measurement with the determination of the reference position between at least one reference point on an attachment part of the vehicle body and the respective adjustable and lockable stop element on the vehicle body, as well as to subsequently adjust the respective adjustable and lockable stop element on the vehicle body to a fixed, predetermined value between the stop surface of the respective adjustable and lockable stop element on the vehicle body and the reference point on the attachment part of the vehicle body.

[0019] After the measurement, which determines the reference position of at least one reference point on the front module or on the vehicle body, and the subsequent adjustment and locking of the adjustable and lockable stop elements, the front module is brought to the assembly position and, through a relative movement of the front module and the vehicle body, brought into contact with at least one body component of the vehicle body at the stop surface of the respective adjustable and lockable stop elements on the front module or on the at least one body component. The front module is then attached to the vehicle body in a suitable manner, for example, by screwing it to the vehicle body using fastening screws.

[0020] In an advantageous development of the invention, several such reference positions are determined at the measuring position using several reference points on the front module or vehicle body and / or several adjustable and lockable stop elements on the front module or vehicle body. Preferably, each determined reference position is assigned to one of the vehicle axes, i.e., the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (the x-direction), the transverse direction of the vehicle (the y-direction), or the vertical direction of the vehicle (the z-direction). Preferably, at least one such determined reference position is assigned to all of the vehicle axes.After this assignment to the vehicle axles, the respectively assigned adjustable and lockable stop elements are adjusted based on the measured values ​​determined and locked or fixed in the adjusted position by suitable means and in a suitable manner according to their design as flat head screws or as stop screws or as bolts.

[0021] At the measuring position for determining the reference position(s), the front module and / or the vehicle body are preferably not moved, i.e. the respective component remains at rest during the measurement for determining the reference position(s).

[0022] The relative movement of the front module and the vehicle body to each other at the assembly position can either be carried out as a movement (only) of the front module or as a combined movement of the vehicle body along the assembly line and a movement of the front module that is coordinated with it.

[0023] Furthermore, the relative movement of the front module and the vehicle body to each other at the assembly position can be carried out either as a continuous movement of the front module and / or the vehicle body or as a segmented movement of the front module and / or the vehicle body with several interrupted movement steps.

[0024] In a segmented movement, the movement process is interrupted in a specific intermediate position between the respective starting position and the final contact position of the two components. In this intermediate position, certain pre-assembly steps can be performed on at least one of the two components. For example, electronic components and / or electrical components and / or mechanical components can be attached to the two components. For example, electrical connectors or electrical contacts can be attached to the front module and / or the vehicle body, and / or electrical and / or mechanical connecting cables can be attached between the front module and the vehicle body.

[0025] After this pre-assembly step in the intermediate position, the relative movement of the front module and the vehicle body to each other is resumed and the two components, the front module and the vehicle body, are brought into contact with each other at the contact position as described and are also fastened to each other there in a suitable manner, in particular by screwing them together.

[0026] Preferably, however, the relative movement of the front module and the vehicle body to each other at the assembly position includes at least one movement step of the front module towards the vehicle body.

[0027] By means of the present invention, a simple and process-accurate connection of the front module to the vehicle body and in particular to at least one body component of the vehicle body can advantageously be realized, in particular also with respect to each of the spatial directions or with respect to each of the vehicle axes.

[0028] For this purpose, no complex positioning aids such as robots or the like, nor any complex adjustment measures, are required on the assembly line, so that the assembly process can be carried out simply and flexibly.

[0029] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and from the drawings. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description, as well as the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and / or shown alone in the figures, can be used not only in the respective combinations specified, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0030] Showing: Fig. 1 A schematic view of a section of the vehicle body with the front end of the vehicle. Fig. 2 A schematic view of the vehicle body with the front end of the vehicle and the front module of the vehicle before the front module is connected to the vehicle body. Fig. 3 A schematic view of the vehicle body with the front end of the vehicle and the front module of the vehicle when connecting the front module to the vehicle body

[0031] In the Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a part of the vehicle body 2 located in the front area of ​​a vehicle and forming the front end 1 of the vehicle or the vehicle front section.

[0032] In particular, the Fig. 1 in the front end 1 of the vehicle four longitudinal members 3 and the bonnet 7 as an attached part of the vehicle body 2.

[0033] On the end face 9 of each of the four longitudinal members 3, an adjustable and lockable stop element 5 is arranged, for example in the form of a flat-head screw and acting as a compensating element, so that a total of four adjustable and lockable stop elements 5 are provided on the vehicle body 2.

[0034] The threaded pan head screws, which are provided with a corresponding screw thread and serve as adjustable and lockable stop elements 5, each have a stop surface 8 and can be adjusted in length by appropriately rotating their screw thread, so that the position of the respective stop surface 8 can also be adjusted accordingly. For example, by appropriately rotating the screw thread of the pan head screws, which serve as adjustable and lockable stop elements 5, their stop surface 8 can be varied by up to 5 mm.

[0035] In particular, the adjustable and lockable stop elements 5 are to be adjusted with respect to the longitudinal orientation (x-direction) of the vehicle, the transverse direction (y-direction) of the vehicle, and the vertical direction (z-direction) of the vehicle. For this purpose, a reference measurement is performed with respect to specific reference points on the vehicle body 2, for example, with respect to reference points on the hood 7 as an add-on part or outer skin part of the vehicle body 2.

[0036] The distance between a respective reference point on the hood 7 and the stop surface 8 of the flat-head screws, which serve as adjustable and lockable stop elements 5, is fixed at a specific value (and thus the same for all vehicle bodies). The respective flat-head screws, which serve as adjustable and lockable stop elements 5, are set and adjusted depending on the measured value determined by the measurement in such a way that this desired value is actually achieved.

[0037] This ensures that, regardless of manufacturing tolerances during assembly of a vehicle, the same spatial assignment between the front module 4 and the add-on part or outer skin part of the vehicle body 2 with the reference points always results in all vehicles, here between the front module 4 and the bonnet 7 as an add-on part or outer skin part of the vehicle body 2.

[0038] After this adjustment of the washer head screws as adjustable and lockable stop elements 5 based on the measurement results, for example by a robot that also carries out the measurement, they are locked in the corresponding setting and thus fixed.

[0039] As in the Fig. 2 can be seen in a perspective view, in order to realize the connection of the front module 4 to the vehicle body 2, the front module 4 with several pre-assembled components of the vehicle body 2 is fed to a specific assembly position of the assembly line.

[0040] Electrical connecting lines 6 are provided on the front module 4, which serve to electrically contact the electrical components and electronic components attached to the front module 4.

[0041] The pre-adjusted stop elements 5 specify the correct stop position for the front module 4 to be connected to the vehicle body 2, on the respective stop surfaces 8 of the flat-head screws as adjustable and lockable stop elements 5, and thus on the four longitudinal members 3 of the vehicle body 2. As described, this always ensures the same spatial arrangement between the front module 4 and the vehicle body 2, in particular, for example, always the same distance and thus always the same position dimension of, for example, 25 cm to 30 cm between the front module 4 and, for example, the front edge of the bonnet 7 as the outer skin part of the vehicle body 2.

[0042] In other words, the fixed position dimension to be set between the stop surface 8 on the vehicle body 2 for the front module 4 and the outer skin reference point, such as the front edge of the hood 7, always has a fixed value (e.g., 30 cm). The compensation range of the stop elements 5, for example, + / -5 mm, is used to compensate for the tolerances that arise during assembly so that this nominal value of, for example, 30 cm is achieved.

[0043] According to the front view of the Fig. 3, the front module 4 is brought into contact with the stop surfaces 8 of the flat head screws as adjustable and lockable stop elements 5 on the vehicle body 2 and thus with the four longitudinal members 3 of the vehicle body 2.

[0044] The electrical lines 6 and thus the electrical components and electronic components attached to the front module 4 are connected to the vehicle's electrical system in a suitable manner.

[0045] Furthermore, the front module 4 is then fastened to the vehicle body 2 using suitable fastening means, for example screwed to the vehicle body 2 using suitable fastening screws.

Claims

[1] Front end (1) of a vehicle, with a front module (4) to be connected to the vehicle body (2) during the assembly process of the vehicle, wherein at least one adjustable and lockable stop element (5) is arranged on the front module (4) and / or on the vehicle body (2), with which the relative position between the front module (4) and the vehicle body (2) with respect to at least one vehicle axle can be determined when the front module (4) and the vehicle body (2) are connected, characterized by , that at least three adjustable and lockable stop elements (5) designed as dished head screws or as stop screws or as bolts are provided on the vehicle body (2), of which at least one stop element (5) is provided for determining the relative position between the front module (4) and the vehicle body (2) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (x-direction) and / or in the transverse direction of the vehicle (y-direction) and / or in the vertical direction of the vehicle (z-direction) when connecting the front module (4) and the vehicle body (2). and that the adjustable and lockable stop elements (5) are locked after their adjustment by fixing means or by self-locking. [2] Method for assembling the front end (1) of a vehicle on an assembly line, in which a front module (4) of the vehicle is connected to the vehicle body (2) at an assembly position of the assembly line, characterized by , that in order to determine the relative position between the front module (4) and the vehicle body (2) with respect to at least one vehicle axle before the front module (4) is connected to the vehicle body (2), the reference position of at least one reference point of the front module (4) or the vehicle body (2) with respect to at least three stop elements (5) designed as flat head screws or as stop screws or as bolts on the front module (4) or on the vehicle body (2) is determined at a measuring position and the respective adjustable and lockable stop elements (5) are set and locked at a setting position based on the determined reference position, and that subsequently, at the assembly position of the assembly line, the front module (4) and the vehicle body (2) are brought into contact with one another at a stop surface (8) of the at least one adjustable and lockable stop element (5) of the vehicle body (2) or front module (4) by a relative movement of the front module (4) and the vehicle body (2) to one another. [3] Method according to claim 2, characterized by , that several reference positions are determined using several reference points of the front module (4) or vehicle body (2) and / or using the at least three stop elements (5) designed as flat head screws or as stop screws or as bolts on the front module (4) or vehicle body (2), and that a respective determined reference position is assigned to one of the vehicle axles. [4] Method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized by , that the at least three stop elements (5) designed as flat head screws or as stop screws or as bolts are arranged on the vehicle body (2) and the at least one reference point is selected on an attachment part (7) of the vehicle body (2) mounted on the vehicle body (2), that at the measuring position, the distance between the reference point on the attachment part (7) of the vehicle body (2) and the respective stop element (5) on the vehicle body (2) designed as a washer-head screw or as a stop screw or as a bolt is determined, and that the respective adjustable and lockable stop element (5) is adjusted at the adjustment position such that the distance between the reference point on the attachment part (7) of the vehicle body (2) and the stop surface (8) on the adjustable and lockable stop element (5) assumes a fixed, predeterminable value. [5] Method according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized by that the relative movement of the front module (4) and the vehicle body (2) to one another at the assembly position of the assembly line is carried out as a movement of the front module (4) or as a combined movement of the vehicle body (2) along the assembly line and a movement of the front module (4) coordinated therewith. [6] Method according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized by that the relative movement of the front module (4) and the vehicle body (2) to one another at the assembly position of the assembly line is carried out as a continuous movement of the front module (4) and / or the vehicle body (2) or as a segmented movement of the front module (4) and / or the vehicle body (2) with several interrupted movement steps. [7] Method according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized by , that the measuring position and the setting position are selected at a distance from the mounting position of the assembly line, and that the front module (4) is brought to the assembly position at which the front module (4) and the vehicle body (2) are brought into contact with one another after the adjustment and locking of the at least three stop elements (5) designed as dished head screws or as stop screws or as bolts.

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