Plug for tightly sealing an opening in at least one component of a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a plug (12) for tightly closing an opening (8) in at least one component (3, 10, 11) of a motor vehicle, which is made of an elastic plastic and has a tubular base body (13) with an axial opening (14), at one end of which a bottom (15) is arranged and at the other end of which a collar (16) is arranged, by means of which the plug (12) can be supported on the edge region (17) of the opening (8) of the component (11) having this opening. To create a plug (12) which can be assembled in a particularly reliable manner and whose proper assembly and tightness can be documented and therefore verified in a particularly favorable way, the plug (12) is penetrated according to the invention by a clamping element (18) extending within the central opening (14), which is supported by respective support parts (21, 23) on the outside of the bottom (15) and the collar (16) and by means of which the plug (12) can be subjected to an axial clamping force.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a plug for tightly closing an opening in at least one component of a motor vehicle according to the preamble of patent claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to an arrangement of such a plug on a component of a motor vehicle according to the preamble of patent claim 7.

[0002] A variety of options are already known for sealing openings in components, such as body parts.

[0003] A first possibility is to close the opening with a plastic plug. Such a plug is already known, for example, from DE 10 2015 211 543 B4. The known plug is made of an elastic plastic and has a tubular base body with an axial opening. At one end of the base body is a base and at the other end is a collar, by means of which the plug can be supported on the edge region of the opening of the component having the base. A disadvantage of such plugs is that, due to tolerances in the openings, it is difficult to ensure a secure closure of all openings. In addition, such plugs are problematic with regard to process reliability and the documentation of leak tightness.

[0004] Another option is to seal such openings with adhesive pads. However, these require extensive preparation, such as degreasing the adhesive area, and must be applied manually. Furthermore, documentation of the opening's closure is limited.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a plug for closing an opening in at least one component of a motor vehicle, which plug can be assembled in a particularly reliable manner and whose proper assembly and tightness can be documented particularly favorably and thus verified.

[0006] This object is achieved according to the invention by a plug having the features of claim 1 and by an arrangement having the features of claim 7. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims and the description.

[0007] A plug according to the invention for tightly closing an opening in at least one component of a motor vehicle is formed from an elastic plastic and has a tubular base body with an axial opening, at one end of which a base is arranged and at the other end of which a collar is arranged, by means of which the plug can be supported on the edge region of the opening of the component having this opening.

[0008] To create a plug that can be installed with particular process reliability and whose proper installation and tightness can be particularly easily documented and therefore verified, according to the invention the plug is penetrated by a clamping element running within the central opening, which is supported by respective support parts on the outside of the base and the collar and by means of which the plug can be subjected to an axial clamping force. By applying the axial clamping force to the plug, it is deformed accordingly due to its elasticity and lies advantageously against the edge areas of the opening, so that the opening is tightly closed. By applying a suitable clamping force, a reliable seal of the opening can thus be ensured by means of the clamping element.Since the opening is sealed using the clamping element and thus involves tightening / tensioning the clamping element, a measurement of this tightening / tensioning can be used to ultimately document the tightness. For example, a screw element or a rivet element can be used as a clamping element, and the force required to tighten the screw or create the rivet can be measured. This allows us to determine whether sufficient deformation of the plug has occurred and thus whether the opening is properly sealed.

[0009] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the plug is radially expanded and / or axially shortened at least in some areas by the application of the axial clamping force. This results in optimal contact of the plug with the edge area of ​​the component forming the opening, thus achieving the desired secure sealing of the opening.

[0010] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the clamping element comprises a screw element. This allows the appropriate force to be generated in a simple, reliable, and easily documented manner to deform the plug in the desired manner.

[0011] As an alternative to a screw element, the clamping element can also comprise a rivet element. Such a rivet element can also be used to generate the necessary force in a simple, reliable, and easily documented manner to deform the plug in the desired manner.

[0012] It is further advantageous if the support part on the side of the base of the plug is at least substantially adapted to the cross-section of the opening. This allows a particularly large-scale and uniform clamping force to be introduced into the base of the plug, resulting in an axial shortening of the plug and a radial expansion of the tubular base body.

[0013] It is also advantageous if the clamping element is made of a metal material. This allows a sufficiently high clamping force to be generated on the plug particularly reliably.

[0014] The advantages mentioned above in connection with the plug also apply to the arrangement according to the invention. This arrangement provides that the opening is arranged in a body component and a storage housing of an energy storage device, with the plug passing through both openings. The opening serves as a so-called locating hole, by means of which the storage housing is arranged in a defined relative position on a workpiece carrier, by means of which the storage housing can be moved toward the floor structure of the vehicle body during final assembly for attachment to it.

[0015] It is also advantageous if the tubular base body of the plug is adapted in cross-section to the opening in the upper part of the storage housing, with the respective openings in a lower housing part and the body part being larger than the tubular base body of the plug. This makes it particularly reliable to prevent water from entering the storage housing from the outside and the vehicle interior from the inside.

[0016] Further features of the invention emerge from the claims, the figures, and the description of the figures. 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 specified combination, but also in other combinations or on their own.

[0017] The invention will now be explained in more detail using two preferred embodiments and with reference to the drawings. They show: Fig. 1 a partial bottom view and an enlarged detailed view of a storage housing arranged below a floor structure of the motor vehicle in its rear area, in which an opening in the form of a locating hole is arranged in the storage housing and a corresponding body part, by means of which the storage housing is arranged in a defined relative position on a workpiece carrier, Fig. 2a, b are sectional views through a plug for tightly closing an opening in respective components of a storage housing and a body part of a motor vehicle, wherein the plug formed from an elastic plastic is penetrated by means of a clamping element which comprises a screw element which in Fig. 2a unstressed and in Fig. 2b is tensioned, whereby the plug is subjected to an axial tensioning force and is deformed accordingly to seal the opening, Fig. 3a, b respectively further sectional views through a plug for tightly closing an opening in respective components of a storage housing and a body part of a motor vehicle, wherein the plug formed from an elastic plastic is penetrated by means of a clamping element which comprises a rivet element which in Fig. 3a unstressed and in Fig. 3b is tensioned, whereby the plug is subjected to an axial tensioning force and is deformed accordingly to seal the opening.

[0018] Fig. 1 shows, on the left, a partial bottom view of a rear part of a floor structure 1 of a passenger car body, of which side sills 2 extending along the outer sides of the vehicle can be seen in particular. These side sills are connected to one another via a plurality of cross members, of which a rear cross member 3 can be seen in particular. In the area of ​​this rear cross member 3, the floor structure 1 merges into a rear vehicle structure 4, which has lateral rear longitudinal members, between which a rear floor 5 extends on the inside and on which a respective rear wheel house 6 is arranged on the outside.

[0019] The rear part of a storage housing 7 of an energy storage / high-voltage storage unit of the electric drive of the motor vehicle is arranged underneath the floor structure 1. In order for the storage housing 7 to be arranged in a correct relative position to a workpiece carrier, by means of which the storage housing can be moved towards the floor structure 1 of the body of the motor vehicle and fastened thereto during the final assembly of the motor vehicle, a plurality of pin holes 8 are provided, of which Fig. 1 on the right in an enlarged detailed view of one of these openings 8 in the connection area of ​​a rear flange connection 9 of the storage housing 7 to the body component arranged above, the rear cross member 3.

[0020] This connection area is shown in the further illustrations according to the Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b or Fig. 3a and Fig. 3b each shown in a schematic sectional view.

[0021] Here, from the Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b initially shows the rear flange connection 9 of the storage housing 7 with a flange of the lower housing part 10 and a flange of the upper housing part 11, which abut one another in the area of ​​the flange connection 9. In the present embodiment, the two flanges of the lower housing part 10 and the upper housing part 11 are connected to one another via a sealed adhesive connection.

[0022] Also shown in section is the body component in the form of the rear cross member 3, to which the accumulator housing 7 is attached, in particular screwed, to the flange of the upper housing part 11. Towards the rear or outward, a seal 26, in this case a butyl seal, is provided between the upper housing part 11 and the cross member 3.

[0023] The information related to Fig. 1 already described opening 8 in the present case passes through both the storage housing 7 with the lower housing part 10 and the upper housing part 11 as well as the cross member 3. In the area of ​​the upper housing part 11, which is arranged between the upper cross member 3 and the lower housing part 10, the opening 8 has a smaller, here approximately circular cross section than in the area of ​​the cross member 3 and the lower housing part 10. In the area of ​​the cross member 3 and the lower housing part 10, the opening 8 has, for example, the same, larger diameter, whereby the two diameters do not necessarily have to be the same size.

[0024] A plug 12 is inserted into the opening 8 from below or from the outside to tightly close the opening 8. The plug 12 is made of an elastic plastic / rubber material and has a tubular base body 13 with an axial central opening 14. The outer diameter of the base body 13 essentially corresponds to the diameter of the opening 8 in the area of ​​the upper housing part 11, but can also be smaller.

[0025] At one, upper or inner end of the tubular base body 13, a base 15 is arranged, by means of which the opening 14 within the base body 13 is closed in a cup-like manner. The base 15 is therefore disc-shaped and approximately flat in this case. At the other, here lower or outer end, the base body 13 has an annular, circumferential collar 16, by means of which the plug 12 is supported on the edge region 17 of the opening 8 in the region of the component having this opening, in this case the lower housing part 10. Accordingly, the plug 12 is inserted into the opening 8 from below or outside with the base 15 first, until the collar 16 rests against the outside of the lower housing part 10.

[0026] In the present case, the plug 12 is at least substantially rotationally symmetrical with a circular cross-section around its central axis M. However, a polygonal shape of the plug 1 or a shape adapted to an elongated hole 8, in particular of the base body 13, would also be conceivable.

[0027] The plug 12 includes a clamping element 18, which extends within the central opening 14 and penetrates the plug 12 over its axial length. Accordingly, a through-opening 19 for the clamping element 18 is provided in the base 15 of the plug 12, which in this case is smaller in diameter than the diameter of the central opening 14.

[0028] In the embodiment according to the Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b, the clamping element 18 comprises a screw element 20 in the form of a screw with a flat support part / head 21, which is flat and rests against the likewise flat base 15 of the plug 12 from above or outside. The shaft 22 of the screw element 20 is adapted in diameter to the through-opening 19 or fits tightly so that no water can enter through it. Furthermore, the screw 20 is vulcanized into the plug 12. The head / support part 21 is at least substantially adapted to the cross-section of the opening 8 in the region of the housing upper part 11 or the base 15. The central opening 14 has a larger diameter than the shaft 22 of the screw element 20.

[0029] On the lower or outer side opposite the head 21, an external thread is arranged on the shaft 22, onto which a support part in the form of a screw nut 23 is screwed. Between the nut 23 and the collar 16 of the plug 12, a washer 24 is arranged, which in this case corresponds in diameter approximately to that of the collar 16. Between the underside of Fig. An anti-rotation device 25 can be provided between the washer 24 (shown again in Figure 2a) and the collar 16, which is formed, for example, from openings into which material of the collar 16 is received. However, this anti-rotation device 25 is merely optional and is usually not required to prevent relative rotation of the nut 23 relative to the washer 24. The washer 24 can also be vulcanized into the plug 14.

[0030] The clamping element 18 with the plug 12 forms in particular a prefabricated structural unit which can be inserted into the opening 8.

[0031] In Fig. Figure 2a shows the plug 12 with the clamping element 18 in an unclamped state. This means that the clamping element 18 applies at most a slight axial clamping force to the plug 12, so that it is at least substantially undeformed. In this state, the plug 12 is inserted into the opening 8 with the clamping element 18.

[0032] In contrast to Fig. 2a shows Fig. 2b the plug 12, when the clamping element 18, by means of the two support parts arranged on the outside of the plug 12, the head 21 and the screw nut 23, applies a correspondingly high axial clamping force by appropriately tightening the screw element 20, which is introduced into the plug 12 via the base 15 or the collar 16.

[0033] This is Fig. 2b that the plug 12 is radially expanded by the application of the axial clamping force by the clamping element 18, in particular in the region of the tubular base body 13, so that it comes into tight contact with the edge region of the opening 8 in the region of the upper housing part 11, and is axially shortened in the region of the base 15 and the collar 16, so that the base 15 and the collar 16 are radially expanded and axially pressed into tight contact with the outside of the upper housing part 11 and the lower housing part 10, respectively.

[0034] Water ingress from the outside, indicated by an arrow 28, is prevented in particular by the collar 16, which is crimped or tightly abuts the lower housing part 10. Furthermore, the radially expanded tubular base body 13 prevents water ingress between the upper housing part 11 and the cross member 3 into the interior of the vehicle, indicated by the arrow 29. Finally, the base 15, which is crimped or tightly abuts the cross member 3, prevents water from overflowing into the cross member 3, as indicated by the arrow 30. Overall, this provides multiple levels of security against water ingress from the outside.

[0035] The clamping element 18 thus allows the plug 12 to be clamped and deformed with extreme process reliability, preventing water ingress. Furthermore, the plug 12 is held particularly securely. A further advantage is that the torque with which the nut 23 can be tightened to apply the appropriate clamping force can be easily measured and documented, ensuring proper installation of the plug 12.

[0036] In the Fig. 3a and Fig. 3b is essentially an identically acting plug 12 also in unstressed ( Fig. 3a) and tense ( Fig. 3b) state, so that in the following only the differences to the embodiment according to the Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b is discussed and the remaining features and advantages are to be regarded as identical.

[0037] The essential difference of the embodiment according to the Fig. 3a and Fig. 3b is that a rivet element 27 is provided as the clamping element 18, by means of which the axial clamping force is generated for the loading and deformation of the plug 12. The rivet element 27 is, for example, a Fig. 3a with tip recognizable waterproof blind rivet with on the one hand provided support part / head 21 and on the other hand arranged support part / rivet head 23, which can be shortened in length with an appropriate tool and can therefore be tensioned. List of reference symbols 1 Soil structure 2 side skirts 3 cross members 4 Rear car structure 5 Rear floor 6 wheel house 7 storage enclosures 8 Opening 9 Flange connection 10 Housing base 11 Upper housing part 12 plugs 13 basic bodies 14 Opening 15 Floor 16 collars 17 Marginal area 18 clamping element 19 Passage opening 20 screw element 21 Support part / head 22 shaft 23 Support part / (nut / rivet head) 24 Washer 25 Anti-twist device 26 Seal 27 Rivet element 28 Arrow 29 Arrow 30 Arrow QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] DE 10 2015 211 543 B4

[0003]

Claims

[1] Plug (12) for tightly closing an opening (8) in at least one component (3, 10, 11) of a motor vehicle, which plug is made of an elastic plastic and has a tubular base body (13) with an axial opening (14), at one end of which a base (15) and at the other end of which a collar (16) is arranged, by means of which the plug (12) can be supported on the edge region (17) of the opening (8) of the component (11) having this opening, characterized by in that the plug (12) is penetrated by a clamping element (18) running within the central opening (14), which is supported by respective support parts (21, 23) on the outside of the base (15) and the collar (16) and by means of which the plug (12) can be subjected to an axial clamping force. [2] Plug (12) according to claim 1, characterized bythat the plug (12) is radially widened and / or axially shortened at least in some regions by the application of the axial clamping force. [3] Plug (12) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the clamping element (18) comprises a screw element (20). [4] Plug (12) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the clamping element (18) comprises a rivet element (27). [5] Plug (12) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the support part (21) on the side of the bottom (15) of the plug (12) is at least substantially adapted to the cross-section of the opening (8). [6] Plug (12) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the clamping element (18) is formed from a metal material. [7] Arrangement of a plug (12) according to one of the preceding claims on at least one component of a motor vehicle, characterized bythat the opening (8) is arranged in a body component (3) and a storage housing (7) of an energy storage device, wherein the plug (12) passes through both openings (8). [8] Arrangement according to claim 7, characterized by that the tubular base body (13) of the plug (12) is adapted in cross-section to the opening (8) in the upper housing part (11) of the storage housing (7), wherein respective openings (8) in a lower housing part (10) and the body part (3) are larger than the tubular base body (13) of the plug (12).

Images