Method for manufacturing a wheel arch trim

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a wheel arch trim (1) for a motor vehicle (2), The essential aspect of the invention is that a support part (3) is made of plastic and that an outer shell (4) made of the same plastic is injection-molded onto the support part (3).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing a wheel arch cover for a motor vehicle, according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention also relates to a wheel arch cover having a support part and an outer shell, which is produced by such a method. The present invention also relates to a motor vehicle having such a wheel arch cover.

[0002] From CN 211167122 U wheel arch covers are known which are manufactured by means of a plastic injection moulding process and in which buckle seats for fixing buckles are also manufactured in the plastic injection moulding process.

[0003] From EP 2 423 080 A1 a wheel house structure is known which is produced by connecting a wheel house cover to a wheel house, wherein the wheel house cover is formed in an arc shape from an outer panel to a bumper and wherein the wheel house cover comprises: a protective body which is formed in an arc shape, a plurality of clips which protrude from a vehicle interior surface and an engagement claw which is arranged at a lower end of the wheel house cover, wherein an outer panel has a plurality of clip holes, each of which is connected to an associated clip.

[0004] EP 1 721 811 A2 discloses a structure for attaching a wheel arch trim to a wheel housing. The wheel arch trim rests against a stepped portion formed on a radially outer edge of the wheel housing. The wheel arch trim is attached to a rear side of the wheel housing via a clip, creating a protruding portion on a radially inner edge of the wheel housing that presses against the rear side of the wheel arch trim.

[0005] GB 2 467 927 A discloses a fastening arrangement for mounting a curved wheel arch trim to a body structure of a motor vehicle. The wheel arch trim and the body structure comprise interlocking fastening elements that can slidably engage with each other by rotational displacement of the wheel arch trim relative to the body structure along the circumferential direction of the wheel arch trim. This is intended to make it possible to fasten the wheel arch trim to the body structure without the need for through-holes in the body structure, which increase the risk of rust.

[0006] Depending on the installation space and surface quality, wheel arch trims are either designed as a single-shell structure and attached to the body structure via a retainer box arranged on the body structure, or they are designed as a double-shell structure, with a carrier part and an outer shell, which are usually welded or glued together. The disadvantage of such two-part wheel arch trims is that they are not only significantly heavier, but also significantly more expensive than single-shell wheel arch trims, as the two shells / parts still have to be assembled together. Another disadvantage of double-shell wheel arch trims is that when the wheel arch trim is pulled away from the body via a tensile force applied to the outer shell, this tensile force cannot be transferred to the carrier part, or cannot be transferred sufficiently, which can lead to the wheel arch trim breaking.

[0007] The present invention therefore addresses the problem of providing an improved or at least an alternative embodiment for a generic method for producing a wheel arch cover, by means of which in particular the disadvantages known from the prior art can be overcome.

[0008] This problem is solved according to the invention by the subject matter of independent claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0009] The present invention is based on the general idea of ​​forming a two-shell wheel arch trim, consisting of a carrier part and an outer shell, now in one piece, by first producing the carrier part in a plastic injection molding process and then injecting the outer shell onto the carrier part in a subsequent plastic injection molding process, so that in particular an assembly of the two parts to one another, for example gluing or welding the carrier part to the outer shell, can be omitted. In the method according to the invention for producing a wheel arch trim for a motor vehicle, a carrier part is first produced from plastic, for example as a plastic injection molded part, wherein the later wheel arch trim is attached to a body of the motor vehicle via this carrier part.An outer shell made of the same plastic as the carrier part is then molded onto this carrier part in a plastic injection mold, creating a one-piece bond between the carrier part and the outer shell. The carrier part can be first molded and thus manufactured in a separate plastic injection molding process and then inserted into another plastic injection molding tool, in which the outer shell is then molded. Alternatively, a plastic injection molding tool with slides is used, in which the carrier part is first molded and then one or more slides are moved to release another cavity and mold the outer shell onto the carrier part.The wheel arch trim produced using the method according to the invention offers the great advantage of an extremely stable and secure connection between the support part and the outer shell, which at least reduces the risk of the outer shell tearing off the support part when removing the wheel arch trim from the vehicle. The one-piece design of the wheel arch trim, consisting of the outer shell and support part, also allows for a reduction in weight, which is particularly advantageous in sports car construction. Another key advantage of the one-piece wheel arch trim is that subsequent assembly of the outer shell to the support part is eliminated, thus reducing assembly costs.

[0010] In an advantageous development of the method according to the invention, the carrier part is provided with a wall thickness d T ≥ 1.0 mm, preferably with a wall thickness d T≥ 1.5 mm. Compared to prior art support parts, this is an extremely thin wall thickness d T for a support part, which can achieve a significant weight reduction. Additionally or alternatively, the outer shell is made with a wall thickness d A ≥ 2.0 mm, preferably with a wall thickness d A ≥ 2.5 mm. This results in an extremely stable outer shell, which is molded onto the comparatively thin support part. Due to the preferred wall thickness d A The outer shell also forgives a certain amount of external force, such as when hitting objects or being bumped in a parking lot.

[0011] In a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the carrier part is formed over its entire surface, i.e. it has no recesses whatsoever. The carrier part here has no recesses within the carrier part. However, the carrier part does not lie on 100% of the inner surface of the outer shell, but is only connected to the outer shell or injection-molded onto it over its entire surface, preferably in the area in contact with the outer shell. This makes it possible to create a full-surface connection surface between the carrier part and the outer shell, as a result of which high forces can be transmitted via the connection between the carrier part and the outer shell, created by injection-molding the outer shell onto the carrier part. “Full-surface” here refers to the surface of the carrier part in contact with the outer shell. This makes it possible, in particular, to reduce surface defects on the outer shell.

[0012] In a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, stiffening elements, such as ribs, are formed on the support part. Such ribs make it possible to increase the wall thickness d T The load-bearing capacity of the support member is very low, making the entire support member very lightweight yet extremely dimensionally stable thanks to the stiffening elements. The stiffening elements can be ribs formed integrally with the support member, which are arranged particularly in those areas where higher loads are to be absorbed.

[0013] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the carrier part and the outer shell are made of polypropylene (PP). Polypropylene is a thermoplastic with an extremely low density and high resistance to fatigue, which is particularly advantageous in sports car construction.

[0014] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, stiffening elements and / or ribs for securing an adhesive tape and / or holding elements for a screw connection to a retainer are formed on the carrier part. Such stiffening elements or ribs can provide a subsequent adhesive surface for receiving an adhesive tape. Additionally or alternatively, holding elements, such as through-holes, can also be provided, through which the wheel arch cover can be screwed to a retainer. Such stiffening elements or ribs increase the rigidity of the wheel arch cover.

[0015] The present invention is further based on the general idea of ​​providing a wheel arch trim with a support part and an outer shell, manufactured according to the method described in the previous paragraphs. This allows for the creation of a one-piece wheel arch trim that not only reduces assembly effort but also provides an extremely strong connection between the support part and the outer shell, thus at least reducing the risk of breakage when removing the wheel arch trim from a vehicle body.

[0016] Further important features and advantages of the invention emerge from the subclaims, from the drawings and from the associated description of the figures based on the drawings.

[0017] It is understood that the features mentioned above and those to be explained below can be used not only in the respective combination specified, but also in other combinations or on their own, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Components mentioned above and those to be mentioned below of a higher-level unit, such as a device, a device, or an arrangement, which are designated separately, may form separate parts or components of this unit or be integral areas or sections of this unit, even if this is shown differently in the drawing.

[0018] Preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description, wherein the same reference numerals refer to the same or similar or functionally identical components. The diagrams show schematically Fig. 1 a view of a wheel arch cover produced by a method according to the invention for a motor vehicle according to the invention, Fig. 2 a detailed view A from Fig. 1 in the area of ​​a holding element, Fig. 3 a detailed view B from Fig. 1 in the area of ​​another holding element, Fig. 4 a detailed view C from Fig. 1.

[0019] According to the Fig. 1 to 4, a wheel arch cover 1 according to the invention for a motor vehicle 2 (not otherwise shown) comprises a support part 3 and an outer shell 4. The support part 3 and the outer shell 4 are made of the same plastic, for example, polypropylene (PP). The polypropylene construction, in particular, offers the great advantage of a comparatively low weight while also offering very high fatigue resistance.

[0020] The wheel arch cover 1 according to the invention is manufactured according to a method according to the invention as follows:

[0021] First, the carrier part 3 is manufactured from plastic, for example, in a plastic injection molding process, so that the carrier part 3 is formed as a plastic injection-molded part. Subsequently, the outer shell 4 is injection-molded onto the carrier part 3, in particular in another plastic injection mold or in the same plastic injection mold, in which a slide was previously opened to release another cavity for the outer shell 4. Particularly preferably, the carrier part 3 and the outer shell 4 are manufactured in one and the same plastic injection mold, thus eliminating the need for transport between different plastic injection molds.

[0022] A wheel arch cover 1 produced in this way offers the great advantage that a connection between the carrier part 3 and the outer shell 4 is extremely strong, so that even when the wheel arch cover 1 is removed from a wheel house of the motor vehicle 2, in which case the outer shell 4 is usually pulled, the risk of the outer shell 4 breaking off from the carrier part 3 can at least be reduced.

[0023] The support part 3 can have a wall thickness d T ≥ 1.0 mm, especially d T ≥ 1.5 mm, which allows for sufficiently high stability and low weight, which is particularly advantageous in sports car construction. The outer shell 4 has a wall thickness d A ≥ 2.0 mm, most preferably from d A ≥ 2.5 mm, which provides sufficient thickness to absorb external impacts without damage.

[0024] If we consider the support part 3 according to the Fig. 1 - 4, it can be seen that this is formed over the entire surface, i.e., it has no recesses whatsoever. The carrier part 3 has no recesses within the carrier part 3, but does not lie on 100% of the inner surface of the outer shell 4. In the area that comes into contact with the outer shell 4, the carrier part 3 is preferably fully connected to the outer shell 4 or injection-molded onto it. This makes it possible to create a particularly large connection surface, which ensures a high degree of cohesion between the injection-molded parts 3, 4. This allows weight and costs to be saved, e.g., in areas that are subject to less stress.

[0025] In addition, stiffening elements 5, in particular in the form of ribs, can be formed on the support part 3 (compare the Fig. 1 as well as 3 and 4), which serve to stiffen the support part 3 and, above it, to stiffen the wheel arch cover 1. The stiffening elements 5 can, for example, be designed as a simple rib structure and can be arranged in precisely those areas that require stiffening due to a load occurring there.

[0026] Looking at the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, it can be seen that a holding element 6 for a screw connection can also be formed on the carrier part 3, wherein, for example, a screw connection to a retainer (not shown) is made via this holding element 6. Alternatively, it is also conceivable that the holding elements 6 are designed as clip elements 7, as shown in the detailed illustration B in the Fig. 1 and Fig.3, wherein the wheel arch cover 1 can be clipped onto, for example, a retainer or a body structure of the motor vehicle 2 via such clip elements 7.

[0027] Of course, stiffening elements 5 designed as ribs for securing an adhesive tape can also be arranged on the carrier part 3. In this case, the adhesive tape would rest on the ribs or stiffening elements 5.

[0028] With the wheel arch trim 1 according to the invention and the manufacturing method according to the invention for producing this wheel arch trim 1, it is possible to design it not only with an optimized weight but also with ease of assembly, since, in particular, during the manufacture of the wheel arch trim 1 according to the invention, no separate assembly of the outer shell 4 on the carrier part 3 is required, and when the wheel arch trim 1 according to the invention is removed from a body structure of the motor vehicle 2, there is no need to fear that the outer shell 4 will tear off the carrier part 3. By injection-molding the outer shell 4 onto the carrier part 3, significantly higher pull-off forces can be transferred from the outer shell 4 to the carrier part 3. 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] CN 211167122 U

[0002] EP 2 423 080 A1

[0003] EP 1 721 811 A2

[0004] GB 2 467 927 A

[0005]

Claims

[1] Method for producing a wheel arch cover (1) for a motor vehicle (2), characterized by , - that a carrier part (3) is made of plastic, - that an outer shell (4) made of the same plastic is injection-molded onto the carrier part (3). [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by that the carrier part (3) and the outer shell (4) are manufactured as a plastic injection-molded part. [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the support part (3) has a wall thickness d T ≥ 1.0 mm, preferably with a wall thickness d T ≥ 1.5 mm, is manufactured. [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the outer shell (4) has a wall thickness d A ≥ 2.0 mm, preferably with a wall thickness d A ≥ 2.5 mm, is manufactured. [5] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the carrier part (3) is formed over the entire surface, in particular has no recesses within the carrier part (3). [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that stiffening elements (5), in particular ribs, are formed on the support part (3). [7] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the carrier part (3) and the outer shell (4) are made of polypropylene (PP). [8] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that stiffening elements (5) and / or ribs for fixing an adhesive tape and / or holding elements (6) for a screw connection are / are formed on the carrier part (3). [9] Wheel arch cover (1) with a support part (3) and an outer shell (4) produced by the method according to one of the preceding claims. [10] Motor vehicle (2) with a wheel arch cover (1) according to claim 9.

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