Arrangement comprising at least one functional part holder and at least one pipeline for mounting on a motor vehicle and method for manufacturing them

Abstract

The invention relates to an arrangement comprising at least one functional part holder (20) and at least one pipeline (22, 24, 26) for mounting on a motor vehicle (10), wherein the functional part holder (20) is manufactured as an injection-molded part such that the at least one pipeline (22, 24, 26) is at least partially injection-molded or overmolded by the functional part holder (20) in such a way that the pipeline (22, 24, 26) is fixed in its relative position to the functional part holder (20).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an arrangement comprising at least one functional part holder and at least one pipeline for mounting on a motor vehicle.

[0002] For motor vehicles to be sold and accepted in their respective markets, they must comply with all applicable legal regulations, particularly those concerning vehicle safety and environmental protection. This has historically led to increased design complexity and ever-growing demands on the vehicle's overall package. Regardless of the above, automotive manufacturers generally strive to keep vehicle production time-efficient and assembly-friendly.

[0003] From DE 10 2021 212 350 A1 a cooling fan module is known which has a fan wheel and a cooling frame, wherein the cooling frame has at least one fastening section for fastening an elastic holder for a unit, in particular for a pump.

[0004] From US 6,676,091 B2, clamps referred to as "brackets" are known which are designed to enclose sections of pipe in a flexible manner, either such that a section of pipe can be fixed by means of flexible expansion followed by springback and partial enclosure, or by means of flexible opening followed by complete enclosure.

[0005] From JP2003329174 A, a pipe holder designated as a "hose holder" is known, which has several circular segment-shaped holding sections made of flexible material, which enable the force-fit insertion of pipes, structurally similar to the force-fit fixing method described in US 6,676,091 B2. A pipe holder is also disclosed that enables the holding of several pipes in the described manner.

[0006] A disadvantage of the clamps and pipe holders described above is that the arrangement (mounting) of the respective pipes on the pipe holder or clamp allows for deviations in their relative position before, during, and after assembly. Furthermore, the assembly itself is relatively time-consuming and involves a further time-consuming subsequent assembly of the resulting setup.

[0007] Based on the above, the invention aims to provide an arrangement consisting of at least one functional part holder and at least one pipeline for mounting on a motor vehicle, as well as a method for manufacturing such an arrangement, which enables time-efficient assembly of a motor vehicle with high precision of the elements arranged relative to each other.

[0008] The problem is solved according to the invention by the features of the independent claims. Further practical embodiments and advantages of the invention are described in connection with the dependent claims.

[0009] An arrangement according to the invention comprises at least one functional part holder and at least one pipeline for mounting on a motor vehicle, wherein the functional part holder is manufactured as an injection-molded part such that the at least one pipeline is at least partially overmolded or encased by the functional part holder in such a way that the pipeline is fixed in its relative position to the functional part holder. "Overmolded" within the meaning of the invention refers to all embodiments in which the at least one pipeline is not completely encased, but only fixed by partial overmolding. Depending on the extent to which the pipeline is enclosed by the functional part holder, only a material-bonded or force-fit connection results between the functional part holder and the pipeline.When the pipeline is completely overmolded with a section of the functional part holder, a positive-locking connection is formed between the functional part holder and the pipeline, which can usually only be broken by destruction. This is especially true if, in addition to the positive lock, a material-bonded connection is also formed between the functional part holder and the pipeline. An arrangement according to the invention has the advantage that it enables time-efficient assembly of a motor vehicle with high precision of the elements arranged relative to each other, insofar as the arrangement already leads to a pre-assembly of the functional part holder and the at least one pipeline, so that this arrangement can be assembled as a complex component on a production line of an automobile manufacturer.Due to the injection molding or overmolding process, the resulting assembly is an intermediate product that can be considered and handled as a single component during manufacturing. This eliminates the risk of the at least one pipe and the functional component holder moving relative to each other and entering an undesired relative position.

[0010] In a practical embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention, two or more pipes are injection-molded or overmolded onto the functional part holder in such a way that each pipe's relative position to the functional part holder is fixed. For example, two, three, four, five, or more pipes can be pre-assembled directly into a complex arrangement together with the functional part holder. The advantages described above in connection with the at least one pipe apply accordingly, and the need to align several pipes individually relative to each other is eliminated, as is the risk of the already aligned pipes being shifted relative to each other during handling on a production line. Accordingly, additional time-saving advantages arise with regard to assembly when using two, three, or more pipes.

[0011] In a further practical embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention, a separation section is formed on the functional part holder at least between two pipes in order to fix the pipes at a predetermined distance from each other. In this case, not only is the relative position of two pipes to each other ensured by means of the functional part holder, but it is also ensured that the pipes do not touch each other during assembly or in subsequent operation, or are positioned too close to each other, for example to avoid thermal transfer effects between the pipes.

[0012] Further advantages of an arrangement according to the invention arise when at least one fastening section is formed on the functional part holder. A fastening section within the meaning of the invention refers in particular to those sections of the functional part holder that can be fixed to another element of a motor vehicle with particular ease. In this regard, reference is made in particular to a screw-on surface and / or a screw-on opening. For example, a screw-on surface with at least one screw-on opening can be formed on the functional part holder in order to position the functional part holder relative to a surface of a motor vehicle and to fix it there by means of a screw connection.

[0013] In a further practical embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention, at least one additional holder is manufactured as an injection-molded part such that the at least one pipe is at least partially overmolded or encased by the additional holder in such a way that it can be additionally fixed relative to another component at a position spaced apart from the functional part holder by means of the additional holder. In the case of two or more pipes, the additional holder preferably also encloses two or more pipes, so that they are also fixed relative to each other at a further position spaced apart from the functional part holder.By manufacturing an additional holder as an injection-molded part, the assembly can be equipped with an additional mounting section, which facilitates the assembly of a complex product consisting of at least one functional component holder and at least one pipeline, preferably at least two or three pipelines. This applies particularly to an assembly in which the pipelines extend over a greater distance than the functional component holder, so that a mounting section B can be provided at a distance from the functional component holder using an additional holder. This allows the weight of the functional component holder itself to be kept low and the assembly to be manufactured in a weight-saving manner.

[0014] In a further practical embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention, at least one fastening section is also formed on the additional holder. The foregoing applies accordingly in conjunction with the fastening section on a functional part holder.

[0015] In another practical embodiment of an arrangement according to the invention, at least two opposing boundary walls are formed on the functional part holder for laterally enclosing a functional part. A functional part of an arrangement according to the invention is considered to be, in particular, a valve, a pump, a heat exchanger, or a cooler. Accordingly, the functional part is then a holder for the corresponding functional part. If the functional part is a pump, the functional part holder is consequently a pump holder.

[0016] Preferably, at least one insertion slot is formed on each of the boundary walls to receive a corresponding insertion projection of a functional part that can be inserted between the boundary walls. This design ensures guidance between the functional part and the boundary walls, which facilitates the assembly of the functional part relative to the boundary walls in a specific position.

[0017] The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing an arrangement as described above, in which at least one pipe is inserted into a plastic injection mold, and subsequently a functional part holder is produced in the plastic injection molding process by injection molding or overmolding in the at least one pipe. Reference is hereby made again to the advantages already described above in connection with the arrangement.

[0018] In a further practical embodiment of the method according to the invention, a section of at least one pipeline, onto which injection molding or overmolding is to take place during plastic injection molding, is given an increased roughness and / or a toothed structure prior to plastic injection molding. This improves the adhesion of the plastic to the pipeline, in particular to prevent subsequent relative twisting of the pipeline with respect to the plastic.Thus, by appropriately arranging a toothed structure, a positive-locking connection can be created between the injection-molded or overmolded section of the pipeline and the functional part holder, particularly in the direction of rotation and / or in the axial direction of the pipeline, in order to avoid a relative displacement of the functional part holder relative to the pipeline after the manufacturing process, both in a rotational direction and in a translational direction.

[0019] In a further practical embodiment of the method according to the invention, one or more separate auxiliary holders are produced by separate injection molding processes or together with the functional part holder in a single injection molding process. The arrangement according to the invention can thus be manufactured in a single injection molding process with one or more auxiliary holders. Alternatively, a functional part holder and one or more auxiliary holders can be produced in separate injection molding processes, particularly if the respective mold for plastic injection molding is to be kept as small as possible.By providing one or more separate additional supports, the relative position of at least one pipeline can be fixed in relation to one or more other pipelines, in particular to avoid thermal interference between the pipelines and / or contact between the pipelines during subsequent vibrations or other forces.

[0020] For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned that the pipes in the arrangement according to the invention are preferably metallic pipes, preferably aluminum pipes. The diameter of the pipes is preferably between 10 mm and 30 mm, in particular between 12 mm and 26 mm, and more preferably between 12 mm and 24 mm.

[0021] Thermoplastic materials are particularly preferred as materials for the functional part holder. Polyamide materials, especially PA6 or PA66, are particularly preferred.

[0022] Further practical embodiments of the invention are described below in conjunction with the drawings. They show: Fig. 1. A motor vehicle in a side view, Fig. 2 an enlarged representation of one in the in Fig. 1 area marked with II arranged according to the invention, Fig. 3 a complete reproduction of the arrangement according to the invention Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 an enlarged representation of the in Fig. 3 areas marked with IV.

[0023] Fig. Figure 1 shows a motor vehicle 10 in a side view. The vehicle's longitudinal direction forward is denoted by x and its vertical direction upward by z. The motor vehicle 10 has a front section 12, in which area II is located. In the embodiment shown, area II is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle behind the front bumper 16 and in front of the front wheels 14.

[0024] In the one with II of Fig. In the area marked 1, there is an arrangement 18 according to the invention, which is described in detail in the Fig. 2 to 4 are shown.

[0025] The arrangement 18 according to the invention essentially consists of a functional part holder 20, which is manufactured as a plastic injection-molded part. In the embodiment shown, the functional part holder 20 is manufactured as an injection-molded part such that a first pipe 22, a second pipe 24 and a third pipe 26 are each overmolded, so that the pipes 22, 24, 26 are fixed in their relative position with respect to the functional part holder 20.

[0026] It is noted that the pipes 22, 24, 26 may be functionally assigned to different elements of a motor vehicle 10 than the functional part holder 20 and the pump 56 attached thereto. In particular, the pipes 22, 24, 26 may be lines of an engine cooling circuit, while the pump is functionally coupled to a front-end radiator, in particular to a cooling circuit of an intercooler.

[0027] As can be seen particularly from the Fig. 2 and Fig. As can be seen in Figure 3, a separation section 28 is also formed on the functional part holder 20, which separates the first pipe 22 and the second pipe 24 from each other. The separation section 28 is designed as a flat material flap, which has essentially the same thickness as the overmolded sections that extend around the first pipe 22 and the second pipe 24. The distance between the first pipe 22 and the second pipe 24, which is achieved by means of the separation section 28, is approximately 30 mm in the illustrated embodiment.

[0028] Furthermore, two fastening sections 30, 32 are formed on the functional part holder 20. These are screw-on surfaces 34, each of which has a screw-on opening 36.

[0029] Out of Fig. 3 It is further evident that a first additional holder 38 is manufactured as a plastic injection molded part in such a way that the first pipe 22, the second pipe 24 and the third pipe 26 are each overmolded in order to fix them relative to each other in a predetermined position by means of the first additional holder 38.

[0030] Furthermore, a second additional holder 40 is provided, by means of which the second pipe 24 and the third pipe 26 are fixed relative to each other. The second additional holder 40 also has a fastening section 41. The fastening section 41 is in turn designed as a screw-on surface 34 with a screw-on opening 36.

[0031] In the Fig. 2 to 4 it can also be seen that two opposing boundary walls 42, 44 are formed on the functional part holder 20 in order to support a functional part 46 (cf. Fig. 3 and Fig. 4) to be taken in by enclosing it laterally.

[0032] In Fig. 2 it is clearly evident that an insertion slot 48, 50 is formed on each of the boundary walls 42, 44 in order to interact with an insertion projection 52, 54 formed on the functional part 46.

[0033] In the Fig. 3 and Fig. The functional part 46 shown in section 4 is a pump 56. Accordingly, the functional part holder 20, which is located in Fig. 2 is also shown without the pump 56, to form a functional part holder in the form of a pump holder.

[0034] The in Fig. The hoses 58 and 60 shown are preferably made of a flexible material, in particular plastic. They are optional elements that do not necessarily have to be part of the arrangement 18 according to the invention, but can also be subsequently mounted, in particular with the aid of hose clamps 62 and 64.

[0035] For the sake of completeness, it should also be noted that the first auxiliary holder 38 has a through-opening 66 which can be used to mount a clip for securing an electrical cable. It is understood that such openings may also be provided on the functional part holder 20 or the second auxiliary holder 40, and that the number of such openings may be variable.

[0036] In the illustrated embodiment, the distance between the functional part holder 20 and the first auxiliary holder 38 is approximately 200 mm to 500 mm. The distance between the first auxiliary holder 38 and the second auxiliary holder 40 is of the same order of magnitude. Accordingly, the arrangement according to the invention forms a complex, relatively rigid element with the aid of the functional part holder 20 and the auxiliary holders 38, 40, which can be assembled as a whole in an automotive manufacturing process. A particular advantage is that assembly can be carried out with only three screw points 34. The illustrated arrangement is mounted on the transmission (not shown) of a motor vehicle 10 with respect to the functional part holder and on the intake manifold-integrated charge air cooler (not shown) with respect to the second auxiliary holder 40. Handling in the production line is thus time-efficient, thereby saving production time.After the assembly of the arrangement, only further hoses 58, 60, in particular those in . need to be connected. Fig. 2 shown, are assembled and the pump 56 is attached to the functional part holder 20.

[0037] The features of the invention disclosed in the present description, the drawings, and the claims can be essential for realizing the invention in its various embodiments, both individually and in any combination. The invention can be varied within the scope of the claims and taking into account the knowledge of the person skilled in the art. Reference symbol list 10 motor vehicle 12 Front section 14 front wheel 16 bumpers 18 Arrangement 20 functional part holders 22 Pipeline 24 Pipeline 26 Pipeline 28 Separation section 30 Fastening section 32 Fastening section 34 Mounting surface 36 Screw-on opening 38 first additional holder 40 second additional holder 41 Fastening section 42 Boundary wall 44 Boundary wall 46 Functional part 48 insertion slots 50 insertion slots 52 insertion lead 54 Insertion lead 56 Pump 58 hose 60 hose 62 hose clamps 64 hose clamps 66 Passage opening QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

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

[0000] DE 10 2021 212 350 A1

[0003] US 6,676,091 B2 [0004, 0005] JP 2003329174 A

[0005]

Claims

[1] Arrangement comprising at least one functional part holder (20) and at least one pipe (22, 24, 26) for mounting on a motor vehicle (10), characterized by that the functional part holder (20) is produced as an injection-molded part in such a way that the at least one pipeline (22, 24, 26) is at least partially injection-molded or encapsulated by the functional part holder (20) in such a way that the pipeline (22, 24, 26) is fixed in its relative position to the functional part holder (20). [2] Arrangement according to the preceding claim, characterized by that two or more pipelines (22, 24, 26) are injection-molded or over-molded by the functional part holder (20) in such a way that each of the pipelines (22, 24, 26) is fixed in its relative position with respect to the functional part holder (20). [3] Arrangement according to the preceding claim, characterized bythat at least between two pipes (22, 24, 26) a separation section (28) is formed on the functional part holder (20) in order to fix the pipes (22, 24, 26) at a predetermined distance from one another. [4] Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that at least one fastening section (30, 32) is formed on the functional part holder (20). [5] Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that at least one additional holder (38, 40) is produced as an injection-molded part in such a way that the at least one pipeline (22, 24, 26) is at least partially injection-molded or encapsulated by the additional holder (38, 40) in such a way that it can be additionally fixed relative to a further component by means of the additional holder (38, 40) at a position spaced apart from the functional part holder (38, 40). [6] Arrangement according to the preceding claim, characterized bythat at least one fastening section (30, 32) is formed on the additional holder (38, 40). [7] Arrangement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that at least two opposing boundary walls (42, 44) are formed on the functional part holder (20) for laterally enclosing a functional part (46). [8] Method for producing an arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by that at least one pipeline (22, 24, 26) is introduced into a plastic injection mold, wherein a functional part holder (20) is subsequently produced in the plastic injection molding process by injection molding or encapsulating the at least one pipeline (22, 24, 26). [9] Method according to the preceding claim, characterized bythat an increased roughness and / or a toothed structure is formed on an injection section of at least one pipeline (22, 24, 26) onto which the plastic is to be injected or overmolded during the plastic injection molding. [10] Method according to one of the two preceding claims, characterized by that one or more additional holders (38, 40) separated from one another are produced by separate injection molding processes or as part of a common injection molding process together with the functional part holder (20).

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