Method for mounting a spoiler module on the body shell of a motor vehicle, body shell and motor vehicle

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for mounting a spoiler module (1) on a body shell (2) of a motor vehicle (3), wherein - the spoiler module (1) has a mounting bracket (4) and at least one drive unit (5) mounted on the mounting bracket (4), wherein the spoiler module (1) is pre-assembled into a pre-assembled unit (6) outside the body shell (2), - the pre-assembled unit (6) is positioned on the body shell (2) via a positioning device (8) and is connected to the body shell (2) in an aligned position by means of fastening elements (9) at least via the drive unit (5), - the assembly carrier (4) is detached from the body shell (2) and fed as a circulating part to a new separate pre-assembly of a unit (6), while at least the drive unit (5) remains on the body shell (2). This allows for significant advantages in terms of weight, resources and costs.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for mounting a spoiler module on the body shell of a motor vehicle. The invention further relates to a body shell of a motor vehicle with a spoiler module mounted thereon according to this method, and to a motor vehicle with such a body shell.

[0002] DE 10 2010 000 634 A1 discloses a bodyshell for a passenger car with a spoiler module mounted therein. The spoiler module comprises a mounting bracket, a drive unit mounted in the mounting bracket, and a spoiler mounted in the drive unit, which can be extended and retracted by means of the drive unit. The spoiler module forms a pre-assembled unit outside the bodyshell. The mounting bracket is aligned with the bodyshell via positioning units and connected to the bodyshell via fastening elements. This is intended to enable fast and precise assembly of the spoiler module in an assembly line.

[0003] A disadvantage of previously known methods for mounting a spoiler module on a motor vehicle body shell is that a die-cast part is typically used as the mounting support, via which at least one drive unit and, for example, an additional adjustment kinematics as well as an extendable and retractable spoiler, which is connected to the drive unit via the adjustment kinematics and adjustable by the latter, are attached to the body shell of the motor vehicle. After assembly, the mounting support remains on the body shell, resulting in a duplication of material in this area, which not only increases the weight of the motor vehicle but is also actually unnecessary for effective support of the spoiler module.

[0004] The present invention therefore deals with the problem of providing a method for mounting a spoiler module on the body shell of a motor vehicle, by means of which, in particular, a lower weight of the body shell and a more sustainable manufacturing process are possible.

[0005] 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.

[0006] The present invention is based on the general idea of ​​designing an assembly support, previously designed as a die-cast part and remaining on the bodyshell after assembly, as a reusable rotating part. This allows, on the one hand, separate pre-assembly of the spoiler module to take place as a unit, in which at least one drive unit and in particular an adjustment kinematics or a retractable and extendable spoiler are mounted on the assembly support, and, on the other hand, the unit makes it easier to assemble the spoiler module on the bodyshell. After the spoiler module has been assembled on the bodyshell, in which the drive unit and in particular also parts of the adjustment kinematics have been connected to the bodyshell, the assembly support is removed again. This not only reduces the weight of the assembly support in the fully assembled bodyshell, but also avoids duplication of material in this area.A particularly significant advantage is that the mounting bracket can be used for a separate pre-assembly of the spoiler module after it has been mounted on the body shell. This allows the mounting bracket to be designed as a reusable assembly component, resulting not only in considerable resource savings but also in a substantial cost reduction. In the inventive method for mounting a spoiler module on the body shell of a motor vehicle, the spoiler module is first assembled into a pre-assembled unit outside the body shell. This pre-assembled unit comprises the mounting bracket and at least the drive unit mounted or connected to the mounting bracket, as well as, optionally, a spoiler or adjustment mechanism that can be extended and retracted by means of the drive unit.The pre-assembled unit is then positioned on the body shell using a positioning device and, in its aligned position, connected to the body shell, at least via the drive unit, by means of fastening elements, for example, screws. Once this has been done, the mounting bracket is detached from the body shell, for example, unscrewed, and fed as a circulating part into a new pre-assembly process to produce a unit consisting at least of a mounting bracket, a drive unit, and, if applicable, adjustment kinematics, while at least the drive unit and, if applicable, the spoiler remain on the body shell. Significant weight, resource, and cost advantages can thus be achieved using the method according to the invention.

[0007] In a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, a plastic component is used as a mounting bracket. Such a plastic mounting bracket facilitates the handling of the spoiler module, as it is significantly lighter compared to die-cast parts previously used as mounting brackets. Furthermore, a plastic mounting bracket is also more robust, particularly against breakage, and can therefore withstand harsher production conditions without damage.

[0008] The spoiler module is conveniently aligned with the vehicle body shell using positioning elements of the positioning device. This alignment is achieved in the longitudinal, transverse, and / or vertical directions of the vehicle. The positioning elements of the positioning device allow for a predefined final installation position of the spoiler module on the vehicle body shell, thus reliably preventing incorrect installation and any resulting malfunction of the spoiler. Positioning elements can include, for example, a pin located on the spoiler module, particularly on the mounting bracket, and / or on the drive unit, and a corresponding hole (opening) on ​​the vehicle body shell that is complementary to the pin.In this case, the spoiler module can simply be attached to the body shell, with the pins engaging in the corresponding holes on the body shell achieving a precisely predefined final installation position. Alternatively or additionally, it is of course also conceivable to use a pin located on the body shell and a corresponding hole on the mounting bracket, designed to be complementary to the pin, as positioning elements. Naturally, such positioning elements can also have differently shaped contours, such as edges, steps, etc., which interact with correspondingly complementary counter-contours to achieve positioning.

[0009] In a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, the hole in the body shell of the vehicle, which is designed to be complementary to the pin, is produced by punching. Punching allows holes in the body shell of the vehicle to be produced not only with high quality and cost-effectively, but also with extreme precision, which is particularly advantageous for the precise positioning of the spoiler module on the body shell. It is also conceivable that the pins of the positioning device taper conically towards their free end, which would not only facilitate the insertion of the pins into the holes, but also improve the alignment of the spoiler module on the body shell.

[0010] Screws are the most practical fasteners. To fix the spoiler module to the vehicle's body shell, screws can be used, either via threads already present in the shell itself or via nuts, allowing for simple yet reliable attachment. Naturally, different types of screws can be used, such as self-tapping sheet metal screws or screws with metric threads secured with nuts. It is also conceivable that the drive unit is attached to the body shell using, for example, stronger and / or larger screws, while the mounting bracket is attached using comparatively smaller screws, since the mounting bracket is removed after the assembly process is complete and the screws securing it serve only the purpose of the installation.

[0011] The present invention is further based on the general idea of ​​providing a bodyshell of a motor vehicle to which a spoiler module has been mounted according to the method described in the previous paragraphs. This allows the advantages described with regard to the method to be transferred to the bodyshell of the motor vehicle and, by extension, to a motor vehicle equipped with such a bodyshell. Specifically, these advantages lie in a weight-reduced and resource-saving, and thus also environmentally friendly, construction method.

[0012] 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.

[0013] 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, apparatus, or 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 drawings.

[0014] 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.

[0015] They show, schematically, Fig. 1 individual method steps A to C of a method according to the invention for mounting a spoiler module on a body shell of a motor vehicle, Fig. 2 a representation of process step B of the inventive method on the shell, Fig. 3 a representation of the method step C of the method according to the invention with the mounting support removed.

[0016] According to the Fig. 1 shows a method according to the invention for assembling a spoiler module 1 (compare the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3), in particular a rear spoiler module, on a body shell 2 of a motor vehicle 3, comprises a total of three process steps A to C.

[0017] In process step A, the spoiler module 1 is first pre-assembled separately, i.e. outside the body shell 2, to form a unit 6 (assembly), whereby an assembly support 4 (compare Fig. 2) and at least one drive unit 5 are assembled.

[0018] A component of this unit 6 can also be an adjustment kinematics 7, to which a retractable and extendable via the adjustment kinematics 7 and according to the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 spoiler not shown is operatively connected to the drive unit 5.

[0019] In process step B, the pre-assembled unit 6 is positioned on the body shell 2 via a positioning device 8 and, in the aligned position, connected to the body shell 2 via the drive unit 5 or the adjustment kinematics 7 using fastening elements 9, for example, screws. Process step B is described in Fig. 2 on the motor vehicle 3. The fastening elements 9 can be used to create loose bearings, in particular via corresponding elongated holes, or fixed bearings (cf. Fig. 3).

[0020] In the subsequent process step C, the mounting carrier 4 is detached from the body shell 2 of the vehicle 3 and fed as a circulating part to a new separate pre-assembly of a new spoiler module 1, while the drive unit 5 and, for example, the adjustment kinematics 7 remain firmly connected to the body shell 2 of the vehicle 3.

[0021] By reusing the assembly carrier 4 as a circulating part, a particularly sustainable assembly process can be created, in which the body shell 2 and, through it, the vehicle 3 can be manufactured in a resource-saving and weight-optimized manner due to the removal of the assembly carrier 4 in process step C.

[0022] For example, a plastic component, in particular a plastic injection molded part, can be used as a mounting carrier 4, which is not only lightweight but also robust against the harsh conditions typically encountered in a production or assembly process.

[0023] Precise alignment of the spoiler module 1 on the body shell 2 of the vehicle 3 is achieved via the positioning device 8, which has several positioning elements 10 and thus enables alignment of the spoiler module 1 in the longitudinal, transverse, and / or vertical directions of the vehicle on the body shell 2. The positioning elements 10 can, for example, be designed as pins arranged on the spoiler module 1, in particular on the drive unit 5 and / or the mounting bracket 4, which are inserted into corresponding holes on the body shell 2 of the vehicle 3 for positioning. Of course, an alternative embodiment is also conceivable, as described in the Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, in which the pins 11 are arranged on the shell 2 and the corresponding holes 12 on the mounting bracket 4.

[0024] If the holes 12 are located on the structural frame 2, they can be manufactured simply, extremely precisely, and cost-effectively using punching. If, however, the holes 2 are located on the mounting bracket 4, they can be provided, for example, by means of a suitable design in a plastic injection mold.

[0025] All in all, with the method according to the invention and the bodyshell 2 according to the invention or the motor vehicle 3 according to the invention, a solution can be offered in which the assembly support 4 does not remain on the bodyshell 2 of the motor vehicle 3 as previously, which not only increases the weight of the bodyshell 2 but also requires a not inconsiderable amount of resources, but is designed as a reusable, circulating part and can therefore be used almost as often as desired for mounting a spoiler module 1 on the bodyshell 2 of a motor vehicle 3. Compared to assembly supports that previously remained on the bodyshell 2 and were designed as die-cast parts, this allows for significant weight, resource, and cost advantages.

Claims

[1] Method for mounting a spoiler module (1) on a body shell (2) of a motor vehicle (3), in which - the spoiler module (1) has a mounting support (4) and at least one drive unit (5) mounted on the mounting support (4), wherein the spoiler module (1) is assembled into a pre-assembled unit (6) in a pre-assembly outside the bodyshell (2), - the pre-assembled unit (6) is positioned on the body shell (2) via a positioning device (8) and is connected to the body shell (2) in an aligned position by means of fastening elements (9) at least via the drive unit (5), - the assembly support (4) is detached from the body shell (2) and fed as a reusable circulating part to a new separate pre-assembly of a unit (6), while at least the drive unit (5) remains on the body shell (2). [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by that a plastic component is used as the mounting support (4). [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the spoiler module (1) is aligned with respect to the bodyshell (2) via positioning elements (10) of the positioning device (8). [4] Method according to claim 3, characterized by , - that a pin (11) arranged on the shell (2) and an associated hole (12) arranged on the mounting support (4) and designed to be complementary to the pin (11) are used as positioning elements (10), and / or - that a pin (11) arranged on the mounting support (4) and an associated hole (12) arranged on the shell (2) and designed to be complementary to the pin (11) are used as positioning elements (10). [5] Method according to claim 4, characterized by , that the hole (12) complementary to the pin (11) is produced in the shell (2) by punching. [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that screws are used as fastening elements (9). [7] Body shell (2) of a motor vehicle (3) with a spoiler module (1) mounted thereon according to the method according to one of the preceding claims. [8] Motor vehicle (3) with a body shell (2) according to claim 7.

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