Method for producing a body unit, and vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method (100) for producing a body unit (10) for a vehicle (1), the body unit having a firewall unit (11) for frontally delimiting a passenger compartment (2) and having a floor structure (12) for defining a vehicle floor (3), and the method comprising: mounting a bridging unit (21) for bridging a mounting space (30) for mounting of a functional unit (31) of the vehicle (1) in a force transmission region (13) of the firewall unit (11) for transmitting a force from the firewall unit (11) to the bridging unit (21), so that the bridging unit (21) extends from the force transmission region (13) toward the passenger compartment (2) at least in parts. The invention also relates to a vehicle (1).

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Method for producing a body unit and vehicle

[0003] The invention relates to a method for producing a body unit for a vehicle, as well as to a vehicle.

[0004] In frontal crash load cases, forces can be introduced into the firewall and / or a firewall cross member. To support the firewall, the force is typically introduced into the vehicle structure via a support. For example, document DE 4422 498 C1 describes a tunnel that runs through a central floor area of ​​the passenger compartment. However, such supports are usually subsequently mounted individually on the firewall and the vehicle floor, which is time-consuming and costly during the production of the body unit.

[0005] When assembling vehicle batteries to a body frame, a fundamental increase in efficiency during production can be achieved, in particular, by pre-assembling an interior module, e.g., with a vehicle battery, seats, a center console, and / or a carpet, and then attaching it modularly to the body frame, e.g., by inserting it from below. In this case, the interior module may conflict with the bulkhead support for installation space. Furthermore, it is desirable to reduce or eliminate the subsequent assembly process of the bulkhead support.

[0006] In addition, many vehicle batteries for electric vehicles feature additional electronic components, such as battery management systems or chargers, which are also located in the vehicle floor. This increases the installation space required in the floor area, which thus competes with the installation space required for the support.

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to at least partially remedy the above-mentioned disadvantages known from the prior art. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to simplify the manufacture of a body unit with a support for a bulkhead unit and, in doing so, to reduce the installation space of the support in a region of a vehicle floor.

[0008] The above object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1, as well as a vehicle having the features of claim 10. Further features and details of the invention emerge from the respective subclaims, the description, and the drawings. Features and details described in connection with the method according to the invention naturally also apply in connection with the vehicle according to the invention, and vice versa, so that reciprocal reference is or can always be made to the individual aspects of the invention with regard to the disclosure.

[0009] According to a first aspect of the invention, a method for producing a body unit for a vehicle, which has a bulkhead unit for the frontal boundary of a passenger compartment and a floor structure for defining a vehicle floor, is provided. The method comprises, preferably in the form of method steps:

[0010] Mounting a bridging unit, which is designed to bridge an assembly space for mounting a functional unit of the vehicle, in a force transmission area of ​​the bulkhead unit for transmitting a force from the bulkhead unit to the bridging unit, preferably such that the bridging unit extends from the force transmission area at least partially or completely in the direction of the passenger compartment, ie in particular against a direction of travel of the vehicle,

[0011] Mounting a support element for supporting the bridging unit relative to the floor structure on the floor structure, so that the bridging unit and the support element form a support unit for supporting the end wall unit relative to the floor structure.

[0012] The vehicle is preferably a motor vehicle, in particular in the form of an electric vehicle with a vehicle battery. The body unit may have a body frame that includes the bulkhead unit and at least part of the floor structure.

[0013] The firewall unit can comprise a single-part or multi-part firewall. The frontal boundary of the passenger compartment, i.e. in particular of a vehicle interior, can be understood as a separation of the passenger compartment and an engine compartment or a trunk of the vehicle. In particular, the firewall unit can extend in a vehicle transverse direction between the engine compartment or the trunk and the passenger compartment. In the event of an accident, the firewall unit can protect the passenger compartment from deformation and / or penetrating parts by the firewall unit absorbing forces and / or deforming itself. In this case, stress on the firewall unit due to the support during the accident can be reduced by forces being directed into the floor structure of the body unit. The floor structure can, for example, comprise one or more cross members and / or a footwell boundary of the passenger compartment.In particular, the floor structure can be accessible at least partially or entirely by a passenger of the vehicle. Furthermore, the floor structure can be highly rigid to absorb the forces from supporting the bulkhead unit.

[0014] The force transmission area can be part of the bulkhead unit, e.g. in the form of a part of the bulkhead or as an additional component on the bulkhead. When mounting the bridging unit, it can be provided that the bridging unit is attached directly or indirectly to the bulkhead unit. The bridging unit can extend completely into and / or towards the passenger compartment. In particular, the bridging unit can have a longitudinal axis that runs parallel or substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the vehicle. Furthermore, the bridging unit can be formed in one piece or in multiple pieces. The bridging unit is preferably formed from steel and / or one or more sheet metal parts.

[0015] The assembly space can be understood in particular as a space in which the functional unit can be arranged. For this purpose, the bridging unit can, for example, be mounted on the bulkhead unit at a distance from the floor structure.

[0016] The functional unit can, in particular, comprise electronics, preferably with a control unit for executing a vehicle function. The mounting space can be formed between the vehicle floor and the bridging unit during assembly of the bridging unit. The functional unit is preferably arranged in the mounting space after the bridging unit has been assembled, e.g., during assembly of the support element. Advantageously, the bridging unit can have a first end, which is mounted with the bridging unit on the power transmission area, and a second end, which is attached to the support element or to which the support element is positioned.

[0017] The support element is mounted, in particular, separately from the bridging unit. The support element is preferably mounted after the bridging unit has been mounted. During the mounting of the support element, the support element can be fastened to the bridging unit and / or positioned relative to the bridging unit. Furthermore, the support element can be fastened to the floor structure during the mounting of the support element. The support element is preferably designed to be tunnel-like, at least in sections, in order to allow the mounting space to extend into an area between the vehicle floor and the tunnel. The support unit is thus designed, in particular, in several parts, with the bridging unit and the support element being formed by at least two separate components.After assembly of the support element, the support unit can be formed at least from the bridging unit and the support element in order to transmit forces from the force introduction area of ​​the bulkhead unit via the bridging element to the support element and from the support element to the floor structure, particularly in the event of a vehicle accident. It has therefore been recognized within the scope of the invention that a multi-part design of the support unit can simplify assembly in the force transmission area. For example, the bridging unit can be pre-assembled with the bulkhead unit. By mounting the support element, e.g. together with an interior module, a mechanical connection between the bulkhead unit and the floor structure can then be established or at least prepared in order to stiffen the body unit, particularly against frontal collisions.Bridging the assembly space simultaneously enables improved use of installation space in the area of ​​the vehicle floor. In order for the bridging unit and the support element to form the support unit for supporting the bulkhead unit against the floor structure, the support element can be arranged in a fixed position relative to the bridging unit and / or on the bridging unit.

[0018] Furthermore, in a method according to the invention, it can advantageously be provided that the bridging unit is mounted centrally to the bulkhead unit in a transverse direction of the vehicle, in particular on the bulkhead unit. The support element can therefore be part of a pre-assembled interior module. Furthermore, the force transmission region can be provided, in particular, centrally on the bulkhead unit. The transverse direction of the vehicle can be understood, in particular, as a direction that runs perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and / or parallel to a wheel axle of the vehicle. Preferably, the bridging unit is further arranged centrally to the bulkhead unit with respect to a vertical axis of the vehicle. It can be provided that the bulkhead unit has a bulge in the direction of the passenger compartment, on which the force transmission region is provided.The central arrangement allows for a central force transmission to the floor structure and / or allows a bending moment of the bulkhead unit to be supported by the bridging unit. Preferably, the support element, in particular the support unit, can be or will be integrated at least partially or completely into a center console of the vehicle.

[0019] Furthermore, in a method according to the invention, it can advantageously be provided that the floor structure has a support element on which the support element for supporting the bulkhead unit is arranged, preferably fastened, during assembly of the support element. The arrangement, in particular direct, of the support element on the support element allows advantageous force transmission into the body frame. The support element can have a triangular or substantially triangular cross-section with a hypotenuse for supporting the bridging unit relative to the support element. The support element can be, for example, a cross member of the body frame, in particular made of steel or aluminum. Advantageously, the support element can be pushed through an opening in the body frame during assembly of the support element in order to be fastened, preferably detachably, to the support element at the rear.The support element can be screwed and / or riveted to the support element, for example. However, it is also conceivable for the support element to be connected to the support element in a form-fitting manner to enable support of the bulkhead unit against the floor structure. The arrangement on the support element represents an advantageous option for implementing the mechanical force transmission to support the bulkhead unit while simultaneously allowing for the installation space between the support unit and the vehicle floor.

[0020] Within the scope of the invention, it is further conceivable for the support element, in particular prior to mounting on the bridging unit, to be pre-assembled on a floor element of the vehicle floor, which forms part of a battery housing of a vehicle battery, before the support unit is formed during mounting of the support element. The functional unit is preferably arranged on or next to the floor element in order to be positioned in the assembly space during mounting of the battery housing on the floor structure. The vehicle battery can preferably be a traction battery which extends, for example, over at least part of an underbody of the vehicle. The floor element can form a cover of the battery housing and a floor plate of the vehicle floor. During pre-assembly of the support element on the floor element, the support element can, for example, be screwed to the floor element.By pre-assembling the support element to the floor element, the vehicle battery can be prepared in a modular manner for attachment to the body frame. In particular, it is conceivable for the support element and the floor element to be pre-assembled as part of an interior module, which comprises the vehicle battery, seats, a seat cross member and / or an interior panel, such as a carpet, for the passenger compartment. The interior module can be connected to the bulkhead unit and / or the body frame in a cell-to-car process, in which the interior module is moved towards the body frame in such a way that the support element is positioned relative to the bridging unit to form the support unit. This can simplify the manufacture of the body unit. The multi-part design of the support unit offers the possibility of preparing the support unit in separate sub-processes.It is further conceivable in a method according to the invention for the floor structure to have an upper side oriented towards the passenger compartment and an underside opposite the upper side, wherein the battery housing with the pre-assembled support element is arranged on the underside of the floor structure, in particular during assembly of the support element. In this case, the battery housing and / or the interior module can be moved from the underside towards the floor structure and / or the floor structure can be moved towards the battery housing, in particular in order to carry out a so-called marriage of the vehicle battery with a body frame of the body unit. The support element can preferably be retracted into an opening in the floor structure in order to be arranged between the carrier element and the bridging unit.In particular, if the support element and the battery housing are part of the pre-assembled interior module, this can shorten the assembly time for the support element and / or the battery housing. Furthermore, it is possible to avoid undercuts during the joining process, also known as a fusion joint, particularly between a vehicle center console and the bulkhead unit. Preferably, the battery housing is attached to the underside of the floor structure to fix the interior module to the body frame. The top side of the floor structure and / or the floor element can form a floor area of ​​the passenger compartment. Upon retraction, the functional unit can be positioned, particularly automatically, in the assembly space if the functional unit is part of the interior module and / or is pre-assembled on the battery housing.

[0021] In a method according to the invention, it can preferably be provided that the bridging unit has two bridging elements which extend, in particular parallel to one another and / or through part of the passenger compartment, from the force transmission area in the direction of the support element, preferably such that the mounting space extends between the bridging elements. The bridging elements can preferably run parallel or substantially parallel to the vehicle's longitudinal axis and / or define a longitudinal extension of the bridging unit in the direction of the passenger compartment. As a result, the mounting space can be enlarged at least in sections in an upper area. The bridging elements can be designed in the shape of rods and / or beams. Furthermore, the two bridging elements can have a rectangular cross-section in order to enable advantageous strength against bending and / or compression.Each of the bridging elements can have a front end for arrangement in the power transmission area and a rear end for arrangement on the support element. The bridging elements can thus be designed like a bridge. The bridging elements can thus enable advantageous use of installation space while simultaneously ensuring high rigidity. Within the scope of the invention, it is further conceivable for the bridging unit to be arranged at a distance from the floor element, at least in sections, wherein openings are formed between the bridging unit, the floor element, and the support element, through which openings the assembly space extends. The assembly space for the functional unit can extend below the bridging elements through the openings.In particular, the installation space for the functional unit can be widened by the openings, so that the functional unit can be formed at least below the bridging elements, regardless of the distance between the bridging elements. In particular, the functional unit can be positioned below the bridging elements when arranging the battery housing on the underside of the floor structure. This simplifies the installation of the interior module and improves the distribution of installation space.

[0022] Furthermore, in a method according to the invention, it can advantageously be provided that the bridging unit has side supports for bridging the openings in sections, in particular wherein the side supports are or will be connected to the bridging elements during assembly of the bridging unit and are preferably connected to the floor structure during assembly of the bridging unit and / or to the floor structure and / or the floor element during assembly of the support element. The side supports can be formed by tabs. In particular, a side support can be attached to each of the bridging elements. For example, the side supports can be welded to the bridging elements and / or manufactured integrally. The side supports and the bridging elements are preferably made of the same material.Each of the side supports can have a mounting area for attaching the respective side support to the floor structure and / or the floor element. For example, the side supports can be screwed to the floor element when arranging the battery housing on the underside of the floor structure. The side supports can be used to stiffen the bridging unit for easy installation, with little or no restriction on the installation area.

[0023] Furthermore, in a method according to the invention, it can advantageously be provided that the bridging unit, in particular at least one of the bridging elements or both bridging elements, is connected to the support element during assembly of the support element by at least one assembly element which is fastened to the bridging unit and to the support element, or the support element is arranged at a distance from the bridging unit, in particular from the bridging elements, in order to enable the support of the end wall unit relative to the floor structure during a movement of the bridging unit, in particular of the bridging elements, in the direction of the support element. By spacing the support element and the bridging unit apart, a retraction clearance can be formed, which simplifies the assembly of the support element.For example, this can enable and / or simplify movement of the vehicle battery towards the passenger compartment in order to mount the vehicle battery on the underside of the floor structure. The spacing of the support element and the bridging unit can be less than 20 mm, for example, and preferably 10 mm. The movement of the bridging unit can be brought about, for example, by a deformation of the bulkhead unit and / or a displacement of the bulkhead unit as a result of a deformation. In particular, during the movement of the bridging unit, a positive connection can be established between the bridging unit, preferably the bridging elements, and the support element in order to support the bulkhead unit. The spacing can be bridged by the mounting element in order to enable a permanent mechanical connection between the bridging unit and the support element. The mounting element can advantageously be detachable, e.g.The bulkhead unit can be connected to the bridging unit and / or the support element by means of a screw connection to simplify maintenance and / or replacement of individual components. Preferably, two mounting elements are provided, each connecting one of the bridging elements to the support element. This ensures the support of the bulkhead unit in the event of an accident while simultaneously achieving a high level of assembly accuracy.

[0024] According to a further aspect of the invention, a vehicle is provided. The vehicle has a body unit manufactured by a method according to the invention.

[0025] Thus, a vehicle according to the invention offers the same advantages as those already described in detail with reference to a method according to the invention. In particular, an underbody of the vehicle can be at least partially formed by a vehicle battery, which forms a floor of a passenger compartment of the vehicle and / or a support for seats of the vehicle. A floor structure of the body unit and the vehicle battery can be formed by preassembled modules.

[0026] Further advantages, features, and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in detail with reference to the drawings. The features mentioned in the claims and in the description may be essential to the invention individually or in any combination. They show schematically: Figure 1 shows a method according to the invention in a schematic representation of method steps,

[0027] Figure 2 shows a support unit formed in the method,

[0028] Figure 3 shows a bridging element and a supporting element when forming the

[0029] support unit,

[0030] Figure 4 shows a vehicle according to the invention with a body unit produced by the method, and

[0031] Figure 5 shows a support unit in a further embodiment.

[0032] In the following description of some embodiments of the invention, the same reference numerals are used for the same technical features even in different embodiments.

[0033] Figure 1 shows a method 100 according to the invention for producing a body unit 10 for a vehicle 1. The vehicle 1 is shown with the body unit 10 in Figure 4. The body unit 10 has an end wall unit 11 for the frontal delimitation of a passenger compartment 2 and a floor structure 12 for defining a vehicle floor 3. The floor structure 12 has an upper side 12.1, which is oriented towards the passenger compartment 2, and a lower side 12.2, which is opposite the upper side 12.1. A vehicle battery 15 with a battery housing 16 is arranged on the lower side 12.2 of the floor structure 12. To support the end wall unit 11 relative to the floor structure 12, a support unit 20 is also provided, which in particular extends at least partially within the passenger compartment 2.In particular, an assembly space 30 is further formed below the support unit 20, in which a functional unit 31 of the vehicle 1, here a control unit of the vehicle battery 15 and / or the vehicle 1, is arranged.

[0034] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, in the method 100 for producing the body unit 10, the bridging unit 21 is first mounted 101 in a force transmission region 13 of the bulkhead unit 11, which is provided centrally on the bulkhead unit 11 for transmitting a force from the bulkhead unit 11 to the bridging unit 21. The bridging unit 21 is thus mounted centrally to the bulkhead unit 11 in a vehicle transverse direction 5, ie in particular perpendicular to a direction of travel 4 of the vehicle 1. The bridging unit 21 is mounted 101 in such a way that the bridging unit 21 extends at least partially from the force transmission region 13 in the direction of the passenger compartment 2.For this purpose, two bridging elements 23 of the bridging unit 21, each with a first end on the force transmission area 13, are arranged parallel to one another, so that the assembly space 30 extends between the bridging elements 23. The bridging elements 23 are rod-like and / or beam-like and extend in the direction of a vehicle rear, ie in particular when a support element 22 is in the assembled state, in the direction of the support element 22, preferably as far as the support element 22. Furthermore, the bridging unit 21 has side supports 24 for partially bridging openings 32 through which the assembly space 30 extends. The side supports 24 are connected to the bridging elements 23 during assembly 101 of the bridging unit 21, in particular integrally. Alternatively, the side supports 24 can be connected to the bridging elements 23 during assembly 101 of the bridging unit 21, e.g. B.by welding.

[0035] As further shown in Figure 3, in the method 100, the support element 22 for supporting the bridging unit 21 relative to the floor structure 12 is mounted 102 on the floor structure 12, so that the bridging unit 21 and the support element 22 form a support unit 20 for supporting the bulkhead unit 11 relative to the floor structure 12. For this purpose, the support element 22 is first pre-mounted on a floor element 14 of the vehicle floor 3, which forms part of the battery housing 16 of the vehicle battery 15. Preferably, the functional unit 31 is integrated into the battery housing 16 and / or is pre-mounted on the floor element 14 and / or beneath the bridging unit 21. The support unit 20 is then formed during the mounting 102 of the support element 22. The battery housing 16 with the pre-assembled support element 22 is arranged on the underside 12.2 of the floor structure 12.

[0036] As shown in Figure 2, the side supports 24 can be connected to the floor structure 12 and / or the floor element 14 during assembly 101 of the bridging unit 21 and / or during assembly 102 of the support element 22. During positioning of the battery housing 16, the bridging unit 21 is arranged at a distance from the floor element 14, at least in sections, so that openings 32 are formed between the bridging unit 21, the floor element 14, and the support element 22. Furthermore, the functional unit 31 can be automatically positioned in the assembly space 30 during positioning of the battery housing 16.

[0037] To support the bulkhead unit 11 relative to the floor structure 12, the support element 22 is further arranged on a carrier element 12.3 of the floor structure 12, which can be formed, for example, by a cross member. To at least partially enclose the carrier element 12.3, the support element 22 can be moved at least partially toward the rear of the vehicle and / or deformed at least in some areas when the battery housing 16 is arranged on the underside 12.2 of the floor structure 12, in particular with the battery housing 16.

[0038] As shown in Figure 2, the bridging unit 21 can be further connected to the support element 22 during assembly 102 of the support element 22 by two mounting elements 25, each of which is fastened, preferably detachably, to one of the bridging elements 23 and to the support element 22. Alternatively, according to Figure 5, it can be provided that the support element 22 is arranged at a distance 33 from the bridging elements 23 in order to enable the support of the end wall unit 11 relative to the floor structure 12 upon movement of the bridging elements 23 in the direction of the support element 22. For example, the movement can occur through a deformation of the end wall unit 11.

[0039] The above explanation of the embodiments describes the present invention exclusively by way of examples. Of course, individual features of the embodiments can be freely combined with one another, provided they are technically feasible, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0040] List of reference symbols

[0041] vehicle

[0042] Passenger compartment Vehicle floor Direction of travel Vehicle transverse direction

[0043] Body unit

[0044] Front wall unit floor structure

[0045] Top Bottom

[0046] Support element

[0047] Power transmission area Floor element Vehicle battery Battery housing

[0048] Support unit

[0049] Bridging unit support element

[0050] Bridging elements Side supports Mounting element

[0051] Assembly room functional unit

[0052] Opening distance

[0053] Proceedings

[0054] Assembling 21

[0055] Mounting of 22

Claims

Claims 1. A method (100) for producing a body unit (10) for a vehicle (1), which has a bulkhead unit (11) for the frontal boundary of a passenger compartment (2) and a floor structure (12) for defining a vehicle floor (3), comprising: Mounting (101) a bridging unit (21), which is designed to bridge an assembly space (30) for mounting a functional unit (31) of the vehicle (1), in a force transmission area (13) of the bulkhead unit (11) for transmitting a force from the bulkhead unit (11) to the bridging unit (21), so that the bridging unit (21) extends from the force transmission area (13) at least in sections in the direction of the passenger compartment (2), Mounting (102) a support element (22) for supporting the bridging unit (21) relative to the floor structure (12) on the floor structure (12), so that the bridging unit (21) and the support element (22) form a support unit (20) for supporting the end wall unit (11) relative to the floor structure (12).

2. Method (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the bridging unit (21) is mounted centrally to the front wall unit (11) in a vehicle transverse direction (5) of the vehicle (1).

3. Method (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the floor structure (12) has a carrier element (12.3) on which the support element (22) for supporting the end wall unit (11) is arranged during assembly (102) of the support element (22).

4. Method (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support element (22) is pre-assembled on a floor element (14) of the vehicle floor (3), which forms part of a battery housing (16) of a vehicle battery (15), before the support unit (20) is formed during assembly (102) of the support element (22).

5. Method (100) according to claim 4, characterized in that the floor structure (12) has an upper side (12.1) which is oriented towards the passenger compartment (2) and a lower side (12.2) which is opposite the upper side (12.1), wherein the battery housing (16) with the pre-assembled support element (22) is arranged on the lower side (12.2) of the floor structure (12).

6. Method (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bridging unit (21) has two bridging elements (23) which extend parallel to one another from the force transmission region (13) in the direction of the support element (22), so that the mounting space (30) extends between the bridging elements (23).

7. Method (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bridging unit (21) is arranged at a distance from the floor element (14) at least in sections, wherein openings (32) are formed between the bridging unit (21), the floor element (14) and the support element (22), through which openings the assembly space (30) extends.

8. Method (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bridging unit (21) has side supports (24) for bridging the openings (32) in sections, wherein the side supports (24) are or become connected to the bridging elements (23) during assembly (101) of the bridging unit (21) and are connected to the floor structure (12) during assembly (101) of the bridging unit (21) and / or to the floor structure (12) and / or the floor element (14) during assembly (102) of the support element (22).

9. Method (100) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the bridging unit (21) is connected to the support element (22) during assembly (102) of the support element (22) by at least one assembly element (25) which is fastened to the bridging unit (21) and to the support element (22), or the support element (22) is arranged at a distance from the bridging unit (21) in order to support the end wall unit (11) relative to the floor structure (12) during to enable a movement of the bridging unit (21) in the direction of the support element (22).

10. Vehicle (1) comprising a body unit (10) manufactured by a method (100) according to one of the preceding claims.

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