METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A HYBRID EQUIPMENT SUPPORT

Abstract

A process is intended to manufacture a support for predefined equipment and comprises: - a first step (10) in which at least one metal insert is produced by forming and / or cutting, and - a second step (20-30) in which each metal insert produced is placed in a predefined location within an injection mold, and then a plastic material is injected into this injection mold to perform at least partial overmolding of each metal insert and obtain the support. Figure 2

Description

Title of the invention: METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A HYBRID EQUIPMENT SUPPORT Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to supports intended to support predefined equipment, and more specifically to a manufacturing process intended to enable the manufacture of such supports. State of the art

[0002] In many technical fields, such as, for example but not limited to, that of vehicles, supports are used to support predefined equipment, such as display screens (possibly touch-sensitive) or display screen combinations (possibly touch-sensitive).

[0003] Such supports frequently have a T-shape or a generally L-shaped cross-section.

[0004] Due to the stresses they are subjected to, possibly in cantilevered positions, the supports described above are currently made entirely of cast aluminum or aluminum alloy (such as ADC12 or A380) or magnesium or magnesium alloy (such as AZ91D). The use of such materials entirely presents several drawbacks, including: high cost, relatively high mass (which negatively impacts the consumption of motive power when the support is installed in a vehicle), energy-intensive production (particularly when processing into a light alloy), high cost of casting molds, expensive maintenance of casting molds, short lifespan of casting molds, and a poor carbon footprint.

[0005] The invention therefore aims in particular to improve the situation. Presentation of the invention

[0006] In particular, it proposes for this purpose a manufacturing process intended to enable the manufacture of a support suitable for supporting a predefined piece of equipment.

[0007] This manufacturing process is characterized by the fact that it comprises:

[0008] - a first step in which at least one metallic insert is made by shaping and / or cutting, and

[0009] - a second step in which each metallic insert made in a predefined location of an injection mold, then a plastic material is injected into this injection mold in order to achieve at least partial overmolding of each metal insert and to obtain the support (hybrid and monobloc).

[0010] Thanks to the invention, hybrid (metal-plastic) supports are now available, and therefore use less metal, which reduces the cost, mass, and energy required to produce each metal insert, and improves the carbon footprint.

[0011] The manufacturing process according to the invention may include other features which may be taken separately or in combination, and in particular:

[0012] - in its first stage, the forming may consist of stamping and / or a folding;

[0013] - in its first stage, each metal insert can be made of steel or of aluminium;

[0014] - in its second stage, a preheating of the injection mold can be carried out once each metal insert has been placed in its predetermined location;

[0015] - in its second stage, the plastic material can be chosen according to at least a constraint chosen from among a thermal constraint, a dimensional precision constraint(s), a mechanical strength constraint, an electromagnetic compatibility constraint, and an ecological constraint;

[0016] - in its second step, the plastic material can be chosen from at least one polypropylene, a polyamide, a polycarbonate, an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, a polyoxymethylene, a polyethylene terephthalate, and a thermosetting material;

[0017] - in its second stage, the plastic material can be reinforced under load;

[0018] - in the presence of the last option, in its second stage, the load can be chosen including at least glass fibers, carbon fibers, and metallic fibers.

[0019] The invention also proposes a support suitable for supporting a predefined piece of equipment, and produced by implementing a manufacturing process of the type presented above.

[0020] For example, this support may be suitable for supporting predefined equipment including a display screen (possibly touch-sensitive). Brief description of the figures

[0021] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from an examination of the detailed description below, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0022] [Fig.1] schematically illustrates, in a perspective view, a first example of the realization of a hybrid and monobloc support produced by implementing the manufacturing process according to the invention, and to which is attached equipment constituting a display screen,

[0023] [Fig.2] schematically illustrates an example of an algorithm implementing a manufacturing process according to the invention, and

[0024] [Fig.3] schematically illustrates, in a cross-sectional view, a second example of the realization of a hybrid and monobloc support made through the implementation of the manufacturing process according to the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0025] The invention aims in particular to propose a manufacturing process intended to enable the manufacture of an SE support suitable for supporting a predefined EQ equipment, and not presenting all or part of the disadvantages of the supports of the prior art, presented in the introductory part.

[0026] In what follows, it is considered, by way of non-limiting example, that the SE support and the associated EQ equipment are intended to be permanently installed in a vehicle, possibly of the motor vehicle type (such as a car). However, the invention is not limited to this application. Indeed, an SE support according to the invention can be installed in any system (vehicle, apparatus, device, installation, or building).

[0027] Furthermore, in the following, by way of non-limiting example, the SE support is considered to be intended to support an EQ device constituting a display screen (possibly touch-sensitive). However, the SE support could also be intended to support an EQ device constituting a central handset with a display screen (possibly touch-sensitive), for example.

[0028] Furthermore, in the following, by way of non-limiting example, it is assumed that the SE support is intended to be fixedly attached to the dashboard of a motor vehicle. However, the SE support could also be intended to be fixedly attached to a support element of such a dashboard, such as a crossmember.

[0029] A first example of the realization of an SE support made by means of the implementation of the manufacturing process according to the invention, and to which a predefined EQ equipment constituting (here) a display screen is fixedly attached, has been schematically represented in [Fig.1].

[0030] As illustrated non-limitingly in [Fig.2], the (manufacturing) process according to the invention comprises first 10 and second 20-30 steps.

[0031] In the first step 10, at least one metal insert IM is produced by forming and / or cutting.

[0032] It should be noted that ultimately a support SE may comprise a single metal insert IM, or several (at least two) metal inserts IM which will be linked (or connected), as will be explained later. It should also be noted that when a support SE comprises several (at least two) metal inserts IM, they are not necessarily manufactured in the same way. For example, a first metal insert IM may be manufactured solely by forming, while a second metal insert IM can be made solely by cutting, or a first metal insert IM can be made by forming and cutting, while a second metal insert IM can be made solely by forming.

[0033] It should also be noted that the first step 10 can be carried out by at least one robot and / or at least one technician equipped with suitable tool(s) and / or controlling at least one machine or robot. It can therefore be either fully automated or fully manual.

[0034] The second step 20-30 comprises a substep 20 in which each metal insert IM (made in the first step 10 for the same support SE) is placed in a predefined location on an injection mold. It should be noted that the placement of each metal insert IM in the corresponding predefined location on an injection mold can be carried out by at least one robot and / or at least one technician, possibly equipped with suitable tool(s) and / or controlling at least one machine or robot. Substep 20 can therefore be either fully automated or fully manual.

[0035] The second step 20-30 then includes a substep 30 in which a plastic material is injected into the injection mold (now containing each metal insert IM), in order to perform at least a partial SMP overmolding of each metal insert IM and thus obtain the support SE. The latter (SE) is therefore monolithic and hybrid (or metal-plastic), with its metal inserts IM advantageously rigidly bonded (or connected) by means of the SMP overmolding when it comprises several.

[0036] It should be noted that "at least partial SMP overmolding" means an overmolding in which a metallic IM insert has a part exposed to the air (and therefore without SMP overmolding) or has no part exposed to the air (and therefore is totally surrounded by SMP overmolding).

[0037] It should also be noted that the injection of plastic material into the injection mold can be carried out by at least one robot and / or at least one technician, possibly equipped with suitable tool(s) and / or controlling at least one machine or robot. Substep 30 can therefore be either fully automated or fully manual.

[0038] This metal-plastic hybridization of the SE support advantageously allows for the use of a significantly smaller quantity of metallic material than with a prior art support made entirely of metal. This reduces the cost, mass (and therefore the consumption of motive power if the SE support is installed in a vehicle), and the energy required to produce each metal insert IM (since the transformation of the plastic material takes place at lower temperatures than that of metals), and improves the carbon footprint.

[0039] It should also be noted that the SE support immediately acquires its final appearance in a single injection cycle, according to a process that is particularly well suited to parts manufactured in large series. Furthermore, the plastic injection operation is very short, typically about one minute, which is also well suited to the production of parts in large series.

[0040] Furthermore, SMP overmolding allows for the creation of SE supports with much more free-form shapes, thus enabling much easier adaptation to the shapes of the EQ equipment to be supported. A first example of an SE support with a T-shape is illustrated, without limitation, in [Fig. 1]. A second example of an SE support with a generally L-shaped cross-section is illustrated, without limitation, in [Fig. 3]. It should be noted that in this second example, a small part of the metal insert IM is exposed (and therefore without SMP overmolding), but as mentioned above, this is not mandatory (it could indeed be completely enclosed by SMP overmolding).

[0041] On the other hand, the location and dimensioning of each metallic insert IM can be determined to be just necessary according to the needs imposed by the associated EQ equipment, and in particular according to local mechanical constraints (choice of grade, thickness, stamped shape, and hooking and connection shapes).

[0042] For example, in the first step 10, the forming may consist of stamping and / or bending, as required. In other words, when a metal insert IM must be produced at least by forming, this may be done solely by stamping, or solely by bending, or both by stamping and bending (in any order).

[0043] Also, for example, in the first step 10 each metal insert IM can be made of steel or aluminum. This not only makes it possible to further reduce the cost, mass (and therefore the consumption of motive power if the SE support is installed in a vehicle), and the energy required to produce each metal insert IM, and to further improve the carbon footprint, but also to reduce the cost of the injection mold (because the transformation takes place at lower temperatures) and its maintenance while increasing its durability.

[0044] Also, for example, in substep 20 (after the placement(s)) or substep 30 (before the SMP overmolding), the injection mold can be preheated once each metal insert (IM) has been placed in its predefined location, when this proves useful. This preheating can, for example, be considered when the thickness of the SMP overmolding needs to be relatively large.

[0045] Also, for example, in substep 30 of the second step 20-30, the plastic material can be chosen according to at least one constraint which is chosen from at least:

[0046] - a thermal constraint, for example of resistance and / or conduction,

[0047] - a dimensional precision constraint(s) of the SMP overmolding,

[0048] - a mechanical strength constraint of the SMP overmolding or the SE support,

[0049] - an electromagnetic compatibility (or EMC) constraint, and

[0050] - an ecological constraint (virgin or recycled plastic material).

[0051] Also, for example, in substep 30 of the second step 20-30, the plastic material can be chosen from at least:

[0052] - a polypropylene (or PP - semi-crystalline thermoplastic polymer),

[0053] - a polyamide (or PA), such as PA6 or PA66,

[0054] - a polycarbonate (or PC),

[0055] - an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (or ABS - thermoplastic polymer),

[0056] - a polyoxymethylene (or POM - polymer of the polyacetal family),

[0057] - a polyethylene terephthalate (or PBT - thermoplastic polymer), and

[0058] - a thermosetting material, such as for example an epoxy resin.

[0059] The choice of plastic material is therefore very wide, which facilitates it on the production lines manufacturing, particularly according to the aforementioned constraints to be taken into account.

[0060] Also, for example, in substep 30 of the second step 20-30, the plastic material can be reinforced with filler. This can, in particular, increase the strength and / or rigidity and / or thermal conductivity of the SMP overmolding. It should be noted that the filler percentage can be chosen according to the requirements. For example, this percentage can be between 10% and 40%, or even 50%.

[0061] Also, for example, in substep 30 of the second step 20-30 the filler can be chosen from at least glass fibers, carbon fibers, and metallic fibers (for example in so-called 1K or 2K plastics processing).

Claims

Demands

1. A method for manufacturing a support (SE) suitable for supporting predefined equipment, characterized in that it comprises i) a first step (10) in which at least one metal insert (IM) is produced by forming and / or cutting, and ii) a second step (20-30) in which each metal insert (IM) produced is placed in a predefined location of an injection mold, and then a plastic material is injected into said injection mold in order to carry out at least a partial overmolding (SMP) of each metal insert (IM) and to obtain said support (SE).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that in said first step (10) said forming consists of stamping and / or bending.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in said first step (10) each metal insert (MI) is made of steel or aluminum.

4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that in said second step (20-30) a preheating of said injection mold is carried out once each metal insert (IM) has been placed in its predefined location.

5. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that in said second step (20-30) said plastic material is chosen according to at least one constraint chosen from among a thermal constraint, a dimensional precision constraint(s), a mechanical strength constraint, an electromagnetic compatibility constraint, and an ecological constraint.

6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that in said second step (20-30) said plastic material is selected from at least one polypropylene, one polyamide, one polycarbonate, one acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, one polyoxymethylene, one polybutylene terephthalate, and one thermosetting material.

7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that in said second step (20-30) said plastic material is reinforced under load.

8. Method according to claim 7, characterized in that in said second step (20-30) said filler is selected from at least glass fibers, carbon fibers, and metallic fibers.

9. Support (SE) suitable for supporting predefined equipment, characterized in that it is made by implementing a manufacturing process according to one of the preceding claims.

10. Support according to claim 9, characterized in that it is suitable for supporting predefined equipment including a display screen.

Images