Device for fastening vehicle components inside and / or on a vehicle

Abstract

A device for securing a vehicle component (28) in and / or on a vehicle includes a sound insulation element (10) including a support layer (12) and a sound-attenuating layer (13). The support layer (12) has a fastening recess (50) formed in a first surface thereof with an insertion opening (18), and a receptacle (44) adjacent to the insertion opening, the receptacle (44) being defined by the plastic material of the support layer (12) and by a closed peripheral inner surface (48) and a closed bottom surface (66). A fastening element (24) is also provided. The fastening recess (50) has a narrowed region (54) formed in the peripheral inner surface (48) that at least partially narrows the receptacle (66), and an enlarged widened region (68) adjacent the narrowed region (54) in the direction of the bottom surface (66). The fixation element (24) has a fixation shoulder (58) for engaging behind the narrowed region (54) when the fixation element (24) is received by the fixation recess (50).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for fastening vehicle components inside and / or on a vehicle.

Background Art

[0002] Automobiles are equipped with sound insulation elements to suppress potential noise entering the interior of the vehicle. Such sound insulation elements are, for example, a front wall cladding or a floor cladding arranged or fitted to the vehicle body. Further examples of sound insulation elements are, for example, enclosures for engines, compressors, or similar vehicle components that generate noise.

[0003] Sometimes, it is necessary to attach additional vehicle components to such sound insulation elements, either permanently or temporarily. Temporary attachment may be necessary, especially during vehicle assembly, for example, when vehicle components are pre-assembled on the sound insulation element so that they can be removed from the vehicle component when the vehicle component is installed to place the vehicle component at another location on the vehicle.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for fastening vehicle components inside and / or on a vehicle.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] To solve this problem, the present invention proposes an apparatus for fastening vehicle components inside and / or on a vehicle, the apparatus comprising - a sound insulation element such as a front wall cladding, a floor cladding, a luggage compartment cladding, or an engine or power unit enclosure or a wheel arch cladding, - The sound insulation element comprises a carrier layer made of a plastic material and having a first side and a second side facing away from this first side, and a sound-absorbing layer formed on the second side of the carrier layer and also made of a plastic material or a synthetic fiber or a natural fiber material. - In this case, fixing recesses are formed in the carrier layer, the fixing recesses having an insertion opening in the first side of the carrier layer, the insertion opening being adjacent to a receiving space defined by the plastic material of the carrier layer, the receiving space being defined by a closed circumferential inner surface and a closed bottom surface. - It comprises fixing elements to be received in the fixing recesses. - The fixing elements - are integrally formed with a component to be fixed to the sound insulation element, or - are integrally formed with a holding element capable of attaching a component to be attached to the sound insulation element, or - are guidable through a through-opening formed in a component to be attached to the sound insulation element. - The fixing recess has, on the circumferential inner surface, a constriction region that at least partially narrows the receiving space, together with an enlarged wide region adjacent in the direction of the bottom surface. - The fixing element has a fixing shoulder for engaging behind the constriction region when the fixing element is received by the fixing recess.

[0006] The fastening device for a vehicle component according to the present invention serves to fasten such a component to a sound-insulating element, which is usually attached to the vehicle body. In a known embodiment, the sound-insulating element has a mass-spring system and includes a carrier layer, also called a heavy layer or mass layer, made of a plastic material. On one side of the carrier layer, a sound-absorbing layer made of a sound-absorbing plastic material such as a PU foam is formed. Alternatively, the sound-absorbing layer may comprise synthetic fibers or natural fiber materials. In the carrier layer, a fixing recess is formed, shaped like a deep-drawing cup. The fixing recess has an insertion opening on the first side of the carrier layer facing away from the sound-absorbing layer, and this opening is adjacent to a receiving space defined by the plastic material of the carrier layer. This receiving space is defined by a closed circumferential inner surface and a closed bottom surface. Thus, the outer peripheral wall and the bottom wall of the recess are closed and made of the plastic material of the carrier layer. In other words, the fixing recess is designed like a bead.

[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the fixing recess has at least a cylindrical cross-sectional profile. In a more preferred embodiment, the fixing recess has a depth of 4 mm to 50 mm, preferably 7 mm to 40 mm, and particularly preferably 10 mm to 30 mm. In a further advantageous embodiment, the fixing recess also has a diameter of 2 mm to 40 mm, preferably 4 mm to 30 mm, and particularly preferably 6 mm to 20 mm.

[0008] The proposed form of the fixing recess according to the present invention, with a closed jacket or peripheral wall and bottom wall in the carrier layer, i.e., a kind of blind hole, has the advantage of acoustic properties, i.e., sound absorption. This is because, as a result, the sound-insulating element has no through openings.

[0009] The fastening device according to the invention also includes a fixing element to be received (or which can be received) in the fixing recess. This fixing element can be integrally formed with a vehicle component to be fastened to the sound insulation element. Alternatively, the fixing element can also be integrally formed with a holding element to which the component to be fastened can be attached. Finally, it can also be assumed that the component to be fastened has a through-opening through which the fixing element can be guided, so that when the fixing element is received by the fixing recess, the component is fixed to the sound insulation element.

[0010] For example, fixing elements are known which have several return hook structures surrounding the shaft of the fixing element in the form of a flexible thin plate. Preferably, the fixing element has a return structure on its outer circumference. These return structures and / or protrusions may be deformably and / or elastically arranged on the base body of the fixing element.

[0011] According to the invention, the fixing recess has a constricted region which narrows the receiving space partially or on all sides, and is preferably formed on the circumferential inner surface near the insertion opening. Towards the bottom surface, the constricted region is joined by a widened region. In this way, an undercut is formed in the receiving space, and this undercut is gripped from behind by a fixing shoulder formed in the fixing recess when the fixing element is received by the fixing recess.

[0012] By the interaction between the fixing shoulder of the fixing element and the transition from the constricted region to the widened region of the fixing recess, the fixing element is securely fixed against unintentional detachment from the fixing recess. The constricted region extends circumferentially over the entire inner surface or partially in the longitudinal direction. The constricted region is formed, for example, as a continuous or interrupted inner bead protruding inwards from the circumferential inner surface of the receiving space of the fixing recess.

[0013] Alternatively, the circumferential inner surface of the receiving space can also have a recess forming a widened region, and the constricted region is preferably located between the insertion opening and this recess. Also, the widened region may extend to the bottom surface, but this is not absolutely necessary.

[0014] Depending on which vehicle components are to be fastened by the device according to the invention, it can be advantageous to provide a mounting aid that can perform further functions in the installed state. In a preferred embodiment of the invention in this regard, positioning aids are provided, so to speak, alternatively or cumulatively, - a positioning recess is formed in the carrier layer of the sound-insulating element, the positioning recess having an insertion opening on a first side surface of the carrier layer, the insertion opening being adjacent to a receiving space defined by the plastic material of the carrier layer, the receiving space being defined by a closed circumferential inner surface and a closed bottom surface, - a positioning element is provided that is integrally formed with the component to be fastened to the sound-insulating element or is integrally formed with a holding element to which the component to be fastened to the sound-insulating element can be attached, and / or, - the positioning element and the fixing element are insertable into their respective associated recesses when insertable and / or aligned with the positioning recess and the fixing recess, respectively.

[0015] In addition to the fixing element, the device according to the invention also has a positioning element associated with a portion of the sound-insulating element. This positioning recess is, in this case too, formed in the carrier layer of the sound-insulating element, preferably in the same way as the receiving recess as a bead or a deep-drawn cup. The positioning recess does not require any special design on the circumferential inner surface of its receiving space. Thus, the positioning recess is also designed as a closed structure on its side surface and its bottom surface. The insertion opening is, in this case too, located on the side surface of the carrier layer opposite the sound-absorbing layer. Thus, the positioning recess is also designed as an acoustically advantageous stop hole, as already described above in connection with the fixing recess.

[0016] Preferably, the fixing recess and the positioning recess have a similar depth, in particular not differing by more than 20%, preferably not more than 10%. In a further preferred embodiment, the positioning recess has a smaller cross-section than the fixing recess.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the fixing recess has a depth selected such that in the assembled state the fixing element does not reach the bottom of the fixing recess. For example, the fixing recess may be slightly deeper than the fixing element extends, preferably 1 mm to 5 mm, preferably 1 mm to 3 mm, preferably about 2 mm deep. Thereby, an operator can lightly preload the clip and the return. When the assembly force decreases, the clip bounces slightly and then seats firmly. In this way, engagement can be ensured.

[0018] In a more preferred embodiment, the positioning element has at least one, preferably several, grooves extending in the longitudinal direction of the positioning element on its outer periphery.

[0019] The positioning recess ensures assembly such that the vehicle component to be attached is fastened in a predetermined orientation. To prevent incorrect positioning of the component to be attached, at least one of the two recesses (i.e., either the positioning recess or the fixing recess) can be mechanically coated such that the positioning element can only be inserted into the positioning recess and / or the fixing element can only be inserted into the fixing recess. The interaction between the positioning element and the positioning recess serves to support the assembly assistance and the accurate alignment of the vehicle components during assembly and, in addition, to fix the components against torsion in the assembled state.

[0020] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the mechanical coating or different mechanical coatings can be realized, for example, by a fixing element and a fixing recess having the same cylindrical first cross-section with each other, by a positioning element and a positioning recess having the same cylindrical second cross-section with each other, and by the size of the first cross-section being different from the size of the second cross-section. Alternatively, the mechanical coating can also be realized in that the fixing element and the fixing recess have the same first cross-sectional area with each other, the positioning element and the positioning recess have the same second cross-sectional area with each other, the second cross-sectional area is different from the first cross-sectional area, or the second cross-sectional area is equal to the first cross-sectional area and is oriented in a torsional manner with respect to the second cross-sectional area.

[0021] In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the insertion opening of the fixing recess has an opening edge, and the fixing element has a circumferential flange with a circumferential edge region that covers the insertion opening of the fixing recess in a state where the fixing element is received by the fixing recess by protruding beyond the edge of the insertion opening of the fixing recess.

[0022] In a similar embodiment, in another advantageous embodiment of the invention, the insertion opening of the positioning recess has an opening edge, and the positioning element has a circumferential flange with a circumferential edge region that covers the insertion opening of the positioning recess in a state where the positioning element is received by the positioning recess by protruding beyond the edge of the insertion opening of the positioning recess.

[0023] The fastening device according to the invention cannot be formed only on the sound insulation element of the aforementioned type. Alternatively, it is assumed that the sound insulation layer consists only of a carrier layer as a so-called mass layer, that is, it does not have a sound absorption layer. Furthermore, it is also possible that the carrier layer of the sound insulation element that can be used in the invention comprises both a sound absorption layer and, for example, a carpet. Therefore, in this embodiment, the carrier layer is located between the other two aforementioned layers. Depending on the application, either the sound attenuation layer or the carrier layer may be in contact with the vehicle body.

[0024] In a further embodiment, the holding element is such that the surface facing the recess is substantially flat.

[0025] In a further advantageous embodiment, the holding element can be located in a groove formed in the carrier layer. This groove can have, for example, a substantially rectangular contour, in particular a rectangular contour with rounded corners. In a more preferred embodiment, the groove has a depth that is smaller than the depth of the fixing recess. In a more preferred embodiment, the holding element can be positioned in the groove such that the holding element is spaced from the bottom of the groove. However, it is also conceivable that the bottom of the groove and the holding element are at least partially adjacent to each other.

[0026] The invention further relates to a motor vehicle, in particular a road-going motor vehicle having a device of the type described above.

[0027] The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to several embodiments and the drawings. Specifically, the following is shown.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0028]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0029] Figure 1 shows a top view of a sound insulation element 10 having a carrier layer 12 formed from a plastic material. The plastic material of the carrier layer 12 can have a Shore A hardness in the range of, for example, 66 to 90, particularly in the range of 70 to 85. Suitable plastic materials for the carrier layer 12 are, for example, EVA / PE, PE, PP, EPDM, TPE or TPO.

[0030] Referring to the example illustration of Figure 1, a sound absorption layer 13, which may be, for example, a PU foam, preferably formed from a foamed sound-absorbing material, is located behind the carrier layer 12. Thus, this sound absorption layer is located on the side of the carrier layer 12 facing away from the first side 14 of the carrier layer 12 shown in Figure 1.

[0031] In the groove 16 of the carrier layer 12, as seen in Figure 1, there are two insertion openings 18, 20, one of the insertion openings 18 belonging to a fixing recess 50 (see Figure 3), and the other insertion opening 20 enabling access to a positioning recess 52 (also see Figure 3).

[0032] In a corresponding manner, on a holding element 22 that can be accommodated in the groove 16, a protruding fixing element 24 and a similarly protruding positioning element 26 are formed. A vehicle component 28, which may also be a smaller component unit, is located on the holding element 22.

[0033] The form of the fixing element 24 and the positioning element 26 can be seen more clearly in Figure 2. In this embodiment, the fixing element 24 has a hollow shaft 30 with slots, from which fixing protrusions or thin plates 32, aligned as a return, protrude in the circumferential direction. At the other end of the shaft 30 facing away from the free end 34, there is preferably a flexible circumferential flange 36, and this circumferential flange 36 covers the opening edge 40 of the insertion opening 18 in its circumferential edge region 38.

[0034] The positioning element 26 is also pin-shaped and has, for example, a shaft 42 with a cross-sectional structure.

[0035] The insertion openings 18, 20 are designed or dimensioned differently with respect to their cross-sectional areas such that the retaining element 22 can be fastened to the sound-insulating element 10 exclusively in the orientation shown in FIG. 1.

[0036] FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of the fastening situation. The sound-insulating element 10 has a heavy layer or carrier layer 12, on the first side 14 of which the insertion openings 18, 20 are formed. The insertion openings 18, 20 are each adjacent on all sides, i.e., both the circumferential side and the bottom surface, by a closed receiving space 44, 46, and the circumferential inner surface 48 of the receiving space is formed by the material of the carrier layer 12. The fixing recess 50 and the positioning recess 52 adjacent to each insertion opening 18 or 20 are formed in the carrier layer 12 like a cup or a cap. The sound-insulating element 10 abuts against the vehicle body 49 as shown in FIG. 3.

[0037] As can be seen from FIG. 3, the receiving space 46 of the fixing recess 50 has a constricted region 54 formed on the entire circumferential inner surface 48 of the receiving space 46 or partially and circumferentially. In the example of this embodiment, the constricted region 54 is formed as a bead 56 protruding inward into the receiving space 46. Such a structure of the receiving space 46 with an undercut can be manufactured by injection molding with forced demolding or by an injection mold with a folding core. A wide region 68 is adjacent to the constricted region 54 towards the bottom surface 66 of the receiving space 46.

[0038] Also, the positioning recess 52 is also closed at its bottom surface 69 and its circumferential side surface. Thus, both recesses, i.e., the fixing recess 50 and the positioning recess 52, are designed as blind holes.

[0039] A fixing shoulder 58 formed on a shaft 30 of a fixing element 24 and protruding radially from the shaft to face an insertion opening 18 (in the installed state) is used for the cooperation between the fixing element 24 and the fixing recess 50. This fixing shoulder 58 can be formed as the thin plate closest to the circumferential flange 36. However, this is not necessarily required.

[0040] FIG. 4 shows another form of the fastening device according to the present invention. If the elements of the fastening device shown in FIG. 4 are functionally or structurally compatible with the elements shown in FIG. 3, in FIG. 4, those elements are given the same reference numerals as in FIG. 3.

[0041] In an example of the embodiment of the fastening device of FIG. 4, there is only one fixing element 24' without an associated positioning element 26. Several such individual fixing elements 24' can be used. The component to be fastened to the sound insulation element 10 is, for example, a cable duct or a ventilation duct. This duct has a through opening 60 in its duct wall 62, and through this through opening 60, the fixing element 24' can be guided and inserted into the fixing recess 50 of the sound insulation element 10 aligned with the through opening 60. In this example of the embodiment, the fixing element 24' can basically be configured in the same way as the fixing element 24 of the fastening device according to FIGS. 1 to 3. The difference is that the fixing element 24' is not integrally formed with a further element (which is the holding element 22 in FIGS. 1 to 3).

[0042] Furthermore, FIG. 4 shows a variant in which the fixing element 24' is designed as an extended rib. A core pin 64 can be seen, and this core pin 64 can be inserted into the shaft 30 through a circumferential flange 28 (the wide head of the fixing element 24') having a through opening 70.

[0043] FIG. 5 shows a variant of the form according to the fastening device of FIG. 4 in that the narrow region 54 is extended with respect to the extent of its axial depth. Similar to the cases of FIGS. 1 to 4, the wide region 68 is adjacent to the narrow region 54 towards the bottom surface 66 of the fixing recess 50 (see particularly FIGS. 3 and 4).

[0044] Figure 6 shows a further embodiment of the fastening device, in which the fixing element 24'' is also designed in this case as an expansion anchor (as in the case of FIGS. 4 and 5), but is formed integrally with the vehicle component to be fastened (similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 to 3). A through opening 70 extends through a circumferential flange 38 of the fixing member 24'' which is aligned with a cavity in the shaft 30 of the fixing member 24''. Also, the component to be fixed has a through opening 72 which is aligned with the through opening 70.

Explanation of reference numerals

[0045] 10 Sound insulation element 13 Sound absorption layer 12 Carrier layer 14 Side surface of the carrier layer 16 Groove 18 Insertion opening of the fixing recess 20 Insertion opening of the positioning recess 22 Holding element 24 Fixing element 24’ Fixing element 24’’ Fixing element 26 Positioning element 28 Vehicle component 30 Shaft of the fixing element 32 Thin plate 34 End of the shaft 36 Circumferential flange 38 Circumferential edge region of the circumferential flange 40 Opening edge 42 Shaft of the positioning element 44 Receiving space for the fixing element 46 Receiving space for the positioning element 48 Circumferential inner surface 49 Vehicle body 50 Fixing recess 52 Positioning recess 54 Narrowing region of the fixing recess 56 Bead 58 Fixing shoulder 60 Through opening in the duct wall 62 Duct wall 64 core pins Bottom surface of the 66 fixing recess 68 Wide region of the fixing recess Bottom surface of the 69 positioning recess 70 Through-opening of the fixing element 72 Through-opening of the vehicle component

Claims

1. An apparatus for fastening vehicle components inside and / or on a vehicle, having a sound-insulating element (10) such as a front wall cladding, a floor cladding, a luggage compartment cladding, or an engine or aggregate enclosure or wheel housing cladding, wherein the sound-insulating element (10) comprises a carrier layer (12) made of a plastic material, having a first side (14) and a second side remote from this first side, and a sound-absorbing layer (13), likewise made of a plastic material or a synthetic or natural fiber material, formed on the second side of the carrier layer (12); a fixing recess (50) is formed in the carrier layer (12), the fixing recess (50) having an insertion opening (18) in the first side (14) of the carrier layer (12), the insertion opening (18) being adjacent to a receiving space (44) defined by the plastic material of the carrier layer (12), the receiving space (44) being defined by a closed circumferential inner surface (48) and a closed bottom surface (66); a fixing element (24) for being received in the fixing recess (50), the fixing element (24, 24', 24'') being integrally formed with a component to be fastened to the carrier layer (12) of the sound-insulating element (10), or integrally formed with a holding element (22) for attaching a component to be fastened to the carrier layer (12) of the sound-insulating element (10), or being guidable through a through-opening (70) formed in a component to be fastened to the carrier layer (12) of the sound-insulating element (10); the fixing recess (50) having a receiving space (46), formed in the circumferential inner surface (48) which at least partially constricts the receiving space (46), having an enlarged wide region (68) adjacent thereto in the direction of the bottom surface (66), and / or the fixing element (24') having a fixing shoulder (58) for engaging behind a constriction region (54) when the fixing element (24') is received by the fixing recess (50). A positioning recess (52) is formed in the carrier layer (12) of the sound-insulating element (10), the positioning recess (52) having an insertion opening (20) in the first side (14) of the carrier layer (12). A positioning element (26) is provided which is integrally formed with the component to be fastened to the carrier layer (12) of the sound insulation element (10) or is integrally formed with a holding element (22) capable of attaching the component to be fastened to the carrier layer (12) of the sound insulation element (10). The holding element (22) can be located within a groove (16) formed in the carrier layer (12). The positioning element (26) and the fixing element (24') are devices that can be inserted into or are inserted into their respective recesses when aligned with the positioning recess (52) and the fixing recess (50).

2. The insertion opening (20) of the positioning recess (52) is adjacent to a receiving space (44), the receiving space (44) being defined by the plastic material of the carrier layer (12) and being defined by a closed circumferential inner surface (48) and a closed bottom surface (69). The device according to claim 1, characterized in that.

3. The pair of the fixing element (24') and the fixing recess (50) and the pair of the positioning element (26) and the positioning recess (52) are mechanically coated differently in order to prevent misalignment of the component to be fastened to the carrier layer (12) of the sound insulation element (10) in its fastened state. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that.

4. The fixing element (24') and the fixing recess (50) have equal cylindrical first cross-sections with each other, the positioning element (26) and the positioning recess (52) have equal cylindrical second cross-sections with each other, and the size of the first cross-section is different from the size of the second cross-section. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that.

5. The fixing element (24') and the fixing recess (50) have equal first cross-sectional areas with each other, the positioning member (26) and the positioning recess (52) have equal second cross-sectional areas with each other, and the second cross-sectional area is different from the first cross-sectional area. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that.

6. The insertion opening of the fixing recess (18) has an opening edge, and the fixing element (24'') has a circumferential flange (28) with a circumferential edge region (38) that covers the insertion opening of the fixing recess (18) by protruding beyond the edge of the insertion opening of the fixing recess (18) such that the fixing element (24'') is received by the fixing recess (18). The device according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The insertion opening of the positioning recess (20) has an opening edge (40), and the positioning element (26) has a circumferential flange (28) with a circumferential edge (38) that covers the insertion opening of the positioning recess (20) by protruding beyond the edge of the insertion opening of the positioning recess (20) such that the positioning element (26) is received by the positioning recess (20). The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the fixing element has a loop-like structure on its outer circumference.

9. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the holding element (22) is substantially flat.

10. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the holding element is positionable in the groove such that the holding element is spaced from the bottom of the groove.

11. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the fixing recess has a depth selected such that in the assembled state, the fixing element does not reach the bottom of the fixing recess.

12. A motor vehicle comprising the device according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

Images