Patent Application
20050284437
The invention relates to a structural component, especially a shielding component, with structural parts which are at least in part differently configurated with respect to their surface extent and/or the directional pattern, and of which at least one structural part of a first type is provided with a curvature which at least partially increases in the direction of at least one edge area, and with structural parts of a second type which at least in part follow the pertinent curvature.
While heat development, for example of a high-economy, performance-optimized diesel engine can be very low on the cylinder crankshaft housing, this in no way applies to “hot zones” such as in manifolds, turbocharger, catalytic converter, etc. Due to the more and more compact construction of engines, components which are not thermally “compatible” are increasingly ending up in close proximity to one another. Accordingly, it is necessary to protect thermal engine components against adjacent, heat-sensitive assemblies, such as sensors, fuel lines, pressure cells, body parts, etc. using so-called shielding components, such as heat shields. The situation is also exacerbated by the compact structure in that the high packing density of the assemblies constricts the cooling air flow in the engine compartment. Noise abatement measures can also contribute to this. Thus, for example, plastic bottom plates which are designed to reduce the emission of noise from the engine compartment to the roadway, under certain circumstances can produce effective insulation with which heat is enclosed in the engine compartment. Catalytic converters, due to their phased high surface temperature, are considered to be among the heat sources which certainly may necessitate the use of protective shield barriers. One typical example of this is design measures such as positioning the catalytic converter close by the manifold. This design principle which performs the function of rapid heat-up of the catalytic converter and thus for reducing emissions in the cold start phase shifts a major source of heat into the engine compartment where numerous assemblies are crowded in a tight space. Certainly one reason for the growing importance of shielding components such as heat shields is the trend toward use of thermoplastics. The light and economical materials with their exceptional moldability are rapidly becoming common in the engine compartment, but require special attention with respect to ambient temperatures at the application site relative to other thermal engine parts (“New materials and development tools for heat protection”, in MTZ Dec. 2001, Vol. 72, pp. 1044 ff).
DE 102 47 641 B3 discloses a generic structural component, especially in the form of a noise-damping shielding component, as a component of a motor vehicle. To improve acoustic insulation in the known structural component, the pertinent shielding component consists of a shielding body with a base edge as a structural part of a first type, which can be fixed on the edge side by way of angular bracket legs within the engine compartment on stationary parts there, and which shields thermal engine components relative to heat-sensitive components.
The shielding body as a structural part of the first type is arched in a U-shape in the middle area and in addition is configured symmetrical in this respect. The middle area which is arched in a U-shape undergoes transition on the edge side into edge areas of greater curvature, on the two opposing edge areas the angular brackets being mounted subsequently as fixing means. The shielding body consists of two layers of sheet metal, between which an acoustically insulating and/or heat insulating layer extends, and to fix the sheet metal cover layers to one another flanging is used in which the free flange edge of one cover layer superficially encompasses the edge area of the other cover layer. In order to reduce weight, the shielding body is made of aluminum or some other lightweight metal.
The known solution is used preferably for shielding a clutch between the gearbox flange and the universal shaft against solid-borne noise which originates from the transmission and against the continuing influence of temperature radiation of the exhaust pipe which runs adjacently. In tests, a reduction of acoustic emission in the known solution by 3 dB was achieved. In order to achieve the pertinent shielding action, along the middle area of the first structural part in the form of a shielding body there extend other structural parts of a second type which extend in the form of bead-shaped longitudinal and transverse ribs over the convex outer side of the shielding body. It is characteristic of this known structuring that the longitudinal ribs which extend over the entire length of the shielding body are adjoined by transverse ribs which are integrally molded on, and which form a type of nub structure and which in an alternating sequence fit adjacently into the intermediate spaces between the two respective transverse ribs of an adjacent longitudinal rib. The edge areas which are bent off more dramatically to the outside with the connecting brackets are conversely kept free of the indicated ribs. With respect to the interrupted transverse rib structure of the known solution, it can be expected that in this respect stiffness and strength are reduced. Furthermore, at the transition point to the connecting brackets, stiffening of the shielding body is obtained only by way of the bent bracket legs which largely define in this respect the connection geometry, in this instance of the structural component on the stationary engine or chassis components; in this way the possible applications of the known structural component are limited. The connecting brackets with their bent bracket legs and eye connecting points for the penetration of a fastener (screw) on the one hand require installation space and on the other hand they increase the weight for the known solution.
On the basis of this most similar prior art, the object of the invention therefore is to further improve the structural component of the indicated type while retaining its advantages, specifically to ensure very good acoustic and heat insulation, such that less installation space is required and that it can be used in a more versatile manner with simultaneously increased stiffness as well as strength and reduced weight with production costs which can be comparably specified. This object is achieved with a structural component with the features specified in claim 1 in its entirety.
In that, as specified in the characterizing part of claim 1, in the respective curved edge area there is at least one structural part of a third type, according to the position of which the structural parts of the second type are oriented and extend continuously at least in the area of the change of the curvature toward the edge area along the first structural part, the edge area is strengthened by way of an additional structural part which is an integral component of the shielding body and need not, as is shown in the prior art, consist of attachment-bracket parts which are seated on the edge side. By transferring the structural parts of the second type in the direction of the respective edge area with the third structural part, the structural parts of the indicated type which are configurated preferably as bead-shaped stiffening ribs are guided in the area of the change in the curvature toward the edge area and in this way stiffen the edge structure of the shielding body in the form of the first structural part. In this respect the structural component can be designed as a flat trough and takes up little installation space and requires little weight. The structural component can be economically attached to other engine components by way of known fixing clamps. In the present case, however, a weld connection is chosen for the corresponding fixing. Alternatively, screw connections can also be used for this purpose. By means of the different structural parts the overall structural component can be stiffened such that a type of shielding armor is created with natural vibration behavior which can be termed noncritical, so that the structural component solution as claimed in the invention is efficiently used especially where the major occurrence of vibrations can be expected in operation. In addition to the indicated advantages, the base structure which has been stiffened in this way effects a clear reduction of acoustic propagation of noisy engine components.
In one preferred embodiment of the structural component as claimed in the invention, provision is made such that the surface extent of the structural part of the first type is greater than that of a structural part of the second type and that the surface extent of a structural part of the third type is different from the surface extent of the structural part of the second type, especially is greater. By preference provision is furthermore made such that at least one structural part of the fourth type establishes a connection between the structural parts of the second type and that the structural parts of the second type are positioned at least outside of the connecting points to extend continuously along the structural part of the first type. Here, by preference, provision is furthermore made such that the respective structural part of the fourth type which forms the connecting points, with respect to its surface extent is chosen to be smaller than or equal to the surface extent of the structural part of the second type. In all orientations of the shielding component, armor-like strengthening and stiffening are implemented by the resulting structure of preferably bead-shaped longitudinal and transverse ribs over the indicated structural parts. This effect can be further enhanced by providing for the structural parts of the second type to discharge into the structural parts of the third and fourth type. In this way a structural part of one type then supports stiffening by way of the structural parts of the other types in “flowing transitions”.
Other advantageous embodiments of the structural component as claimed in the invention are the subject matter of the other dependent claims.
The structural component as claimed in the invention will be described in detail below using one embodiment as shown in the drawings, in which in the forms of diagrams and not drawn to scale
The solution as claimed in the invention relates to a structural component, especially a shielding component, for use in motor vehicles with structural parts of different types 10, 12, 14, 16 which are at least in part differently configurated with respect to their surface extent and/or the directional pattern, of which at least one structural part 10 of a first type is provided with a curvature 18 which at least partially increases in the direction of at least one edge area 20, and with structural parts 12 of a second type which at least in part follow the pertinent curvature 18. In the respective curved edge area 20 one structural part 14 of a third type extends; according to its position the structural parts 12 of the second type are oriented and extend continuously at least in the area of the change 22 in the curvature toward the edge area 20 along the first structural part 10.
As is to be seen especially from the plan view as shown in
As is to be seen especially from the cross sectional shape as shown in
As furthermore is to be seen from
Viewed in the direction of looking at
As is to be seen overall from the figures, the structural parts of the third and fourth type 14, 16 in the longitudinal direction of the structural part 10 of the first type are positioned extending in a straight line, the structural parts 14 of the third type in the longitudinal direction to the outside partially bordering the free edge 46 of the structural part 10 of the first type. It is still within the scope of the invention to not have the structural parts 12 of the second type join the structural parts of the third and fourth type 14 and 16, but it would also be conceivable for the pertinent structural parts to assume a discrete distance to one another; however it is crucial that the structural parts 12 of the second type extend along the change 22 in curvature in the structural part 10 of the first type in order in this way to ensure increased stiffness and strength in the delineated edge areas 20.
The respective structural part 10, 12, 14, 16 is multi-layered in structure, consisting especially of two sheet metal cover layers 48 (
It is still within the scope of the inventive configuration to effect a separation along the middle longitudinal axis 26 such that instead of the illustrated full shell only a segment-like part-half shell forms the structural part, then only one edge area 20 with the corresponding change 22 in the curvature being present. Furthermore, the possibility also exists of the structural part 10 of the first type to extend without further curvature and accordingly to be configurated as plane as a flat shape. The two sheet metal cover layers 48, 50 are securely connected to one another in the conventional manner which is therefore not detailed by way of flanging 52 while retaining the intermediate layer, which is not detailed. This flanging 52 encompasses the structural component on the circumferential side along its lower free edge 46. Furthermore, it is still within the scope of the invention, instead of the bead-like impressions for the longitudinal and transverse ribs, to position the structural parts 12, 14, 16 under consideration on the structural part 10 of the first type for example by means of a welding process or the like, and not, as described, to deep-draw or shape, emboss or crimp the pertinent structural parts.
With the solution as claimed in the invention, for certain applications an optimum of low weight, low production costs, low vibration, high stiffness and strength with simultaneously very good heat and acoustic insulation is achieved. Moreover the structural component has an elegant appearance. The connection of the sheet metal layers to one another can be supported at the same time by way of riveted joints 54. For certain applications it is also sufficient to configure the structural component with only one layer or two layers.
The structural components of the other type, beginning with the second type 12, overall have a projecting prominent area which is larger than the nonprominent projecting area of the structural component of the first type 10. Furthermore, the structural parts 14 of the third type extend along the respective edge area 20 of the structural part 10 of the first type, and toward their two free end sides they have an axial projection relative to the inlet area of the structural parts 12 of the second type. Furthermore, for the structural parts 12 of the second type an alternating pattern is conceivable in which, proceeding from the middle longitudinal axis 26 of the structural part 10, one structural part 12 always extends in alternation in one transverse direction or the other which is facing away from the structural part 16 of the fourth type. Furthermore, as shown in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2004 030 621.4 | Jun 2004 | DE | national |
