WO2009112113A1

WO2009112113A1 - Device for aligning a vehicle component, and corresponding assembly method

Info

Publication number: WO2009112113A1
Application number: PCT/EP2009/000185
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stephan GÄRTNER; Eckhard Reese
Original assignee: Daimler Ag
Priority date: 2008-03-13
Filing date: 2009-01-15
Publication date: 2009-09-17
Also published as: EP2259960A1; DE102008014107A1

Abstract

In order to make it easier and more efficient to align two vehicle components relative to each other during final assembly of the vehicle, a device is provided for aligning a first vehicle component (1) with a second vehicle component (16). Said device comprises a metal support (10), a first plastic fitting element (13) that is molded onto the metal support (10) in order to be accurately plugged into or onto the first vehicle component (1), and a second plastic fitting element (12) which is also molded onto the metal support (10) in order to be accurately plugged into or onto the second vehicle component (16). Preferably, the device is designed as a front-end support (9) and can also be plugged onto a longitudinal beam (7) of the vehicle by means of one of the plastic fitting elements (12, 13). The plastic fitting elements (12, 13) of the polymer hybrid part have very low tolerances, thus allowing for a high quality of the gap width between a headlight and a bumper, for example.

Description

Daimler AG

Device for aligning a vehicle component and corresponding

assembly method

The present invention relates to a device for aligning a first vehicle component on a second vehicle component. Moreover, the present invention relates to a method for mounting the first vehicle component on the second vehicle component. In particular, the fixation of headlights should be simplified and improved in the vehicle final assembly.

In the final assembly is to ensure a certain quality in terms of the gap dimensions, for example, between a headlight and the fender. This is currently possible only through elaborate adjustment work. Specifically, for example, the problem arises, a previously mounted module, z. B. a front end support with headlights, together with the fender to be attached to the vehicle so that the required gap is maintained exactly.

From the document DE 34 26 711 A1 discloses a headlight lights unit for motor vehicles is known. From her a direction indicator is inserted through a first Zahnrichtgesperre to the headlight housing opposite to the direction of travel of the vehicle and aligned by a second Zahnrichtgesperre respect to the vehicle body transversely to the direction of travel. Each locking mechanism consists of two mutually parallel spring arms with outwardly facing notches, which cooperate with detents of two opposite inner sides of a sleeve. One element has the sleeve and the two spring arms.

Furthermore, the publication DE 102 34 224 A1 discloses a lighting unit for vehicles with a housing which is connectable to a body part at at least three mutually spaced attachment points. In this case, a first attachment point is formed as a fixed point with a fixing element, in such a way in that the housing is arranged in an attaching position so as not to be able to be set or only counter to the approach movement direction to the body part that has taken place.

Furthermore, the publication DE 10 2006 008 240 A1 describes a fastening device for a headlight on a vehicle, in which this is fastened with mounting parts on the vehicle body. The fastening device is designed such that disassembly and repeated assembly of the headlight can be done without tools. For this purpose, a first support member with the upper side member and a second support member with a front end mounting support of the vehicle is detachably connectable. The first support member allows tolerance compensation in the X direction of the vehicle and the second support member allows tolerance compensation in the Y direction of the vehicle. Both mounting parts are detachably arranged on quick attachment means in a defined position on the headlight.

In addition, it is known for the fixation of headlamps to perform corresponding mounting elements and screw thread in plastic. However, the tolerances that occur when spraying such components, are often not sufficient, so that a high quality in terms of gap dimensions is difficult to comply.

In all the cases mentioned above, there is considerable effort to align the components to be assembled with each other during the final assembly of a vehicle before the final attachment. In particular, this high cost, as mentioned, for the maintenance of an exact gap between a headlight and an adjacent fender.

The object of the present invention is therefore to improve the quality in terms of the gap dimensions in the vehicle final assembly and to reduce the adjustment effort.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a device for aligning a first vehicle component on a second vehicle component, comprising a metallic carrier, a first plastic fitting element molded onto the metallic carrier, for accurately fitting into or onto the first vehicle component and a second plastic fitting element also molded onto the metallic carrier, for accurately fitting in or on the second vehicle component. In addition, the invention provides a method for mounting a first vehicle component to a second vehicle component, by aligning the two vehicle components together by inserting a device described above with the first plastic fitting element to the first vehicle component and plugging the second vehicle component in or on the second plastic fitting of the device such that the second vehicle component is aligned with the first vehicle component, and securing the two vehicle components together.

By using the polymer hybrid method, i. H. the sprinkling of plastic elements and in particular adjustment elements to a metal support, it is possible to attach a vehicle attachment without subsequent adjustment in the vehicle final assembly. It is particularly advantageous in this case, however, that the polymer hybrid technology allows much tighter tolerances than previously common techniques. An attachment, such as a headlight, this can be much better aligned to the shell.

Preferably, the first plastic fitting element and the second plastic fitting element are each a pin or a pin. Alternatively, the two plastic fitting elements may for example also be formed as bores. In any case, it is possible that the metallic support, which carries the plastic mating elements or other vehicle components, for the purpose of adjustment easily inserted into the first vehicle component and so fixed at least in two directions.

If the two plastic fitting elements are designed as pins, they can protrude in mutually opposite directions from the metallic carrier. Consequently, the vehicle components to be aligned with each other can be equipped with corresponding holes, pockets or stops for alignment.

The device according to the invention can be designed as a front end carrier according to a preferred embodiment. In this case, it not only has the function of alignment, but also this second function of the wearer of the front end.

According to a development of the metallic carrier is a high-profile element formed by hydroforming. In this case, the entire device can be in a single tool. It then finds not only a hydroforming (IHU), z. As a tube instead, but also according to the polymer hybrid method, an encapsulation of the tube with plastic or a molding of the plastic mating elements.

At least a third plastic fitting element can be molded onto the device according to the invention for aligning the vehicle components. Thus, other vehicle components can be aligned to the first and second vehicle component.

However, there is also the possibility that the device with the first or second plastic fitting element is additionally plugged into a third vehicle component. For example, it is possible that the front-end module, to which a headlight is already fastened with the aid of the first plastic fitting element, additionally attaches a fender to the second plastic fitting element on a longitudinal member of the vehicle and to the second plastic fitting element. As a result, not only the headlamp is clearly positioned opposite the fender, but both are also in a well-defined position relative to the side member.

The present invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a partial view of a motor vehicle in the headlight.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the inventive alignment of a

Headlamps and a fender on the side members of a vehicle and

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a portion of a front end carrier according to the invention.

The embodiments described in more detail below represent preferred embodiments of the present invention.

The starting point for the present invention is the improvement of the quality with respect to the gap dimensions in the final vehicle assembly. In Fig. 1, the left front of a motor vehicle is shown. It is there the headlight 1 and the fender 2 recognizable. In addition, adjacent to the headlight, the radiator hood 3 and the bumper fascia 4. Between the headlight 1 and the surrounding vehicle components, namely fender 2, cooling hood 3 and bumper fascia 4, a gap 5 is provided. The aim is to make this gap 5 in particular between the headlight 1 and the fender 2 over the entire length as wide as possible. Ie. The gap size should have a high quality.

To achieve this goal, a defined mounting receptacle is created in the fender bench on the vehicle body shell as a reference point. Fig. 2 shows this the basic structure of a vehicle front. On the stem 6 of a vehicle left and right each have a side member 7 are mounted with fender bench. At the fender bench mounting mounting 8 is provided with a bore. In Fig. 3, the mounting receptacle 8 of the fender bank is shown enlarged. For clarity, however, the side member 7 is not shown there with the fender bank.

A front end support 9 is to be mounted on the side members 7. It consists essentially of a tube 10, which is formed by hydroforming (IHU) and represents a metallic carrier. In addition, plastic elements 11 are molded onto the tube 10 in an injection molding process. In this case, two plastic pins 12 and 13 are molded onto the tube 10. The front end support 9 is thus a polymer hybrid component. Since the pins 12, 13 are formed from plastic by the relatively accurate injection molding, very small tolerances result. These small tolerances are now used to align the front end support 9 very precisely on the fender or the side member 7. This is done simply by the plastic pin 12 is inserted into the bore of the receptacle 8. The mounting receptacle 8 forms a zero reference not only for the front end support 9, but also for the headlight 1, because of the metallic support, ie the tube 10 of the front end support 9, and the further plastic pin 13 is molded. This can be better seen in the enlarged view of FIG. 3. On the plastic pin 13, a headlight receptacle 14 of the headlamp 1 is inserted. The headlamp receptacle 14 is shown in Fig. 3 only as a beam without the headlamp body itself. The mounting receptacle 8 thus determines the position of the headlight 1 via the front carrier 9. In other words, the zero reference of the fender bank 7 is passed on to the headlight 1 via the pins 12 and 13. Due to the low Tolerances in plastic injection molding so the headlight 1 can be positioned very accurately.

In the embodiment of Figs. 2 and 3, a plastic pin 13 is directed in the direction of travel of the vehicle to the front and a plastic pin 12 to the rear. Both pins are parallel to each other, as the reference line in Fig. 3 illustrates. The rearwardly directed plastic pin 12 is here designed so that it not only extends into the mounting receptacle 8 of the fender or the longitudinal member 7, but that at its free end even a fender receptacle 15 of a fender 16 can be plugged. This, too, can be better seen in FIG. 3, where the representation of the fender 16 itself is dispensed with. The rearwardly directed plastic pin 12 thus also serves for aligning or positioning the fender 16. Thus, the vehicle components longitudinal member 7, fender 16 and headlight 1 to each other have a precisely defined position. Even the front end support 9 itself, which serves as an alignment device for these vehicle components, thus has its defined position relative to these vehicle components.

In a particularly process-economical and reproducible embodiment, the production of the pins can be integrated into the production process of the cross member or of the front end support. For this purpose, the tube or the metallic carrier is formed in a single tool and molded with plastic. This also creates the plastic matching elements for aligning the vehicle components to each other, in particular of the headlamp 1 relative to the fender 16. The manufacturing process thus leads to a metal-plastic hybrid component in which the pins and the cross member are integrally connected.

The hydrofluorocarbon polymer hybrid offers significant tolerances advantages since it can be manufactured with a single tool, eliminating reloading of a support member. All dimensions are made relative to an alignment point in the combined manufacturing process (molding, punching and injection molding). As a result, low repeat tolerances in the carrier of about +/- 0.1 mm are possible. In contrast to a solid plastic part, there is only minimal thermal distortion in the case of an IHU polymer hybrid part. In addition, no reshaping as usual metal parts, no overspray, no provision of the sheet thickness tolerance and no springback after tool removal is necessary or given. With the help of the front end support according to the invention, which also serves as a device for aligning vehicle components, an improved automatic assembly of the assembly front end is possible. By means of a laser, namely, the bore in the mounting receptacle 8 of the longitudinal member can be detected and thus the installation of the front end can be performed accurately, since this hole is practically the reference point for the entire front end. In any case, whether in automatic or manual production, a setting of the headlights can be omitted relative to the fender, since the gap is already predefined by the plastic fitting elements.

In principle, the alignment device according to the invention, in particular in the form of a hydrofluorocarbon hybrid part, can also be used for aligning other body parts, such as doors, flaps, lights, etc. The device according to the invention can also be useful for the assembly of interior trim and interior components.

Claims

Daimler AG patent claims

1. A device for aligning a first vehicle component (1) on a second vehicle component (7, 16), characterized by

a metallic carrier (10),

- A first plastic fitting element (13) which is molded onto the metallic carrier (10), for accurately fitting in or on the first vehicle component (1) and

- A second plastic fitting element (12), which is also molded onto the metallic carrier (10), for accurately fitting in or on the second vehicle component (7, 16).

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the first plastic fitting element (13) and the second plastic fitting element (12) are each a pin.

3. Device according to claim 2, wherein the first plastic fitting element (13) and the second plastic fitting element (12) in the opposite direction of the metallic support (10) protrude.

4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, which is designed as a front end support (9).

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the metallic carrier (10) is a formed by internal high pressure hollow profile element.

6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, to which at least a third plastic fitting element is molded.

7. A method for mounting a first vehicle component (1) to a second vehicle component (7, 16), characterized by

- Aligning the two vehicle components (1, 7, 16) to each other by o plugging a device according to claim 1 with the first

Plastic fitting element (13) to the first vehicle component (1) and o insertion of the second vehicle component (7, 16) in or on the second plastic fitting element (12) of the device, so that the second vehicle component (7, 16) on the first vehicle component (1 ), and

- Attaching the two vehicle components (1, 7, 16) to each other.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the device with the first or second plastic fitting element (12, 13) is additionally plugged into a third vehicle component.

9. The method of claim 7 or 8, wherein the third vehicle component is a side rail (9).

10. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the first vehicle component (1) is a headlamp or a headlamp part and the second vehicle component (7, 16) is a fender.