Metal-plastic hybrid support structure applicable to a dashboard support of a vehicle

• US 8,919,855 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2010
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Barcelona Technical Center, S.L.
• Original Assignee: Barcelona Technical Center, S.L.
• Inventors: Ruiz Rincn, Rafael
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Daniels, Jason S
• Application Number:
  US13/257,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20120032044A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,744 Days
• Field of Search: 296/70, 296/72, 296/193.02, 293/121, 293/122, 249/59, 249/63, 249/64
• US Class Current: 296/70
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 25/145 having a crossbeam incorporated therein
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 29/001 characterised by combining metal and synthetic material
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 29/004 the metal being over-moulded by the synthetic material, e.g. in a mould

Abstract

The invention relates to a metal-plastic hybrid support structure applicable to a dashboard support of a vehicle, wherein the hybrid support structure comprises a metal tubular body (10) having a closed cross section profile and suitable length to be assembled between two elements of a frame of an automotive vehicle, a plurality of projecting metal fastening elements (14) distributed along said metal tubular body (10) and fixed thereto, and a plastic body defining a plurality of plastic functional elements (11, 12) overmolded on different separate regions of the metal tubular body (10), each plastic functional element (11, 12) embedding at least one of the projecting metal fastening elements (14). In one embodiment, the projecting metal fastening elements (14) are stems with outer screw threading.

Claims

1. A metal-plastic hybrid support structure applicable to a dashboard support of a vehicle, comprising:

a metal structure comprising an elongated metal tubular body having a closed cross section profile and suitable length to be assembled between two opposite frame side elements of a vehicle; and

a plastic body made of a plastic material overmolded on said metal structure, said overmolded plastic body defining a plurality of plastic functional elements on different regions of said metal tubular body;

a plurality of projecting metal fastening stems fixed to said metal tubular body and distributed therealong, said projecting metal fastening stems comprises at least one outer portion provided with an outer screw threading; and

at least one of said plastic functional elements of the overmolded plastic body embeds at least one of said projecting metal fastening stems with the plastic material in contact with the outer screw threading thereof.

2. The structure according to claim 1, characterized in that said projecting metal fastening stem is fixed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the metal tubular body.

3. The structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the projecting metal fastening stem is fixed to the metal tubular body by welding or adhering.

4. The structure according to claim 3, characterized in that said attachment by welding, adhering or screwing provides a predetermined attachment force, and the projecting metal fastening stem has a distal end provided with a grip configuration that can be reached through an opening formed in the plastic material, wherein said grip configuration is suitable for being gripped by means of a rotary tool with which a predetermined torque that is capable of overcoming said predetermined attachment force is applied to the projecting metal fastening stem.

5. The structure according to claim 4, characterized in that all the projecting metal fastening stems are arranged with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to a demolding direction of the plastic material.

6. The structure according to claim 4, characterized in that a first group of the projecting metal fastening stems are arranged with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to a demolding direction and a second group of the projecting metal fastening stems are arranged with their longitudinal axes substantially perpendicular to said demolding direction.

7. The structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the projecting metal fastening stem is fixed to the metal tubular body by screwing said outer screw threading in a corresponding hole formed in the metal tubular body.

8. The structure according to claim 7, characterized in that said attachment by welding, adhering or screwing provides a predetermined attachment force, and the projecting metal fastening stem has a distal end provided with a grip configuration that can be reached through an opening formed in the plastic material, wherein said grip configuration is suitable for being gripped by means of a rotary tool with which a predetermined torque that is capable of overcoming said predetermined attachment force is applied to the projecting metal fastening stem.

9. The structure according to claim 8, characterized in that all the projecting metal fastening stems are arranged with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to a demolding direction of the plastic material.

10. The structure according to claim 8, characterized in that a first group of the projecting metal fastening stems are arranged with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to a demolding direction and a second group of the projecting metal fastening stems are arranged with their longitudinal axes substantially perpendicular to said demolding direction.

11. The structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the projecting metal fastening stem is passed through two aligned holes formed in opposite areas of the metal tubular body and fixed thereto by welding or adhering, or by screwing in at least one of said holes, the projecting metal fastening stem having two opposite projecting end regions providing two respective fastening configurations in said opposite areas of the metal tubular body.

12. The structure according to claim 11, characterized in that said attachment by welding, adhering or screwing provides a predetermined attachment force, and the projecting metal fastening stem has a distal end provided with a grip configuration that can be reached through an opening formed in the plastic material, wherein said grip configuration is suitable for being gripped by means of a rotary tool with which a predetermined torque that is capable of overcoming said predetermined attachment force is applied to the projecting metal fastening stem.

13. The structure according to claim 12, characterized in that all the projecting metal fastening stems are arranged with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to a demolding direction of the plastic material.

14. The structure according to claim 12, characterized in that a first group of the projecting metal fastening stems are arranged with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to a demolding direction and a second group of the projecting metal fastening stems are arranged with their longitudinal axes substantially perpendicular to said demolding direction.

15. The structure according to claim 1, characterized in that all the projecting metal fastening stems are arranged with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to a demolding direction of the plastic material.

16. The structure according to claim 1, characterized in that a first group of the projecting metal fastening stems are arranged with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to a demolding direction and a second group of the projecting metal fastening stems are arranged with their longitudinal axes substantially perpendicular to said demolding direction.

17. The structure according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one metal tubular reinforcing body is attached parallel to the metal tubular body in a region thereof and at least one of the plastic functional elements is overmolded partially on said metal tubular reinforcing body.

18. The structure according to claim 1, characterized in that said overmolded plastic body defines one or more overmolded plastic chords in contact with the metal tubular body and connected to the plastic functional elements.

19. The structure according to claim 1, characterized in that said plurality of overmolded plastic functional elements includes at least one steering column support in a first side region of the metal tubular body and at least one support leg in a central region of the metal tubular body.

20. The structure according to claim 19, characterized in that a metal reinforcing element is attached to the metal tubular body and/or to the metal tubular reinforcing body in said first side region of the tubular body, and said steering column support is overmolded, embedding at least partially said metal reinforcing element.

21. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the metal tubular body has surface formations selected from the group consisting of recesses, projections and a combination of recesses and projections, said overmolded plastic body embedding said surface formations.

22. A metal-plastic hybrid support structure applicable to a dashboard support of a vehicle, comprising:

a metal structure comprising a metal tubular body having a closed cross section profile and suitable length to be assembled between two opposite frame side elements of a vehicle; and

a plastic body overmolded on said metal structure, said overmolded plastic body defining a plurality of plastic functional elements on different regions of said metal tubular body, said plurality of overmolded plastic functional elements including at least one steering column support in a first side region of the metal tubular body and at least one support leg in a central region of the metal tubular body;

a plurality of projecting metal fastening stems fixed to said metal tubular body and distributed therealong, at least one of said plastic functional elements of the overmolded plastic body embeds at least one of said projecting metal fastening stems; and

a metal reinforcing element attached to the metal tubular body and/or to the metal tubular reinforcing body in the first side region of the metal tubular body, said steering column support being overmolded, embedding at least partially said metal reinforcing element, the metal reinforcing element having at least one hole in a region thereof in contact with the metal tubular body, one of the projecting metal fastening stems fixed to the metal tubular body is passed through said hole, and at least one portion of the plastic body is overmolded at least partially on said metal reinforcing element, embedding the projecting metal fastening stem and the hole through which the projecting metal fastening stem is inserted.

23. A metal-plastic hybrid support structure applicable to a dashboard support of a vehicle, comprising:

a metal structure comprising an elongated metal tubular body having a closed cross section profile and suitable length to be assembled between two opposite frame side elements of a vehicle; and

a plastic body made of plastic material overmolded by injection on said metal structure, said overmolded plastic body defining a plurality of plastic functional elements on different regions of said metal tubular body and one or more overmolded plastic chords in contact with the metal tubular body and connecting the plastic functional elements;

a plurality of projecting metal fastening stems are fixed to said metal tubular body and distributed therealong, said projecting metal fastening stems comprising at lest one outer portion provided with an outer screw threading; and

at least one of said plastic functional elements of the overmolded plastic body embeds at least one of said projecting metal fastening stems with the plastic material in contact with the outer screw threading thereof.

24. The structure according to claim 23, wherein the metal tubular body has surface formations selected from the group consisting of recesses, projections and a combination of recesses and projections, said overmolded plastic body embedding said surface formations.