Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Structural detail
Patent
1996-08-29
1999-01-19
Pedder, Dennis H.
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Structural detail
296197, 296 29, 298972, B62D 2502
Patent
active
058606947
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to an integral bodyshell structure for a motor vehicle, in particular a passenger car, with an underframe assembly, a side-wall assembly which has two side walls, and a roof assembly, and to a method for the production of the bodyshell structure.
Vehicle bodyshell structures of sheet-metal shell construction are known, these being composed of a multiplicity of individual sheet-metal stampings (Mercedes-Benz W 201). In this case, the complete side walls are composed of individual sheet-metal parts of the A-, B- and C- pillars, as well as of the lateral roof frames and sills. These sheet-metal stampings, of which there are a large number, have to be connected to one another in a manner which is relatively complex during assembly of the side wall. For reinforcements in the joint regions and for joint connections to the end supports, for example in the region of the front and rear roof transverse supports, relatively complex guides are required.
It is also known (German Patent 692 243) to construct the side walls of a motor vehicle from a respectively integral, outer and inner side-wall part, which parts are connected to one another. Motor vehicles of this type do not, however, have an integral bodyshell structure.
The object of the invention is to provide an integral bodyshell structure of the type mentioned at the beginning as well as a method for its production, which structure and method ensure that production is of-little complexity and that nevertheless the various parts of the bodyshell structure are assembled precisely.
This object is achieved for the integral bodyshell structure in that each side wall is composed of an inner side-wall part and an outer side-wall part which are integrally joined together, and in that, on its two sides facing the inner side-wall parts, the underframe assembly is provided with fastening flanges which are assigned to corresponding fastening regions of the inner side-wall parts in such a manner that the side-wall parts can be aligned in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle relative to the underframe assembly for tolerance-free positioning. This makes it possible, during production of the bodyshell structure, to fit the inner side-wall parts from the sides to the underframe assembly, which has already been finished, and before they are welded to the underframe assembly to align them relative to the underframe assembly in such a manner in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle that each inner side-wall part is positioned precisely on the respective underframe assembly. The alignment of the fastening flanges is selected such that the fitted, inner side-wall part can be displaced on each side of the underframe assembly sufficiently far in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle for precise, tolerance-free positioning relative to the underframe assembly to be achieved. Subsequently placing the outer side-wall parts onto the inner side-wall parts, which have already been positioned precisely and are connected in this position rigidly to the underframe, results in a very precise vehicle body, i.e. a bodyshell structure produced essentially free of tolerances is provided.
In a development of the invention, the fastening flanges are aligned relative to the fastening regions of the side walls in such a manner that it is possible additionally for the side walls to be aligned in a vertical direction relative to the underframe assembly. This makes it possible also to compensate for tolerances in the vertical direction between the underframe assembly and the inner side-wall parts, thus resulting in a further improvement in assembling the bodyshell structure precisely.
For the method for the production of the bodyshell structure, the object according to the invention is achieved in that first the inner side-wall part is joined on each side to the underframe assembly as an integral component, and, as it is joined, fastening in at least one roof transverse support of the roof assembly, and then the outer side-wall parts are added in each case as integral com
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Mack Peter
Seefried Johann
Mercedes-Benz AG
Pedder Dennis H.
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