TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a strut for automotive vehicles, and to a method of manufacturing such struts.

BACKGROUND ART

NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) requirements to automotive vehicles require ridged car bodies. The use of tubular struts is a very efficient way to trim body stiffness and the use of such components has increased strongly over the last years. Struts are often produced from aluminium extruded round or oval tubes, and should normally be straight and loaded in a push- pull mode to obtain maximum effect in a body, and be formed only at the connection area. The stiffness of the connection area is of course important to the function of the strut. In order to increase the stiffness of the connection area in a strut, a local stiffener can be inserted at the end. GB287023 shows a tube assembly for frame structures where the strength of the flattened ends is increased by means of inserts. The connection area can also be formed shown for example in W02004/090369A1.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure aims at providing an improved strut design, which has increased bending stiffness in the connection area, without using inserts.

A strut according to such an improved design comprises an elongated beam portion and at least one connecting end portion, where the elongated beam portion is a tubular structure having an external circumference C and the connecting end portion is integral with the elongated beam portion. The connecting end portion is comprised of a folded and flattened end portion of the tubular structure, in which diametrically opposite inward fold lines meet between flattened parts of the end portion of the tubular structure, so that the resulting connecting end portion comprises four material layers, and where the end portion of the tubular structure has been cold-formed prior to, or after, being folded and flattened, preferably so that the connecting end portion has a width w in a direction transverse to a longitudinal centreline L of the connecting end portion, where w > C/4. The diametrically opposite inward fold lines may suitably meet approximately at the longitudinal centreline L of the connecting end portion.

The tubular structure of the elongated beam portion may have an average wall thickness tl and the connecting end portion may have a total thickness t2, where t2 > 3 x tl. In one alternative, the tubular structure of the elongated beam portion can have an average wall thickness tl and the connecting end portion has a total thickness t2, where t2 = 4 x tl and w > C/4. In one alternative w > C/3, and if desired t2 > 4 x tl.

The tubular structure of the strut may have a circular, flat oval, or oval cross-section, and can suitable be an extruded aluminium tubular profile. Further, the at least one connecting end portion of the strut can suitably have an opening configured to receive a fastener.

The present disclosure also aims at providing a method of manufacturing a strut of the above mentioned improved design comprising the steps of providing a tubular element having an external circumference C and forming a connecting end portion at an end of the tubular element. The connecting end portion is formed by folding and flattening a portion of the tubular element, wherein the folding is performed by deforming the material in said portion so as to form inward fold lines, and pushing them from diametrically opposite sides in a direction toward the centre of the tubular element until they meet , and the flattening is performed by pressing the thus folded portion toward the centre of the tubular element, from opposite directions perpendicular to the direction of pushing), whereby an end portion comprising four material layers is obtained, and wherein the method further comprises cold-forming of the end portion prior to, or after, the folding and flattening.

The folding may be performed by deforming the material in said portion so that the inward fold lines, meet approximately at a longitudinal centreline L of the resulting end portion.

The cold-forming of the end portion prior to, or after, the folding and flattening, may be performed so that the end portion attains a width w in a direction transverse to the longitudinal centreline L of the end portion which is greater than one fourth of the external circumference C of the tubular element. The cold-forming may comprise pre-expansion of the end portion of the tubular element prior to folding and flattening, to increase its circumference. The pre expansion may comprise increasing the circumference by 20-40%. The cold-forming may also comprise axial compression of the end portion of the tubular element prior to, or simultaneous with the pre-expansion of the circumference of the end portion of the tubular element.

The method may further comprise a step of forming an opening (4) configured to receive a fastener in the end portion, and the opening is preferably cold-formed after folding and flattening. The folded and flattened end portion may have a width wl in a direction transverse to the longitudinal centreline L, and may be cold-formed to increase the width to a width w2, where wl < w2, and preferably w2 > C/3.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective side view of a strut of the present disclosure;

Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective top view of a strut of the present disclosure;

Fig. 3 schematically illustrates a cross-section of an example of a tubular structure or element from which the strut can be formed, and also illustrates the cross-section of an example of the elongated beam portion of the strut;

Fig. 4 is a schematic perspective side view of a strut showing the cross-section of the connecting end portion in more detail;

Fig. 5 schematically illustrates how the folding and flattening of an end portion of the tubular element can be performed;

Fig. 6a and 6b schematically illustrates examples of alternative suitable cross-sections of tubular structures or elements from which the strut can be formed;

Fig. 7 is a schematic perspective top view of a strut of the present disclosure;

Fig. 8 schematically illustrates pre-expansion of the end portion of the tubular element;

Fig. 9 schematically illustrates axial compression followed by pre-expansion of the end portion of the tubular element;

Fig. 10 schematically illustrates combined axial compression and pre-expansion of the end portion of the tubular element; Fig. 11 schematically illustrates cold forming of an opening which is configured to receive a fastener;

Fig. 12 schematically illustrates cold forming of the end portion after folding and flattening;

Fig. 13 is a diagram schematically illustrating a method of manufacturing a strut according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In struts mounted in automotive structures, the connection areas are subject to the highest local stresses. This is particularly pronounced when the axis of connection area is not in line with the axis of loading.

Conventional struts typically have connections areas for attachment to an automotive structure, where the connection area is a flattened end portion of the strut. In order to improve stiffness in the connection area, inserts are used, or the connection area is formed with for example bent side edges to better take up kinetic forces. These ways are often either too costly or not efficient enough.

Thus, the present disclosure aims at providing an improved strut design, which has increased bending stiffness in the connection area. The strut of the present disclosure comprises an elongated beam portion and at least one connecting end portion, which can have an opening configured to receive a fastener. The strut will be connected at both ends to a body during use, and one or both connecting end portions can have the design and be manufactured in the way described herein. The elongated beam portion is a tubular structure having an external circumference (C). The connecting end portion is integral with the elongated beam portion and is comprised of a folded and flattened end portion of the tubular structure, in which diametrically opposite inward fold lines meet between flattened parts of the end portion of the tubular structure, so that the resulting connecting end portion comprises four material layers. The end portion of the tubular structure has been cold-formed prior to, or after, being folded and flattened, in order to obtain a certain desired width and/or thickness. Advantageously, the connecting end portion has a width (w) in a direction transverse to a longitudinal centreline of the connecting end portion, which is greater than one fourth of the external circumference of the tubular structure, i.e. w > C/4. This can be obtained e.g. by pre-expansion of the end portion before folding and flattening. In this context, the term "meet" is intended to mean that the diametrically opposite inward fold lines are brought close to each other in order to obtain a full four layered end portion, but they don't necessarily have to touch. The end portion can be folded asymmetrically or symmetrically. However, it is preferred that the diametrically opposite inward fold lines meet approximately at a longitudinal centreline (L) of the connecting end portion, to give a desired symmetric stiffness in the folded area.

In the present description of the strut and the method of manufacturing it, it is assumed that the connecting end portion is formed from a tubular element or tubular structure, which has the same shape, dimensions and average wall thickness throughout it entire length. However, it may be contemplated that the shape, dimensions and average wall thickness tubular element or tubular structure is different in the portion which is to form the connecting end portion. If so, the external circumference and average wall thickness and any other detail of the tubular structure or element which is relevant for the resulting end connecting portion refers to the portion of the tubular structure or element from which the end connecting portion is formed.

In case no forming of the connecting end portion has been performed, except from the folding and flattening, the thickness t2 of the end portion will be about four times the average wall thickness tl, and the width will be less than one fourth of the external circumference C of the tubular structure from which the connecting end portion is formed, since some of the circumference will end up as giving the end portion its thickness. With a thickness tl=0, the width would be w=C/4, but since the thickness will always be tl>0, the width will be w<C/4. The width (without any forming except the folding and flattening) can be expressed as w= (C - 0,6 x tl)/4, based on the assumption that the folds have approximately semicircular cross sections. However, the connecting end portion of the tubular structure of the present disclosure is cold- formed prior to, or after, being folding and flattening, so that the connecting end portion has a width (w) in a direction transverse to a longitudinal centreline (L) of the connecting end portion, where w > C/4. Thus , without any cold forming in addition to the folding and flattening, the width will be w = (C - 0,6 x tl)/4, and with cold forming the width will be greater. The end portion can be cold formed in various ways to increase the width and/or the thickness thereof in order to improve the strength of the connecting end portion. The more material that can be added to the cross sectional area within the connecting end portion, the higher local stiffness can be achieved. It will be discussed in more detail below, in connection with the description of the method, how this can be obtained.

Accordingly, the tubular structure of the elongated beam portion has advantageously an average wall thickness tl and the connecting end portion has a total thickness t2, where the total thickness t2 of the connecting end portion is equal to or greater than three times the average wall thickness tl, i.e. t2 > 3 x tl, which can be obtained by cold-forming. This allows the connection end portion to have a greater width that one fourth of the external circumference of the tubular structure, since some of the folded material can contribute to the width. The thickness t2 of the connecting end portion in measured in a direction perpendicular to the width direction thereof. The term "average thickness" refers to the fact that the tubular structure of the elongated beam portion can have different wall gauges in the periphery, but when folded into the connecting end portion all material comprised in the tube will contribute to the width and thickness of the connecting end portion.

In one advantageous alternative, the connecting end portion can have a total thickness t2, which is approximately equal to four times the average wall thickness tl of the tubular structure of the elongated beam portion, and at the same time the width or the connecting end portion is greater than one fourth of the external circumference of the tubular structure, i.e. t2 = 4 x tl and w > C/4.

In an alternative the width of the connecting end portion is equal to or greater than a third of the circumference of tubular structure, i.e. w > C/3, and it is even more advantageous when the thickness t2 of the connecting end portion is at the same time greater than four times the average wall thickness of the tubular structure, i.e. t2 > 4 x tl.

The tubular structure strut may preferably have a circular, flat oval, or oval cross-section, which has been shown to provide excellent load carrying properties. The tubular structure can be produced from a rolled and welded sheet, but is preferably an extruded aluminium tubular profile, which allows for efficient manufacture of the tubular structure, and allows for the possibility of providing tubular structures have varying gauge over the periphery.

As mentioned above, a method of manufacturing a strut is also provided. The method comprises the steps of providing a tubular element having an external circumference C and forming a connecting end portion at an end of the tubular element. The connecting end portion can be formed at an end of a tubular element, or it can be formed at an intermediate position along a tubular element, which is then split in two parts after forming the connection end portion, so that two struts are obtained in one step. Whenever the connecting end portion is mentioned in the below description, any one of these two alternative options for forming the connecting end portion is intended to be encompassed.

In the present method, the connecting end portion is formed by folding and flattening a portion of the tubular element, wherein the folding is performed by deforming the material in said portion so as to form inward fold lines, and pushing them from diametrically opposite sides in a direction toward the centre X of the tubular element until they meet, and the flattening 103 is performed by pressing the thus folded portion toward the centre X of the tubular element, from opposite directions perpendicular to the direction of pushing, whereby an end portion comprising four material layers is obtained; and optionally an opening configured to receive a fastener is formed 104 in the end portion.

The folding is performed by deforming the material in the end portion so that the inward fold lines meet between flattened parts of the end portion of the tubular structure, preferably approximately at a longitudinal centreline (L) of the end portion. As said above, the term meet means that the diametrically opposite inward fold lines are brought close to each other in order to obtain a full four layered end portion, but they don't necessarily have to touch. It is desired that they are brought into contact with each other to give a symmetrical stiffness in the folded area.

The end portion can be folded asymmetrically so that one fold is larger than the other, and in one alternative it can be folded such that only one side is pushed toward the diametrically opposite side of the tubular structure. However, it is preferred that the diametrically opposite inward fold lines meet approximately at a longitudinal centreline L of the connecting end portion, to give a desired symmetric stiffness in the folded area.

As said above, the width of the connecting end portion in a direction transverse to the longitudinal centreline L will be slightly above one fourth of the external circumference of the tubular element from which the connecting end portion is formed, and the thickness t2 of the end portion will be about four times the average wall thickness tl, unless no forming of the connecting end portion has been performed except from the folding and flattening. This will increase the stiffness with respect to bending loads as compared to a flattened two layer end connection.

In order to improve bending stiffness, the method of manufacturing the strut comprises one or more steps of cold-forming of the end portion, which can be performed prior to or after the folding and flattening of the end portion. Cold-forming is performed at temperatures below o o

200 C, typically < 100 C, and improves material properties by cold deformation resulting in improved stiffness. By means of cold-forming material in the connecting end portion is redistributed, so that it attains certain desired shape, width and thickness as will be explained in more detail below. The thickness t2 of the connecting end portion can be less than, equal to, or greater than about four times the average wall thickness tl of the tubular element from which the end connection end portion depending on the combinations of cold forming used when forming the end portion.

The width of the connecting end portion is advantageously greater than one fourth of the external circumference C of the tubular element, or greater than one third of the external circumference C, to allow sufficient space for a connecting fastener to be used for mounting the strut to an automotive structure. One way of obtaining the increased width is by cold-forming the end portion after folding and flattening, until the folded and flattened end portion, which has an initial width wl in a direction transverse to the longitudinal centreline L, has attained a width w2, which is greater than the initial width wl (i.e. wl < w2), and for example greater than one third of the of the external circumference C of the tubular element (w2 > C/3). The width w2 of cold-formed end connecting portion can be up to C/2.5.

The width of the connecting end portion can also advantageously be increased as compared to the width of an end portion which has only been folded and flattened by performing a cold forming prior to folding and flattening, which comprises pre-expansion of the end portion of the tubular element to increase its circumference. By means of this step, the width can be increased to the same extent as if the cold-forming was performed after folding and flattening, and in addition it can be avoided that a narrow throat is formed in the transition between the elongated beam portion and the connecting end portion, which can be the result of folding and flattening before cold-forming to an increased width. Thereby, bending stiffness can be improved. The pre-expansion can be performed by inserting an expansion mandrel into the tubular element, whereby the walls of the tubular element are stretched and thinned. The mandrel has preferably a narrow section having a cross-sectional shape and size corresponding to the initial interior of the tubular element, and a wide section having a cross-sectional shape and size corresponding to the interior of the pre-expanded tubular element, and a transition section between the narrow and wide sections, in which the shape and size gradually changes from the narrow to the wide section. The pre-expansion preferably comprises increasing the circumference by 20-40%.

The stiffness can be further improved by subjecting the tubular portion, which will become the connecting end portion, to a cold-forming step comprising axial compression of the end portion of the tubular element prior to, or simultaneous with the pre-expansion of the circumference of the end portion of the tubular element. The axial compression can be performed by using a mandrel having a forward section having a cross-sectional shape and size corresponding to the initial interior of the tubular element, and compressing section having a cross-sectional shape and size corresponding to the exterior of the tubular element, where the transition between the forward section and the compressing section is immediate, so that the compressing section comprises a contact surface which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the mandrel. When inserted into the tubular element, the contact surface will abut with the end surface of the tubular element and an end section will be axially compressed due to the force exerted on the tubular element by the mandrel, and the wall thickness will consequently increase. As said above, the axial compression and pre-expansion can also advantageously be performed in one step, and this can be performed by a mandrel having a shape and size, which is a combination of the above described mandrels for pre-expansion and axial compression, i.e. including all of a narrow section, a wide section, a transition section, and a compression section, having a contact surface. In this case, the compression section is a separate component arranged circumferentially to the wide section, so that the narrow section, the transition section and the wide section can be inserted into the tubular element first to pre-expand the end section of the tubular element, and the thus pre-expanded end is then axially compressed by the compression section in the same step. The tubular element is clamped as suitable during pre-expansion and axial compression. The connecting end portion can comprise an opening which is configured to receive a fastener, in order to facilitate mounting of the strut to an automotive structure. In the present method the opening can be obtained by punching a hole in the formed end connection portion. However, in some cases the opening can preferably be formed by cold forming after folding and flattening. In this way all material which was originally present in the tubular element from which the end connecting portion is formed is maintained in the end connecting area and can be used to increase the width and/or thickness of the end connecting portion.

Embodiments of the strut and the method of manufacturing a strut will now be described in connections with the drawings.

Figs. 1 and 2 show a portion of a strut 1 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, with an elongated beam portion 2 and a connecting end portion 3 having an opening 4 configured to receive a fastener. The elongated beam portion 2 is a tubular structure 10 having an external circumference C and an average wall thickness tl, as shown also in Fig. 3, and the connecting end portion 3 is integral with the elongated beam portion 2 and is comprised of a folded and flattened end portion of the tubular structure. In the folded and flattened end portion 3, diametrically opposite inward fold lines 5 meet between flattened parts 3a, 3b of the end portion 3, so that the resulting connecting end portion 3 comprises four material layers, as illustrated in Fig. 4. The end portion of the tubular structure has been cold-formed prior to, or after, being folded and flattened, so that and the connecting end portion has a width w in a direction transverse to a longitudinal centreline L of the connecting end portion, where w > C/4. As shown in Fig. 4, the diametrically opposite inward fold lines 5 preferably meet approximately at the longitudinal centreline L of the connecting end portion. The connecting end portion has a total thickness t2, which is preferably t2 > 3 x tl. Advantageously, the connecting end portion 3 has a total thickness t2, where t2 = 4 x tl and w > C/4. In some cases the width is preferably w > C/3. The thickness t2 is preferably t2 > 4 x tl.

The tubular structure of the elongated beam and of the tubular element from which the end connecting portion is made can have a circular, flat oval, or oval cross-section, as shown in Figs. 3, 6a and 6b, and I preferably an extruded aluminium tubular profile.

The method 100 of manufacturing a strut 1 is schematically illustrated in Fig. 13. The method comprises the steps of providing 101 a tubular element 10 having an external circumference C and forming 102; 103 a connecting end portion 3 at an end of the tubular element 10 by folding and flattening a portion 3' of the tubular element 10, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The folding 102 is performed by deforming the material in said portion 3' so as to form inward fold lines 5, and pushing them from diametrically opposite sides in a direction pi toward the centre X of the tubular element until they meet , and the flattening 103 is performed by pressing the thus folded portion 3' toward the centre X of the tubular element, from opposite directions p2 perpendicular to the direction of pushing pi, whereby an end portion 3 comprising four material layers is obtained. Preferably, the folding 102 is performed by deforming the material in said portion 3' so that the inward fold lines 5 meet approximately at a longitudinal centreline L of the resulting end portion. The method can also comprise forming 104 an opening 4 in the end portion, which is configured to receive a fastener. The method may further advantageously comprise cold-forming of the end portion prior to, or after, the folding 102 and flattening 103, so that the end portion attains a width w in a direction transverse to the longitudinal centreline L of the end portion which is greater than one fourth of the external circumference C of the tubular element. In particular, the method may comprise cold-forming in the form of pre expansion 106 of the end portion of the tubular element prior to folding 102 and flattening 103, to increase its circumference, and this may preferably be combined with cold-forming in the form of axial compression 105 of the end portion of the tubular element prior to, or simultaneous with the pre-expansion 106 of the circumference of the end portion of the tubular element.

Fig. 7 shows an embodiment of the strut in which the end portion 3 has been folded 102 and flattened 103 and thereafter cold-formed 107 to an increased width to obtain a wider end section. This way of forming the end connection portion gives a throat 2a in the transition between the elongated beam portion 3 and the connecting end portion 3.

As illustrated in Fig. 8, the pre-expansion 106 can be performed by inserting a pre-expansion mandrel 6 into the tubular element, to stretch and thin the walls of the tubular element 10. In this case, the mandrel has a narrow section 7 having a cross-sectional shape and size corresponding to the initial interior of the tubular element 10, and a wide section 8 having a cross-sectional shape and size corresponding to the interior of the pre-expanded tubular element 11, and a transition section 9 between the narrow and wide mandrel sections, and the pre-expansion mandrel 6 is preferably dimensioned to increase the circumference of the tubular element 10 by 20-40%.

Fig. 9 shows how axial compression 105 can be performed by using a compression mandrel 12 having a forward section 13 having a cross-sectional shape and size corresponding to the initial interior of the tubular element 10, and compressing section 14 having a cross-sectional shape and size corresponding to the exterior of the tubular element, where the transition between the forward section 13 and the compressing section 14 is immediate, so that the compressing section 14 comprises a contact surface 15 which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the compression mandrel. When inserted into the tubular element, the contact surface 15 will abut with the end surface 16 of the tubular element and the end section 17 will be axially compressed due to the force exerted on the tubular element 10 by the compression mandrel 12, and the wall thickness of the end section 17 will consequently increase.

Fig. 10 shows how the axial compression 105 and pre-expansion 106 can be performed in one step, by using a combined pre-expansion and compression mandrel 18 having a shape and size, which is a combination of the above described pre-expansion mandrel 6 and the compression mandrel 12, so that it includes a narrow section 7', a wide section 8', a transition section 9', and a compression section 14', having a contact surface 15'. The compression section 14' is a separate component arranged circumferentially to the wide section 8', and axially compresses the end of the tubular element after pre-expansion but in the same step.

Fig. 11 illustrates how the material of the end portion is redistributed when the opening 4 is cold-formed 104 after folding 102 and flattening 103. In this way, the material which was originally located in the position of the opening can contribute to greater width and/or thickness of the final connecting end portion as desired.

Fig. 12 shows an example of cold forming 107 the end portion after folding 102 and flattening 103 to increase the width in a direction transverse to the longitudinal centreline L. Directly after folding and flattening, the end portion has an initial width wl and thickness t2' and it is cold formed 107 to a final width w2 and thickness t2". The final width w2 can in a preferred version be greater than one third of the initial external circumference of the tubular element. The final thickness t2" is less than the initial thickness t2' in the shown example, but can be equal to or greater than the initial thickness t2' depending on the combinations of cold forming used when forming the end connecting portion.