Motor vehicle body with a lateral part structure, in particular a column, and method for assembling a motor vehicle body comprising such a lateral part structure
A motor vehicle body having a lateral part structure, at least partly comprising a pillar outer shell, a pillar inner shell that is connected to the pillar outer shell, and a door hinge reinforcement element that is arranged in an intermediate space between the pillar outer shell and the pillar inner shell. The pillar inner shell and the pillar outer shell are designed such that the intermediate space has an access opening that leads directly to the region of the door hinge reinforcement element when the pillar inner shell and the pillar outer shell are in a state of having been brought together in the final assembly position.
1 . A motor vehicle body comprising a lateral part structure comprising:
a pillar outer shell;
a pillar inner shell that is connected to the pillar outer shell; and
a door hinge reinforcement element that is arranged in an intermediate space between the pillar outer shell and the pillar inner shell,
wherein, in a final assembly position in which the pillar inner shell is brought together with the pillar outer shell, an access opening is formed by the pillar inner shell and the pillar outer shell that leads directly into the intermediate space to a region of the door hinge reinforcement element, such that the intermediate space and the door hinge reinforcement element arranged in the intermediate space remain accessible via the access opening after the pillar inner shell has been brought together with the pillar outer shell, and
wherein the access opening is provided at a front of the intermediate space with respect to a longitudinal vehicle direction, such that the intermediate space is accessible from the front in the longitudinal vehicle direction.
2 . The motor vehicle body according to claim 1 , wherein the pillar outer shell and the pillar inner shell are part of an A-pillar, and wherein the door hinge reinforcement element is arranged in a lower region of the A-pillar.
3 . The motor vehicle body according to claim 1 , wherein the door hinge reinforcement element is connected to the pillar outer shell and/or to the pillar inner shell via a joining method that requires a two-sided accessibility.
4 . The motor vehicle body according to claim 1 , wherein, with respect to a longitudinal vehicle direction, a front end of the pillar outer shell and/or the pillar inner shell has a support flange extending in a transverse vehicle direction and in a vertical vehicle direction.
5 . The motor vehicle body according to claim 1 , wherein the access opening at the front of the intermediate space is closed, at least in the region of the door hinge reinforcement element, by an auxiliary element extending in the transverse vehicle direction and in the vertical vehicle direction.
6 . The motor vehicle body according to claim 1 , wherein the pillar inner shell and/or the pillar outer shell are part of a ring-shaped door structure, or wherein the pillar inner shell and/or the pillar outer shell are arranged adjacent to a side sill at a lower side.
7 . The motor vehicle body according to claim 5 , wherein, with respect to the longitudinal vehicle direction, a front end of the pillar outer shell and/or the pillar inner shell has a support flange extending in a transverse vehicle direction and in a vertical vehicle direction, and wherein the auxiliary element rests flat against the support flange of the pillar outer shell and/or the support flange of the pillar inner shell.
8 . The motor vehicle according to claim 1 , wherein the pillar inner shell and the pillar outer shell together form a U-shaped geometry in at least one horizontal cross-section, with legs of the U-shaped geometry extending forward in the longitudinal vehicle direction, such that the access opening is provided at the front of the intermediate space with respect to the longitudinal vehicle direction.
9 . A method for assembling a motor vehicle body, the method comprising:
providing a lateral part structure comprising a pillar outer shell, a pillar inner shell that is connected to the pillar outer shell, and a door hinge reinforcement element that is arranged in an intermediate space between the pillar outer shell and the pillar inner shell;
forming the pillar inner shell and the pillar outer shell such that when the pillar inner shell and the pillar outer shell are in a final assembly position in which the pillar inner shell is brought together with the pillar outer shell, an access opening is formed by the pillar inner shell and the pillar outer shell that leads directly into the intermediate space to a region of the door hinge reinforcement element, such that the intermediate space and the door hinge reinforcement element arranged in the intermediate space remain accessible via the access opening after the pillar inner shell has been brought together with the pillar outer shell; and
attaching the door hinge reinforcement element, via welding or riveting, to the pillar inner shell and/or to the pillar outer shell in the intermediate space through the access opening in order to mount the door hinge reinforcement element,
wherein the access opening is provided at a front of the intermediate space with respect to a longitudinal vehicle direction, such that the intermediate space is accessible from the front in the longitudinal vehicle direction.
10 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the access opening is closed in a subsequent step by connection to an auxiliary element extending in the transverse vehicle direction and in the vertical vehicle direction.
11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein, with respect to the longitudinal vehicle direction, a front end of the pillar outer shell and/or the pillar inner shell has a support flange extending in a transverse vehicle direction and in a vertical vehicle direction, wherein the auxiliary element and the pillar inner shell and/or the pillar outer shell are connected to one another by positioning and fixing in place.
12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the auxiliary element rests flat against the support flange of the pillar outer shell and/or the support flange of the pillar inner shell.
13 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the pillar inner shell and the pillar outer shell together form a U-shaped geometry in at least one horizontal cross-section, with legs of the U-shaped geometry extending forward in the longitudinal vehicle direction, such that the access opening is provided at the front of the intermediate space with respect to the longitudinal vehicle direction.