IP Library Granted Patent US 12668316
Granted Patent B2
US 12668316 · App. 18/319,627 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Composite body part comprising metal filaments for a road vehicle, relative road vehicle and relative production method

Inventor: Stefano Tomei (Modena, IT)
Assignee: FERRARI S.P.A.
B62D29/043B32B5/245B32B5/262B32B7/12B62D25/06B62D29/004B32B2262/103B32B2262/106B32B2262/128B32B2266/08B32B2305/022B32B2305/188B32B2307/102B32B2307/718B32B2307/7376B32B2311/12B32B2313/04B32B2605/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12668316
App. No.
18/319,627
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A body part for a road vehicle comprising an outer portion configured to be arranged on the outer side of a road vehicle and defining a first side of the roof panel; an inner portion configured to be arranged, with respect to the outer portion, towards a passenger compartment of the road vehicle and defining a second side of the roof panel; wherein the outer portion comprises one or more first composite material layers, each comprising a reinforcement texture; wherein the outermost layer of said one or more first composite material layers, i.e. the one visible, in use, from the outside of the road vehicle, comprises a plurality of metal filaments woven into the reinforcement texture.

Claims (26)

1 . A body part for a road vehicle ( 1 ) comprising:

an outer portion ( 10 ) configured to be disposed outwardly of a road vehicle ( 1 ) and defining a first side ( 11 ) of the body part;

an inner portion ( 12 ) configured to be arranged, with respect to the outer portion ( 10 ), towards a passenger compartment ( 3 ) of the road vehicle ( 1 ), and defining a second side ( 13 ) of the body part; and

an intermediate portion ( 16 ) disposed between the inner portion ( 12 ) and the outer portion ( 10 ); wherein the intermediate portion ( 16 ) comprises a layer ( 17 ) of sound-absorbing material (M) formed of a continuous closed cell foam;

wherein the outer portion ( 10 ) comprises a plurality of first composite material layers ( 14 ), each comprising a reinforcement texture (W) formed of a carbon fiber fabric (F), wherein an outermost layer ( 19 ) of the outer portion ( 10 ), which is visible from outside of the road vehicle when in use, further comprises a plurality of metal filaments woven into the reinforcement texture (W), wherein the plurality of metal filaments ( 20 ) have a thickness equal to or greater than the carbon fiber fabric (F),

wherein the first composite material layers ( 14 ) underlying the outermost layer ( 19 ) comprise an odd number of alternating first composite material layers of a first grammage and a second grammage, wherein the grammage indicates a weight of the respective carbon fiber fabric (F) of each first composite material layer, and

wherein the inner portion ( 12 ), the intermediate portion ( 16 ) and the outer portion ( 10 ) are solidly coupled together forming a single multilayer body ( 18 ), and

wherein the outermost layer ( 19 ) is resin impregnated and integrally formed as part of the multilayer body ( 18 ).

2 . The body part according to claim 1 , wherein the metal filaments ( 20 ) are made of copper.

3 . The body part according to claim 1 , wherein the metal filaments ( 20 ) are woven between fibers (F) of the carbon fiber fabric.

4 . The body part according to claim 1 , wherein the inner portion ( 12 ) comprises at least one or more second composite material layers ( 15 ).

5 . The body part according to claim 4 , wherein the layer of sound-absorbing material (M) has a thickness of 8 mm or less.

6 . The body part according to claim 4 , wherein the intermediate portion ( 16 ) and the inner portion ( 12 ) are coupled to each other by means of a first adhesive film ( 21 ) disposed therebetween; and wherein the intermediate portion ( 16 ) and the outer portion ( 10 ) are coupled to each other by means of a second adhesive film ( 22 ) disposed therebetween.

7 . The body part according to claim 1 , wherein the outer portion ( 10 ) comprises, in addition to the outermost layer ( 19 ) at least two first composite material layers ( 14 ) having at least a first grammage and at least one first composite material layers ( 14 ) having a second grammage, which are arranged alternately; wherein the first grammage is from 200 g/m 2 to 300 g/m 2 , and the second grammage is from 300 g/m 2 to 500 g/m 2 ; and, wherein the inner portion ( 12 ) comprises at least two second composite material layers ( 15 ) made with a grammage from 200 g/m 2 to 300 g/m 2 .

8 . A method for producing the body part according to claim 1 comprising:

a lamination step, during which the one or more first composite material layers ( 14 ), included the outermost layer ( 19 ) comprising metal filaments ( 20 ), of the outer portion ( 10 ) are shaped by lamination on a special mould;

a first forming step ( 24 ), subsequent to the lamination step ( 23 ), during which the outer portion ( 10 ) is formed by at least one autoclave cycle of the one or more first composite material layers ( 14 );

a coupling step ( 25 ), subsequent to the first forming step ( 24 ), during which the layer of sound-absorbing material (M) and the one or more second layers ( 15 ) of composite material of the inner portion are coupled to the outer portion ( 10 ), and shaped on the previously formed inner portion ( 12 );

a second forming step ( 26 ), following the coupling step ( 25 ), during which the single multilayer body ( 18 ) is formed by arranging the previously coupled outer portion ( 10 ), the intermediate portion ( 16 ) and the inner portion ( 12 ) in an autoclave.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein, during the coupling step ( 25 ), the intermediate portion ( 16 ) is coupled to the inner portion ( 12 ) and to the outer portion ( 10 ) by means of a first adhesive film ( 21 ) and a second adhesive film ( 22 ), respectively.

10 . A road vehicle ( 1 ) comprising:

two pairs of wheels ( 2 ), of which at least one pair of the two pairs of wheels ( 2 ) is driven;

a shell comprising a body ( 7 );

the road vehicle ( 1 ) being characterised in that the body ( 7 ) comprises at least one body part according to claim 1 .

11 . The road vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 10 , wherein the body part is a vehicular roof ( 9 ).

12 . The road vehicle ( 1 ) according to claim 11 , wherein the vehicular roof ( 9 ) is mounted to the rest of the vehicle ( 1 ) by perimeter bonding.