Motor vehicle structure, and method of making a motor vehicle structure
A motor vehicle structure includes a metallic base body in the form of a three-dimensional metal sheet and a reinforcement element made of fiber composite having a matrix resin for coupling the reinforcement element with the base body in a coupling zone by a material joint. Arranged between the base body and the reinforcement element is a non-woven having voids through which the matrix resin is able to permeate.
1. A motor vehicle structure, comprising:
a metallic base body in the form of a three-dimensional metal sheet;
a reinforcement element made of fiber composite having a matrix resin for coupling the reinforcement element with the base body in a coupling zone by a material joint; and
a single layer of a non-woven arranged between the base body and the reinforcement element.
2. The motor vehicle structure of claim 1 , wherein the base body is made of steel alloy or light metal alloy.
3. The motor vehicle structure of claim 1 , wherein the fiber composite includes carbon fibers, glass fibers, basalt fibers or metal fibers.
4. The motor vehicle structure of claim 1 , wherein the matrix resin permeates through voids in the non-woven.
5. The motor vehicle structure of claim 1 , wherein the fiber composite has fibers arranged at a ratio of substantially 4:1 in a longitudinal direction in relation to a transverse direction of the base body.
6. The motor vehicle structure of claim 1 , wherein the fiber composite is a prepreg.
7. The motor vehicle structure of claim 1 , wherein the fiber composite has areas of different wall thickness.
8. The motor vehicle structure of claim 1 , constructed to form a B-pillar of a motor vehicle.
9. The motor vehicle structure of claim 1 , constructed to form an A-pillar of a motor vehicle.
10. A method of making a motor vehicle structure, comprising:
producing a stack having at least one layer of a fiber material and a layer of at least one other material;
applying a matrix resin film upon the stack;
placing a single layer of a non-woven upon the matrix resin film;
molding the stack onto a three-dimensional base body at a region intended for reinforcement; and
allowing the region to cure to produce a motor vehicle structure.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the fiber material is a prepreg.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the stack is formed by the fiber material in combination with an adhesive film and a protective film, with the protective film attached on a side of the fiber material distal to the three-dimensional base body.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the protective film is removed during or after curing.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the adhesive film is comprised of an adhesive resin and a carrier material permeated by the adhesive resin.
15. The method of claim 10 , wherein the matrix resin is an epoxy matrix resin.
16. The method of claim 10 , further comprising compressing the stack with the base body during or after the molding step.
17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising preforming the stack before the molding step.
18. The method of claim 10 , further comprising subjecting the motor vehicle structure to a local heat treatment during and/or after production thereof.
19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the stack is produced by placing the layer of fiber material and the layer of at least one other material upon a protective film.