Device for reinforcing a structural element
A device for reinforcing a structural element in a motor vehicle including: a reinforcing element which has a longitudinal axis and which is disposable in a cavity of the structural element, wherein the reinforcing element includes side walls which extend substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis, wherein a fastening element for the preliminary fixing of the reinforcing element to the structural element is disposed on a first side wall, wherein a side wall that is opposite the first side wall at a location that is opposite the fastening element has a closed surface for connecting to the structural element.
1. A device for reinforcing a structural element in a motor vehicle, the device comprising:
a reinforcing element which has a longitudinal axis and which is disposable in a cavity of the structural element, wherein the reinforcing element comprises (i) a plurality of side walls which extend and are elongate substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis, (ii) ribs which interconnect at least two of the side walls; (iii) a front wall and/or a rear wall which are/is disposed in a plane that is transverse to the longitudinal direction; and (iv) a fastening element for preliminarily fixing the reinforcing element to the structural element;
wherein: (i) the fastening element is disposed on a first side wall of the plurality of side walls; and
(ii) an opposite side wall of the plurality of side walls that is opposite the first side wall has a closed surface at a location that is opposite the fastening element, the closed surface being configured to connect to the structural element.
2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the first side wall and the fastening element are configured so as to be integral.
3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening element is configured as a clip.
4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing element has one or two or three fastening elements.
5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the fastening element is formed from the same material as the first side wall.
6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the side walls in a cross section that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and at the fastening element form a substantially closed surface for connecting to the structural element.
7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the side walls are formed from the same material.
8. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing element contains metal, steel, aluminium, magnesium, plastics material, fibre-reinforced plastics material, organic sheet material, or a combination of the materials.
9. A system of a reinforced structural element in a motor vehicle, the system comprising:
the structural element;
the reinforcing element according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing element is disposed in the structural element; and
an adhesive, wherein the adhesive interconnects the reinforcing element and the structural element.
10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the adhesive is a non-expandable adhesive.
11. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the adhesive is an expandable adhesive.
12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the adhesive has an expansion rate of less than 500%.
13. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the adhesive is heat-curable, and wherein the adhesive after curing has an E-modulus of at least 100 MPa.
14. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the ribs interconnect the first side wall to the opposite side wall.
15. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the closed surface is configured to provide a linking face for bonding to the structural element with adhesive.
16. The system according to claim 9 , wherein the adhesive is provided at an interface between the closed surface of the opposite side wall and the structural element to interconnect the reinforcing element to the structural element.