IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,304,562
Granted Patent B2
US 12,304,562 · App. 18/008,284 · Granted May 20, 2025

Hollow chamber support assembly for a vehicle

Inventors: Alexander Günther (Olpe, DE); Lena Kremer (Finnentrop, DE)
Assignee: Kirchhoff Automotive Deutschland GmbH
B62D21/152B62D29/005B60R19/34B62D25/08B62D27/02B62D27/065
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,304,562
App. No.
18/008,284
Granted
May 20, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A hollow chamber support assembly for a vehicle comprising a hollow chamber support, an insert component designed as a hollow chamber profile, which is arranged in the hollow chamber support with the outer sides of the walls of the insert component spaced apart from the inner wall of the hollow chamber support, and means for holding a first end section of the insert component on an end of the hollow chamber support in its arrangement provided in the hollow chamber support(. The means are designed as clamping means and comprise a clamping element and an abutment element, wherein to clamp the insert component, the clamping element is supported on the abutment element and, in this supported arrangement, acts against the outer side of at least one wall of the insert component.

Claims (30)

1. A hollow chamber support assembly for a vehicle, comprising:

a hollow chamber support,

an insert component designed as a hollow chamber profile, which is arranged in the hollow chamber support with outer sides of walls of the insert component spaced apart from an inner wall of the hollow chamber support, and

means for holding a first end section of the insert component on an end of the hollow chamber support in its arrangement provided in the hollow chamber support, which means are designed as clamping means and comprise a clamping element and an abutment element, wherein to clamp the insert component, the clamping element is supported on the abutment element and, in this supported arrangement, acts against the outer side of at least one wall of the insert component.

2. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the abutment element is part of a flange plate which is arranged at a free end of the hollow chamber support and is connected thereto, and the at least one clamping element and the insert component engage in a flange recess of the flange plate.

3. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 2 , wherein at least one abutment surface provided by the flange plate for supporting the clamping element is formed by a flange or flange portion which is angled relative to a base plate of the flange plate and delimits the flange recess.

4. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 3 , wherein the flange or flange portion forming the abutment surface is part of a flange which peripherally encloses the flange recess.

5. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 3 , wherein an opening width of the flange recess is tapered by the flange or flange portion forming the abutment surface starting from the base plate.

6. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 2 , wherein the flange plate carries an outer peripheral flange which is bent over from the base plate.

7. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 6 , wherein the outer peripheral flange is bent over in a same direction as the flange or flange portion forming the at least one abutment surface.

8. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the clamping element has at least two clamping segments opposite to one another with respect to a longitudinal axis of the insert component, which are each supported on an abutment surface portion such that a clamping force acting in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the insert component is provided by the clamping element for clamping the insert component.

9. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 8 , wherein the at least two clamping segments are part of a clamping sleeve which encompasses the insert component.

10. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 9 , wherein the clamping sleeve is formed slotted on one side.

11. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 10 , wherein an inner contour of the clamping sleeve is designed complementary to an outline geometry of the insert component.

12. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the clamping element carries at least one locking cam on a side thereof facing towards the insert component, which cam engages in an opening of the insert component.

13. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the abutment element is part of a flange plate which is arranged at a free end of the hollow chamber support and is connected thereto, and the at least one clamping element and the insert component engage in a flange recess of the flange plate,

the clamping element has at least two clamping segments opposite to one another with respect to a longitudinal axis of the insert component, which are each supported on an abutment surface portion such that a clamping force acting in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the insert component is provided by the clamping element for clamping the insert component, and

a stop panel is formed on a side of the at least two clamping segments facing towards the free end of the hollow chamber support into which the insert component has been inserted, and the stop panel of the clamping element projects beyond an outer contour thereof engaging in the flange recess of the flange plate.

14. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 13 wherein the flange plate is a first flange plate, further comprising a second flange plate having a flange recess, wherein the second flange plate is connected to the first flange plate, wherein the outer contour of the stop panel or a portion thereof engages in the flange recess of the second flange plate, and wherein the clamping element is clamped with the second flange plate in relation to the abutment element.

15. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 14 , wherein the stop panel has a lateral surface which is inclined in relation to the longitudinal axis of the insert component with an inclination direction directed away from the first flange plate and toward the insert component.

16. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the clamping element is a plastic part.

17. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 1 , wherein a second end section of the insert component is supported with at least one second holding means relative to the inner wall of the hollow chamber support.

18. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 17 , wherein the second holding means is a nut held on the outside of the insert component and a screw, which passes through a wall of the hollow chamber support, engages into the nut to fix the second end section of the insert component.

19. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the hollow chamber profile of the insert component has multiple chambers.

20. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 19 , wherein the insert component has a cross-sectional area with a greater extension in the z direction than in the y direction.

21. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 19 , wherein the insert component has, on at least one wall, an inwardly directed slot-shaped groove following a longitudinal extension of the insert component.

22. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the insert component is an aluminum extruded profile.

23. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the insert component has a non-linear longitudinal extension.

24. The hollow chamber support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the hollow chamber support is produced from at least two shell components.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2023
From: GÜNTHER, ALEXANDER; KREMER, LENA
To: KIRCHHOFF AUTOMOTIVE DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
Reel/Frame 062331/0132 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2020 115 953.6 · Jun 17, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230202567A1 · Jun 29, 2023
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