DE102023001195A1 - Automotive component, aluminum component and use of a conductor track - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a motor vehicle component (1) made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The invention is characterized in that at least one conductor track (2) is attached to the motor vehicle component (1), wherein the conductor track (2) is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, wherein the conductor track (2) is separated from the motor vehicle component (1) by an insulation layer (3). Furthermore, the invention relates to an aluminum component and a use of at least one conductor track for heating.

Description

The invention relates to a motor vehicle component made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. The invention also relates to an aluminum component with at least one conductor track and the use of a conductor track for heating.

Recycling technologies are based in particular on separating components into different material groups during recycling. This is usually difficult or very costly to implement due to complex components that are composed almost inseparably of different material groups.

In order to improve recycling, the material separation process can be optimized, for example. However, this is usually very costly. Another option is to reduce the material complexity of the components in order to enable more cost-effective recycling with fewer process steps.

The recycling of cable harnesses, which have a high material complexity, is particularly interesting here. In cable harnesses, for example, data cables are combined with power cables, which are difficult to separate from each other, and especially from the component.

For example, cable harnesses can be inseparably connected to a component of a vehicle, making recycling difficult. For example, a bumper can have a cable set for each side of the bumper in order to reach the sensors installed there.

It can be particularly difficult to separate circuit boards or conductor tracks from a component. For example, DE 30 35 749 A1 heat-dissipating circuit boards with a core made of metallic materials are known. The core can be coated with a galvanic aluminum anodized layer, with additional layers of copper or silver arranged between the layer and the core. The disadvantage of recycling is that separating the individual layers from one another is time-consuming and costly, or not possible.

Another example is in the DE 37 40 593 A1 a wiring harness arrangement for a motor vehicle is shown. Synthetic resin frame covers are used to facilitate the connection of the electrical devices. Furthermore, the vehicle frame itself can be made of synthetic resin. According to the DE 10 2004 063 061 A1 A module can also consist of two individual molded parts, between which electrical wiring in the form of a flat conductor can be arranged. Separation can possibly be made easier in this way, although designing the module itself is cost-intensive.

For further information on the state of the art, please refer to DE 10 2011 108 198 A1 which discloses a printed circuit board with a metal core and an anodized layer.

The object of the present invention is to provide a motor vehicle component, an aluminum component and a use of such a component, which enable a simplified recycling process.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a motor vehicle component with the features in claim 1, and here in particular in the characterizing part of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments emerge from the dependent claims. An aluminum component and the use of at least one conductor track for heating are also described.

The core of the motor vehicle component according to the invention is formed by at least one conductor track that is attached to the motor vehicle component, the conductor track being made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, the conductor track being separated from the motor vehicle component by an insulating layer. In other words, aluminum elements can be functionalized according to the invention. The at least one conductor track can be printed directly, and in particular in a uniform material design, onto the motor vehicle component. Since aluminum is electrically conductive, an insulating layer is required, which is used up before the conductor track is printed onto the motor vehicle component. In particular, an anodizing process is used to apply the insulating layer.

The motor vehicle component is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy and can be printed with at least one conductor track on a top or bottom side. This allows a flexible conductor track or a plurality of conductor tracks to be formed. Advantageously, the invention minimizes the amount of copper used. Furthermore, the material complexity is reduced, which can enable improved recycling. Further advantages arise in particular from the fact that the work of laying the cable harness itself is eliminated, which enables an assembly-friendly process with fewer work steps. In other words, functional integration is achieved through printed conductor tracks, which enables assembly and disassembly times to be reduced by eliminating individual cable harnesses. Furthermore, various components that also have printed conductor tracks can be connected centrally. The connection is preferably made via a plug connection. The motor vehicle component with at least one conductor track can therefore be referred to as a monomaterial component, since it can be recycled in one piece.

The insulation layer can preferably be an oxide layer or be made of a clear varnish. For example, the insulation layer can be made of a clear varnish. Furthermore, a uniform oxide layer can be applied. This is preferably done using an anodizing process, whereby the oxide layer can be applied in a targeted manner. In particular, after pretreatment of the aluminum or aluminum alloy, an insulating oxide layer can be applied. The conductor track can then be applied to the oxide layer or the layer of clear varnish.

According to a very advantageous development of the idea, it can be provided that a further insulation layer is applied to the at least one conductor track.

The further insulation layer can be identical to the first insulation layer and is used in particular to cover the conductor track. The further insulation layer can be, for example, an oxide layer which can be painted in a desired color.

According to an advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that the motor vehicle component is designed as a bumper with at least one or more conductor tracks. In the case of a bumper, deep-drawn areas can be provided for parking sensors, for example. These deep-drawn areas are in particular punched out and accessible from the rear of the component. The connections required for the parking sensors are advantageously printed onto the bumper from the rear of the component. Sensors can then be attached, which are attached to the existing conductor track points with contacts. On the outside, the oxide layer can be painted in the color of the vehicle paint.

A further advantageous embodiment can provide that at least one recess is provided in the motor vehicle component, wherein a sensor can be attached in the recess and the sensor can be contacted with the at least one conductor track via contacts. In particular, the recess has a geometry that is oval, for example.

Therefore, in an advantageous embodiment, the recess has a geometry that allows the sensor to be accommodated in a directed manner. If, for example, a sensor, in particular a parking sensor, has the same, non-point-symmetrical geometry as the recess, it can be ensured that the sensor is always held correctly aligned in the recess, which can ensure correct contact.

The invention further claims an aluminum component with at least one conductor track.

The at least one conductor track is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, wherein the conductor track is separated from the aluminum component by an insulating layer. The aluminum component can be pretreated, for example, in particular by pickling. An oxide layer can then be applied, which serves as an insulating layer. Finally, the conductor track can be printed on the insulating layer.

According to an advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that a further insulation layer is applied to the at least one conductor track. This can be applied, for example, by an anodizing process with the application of color.

A further advantageous embodiment can provide for a plurality of conductor tracks to be arranged one above the other, with the conductor tracks each being separated from one another by an insulating layer. This can increase the complexity of the conductor track pressure if an oxide layer is applied several times for separation. However, the electrically conductive aluminum component must be separated from the conductor track at least once. Furthermore, the same features and advantages apply to the aluminum component as already described with regard to the motor vehicle component. In particular, in all embodiments, a plurality of different conductor tracks can be attached to the aluminum component or to the motor vehicle component at different positions.

The invention further claims a use of at least one conductor track for heating, wherein the at least one conductor track is attached to the component. The conductor track is arranged in an area on a motor vehicle component that has a sensor, so that the sensor can be specifically is heated. This means that, for example, frozen sensors can be heated in a targeted manner, which are located in particular in the area of a bumper. The component can be made of a material other than aluminum, or only partially made of aluminum. Advantageously, the conductor track design can also be implemented to heat defined areas. A flat heating system can also be created using printed conductor tracks.

Further advantageous embodiments of the motor vehicle component according to the invention, aluminum component and the use also emerge from the embodiment, which is shown in more detail below with reference to the figures.

• 1 eine Schnittdarstellung durch ein Bauteil in einer Ausführungsform der Erfindung;
• 2 eine Schnittdarstellung durch ein Bauteil einer weiteren Ausführungsform der Erfindung.

The following show:

• 1 a sectional view through a component in an embodiment of the invention;
• 2 a sectional view through a component of another embodiment of the invention.

In the presentation of the 1 a possible embodiment of the invention is shown. This can, for example, have a motor vehicle component 1, on which an insulation layer 3 is first applied, then a conductor track 2, and then a further insulation layer 4. The motor vehicle component 1 can also be an aluminum component 10, which has the aforementioned further layers 2, 3, 4. Furthermore, the layers 2, 3, 4 can be applied to a general component 20 that is not made of aluminum. In all embodiments, conductor tracks 2 can be printed onto the component 1, 10, 20 separated by the insulation layer 3, the conductor tracks 2 being insulated from the component 1, 10 or 20 by the insulation layer 3. The embodiment shown shows a monomaterial component that can be recycled in an optimized manner. Furthermore, cable harnesses can be reduced, whereby copper in particular can be saved.

Another variant is in 2 The same components are provided with the same reference symbols, so that this does not need to be discussed in detail. In contrast to 1 a sensor 5 is provided here, which is arranged in a recess through the motor vehicle component 1 or the aluminum component 10 or a general component 20. The sensor 5 can be flush with an oxide layer 3 in the area of an outer side 8, which is arranged on the outer side 8 of the motor vehicle component 1 or the aluminum component 10. If this oxide layer 3 is arranged, the sensor 5 can be flush with the motor vehicle component 1 or the aluminum component 10. This creates a visible area on the outer side 8, which can be painted in the color of the vehicle, for example. On the opposite side, i.e. on an inner side 9, the sensor 5 can be fixed from the back, so to speak, in particular via connecting means 7, such as a screw connection or a plug connection. For this purpose, contacts 6 can be provided in particular, which are made from aluminum retaining clips, for example. This allows contact to be made between the sensor 5 and the printed conductor tracks 2.

The recess in which the sensor 5 is arranged can be designed asymmetrically in such a way that the sensor 5 is held in position in the recess and does not twist. This can ensure contact between the contacts 6 and the conductor tracks 3.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 3035749 A1 [0006]
• DE 3740593 A1 [0007]
• DE 102004063061 A1 [0007]
• DE 102011108198 A1 [0008]

Claims (10)

Motor vehicle component (1) made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, characterized in that at least one conductor track (2) is attached to the motor vehicle component (1), wherein the conductor track (2) is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, wherein the conductor track (2) is separated from the motor vehicle component (1) by an insulation layer (3). Motor vehicle component (1) according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the insulation layer (3) is an oxide layer or is formed from a clear varnish. Motor vehicle component (1) according to Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that a further insulation layer (4) is applied to the at least one conductor track (2). Motor vehicle component (1) according to claim 3 , characterized in that the motor vehicle component (1) is designed as a bumper with at least one or more conductor tracks (2). Motor vehicle component (1) according to one of the Claims 1 until 4 , characterized in that at least one recess is provided in the motor vehicle component (1), wherein a sensor (5) can be attached in the recess and the sensor (5) can be contacted with the at least one conductor track (2) via contacts (6). Motor vehicle component (1) according to claim 5 , characterized in that the recess has a geometry which enables a directed reception of the sensor (5). Aluminum component (10) with at least one conductor track (2), characterized in that the at least one conductor track (2) is made of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, wherein the conductor track (2) is separated from the aluminum component (10) by an insulation layer (3). Aluminum component (10) according to claim 7 , characterized in that a further insulation layer (4) is applied to the at least one conductor track (2). Aluminium component (10) according to one of the Claims 7 or 8 , characterized in that a plurality of conductor tracks (2) are arranged one above the other, wherein the conductor tracks (2) are each separated from one another by an insulating layer. Use of at least one conductor track (2) for heating, wherein the at least one conductor track (2) is attached to the component (20), characterized in that the conductor track (2) is arranged in an area on a motor vehicle component (1) which has a sensor (5), so that the sensor (5) is heated in a targeted manner.

Images