EP4211023A1

EP4211023A1 - Insulating element

Info

Publication number: EP4211023A1
Application number: EP21773542.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Henrik Lindgren; Dimitri MARCQ
Original assignee: Sika Technology AG
Current assignee: Sika Technology AG
Priority date: 2020-09-14
Filing date: 2021-09-06
Publication date: 2023-07-19
Also published as: WO2022053433A1; JP2023541533A; EP3967579A1; US20230256919A1; CN116096626A

Abstract

The invention relates to an insulating element for insulating a structural element in a motor vehicle, comprising a carrier and an expandable material arranged on the carrier. The carrier has at least one dome and is designed in such a manner that, when stacking a plurality of identical insulating elements, respective domes of adjacent insulating elements engage in one another.

Description

INSULATION ELEMENT

The invention relates to an insulating element for insulating a structural element in a motor vehicle. Furthermore, the invention relates to a system with several such insulating elements, as well as a method for attaching such insulating elements to structural elements.

In many cases, components such as bodies and/or frames of means of transport and locomotion, in particular of vehicles on water or land or of aircraft, have structures with cavities in order to enable lightweight constructions. However, these voids cause various problems. Depending on the type of cavity, it must be sealed to prevent the ingress of moisture and dirt, which can lead to corrosion of the components. It is often also desirable to significantly strengthen the cavities and thus the structural element, while maintaining the low weight. It is also often necessary to stabilize the cavities, and hence the components, to reduce noise that would otherwise be transmitted along or through the cavity. Many of these cavities are irregular in shape or narrow in size, making them difficult to properly seal, reinforce and cushion.

In particular in automobile construction, but also in aircraft and boat construction, sealing elements (baffle) are therefore used to seal cavities and/or acoustically seal them off, or reinforcing elements (English: reinforcer) are used to reinforce cavities.

In Fig. 1 a body of an automobile is shown schematically. The body 10 has various structures with cavities, such as pillars 14 and supports or struts 12 . Such structural elements 12, 14 with cavities are usually sealed or reinforced with insulating elements 16. A disadvantage of the previously known sealing and/or reinforcing elements is that such parts often cannot be packed efficiently. Furthermore, when transporting such parts, there is always confusion and damage to individual parts.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved insulating element for insulating a structural element in a motor vehicle, which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art. The insulating element should in particular be able to be packaged and transported more economically.

This object is achieved by an insulating element for insulating a structural element in a motor vehicle, the insulating element comprising: a carrier; and an expandable material disposed on the backing; wherein the carrier has at least one hood and is designed in such a way that when several identical insulating elements are stacked, hoods of adjacent insulating elements engage in one another.

First of all, this solution has the advantage that it provides an insulating element which is designed to be stackable. As a result, such insulating elements can be stacked on top of one another for transport and can be packed and transported in the stacked state. On the one hand, this brings savings in transport costs, because the insulating elements can be packed in a more space-saving manner, so that more insulating elements can be transported in a certain volume than was the case with conventional insulating elements. In addition, stacking such insulating elements offers the advantage that mix-ups of different insulating elements can be recognized more easily. If, for example, a first insulating element is packed in a container with several second insulating elements, this is immediately noticeable because the first insulating element usually does not come with the second Insulation elements can be stacked. This can greatly reduce confusion.

The stackable insulation element proposed here also offers the advantage that the individual insulation elements can be damaged less easily as a result of the stacked arrangement for transport and storage. If, as before, the individual insulating elements are transported loosely in a container, there is a great deal of contact between the insulating elements, and damage can occur from time to time. However, if the insulating elements are transported in stacks, the number of mechanical contacts between the insulating elements is greatly reduced. In addition, the insulation elements can be designed in such a way that the intended contact points are robust or less susceptible to damage, and/or that areas of the insulation elements that are easier to damage are arranged in protected areas which, for example, are covered by the adjacent insulation elements when stacked.

Furthermore, the stackable insulation element proposed here offers the advantage that automated attachment of the insulation elements to structural elements in motor vehicles is facilitated. For example, entire stacks of such insulating elements can be loaded into a robot, which then removes the individual insulating elements from this stack and attaches them to the structural elements accordingly. In the case of loosely arranged insulating elements in a container, such an automated attachment of the insulating elements is much more difficult to accomplish.

The provision of one or more hoods offers the advantage that, on the one hand, stackability of the insulation elements is improved by hoods of adjacent insulation elements interlocking when stacked. As a result, the stacked insulation elements are mechanically secured against lateral displacement, and In addition, a stacking height is kept as small as possible by the insulating elements interlocking to save space.

These hoods also have the advantage that they make manipulation by an application robot easier and more efficient. For example, a robot's gripper can grip and manipulate the insulating elements directly on a hood. In the case of insulation elements with several hoods, several grippers can be used accordingly.

In connection with this invention, the term “insulating element” includes elements for sealing off and/or insulating and/or closing and/or reinforcing and/or insulating a structural element. These different properties of such an insulating element can occur individually or in combination with one another.

In connection with this invention, the term "hood" includes in particular formations or bulges on the carrier of the insulating element with a hollow interior and an open side. Such a hood can have, for example, a hemispherical, dome-like, cube-like, cylinder-like, cone-like, or an irregular shape.

In the context of this invention, the terms “top” and “bottom” mean the two main surfaces or the two largest side surfaces of the insulating element. Since the insulating elements are designed to close a cross-section in a structural element, this means that the upper side and the underside are each essentially in one plane of a cross-section to be insulated in an application state. The upper side or the lower side can also have a step-like character, which means that the upper side or the lower side does not have to be completely flat. In the context of this invention, the term “parallel” in relation to the arrangement of insulating elements in a stack of several identical insulating elements means that the same surfaces and/or edges of the identical insulating elements are arranged essentially parallel to one another.

In an exemplary embodiment, the insulating element has exactly three contact points on the upper side and on the underside, which rest on one another when adjacent insulating elements are stacked.

In an alternative development, the insulating element has exactly four or at least four such contact points on the upper side and on the lower side.

In a further alternative embodiment, the insulating element has exactly five or at least five such contact points on the upper side and on the lower side.

In an exemplary embodiment, at least one contact point on the upper side and one contact point assigned to it on the underside are designed in such a way that adjacent insulation elements are secured against horizontal displacement when stacked in the vertical direction.

In an exemplary development, at least one contact point on the upper side and one contact point assigned to it on the underside are designed in such a way that a mechanical locking occurs between the corresponding contact points when stacked.

In an exemplary embodiment, the hood forms at least one of these contact points.

In an exemplary embodiment, at least one contact point is in a region of a fixation element. As "area of a fixation element" is understood in the context of this invention, the fixation element itself, a base of the fixation element, and the expandable material at the base of the fixation element, which is required to dam the opening in the structural element in which the fixation element is inserted.

In an exemplary embodiment, the fixing element is designed as a clip.

In an exemplary embodiment, a height of the fixing element in a stacking direction is less than 8 mm, preferably less than 7 mm, particularly preferably less than 6 mm.

In an exemplary embodiment, a height at the base of the fixation element in the stacking direction, which includes both a base of the fixation element and the expandable material at the base of the fixation element, which is required to fill the opening in the structural element in which the fixation element is inserted, is to dam, at most 130% or at most 120% or at most 110% of a height of the fixing element in the stacking direction.

The design of such relative heights has the advantage that the insulating elements can be packed in a space-saving manner.

In an exemplary embodiment, at least one contact point is designed as a spacer element, with the spacer element serving to support and/or position the insulating element on the structural element when the insulating element is in a state of use in the structural element. In an exemplary development, the spacer element itself is designed to be stackable, with two spacer elements stacked one inside the other having a total height in the stacking direction of at most 170% or at most 160% or at most 150% or at most 140% or at most 130% of the height of an individual spacer element.

In an exemplary embodiment, steps of the carrier form an angle to the stacking direction of at least 35° or at least 40° or at least 45° or at least 50° or at least 55°.

The advantage of steps designed in this way is that insulation elements with flatter steps can be stacked better than would be the case with steeper steps. In the case of steeper steps, there is the particular problem that adjacent insulating elements cannot be arranged vertically one above the other without a horizontal offset.

In an exemplary embodiment, a step of the carrier and at least one hood are designed in such a way that the hood together with the step form a bearing surface which is parallel to a plane of the top or bottom of the carrier.

In an exemplary development, the insulating element includes a step and two hoods, which together form such a bearing surface.

As a result, such insulation elements can be placed directly on a flat surface and stacked one on top of the other, with a stacking direction being oriented perpendicularly to this flat surface.

In an alternative embodiment, the insulating element has three hoods which together form a bearing surface which is parallel to a plane of the top or bottom of the carrier. This in turn allows insulating elements to be stacked directly on flat surfaces.

In a further alternative embodiment, the insulating element has two hoods which together form a bearing surface which is parallel to a plane of the top or bottom of the carrier.

In a further alternative embodiment, the insulating element has a hood, with the hood roof forming a bearing surface which is parallel to a plane of the top or bottom of the carrier.

In an exemplary embodiment, all or individual contact points are formed through the carrier.

In an exemplary embodiment, individual contact points are formed through the expandable material.

In a further embodiment, at least one contact point is formed by the carrier and at least one contact point is formed by the expandable material.

Since the carrier can generally be manufactured with smaller tolerances than the expandable material, it can be advantageous to form the contact points as far as possible through the carrier.

In an exemplary embodiment, the insulating element has at least one securing element, which is designed in such a way that, when insulating elements are stacked on top of one another, an insulating element is secured by the securing element of an adjacent insulating element against displacement transversely to the stacking direction and/or against rotation of the insulating element about the stacking direction. In an exemplary embodiment, the security element is designed in such a way that when the insulation elements are stacked on top of one another, the security elements of two adjacent insulation elements overlap in the stacking direction.

In an exemplary development, the security elements overlap in the stacking direction by at least 3 mm or by at least 5 mm or by at least 7 mm.

In an exemplary embodiment, the security element has at least one guide surface, which is designed such that when stacked, the guide surface guides an insulating element to be stacked, so that the newly stacked insulating element is arranged essentially congruently in the stacking direction on the insulating element.

In an exemplary embodiment, at least one spacer element is designed as a securing element.

In an exemplary refinement, the spacer element is essentially Y-shaped. For example, individual surfaces of the legs of the Y-shaped spacer element can be designed as a guide surface.

In an alternative development, the spacer element is essentially U-shaped or V-shaped. Again, individual surfaces of the legs of the U-shaped or V-shaped spacer element can be designed as a guide surface.

In an exemplary embodiment, at least one step is designed as a safety element.

In an exemplary embodiment, at least one area of a fixing element is designed as a securing element. In an exemplary development, a base of the fixing element is designed as a securing element. This base can be essentially U-shaped, for example. Again, individual surfaces of the legs of the U-shaped base of the fixing element can be designed as a guide surface.

In an exemplary embodiment, at least one hood is designed as a securing element.

In an exemplary embodiment, all or individual security elements are formed by the carrier.

In an alternative embodiment, individual securing elements are formed through the expandable material.

In a further embodiment, at least one securing element is formed by the carrier and at least one securing element is formed by the expandable material.

Since the carrier can generally be manufactured with smaller tolerances than the expandable material, it can be advantageous to form the securing elements as far as possible through the carrier.

In an exemplary embodiment, the insulating element has an upper side and a lower side which, in a use state, are essentially aligned in a plane of a cross-section of the structural element to be insulated.

In an exemplary embodiment, an open side of the hood and/or a roof of the hood is aligned essentially parallel to the top or bottom of the insulating element. In an exemplary embodiment, a side wall of the hood projects beyond only the underside in a stacking direction.

In an alternative embodiment, a side wall of the hood protrudes only from the top in a stacking direction.

In a further alternative embodiment, a side wall of the hood protrudes beyond both the bottom and the top in a stacking direction.

In an exemplary embodiment, a cross section of the hood is substantially trapezoidal.

In an alternative embodiment, a cross-section of the hood is generally arcuate, dome-shaped, semi-circular, rectangular, triangular, or irregularly shaped.

In an exemplary embodiment, the hood has a substantially circular, elliptical, or oval footprint.

In an exemplary embodiment, the carrier has at least two hoods or at least three hoods.

In an exemplary development, two hoods have a different floor plan.

In an exemplary embodiment, the hood is designed in such a way that when several identical insulating elements are stacked, hoods of adjacent insulating elements rest on one another. In an exemplary embodiment, the hood has at least one stopper, which defines a support location when stacked.

In an exemplary development, the stopper is arranged on the side wall of the hood. The stopper can be arranged on an inside of the side wall or on an outside of the side wall.

In an exemplary embodiment, a maximum hood height in the stacking direction is between 5 mm and 40 mm, preferably between 7 mm and 35 mm, preferably between 7 mm and 30 mm, preferably between 10 mm and 30 mm.

In an alternative embodiment, particularly in connection with the use of steps in the carrier, higher hoods can be used, with a maximum hood height in the stacking direction being between 10 mm and 80 mm, preferably between 20 and 70 mm.

In an exemplary embodiment, a maximum hood width on the open side of the hood and measured perpendicularly to the stacking direction is between 5 mm and 40 mm, preferably between 5 mm and 30 mm, preferably between 5 mm and 25 mm, preferably between 5 mm and 20 mm.

In an exemplary embodiment, a maximum hood width on the hood roof and measured perpendicularly to the stacking direction is between 3 mm and 35 mm, preferably between 3 mm and 25 mm, preferably between 3 mm and 20 mm, preferably between 3 mm and 15 mm.

In an exemplary embodiment, the maximum hood width on the hood roof and measured perpendicularly to the stacking direction is at most 95%, preferably at most 90%, preferably at most 85%, preferably at most 80%, preferably at most 75%, preferably at most 70%, preferably at most 65%, preferably at most 60%, preferably at most 55%, preferably at most 50% of the maximum hood width on the open side of the hoods, measured perpendicular to the stacking direction.

In an exemplary embodiment, the stacking height of an insulating element is at most 80%, preferably at most 70%, preferably at most 60%, preferably at most 50% of the hood height.

In principle, various materials which can be caused to foam can be used as the expandable material. The material may or may not have reinforcing properties. Typically, the expandable material is expanded thermally, by moisture, or by electromagnetic radiation.

Such an expandable material typically includes a chemical or a physical blowing agent. Chemical blowing agents are organic or inorganic compounds which decompose under the influence of temperature, humidity or electromagnetic radiation, with at least one of the decomposition products being a gas. Physical blowing agents which can be used are, for example, compounds which change to the gaseous state of aggregation when the temperature is increased. As a result, both chemical and physical blowing agents are able to create foam structures in polymers.

The expandable material is preferably thermally foamed using chemical blowing agents. Examples of suitable chemical blowing agents are azodicarbonamides, sulfohydrazides, bicarbonates or carbonates.

Suitable blowing agents are also commercially available, for example, under the trade name Expancel® from Akzo Nobel, Netherlands, or under the trade name Celogen® from Chemtura Corp., USA.

The heat required for foaming can be introduced by external or by internal heat sources, such as an exothermic chemical reaction. The foamable material is preferably foamable at a temperature of <250°C, in particular from 100°C to 250°C, preferably from 120°C to 240°C, preferably from 130°C to 230°C.

Suitable expandable materials are, for example, one-component epoxy resin systems which do not flow at room temperature, which in particular have increased impact strength and contain thixotropic agents such as aerosils or nanoclays. For example, such epoxy resin systems have 20 to 50% by weight of a liquid epoxy resin, 0 to 30% by weight of a solid epoxy resin, 5 to 30% by weight of toughness modifiers, 1 to 5% by weight of physical or chemical blowing agents, 10 up to 40% by weight of fillers, 1 to 10% by weight of thixotropic agents and 2 to 10% by weight of heat-activatable hardeners. Suitable toughness modifiers are reactive liquid rubbers based on nitrile rubber or derivatives of polyetherpolyol polyurethanes, core-shell polymers and similar systems known to those skilled in the art.

Also suitable expandable materials are one-component polyurethane compositions containing blowing agents, built up from crystalline polyesters containing OH groups mixed with other polyols, preferably polyether polyols, and polyisocyanates with blocked isocyanate groups. The melting point of the crystalline polyester should be > 50 °C. The isocyanate groups of the polyisocyanate can be blocked, for example, with nucleophiles such as caprolactam, phenols or benzoxalones. Also suitable are blocked polyisocyanates such as are used, for example, in powder coating technology and are commercially available, for example, under the trade names Vestagon® BF 1350 and Vestagon® BF 1540 from Degussa GmbH, Germany. So-called encapsulated or surface-deactivated polyisocyanates, which are known to the person skilled in the art and are described, for example, in EP 0 204 970, are also suitable as isocyanates. Also suitable as expandable materials are two-component epoxy/polyurethane compositions containing blowing agents, as are described, for example, in WO 2005/080524 A1.

Ethylene-vinyl acetate compositions containing blowing agents are also suitable as expandable materials.

Likewise suitable expandable materials are marketed, for example, under the trade name SikaBaffle® 240, SikaBaffle® 250 or SikaBaffle® 255 by Sika Corp., USA, and are described in patents US Pat. No. 5,266,133 and US Pat. No. 5,373,027. Such expandable materials are particularly preferred for the present invention.

Preferred expandable materials with reinforcing properties are, for example, those sold under the trade name SikaReinforcer® 941 by Sika Corp., USA. These are described in US 6,387,470.

In an exemplary embodiment, the expandable material has an expansion rate of 800% to 5000%, preferably 1000% to 4000%, more preferably 1500% to 3000%. Expandable materials with such expansion rates offer the advantage that a reliable seal or insulation of the structural element against liquids and noise can be achieved.

In an exemplary embodiment, the expandable material is in the form of a temperature-induced material.

This has the advantage that the oven for baking the

E-coating liquid can be used to cover the expandable material expand and thereby dam the cavity. This means that no additional work step is necessary.

The carrier can be made of any materials. Preferred materials are plastics, in particular polyurethanes, polyamides, polyesters and polyolefins, preferably high-temperature-resistant polymers such as poly(phenylene ether), polysulfones or polyether sulfones, which in particular are also foamed; metals, in particular aluminum and steel; or grown organic materials, in particular wood or other (pressed) fiber materials or vitreous or ceramic materials; specifically also foamed materials of this type; or any combination of these materials. Polyamide, in particular polyamide 6, polyamide 6.6, polyamide 11, polyamide 12 or a mixture thereof is particularly preferably used.

Furthermore, the carrier can be solid, hollow, or foamed, for example, or have a lattice-like structure. The surface of the support can typically be smooth, rough or textured.

In the case of insulation elements in which the expandable material is located on a carrier, the manufacturing process differs depending on whether the carrier consists of a material that can be processed by injection molding or not. If this is the case, a two-component injection molding process is usually used. First, a first component, in this case the carrier, is injected. After this first component has solidified, the cavity in the mold is enlarged or adjusted, or the molded part produced is placed in a new mold and a second component, in this case the expandable material, is injected onto the first component with a second injection unit.

If the carrier consists of a material that cannot be produced by the injection molding process, for example a metal, the Carrier placed in a corresponding tool and the expandable material is injected onto the carrier. Of course, there is also the possibility of attaching the expandable material to the carrier using special attachment means or methods.

Furthermore, carriers can also be produced by other methods, for example by extrusion.

The insulating element has a stack height which corresponds to an additional height in the stacking direction of a stack of insulating elements, by which the stack grows when another insulating element is stacked on top of the stack.

In an exemplary embodiment, a stacking height of the insulating element is at most 80%, preferably at most 70%, preferably at most 60%, preferably at most 50%, preferably at most 40%, preferably at most 30% of a total height of an individual insulating element in the stacking direction.

This has the advantage that the insulating elements can be arranged in a stack to save space. A stronger vertical nesting of adjacent insulating elements in a stack also improves the stability of an overall stack.

The task at the outset is also achieved by a system with several such insulating elements, with the insulating elements being stacked on top of one another.

In an exemplary embodiment, the system comprises at least 10, or at least 15, or at least 20, or at least 25, or at least 30 stacked insulation elements. In a further exemplary embodiment, the system comprises at most 150 or at most 120 or at most 100 or at most 80 or at most 60 stacked insulating elements.

In an exemplary embodiment, a bottom insulating element of the stack rests on a base element.

The provision of such a basic element has the advantage that a stack of insulating elements can be placed on a surface. In addition, such basic elements can be used for an automated process.

In an exemplary embodiment, each additional insulating element increases the stack by a maximum of 20 mm, particularly preferably by a maximum of 18 mm, particularly preferably by a maximum of 16 mm, particularly preferably by a maximum of 14 mm, particularly preferably by a maximum of 12 mm, particularly preferably by a maximum of 10 mm .

The close stacking of insulating elements has the advantage that the insulating elements can be packed more efficiently.

In an exemplary embodiment, a stacking height of an individual insulating element is at most 80%, preferably at most 70%, preferably at most 60%, preferably at most 50%, preferably at most 40%, preferably at most 30% of a total height of an individual insulating element in the stacking direction.

The close stacking of insulating elements in turn has the advantage that the insulating elements can be packed more efficiently as a result.

In an exemplary embodiment, the stacking height of an insulating element is at most 80%, preferably at most 70%, preferably at most 60%, preferably at most 50% of the hood height. The object set at the outset is also achieved by a method for attaching insulating elements to structural elements in motor vehicles, the method comprising the steps: providing a system with stacked insulating elements according to the above description; and manipulating the insulating elements with an application robot, with at least one hood serving as a positioning aid for the application robot.

In an exemplary embodiment, the application robot is loaded with multiple systems at the same time.

In an exemplary embodiment, the removal of the individual insulating elements is carried out by the robotic arm.

In an exemplary embodiment, a gripper of the application robot grips the insulation elements on the hood when manipulating them.

In an exemplary embodiment, the insulating elements have at least two hoods, and both hoods serve as positioning aids during manipulation.

Details and advantages of the invention are described below using exemplary embodiments and with reference to schematic drawings. Show it:

1 shows an exemplary representation of a body;

2a and 2b schematic representations of an exemplary insulating element; 3a and 3b show schematic representations of exemplary hoods;

4a to 4c schematic representations of exemplary stacked insulating elements;

5 shows a schematic representation of an exemplary stack with two insulating elements; and

Fig. 6a and 6b schematic representations of exemplary insulating elements.

In Figure 2a and 2b an exemplary insulating element 16 is shown schematically. The insulating element 16 comprises a carrier 11 and an expandable material 13 arranged thereon. The carrier 11 has a top 17 and a bottom 18. Furthermore, the carrier 11 has two hoods 6, the hoods 6 having a different outline in this exemplary embodiment. A hood 6 has a circular plan and a hood 6 has an oval plan.

Furthermore, the insulating element 16 comprises spacer elements 4 and fixing elements 3 for pre-fixing the insulating element 16 in a structural element.

In each of FIGS. 3a and 3b, a hood 6 is shown in cross section as an example. In Figure 3a, a side wall 22 of the hood 6 protrudes only the underside 18 of the carrier 11, and in Figure 3b the side wall 22 of the hood 6 protrudes both the underside 18 and the top 17 of the carrier 11.

The hood 6 has a hood width 8, measured at an open side 23 of the hood 6 and perpendicular to the stacking direction. Furthermore, the hood 6 has a hood height 7, measured in the stacking direction. In addition, the hood 6 has a hood cavity 24 and a hood roof 21. A detail from a stack consisting of two insulating elements 16 is shown in each of FIGS. 4a to 4c.

The stacking direction 19 is marked in FIG. 4a. In addition, a height 20 of the insulating element 16 and a stacking height 15 of an insulating element 16 are shown.

In FIG. 4b, the insulating elements 16 have stoppers 9 on an outer side of the hood wall 22. The stoppers 9 are formed and arranged in such a way that when stacked, the insulating elements 16 rest on one another on these stoppers 9.

An alternative embodiment variant is shown in FIG. 4c, in which the stoppers 9 are arranged on an inside of the hood wall 22. Once again, the stoppers 9 are formed and arranged in such a way that when stacked, the insulating elements 16 each rest on one another on these stoppers 9 .

A stack 1 consisting of two insulating elements 16 is shown in FIG. In this exemplary embodiment, the insulating elements 16 each have a step 5. When stacked, the adjacent insulating elements 16 interlock, with this overthrust in the areas of the step 5, the hoods 6, the spacer elements 4, and the fixing elements 3 being present.

Furthermore, the insulating elements 16 are designed in such a way that when an insulating element 16 is arranged on a flat surface, the insulating element 16 lies in such a way that a main plane of the carrier 11 lies essentially parallel to the flat surface. The step 5 of the carrier 11 and the hoods 6 are designed in such a way that the hoods 6 together with the step 5 form a bearing surface which is parallel to a plane of the top or bottom of the carrier 11 .

Finally, in FIGS. 6a and 6b, two different exemplary embodiments in relation to the contact points of the insulating elements 16 are shown schematically. In the example according to FIG. 6a, the insulating element 16 has three hoods 6, which act as three contact points.

In the example according to FIG. 6b, the insulating element 16 has a hood 6, which acts as one of the three contact points. In addition, the insulating element 16 has two further contact points in the area of the fixing elements 3; in this exemplary embodiment, the bases 2 of the fixing elements 3 are designed as contact points.

Reference List

1 stack

2 Base of the fixation element

3 fixation element

4 spacer

5 level

6 hood

7 hood height

8 hood width

9 stoppers

10 body

11 carriers

12 structural element

13 expandable material

14 structural element

15 stacking height of an insulating element

16 insulating element

17 top

18 bottom

19 Stacking Direction

20 height of the insulating element

21 hood roof

22 hood wall

23 Open side of the hood

24 hood cavity

Claims

24 patent claims

First insulating element (16) for insulating a structural element (12, 14) in a motor vehicle, the insulating element (16) comprising: a carrier (11); and an expandable material (13) disposed on the support (11); characterized in that the carrier (11) has at least one hood (6) and is designed such that when several identical insulating elements (16) are stacked, hoods (6) of adjacent insulating elements (16) engage in one another.

2. Insulating element (16) according to claim 1, wherein the insulating element (16) has a top (17) and a bottom (18) which, in a use state, are aligned essentially in a plane of a cross-section of the structural element (12, 14) to be insulated , and wherein an open side of the hood (6) and/or a roof of the hood (6) is essentially parallel to the upper side (17) or

Underside (18) of the insulating element (16) is aligned.

3. Insulating element (16) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a side wall of the hood (6) projects beyond only the underside (18) in a stacking direction (19), or wherein a side wall of the hood (6) projects beyond only the top (17). in a stacking direction (19), or wherein a side wall of the hood (6) protrudes beyond both the bottom (18) and the top (17) in a stacking direction (19).

4. Insulating element (16) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a step (5) of the carrier (11) and at least one hood (6) are designed in such a way that the hood (6) together with the step (5) form a bearing surface, which is parallel to a plane of the top (17) or bottom (18) of the carrier (11).

5. insulating element (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hood (6) has a substantially circular, elliptical, or oval base.

6. insulating element (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrier (11) has at least two hoods (6) or at least three hoods (6).

7. insulating element (16) according to claim 6, wherein two hoods (6) have a different outline.

8. Insulating element (16) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a stack height (15) is at most 50% of a height (20) of an insulating element (16), and/or wherein the stack height (15) is at most 80% of a hood height (7) amounts to.

9. insulating element (16) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hood (6) is designed such that when stacking several identical insulating elements (16) each hood (6) of adjacent insulating elements (16) rest on one another.

10. Insulating element (16) according to claim 9, wherein the hood (6) has a stopper which defines a support location when stacked.

11. Insulating element (16) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the insulating element (16) has at least three contact points via which adjacent insulating elements (16) rest on one another when stacked, the hood (6) forming at least one of these contact points.

12. System (1) with a plurality of insulating elements (16) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the insulating elements (16) are stacked.

13. System (1) according to claim 12, wherein the system (1) comprises at least 10 stacked insulating elements (16), and / or wherein a lowermost insulating element (16) of the System (1) rests on a base element (2) and/or wherein a stack height (15) is at most 80% of a hood height (7).

14. A method for attaching insulating elements (16) to structural elements (12, 14) in motor vehicles, the method comprising the steps:

Providing a system (1) with stacked insulating elements (16) according to one of claims 12 or 13;

Manipulating the insulating elements (16) with an application robot, with at least one hood (6) serving as a positioning aid for the application robot.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein a gripper of the application robot grips the insulating elements on the hood (6) during manipulation, and/or wherein the insulating elements (16) have at least two hoods (6), and wherein both hoods (6) have one Manipulation serve as positioning aids.