Search

DE-112020005431-B4 - Method for manufacturing a wall for a housing and wall manufactured by such a method

DE112020005431B4DE 112020005431 B4DE112020005431 B4DE 112020005431B4DE-112020005431-B4

Abstract

Method for producing a wall (25) for a housing (3), wherein the wall (25) comprises a layer (251) of a porous first material and at least one film (253) of a second material arranged on at least one circumferential region (Z2) of the layer (251), the method comprising the following steps: - Arranging a film (253) from the second material at a predefined location in a form (M), - Heating a layer (251) of the porous first material, - Arranging the layer (251) of the porous first material in the mold such that at least one circumferential area (Z2) of the layer (251) of the porous first material covers the film (253) of the second material, - Closing the mold (M) for a predetermined duration and compressing the circumferential area (Z2) of the layer (251) made of the porous first material and the film (253) made of the second material, such that a predetermined thickness is obtained and the film (253) merges with the layer (251) made of the porous first material at the level of the circumferential area (Z2), characterized in that during the compression step by closing the mold (M) the volume of the layer (251) made of the porous first material at the level of the compressed and circumferential area (Z2) is reduced by a factor of four to eight in relation to the volume of the remaining layer (251) made of the first material.

Inventors

  • Clément ESCULIER
  • Alexis PIGEON

Assignees

  • VALEO SYSTEMES THERMIQUES

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20201013
Priority Date
20191104

Claims (9)

  1. A method for producing a wall (25) for a housing (3), wherein the wall (25) comprises a layer (251) of a porous first material and at least one film (253) of a second material arranged on at least one circumferential region (Z2) of the layer (251), the method comprising the following steps: - arranging a film (253) of the second material at a predefined location in a mold (M), - heating a layer (251) of the porous first material, - arranging the layer (251) of the porous first material in the mold such that at least one circumferential region (Z2) of the layer (251) of the porous first material covers the film (253) of the second material, - closing the mold (M) for a predetermined duration and compressing the circumferential region (Z2) of the layer (251) of the porous first material and the film (253) of the second material to obtain a predetermined thickness the film (253) merges with the layer (251) of the porous first material at the level of the circumferential area (Z2), characterized in that during the compression step by closing the mold (M) the volume of the layer (251) of the porous first material at the level of the compressed and circumferential area (Z2) is reduced in relation to the volume of the remaining layer (251) is reduced by a factor of four to eight from the first material.
  2. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the porous first material is a mixture of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and polypropylene and the second material is polypropylene.
  3. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the layer (251) of the first material is heated to a temperature between 150°C and 230°C.
  4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the layer (251) of the porous first material has a first thickness (e1) on the order of 3.5 mm to 4 mm before compression and the compressed and circumferential area (Z2) of the wall (25) has a second thickness (e2) on the order of 0.3 mm to 1.5 mm.
  5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the film (253) of the second material initially has a thickness on the order of 0.2 mm or 0.3 mm.
  6. Procedure according to one of the Claims 1 until 5 , wherein the form (M) is heated during the arrangement of the layer of the porous first material.
  7. Procedure according to one of the Claims 1 until 5 , wherein the layer (251) of the porous first material is first heated before being arranged in the mold (M), the method comprising a step to transfer the heated layer (251) from the porous first material into the mold (M).
  8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in the compression step by closing the mold (M) the layer (251) of the porous first material at the level of the compressed and circumferential area (Z2) is formed such that it has a connection interface (27) which is designed for connection with a corresponding structure (30) by positive locking.
  9. Wall (25) which is manufactured by a manufacturing process according to one of the preceding claims and is designed for connection with a corresponding structure (30), in particular a housing (3) of a system (1) for heating and/or ventilating and/or air conditioning an airflow for a motor vehicle, characterized in that the wall (25) has a layer (251) of a porous first material, which has at least a first region (Z1) and a second region compressed and circumferential with respect to the first region, which is arranged at least partially at the edge of the wall (25), wherein the compressed and circumferential second region (Z2) has a film (253) of a second material.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of systems for heating, ventilating, and/or air conditioning the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, also known as HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning). The invention relates in particular to a method for producing a wall made of porous material for a housing, such as the housing of a heating and/or ventilation and/or air conditioning system, especially for a motor vehicle. Motor vehicles are usually equipped with a system for ventilating, heating and/or air conditioning an airflow, so that the aerothermic parameters of the airflow to be distributed to the interior of the vehicle passenger compartment can be adjusted. Such a system comprises a housing, generally enclosed by walls, and featuring at least one air inlet and at least one air outlet. The housing contains an air blower that circulates the airflow from the air inlet to the air outlet. The housing also generally accommodates heat treatment devices, such as heat exchangers for heating and/or cooling the airflow before its distribution inside the passenger compartment. The airflow, which is pressurized by the air blower, is directed to the heat exchanger(s) via outlet openings or distribution openings that lead into different areas of the passenger compartment before being distributed in the passenger compartment. Such housings are usually made of plastic and are generally formed from two housing halves that define an internal volume, with the heat exchangers and air blower arranged between the two housing halves. However, in order to support the heat exchangers, the structure of such housings must be sufficiently resistant and have a relatively strong thickness, generally being made of rigid plastic. However, the system can generate a loud noise inside during operation, both due to the movement of the airflow in the ducts and the operation of the blower. This noise can propagate into the passenger compartment, particularly through the housing's outlet openings. This then constitutes a noise nuisance for the vehicle's occupants. To eliminate this problem, prior art solutions involve increasing the thickness of the system's inner walls so that they can absorb some of the noise emissions before they reach the distribution openings. However, these solutions have the disadvantage of significantly increasing the system's mass and thus the energy consumption of the vehicle equipped with it. According to another known solution, the system has at least one wall made of porous material, positioned at the level of an opening in the housing structure, thus ensuring improved noise reduction while simultaneously reducing the system's mass. The connection between such a wall of porous material and the housing structure is achieved by molding the material of the perforated housing structure onto the wall of porous material. The species-specific JP 2015-189 412 A shows a shaft of a vehicle air conditioning system, the wall of which is formed from two layers of foamed material laminated together under the influence of heat and thereby compressed. It is therefore necessary to consider the difficulties associated with injection molding for this connection, which can only be carried out before the assembly of the housing and all the elements it contains. This assembly process cannot therefore simply be performed on an assembly line for a heating and/or ventilation and/or air conditioning system for a motor vehicle. Another problem is the handling of the requirements regarding tightness, especially airtightness at the connection point between such a wall made of porous material and the housing structure. The object of the invention is to at least partially solve these problems from the prior art by proposing a method by which an improved wall made of porous material can be produced, which helps to ensure the tightness at the level of the connection point between this wall and a corresponding structure, in particular a housing of a heating and/or ventilation and/or air conditioning system. For this purpose, the subject matter of the invention is a method for producing a wall. for a housing with the features of claim 1. During the compression step by closing the mold, the volume of the layer of the porous first material at the level of the compressed and surrounding area is reduced by a factor of four to eight compared to the volume of the remaining layer of the first material. With this method, during compression, the surface of the film on the side of the layer mixes superficially with the fibers of the porous first material, while on the other side, which faces away from the layer and is in direct contact with the smooth form, the surface of the film is smoothed. This gives the compressed area of the wall a smooth appearance. If, after heating and compression, the porous layer has a granular surface texture, the excess material formed by the film, as described in this process, allows the compressed and surrou