Body component arrangement for a motor vehicle

A body component arrangement for a motor vehicle includes a body component having a specific shape which under the action of an applied force has different load and/or stress conditions within different regions of the body component including high load and/or stress conditions in a first region and lower load and/or stress conditions in a second region. A pattern of through holes is provided so that the through holes in the region of the lower load and/or stress conditions form a perforation pattern having a configuration arranged so that the load and/or stress conditions arising in that region under the action of an applied force will have a substantially uniform distribution. This produces a weight saving that is very economical and achieves a reduction of damage in the region of lower load and/or stress conditions.

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We claim:

1. A load-bearing body component arrangement for a motor vehicle comprising a body component having a specific shape in which, because of its shape, different load and/or stressconditions are produced in response to an applied force within different regions of the body component including high load and/or stress conditions in a first region and lower load and/or stress conditions in a second region, wherein the body componenthas a plurality of through holes formed in the region of lower load and/or stress conditions to reduce the amount of material in the component, the through holes in the region of lower load and/or stress conditions being formed in a pattern ofperforations arranged so that the load and/or stress conditions occurring in the second region in response to the applied force will have a substantially uniform distribution, and wherein additional through holes are provided in a transition regionbetween the region of high load and/or stress conditions and the region of lower load and/or stress conditions and wherein the perforation pattern in the transition region varies with respect to the perforation pattern in the region of lower load and/orstress conditions to provide a gradual transition which comprises a gradual change in hole density in order to provide a uniform stress-tension transition between the first region and the second region.

2. A load-bearing body component arrangement for a motor vehicle comprising a body component having a specific shape in which, because of its shape, different load and/or stress conditions are produced in response to an applied force withindifferent regions of the body component including high load and/or stress conditions in a first region and lower load and/or stress conditions in a second region, wherein the body component has a plurality of through holes formed in the region of lowerload and/or stress conditions to reduce the amount of material in the component, the through holes in the region of lower load and/or stress conditions being formed in a pattern of perforations arranged so that the load and/or stress conditions occurringin the second region in response to the applied force will have a substantially uniform distribution, and including additional through holes provided in a transition region between the region of high load and/or stress conditions and the region of lowerload and/or stress conditions, and the perforation pattern in the transition region varies with respect to the perforation pattern in the region of lower load and/or stress conditions comprising decreasing hole density to provide a perceptible stepwisetransition in order to provide a uniform stress-tension transition between the first region and the second region.

3. A body component arrangement according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the body component has a substantially uniform thickness of material throughout.

4. A body component arrangement according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the body component is made of metal sheets.

5. A body component arrangement according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the through holes are substantially round and have a spacing from each other which is selected according to an anticipated load and/or stress condition in the correspondingregion.

6. A body component arrangement according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the body component constitutes a front roof cross member for a vehicle body.

7. A body component arrangement according to claim 6 wherein the diameter of the through holes is from about 3 mm to about 5 mm.

8. A body component arrangement according to claim 6 wherein the through holes are arranged in rows which are offset from each other.

9. A body component arrangement according to claim 6 wherein a spacing of adjacent through holes in each row is from about 4 mm to about 10 mm.

10. A body component arrangement according to claim 6 wherein the body component has a base sheet with a thickness of about 1.0 mm.

11. A body component arrangement according to claim 6 wherein, because of the perforation pattern in the lower stress and/or load region, a reduction of metal of about 22.5% and about 30% is obtained.

12. A body component arrangement according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the body component constitutes a rear roof cross member.

13. A body component arrangement according to claim 12 wherein the diameter of the through holes is in the range from about 3.5 mm to about 4 mm.

14. A body component arrangement according to claim 12 wherein the through holes are provided in rows which are offset from each other.

15. A body component arrangement according to claim 12 wherein a spacing of adjacent through holes in each row is about 6 mm.

16. A body component arrangement according to claim 12 wherein a spacing of adjacent through holes in each row is in the range from about 7 mm to about 8 mm.

17. A body component arrangement according to claim 12 wherein the body component has a base sheet with a thickness of about 0.8 mm.

18. A body component arrangement according to claim 12 wherein, because of the perforation pattern in the lower load and/or stress region, a reduction of material of from about 22.5% to about 30.5% is achieved.

19. A body component arrangement according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the body component constitutes a web plate sill for a vehicle door.

20. A body component arrangement according to claim 19 wherein the diameter of the through holes is about 4 mm.

21. A body component arrangement according to claim 19 wherein the through holes are provided in rows which are offset from each other.

22. A body component arrangement according to claim 19 wherein a spacing of adjacent through holes in each row is about 8 mm.

23. A body component arrangement according to claim 19 wherein the body component has a base sheet with a thickness of about 0.8 mm.

24. A body component arrangement according to claim 19 wherein, because of the perforation pattern in the lower load and/or stress region, a reduction of material of about 22.5% is achieved.

25. A body component arrangement according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the body component constitutes an inner cross member.

26. A body component arrangement according to claim 25 wherein the diameter of the through holes is from about 3.5 mm to about 4 mm.

27. A body component arrangement according to claim 25 wherein the through holes are provided in rows which are offset from each other.

28. A body component arrangement according to claim 25 wherein a spacing of adjacent through holes in a row is about 5.5 mm.

29. A body component arrangement according to claim 25 wherein a spacing of the adjacent holes in a row is about 7 mm.

30. A body component arrangement according to claim 25 wherein the body component has a base sheet with a thickness of about 2 mm.

31. A body component arrangement according to claim 25 wherein, because of the perforation pattern in the low load and/or stress region, a reduction of material in the range from about 36% to about 42% is achieved.