Abstract:
A method for producing a motor vehicle and a correspondingly produced motor vehicle having a modular construction, in which a substructure and at least one superstructure module are produced independently of one another and are subsequently permanently connected together.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority 35 U.S.C. §119 to European Patent Publication No. EP 14179899.1 (filed on Aug. 5, 2014), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     Embodiments relates to a method for producing a motor vehicle and a correspondingly produced motor vehicle. In particular, the invention relates to motor vehicles which are produced in a modular construction, wherein a substructure and further superstructure modules of the motor vehicle are produced independently of one another and are subsequently permanently connected together. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Such methods for producing motor vehicles by way of modules are known per se. European Patent Publication No. EP 2 463 181 A2 discloses a method for producing a motor vehicle in which preassembled modules are joined in an assembly line to form a complete vehicle. The modules are painted before the joining process and the assembly takes place by bonding and/or screwing the modules to one another. 
     The bonding of a superstructure module to a substructure, however, is difficult in many respects as high requirements are set for the rigidity and strength of the connection and, therefore, prolonged curing of the adhesive is generally required, which lengthens the production cycles, and for a stable adhesively-bonded connection the component tolerances also have to be extremely low in order to achieve an accurate bearing of the bonding surfaces against one another, whereby the production is additionally complicated. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments relate to a method for producing a motor vehicle which permits a high degree of vehicle rigidity and a high degree of structural strength in the event of a crash and at the same time permits rapid production cycles. 
     Embodiments relate to a motor vehicle with increased structural strength. 
     In accordance with embodiments, a method for producing a motor vehicle comprises at least one of the following: producing a substructure and at least one superstructure module of the motor vehicle, wherein the substructure and the superstructure module in each case have at least one edge region; painting at least the edge region of the substructure and/or the superstructure module; connecting the edge regions of the substructure and the superstructure module by way of adhesive, wherein the substructure and the superstructure module are positioned relative to one another by way of a tolerance-compensating screw connection, so that the edge regions of the substructure and the superstructure module are fixed in the relative position thereof during the curing of the adhesive by way of the tolerance-compensating screw connection. 
     In accordance with embodiments, the substructure and superstructure module may be produced independently of one another and already painted, in particular, immersion painted, before being connected. In this case, at least one of the edge regions or both edge regions are painted, and generally all of the components are painted. 
     In accordance with embodiments, the term “substructure” used herein, similar to the superstructure module, may also refer to a module and/or substructure module which may be understood as a prefabricated assembly of a structural unit. Equipment components may already be accommodated therein. Often the substructure is a module which is equivalent to the superstructure module in terms of the level of construction, for example both may already be painted, as mentioned above. 
     By the use of a tolerance-compensating screw connection, even with the presence of a gap between the components it is possible to retain the two components of the substructure and the superstructure module in position relative to one another and to fix said components in this position. As a result, in addition to the connecting action of the screw connection, the further treatment of the connection consisting of the substructure and the superstructure module is also possible, even if the adhesive is not yet cured, as cross-linking errors of the adhesively-bonded connection are prevented by way of the fixed positioning. A deformation of the substructure and the superstructure module is prevented by the tolerance-compensating screw connection, even if a gap exists between the modules, in addition to damage to the surfaces of the components, in particular the paint layers thereof. 
     In accordance with embodiments, by way of the tolerance-compensating screw connection, a spacing is bridged between the substructure and the superstructure module. The components of the substructure and the superstructure module may, therefore, be produced having greater tolerances. 
     In accordance with embodiments, the tolerance-compensating screw connection is an automatic tolerance-compensating system which, in turn, may be adjusted to an existing spacing between the substructure and the superstructure module. Such screw connections are able to be obtained, in particular, under the trade name FLEXITOL® from Wilhelm Bollhoff GmbH &amp; Co KG. 
     In accordance with embodiments, the tolerance-compensating screw connection may comprise a sleeve with a first internal thread which is inserted into the substructure or the superstructure module, an adjusting element with an internal thread and an external thread which is screwed into the internal thread of the sleeve, and a screw with an external thread which is screwed through an opening of the other of the two components, namely the superstructure module or the substructure, into the internal thread of the adjusting element. 
     In accordance with embodiments, the substructure or the superstructure module has a tongue in the edge region and the other of the two components has a groove in the edge region. For connecting the edge regions of the substructure and the superstructure module, adhesive is introduced into the groove as an adhesive bath and the tongue is introduced into the adhesive bath. In such a connection, by way of the tolerance-compensating screw connection no contact has to exist between the tongue and the groove. Even if contact results between the tongue and groove, there is no risk of corrosion as this region is surrounded by adhesive and is therefore sealed. 
     Alternatively or additionally, adhesively-bonded connections which use parallel bonded surfaces, in particular, parallel flange surfaces of the components for bonding, may also be used. 
     In accordance with embodiments, the tongue comprises holes so that adhesive is able to pass through the holes in order to achieve a positive connection, in addition to the material connection, and thus increase the strength of the connection. 
     In accordance with embodiments, the substructure and the superstructure module may also be riveted in addition to the adhesively-bonded connection and the connection by way of a tolerance-compensating screw connection. 
     In accordance with embodiments, the tolerance-compensating screw connection remains in the motor vehicle after the production of the vehicle, so as not only to simplify the production process but also to increase the strength and rigidity in the finished vehicle. 
     In accordance with embodiments, a motor vehicle comprises at least one of: a substructure and at least one superstructure module of the motor vehicle, wherein the substructure and the superstructure module in each case have at least one edge region, wherein at least the edge region of the substructure and/or the superstructure module are connected by way of adhesive, wherein the substructure and the superstructure module are positioned relative to one another by way of a tolerance-compensating screw connection, so that the edge regions of the substructure and the superstructure module are fixed in the relative position thereof by way of the tolerance-compensating screw connection. 
     In accordance with embodiments, a motor vehicle may naturally comprise all of the features cited for the production method. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       Embodiments will be illustrated by way of example in the drawings and explained in the description below. 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a sectional view of a sill of a motor vehicle in accordance with embodiments, and the result of a method in accordance with embodiments. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a sectional view in a further cutting plane of the sill of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a sectional view of the sill of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with embodiments. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a detailed view of an adhesively-bonded connection which may be used in a method in accordance with embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a substructure  1  is shown to the right of the dashed line, the substructure  1  comprising a first base part  11 , a second base part  12 , a third base part  13 , and a carpet  14  mounted on the third base part  13 . Arranged between the second and third base parts  12 ,  13 , are electrical cables  15  which are laid below the carpet  14 . A superstructure module  2  is shown to the left of the dashed line, the superstructure module  2  comprising a first side wall part  16 , a second side wall part  17 , a first sill cladding part  18  and a second sill cladding part  19 . 
     The first base part  11  and the first side wall part  16  are permanently connected together by way of a tolerance-compensating screw connection  5 . The tolerance-compensating screw connection  5  passes through an opening of the second side wall part  17  and bridges a spacing between the first base part  11  and the first side wall part  16 . The tolerance-compensating screw connection  5  comprises a sleeve  6 , an adjusting element  7 , and a screw  8 . The sleeve  6  has a first internal thread and is configured for insertion into an opening of the first side wall part  16  of the substructure  1 . The adjusting element  7  has an internal thread and an external thread, and is configured to be screwed into the internal thread of the sleeve  6  and/or fastened by way of a cage to the sleeve  6 . The screw  8  has an external thread which is configured to be screwed through an opening of the first side wall part  16  of the superstructure module  2  into the internal thread of the adjusting element  7  and the sleeve  6 . 
     The substructure  1 , particularly, the second base part  12 , and the superstructure module  2 , particularly, the first side wall part  16  and the second side wall part  17 , have two edge regions  3  which are already immersion painted (not illustrated), and are connected by way of adhesive  4 . In the edge region  3 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1  at the top, parallel bonding surfaces thereof are adhesively-bonded together, and in the edge region  3  illustrated at the bottom of  FIG. 1 , the first side wall part  16  forms a groove  10  filled with adhesive  4 , and thus, an adhesive bath, into which a tongue  9 , namely the edge of the second base part  12 , is immersed in order to become adhesively-bonded in this manner. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a sectional view in a further cutting plane of a sill of  FIG. 1 , and shows that in this further cutting plane, in which there is no tolerance-compensating screw connection  5 , the first side wall part  16  and the first sill cladding part  18 , which serves to cover the tolerance-compensating screw connections, are connected together by way of connecting elements  21 . Together with the sill cladding part  19  and the second side wall part  17  they form an assembly and/or a superstructure module  2 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an alternative embodiment of a sill or a further cutting plane of the same sill of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , wherein an adhesive bath is used in both edge regions  3 , and in each case, the superstructure module  2  forms a groove for the adhesive bath and the substructure  1  forms a tongue which is immersed into the adhesive bath. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , a tongue  9  submerged into an adhesive bath and a parallel bonded edge region  3 , may have one or more openings, and thus, may be formed as a perforated flange so that adhesive  4  may pass through the openings in order to strengthen the connection further. The edges of the superstructure module forming a groove  10  have oblique guide surfaces  20  as an insertion aid for securely joining said edges and for collecting escaped adhesive. 
     The term “coupled” or “connected” may be used herein to refer to any type of relationship, direct or indirect, between the components in question, and may apply to electrical, mechanical, fluid, optical, electromagnetic, electromechanical or other connections. In addition, the terms “first,” “second,” etc. are used herein only to facilitate discussion, and carry no particular temporal or chronological significance unless otherwise indicated. 
     Those skilled in the art will appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad techniques of the embodiments may be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while the embodiments have been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the embodiments should not be so limited since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, specification, and following claims. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS 
     
         
           1  Substructure 
           2  Superstructure module 
           3  Edge region 
           4  Adhesive 
           5  Tolerance-compensating screw connection 
           6  Sleeve 
           7  Adjusting element 
           8  Screw 
           9  Tongue 
           10  Groove 
           11  First base part 
           12  Second base part 
           13  Third base part 
           14  Carpet 
           15  Electrical cables 
           16  First side wall part 
           17  Second side wall part 
           18  First sill cladding part 
           19  Second sill cladding part 
           20  Oblique guide surface 
           21  Connecting element