# US 10,870,174 B2 · Method for producing a plastic-metal hybrid component

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- Number: US 10,870,174 B2
- Document ID: US10870174B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/757,674
- Filed: 2016-12-12
- Published: 2019-01-24
- Granted: 2020-12-22
- Earliest claimed: 2015-12-15
- Assignees: inpro Innovationsgesellschaft für fortgeschrittene Produktionssysteme in der Fahrzeugindustrie mbH
- Applicants: inpro Innovationsgesellschaft für fortgeschrittene Produktionssysteme in der Fahrzeugindustrie mbH
- Inventors: Olaf Hoyer; Matthias Schulenburg; Michael Minkow; Gerd Eßer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10870174B2

## CPC

- B23K 26/244: Overlap seam welding
- B23K 26/323: involving parts made of dissimilar metallic material
- B23K 26/324: involving non-metallic parts
- B29C 45/14311: {using means for bonding the coating to the articles (B29C45/14795 takes precedence)}
- B32B 3/08: characterised by added members at particular parts {(layer formed of separate pieces of material which are juxtaposed side-by-side B32B3/14, B32B3/18)}
- B32B 3/30: characterised by a layer formed with recesses or projections, e.g. {hollows, grooves, protuberances, ribs (apertured layer B32B3/266; layer with cavities or internal voids B32B3/26)}
- B32B 7/04: Interconnection of layers
- B32B 15/08: of synthetic resin
- B32B 15/18: comprising iron or steel {(B32B15/011, B32B15/012 and B32B15/013 take precedence)}
- C23C 4/02: Pretreatment of the material to be coated, e.g. for coating on selected surface areas
- C23C 4/129: Flame spraying
- B23K 2103/04: Steel {or steel} alloys
- B23K 2103/08: Non-ferrous metals or alloys
- B23K 2103/18: Dissimilar materials
- B29K 2705/00: Use of metals, their alloys or their compounds, for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts
- B32B 2250/02: 2 layers
- B32B 2255/06: on metal layer
- B32B 2255/205: Metallic coating
- B32B 2262/103: Metal fibres
- B32B 2307/538: Roughness
- B32B 2307/714: Inert, i.e. inert to chemical degradation, corrosion
- B32B 2605/08: Cars
- B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing a plastic-metal hybrid component, in which, in order to improve the adhesion of a metal surface, provided with a corrosion protection layer, of a base body made from metal and at least one plastic component, the corrosion protection layer of the metal surface of the base body is provided with a surface structure having undercuts. In order to avoid damage to the corrosion protection layer a filler material that binds well with the corrosion protection layer is applied on the corrosion protection layer in a specific and limited manner, in the form of successive, preferably metal elements having geometrically determined and/or geometrically indeterminate shape, via relative movement with respect to same. The elements of the filler material applied to the corrosion protection layer are each melted, for example by means of a laser, and welded on the corrosion protection layer, producing the surface structure, having the undercuts, of the corrosion protection layer of the metal surface of the base body. In a subsequent direct spraying process, the undercuts of the surface structure are at least partially filled with a thermoplastic plastic component in such a way that the latter engages in the undercuts, forming the plastic-metal hybrid component.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for production of a plastic-metal hybrid component in which, in order to improve the adhesion of a metal surface of a main body formed from metal provided with an anticorrosive layer and at least one plastic component, the anticorrosive layer of the metal surface of the main body is provided with a surface texture having undercuts, which are respectively at least partially filled with the at least one plastic component during a direct injection process in a manner such that the latter interengages behind the undercuts of the surface texture of the anticorrosive layer of the metal surface of the main body, whereupon the plastic-metal hybrid component is formed, wherein an additional substance which can readily be joined to and which is electrochemically compatible with the anticorrosive layer of the metal surface of the main body formed from metal is applied, in a specific and limited manner, in the form of successive elements with at least one of: a geometrically determined shape, or geometrically indeterminate shape, to the anticorrosive layer of the metal surface of the main body by movement relative thereto, and the respective elements of the additional substance applied to the anticorrosive layer are melted and welded to the anticorrosive layer,
wherein a texturing wire which is unrolled from a wire coil is used as the additional substance which can readily be joined to the anticorrosive layer formed from zinc of the metal surface of the main body formed from steel,
which is consecutively formed, in sections from the unrolled end of the texturing wire, into interconnected metallic elements with at least one of: a geometrically determined form or a geometrically indeterminate form, by means of a wire forming machine tool which is positioned above the anticorrosive layer and moved relative thereto, the respective elements being consecutively applied to the anticorrosive layer from the unrolled end of the texturing wire and welded to the anticorrosive layer by means of a laser or an alternative focused source of heat.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein a metal wool strip is used as the additional substance which can readily be joined to the anticorrosive layer, for example formed from zinc, of the metal surface of the main body, for example formed from steel, wherein the metal wool strip is consecutively applied to the anticorrosive layer, in sections as interconnected metallic elements with at least one of: a geometrically determined form or geometrically indeterminate form, and the respective applied metallic elements are melted and welded to the anticorrosive layer by means of a laser or an alternative focussed source of heat.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method according to claim 2, wherein the diameter selected for the metal wool strip is from a few tenths of a millimetre to several millimetres.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method acquiring to claim 1, wherein the interconnected metallic elements are individually separated from the texturing wire by a wire cutter which is positioned above the anticorrosive layer and which moves relative thereto.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein the diameter selected for the texturing wire and the wire wool strip is from a few tenths of a millimetre to several millimetres.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the elements of the additional substance which can readily be joined to the anticorrosive layer formed from zinc of the metal surface of the main body formed from steel are formed as sections with at least one of: a geometrically determined form or a geometrically indeterminate form of a texturing wire unrolled from a coil which are individually separated from the unrolled end of the texturing wire by means of a wire cutter which is positioned above the anticorrosive layer and which moves relative thereto and which are applied to the anticorrosive layer by falling downwards from the wire cutter consecutively and spaced from each other and respectively melted and welded to the anticorrosive layer by means of the laser or the alternative focussed source of heat.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein the sections of the texturing wire which have a diameter selected to be in the range from a few tenths of a millimetre to several millimetres with a diameter/length ratio of <1 are individually separated from the unrolled texturing wire by means of the wire cutter.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein the diameter selected for the texturing wire and the wire wool strip is from a few tenths of a millimetre to several millimetres.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein the sections of the texturing wire which have a diameter selected to be in the range from a few tenths of a millimetre to several millimetres with a diameter/length ratio of <1 are individually separated from the unrolled texturing wire by means of the wire cutter and the diameter selected for the texturing wire and the wire wool strip is from a few tenths of a millimetre to several millimetres.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein particles are used as the metallic elements of the additional substance which can readily be joined to the anticorrosive layer formed from zinc of the metal surface of the main body formed from steel, which are individually and successively applied, with at least one of: a geometrically determined form a geometrically indeterminate form, to the anticorrosive layer and subsequently respectively melted and welded to the anticorrosive layer by means of the laser or the alternative focussed source of heat.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, wherein the particles are applied, by means of a hopper-shaped application device filled with powder, which is positioned above the anticorrosive layer and moved relative thereto, to the anticorrosive layer of the metal surface as the metallic elements with at least one of: a geometrically determined form or geometrically indeterminate form and subsequently respectively melted and welded to the anticorrosive layer by means of the laser or the alternative focussed source of heat.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, wherein the size of the particles is selected so as to be in the range from a few tenths of a millimetre to several millimetres, so that the texturing in the surface of the directly injected plastic mass is not visible.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, wherein the particles are applied, by means of a hopper-shaped application device filled with powder, which is positioned above the anticorrosive layer and moved relative thereto, to the anticorrosive layer of the metal surface as the metallic elements with at least one of: geometrically determined form or geometrically indeterminate form and subsequently respectively melted and welded to the anticorrosive layer by means of the laser or the alternative focussed source of heat and the size of the particles is selected so as to be in the range from a few tenths of a millimetre to several millimetres, so that the texturing in the surface of the directly injected plastic mass is not visible.