Lightweight constructional element with external ribbing

Abstract

A lightweight constructional element ( 100 ) is disclosed. The lightweight constructional element ( 100 ) comprises: (a) a shell-shaped basic body or shell ( 1 ), e.g., fabricated from metal, having interior ( 20 ) and exterior ( 23 ) surfaces, the interior surfaces ( 23 ) of the basic body define an interior space ( 26 ); and (b) reinforcing ribs ( 2 a, 2 b ) of plastics material, preferably thermoplastic material, which are fixedly attached to the exterior surface ( 23 ) of basic body ( 1 ). The reinforcing ribs are fixedly attached to the exterior surface of said basic body by means of discrete attachment points {which may include, for example, apertures ( 3 a ), slots ( 3 f ), beads ( 3 b ) and/or protrusions ( 3 c )}. Articles of manufacture that may include the lightweight constructional element include, for example, structural components of motor vehicles (e.g., a cross car beam) and aircraft, and a structural component having a channel for receiving at least one of a cable and a gas.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A lightweight constructional element comprising: 
 (a) a shell-shaped basic body having interior and exterior surfaces, the interior surfaces of said basic body defining an interior space; and    (b) reinforcing ribs of plastics material which are fixedly attached to the exterior surface of said basic body,    wherein said reinforcing ribs are fixedly attached to the exterior surface of said basic body by means of discrete attachment points, said reinforcing ribs being one of directly and indirectly fixedly attached to the exterior surface of said basic body.    
     
     
         2 . The lightweight constructional element of  claim 1  wherein said basic body is fabricated from a material selected from at least one of thermoset plastics material, thermoplastic materials and metal.  
     
     
         3 . The lightweight constructional element of  claim 1  wherein the plastics material of said reinforcing ribs is selected from at least one of thermoset plastics material and thermoplastic materials.  
     
     
         4 . The lightweight constructional element of  claim 1  wherein said discrete attachment points comprise at least one of: a plurality of perforations; a plurality of beads; and a plurality of protrusions.  
     
     
         5 . The lightweight constructional element of  claim 1  wherein said basic body has a plurality of perforations each having a plane, said reinforcing ribs are fixedly attached to the exterior surface of said basic body by means of the plastics material of said reinforcing ribs extending through at least some of said perforations, extending beyond the plane of said perforations and into the interior space of said basic body, said perforations being selected from at least one of apertures and slots.  
     
     
         6 . The lightweight constructional element of  claim 1  wherein said basic body has a shape selected from-substantially U-shapes and substantially V-shapes each having two sidewalls, each sidewall having a rim, said reinforcing ribs are further fixedly attached to the exterior surface of said basic body by means of plastic material of said ribs at least partially encasing said rims.  
     
     
         7 . The lightweight constructional element of  claim 6  wherein the rim of each sidewall has a substantially laterally outwardly extending flange, and said reinforcing ribs are further fixedly attached to the exterior surface of said basic body by means of plastic material of said ribs at least partially encasing said flanges.  
     
     
         8 . The lightweight constructional element of  claim 4  wherein said reinforcing ribs are fixedly attached to the outer surface of said basic body by means of a process of molding plastics material onto the exterior surface of said basic body, the molded-on plastics material at least one of: (i) extending through at least some of said perforations and into the interior space of said basic body; (ii) filling at least some of said slots; (iii) filling at least some of said beads; and (iv) encasing at least partially at least some of said protrusions.  
     
     
         9 . The lightweight constructional element of  claim 1  wherein the exterior surfaces of said basic body are at least partially encased in plastics material.  
     
     
         10 . The lightweight constructional element of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the interior surfaces of said basic body are encased with plastics material.  
     
     
         11 . The lightweight constructional element of  claim 1  wherein said basic body has a shape selected from substantially U-shapes and substantially V-shapes.  
     
     
         12 . The lightweight constructional element of  claim 1  wherein said basic body has a shape selected from substantially U-shapes and substantially V-shapes each having two sidewalls, each sidewall having a substantially laterally outwardly extending flange, said lightweight constructional element further comprising a cover plate, said cover plate being fixedly attached to each of said flanges and covering at least a portion of the interior space of said basic body.  
     
     
         13 . The lightweight constructional element of  claim 12  wherein said cover plate is fixedly attached to said basic body by means of plastics material encasing each of said flanges and at least a portion of said cover plate that abuts each of said flanges.  
     
     
         14 . The lightweight constructional element of  claim 12  wherein each of said cover plate and said flanges have plurality of perforations, each perforation having a plane, at least some of the perforations of said cover plate and said flanges are aligned with each other, the aligned perforations forming a plurality of aligned perforations each having a plane, said cover plate being fixedly attached to said basic body by means of plastics material extending through and beyond the plain of least some of the aligned perforations, said perforations being selected from at least one of apertures and slots.  
     
     
         15 . The lightweight constructional element of  claim 12  wherein said cover plate forms an airtight seal over said interior space of said basic body by means of at least one of a welded joint, a bonded joint and a sealing agent positioned between each of said flanges and at least a portion of said cover plate that is fixedly attached to each of said flanges.  
     
     
         16 . The lightweight constructional element of  claim 1  further comprising at least one dividing wall positioned within the interior space of said basic body.  
     
     
         17 . The lightweight constructional element of  claim 12  wherein said basic body and said cover plate are each independently fabricated from at least one material selected from the group consisting of sheet metal, diecast metal and fiber-reinforced plastics material.  
     
     
         18 . The lightweight constructional element of  claim 1  wherein the plastics material of said reinforcing ribs is a thermoplastic material selected from at least one of polycarbonate, polyester, polyurethane, polystyrene, polyamide and polyalkylene.  
     
     
         19 . An article of manufacture comprising the lightweight constructional element of  claim 1  wherein said article is selected from: a structural component of a motor vehicle; a structural component of an aircraft; and a structural component having a channel for receiving at least one of a cable and a gas.  
     
     
         20 . An article of manufacture comprising the lightweight constructional element of  claim 1  wherein said article is selected from: an instrument panel support; and a cross-car beam.  
     
     
         21 . The lightweight constructional element of  claim 1  wherein said reinforcing ribs form a continuous unitary structure on the exterior surface of said basic body.