A continuous hot press film coating device for automotive interior parts

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of interior trim film coating, and specifically relates to a continuous hot-pressing film coating equipment for automobile interior trim, which comprises a rack, a limiting module arranged on the rack, a loop guide frame and a limiting unit arranged on the loop guide frame, the loop guide frame being used to drive the limiting unit to cyclically rotate between a feeding position, a film coating position and a discharging position, the limiting unit being provided with a fixed plate capable of limiting the interior trim, a movable plate capable of being adjusted relative to the fixed plate, a tension spring capable of elastically pulling the movable plate, a film coating module arranged on the rack and located directly above the limiting module, and a feeding module arranged on the rack and facing the feeding position, the present application being capable of efficiently positioning and supporting different interior trims.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of interior trim coating technology, specifically to a continuous hot-pressing coating device for automotive interior trim. Background Technology

[0002] To improve the decorative effect, wear resistance, and tactile quality of automotive interior parts, a hot-pressing lamination process is typically used to apply a decorative film layer to the surface of the interior parts. As automotive interior products develop towards personalization, multiple models, and complex curved surfaces, the frequency of switching between different specifications of interior parts is constantly increasing, placing higher demands on the automation level, positioning accuracy, and changeover efficiency of lamination equipment.

[0003] Currently, before automotive interior parts enter the hot-pressing lamination station, they are typically transported to a designated position using a simple conveying mechanism and then positioned using a fixed fixture. However, due to differences in the size, contour, and installation reference of different models of interior parts, existing positioning structures mostly use dedicated fixtures for adaptation. When switching product models, it is often necessary to replace the entire positioning fixture or readjust the positioning, which not only results in long changeover times but also easily affects production continuity and efficiency. Furthermore, during the conveying process, interior parts are prone to positional shifts due to vibration, inertia, and placement errors, leading to deviations in the subsequent lamination position and affecting lamination quality.

[0004] Furthermore, most positioning methods rely on external clamping structures for fixation. However, for automotive interior parts with hollow areas, irregular curved surfaces, or installation cavities of varying depths, stable support cannot be achieved solely through external clamping. Additionally, during hot-press lamination, the interior parts are susceptible to localized deformation, displacement, or warping due to factors such as hot-press pressure, high-temperature softening, and uneven clamping force distribution. This negatively impacts the adhesion between the film and the interior parts. Because the internal structures of different interior parts vary significantly, existing internal support mechanisms lack rapid adjustment capabilities, failing to quickly adapt and position them according to different products. Consequently, the equipment has poor versatility and cannot meet the needs of continuous production for various interior parts models. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned issues, a continuous hot-pressing coating device for automotive interior parts is provided. By proposing a device capable of efficiently supporting and accurately positioning different interior parts, the device solves the technical problems of low automation in interior part loading, low efficiency in switching between different product models, and poor support stability during the coating process in existing technologies.

[0006] To address the problems of existing technologies, this invention provides a continuous hot-pressing and laminating equipment for automotive interior parts, comprising: a frame; a fixing module disposed on the frame, the fixing module having a guide frame and a fixing unit disposed on the guide frame, the guide frame being used to drive the fixing unit to circulate between a loading position, a laminating position, and a unloading position; the fixing unit having a fixed plate capable of fixing the interior parts, a movable plate adjustable relative to the fixed plate, and a tension spring capable of elastically tractioning the movable plate, forming an elastic inner support gap between the movable plate and the fixed plate to elastically tighten the interior parts when they are inserted; a laminating module disposed on the frame and located directly above the fixing module, used for hot-pressing and laminating the interior parts in the laminating position; and a loading module disposed on the frame and positioned directly opposite the loading position.

[0007] Preferably, the fixing module further includes an adjustment element capable of driving the fixing plate to perform horizontal adjustment.

[0008] Preferably, the limiting unit further includes a first inner support plate and a second inner support plate that can be detachably disposed on the fixed plate and the movable plate, respectively; the outer wall contours of the first inner support plate and the second inner support plate are adapted to the inner cavity wall shape of the interior trim component, so as to tighten and limit it from the inside of the interior trim component when it is elastically internally supported.

[0009] Preferably, the top edge of the second inner support plate is also chamfered to guide the insertion of the interior trim.

[0010] Preferably, the limiting unit further includes a mounting plate, an adjusting rod capable of adjusting the elastic traction stroke of the movable plate, and an adjusting cap; the mounting plate is vertically disposed within the guide frame and close to the movable plate; the adjusting rod is vertically fixed to the side wall of the movable plate and its rod portion passes through the mounting plate and slides in cooperation with the mounting plate; the adjusting cap is screwed onto the outside of the adjusting rod; the tension spring is disposed between the movable plate and the mounting plate and its two ends are fixedly connected to the movable plate and the mounting plate respectively.

[0011] Preferably, the guide frame also has two unloading notches, which are located opposite each other on both sides of the fixing module.

[0012] Preferably, the film-coating module includes a first support frame, a guiding unit capable of intermittently driving the film-coating to move, and a hot-pressing unit capable of hot-pressing the film-coating onto the interior trim; the hot-pressing unit is horizontally fixed on the frame via the first support frame and the hot-pressing end is positioned directly opposite the film-coating position of the fixing module; the guiding unit is horizontally positioned below the hot-pressing unit.

[0013] Preferably, the feeding module includes a storage bin, a linear drive that can drive the storage bin horizontally close to the retaining unit, and a first electric push rod that can drive the interior trim parts in the storage bin to be pressed onto the retaining unit at the feeding position.

[0014] The advantages of this invention compared to the prior art are: 1. This invention, by setting an adjustable clamping unit and combining it with a fixed plate, a movable plate, and adjusting elements to form a variable clamping structure, enables the clamping unit to quickly adjust the clamping distance according to different sizes and contours of automotive interior parts. At the same time, combined with a replaceable first inner support plate and a second inner support plate to form a modular inner support positioning method, the equipment can adapt to the clamping requirements of various models of interior parts, and can complete product switching without frequently changing the entire set of tooling, thereby significantly improving the efficiency of model changeover, reducing machine setup time, and ensuring the positioning stability and processing consistency of interior parts during the lamination process.

[0015] 2. This invention, through the coordinated operation of the feeding module, the guide frame, and multiple fixing units, can achieve automatic feeding, automatic pressing, automatic transmission, and automatic unloading of interior trim parts. During the pressing process, the movable plate can automatically compensate for clamping position deviations under elastic traction, forming a continuous internal support positioning effect for the interior trim parts, thereby achieving automatic correction during the clamping process and avoiding coating position errors caused by workpiece skewing or offset. At the same time, in conjunction with the circulating conveyor structure of the guide frame, the feeding, positioning, hot pressing coating, and unloading processes can be carried out continuously, effectively improving the automation level and production cycle of the whole machine. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a continuous hot-pressing coating equipment for automotive interior parts.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a film removal module in a continuous hot-pressing film coating device for automotive interior parts.

[0018] Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the solidification module in a continuous hot-pressing coating equipment for automotive interior parts.

[0019] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of part A.

[0020] Figure 5 This is a top view of a continuous hot-pressing coating equipment used for automotive interior parts.

[0021] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A three-dimensional sectional view of the section at point BB.

[0022] Figure 7This is an exploded perspective view of the solidification module in a continuous hot-pressing coating equipment for automotive interior parts.

[0023] Figure 8 This is an exploded perspective view of the feeding module in a continuous hot-pressing coating equipment for automotive interior parts.

[0024] The numbers on the map are: 1. Rack; 2. Fixing module; 21. Guide frame; 211. Slide groove; 212. Unloading notch; 22. Fixing unit; 221. Fixing plate; 222. Movable plate; 223. Tension spring; 224. First inner support plate; 2241. First insertion post; 2242. First magnetic suction element; 225. Second inner support plate; 2251. Chamfer; 226. Mounting plate; 227. Adjusting rod; 228. Adjusting cap; 23. Adjusting element; 24. Rotary actuator; 3. Coating module; 31. First support frame; 32. Guiding unit; 33. Hot pressing unit; 4. Feeding module; 41. Storage bin; 42. Linear drive; 43. First electric push rod; 44. Second support frame; 45. Sliding assembly; 46. Mounting frame; 47. Push plate. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To further understand the features, technical means, and specific objectives and functions achieved by the present invention, the present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0026] See Figures 1 to 8 The image shows a continuous hot-pressing and laminating equipment for automotive interior parts, comprising: a frame 1; a restraining module 2 disposed on the frame 1, the restraining module 2 having a guide frame 21 and a restraining unit 22 disposed on the guide frame 21, the guide frame 21 being used to drive the restraining unit 22 to circulate between a loading position, a laminating position, and a unloading position; the restraining unit 22 having a fixed plate 221 for restraining the interior parts, a movable plate 222 adjustable relative to the fixed plate 221, and a tension spring 223 for elastically tractioning the movable plate 222, so that an elastic inner support gap is formed between the movable plate 222 and the fixed plate 221, so as to elastically tighten the interior parts when they are inserted; a laminating module 3 disposed on the frame 1 and located directly above the restraining module 2, for hot-pressing and laminating the interior parts in the laminating position; and a loading module 4 disposed on the frame 1 and positioned directly opposite the loading position.

[0027] Multiple clamping units 22 are evenly distributed circumferentially along the axis of the guide frame 21. These clamping units 22 rotate synchronously with the guide frame 21 to respectively correspond to the loading, coating, and unloading positions, completing the clamping, coating, and unloading processes of the interior trim parts. Specifically, the guide frame 21 is an octagonal circulating support frame, with grooves 211 on each side for installing and sliding the fixed plate 221 and the movable plate 222, ensuring the installation stability and adjustment accuracy of each clamping unit 22 during cyclic operation.

[0028] The restraint module 2 also includes a rotary driver 24 that can drive the guide frame 21 to rotate.

[0029] When automotive interior trim parts require lamination, the elastic inner support gap between the fixed plate 221 and the movable plate 222 is first pre-adjusted according to the internal contour dimensions, opening dimensions, and inner support positioning requirements of the trim part to be processed. This elastic inner support gap is initially slightly larger than the inner support dimension at the corresponding position of the trim part. Subsequently, the trim part is automatically conveyed to the clamping unit 22 located at the loading position via the loading module 4, and the trim part is pressed between the fixed plate 221 and the movable plate 222. Since the movable plate 222 always tends to move towards the fixed plate 221 under the continuous tension of the tension spring 223, it can automatically generate radial clamping force and adhere to the inner wall of the trim part during the insertion process, thus achieving elastic inner support positioning of the trim part. After the interior trim parts are positioned, the guide frame 21 continues to rotate and transports them to the film coating position, where the hot pressing film coating operation is completed by the film coating module 3. After film coating is completed, the guide frame 21 transports them to the unloading position for automatic unloading, thus forming a continuous feeding, continuous film coating and continuous unloading cycle processing flow.

[0030] By combining a cyclic restraint structure with an elastic internal support structure, continuous automatic clamping, stable positioning, and continuous film coating of interior parts can be achieved, improving production continuity and processing efficiency.

[0031] See Figure 4 and Figure 7 As shown: The limiting module 2 also includes an adjustment element 23 that can drive the fixing plate 221 to perform horizontal adjustment.

[0032] When it is necessary to adjust the clamping size for automotive interior parts of different specifications and contours, the distance between the fixed plate 221 and the movable plate 222 can be quickly adjusted simply by driving the adjusting element 23. Specifically, the adjusting element 23 drives the fixed plate 221 to move relative to the movable plate 222 along the slide groove 211 on the guide frame 21, thereby changing the elastic inner support gap formed between the two, so that the clamping unit 22 can adapt to the inner support positioning requirements of interior parts of different sizes. After the adjustment is completed, the movable plate 222 still maintains the elastic inner support state under the action of the tension spring 223, thus taking into account both size adaptability and clamping stability. The adjusting element 23 is preferably a lead screw slide structure, and its driving lead screw is connected to the fixed plate 221 for transmission, so as to realize continuous adjustment and precise locking of the position of the fixed plate 221.

[0033] See Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown: The limiting unit 22 further includes a first inner support plate 224 and a second inner support plate 225 that can be detachably disposed on the fixed plate 221 and the movable plate 222, respectively; the outer wall contours of the first inner support plate 224 and the second inner support plate 225 are adapted to the shape of the inner cavity wall of the interior trim, so as to tighten and limit it from the inside of the interior trim when it is elastically supported.

[0034] The sidewall of the first inner support plate 224 is also vertically provided with a first insertion post 2241 and a first magnetic suction member 2242 that can fix the first inner support plate 224 onto the fixing plate 221; the second inner support plate 225 has a structure largely the same as the first inner support plate 224, and is also fixed by the same insertion post and magnetic suction member as the first inner support plate 224; the difference is that the top edge of the second inner support plate 225 is also provided with a chamfer 2251 to guide the insertion of interior trim parts. When different models of automotive interior trim parts need to be laminated, the staff only needs to select the first inner support plate 224 and the second inner support plate 225 that match the current product outline shape and support requirements for installation. During the installation process, the first insertion post 2241 and the corresponding mounting hole are used to achieve quick positioning, and the first magnetic suction member 2242 is used to achieve quick adsorption and fixation, without the need to disassemble and adjust the main structure of the fixing unit 22, thereby completing the quick switching of the support outline. Different inner support plates can form a support surface that matches the interior trim to ensure that the interior trim maintains a stable posture during the coating process.

[0035] See Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown: The top edge of the second inner support plate 225 is also provided with a chamfer 2251 to guide the insertion of the interior trim.

[0036] When the interior trim parts are pressed towards the clamping unit 22 by the feeding module 4, the edges of the interior trim parts first contact the guide chamfer 2251. Under the guidance of the guide chamfer 2251, the interior trim parts can be gradually guided to the clamping area between the fixed plate 221 and the movable plate 222, thereby avoiding collision interference or jamming caused by positional deviation. At the same time, the guide chamfer 2251 can also assist in the correction of the interior trim parts during the entry process, so that the interior trim parts are gradually adjusted to the predetermined clamping position, improving the clamping success rate in the automatic feeding process.

[0037] See Figure 4 and Figure 7 As shown: The limiting unit 22 further includes a mounting plate 226, an adjusting rod 227 capable of adjusting the elastic traction stroke of the movable plate 222, and an adjusting cap 228; the mounting plate 226 is vertically disposed within the guide frame 21 and close to the movable plate 222; the adjusting rod 227 is vertically fixedly disposed on the side wall of the movable plate 222 and the rod portion passes through the mounting plate 226 and slides in cooperation with the mounting plate 226; the adjusting cap 228 is screwed onto the outside of the adjusting rod 227; the tension spring 223 is disposed between the movable plate 222 and the mounting plate 226 and its two ends are fixedly connected to the movable plate 222 and the mounting plate 226 respectively.

[0038] In the non-working state, the movable plate 222 remains in a pre-tensioned state, moving towards the mounting plate 226, under the continuous tension of the tension spring 223, ensuring that the clamping unit 22 has a stable clamping capacity. When it is necessary to adjust the clamping pre-tension force of the movable plate 222 and the initial position of the movable plate 222 relative to the mounting plate 226, the operator only needs to adjust the installation position of the cap 228 on the adjusting rod 227. As the position of the adjusting cap 228 changes, the pre-tension of the tension spring 223 changes synchronously, thereby changing the elastic traction force on the movable plate 222 and the initial standby position of the movable plate 222, so that the clamping unit 22 can obtain appropriate clamping stroke and clamping force according to the structural characteristics of different interior parts.

[0039] See Figure 3 and Figure 6 As shown: The guide frame 21 also has two unloading notches 212, which are opened opposite each other on both sides of the fixing module 2.

[0040] After the interior trim parts have undergone the coating process, they are conveyed to the unloading position by the guide frame 21. When automatic unloading is required, the external unloading mechanism is activated, causing two insert plates to be simultaneously inserted between the interior trim parts and the retaining unit 22 through their corresponding unloading notches 212. The insert plates are then driven to move radially synchronously along the guide frame 21, gradually overcoming the clamping force generated by the movable plate 222 under the pushing action of the insert plates, and finally pushing the interior trim parts out of the retaining unit 22 as a whole, completing the automatic unloading. The entire unloading process requires no manual intervention, and the unloading force is uniform, preventing deformation or damage to the interior trim parts due to unilateral force.

[0041] See Figure 1 As shown: The film coating module 3 is provided with a first support frame 31, a guiding unit 32 capable of intermittently driving the film to move, and a hot pressing unit 33 capable of hot pressing the film onto the interior trim; the hot pressing unit 33 is fixedly mounted horizontally on the frame 1 via the first support frame 31 and the hot pressing end is positioned directly opposite the film coating position of the fixing module 2; the guiding unit 32 is horizontally positioned below the hot pressing unit 33.

[0042] The hot pressing unit 33 can adopt a conventional electric heating flat plate hot pressing structure in the art. Its heating end is fixed to the frame 1 by the first support frame 31. The heating temperature and downward pressure can be specifically set according to the materials of the film and the interior trim. The guiding unit 32 can adopt a conventional intermittent film feeding structure in the art, such as a roller group composed of a film feeding roller, a guide roller and a tension control mechanism, used to intermittently feed the preheated film to the interior trim according to the lamination station rhythm. In the actual lamination process, after the guiding frame 21 transports the positioned interior trim to the lamination position, the guiding unit 32 first transports the preheated film to the interior trim, and then drives the hot pressing unit 33 to move vertically downward, so that the film adheres to the surface of the interior trim under the action of hot pressing. During the hot pressing process, the retaining unit 22 continuously supports and positions the interior trim to prevent the interior trim from shifting or deforming under pressure, thereby ensuring the bonding quality between the film and the surface of the interior trim. After the hot pressing is completed, the hot pressing unit 33 is reset, and the guide frame 21 continues to transport the interior parts to the next station.

[0043] See Figure 8 As shown: The feeding module 4 is provided with a storage bin 41, a linear drive 42 that can drive the storage bin 41 horizontally close to the retaining unit 22, and a first electric push rod 43 that can drive the interior parts in the storage bin 41 to be pressed onto the retaining unit 22 at the feeding position.

[0044] The feeding module 4 further includes a second support frame 44, a sliding assembly 45, a mounting frame 46, and a pusher plate 47; the first electric push rod 43 is fixedly mounted on one side of the storage bin 41 via the mounting frame 46; the pusher plate 47 is fixedly mounted on the drive end of the first electric push rod 43; the storage bin 41 is horizontally slidably mounted on the top of the second support frame 44 via the sliding assembly 45; the linear actuator 42 is fixedly mounted on the second support frame 44 and its drive end is fixedly connected to the storage bin 41.

[0045] The sliding component 45 is specifically a sliding rail slider; the linear actuator 42 is specifically a second electric push rod.

[0046] When automatic feeding is required to the retaining unit 22 located at the feeding position, the linear actuator 42 is first activated, causing the storage bin 41 to move towards the retaining unit 22 to the predetermined feeding position. Then, the first electric push rod 43 is activated, and its output shaft pushes the pusher plate 47 forward, causing the foremost interior trim piece stacked in the storage bin 41 to gradually detach from the bin and move towards the retaining unit 22. During this process, the interior trim piece, guided by the guide structure, gradually enters the clamping area formed between the fixed plate 221 and the movable plate 222, and is automatically positioned and fixed under the elastic support of the movable plate 222. After pressing is completed, the first electric push rod 43 resets, and the storage bin 41, driven by the linear actuator 42, moves away from the retaining unit 22 and returns to the standby position, preparing for the next feeding cycle, thus achieving continuous automatic feeding.

[0047] This invention enables efficient positioning and support of different interior trim parts.

[0048] The above embodiments only illustrate one or more implementations of the present invention, and their descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, but they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A continuous hot-pressing coating apparatus for automotive interior parts, characterized in that, include: frame; A clamping module is provided on the frame. The clamping module is provided with a guide frame and a clamping unit provided on the guide frame. The guide frame is used to drive the clamping unit to rotate cyclically between the loading position, the coating position and the unloading position. The limiting unit is provided with a fixed plate that can limit and fix the interior parts, a movable plate that can be adjusted relative to the fixed plate, and a tension spring that can elastically pull the movable plate, so that an elastic inner support gap is formed between the movable plate and the fixed plate, so as to elastically tighten the interior parts when they are inserted. A film-coating module is mounted on the frame and located directly above the restraint module, and is used to perform hot-press film coating on interior trim parts in the film-coating position; The feeding module is located on the frame and is positioned directly opposite the feeding position.

2. The continuous hot-pressing coating equipment for automotive interior parts according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixing module also includes an adjustment element that can drive the fixing plate to make horizontal adjustments.

3. The continuous hot-pressing coating equipment for automotive interior parts according to claim 1, characterized in that, The restraint unit also includes a first inner support plate and a second inner support plate that can be detachably mounted on the fixed plate and the movable plate, respectively. The outer wall contours of the first inner support plate and the second inner support plate are adapted to the shape of the inner cavity wall of the interior trim component, so as to tighten and limit it from the inside of the interior trim component when it is elastically supported.

4. A continuous hot-pressing coating equipment for automotive interior parts according to claim 3, characterized in that, The top edge of the second inner support plate is also chamfered to guide the insertion of interior trim pieces.

5. A continuous hot-pressing coating equipment for automotive interior parts according to claim 2, characterized in that, The restraint unit also includes a mounting plate, an adjusting rod capable of adjusting the elastic traction stroke of the movable plate, and an adjusting cap; The mounting plate is vertically disposed within the guide frame and is located close to the movable plate; The adjusting rod is vertically fixed to the side wall of the movable plate, and the rod part passes through the mounting plate and slides in cooperation with the mounting plate; The adjusting cap is screwed onto the outside of the adjusting rod; The tension spring is disposed between the movable plate and the mounting plate, and its two ends are fixedly connected to the movable plate and the mounting plate respectively.

6. A continuous hot-pressing coating apparatus for automotive interior parts according to claim 1, characterized in that, The guide frame also has two material ejection notches, which are located opposite each other on both sides of the fixing module.

7. A continuous hot-pressing coating apparatus for automotive interior parts according to claim 1, characterized in that, The film-coating module is equipped with a first support frame, a guiding unit that can intermittently drive the film to move, and a hot-pressing unit that can hot-press the film onto the interior trim. The hot pressing unit is fixed horizontally on the frame via the first support frame, with the hot pressing end facing the film-coating position of the sealing module. The guiding unit is horizontally positioned below the hot pressing unit.

8. A continuous hot-pressing coating equipment for automotive interior parts according to claim 1, characterized in that, The feeding module includes a storage bin, a linear actuator that can drive the storage bin horizontally close to the retaining unit, and a first electric push rod that can drive the interior parts in the storage bin to be pressed onto the retaining unit at the feeding position.

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