Method and assembly aid for joining assemblies

Abstract

A method for joining two assemblies (1, 3; 11, 31), each equipped with a housing with flange-like mounting projections (2, 4; 21, 41) and each with a shaft (5, 6; 51, 62) rotatable relative to the housing and equipped for connection by means of a shaft-hub connection, to form a functional assembly, characterized in that: - a first assembly (1; 11) is positioned stationary; - a second assembly (3; 31) is brought towards the first assembly (1; 11) by means of a support device (12); - the two shafts (5, 6; 51, 62) are guided into a operative connection via a shaft-hub connection; and - positioning fixing means (15, 16) provided on positioning aids arranged on the support device (12) with positioning elements (17, 18) in the flange-like mounting projections (2, 4; 21, 41) the housings of the assemblies can be engaged;- the positioning fixing means (15, 16) can be removed from the positioning elements (17, 18) after exact positioning of the housings of the assemblies or the shaft-hub connection.

Description

The invention relates to a method and an assembly aid for carrying out the method for joining two assemblies, which are each equipped with a housing with flange-like fastening attachments and with a shaft which is rotatable relative to the housing and is equipped for connection by means of a shaft-hub connection, to form a functional assembly.When assembling assemblies, in particular when assembling assemblies in drive train components of motor vehicles, it is of decisive importance for the function and for the service life of the assemblies that, for example, a shaft-hub connection can be made in the assemblies to be joined without damage and with absolutely exact centering of the two shafts. Usually, the assemblies to be joined, in particular in drive train components in motor vehicles, have housings which are provided with flange-like fastening shoulders in which corresponding hole patterns are provided on the one hand for correct positioning and on the other hand for screwing the two assemblies together.U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,344 discloses and describes a method for connecting a torque converter to a transmission, in which an exact positioning is to be achieved by means of external contact aids on the housings and guide means arranged on the shaft side by means of a controlled robot.DE 102 16 318 B4 discloses a method for the automated joining of a transmission for motor vehicles to an internal combustion engine, in which the alignment and correct positioning of the assemblies to be joined is to be achieved by means of robots and 3D position measurement devices.A method for mounting drive train components is also known from DE 10 2010 063 388 A1.The object of the invention is to offer a method for joining two assemblies which enables a correct positioning of the two assemblies relative to one another largely manually in a very simple manner without there being the risk that, during the screwing of the housings of the assemblies which takes place after the positioning, a clamping of the drive train parts (of the shafts) relative to one another can take place.This object is achieved in the method according to the invention in that the second assembly is brought up to the first, stationary assembly by means of a carrying device in a first method step, wherein on the one hand centering guidance into one another takes place via the shaft-hub connection of the shafts of the two assemblies, while simultaneously positioning aids or positioning fixing means arranged on the carrying device exact positioning of the housings takes place via positioning fixing means in the flange-like fastening projections of the housings, which can be brought into engagement with one another; the positioning aids can be removed again after exact positioning of the shaft-hub connection and the housings of the two assemblies with respect to one another.A particularly expedient embodiment according to the invention is seen in the fact that the positioning aids or the positioning-fixing means are arranged on the carrying device such that they can be moved into and out of their positioning position. The positioning aids can be designed as an arm pivotably articulated on the carrying device with at least one positioning-fixing means which can be displaced when the assemblies to be joined are brought into contact and can be brought into sliding-fit engagement with an associated positioning element in the flange-like fastening attachment piece. The flange-like fastening attachment with the positioning element is preferably provided in the first stationary assembly.The position of the positioning fixing means on the outer side of the pivot arms cranked inwardly against the assemblies on the carrying device for the second assembly allows the assembler to observe the positioning process exactly and, if appropriate, to correct the position of the assemblies with respect to one another.The shaft-hub connection of the two drive shafts is preferably self-centering.The support device for the second assembly can be a support cross-bar supported by a crane and largely freely movable. It is likewise conceivable for such a supporting cross bar to be arranged on a robot.The assemblies to be joined can be drive train components of a motor vehicle; in particular, this can be a motor vehicle transmission and a hybrid module interacting with it. Preferably, the motor vehicle transmission is positioned stationary as a first module, while the hybrid module is supplied via the support device for assembly.For carrying out the method according to the invention, it is possible in an expedient manner to provide an assembly aid in which at least one arm equipped with a displaceable positioning-fixing means which can be brought into sliding-fit engagement with at least one positioning element arranged in the flange-like extension of an assembly is pivotably articulated on a supporting cross bar of a supporting device for an assembly which can be brought into arbitrary positions.With reference to the schematic representation of a particularly preferred embodiment of the subject matter of the invention, details and features of the invention are explained in more detail below.It shows: FIG. 1 shows an assembly method according to the prior art, and FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of the joining method and of an assembly aid for carrying out the method according to the invention.Assemblies in drive trains for motor vehicles are usually screwed together at their respective housings. FIG. 1 schematically shows a first assembly 1, which is correspondingly connected via a flange-like fastening attachment piece 2, which can be arranged around the housing 1 so as to run around it, for example, to a second assembly 3, which is likewise equipped with a flange-like fastening attachment piece 4-if appropriate likewise running around it. The connection is preferably effected via screw connections in bores (not shown). When the two assemblies 1 and 2 are brought together, the drive shaft 5 of the first assembly 1 is brought together in a centring manner with the shaft 6 of the second assembly 3, wherein a self-centring shaft-hub connection, for example a Hirth toothing, is usually provided. Exact centering of the two assemblies relative to one another with respect to the shafts 5 and 6 is only possible if the assemblies can be aligned to one another without problems on the basis of the components via the shaft-hub connection. This is not readily possible with heavier assemblies.In order to enable exact positioning of two assemblies with respect to one another, fitting or guide pins 7 and 8 are usually arranged in the flange-like extensions 2 and 4 on the housings of the assemblies 1 and 3, respectively. Here, the dowel pins 7 and 8 are preferably pressed into one of the flange-like attachments, while bores are provided in the opposite flange attachment, into which the dowel pins 7 and 8 are threaded with an exact fit when the two assemblies 1 and 3 are brought together and also remain there after positioning. In the case of the exclusive centering via the shaft-hub connection, the hole patterns for screwing the housings do not necessarily have to come into a matching position; however, this is absolutely ensured with the use of the fitting or guide pins 7 and 8.However, it is problematic here that the connection position is overdetermined when using both positioning measures (shaft-hub and dowel pins). Consequently, due to manufacturing and assembly tolerances (alignment errors, angular errors, position errors and the like), deviations from the exact centering position of the shafts with respect to one another may be present due to the exact housing positioning via the locating pins 7 and 8 during the connection of the shafts 5 and 6 (see arrow in FIG. 1 ), which may lead to functional faults and possibly to wear or premature failure of the entire assembly. Such overdeterminations in the connection of the assemblies in the assembly process must therefore be positively avoided.An inaccurate positioning of the assemblies relative to one another can also have an unfavorable effect on the sealing arrangement 9 or 10 between the housings of the assemblies 1 and 3 or on the tightness. Even when the two assemblies 1 and 3 are brought together, the seals 9 and 10 arranged in the flange-like attachments 2 and 4 can be damaged.FIG. 2 schematically shows a preferred exemplary embodiment of the method according to the invention and of the assembly aid for carrying out the method. A first assembly 11 is preferably positioned stationary. This assembly 11 is to be connected to a second assembly 31 in such a way that both the shaft 51 is aligned absolutely exactly with the shaft 62 of the second assembly 31 via, for example, a self-centering shaft-hub connection, that is to say the flange-like projections 21 or 41 and the sealing ring 91 lying in a groove are positioned absolutely exactly. For this positioning, the assembly 31 is picked up via a supporting cross-bar 12, which can be part of a crane or a robot, and is fed in axial alignment in the direction of the first assembly 11 provided in a stationary manner. On the support cross-bar 12 carrying the assembly 31 there are provided pivotably articulated arms 13 and 14 as mounting and positioning aids or fixing means, which arms can be pivoted from a non-functional position (see arm 13 on the right in the drawing) into a functional position (see arm 14 on the left in FIG. 2 ). The arms 13 and 14 are provided at their free end with displaceable positioning fixing means 15 and 16 which, when the arm 13, 14 is pivoted into the operating position, can be brought into slidingly fitting engagement with positioning elements 17 and 18, for example bores in the flange-like extensions 21 and 41. In the functional position, the arms 13, 14 are cranked inwardly in the direction of the assemblies to be joined, so that an engineer has the positioning slots 15, 16, 17, 18 in the field of view.For exact positioning, after assembly 31 has been placed on assembly 11, their housings are exactly aligned by the sliding introduction of positioning-fixing means 15 or 16 into positioning elements 17, 18. This ensures the exact position of the housings with respect to one another and of the bores for the screw connection. Accordingly, the position fixing means 15, 16 can now be pushed out of the positioning elements 17, 18 and the pivot arms 13 and 14 can be brought back into their non-functional position. The assembler can now control the exact alignment of the shafts 51 or 62 by the shaft-hub connection, for example by rotating the shafts 51 or 62 or by slightly "judder" on the housings. In any case, a bracing of the shafts 51 and 62 or of the assemblies 11 and 31 during the subsequent screwing is successfully avoided.By means of the positioning-fixing means 15 or 16 according to the invention, unique positioning of the assemblies to be joined is achieved without problems. With the aid of the cranked pivot arms 13 and 14 on the support cross-member 12 for the second assembly 31, it is possible without problems for the assembler to establish a clear positioning of the two assemblies relative to one another or to correct deviations.The displacement of the positioning-fixing means 15 or 16 (=in the example pin-like-any other shapes are conceivable for the person skilled in the art) into and out of the positioning elements 17 or 18 (=in the example fitting bores-any other shapes are accordingly also conceivable for the person skilled in the art here) can be effected manually, optionally via handles arranged on the positioning-fixing means 15 or 16, but also mechanically, by motor or the like.

Claims

Method for joining two assemblies (1, 3; 11, 31), each of which is equipped with a housing with flange-like fastening attachments (2, 4; 21, 41) and with a shaft (5, 6; 51, 62) which is rotatable relative to the housing and equipped for connection by means of a shaft-hub connection, to form a functional assembly, characterized in that - a first assembly (1; 11) is positioned in a stationary manner; - a second assembly (3; 31) is brought up to the first assembly (1; 11) by means of a carrying device (12), - wherein the two shafts (5, 6; 51, 62) are guided in an operative connection in a centring manner by means of a shaft-hub connection, and - wherein positioning-fixing means (15, 16) provided at positioning aids arranged on the carrying device (12) are simultaneously guided with positioning elements (17, 18) in the flange-like fastening attachments (2, 4; 18); 21, 41) of the housings of the assemblies can be brought into engagement; the positioning fixing means (15, 16) can be removed from the positioning elements (17, 18) after exact positioning of the housings of the assemblies or of the shaft-hub connection.Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the positioning aids carrying the positioning-fixing means (15, 16) are arranged on the carrying device (12) such that they can be moved into their positioning position.Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the positioning fixing means (15, 16) are arranged on the carrying device (12) in a pivotable manner via at least one arm (13, 14) and with at least one positioning fixing means (15, 16) which can be brought into sliding-fit engagement with an associated positioning element (17, 18) in the flange-like fastening attachment (21, 41) when the assemblies (11, 31) to be joined are brought into contact.Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the shaft-hub connection of the shafts (5, 6; 51, 62) is of self-centring design.Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the carrying device (12) is a carrying cross-beam of a crane.Method according to claim 1, characterised in that the carrying device (12) is a carrying cross-bar on a robot.Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the assemblies (11, 31) to be joined are drive train components of a motor vehicle.Method according to Claim 7, characterized in that the one subassembly is a motor vehicle transmission and the second subassembly is a hybrid module for a motor vehicle.Mounting aid for carrying out the method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one arm (13, 14) equipped with a displaceable positioning-fixing means (15, 16) which can be brought into sliding-fit engagement with at least one positioning-fixing means (15, 16) arranged on one of the assemblies (11, 31) to be joined is pivotably articulated on a supporting cross-member (12) for an assembly (31) which can be moved into arbitrary positions.

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