Device for mounting a decorative strip on a body component of a vehicle

Abstract

Device (1) for mounting a decorative strip (4) on a body component (5) of a vehicle, comprising a receptacle (2) designed to receive the decorative strip (4) and a holder (6) securing the device (1) relative to the body component, and alignment devices for aligning the decorative strip (4) relative to the body component in the three spatial directions, characterized in that the alignment device for aligning the decorative strip in the width direction of the body component (4) relative to the receptacle (2) is movable and has two stops (11) designed for physical contact with the body component (5), the closing movement of which relative to each other with stops (11) located on the body component (5) aligns the receptacle (2) relative to the body component (5) in the width direction.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for mounting a decorative strip on a body component of a vehicle, comprising a receptacle designed to receive the decorative strip, a holder that secures the device relative to the body component, and alignment devices for aligning the decorative strip relative to the body component in the three spatial directions according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Based on DE 197 38 491 B4, an arrangement for attaching a bumper trim element to a vehicle body has become known, which is intended to be resistant to dynamic loads during driving for a long time and to allow easy disassembly.

[0003] DE 699 05 387 T2 discloses a mounting device for adapting a fender to a motor vehicle structure. This known device serves to position and align the fender, particularly relative to the door of a vehicle in three spatial directions, and includes alignment devices that are slidably mounted on rails relative to the vehicle.

[0004] DE 10 2011 121 322 A1 discloses an assembly device for decorative strips, which is intended for the production of a decorative strip composed of several parts. The multi-part decorative strip consists of a base carrier and several decorative elements, which are to be assembled into a single-piece component using the known assembly device.

[0005] When a decorative strip or trim piece is to be attached to a body component of a vehicle, it is important to ensure that the trim piece is aligned precisely with the body component, which could be, for example, the tailgate of a passenger car, as, for example, crookedly positioned trim pieces can be quite off-putting to the viewer.

[0006] If the trim strip is located, for example, at the bottom edge of the tailgate, an off-center position relative to this edge is perceived as undesirable. Such trim strips are often attached to the tailgate using adhesive, meaning that an off-center strip must be painstakingly removed, repositioned, and reattached with new adhesive. This repair process on the already installed trim strip is time-consuming and also carries the risk of damaging the already painted tailgate.

[0007] A vehicle tailgate is typically a component composed of several metallic parts joined together using a thermal joining process, such as welding. Due to the heat applied to the metallic components, thermal expansion can occur, resulting in so-called weld distortion. While generally harmless, this distortion can cause slight variations in the positioning and alignment of reference points on the tailgate used for mounting a trim strip.If these reference points are used for mounting a trim strip, the trim strip is aligned relative to the reference points, but not to the surface on which it is ultimately to be positioned; therefore, it is possible that gap dimensions and gap distances of the trim strip relative to the mounting surface will differ from tailgate to tailgate.

[0008] Based on this, the present invention aims to create a device for mounting a decorative strip on a body component of a vehicle, which eliminates the aforementioned disadvantages and enables the decorative strip to be mounted in a clean alignment relative to the mounting surface, regardless of any minor differences in the dimensions of the body component in the area of ​​the mounting surface for the decorative strip.

[0009] The invention developed to solve this problem has the features specified in claim 1. Advantageous embodiments thereof are described in the further claims.

[0010] The invention provides a device for mounting a decorative strip on a body component of a vehicle, comprising a receptacle designed to receive the decorative strip, a holder that secures the device relative to the body component, and alignment devices for aligning the decorative strip relative to the body component in the three spatial directions. The alignment device for aligning the decorative strip in the width direction of the body component relative to the receptacle is movable and has two stops designed for physical contact with the body component, the closing movement of which relative to each other with stops located on the body component aligns the receptacle relative to the body component in the width direction.

[0011] The mounting device according to the invention makes it possible to attach the decorative strip to the body component centrally in the width direction of the body component, so that even with body components that have different width dimensions due to manufacturing, for example, the decorative strip can be attached centrally, since it is no longer necessary to use reference points manufactured or existing independently of the width dimensions of the body component for the alignment of the mount relative to the body component.

[0012] Such reference points, commonly used to date, might be, for example, mounting holes on the body panel used for a license plate or a lighting unit. If the trim strip mounting is aligned to such reference points, it can happen that, due to deviations within the manufacturing tolerances of the body panel (i.e., deviations that are not considered defects), the trim strip is not centered on the width of the body panel. The invention remedies this problem by allowing the trim strip mounting to be aligned with the actual width of the body panel.

[0013] For this purpose, the alignment device for aligning the trim strip in the width direction of the body panel relative to the mounting is movable and has two stops designed for physical contact with the body panel. These stops can be brought into contact with the body panel so that the actual width dimensions of the body panel are taken into account when aligning the mounting that holds the trim strip. This is achieved by the closing movement of the stops towards each other with a decreasing distance between them and the body panel positioned between them, with the stops in contact with the body panel, aligning the mounting relative to the body panel in the width direction.

[0014] In this way, it is ensured that the mounting with the trim strip is always aligned centrally to the width direction of the body component, and thus the trim strip can be attached centrally to the body component even if the body components have different widths, and thus the same gap distances or gap dimensions can be created between the trim strip and the outer dimensions of the body component in the width direction.

[0015] According to a further development of the invention, the receptacle has a recess whose shape and surface are complementary to the decorative strip and which is designed to hold the decorative strip in the recess by means of a vacuum. In this way, the decorative strip can be inserted into the recess of the receptacle without mechanical holding devices or the like and brought directly into physical contact with the body component, which could be, for example, a vehicle's tailgate, without the user of the device having to touch the decorative strip again after it has been placed in the recess, thus eliminating the risk of damage to or manual contact with the adhesive surface of the decorative strip.

[0016] The decorative strip is thus held in the recess by means of negative pressure and is held in the correct orientation during the alignment and traversing operations of the device.

[0017] In order to achieve a precise arrangement of the decorative strip in the recess of the receptacle for assembly purposes, a further development of the invention provides that the device has a lever pivotable relative to the receptacle with a rib extending away from the lever, which can be brought into engagement with a groove formed on the decorative strip arranged on the receptacle by means of a displacement movement.

[0018] The decorative strip can therefore be inserted into the recess, for example by hand or using a manipulator, and then the lever is pivoted in the direction of the recess so that the rib formed on the lever engages with a groove formed on the decorative strip, whereby the decorative strip already in the recess is positioned precisely for installation by means of the physical contact of the groove of the decorative strip with the rib of the lever.

[0019] This alignment of the decorative strip in the recess for installation can already be carried out under negative pressure on the decorative strip, or still in a state where the decorative strip is held in the recess by the user by hand or by means of the manipulator.

[0020] To ensure the correct positioning and installation of the decorative strip in the recess, the recess can be provided on the top side with a plurality of alignment lips or spacers against which the decorative strip comes to rest when arranged in the recess, so that the decorative strip is positioned in the recess perpendicular to the width direction of the recess, i.e. in the height direction of the recess.

[0021] According to a further development of the invention, it is also provided that the device has an elongated support designed to hold the receiver and has two pivot levers which can be brought into releasable engagement with bores formed on the receiver and spaced apart from each other in a direction transverse to the width direction of the receiver.

[0022] In this way, the receptacle can be positioned on the elongated support and carried by it, for example, for handling with a manipulator that absorbs the weight of the device. The receptacle can be moved relative to the support, transversely to its width, similar to a drawer, i.e., towards the body panel, when the device with the receptacle is aligned relative to the body panel.

[0023] For this purpose, two pivot levers are provided on the carrier, with which the mount can be fixed in two positions relative to the carrier: a mounting position for attaching the trim strip to the body component and an alignment position, during which the device is manipulated relative to the body component and the trim strip is still spaced away from the mounting location on the body component, so that unintentional adhesion of the trim strip to the body component can be avoided before the mounting position and alignment of the mount with the trim strip located in the recess has taken place.

[0024] In both positions, i.e., the alignment position and the mounting position, the holder can be fixed similarly to a drawer via the swivel levers and their engagement in the spaced holes.

[0025] To enable the user of the device according to the invention to move the mounting with the decorative strip from the alignment position to the installation position, a further development of the invention provides that the mounting is arranged on the support so that it can be moved transversely to the width of the support relative to the support by means of a spring. To move the mounting from the alignment position to the installation position, the user simply needs to release the two pivot levers and can then move the mounting, similar to a drawer, against the force of the spring towards the body component. For this purpose, two handles may, for example, be provided on the mounting.

[0026] As mentioned above, the stops for aligning the mount relative to the width of the body panel are movable. The mount is aligned with the trim strip relative to the width of the body panel by the sliding or closing movement of the stops towards each other.

[0027] According to a further development of the invention, the stops are also arranged to be displaceable relative to the carrier on guides and actuated by means of a gearbox. They can be arranged in a position spaced apart from each other as well as in a position adjacent to each other, and the gearbox can be actuated by means of a handwheel and has a coupling device that limits the closing force of the stops. In this way, it can be achieved that the stops can be locked in both the open and closed positions, i.e., they cannot move freely relative to each other, and the closing force of the stops can be limited by a spring-loaded coupling device or the like.

[0028] According to a further development of the invention, the device is also designed to be arranged on the body component with a receptacle located at a distance relative to the mounting and has at least one suspension device for mounting the device on a support device. The support device can be a balancer that absorbs the weight of the device according to the invention and relieves the user, so that the user only has to guide the device relative to the body component and is not burdened by the mass of the device.

[0029] Aligning the mounting bracket using the stops ensures precise mounting alignment in the width direction of the body panel. For correct lateral mounting of the trim strip, vertical alignment in the height direction of the body panel is also required.

[0030] For this purpose, according to a further development of the invention, the device has two devices arranged at a distance from each other on the receiving for aligning the decorative strip in the vertical axis direction of the body component, wherein the devices each have a spacer that can be moved in the vertical axis direction by spring force, a roller is arranged on the end region of which is spaced apart from the receiving, along the outer circumference of which the spacer can be moved relative to an edge region of the body component and can be detachably fixed by means of a back cut formed at a distance from the roller on the edge region while simultaneously aligning the receiving relative to the body component.

[0031] The device, and thus the mount, can be moved relative to the edge of the body panel via the respective role of the spacer without damaging the edge. The mount is then aligned vertically by temporarily positioning the device against the undercut of the spacer at the edge of the body panel.Thus, the device is aligned with the mounting location of the trim strip in both the width and height directions of the body component, and by means of a relative movement of the receiver on the spring-loaded holders of the receiver relative to the carrier, the receiver with the trim strip located in the recess can be brought towards the body component by the user to bring about the adhesive bond of the trim strip to the body component, without any change in the position of the receiver and thus of the trim strip in the width and height directions of the body component.

[0032] The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawing. This shows: Fig. 1 a perspective view from the front of an embodiment of the device according to the invention without an inserted decorative strip; Fig. 2 a representation similar Fig. 1 with inset decorative trim; Fig. 3 a perspective view of the device from behind in alignment position; Fig. 4 a perspective view from below of the device arranged on a tailgate in the aligned position; Fig. 5 a representation similar Fig. 4 in assembly position; and Fig. 6 A perspective overall view of the device from the rear in an alignment position on a tailgate closing force

[0033] Fig. Figure 1 of the drawing shows a perspective view of an overall view of an embodiment of a device 1 for mounting a decorative strip on a body component of a vehicle according to the present invention.

[0034] The device 1 has a receptacle 2 with a recess 3, which is shaped and surface-complementary to a decorative strip 4, which is in Fig. 2 is shown arranged in the recess 3.

[0035] The device 1 serves to arrange the decorative strip 4 on a tailgate 5 of a vehicle, as shown in Fig. Figure 6 of the drawing is shown schematically.

[0036] The device 1 can be detachably fixed to the tailgate 5 by means of brackets 6, by hooking it into recesses 8 for light units of the tailgate 5 via hooks 7.

[0037] The device 1 has a support 9 which, in the illustrated embodiment, has an elongated shape provided with lightening holes, as shown in more detail below. Fig. 6 of the drawing is evident.

[0038] On the upper side of the support 9 are two suspension devices 10, which in the illustrated embodiment are designed as eyelets. The device 1 can be attached via the eyelets 10 to a support device (not shown) in the form of a balancer, which absorbs the weight of the device 1.

[0039] On both sides of the carrier 9, a stop 11 is provided, which is designed for physical contact with the tailgate 5, as can be seen from the following: Fig. As can be seen in drawing 6. For this purpose, the stops 11 can be moved relative to the support 9 and to the receptacle 2 in the lateral direction according to arrow 12, so that they are aligned with the Fig. 6 more clearly visible guides in the form of guide bolts 13 can be moved in the direction outwards and inwards.

[0040] For repositioning the stops 11, a gear 14 in the form of a linkage drive is provided with connecting rods 15 which are rotatably fixed to a crank disk 16, which is connected via a more detailed reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. The handwheel 17 shown in drawing 6 can be operated.

[0041] By rotating the handwheel 17, the crank disc 16 can be set in motion, which in turn allows the connecting rods 15 to be actuated in the longitudinal direction of the support 9, both outwards and inwards. The connecting rods 15 are guided by guides 18 and are articulated at a distance from the crank disc 16 on the outer sides at stops 11.

[0042] The design of the gear unit 14 is chosen such that it can be locked in both extreme positions, i.e., a position of the stops 11 deflected far outwards and a position of the stops 11 deflected far inwards, i.e., a locking position of the gear unit 14 can be brought about from which the coupling gear unit cannot be unintentionally released, but only by active actuation of the handwheel 17.

[0043] During the closing movement of the stops 11 towards each other, in which the clear distance between the two stops 11 decreases, the clamping force acting on the side surface of the tailgate 5 is limited by a coupling device (not shown) in the form of, for example, a spring coupling. During the closing movement, the stops contact the lateral edge areas of the tailgate 5, so that the device 1 is automatically centered taking into account the width dimensions of the tailgate 5, and the trim strip 4 is positioned centrally relative to the tailgate 5.

[0044] Fig. Figure 4 of the drawing shows the position of the device 1 relative to the tailgate 5 in its already aligned state, with the receptacle 2 still positioned at a distance from the tailgate 5. The device 1 has spacers 19, at the end faces of which rollers 20 are arranged, which move the receptacle 2 from its aligned position into the oriented position. Fig. 5 shown assembly position at the lower edge 21 of the tailgate 5 can roll down and be moved vertically downwards against the action of a spring not shown in detail, until the lower edge 21 of the tailgate 5 comes into contact with an undercut 21 formed on the spacer 19.

[0045] To bring about this movement, the user can move the holder 2 towards the tailgate 5, similar to a drawer, and thereby move the holder 2 via the in Fig.The user must move the handles 23 shown in the drawing. To do this, the user must release two pivot levers 28 from their engagement in bores 29 and can then move the mount 2 forwards by means of the handles 23 and then engage the pivot levers 28 with bores 30 spaced apart from the bores 29, thus fixing the mount 2 in the mounting position.

[0046] This movement operation of the receptacle 2 also simultaneously results in the device 1 assuming its assembly position, i.e., the receptacle 2 with the decorative strip 4 arranged in the recess 3 assuming the position that adheres the decorative strip 4 to the tailgate 5.

[0047] The user inserts the decorative strip 4 into the recess 3, then pivots a spring-loaded lever 25 upwards by 180 degrees, so that a rib 26 formed on the lever 25 engages in a groove 27 formed on the decorative strip 4, which ensures a centered position of the decorative strip 4 in the recess 3. The decorative strip 4 is aligned in the vertical direction of the receptacle 2 by means of stops 31.

[0048] In order to hold the decorative strip 4 in the recess 3 without the user of the device 1 having to grasp it further, several suction nozzles 24 are provided in the area of ​​the recess 3, via which the decorative strip 4 located in the recess 3 can be subjected to negative pressure on the back of the decorative strip 4, so that the decorative strip 4 is held securely in the recess 3.

[0049] Once the trim strip 4 has been securely glued to the tailgate 5, which can be verified, for example, after a predetermined waiting period for the adhesive bond to at least partially cure, the vacuum pressure on the trim strip 4 is interrupted and the device 1 can be moved out of its mounting position relative to the tailgate 5 and is available for a mounting operation of the trim strip on another tailgate.

[0050] With regard to features of the invention not explained in detail above, explicit reference is made to the claims and the drawing. Reference symbol list 1 Device 2nd recording 3 Exclusion 4 decorative strips 5 Tailgate 6 brackets 7 hooks 8 Exclusion 9 carriers 10 Suspension device, eyelet 11 attacks 12 Arrow Latitude direction 13 guide pins 14 gearboxes 15 Connecting rod 16 Crank disc 17 Handwheel 18 Leadership 19 spacers 20 rolls 21 bottom edge 22 Undercut 23 Handle 24 suction nozzle 25 levers 26th rib 27 Nut 28 swivel levers 29 bore 30 bore 31 Alignment lip

Claims

[1] Device (1) for mounting a decorative strip (4) on a body component (5) of a vehicle, comprising a receptacle (2) designed to receive the decorative strip (4) and a holder (6) securing the device (1) relative to the body component, and alignment devices for aligning the decorative strip (4) relative to the body component in the three spatial directions, characterized by , that the alignment device for aligning the decorative strip in the width direction of the body component (4) relative to the receptacle (2) is designed to be movable and has two stops (11) designed for physical contact with the body component (5), the closing movement of which relative to each other with stops (11) located on the body component (5) aligns the receptacle (2) relative to the body component (5) in the width direction. [2] Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized by, that the receptacle (2) has a recess (3) which is designed to be complementary in shape and surface to the decorative strip (4) and is designed to hold the decorative strip (5) in the recess (3) by means of a vacuum. [3] Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by a lever (25) which can be pivoted relative to the receptacle (2) and has a rib (26) extending away from the lever (25) which can be brought into engagement with a groove formed on the receptacle by means of a displacement movement. [4] Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by an elongated support (9) designed to hold the receptacle (2) and having two pivot levers (28) which can be brought into releasable engagement with bores (29, 30) formed on the receptacle (2) and spaced apart from each other in a direction transverse to the width direction of the receptacle (2). [5] Device (1) according to claim 4, characterized by, that the receptacle (2) is arranged transversely to the width direction of the support (9) relative to the support (9) and is spring-loaded and displaceable on the support (9). [6] Device (1) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized by , that the stops (11) are coupled to a gearbox (14) relative to the carrier (9) and are displaceable on guides (13) and can be arranged in a spaced-apart position as well as in a position adjacent to each other, and that the gearbox (14) can be actuated by means of a handwheel (17) and has a coupling device limiting the closing force of the stops (11). [7] Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the device (1) is designed to be arranged on the body component (5) with a receptacle (2) located in a spaced position relative to the holder and has at least one suspension device (10) for arranging the device (1) on a support device. [8] Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by Two devices arranged at a distance from each other on the receptacle for aligning the decorative strip (4) in the vertical axis direction of the body component (5), each device having a spacer (19) that can be moved in the vertical axis direction by spring action, a roller (20) being arranged at the end of the spacer spacer spaced from the receptacle (2), along the outer circumference of the spacer spacer spacer (19) being movable relative to an edge region (21) of the body component (5) and being detachably fixed by means of an undercut (22) formed at a distance from the roller (20) on the edge region (21) while simultaneously aligning the receptacle (2) relative to the body component (5).

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