Tool for use in surface bonding and use of the tool

Abstract

Tool for use in the surface bonding of essentially supple materials, such as preferably leather or plastics with leather-like properties, to essentially firm bonding surfaces, characterized by a container (1) provided with a soft-flexible rubbing surface (3) for the material to be bonded, filled with sand, and having a substantially conical contour made of soft-flexible materials, which is graspable for handling.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a tool for use in the surface bonding of essentially supple materials, such as preferably leather or plastics with leather-like properties, to essentially rigid bonding surfaces.

[0002] Regarding the prior art, which is far removed from the subject matter of the application, DE 101 62 410 C1 discloses a device for applying, for example, a hot melt adhesive over a surface, and a heatable porous applicator. DE 101 35 955 A1 shows and describes a pressure roller with a spoon- or spatula-shaped handle for processing plastics. DE 28 40 428 A1 discloses an inflatable cushion for pressing down skin grafts, the internal pressure of which can be regulated via a valve. Finally, GB 499 656 A discloses a sand-filled ball.

[0003] Leather is characterized by its supple, relatively tough, durable, and above all, versatile properties. It is waterproof yet breathable, meaning it allows sufficient air and water vapor to pass through. This is why it has become firmly established in the automotive industry as an upholstery material for seats, dashboards, and other surfaces. The above also applies to synthetic materials with leather-like properties, such as Alcantara.

[0004] Due to its suppleness, leather or leather-like materials are not easy to handle when bonding – they have an extreme tendency to wrinkle. The usual tools for rubbing supple covering materials onto essentially rigid bonding surfaces require extremely sensitive handling of the material being bonded, especially when applying pressure. This applies to larger surfaces to be bonded, but particularly to surfaces with complex contours, such as concave contours of a component.

[0005] The invention was based on the objective of solving the aforementioned problems in the simplest and most effective way possible.

[0006] The invention proposes the use of a sand-filled container, equipped with a soft, flexible rubbing surface for the materials to be bonded, and designed for easy handling. Such a container has a cone-shaped contour made of soft, flexible materials. The rubbing surface, used to rub the supple covering materials onto essentially rigid adhesive surfaces, can be made of a smooth, low-friction material that conforms to the contours of the surface to be bonded. Preferably, the rubbing surface itself is made of leather or a material with leather-like properties.

[0007] The conical container can be made entirely of leather or a leather-like material. Preferably, however, only the rubbing surface is made of leather or a leather-like material, and the upper part of the conical container is made of textile material or a plastic material with textile-like properties.

[0008] The sand filling of the conical container preferably consists of fine or very fine sand with a grain size of less than 0.2 mm. It is advantageous to use sand with exclusively rounded grains.

[0009] The fine or ultrafine sand can preferably be filled or replaced via a closure device on the conical container. It is advantageous to position the closure device opposite the abrasive surface on the conical container.

[0010] The conical container can form a contour extending from the rubbing surface in a tapered manner to create a tool that is easy to grasp by hand and easy to handle for carrying out the rubbing motion on the surface to be bonded.

[0011] Preferably, the tool described above can be used for bonding leather or plastics with leather-like properties in the interior fittings of motor vehicles, in particular for covering a dashboard, for covering inner door walls, for seats, etc.

[0012] The advantages, features, and details of the inventive solution for a tool used in the surface bonding of flexible materials, preferably interior trim components, seats, and the like of a motor vehicle, will become apparent from the following description of an exemplary embodiment schematically illustrated in the figures of a drawing. The described features and combinations of features, as shown below in the drawing, and the features and combinations of features described with reference to the drawing are applicable not only in the combinations specified, but also in other combinations or even individually, without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0013] It shows: Fig. 1 a tool according to the invention in a perspective view obliquely from above; Fig. 2 a side view of the tool according to the invention Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 a view of a friction surface of a tool according to the invention Fig. 1.

[0014] Fig. Figure 1 shows the tool according to the invention, which is designed as a conical container 1 and can consist entirely of leather or a leather-like material with properties corresponding to leather.

[0015] The rubbing surface 3 can consist of a material that is easy to slide, has a smooth surface and can be adapted to the contours of the surface to be bonded.

[0016] Alternatively, the cone-shaped container 1 can also consist of a top part 2 made of a textile material or a plastic with textile-like properties, into which a rubbing surface 3 made of leather or a plastic with leather-like properties is inserted.

[0017] The upper part 2 can be produced by sewing or gluing; the friction surface 3 can also be attached to the upper part 2 by sewing or gluing.

[0018] The conical container 1 has a tapered profile extending away from its rubbing surface 3. This provides the conical container 1 with a contour that is easy to grasp by hand, facilitating the use of the tool according to the invention when rubbing flexible materials to be bonded onto a substantially rigid adhesive surface. This ergonomically advantageous design of the tool enables a sensitive and uniform pressure distribution when rubbing the material to be bonded with consistent rubbing movements.

[0019] Opposite the friction surface 3 at the slender upper end of the conical container 1, a closure device 4, for example in the form of a screw cap, is arranged. Fine or very fine sand can be filled into the interior of the conical container 1 via this closure device 4. Preferably, fine or very fine sand with a grain size of less than 0.2 mm is used. Ideally, sand with exclusively rounded grains is used.

[0020] By filling the container with fine or very fine sand, in conjunction with the soft, flexible friction surface 3 and the similarly soft, flexible, conical upper part 2 of the conical container 1, an optimal bonding process is achieved with regard to pressure and friction movements for the material to be bonded to the adhesive surface. This is particularly relevant where the contours of the surface to be bonded have a problematic profile. The tool according to the invention effectively prevents stresses in the material structure of the material to be bonded that arise from pressure and movement.

[0021] Due to the flexibility and adaptability of the materials from which the essentially conical container 1, its upper part 2 and especially its friction surface 3 are made, and the flexible adaptability of the sand filling in the container 1, a very even and wrinkle-free surface can be easily achieved – even with difficult contours of the surface to be bonded.

Claims

[1] Tool for use in the surface bonding of essentially flexible materials, such as preferably leather or plastics with leather-like properties, to essentially rigid bonding surfaces, characterized by a container (1) provided with a soft-flexible rubbing surface (3) for the material to be bonded, filled with sand, and having a substantially conical contour made of soft-flexible materials, which is easy to grasp for handling the material. [2] Tool according to claim 1, characterized by , that the rubbing surface (3) consists of leather or a material with leather-like properties that is easily lubricated, smooth and adaptable to the contours of the surfaces to be bonded. [3] Tool according to claim 1, characterized by , that the entire cone-shaped container (1) is made of leather or a plastic material with leather-like properties. [4] Tool according to claim 1, characterized by, that the rubbing surface (3) is made of leather or a plastic material with leather-like properties and the upper part (2) of the conical container (1) is made of textile material or a plastic with textile-like properties. [5] Tool according to claim 1, characterized by , that the sand filling of the container (1) consists of fine or very fine sand with a grain size of less than 0.2 mm. [6] Tool according to claim 5, characterized by , that fine or very fine sand with rounded sand grains is used for the sand filling. [7] Tool according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that a closure device (4) is provided on the upper part (2) of the cone-shaped container (1) for filling it with sand. [8] Tool according to claim 7, characterized by , that the locking device (4) is arranged opposite the friction surface (3) on the upper part (2) of the conical container (1). [9] Tool according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the upper part (2) of the conical container (1) extends tapering from the rubbing surface (3) to form a conical contour that can be grasped by hand. [10] Use of a tool according to one of the preceding claims in the interior fitting of motor vehicles for the surface bonding of substantially supple materials, such as preferably leather or plastics with leather-like properties, to substantially firm bonding surfaces.

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