Method for laminating a top surface of a support component with a laminating material layer and associated device

Abstract

Method for laminating a carrier component (2), in particular a carrier component (2) of a motor vehicle, with a laminating material layer (3) having a laminating material top and a laminating material bottom, in a laminating tool (4) comprising at least one lower tool shape (4a) and at least one upper tool shape (4b), comprising the steps: - Inserting the carrier component (2) into the laminating tool (4) in such a way that the carrier component (2) rests on the lower tool form (4a) with its underside facing away from its top side, - Placing the laminating material layer (3) on the top side of the carrier component (2) inserted in the laminating tool (4) such that the underside of the laminating material layer (3) rests on the top side of the carrier component (2), - Moving a central section (M) of the laminating material layer (3) into a connecting position with respect to the supporting component (2) by means of at least one gripping means (5a, 5b) which is designed to grasp the central section (M) of the laminating material layer (3) from the underside of the laminating material through an opening (6) in the supporting component (2) and to move the grasped central section (M) of the laminating material layer (3) by adjusting the gripping means (5a, 5b).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for laminating a carrier component, in particular a carrier component of a motor vehicle, with a laminating material layer comprising a top and bottom surface, in a laminating tool comprising at least one lower tool form and at least one upper tool form. The invention also relates to an associated apparatus.

[0002] From DE 10 2005 003 212 A1, a device for laminating a decorative substrate with at least one decorative layer, particularly for use in motor vehicles, is known, comprising a means for clamping the decorative layer and a means for bringing together and pressing the decorative substrate and decorative layer, wherein the clamping force applied by the means for clamping the decorative layer and / or the direction of individual components of the clamping force is variably adjustable depending on the relative position of the decorative substrate and decorative layer to each other and / or the duration of the pressing. Further prior art can be found in publications DE 33 45 626 A1, DE 10 2010 033 206 A1, US 3 580 770 A and US 5 711 845 A.

[0003] The invention is based on the objective of being able to align the layer of laminating material particularly precisely before final bonding it to the carrier component when laminating a support component, in particular a support component of a motor vehicle, so that, for example, the desired arrangement, alignment and / or wrinkle-free position of the laminating material layer on the carrier component can be achieved with particular accuracy.

[0004] The problem is solved by means of a method having the features of claim 1 and by means of a corresponding device having the features of claim 6. Advantageous further developments of the method and the device are disclosed in the dependent claims.

[0005] The basic method for laminating a carrier component, in particular a carrier component of a motor vehicle, with a laminating material layer having a laminating material top and a laminating material bottom, in a laminating tool comprising at least one lower tool shape and at least one upper tool shape, comprises the following steps: - Inserting the carrier component into the laminating tool in such a way that the carrier component rests on the lower tool form with its underside facing away from its top side, - Placing the laminating material layer on the top side of the carrier component inserted in the laminating tool, such that the underside of the laminating material layer rests on the top side of the carrier component, - Moving a central section of the laminating material layer into a connecting position with respect to the supporting component by means of at least one gripping means which is designed to grasp the central section of the laminating material layer from the underside of the laminating material through an opening in the supporting component and to move the grasped central section of the laminating material layer by adjusting the gripping means.

[0006] The methods according to the invention can be used in particular when clamping devices are employed in a laminating tool that also grip and position the outer edge section of the laminating material layer, as is already the case, for example, in DE 10 2005 003 212 A1. The gripping devices according to the invention can be used additionally in this respect. However, it is also fundamentally possible to carry out the method exclusively with the gripping devices according to the invention, without any clamping devices that grip and position the outer edge section of the laminating material layer. Thus, in specific cases, it may be possible to simply clamp the outer edge section of the laminating material layer without positioning it using clamping devices.

[0007] The joining of the laminating material layer to the carrier component, after the gripping device has brought the central section of the laminating material layer into the joining position with respect to the carrier component, can also be carried out in different ways, for example in the context of wet lamination using liquid adhesive, which is introduced between the laminating material layer and the carrier component, or in the context of dry lamination using dry composite material and / or in the context of thermal lamination using heat and / or pressure.

[0008] The laminating material layer itself, which can thus form a decorative layer, can be composed of various, generally arbitrary, layers or layers. The laminating material layer can, in particular, be a film, especially a plastic film, a fabric layer, a knitted fabric, a woven fabric layer such as a carbon fiber fabric, a genuine leather covering, an imitation leather covering, or a so-called sewn-in cover. The laminating material layer can, in particular, be a stretchable laminating material layer.

[0009] In general, the method for laminating, in particular, a top surface of a support component, preferably a support component of a motor vehicle, with a laminating material layer having a laminating material top surface and a laminating material bottom surface, in a laminating tool comprising at least one lower tool shape and at least one upper tool shape, can, however, comprise the following steps: - Inserting the carrier component into the laminating tool in such a way that the carrier component rests on the lower tool form with its underside facing away from its top side, - Placing the laminating material layer on the top side of the carrier component inserted in the laminating tool, such that the underside of the laminating material layer rests on the top side of the carrier component, - Fixing the layer of laminating material placed on the support component at at least one outer edge section of the laminating material layer by means of at least one clamping device of the laminating tool, - Moving a central section of the laminating material layer into a connecting position with respect to the supporting component by means of at least one gripping means which is designed to grasp the central section of the laminating material layer from the underside of the laminating material through an opening in the supporting component and to move the grasped central section of the laminating material layer by adjusting the gripping means, and - Connecting the laminating material layer to the support component after the gripping device has brought the central section of the laminating material layer into the connecting position with respect to the support component.

[0010] The individual procedural steps are carried out chronologically, particularly in the order described.

[0011] By moving the central section of the laminating material layer into a bonding position relative to the substrate using at least one gripping device, which is designed to grasp the central section of the laminating material layer from the underside of the laminating material through an opening in the substrate and to move the gripped central section of the laminating material layer by adjusting the gripping device, the laminating material layer can be positioned with exceptional precision and local resolution. This ensures that even with complex surface finishes of the substrate, a clean and, in particular, wrinkle-free bonding layer can be achieved. Furthermore, in the case of laminating material layers with a special structure, such as woven fabrics, the orientation and course of the structures can be influenced. The bonding layer is then defined as the position, orientation, and cleanliness of the bonding layer.The term refers to the wrinkle-free position and / or the desired course of the structures of the laminating material layers, in which the laminating material layer is to be fixed to the supporting component, especially over its entire surface.

[0012] The laminating material layer can be provided with a cutout in the central section, the edge of which forms an inner edge section of the laminating material layer, wherein the at least one gripping means can grasp the central section of the laminating material layer by gripping the inner edge section of the laminating material layer.

[0013] In general, the method and device allow for the gripping means to grasp and move closed-layer laminating materials at their central sections. This can be achieved, for example, by the gripping means incorporating suction devices that draw in and grip the laminating material at its underside. Open-pore laminating materials, such as fabrics and / or textiles, can be grasped and moved at their central sections using needles. Therefore, a cutout in the laminating material is not strictly necessary to grasp and move the respective central section.

[0014] However, if the laminating material layer has a cutout, which is often the case when laminating structural components that themselves have openings (for example, to allow other components to be inserted and mounted in an opening of the laminating structural component), then the central section can preferably be gripped at the inner edge sections of the cutout laminating material layer. For example, clamping grippers can be used that can encompass the edge section on opposite sides. In particular, fine adjustment of the laminating material layer can be advantageous, especially in the area of ​​the inner edge sections of the cutout laminating material layer, since the laminating material layers are weakened in the area of ​​their cutouts with regard to the transmission of shear forces in the plane of the laminating material layer.

[0015] The at least one gripping means can be moved such that the central section of the laminating material layer is moved in a direction that lies at least substantially or completely in the plane of the laminating material layer. The at least one gripping means can be configured to pull or push the gripped central section of the laminating material layer in the plane of the laminating material layer.

[0016] At least one gripping element can be moved by a motor. Although in a simple design the gripping element may be manually operated, a special embodiment provides for automatic movement of the gripping element. Automatic movement can be achieved by a control device controlling a drive that moves an adjustable gripping element which grasps the central section of the laminating material layer. The drive can, for example, comprise an electric motor, a hydraulic drive, or a pneumatic drive. Each of these drives can be electrically controlled. The drive can be automatically controlled by the control device. Alternatively, the control device can comprise at least one input device, which, when manually actuated by a person, activates the control device, which then actuates the drive.

[0017] The gripping of the central section of the laminating material layer can be achieved by the at least one gripping means in that the at least one gripping means has a needle gripping device, a clamping device, a suction holding device, a keder holder, a hook and loop device, a magnetic holder, an adhesive holder, pins and / or hooks, each of which is designed to grip the central section of the laminating material layer on its laminating material underside or on an inner edge section of the laminating material layer through the opening in the support component.

[0018] The device for laminating a carrier component, in particular a carrier component of a motor vehicle, with a laminating material layer having a laminating material top and a laminating material bottom, in a laminating tool having at least one lower tool shape and at least one upper tool shape, is characterized by at least one gripping means which is designed to grasp a central section of the laminating material layer from the underside of the laminating material through an opening in the carrier component and to move the grasped central section of the laminating material layer into a connecting position with respect to the carrier component by adjusting the gripping means.

[0019] The openings may already be present in the supporting component for functional reasons, for example, to allow other components to be inserted and mounted into an opening in the laminated supporting component. However, the openings may also be provided in the supporting component solely for the function according to the invention. In this case, the openings are unsuitable for inserting and mounting other components in these openings of the laminated supporting component. This can be the case, for example, if openings are present in the supporting component, but these openings are covered by a continuous layer of lamination material.

[0020] The at least one gripping device can comprise a gripping element and a drive device for adjusting the gripping element, wherein the drive device is configured to move the central section of the laminating material layer gripped by the gripping element by adjusting the gripping element. As already mentioned, the device can also comprise a control device that controls a drive which moves an adjustable gripping element that grasps the central section of the laminating material layer. The drive or drive device can, for example, comprise an electric motor, a hydraulic drive, or a pneumatic drive. Each of these drives can be electrically controlled. The drive can be automatically controlled by means of the control device. Alternatively, the control device can comprise at least one input device, the manual actuation of which by a person activates the control device, which then actuates the drive.

[0021] The gripping element can have at least one needle gripping device, one clamping device, one suction holding device, one keder holder, one hook and loop device, one magnetic holder, one adhesive holder, pins and / or hooks, each designed to grasp the central section of the laminating material layer on its underside or on an inner edge section of the laminating material layer through the opening in the carrier component.

[0022] The gripping element of the at least one gripping means can be designed and arranged in the laminating tool such that the gripping element, in an arrangement in which the carrier component is placed on the lower tool form of the laminating tool with its underside facing away from its upper side, and the laminating material layer is placed on the upper side of the carrier component placed in the laminating tool with its laminating material underside on the upper side of the carrier component, projects through an opening in the lower tool form and / or through a breakthrough in the carrier component in order to grasp the central section of the laminating material layer on its laminating material underside.

[0023] The at least one gripping means, in particular the drive device of the gripping means, can be designed to move the central section of the laminating material layer in a direction that lies at least substantially or completely in the plane of the laminating material layer.

[0024] In summary, and in other words, the invention is based, among other things, on the realization that with known methods, such as DE 10 2005 003 212 A1, it is possible to add or remove laminating material from the outer surfaces of the component to be laminated, i.e., to control or pull it in and out in order to adapt the laminating material in its bonding position to the component contour. However, raised areas inside the component are only relatively difficult to control precisely due to the widely spaced clamping devices, i.e., they are relatively difficult to correct into a desired arrangement, orientation, and / or wrinkle-free position.

[0025] This results in an uneven pattern, particularly with laminating materials that have a grain direction and / or orientation of their structure, which is undesirable, especially with regard to design aspects.

[0026] Using the solutions according to the invention, grippers can be inserted into the pre-fixing and / or press-laminating tool via openings in the component. These grippers can engage very close to the contours and / or raised areas of the component or the laminated material to be corrected, thus enabling very precise material control. This is possible because the grippers can be positioned very close to the areas to be controlled. By adjusting the laminated material through the opening in the component, finer positioning, for example of the direction of travel and / or orientation, is possible. A more precise and / or cleaner progression of the direction of travel and / or orientation on the component or the laminated material can therefore also be achieved using raised geometries.

[0027] The openings in the component allow the laminating material to be gripped, for example, using (needle) grippers, and thus adjusted close to the desired location of the component or the laminating material.

[0028] In the case of a support component in a motor vehicle, for example, a breakthrough in the component could be an opening in the area of ​​a head-up display. The laminating material, such as a cover, a knitted fabric, a layer of synthetic leather, or a leather layer, is first pre-fixed in this opening and then advanced via adjustable fixing units (in the X, Y, and Z axes). Generally, the upper tool does not necessarily have to be a rigid upper tool. Additionally, a slider of the laminating tool can penetrate the component contour and thereby create a fold in the laminating material. The slider can also be designed to push away the gripping means according to the invention, optionally controlled mechanically or automatically.

[0029] A specific embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail in the following description with reference to the accompanying figure. Specific features of this exemplary embodiment can, regardless of the specific context in which they are mentioned, and optionally considered individually or in further combinations, represent general features of the invention.

[0030] They show schematically and by example: Fig. 1 a sectional view of a device for laminating a support component with a laminating material layer comprising at least one gripping means, in a first manufacturing stage, and Fig. 2 a sectional view of the device according to Fig. 1 in a second manufacturing stage.

[0031] The device 1 according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 serves to laminate a support component 2, in particular a support component 2 of a motor vehicle, with a lamination material layer 3, which has a lamination material top and a lamination material bottom, in a lamination tool 4, which has at least one lower tool shape 4a and at least one upper tool shape 4b.

[0032] In the present embodiment, the device 1 has two representative gripping means 5a, 5b, each designed to grasp a central section M of the laminating material layer 3 from the underside of the laminating material through an opening 6 in the support component 2 and to move the grasped central section M of the laminating material layer 3 into a connecting position with respect to the support component 2 by adjusting the gripping means 5a, 5b.

[0033] When using these gripping devices 5a, 5b of the device 1, the following procedure can be applied: - Inserting the carrier component 2 into the laminating tool 4, such that the carrier component 2 rests on the lower tool form 4a with its underside facing away from its top side, - Placing the laminating material layer 3 onto the top side of the carrier component 2 inserted in the laminating tool 4, such that the underside of the laminating material layer 3 rests on the top side of the carrier component 2, - optional fixing of the laminating material layer 3 placed on the support component 2 at at least one outer edge section of the laminating material layer 3 by means of at least one clamping device 7a, 7b of the laminating tool 4, - Moving a central section M of the laminating material layer 3 into a connecting position with respect to the supporting component 2 by means of the gripping means 5a, 5b, which are each designed to grasp the central section M of the laminating material layer 3 from the underside of the laminating material through the opening 6 in the supporting component 2 and to move the grasped central section M of the laminating material layer 3 by adjusting the gripping means 5a, 5b, in particular in the direction of arrow P1, and - Connecting the laminating material layer 3 with the support component 2, after the gripping means 5a, 5b have brought the central section M of the laminating material layer 3 into the connecting position with respect to the support component 2.

[0034] In the present embodiment, the gripping means 5a, 5b each have a gripping element 8a, 8b and a drive device 9a, 9b adjusting the gripping element 8a, 8b, wherein the drive devices 9a, 9b are each designed to move the central section M of the laminating material layer 3 gripped by the gripping element 8a, 8b by adjusting the respective gripping element 8a, 8b.

[0035] The gripping means 5a, 5b, in particular the drive devices 9a, 9b of the gripping means 5a, 5b are designed to move the central section M of the laminating material layer 3 in a direction (arrow direction P1) which lies at least substantially or completely in the plane of the laminating material layer 3.

[0036] The gripping elements 8a, 8b of the gripping means 5a, 5b are designed and arranged in the laminating tool as shown in the figures such that the respective gripping element 8a, 8b, in an arrangement in which the carrier component 2 is placed with its underside facing away from its top side on the lower tool form 4a of the laminating tool 4 and the laminating material layer 3 is placed on the top side of the carrier component 2 placed in the laminating tool 4 with its laminating material underside on the top side of the carrier component 2 as shown, projects through an opening 10 in the lower tool form 4a and through the opening 6 in the carrier component 2 in order to grasp the central section M of the laminating material layer 3 on its laminating material underside.

[0037] In the present embodiment, the laminating material layer 3 is provided in the central section M with a cutout 11, the edge of which forms an inner edge section of the laminating material layer 3, and the gripping means 5a, 5b engage the central section M of the laminating material layer 3 by grasping the inner edge section of the laminating material layer 3.

[0038] In order to be able to move the gripping elements 8a, 8b accordingly (in the direction of arrow P1), the gripping means 5a, 5b have drive devices 9a, 9b by which the gripping elements 8a, 8b can be moved by motor.

[0039] The Fig. Figure 2 shows the device 1 with a slide 12, which in the present embodiment is adjustably mounted in the upper tool form 4b. In the first manufacturing stage according to Fig. 1. The slide 12 is positioned such that its end face facing the laminating material layer 3 is located above the cutout 11 of the laminating material layer 3, in which first position the slide 12 abuts at most the inner edge section of the central section M of the laminating material layer 3. By moving the slide 12 into a second position, as in Fig.As shown in Figure 2, the slide 12 enters the second manufacturing stage, in which its end face displaces the inner edge section of the central section M of the laminating material layer 3 such that the inner edge section of the central section M of the laminating material layer 3 is folded against an inner contour of the support component 2 and is connected to the support component 2 there during the laminating step. The movement of the slide 12 can be synchronized with a movement of the device 1, in particular the gripping means 5a, 5b, so that the gripping means 5a, 5b are moved away from the laminating material layer 3 and release the inner edge section of the central section M of the laminating material layer 3, and subsequently the slide 12 can fold over the inner edge section of the central section M of the laminating material layer 3. Such a height adjustment of the gripping means 5a, 5b in the direction of arrow P2 can be effected by separate drives.Alternatively, such height adjustment of the gripping means 5a, 5b in the direction of arrow P2 can be achieved by displacing the height-adjustable gripping means 5a, 5b through the driven movement of the slide 12. Reference sign 1 Device 2 Support component 3 layers of laminating material 4 laminating tools 4a Lower tool form 4b Upper tool shape 5a, 5b Gripping tools 6 Breakthrough 7a,7b Clamping devices 8a, 8b Gripping elements 9a,9b Drive devices 10 Opening 11 Excerpt 12 sliders M Middle section

Claims

[1] Method for laminating a carrier component (2), in particular a carrier component (2) of a motor vehicle, with a laminating material layer (3) having a laminating material top and a laminating material bottom, in a laminating tool (4) comprising at least one lower tool shape (4a) and at least one upper tool shape (4b), comprising the steps: - Inserting the carrier component (2) into the laminating tool (4) in such a way that the carrier component (2) rests on the lower tool form (4a) with its underside facing away from its top side, - Placing the laminating material layer (3) on the top side of the carrier component (2) inserted in the laminating tool (4) such that the underside of the laminating material layer (3) rests on the top side of the carrier component (2), - Moving a central section (M) of the laminating material layer (3) into a connecting position with respect to the supporting component (2) by means of at least one gripping means (5a, 5b) which is designed to grasp the central section (M) of the laminating material layer (3) from the underside of the laminating material through an opening (6) in the supporting component (2) and to move the grasped central section (M) of the laminating material layer (3) by adjusting the gripping means (5a, 5b). [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by , that the laminating material layer (3) is provided in the central section (M) with a cutout (11) whose cutout edge forms an inner edge section of the laminating material layer (3) and that at least one gripping means (5a, 5b) engages the central section (M) of the laminating material layer (3) by gripping the inner edge section of the laminating material layer (3). [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by, that at least one gripping means (5a, 5b) is moved such that the central section (M) of the laminating material layer (3) is moved in a direction that lies at least substantially or completely in the plane of the laminating material layer (3). [4] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by , that at least one gripping device (5a, 5b) is moved by a motor. [5] Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by, that the grasping of the central section (M) of the laminating material layer (3) by the at least one gripping means (5a, 5b) is effected by the at least one gripping means (5a, 5b) having a needle gripping device, a clamping device, a suction holding device, a keder holder, a hook and loop device, a magnetic holder, an adhesive holder, pins and / or hooks, each of which is designed to grasp the central section (M) of the laminating material layer (3) on its laminating material underside or on an inner edge section of the laminating material layer through the opening (6) in the support component (2). [6] Device for laminating a support component (2), in particular a support component (2) of a motor vehicle, with a laminating material layer (3) having a laminating material top and a laminating material bottom, in a laminating tool (4) having at least one lower tool shape (4a) and at least one upper tool shape (4b), characterized by at least one gripping means (5a, 5b) which is designed to grasp a central section (M) of the laminating material layer (3) from the underside of the laminating material through an opening (6) in the support component (2) and to move the grasped central section (M) of the laminating material layer (3) into a connecting position with respect to the support component (2) by adjusting the gripping means (5a, 5b). [7] Device according to claim 6, characterized by , that the at least one gripping means (5a, 5b) has a gripping member (8a, 8b) and a drive device (9a, 9b) adjusting the gripping member (8a, 8b), wherein the drive device (9a, 9b) is designed to move the central section (M) of the laminating material layer (3) gripped by the gripping member (8a, 8b) by adjusting the gripping member (8a, 8b). [8] Device according to claim 7, characterized by, that the gripping element (8a, 8b) has at least one needle gripping device, one clamping device, one suction holding device, one keder holder, one hook and loop device, one magnetic holder, one adhesive holder, pins and / or hooks, each of which is designed to grasp the central section (M) of the laminating material layer (3) on its laminating material underside or on an inner edge section of the laminating material layer through the opening (6) in the support component (2). [9] Device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized by, that the gripping element (8a, 8b) of the at least one gripping means (5a, 5b) is designed and arranged in the laminating tool (4) such that the gripping element (8a, 8b) in an arrangement in which the carrier component (2) is placed with its underside facing away from its top side on the lower tool form (4a) of the laminating tool (4) and the laminating material layer (3) is placed on the top side of the carrier component (2) placed in the laminating tool (4) with its laminating material underside on the top side of the carrier component (2), projects through an opening (10) in the lower tool form (4a) and / or through a breakthrough (6) in the carrier component (2) in order to grasp the central section (M) of the laminating material layer (3) on its laminating material underside. [10] Device according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized by, that the at least one gripping means (5a, 5b), in particular the drive device (9a, 9b) of the gripping means (5a, 5b), is designed to move the central section (M) of the laminating material layer (3) in a direction which lies at least substantially or completely in the plane of the laminating material layer (3).

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