Device and method for filling a spacer frame leg or spacer frame

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device, a method and a computer program product for carrying out the method, each for filling a spacer frame leg or spacer frame with a flowable filling material.

[0002] Methods and devices of the type mentioned above are already known.

[0003] Spacer frames, also known as spacer profiles, are filled with desiccant for the production of insulating glass units. This desiccant absorbs any residual moisture in an enclosed gas space, preventing moisture from settling on the panes after the spaces between the panes are sealed. The spacer frames are typically assembled from several spacer frame legs or bent from a single extruded profile. Therefore, the process can be used to fill individual spacer frame legs and / or a finished or partially finished spacer frame.

[0004] When filling spacer frame legs or spacer frames, the problem is that previously known devices and methods do not allow for adequate control of the amount of desiccant filled. The filling process is terminated either after a predefined filling time or via a flow sensor that detects a desiccant flow.

[0005] GB 2 116 089 A describes a device for forming a spacer frame from a straight, upwardly open profile strand. This involves continuously filling the hollow profile strand, which is open at the top, with silica gel. After filling, the profile strand is closed, cut to length, and bent into a spacer frame.

[0006] WO 2017 / 037288 discloses a method and device for filling a spacer frame for producing an insulating glazing unit. To determine the amount of filler material poured into the spacer frame, the weight of the frame is measured before and after filling.

[0007] However, such filling methods and devices have the disadvantage that, for example, blockages in a desiccant supply line cannot be detected or can only be detected inadequately. For example, the flow of desiccant can be interrupted during the filling of a spacer frame leg or a spacer frame due to static charge, contaminants such as chips, and / or blockages. If this happens, a previously mentioned flow sensor will still trigger incorrectly even though the frame or frame leg has not been completely filled. Furthermore, optical flow sensors in particular are often not suitable for quantifying the filled filling material, as they can only distinguish between movement and standstill of the filling material, or quantifying the filled quantity is too imprecise.Likewise, if a supply line becomes blocked, the desiccant supply will simply be stopped after a defined time, meaning that the leg or frame is not sufficiently filled with desiccant. However, an incompletely filled leg or frame does not comply with the product standard and leads to an increased risk of failure of the insulating glass pane made from it.

[0008] The invention is therefore based on the object of creating a device and / or a method for filling a spacer frame leg or spacer frame with a filling material, in particular with a desiccant, with which filling can be monitored more easily and better.

[0009] This object is achieved by the combination of features according to claim 1. In particular, to achieve this object, the invention proposes a device for filling a spacer frame leg or spacer frame with a flowable filler material, wherein the device comprises a storage container for receiving the flowable filler material, a charging element arranged downstream of the storage container for filling the spacer frame leg or the spacer frame via a filling opening formed on the spacer frame leg or spacer frame, and a weighing device for determining the weight of the filler material contained in the storage container. The device according to the invention thus has a control device designed as a weighing device for checking the amount of filler material filled into a frame leg or the frame itself.If the flow of filler material is interrupted during a filling process, for example, due to the aforementioned obstructions in a supply line, the device according to the invention makes it possible to detect that the amount of filler material filled into the frame or leg is insufficient to absorb the residual moisture in an enclosed gas space. This prevents faulty production of insulating glass panes without the need for complex and therefore sometimes failure-prone measuring sensors.

[0010] According to an advantageous development, the weighing device can be configured to measure the weight of the filling material during a filling process. It can be particularly useful if the weight of the filling material can be measured continuously. This is advantageous because it allows real-time monitoring of the amount of filling material added. This allows for immediate detection of a blockage or other obstruction in a supply line of the device, for example, during an ongoing filling process.

[0011] According to a particularly preferred development, the weighing device can be configured to weigh a total weight of the storage container. In this case, it can also be expedient if the dead weight of the storage container is known or determinable and / or, in particular, is stored or can be stored in a storage unit and is subtracted from a measured total weight when determining the weight of the filler material contained in the storage container. By determining the total weight of the storage container, it is also particularly easy to determine the weight of the filler material contained therein.

[0012] Alternatively or in addition to the aforementioned developments of the invention, it can be provided that the storage container is mounted decoupled from the loading element and / or a storage container, particularly in a direction of gravity. This allows only the total weight of the storage container, and not the weight of the entire device, to be considered when determining the fill material contained in the storage container. Furthermore, the weighing device can be smaller than if the entire device were weighed.

[0013] According to a particularly expedient development, the storage container can be designed as an intermediate storage container, upstream of which one or the previously mentioned storage container is arranged on the inflow side, in particular in the transport direction of the filling material. Thus, the storage container can be filled with new filling material via the storage container when the storage container has run dry and / or when there is no longer enough filling material to carry out a complete filling process, so that a critical filling quantity is not reached. This makes it possible for part of the filling material to be stored in the upstream storage container rather than directly in the storage container. It can be particularly advantageous if the capacity of the storage container is smaller than the capacity of the storage container.Thus, the weighing device can be dimensioned smaller and, in particular, smaller weight reductions in the amount of filling material contained in the storage container can be determined more accurately, since the weighing device can be designed to weigh smaller weights.

[0014] Alternatively or in addition to the further developments of the device, it can be provided that, according to a further advantageous development, one or the previously mentioned capacity of the storage container is only sufficiently large to accommodate filling material for filling a maximum of three, in particular a maximum of two or one, spacer frames. Thus, the dimensions of the storage container and the weighing device can be further reduced, thereby achieving more precise weight measurements and cost savings in the manufacture and procurement of the device.

[0015] According to a further advantageous development, it can be provided that the storage container has an inflow opening and an outflow opening, wherein the device has a shut-off device upstream of the inflow opening and / or wherein the device has a closing device downstream of the outflow opening. In this case, it can be particularly expedient if the shut-off device is arranged between one or the previously mentioned storage container and the storage container. Alternatively or additionally, it can also be expedient if the closing device is arranged between the storage container and the charging element. The shut-off device makes it possible to better regulate the inflow of filling material, in particular from the storage container, into the storage container.The closing device makes it possible, alternatively or additionally, to better regulate the discharge of filler material from the storage container, in particular into the charging element. In particular, the closing device can prevent further filler material from being discharged from the storage container and flowing into the spacer frame leg or the spacer frame after a spacer frame leg or spacer frame has been properly filled. According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that the storage container can be closed in a pressure-resistant and / or airtight manner by the shut-off device and / or the closing device. The shut-off device and / or the closing device can thus enable pressure to build up within the storage container, which can be advantageous, for example, when filler material is discharged from the storage container during a filling process.It may therefore be advantageous if the storage container is pressure-resistant and / or hermetically sealed, so that the fill material contained therein can be fluidized by generating excess pressure in the storage container. Fluidization in this context can mean that a fill material, for example, in the form of a bulk material, acquires fluid-like properties by creating a fluid-solid mixture.

[0016] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the device can be provided with a measuring device for determining a profile type of the spacer frame leg or the spacer frame. The measuring device can thus determine which type of spacer frame leg or spacer frame is involved. It can be particularly advantageous if the measuring device is designed as a clamping device for clamping a spacer frame leg or spacer frame. A measuring device designed as a clamping device can, for example, have clamping elements for clamping, which can be attached to the outside of a profile, in particular to opposite sides of a profile, in order to determine a dimension of the profile.According to a further advantageous embodiment, the measuring device can be designed to measure at least one length dimension, in particular a profile width, of the spacer frame leg or the spacer frame. The profile width can define a distance between two panes of a pane wiper gap (SZR) that can be produced with it.

[0017] To enable a user of the device to better monitor the fill level, the device can have a calculation unit for calculating a fill length of the spacer frame leg or the spacer frame. The calculation unit can thus calculate a fill length of the spacer frame leg or the spacer frame corresponding to this weight (fill length) filled with fill material from a weight of filled fill material determined by the weighing device. By calculating and outputting a fill length, the amount of fill material filled into the spacer frame leg or the spacer frame can be specified as a length unit as an alternative to or in addition to a weight specification.The "filling length" can therefore refer to a filling distance and / or filling height under ideal conditions, particularly a theoretically determined one, in a fillable space within the spacer frame leg or the spacer frame. Under certain circumstances, it may not correspond to the actual filled distance or filling height.

[0018] It can be particularly useful if the calculation unit calculates the filling length using an adjustable and / or determined profile type and / or displays it to the user. Based on the length information, a user can better estimate whether the spacer frame leg or spacer frame is sufficiently filled. Furthermore, it can be advantageous in this context if the calculation unit uses a profile type determined by means of a measuring device, in particular the one already mentioned. It can be particularly useful if at least one dimension of the spacer frame leg or the spacer frame is or can be used. The spacer frame leg or spacer frame to be filled can preferably be determined by determining at least one dimension and subsequently accessing a lookup table.It can be particularly advantageous if the control device is configured to interrupt a filling process, especially automatically, as soon as the calculated filling length corresponds to a desired length value. The length value can, for example, be calculable or adjustable.

[0019] In order to enable the most homogeneous and at the same time time-saving filling of several spacer frame legs, in particular one spacer frame, it can be advantageous if the charging element has two arms, each with at least one outlet opening, wherein the arms are each attached to filling openings arranged on different spacer frame legs, in particular of a spacer frame, during the filling process. It can be particularly advantageous if a transition between the filling openings and the outlet openings can be sealed by means of at least one sealing element, so that the escape of filling material between the filling openings and the outlet openings can be reduced or prevented and / or that the escape of an air stream between the filling openings and the outlet openings is possible.

[0020] Alternatively or in addition to the advantageous developments of the device, according to a further advantageous development, it can be provided that between two arms, in particular the two arms already mentioned, of the loading element, an angle corresponding to an angle enclosed between two spacer frame legs is enclosed, so that the loading element can be attached to a frame corner of a spacer frame, preferably flush. The angle enclosed between the two arms can preferably be rectangular. This allows a space-saving design of the device, whereby the device enables simultaneous filling of several spacer frame legs.

[0021] In order to be able to immediately interrupt a filling process of a spacer frame leg or spacer frame, in particular after reaching a target value, so that no further filling material can be discharged via the feeding element, in particular via the outlet openings on the feeding element, it can be provided according to an advantageous development that at least one outlet opening of the feeding element can be closed by means of a closure device.

[0022] In order to be able to control the discharge of filling material from the storage container and / or the feeding element particularly efficiently and in particular in an automated manner, it can be provided according to an advantageous development that the device has a control device which is designed to interrupt the discharge of filling material from the storage container and / or the feeding element, in particular to interrupt it automatically, when a preset and / or calculated and / or adjustable weight loss of the filling material contained in the storage container is reached and / or when no or a reduced weight loss, in particular within a defined or definable time interval, of the filling material contained in the storage container, in particular when the closing device and / or the closure device is open, can be measured by means of the weighing device.The control device thus makes it possible to automate a filling process and thus make it more efficient. This means that more spacer frame legs or spacer frames can be produced within a given time interval, thus reducing overall production costs. It can be particularly useful if the control device is electronically coupled to the weighing device so that the control device detects when an actual value corresponding to the filling quantity corresponds to a predetermined or predeterminable target value and / or when no filling material is being discharged from the storage container because the spacer frame leg or spacer frame is already completely filled with filling material, so that no further filling material can flow in, so that no further weight loss can be detected even with the filling material contained within the storage container.The control device can thus be configured to calculate the amount of filling material required to fill the spacer frame leg or spacer frame before performing a filling process and to store it as a target value, in particular in a conversion table. The control device can further be configured to compare the stored and / or calculated target value with an actual value measured, in particular continuously, using the weighing device during a filling process.

[0023] Alternatively or additionally, according to a further advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that the device has a control device or the already mentioned control device, which is designed to fill the storage container, in particular with filling material from the storage container, preferably to fill it automatically, when the storage container is empty and / or when there is no longer enough filling material to carry out a complete filling process. Therefore, for example, an empty weight of the storage container can be stored in the control device, wherein the control device detects as soon as the weight of the storage container corresponds to its empty weight and / or there is no longer a sufficient amount of filling material in the storage container to be able to carry out a complete filling.According to a particularly expedient embodiment, the control device can be configured to calculate the amount of filler material required to fill the spacer frame leg or the spacer frame before performing the filling process and to fill this amount into the storage container. This allows for pre-portioning of the required filler material for a filling process, which can accelerate the filling process, for example, by generating excess pressure in the storage container.

[0024] According to a further advantageous embodiment, it may be expedient for the device to have a display unit configured to display a weight loss and / or a, in particular, current, weight of the filling material contained in the storage container. This allows a user to check the current fill level of the spacer frame leg or spacer frame to be filled and / or to track it in real time. The user can thereby detect and rectify a malfunction during a filling process as quickly as possible. Alternatively or additionally, the display unit can be configured to display a calculated filling length.

[0025] According to a further development, it can be advantageous if the device has an overpressure device which is connected to the storage container and puts it under overpressure during the filling process and / or with which the filling material contained therein can be fluidized. This can accelerate the discharge of filling material from the storage container and the filling process. It can be particularly expedient if the overpressure device is designed as a compressor. It can be particularly advantageous if a transition between the storage container and the supply container and / or a transition between the storage container and the charging element is designed to be pressure-resistant and / or airtight, at least during the filling process. This can be achieved, for example, by one or more sealing elements.

[0026] Alternatively or additionally, according to a further advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that the device has a vibration device by means of which the storage container and / or the storage container and / or the feeding element can be set into vibration, so that a discharge of filling material is facilitated and / or accelerated.

[0027] In order to achieve the simplest and most energy-efficient conveyance of the filler material within the device and / or during the filling process, an advantageous further development can provide for the storage container to be arranged above the loading element and / or, during a filling process, above the spacer frame leg or spacer frame to be filled. This makes it possible to utilize gravity to convey the filler material from the storage container into the loading element and / or from the loading element into the spacer frame leg or spacer frame. Alternatively or additionally, it can also be provided for one or the previously mentioned storage container to be arranged above the storage container, so that here too, discharge of filler material from the storage container into the storage container is possible by means of natural gravity.

[0028] The above-mentioned object can be further achieved by means of the method according to the invention with the combination of features of the independent method claim. In particular, to achieve the object, a method for filling a spacer frame leg or spacer frame is proposed, wherein the filler material is kept ready in a storage container, wherein the weight of the filler material contained in the storage container is measured before and during a filling process, in particular continuously, wherein a weight difference between the weight of the filler material in the storage container before the start of the filling process and the weight measured during filling is recorded as an actual value of the weight of the filler material filled into the spacer frame leg or spacer frame.By recording the loss in weight, it is possible to determine the amount of filling material filled into a spacer frame leg or spacer frame without having to measure the weight of the spacer frame leg or spacer frame itself. Measuring the weight of the spacer frame leg or spacer frame during the filling process is not possible, or only possible with comparatively great effort, particularly with relatively heavy frame legs or large spacer frames, since the total weight of the legs or frames must always be weighed. This makes determining the weight of the filled filling material more difficult and less accurate, since the legs and frames do not hang freely in the direction of gravity and are not static during a filling process.

[0029] According to an advantageous development, it can be provided that the actual value is compared, preferably automatically, with a setpoint stored for the spacer frame leg or spacer frame to be filled, in particular stored in a conversion table, and / or calculated, wherein the filling process is interrupted as soon as the actual value corresponds to the setpoint. Different setpoints can be calculated and / or stored for different spacer frame legs or spacer frames, and the corresponding setpoint associated with the spacer frame leg or spacer frame to be filled can be selected, preferably automatically, before the filling process is carried out.

[0030] Alternatively or additionally, according to a further advantageous development, the filling process can be interrupted if no or a reduced weight loss of the filler material contained in the storage container is measured over a specified or definable time interval. If no further filler material is discharged from the storage container, this means that a filler material backlog has occurred, which was triggered by the complete filling of the spacer frame leg or spacer frame. The filling process is thus completed, and a new spacer frame leg or spacer frame can then be filled.

[0031] According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, it can be provided that, before the filling process is carried out, a quantity of filling material required to fill the spacer frame leg or spacer frame is calculated and stored as a target value. The calculation and / or storage can preferably be automated. To calculate the required quantity, measured or predefined or definable dimensions of the spacer frame legs or spacer frames to be filled can be used, for example. It can be particularly advantageous if automatic recognition of the dimensions is used, for example by using a measuring device and / or a scanning device.

[0032] Alternatively or additionally, according to a further advantageous embodiment, before the filling process is carried out, the amount of filler material required to fill the spacer frame leg or spacer frame is calculated and poured into the storage container. This makes it possible to pre-portion the filler material required for filling, so that the subsequent filling can be carried out more quickly, for example, using compressed air. These steps can preferably be carried out automatically.

[0033] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method, a particularly theoretical filling length of the filling material filled into the spacer frame leg or the spacer frame can be calculated and / or displayed, particularly during and / or after the filling process. As already explained above, this provides a user with an additional and / or more understandable way to monitor the amount of filling material added. It can be particularly useful if the filling process is interrupted when the filling length reaches a desired and / or adjustable length value.

[0034] According to a further advantageous development, it can be provided that the storage container is pressurized during the discharge of fill material from the storage container. This makes it possible to accelerate the discharge of fill material from the storage container compared to a discharge based solely on gravity and / or to fluidize the contained fill material.

[0035] It may be particularly expedient if the method as claimed herein uses the device as described and claimed herein.

[0036] Preferably, the method as described and claimed herein is a computer-implemented method.

[0037] The invention therefore also relates to a computer program product comprising instructions which, when the program is executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method as described and claimed herein.

[0038] The invention also relates to a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method as described and claimed herein.

[0039] The filling material can, for example, be a bulk material, in particular a powdered bulk material. Preferably, the filling material is a desiccant, in particular a powdered desiccant, as described above.

[0040] The invention therefore relates to a device and a method for filling a spacer frame leg or spacer frame with a flowable filling material, wherein an indirect determination of the weight of the filling material filled into a spacer frame leg or spacer frame is possible by determining a weight loss from a storage container filled with filling material.

[0041] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to several illustrated embodiments, but is not limited to these embodiments. Further embodiments result from the combination of the features of one or more claims with one another and / or with one or more features of the embodiments.

[0042] It shows: Fig. 1 a schematic representation of an embodiment of a device for filling a spacer frame leg or spacer frame, Fig. 2 the device according to Fig. 1 , wherein a first step of a filling process is shown by opening a closing device, Fig. 3 the device according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 , wherein a second step of a filling process is shown by opening a closure device, Fig. 4 the device according to Fig. 1 to Fig. 3 , wherein a discharge of filling material from a storage container is interrupted by closing the closing device, while filling via the outlet openings of a feeding element is still possible, Fig. 5 the device according to the Fig. 1 to Fig. 4 , wherein filling is carried out by means of a portion-defined amount of filling material which is held by the storage container, Fig. 6 the device according to Fig. 1 to Fig. 5, wherein an interruption of the discharge of filling material from the storage container and the feeding element by closing the closing device and the closure device and thus the end of a filling process is shown, wherein the storage container still contains a residual amount of filling material, Fig. 7 the device according to Fig. 1 to Fig. 6 , wherein the closing device and the closure device are in the closed position, so that no further discharge of filling material from the storage container and the charging element is possible, thus the end of a filling process is shown, wherein the storage container has run empty, Fig. 8 the device according to Fig. 1 to Fig. 7 , wherein the closing device is closed and the shut-off device is open, so that refilling of the storage container from the reservoir is shown.

[0043] In the Figures 1 to 8In each case, a device, designated as a whole as 1, is shown for filling a spacer frame leg 2 or spacer frame 3 with a flowable filling material 4. The filling material 4 can, for example, be a desiccant intended to bind moisture in a space between two glass panes of an insulating glass window.

[0044] The device 1 has a storage container 5 for receiving the flowable filling material 4, in which the filling material 4 can be provided and / or portioned before carrying out a filling process.

[0045] In the discharge direction of the fill material 4 from the storage container 5, a feeding element 6 is arranged downstream of the storage container 5. The discharge direction here corresponds to a direction of gravity 9. The feeding element 6 is designed to fill the spacer frame leg 2 and the spacer frame 3 via a filling opening 7 formed on the spacer frame leg 2 or the spacer frame 3. The feeding element 6 thus serves to enable a controlled introduction of fill material 4 into a frame leg or a frame.

[0046] A storage tank 10 is arranged upstream of the storage tank 5 in the discharge direction of the filling material 4 on the inflow side.

[0047] The device 1 further comprises a weighing device 8 for determining the weight of the filling material 4 contained in the storage container 5. Preferably, the weighing device 8 is configured to measure exclusively the weight of the filling material 4 contained in the storage container 5 or a weight of the storage container 5. Thus, a measurement can be performed independently of the other components of the device 1.

[0048] By means of the control device of the device 1, which is designed as a weighing device 8, it is therefore possible to indirectly determine the quantity of filling material 4 that has been filled into a spacer frame leg 2 or spacer frame 3, without requiring a measurement of the weight of the spacer frame 3 or spacer frame leg 2. Furthermore, complex sensor technology, by means of which, for example, a flow of filling material 4 can be determined, can be dispensed with.

[0049] The weighing device 8 is configured to measure the weight of the filling material 4 within the storage container 5 during a filling process of a spacer frame leg 2 or spacer frame 3. The weighing device 8 can be configured to continuously measure the weight of the filling material 4 within the storage container 5. The weighing device 8 is configured to determine a total weight of the storage container 5, which can be achieved by mounting the storage container 5 decoupled from the loading element 6 and the storage container 10, at least in one direction of gravity 9. Accordingly, the storage container 5 can be arranged to be movable relative to the loading element 6 and the storage container 10.

[0050] A capacity of the storage container 5 is smaller than a capacity of the supply container 10. This makes it possible for the dimensions of the storage container 5 to be relatively compact, so that the weighing device 8 can be designed accordingly to measure lower weights, thus enabling a more precise determination of the weight of the contained filler material 4. This is advantageous because the weight of the filler material 4 is lower relative to the storage container 5, so that weight reductions are all the easier to detect the lower the weight of the storage container 5. It can be particularly expedient if the capacity of the storage container 5 is only designed to accommodate the amount of filler material 4 required to fill a single spacer frame 3.

[0051] The storage container 5 has an inflow opening 11, through which refilling of filling material 4 into the storage container 5 from the supply container 10 is possible. The storage container 5 also has an outflow opening 12, through which discharge of filling material 4 from the storage container 5 into the charging element 6 is possible. The inflow opening 11 and the outflow opening 12 are preferably formed on opposite sides of the storage container 5. In particular, it can be provided that the inflow opening 11 is / are formed on or in a container top of the storage container 5 and / or the outflow opening 12 is / are formed on or in a container bottom of the storage container 5.

[0052] The device 1 has a shut-off device 13 arranged between the supply container 10 and the storage container 5, by means of which the discharge of filler material 4 from the supply container 10 and the refilling of the storage container 5 can be interrupted. The shut-off device 13 is therefore arranged upstream of the storage container 5 in a transport direction of the filler material 4 through the device 1.

[0053] The device 1 further comprises a closing device 14, which is arranged between the storage container 5 and the charging element 6. By means of the closing device 14, a discharge of filling material 4 from the storage container 5 and a filling of the charging element 6 can be prevented. The closing device 14 is thus arranged downstream of the storage container 5 in the transport direction of the filling material 4. The shut-off device 13 makes it possible to close the inflow opening 11 of the storage container 5 in a pressure-resistant and / or airtight manner. Furthermore, it is possible to close the outflow opening 12 of the storage container 5 by means of the closing device 14. A pressure-resistant and / or airtight closure can be achieved, for example, using a sealant.This makes it possible for an overpressure to be generated within the storage container 5 during a discharge of filling material 4 from the storage container 5, whereby a discharge of filling material 4 can be accelerated by fluidization of the filling material 4.

[0054] The device 1 has a measuring device 25 for determining a profile type of the spacer frame leg 2 or the spacer frame 3. The measuring device 25 can be designed, for example, as a clamping device provided for clamping the spacer frame legs 2 or the spacer frame 3, with which the spacer frame legs 2 or the spacer frame 3 are fixed during a filling process. By means of the measuring device 25, at least one dimension of the profile, in particular at least one profile width, which defines a width of a subsequent cavity between the panes (CPA), can be measured. The profile type can be determined using the at least one dimension, for example, by using a lookup table.

[0055] To calculate a theoretical fill level of the fill material 4 filled into the spacer frame leg 2 or the spacer frame 3, the device 1 has a calculation unit 26. The calculation unit 26 can, for example, access at least one dimension of the spacer frame leg 2 or the spacer frame 3 measured by the measuring device 25 in order to calculate the fill length. Furthermore, it is conceivable for the calculation unit 26 to access a stored or stored fill material density, particularly in the filled state, to calculate the fill length. The fill length thus corresponds to a theoretical value that makes it easier for the user to check the fill level.

[0056] The feeding element 6 has, as shown in the Figures 1 to 8shown, at least two arms 15, each with at least one outlet opening 16. During the filling process, the arms 15 can engage or rest against a spacer frame leg 2, preferably wherein the arms 15 engage or rest against filling openings 7 of a spacer frame 3 arranged on different spacer frame legs 2 during the filling process. Thus, simultaneous filling of several spacer frame legs 2 is possible via the feeding element 6. Rather, filling of a spacer frame 3 is preferably possible solely by utilizing gravity. Alternatively or additionally, however, it is also possible to fill the spacer frame legs 2 using compressed air.

[0057] An angle enclosed between the two arms 15 of the loading element 6 preferably corresponds to an angle enclosed between the two spacer frame legs 2 to be filled, which angle is preferably a right angle. This makes it possible for the loading element 6 to be positioned, preferably flush, on a frame corner 18 and / or on the two spacer frame legs 2 of a spacer frame 3. The frame corner 18 can be produced, for example, by connecting two spacer frame legs 2 using a connecting element.

[0058] The outlet openings 16 of the charging element 6 can each be closed by means of a closure device 19, so that the closure device 19 can regulate when a discharge of filling material 4 from the charging element 6 occurs. To enable a pressure buildup within the charging element 6 and / or within the storage container 5 connected to the charging element 6, the closure device 19 has one or more sealing means for pressure-resistant and / or airtight closure of the outlet openings 16.

[0059] The device 1 further comprises a display unit 21 configured to display a weight loss and / or a currently measured weight of the filling material 4 contained within the storage container 5, for example, by means of the weighing device 8. This allows a user to more easily monitor the filling process. The display unit 21 is further configured to display a calculated filling length for a user.

[0060] In order to be able to generate an overpressure within the storage container 5, the device 1 has an overpressure device 22 which is connected to the storage container 5 and can place it under an overpressure during the filling process. The filling material 4 can thus be fluidized within the storage container 5 by generating an overpressure. The overpressure device 22 can be designed, for example, as a compressor. In order to ensure that an overpressure can be generated within the storage container 5 by means of the overpressure device 22, a transition 23 between the storage container 5 and the supply container 10 and / or a transition 24 between the storage container 5 and the charging element 6 is designed to be pressure-resistant and / or airtight, at least during the filling process. This can be achieved, for example, using sealing means.The sealing means can be designed as parts of the shut-off device 13 and / or the closing device 14. During the generation of an overpressure within the storage container, discharge of filling material 4 from the storage container 5 into the charging element 6 may be possible.

[0061] In the device 1 shown in the figures, the storage container 10 is arranged above the storage container 5. The storage container 5 is in turn arranged above the loading element 6. During a filling process, the loading element 6 is also arranged above the spacer frame leg 2 or the spacer frame 3 to be filled, so that the filling material 4 can be transported passively, i.e., in particular without applying a conveying pressure, through the device 1 and filled into the spacer frame legs 2 or spacer frame 3 solely by means of gravity. It can be particularly advantageous if the device 1 has a vibration device 27, by means of which the storage container 10 and / or the storage container 5 and / or the loading element 6 can be set into vibration. Stuck filling material 4 can thereby be loosened, which facilitates and accelerates discharge.

[0062] The device 1 further comprises a control device 20, which is configured to control the discharge of filling material 4 from the storage container 5, the feeding element 6 and the supply container 10. The control device 2 is preferably coupled to the weighing device 8, preferably electronically coupled. The control device 20 is configured to interrupt the discharge of filling material 4 from the storage container 5 and / or the feeding element 6 when a preset and / or calculated and / or adjustable weight reduction of the filling material 4 contained in the storage container 5 is reached. This process is described in the Figures 1, 2 , 3 and 4 shown. In Figure 1the closing device 14 and the closure device 19 are in a closed position, so that filling material 4 can neither be discharged from the storage container 5 into the feeding element 6 nor can filling material 4 be discharged from the feeding element 6 into the spacer frame legs 2. As in Figure 2 As shown, after the start of the filling process, the closing device 14 is brought into an open position so that a discharge of filling material 4 from the storage container 5 into the feeding element 6 is possible.

[0063] By opening the outlet openings 16 by moving the closure devices 19 into an open position, a discharge of filling material 4 from the outlet openings 16 into the filling openings 7 of the spacer frame legs 2 is possible. After reaching a quantity of filling material 4 required to fill a spacer frame leg 2, the closure device 14 can be moved back into a closed position, so that no further discharge of filling material 4 from the storage container 5 into the feeding element 6 is possible, as in Figure 4 shown. In Figure 4 the outlet openings 16 are still open, so that here too a discharge via the feeding element 6 into the spacer frame legs 2 of filling material 4 is possible. As in Figure 6As shown, the further discharge of filling material 4 from the feeding element 6 can then be interrupted by closing the outlet openings 16, so that the filling process is terminated.

[0064] Alternatively or additionally, it can also be provided that the control device is designed to interrupt the discharge of filling material 4 from the storage container 5 and / or the feeding element 6 if no or a reduced weight loss within a defined or definable time interval of the filling material 4 contained in the storage container 5 is measurable by means of the weighing device 8 when the closing device 14 and / or the closure device 19 is open and / or if a calculated filling length reaches or corresponds to a desired, in particular adjustable or calculable, filling value.

[0065] Furthermore, it can be provided that the control device 20 can calculate or determine the amount of filling material 4 required for filling a spacer frame leg 2 or spacer frame 3 before carrying out the filling process. This process is described in the Figures 5 and 7 explained in more detail. As in Figure 5 As can be seen, the filling material 4 required to fill the frame or frame leg can be portioned in the storage container 5 by means of the control device 20 before the filling process is carried out, so that only the amount required for filling is kept ready in the storage container 5. After opening the closing device 14 and the closure device 19, the filling material 4 is then completely discharged from the storage container 5. The closing device 14 and / or the closure device 19 can then be transferred into a closed position.

[0066] As in Figure 8As shown, the storage container 5 can be refilled from the storage container 10 with the closing device 14 closed, for example after the storage container 5 has run dry and / or the amount of filler material 4 within the storage container 5 has fallen below a critical level. For this purpose, the shut-off device 13 is moved into an open position so that filler material 4 can flow from the storage container 10 into the storage container 5. The critical amount of filler material 4 can be set and / or calculated and preferably corresponds to an amount of filler material 4 that is too small to be able to adequately fill a spacer frame leg 2 and / or spacer frame 3.

[0067] The control device 20 can be configured in particular to carry out the following method, in particular a computer-implemented method, for filling a spacer frame leg 2 or spacer frame 3.

[0068] In this case, a filling material 4 intended for filling can be kept ready in a storage container 5, the weight of the filling material 4 contained in the storage container 5 can be measured before and during a filling process, in particular continuously, so that a weight difference between the weight of the filling material 4 in the storage container 5 before the start of the filling process and the weight measured during the filling is recorded as an actual value of the weight of the filling material 4 filled in the spacer frame leg 2 and spacer frame 3.

[0069] The actual value of the weight of the filling material 4 filled in the spacer frame leg 2 or spacer frame 3 therefore corresponds to the amount of filling material 4 discharged from the storage container 5 during a filling process.

[0070] The control device can further be configured to compare the actual value, preferably automatically, with a setpoint stored and / or calculated for the spacer frame leg 2 and spacer frame 3 to be filled. The preferably calculated setpoint can be stored, for example, in a conversion table in the control device 20. If the actual value reaches the setpoint, the control device 20 interrupts the filling process. Alternatively and additionally, the control device 20 can also interrupt the filling process if no or a reduced weight loss of the filling material 4 contained in the storage container 5 is measured over a specified or definable time interval and a steady state occurs.In order to be able to accelerate the discharge of filling material 4 from the device 1, the control device 20 can be designed to generate an overpressure by means of an overpressure device 22 within the storage container 5 when the closing device 14 and the closure device 19 are open, so that the filling material 4 can be discharged from the storage container 5 by means of compressed air.

[0071] It can further be provided that a discharge of filling material 4 from the storage container 5 is interrupted when the calculated filling length reaches or corresponds to a desired length value. List of reference symbols

[0072] 1 Device 2 Spacer frame leg 3 Spacer frame 4 Filling material 5 Storage tank 6 Feeding element 7 Filling opening 8 Weighing device 9 Gravity direction 10 Storage tank 11 Inlet opening 12 Outlet opening 13 Shut-off device 14 Closing device 15 Arm 16 Outlet opening 17 Sealing element 18 Frame corner 19 Closure device 20 Control device 21 Display unit 22 Overpressure device 23 Transition between storage tank and storage tank 24 Transition between storage tank and feed element 25 Measuring device 26 Calculation unit 27 Vibration device

Claims

1. Device (1) for filling a formed spacer frame leg (2) or a formed spacer frame (3) with a flowable filling material (4), comprising a storage container (5) for receiving the flowable filling material (4), a feed element (6) arranged on the downstream side of the storage container (5) for filling the spacer frame leg (2) or the spacer frame (3) via a filling opening (7) formed on the spacer frame leg (2) or spacer frame (3), and a weighing device (8) for determining the weight of the filling material (4) contained in the storage container (5).

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the weighing device (8) is designed so that the weight of the filling material (4) can be measured during a filling process, in particular continuously, preferably so that the weighing device (8) is designed to weigh a total weight of the storage container (5), and / or in that the storage container (5) is mounted in a gravity direction (9) decoupled from the feed element (6) and / or from a supply container (10).

3. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the storage container (5) is designed as an intermediate storage container, upstream of which the supply container (10) is connected on the inflow side, preferably in that a holding volume of the storage container (5) is smaller than a holding volume of the supply container (10), and / or in that a holding volume or the holding volume of the storage container (5) is only large enough to hold filling material (4) for filling a maximum of three, in particular a maximum of two or one, spacer frame legs (2) or spacer frames (3).

4. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (1) has a measuring device (25) for determining a profile type of the spacer frame leg (2) or the spacer frame (3), preferably wherein the measuring device (25) is designed as a clamping device for clamping a spacer frame leg (2) or spacer frame (3) and / or wherein the measuring device (25) is designed to measure at least one dimension, in particular a profile width, of the spacer frame leg (2) or the spacer frame (3).

5. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (1) has a calculation unit (26) for calculating a, in particular theoretical, filling length of the spacer frame leg (2) or of the spacer frame (3), preferably wherein the calculation unit (26) calculates the filling length by taking into account a weight reduction of the filling material (4) in the storage container (5) and an adjustable and / or determined profile type, preferably a profile type determined by means of one or the measuring device (25), in particular by using at least one dimension of the spacer frame leg (2) or the spacer frame (3), and / or displays it to a user for checking.

6. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the supply container (10) can be closed in a pressure-resistant manner and / or can be sealed airtight, preferably so that fluidization of the filling material (4) contained therein is possible, and / or in that at least one outlet opening (16) of the feed element (6) can be closed by means of a locking device (19).

7. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (1) has a control device (20) which is designed to interrupt, in particular automatically, the discharge of filling material (4) from the storage container (5) and / or from the feed element (6) when a preset and / or adjustable and / or calculated weight reduction of the filling material (4) contained in the storage container (5) is reached and / or when no weight reduction or a reduced weight reduction, in particular within a defined or definable time interval, of the filling material (4) contained in the storage container (5), in particular when the closing device (14) and / or the locking device (19) is open, can be measured by means of the weighing device (8), and / or in that the device (1) has one or more control devices (20) which are designed to fill the storage container (5), in particular by filling material (4) from the supply container (10), preferably automatically, when there is no longer enough filling material (4) in the storage container (5) to carry out a complete filling operation.

8. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (1) has a display unit (21) which is designed to indicate a weight reduction and / or a weight, in particular the current weight, of the filling material (4) contained in the storage container (5) and / or in that the device (1) has a vibration device.

9. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device (1) has an overpressure device (22), in particular a compressor, which is connected to the storage container (5) and places it under overpressure during the filling process, preferably wherein a transition (23) between the storage container (5) and the supply container (10) and / or a transition (24) between the storage container (5) and the feed element (6) is designed to be pressure-resistant and / or airtight at least during the filling process.

10. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the storage container (5) is arranged above the feed element (6) and / or above the spacer frame leg (2) or spacer frame (3) to be filled during a filling process, and / or in that one or the supply containers (10) are arranged above the storage container (5).

11. Method, in particular computer-implemented method, for filling a formed spacer frame leg (2) or a formed spacer frame (3), characterized in that the filling material (4) is kept ready in a storage container (5), in that the weight of the filling material (4) contained in the storage container (5) is measured before and during a filling process, in particular continuously, in that a weight difference between the weight of the filling material (4) in the storage container (5) before the start of the filling process and the weight measured during filling is recorded as an actual value of the weight of the filling material (4) filled into the spacer frame leg (2) or spacer frame (3).

12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that the actual value is compared, preferably automatically, with a target value stored for the spacer frame leg (2) or spacer frame (3) to be filled, in particular stored in a setting table, and / or calculated, wherein the filling process is interrupted as soon as the actual value corresponds to the target value and / or in that the filling process is interrupted if no weight reduction or a reduced weight reduction of the filling material (4) contained in the storage container (5) is measured over a specified or specifiable time interval.

13. Method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that, before the filling process is carried out, a quantity of filling material (4) required to fill the spacer frame leg (2) or spacer frame (3) is calculated and stored as one or the target value and / or in that, before the filling process is carried out, a quantity of filling material (4) required for filling the spacer frame leg (2) or the spacer frame (3) is calculated and filled into the storage container (5) and / or in that a filling length, in particular a theoretical filling length, of the filling material filled into the spacer frame leg or into the spacer frame, in particular during and / or after the filling process is carried out, is calculated and / or displayed, preferably wherein the filling process is interrupted, in particular automatically, when the filling length reaches or corresponds to a desired length value.

14. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the storage container (5) is pressurized during the discharge of filling material (4) from the storage container (5), in particular so that fluidization of the filling material (4) takes place, and / or in that the method is carried out using the device claimed in one of claims 1 to 10.

15. Computer program product and / or computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to carry out the method according to one of claims 11 to 14.