APPLICATION UNIT AND METHOD FOR ATTACHING A SEALING PROFILE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to an application unit for applying a sealing profile to a body component used to close a body opening, comprising a rolling head in which the sealing profile is guided along an at least singly curved first path during an operating situation.

[0002] Such sealing profiles are intended, for example, to create a sealed connection between a body opening and the cover installed within it. Such a cover can be, for example, a door, a trunk lid, or a sunroof element. The following example will be based on a vehicle door, which can also be referred to as a door assembly at the stage at which the sealing profile is applied.

[0003] A sealing profile typically consists of a longitudinally extending hollow rubber profile, to which a tab, the so-called sealing base, is attached along a peripheral area, also running longitudinally. The tab is oriented in the circumferential direction in such a way that it essentially rests against the outside of the hollow profile, possibly with a slight gap. An adhesive strip is applied longitudinally to the outside of the tab, which is covered with a protective liner until shortly before the sealing profile is applied to the door assembly. The liner must therefore be removed from the adhesive strip in an appropriate manner.

[0004] A method known as "direct rolling" is known in the art for applying a sealing profile to a door assembly. Here, the sealing profile is conveyed from an endless roll by means of a conveyor and applied via a rolling head. The advance of the sealing profile onto the door assembly is controlled accordingly. The door assembly itself is movably held in a movable mounting device, for example, by an industrial robot, and is guided past the stationary rolling head, which applies the sealing profile to the door assembly. Once the sealing profile has been applied around the door assembly, a cutting knife cuts the sealing profile to cut it to length from the endless roll. After this, both butt ends must be brought closer together to create, if possible, a virtually seamless, continuous sealing profile.The disadvantage here is that the endless roll of sealing profile can be stored up to a total length of 1500m, which means that its handling presents certain challenges due to its size. Both the packaging of the endless rolls and the actual transport to the sealing application site, including installation of the endless roll in the system, is complex. Due to the very long total length of the sealing profile on a endless roll, a large number of individual application processes can be carried out with one endless roll, so that the endless roll does not have to be changed too frequently in relation to a regular production cycle. When changing the endless rolls, i.e. replacing the empty endless roll with a full endless roll, it is necessary to connect the end of the sealing profile that is just running out with the beginning of the sealing profile on the full endless roll.This process is regularly performed manually at a specially equipped workstation. The two seal ends are bonded together using adhesive. This area of ​​the bond must withstand the tensile forces in the conveyor system and the rolling head. However, it is not intended for application on the door assembly and is discarded beforehand.

[0005] Based on this, it would be desirable to be able to do without the use of endless rolls with the stock lengths of sealing profile described above and instead use magazine rolls with significantly shorter stock lengths, for example around 1 / 10 of the stock length. These significantly smaller magazine rolls can be simpler to package and also enable easier logistical handling. DE 20 2016 004 640 U1 shows a possible application unit with several magazine rolls. Known solutions in this area include spreadable conveyor rollers or guide rollers in the rolling head, so that pre-fabricated individual sealing profiles can be automatically inserted into these spread rolls. The sealing end of the individual profiles is manually brought into a transfer contour using a special device. The profiles, including the device itself, are located in a magazine that functions as an intermediate buffer.In order to be able to do without these magazines or to use several smaller sealing rolls instead of one large endless roll, an automated change of the sealing rolls including threading them into the rolling head would be necessary.

[0006] In the prior art, DE 39 41 376 C2 also discloses a device for applying a sealing profile to a body component, wherein the sealing profile is pressed onto the body component in a curved path and the sealing profile is held in place against its inherent elasticity in order to form the curved path of the sealing profile.

[0007] The document DE 39 41 376 C2 discloses an application unit and a method according to the preamble of claims 1 and 10, respectively.

[0008] Another device for applying a sealing profile is described in WO 2015 / 106968 A1, in which it is provided that the sealing profile is guided in a free loop acting as a sealing buffer when it is brought towards the workpiece.

[0009] Another application device for applying a sealing profile to a body component is disclosed in WO 2017 / 167871 A1. This device provides that the sealing profile includes positioning marks, and the application device stretches or compresses the sealing profile to a predetermined shape based on the positioning marks.

[0010] Based on this, the object of the present invention is to provide a device and a method that enables an automated insertion of a new sealing profile into the rolling head.

[0011] The object is achieved by an application unit for applying a sealing profile to a body component used to close a body opening, with a rolling head, wherein in an interior of the rolling head during an operating situation the sealing profile is guided along a curved first path, an alignment device with a plurality of alignment elements which are movable between an open position and an approximate position on a base frame of the alignment device,wherein a sealing profile guided between the alignment elements in the approached position assumes a second path corresponding to the first path during an operating situation of the rolling head, and wherein the rolling head (20) and / or the alignment device (30) are movable relative to one another between a starting position and a transfer position, and the rolling head (20) and the alignment device (30) are arranged spaced apart from one another in the starting position and at least approximately close to one another in the transfer position.

[0012] The application unit according to the invention makes it possible to position the initial section of the sealing profile of a new magazine roll with repeatable accuracy or to prepare it in the correct position. Using the alignment device of the application unit, the initial section of the sealing profile can be brought into the respective path, in which it also runs over the respective rollers in the rolling head during the application process. By imprinting this path on the initial section of the sealing profile by the alignment device, the initial section can be easily transferred to the rolling head, so that the sealing profile is located directly between or on the rollers over which it is intended to run during operation.The application unit according to the invention is based in particular on the idea that a lateral approach of the sealing profile, which is already imprinted with the curved path, to the rolling head is expedient, as this ensures secure transfer by the rolling head and prevents damage to the sealing profile. An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the first path of the rolling head and the second path of the alignment device are arranged congruently with one another in the alignment position. This ensures a particularly simple and trouble-free transfer of the sealing profile from the alignment device to the rolling head.

[0013] An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that deflection rollers and / or guide rollers are arranged in the rolling head which can be moved between an open and a closed position.

[0014] An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that, in the transfer position, the alignment elements of the alignment device and the deflection rollers and / or guide rollers of the rolling head undercut each other in the direction of the web path. Undercutting can also be referred to as overlapping or interlocking.

[0015] An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the alignment device has a gripper carriage that can be moved at least linearly in the plane of the second path of the alignment device. The gripper carriage advantageously makes it possible to store the length of the sealing profile required for transfer to the rolling head by pulling it out.

[0016] An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the gripper carriage has two pairs of gripper jaws. This makes it possible to grip the rubber profile separately using the first pair of gripper jaws and the cover liner of the sealing profile separately using the second pair of gripper jaws.

[0017] An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the alignment elements and / or the gripper carriage are held movable relative to the base frame of the alignment device via respective linear motion actuators.

[0018] An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the first path of the rolling head runs in two planes, preferably approximately 90° to each other. In a specific embodiment, the alignment device is pivotable such that the second path, in a pivoted position, runs in two planes, preferably approximately 90° to each other.

[0019] The object is further achieved by a method for the automated insertion of a starting section of a sealing profile into an application unit, in which the application unit is provided with an alignment device and a rolling head, wherein the rolling head guides the sealing profile along a curved first path during an operating situation, the starting section of the sealing profile is drawn into the alignment device, a second curved path is impressed on the starting section of the sealing profile via movable alignment elements, wherein the second path of the starting section corresponds to the first path of the sealing profile in the rolling head during the operating situation and the starting section of the sealing profile is transferred from the alignment device into the rolling head while maintaining the second path impressed by the alignment elements.An advantageous embodiment of the method provides that during the drawing-in of the initial section of the sealing profile into the alignment device, a cover liner and a sealing rubber of the sealing profile are gripped separately from one another.

[0020] An advantageous embodiment of the method provides that the retraction of the initial section of the sealing profile comprises pivoting the cover liner away from the sealing rubber of the sealing profile.

[0021] An advantageous embodiment of the method provides that deflection rollers and / or guide rollers arranged in the rolling head are moved into an open position from the alignment device in order to take over the initial section of the sealing profile.

[0022] An advantageous embodiment of the method provides that the initial section of the sealing profile is trimmed at the end after transfer to the first path of the rolling head.

[0023] The invention will be explained below with further features, details, and advantages with reference to the accompanying figures. The figures illustrate merely exemplary embodiments of the invention. Figures 1a), 1b) an application unit according to the invention in a side view and a top view; Figures 2a), 2b) an alignment device of the application unit according to Figure 1 during the automated threading of a sealing profile; Figures 3a), 3b) the alignment device of the application unit according to Figure 1 during the automated threading of a sealing profile in a further position; Figures 4a), 4b) the alignment device of the application unit according to Figure 1 during the automated threading of a sealing profile in a further position; Figures 5a), 5b) the alignment device of the application unit according to Figure 1during the automated threading of a sealing profile in another position; Figure 6 the application unit according to Figure 1b ) during the automated threading of a sealing profile in another position; Figure 7 the application unit according to Figure 1a ) during the automated threading of a sealing profile in a further position; Figure 8 a rolling head of the application unit according to Figure 1a ) during the automated threading of a sealing profile in a further position and Figure 9 shows a further embodiment of an application unit with a rolling head angled by 90°.

[0024] The Figures 1a ) and 1b ) show an embodiment of an application unit 10 according to the invention, in a side view ( Figure 1a ) and a top view ( Figure 1b ). The Figures 1a ) and 1b) are first described together, wherein the application unit 10 is described with regard to its structural design and, with the aid of further figures, the different positions of the application unit 10 during an automated insertion of an initial section of a sealing profile 2 are described.

[0025] The application unit 10 initially comprises, as essential structural components, a rolling head 20 and an alignment device 30. A plurality of deflection or conveyor rollers 26 are arranged in an interior 22 of the rolling head 20. The sealing profile 2 runs over these deflection or conveyor rollers 26 during a later operating situation or is conveyed by the rollers 26. In this case, the sealing profile 2 assumes a multiply curved first path 24 from its entry into the interior 22 of the rolling head 20 to its exit. It can expediently be provided that the deflection or conveyor rollers 26 can assume an open position in which they are spaced from the path 24, and a closed position in which they lie directly against the path 24 and the sealing profile 2. Figure 1a) shows a closed position of the rollers 26. A linear adjustment can be provided for this feed movement in a suitable manner. The alignment device 30 has a plurality of alignment elements 34. These alignment elements 34 can also be moved between an open position and a closed position, wherein a linear adjustment can also be provided here in a suitable manner. Figure 1a) shows a delivered position of the alignment elements 34. The alignment elements 34 are arranged in their delivered position such that a sealing profile 2 guided between them forms a second path 36, wherein this second path 36, with regard to its curvatures, largely corresponds exactly to the first path 24 in which the sealing profile 2 runs in an operating situation in the rolling head 20. The greatest possible correspondence between the first and second path paths 24, 36 is the prerequisite for the sealing profile 2 to be transferred from the alignment device 30 to or into the rolling head 20.

[0026] The alignment device 30 also preferably has a gripper carriage 40 comprising two pairs of gripper jaws 42, by means of which a profile rubber 4 and a cover liner 6 of the sealing profile can be gripped or secured separately from one another, as will be described below. The gripper carriage 40 is linearly movable in the horizontal direction, which is symbolized by the arrow 54. Via this horizontal mobility of the gripper carriage 40, the sealing profile can be pulled via the gripper carriage 40, in this case from left to right, from a sealing profile magazine (not shown) along the alignment elements 34 or between the open alignment elements 34. As part of the sealing profile magazine, reference numeral 52 indicates a load carrier fixation, by means of which the free end of the sealing profile, which is otherwise stored in the magazine, can be fixed and taken over from this fixation by the gripper carriage 40.

[0027] In the Figure 1b ) shown top view of the application unit 10, the reference numeral 56 symbolizes a movement of the alignment device 30, with which it is movable between an alignment position and a transfer position with respect to the rolling head 20. In the alignment position, the alignment device 30 and the rolling head 20 are spaced apart from one another and in the transfer position they are arranged at least approximately close to one another, which will be explained further below. Figure 1b ) shows the alignment device 30 and rolling head 20 in an alignment position with each other.

[0028] The Figures 2a) and 2b ) are described together below. They show the alignment device 30, according to the Figures 1a ) and 1b), in a side view and a top view. The rolling head 20 is not shown. Shown is an initial situation of an automated insertion of a starting section of a sealing profile 2 into an application unit 10. The starting section of the sealing profile 2 is already released from the load carrier fixation 52, in such a way that the profile rubber 4 and the cover liner 6 are separated from each other. The profile rubber 4 and the cover liner 6 are fixed separately from each other in the gripper jaw pairs 42 of the gripper carriage 40. The gripper carriage 40 is located, compared to the Figures 1a ) and 1b), in a starting position between load carrier fixation 52 and alignment device 30. The alignment elements 34 are in the open position, so that they are essentially located in the area of ​​an upper or lower edge of the base plate 32 of the alignment device 30. For individual alignment elements 34, it can also be provided that these are sunk into the base plate 32 to assume an open position. While the load carrier fixation 52 initially fixes the profile rubber 4 and the cover liner 6, this fixation is released over time so that the sealing profile can be unrolled from the magazine roll, which is not shown. The direction of movement of the gripper carriage 40 is symbolized by the arrow 54.

[0029] The Figures 3a) and 3b) show, for clarity, an intermediate position in which the sealing profile 2 has already been pulled a certain distance along the alignment device 30 via the gripper carriage 40. The length of the already pulled sealing profile has been unwound from the magazine roll, not shown.

[0030] The Figures 4a) and 4b) show a further intermediate position in which the sealing profile 2 has been pulled a further distance along the alignment device 30 via the gripper carriage 40, so that the gripper carriages 40 are now located on the side of the alignment device 30 opposite the load carrier fixing means 52. The profile rubber 4 and the cover liner 6 continue to have an unchanged position relative to one another and are fixed by the gripper jaw pairs 42 of the gripper carriage 40. In addition, the alignment elements 34 have been moved into their advanced position, so that the sealing profile 2 has now partially assumed the second path 36. In addition, the gripper element 44 has been brought into position for the liner removal, so that the cover liner 4 can be pulled further off the profile rubber 4, as explained with reference to the following figures.

[0031] The Figures 5a) and 5b) show the position in which the cover liner 6 was further removed via the gripper element 44 by means of a pivoting movement. The pivoting movement is symbolized by the arrow 58. In this position, the sealing profile 2 has assumed the second path 36, which is required for the transfer to the first path 24 of the rolling head 20. Strictly speaking, the path paths 24, 36 could each be described as being divided into two parts, since the cover liner initially has a common path with the profile rubber 4, but then, after pivoting, takes a separate path from the profile rubber 4. The Figures 5a) and 5b ) corresponds essentially to the position already shown in the Figures 1a ) and 1b ). This means that the sealing profile 2 has the track 36 stamped on it, the rolling head 20 and the alignment device 30 are in the spaced-apart position - see Figure 1b) - and the deflection or conveyor rollers 26 of the rolling head 20 are in the open position.

[0032] The Figure 6 shows the rolling head 20 and the alignment device 30 in plan view, already in an approximate position for transferring the sealing profile 2 from the alignment device 30 to the rolling head 20. For this purpose, the deflection or conveyor rollers 26 are initially in the open position, as shown in the Figure 1a ) is shown.

[0033] The Figure 7 shows the state in which the deflection or conveyor rollers 26 were advanced in order to subsequently take over the sealing profile 2 in the path 24. In addition, the continuous sealing profile 2 was trimmed at the end by the cutting device 46. A top view is not required. In a next step, the alignment elements 32 are moved back to their open position, which corresponds to the position of the Figures 2 and3 corresponds, so that the Figure 8 shown representation of the rolling head 20 with the sealing profile 2, which is guided along the first track 24.

[0034] The Figure 9 shows an alternative embodiment of the application unit 10, in which the rolling head 20 is structurally designed at an angle of 90°, so that the alignment device 30, after the sealing profile 2 has been passed through, folds it at 90° to enable transfer to the rolling head 20. The rolling head 20 and the alignment device 30 are shown only in a plan view. List of reference symbols

[0035] 2 Sealing profile 4 Profile rubber 6 Cover liner 10 Application unit 20 Rolling head 22 Interior of the rolling head 24 First track 26 Deflection or conveyor rollers 30 Alignment device 32 Base frame 34 Alignment element 36 Second track 40 Gripper carriage 42 Pair of gripper jaws 44 Gripper element for liner 46 Cutting device 50 Suction device 52 Load carrier fixation 54 Movement 56 Movement 58 Swivel movement

Claims

1. Application unit (10) for applying a sealing profile (2) to a body component serving to close a body opening, comprising a rolling head (20), wherein the sealing profile (2) is guided along a curved first path (24) in an interior (22) of the rolling head (20) during an operating situation, and an alignment device (30) with a plurality of alignment elements (34) which are movable between an open position and an approximated position on a base frame (32) of the alignment device (30), characterized in that a sealing profile (2) guided between the alignment elements (34) in the approximated position assumes a second path (36) corresponding to the first path (24) during an operating situation of the rolling head, wherein the rolling head (20) and / or the alignment device (30) are movable relative to one another between a starting position and a transfer position and the rolling head (20) and the alignment device (30) are arranged at a distance from one another in the starting position and at least approximately to one another in the transfer position.

2. Application unit (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first path (24) of the rolling head (20) and the second path (36) of the alignment device (30) are arranged congruently to one another in the transfer position.

3. Application unit (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that deflection rollers and / or guide rollers (26) which can be adjusted between an open position and an approximated position are arranged in the rolling head (20).

4. Application unit (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that, in the transfer position, the alignment elements (34) of the alignment device (30) and the deflection rollers and / or guide rollers (26) of the rolling head (20) intersect each other as viewed in the direction of the paths (24, 36).

5. Application unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the alignment device (30) has a gripper carriage (40) which can be moved at least linearly in a plane of the second path (36) of the alignment device (30).

6. Application unit (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that the gripper carriage (40) has two pairs of gripper jaws (421, 422).

7. Application unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the alignment elements (34) and / or the gripper carriage (40) are guided movably relative to the base frame (32) of the alignment device (30) via respective linear motion actuators (50).

8. Application unit (10) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the first path (24) of the rolling head (20) runs in two planes, preferably at approximately 90° to each other.

9. Application unit (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that the alignment device (30) is pivotable in such a way that the second path (36), in a pivoted position, runs in two planes, preferably at approximately 90° to one another.

10. Method for the automated insertion of an initial section of a sealing profile (2) into an application unit (10), in which the application unit (10) is provided with an alignment device (30) and a rolling head (20), wherein the rolling head (20) guides the sealing profile (2) along a curved first path (24) during an operating situation, and wherein the initial portion of the sealing profile (2) is drawn into the alignment device (30), characterized by the steps of: - a second curved path (36) is applied on the initial section of the sealing profile (32) via movable alignment elements (34), the second path (36) of the initial section corresponding to the first path (24) of the sealing profile (2) in the rolling head (20) during the operating situation, and - the initial section of the sealing profile (2) is transferred from the alignment device (30) into the rolling head (20) while maintaining the second path (36) applied by the alignment elements (34).

11. Method according to claim 10, in which a cover liner (6) and a profile rubber (4) of the sealing profile (2) are gripped separately from one another during the drawing-in of the initial section of the sealing profile (2) into the alignment device (10).

12. Method according to claim 10 or 11, in which the retraction of the initial section of the sealing profile (2) comprises pivoting the cover liner (6) away from the profile rubber (4) of the sealing profile (2).

13. Method according to one of claims 10 to 12, in which deflection rollers and / or guide rollers (26) arranged in the rolling head (20) are moved into an open position by the alignment device (30) in order to take over the initial section of the sealing profile (2).

14. Method according to one of claims 10 to 13, in which the initial section of the sealing profile (2) is trimmed at the end after transfer to the first path (24) of the rolling head (20).