Method and device for producing a composite body

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a composite body (1), having a concrete body (2) and a flat element (3), whereby an underside (3a) of the flat element (3) is adhered to an upper side (2b) of the concrete body (2) by means of an adhesive (4). Thus, an upper side (3b) of the flat element (3) forms an upper side of the composite body (1). The flat element (2) is arranged on a support (14) in such a way that the underside (3a) of the flat element (3) is orientated upwards for application of the adhesive (4), the adhesive (4) is applied automatically to at least one sub-region of the underside (3a) of the flat element (3), and the flat element (3) is then automatically raised off the support (14) and turned in such a way that the underside (3a) of the flat element (3) is orientated downwards. The flat element (3) is moved towards the concrete body (2) and, in this orientation, it is pressed onto the upper side (2b) of the concrete body (2) from above.

Description

[0001] Method and device for producing a composite body

[0002] This application claims priority from German patent application No. 10 2022 127 333.4, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0003] The invention relates to a method for producing a composite body which comprises a concrete body and a planar element, according to which a bottom side of the planar element is glued to a top side of the concrete body by means of an adhesive, and wherein a top side of the planar element forms a top side of the composite body.

[0004] The invention further relates to a device for producing a composite body which comprises a concrete body and a planar element, wherein a bottom side of the planar element is glued to a top side of the concrete body by means of an adhesive and a top side of the planar element forms a top side of the composite body.

[0005] Furthermore, the invention relates to a lifting and turning device according to claim 23, an unpacking station according to claim 24 and an adhesive application device according to claim 25.

[0006] The invention also relates to a composite body according to claim 26.

[0007] The current state of the art includes natural stone slabs, tiles, and ceramic slabs for installation, especially outdoors. It has been shown that tiles and ceramic slabs, especially with thicker material, reach their technical and economic limits, especially in so-called unbound construction.

[0008] For efficient technical and economic production, it has proven advantageous if the tile or ceramic plate is used in combination with a concrete body.

[0009] A generic method and a device for producing a composite body which comprises a concrete body and a flat element is known from EP 3 216 776 B1.

[0010] The generic document proposes applying an adhesive to the underside of a solid brick body or a ceramic tile in order to bond the ceramic tile to a concrete body. For this purpose, the ceramic tile is placed in a casting mold used to manufacture or produce the concrete body. The ceramic tile is intended to seal with the side walls of the casting mold. The ceramic tile is placed in the casting mold in such a way that the upper side of the ceramic tile, which later forms the upper side of the composite body, is oriented downwards. The underside of the ceramic tile, to which the adhesive is applied, is thus oriented upwards. After the ceramic tile has been appropriately arranged in the mold, a concrete material is poured into the casting mold. It is proposed to fill the mold in such a way that a concrete layer with a thickness of 1 to 12 cm, preferably 3 to 8 cm, is created.After filling with the concrete material, compaction can be carried out in a generally known manner, preferably in conjunction with vibration. Once the filled concrete material has at least partially hardened, in particular to the extent that the concrete body formed by the concrete material is green-stable or has a green-stable state in which the concrete body is dimensionally stable but not yet set, the composite body formed from the concrete body and the ceramic plate can be removed from the mold and preferably placed in a setting chamber where a higher temperature prevails. In the setting chamber, the concrete body can fully harden.

[0011] EP 3 216 776 B1 proposes, as an alternative to filling the mold with a pourable concrete material, that a hardened concrete body be added to the ceramic plate, which has been placed in the casting mold and coated with an adhesive, and that this hardened concrete body be placed on the underside of the ceramic plate. The hardened concrete body is said to have a concrete with a so-called "open structure." The generic document states that a concrete with an open structure is suitable for bonding with the adhesive applied to the ceramic plate, since the adhesive can penetrate into the pores of the concrete body. The generic document proposes the addition of polymerizable monomers to achieve penetration of the adhesive into the pores of the concrete body. For this purpose, the adhesive applied to the ceramic plate is coated accordingly before the concrete body is placed on the ceramic plate.As a further alternative embodiment, it is proposed that a concrete mass is filled onto the coated surface of the ceramic plate provided with the polymerizable monomers instead of a hardened concrete body.

[0012] For further prior art, reference is also made to EP 3 216 775 B1, which proposes that a primer composition containing monomers forming part of a water-polymerizable polymerization system is used to bond a tile to a concrete body, the primer composition being applied to a surface of the tile and a surface of the concrete body.

[0013] For further prior art, reference is also made to EP 3 231 784 A1.

[0014] A disadvantage of the generic device and the generic method is that the ceramic plate must be inserted precisely into the casting mold for the concrete body so that the pourable concrete material can then be applied or a concrete body with an open structure can be pressed onto the correspondingly positioned ceramic plate.

[0015] In the state of the art, particularly due to the increasing demand for composite bodies composed of a ceramic plate and a concrete body, there is a need for a technically and economically advantageous production method that enables a stable connection between the ceramic plate and the concrete body and that also withstands the requirements arising during the subsequent use of the composite body, in particular the weather conditions (humidity and temperature).

[0016] To meet the growing demand for composite bodies composed of a concrete body and a flat element, particularly a tile or ceramic, it would be advantageous if the necessary process steps were optimized and, if possible, automated. In particular, it is important to optimize the process steps as optimally as possible with the state-of-the-art methods and devices for producing a concrete body that is a component of the composite body, and to integrate them as far as possible.

[0017] The present invention is based on the object of creating a method for producing a composite body which has a concrete body and a planar element, by means of which a firm and permanent connection is created between the concrete body and the planar element, and which can be realized in a technically and economically advantageous manner.

[0018] This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 1.

[0019] The present invention is also based on the object of creating a device for producing a composite body which has a concrete body and a flat element, by means of which a firm and permanent connection between the concrete body and the flat element can be produced.

[0020] This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 14.

[0021] The present invention is further based on the object of providing a composite body consisting of a concrete body and a planar element, which is produced economically and technically advantageously and in which the concrete body is firmly and permanently connected to the planar element.

[0022] Such a composite body is provided by the features of claim 25.

[0023] The present invention is further based on the object of creating a lifting and turning device, in particular for use in a method and / or a device for producing a composite body, by means of which flat elements resting on a base can be received in a particularly advantageous manner.

[0024] Such a lifting and turning device is provided by the features of claim 23.

[0025] The present invention is further based on the object of creating an unpacking station, in particular for use in a method and / or a device for producing a composite body, by means of which a package with flat elements can be unpacked in a particularly advantageous manner.

[0026] Such an unpacking station is provided by the features of claim 24.

[0027] The present invention is further based on the object of creating an adhesive application device, in particular for use in a method and / or a device for producing a composite body, by means of which an adhesive can be applied to an underside of a flat element in a particularly advantageous manner.

[0028] Such an adhesive application device is provided by the features of claim 25.

[0029] The method according to the invention for producing a composite body comprising a concrete body and a planar element provides for the underside of the planar element to be bonded to a top side of the concrete body using an adhesive. The top side of the planar element forms the top side of the composite body.

[0030] According to the invention, it is provided that the planar element is arranged on a base such that the underside of the planar element is oriented upwards for the application of the adhesive, after which an adhesive is automatically applied to at least a partial area of ​​the underside of the planar element and the planar element is then automatically lifted from the base and turned such that the underside of the planar element is oriented downwards, after which the planar element is brought to the concrete body and pressed in this orientation from above onto the top side of the concrete body.

[0031] The inventors have recognized that a particularly advantageous method for producing a composite body results if, contrary to the teachings of the prior art, the flat element is brought to the concrete body and pressed from above onto the upper side of the concrete body, wherein for this purpose it is provided that the underside of the flat element is prepared accordingly beforehand, i.e. that an adhesive is automatically applied to at least a partial area of ​​the underside of the flat element and the flat element is then automatically lifted from the base and turned such that the underside of the flat element is oriented downwards. This process has proven to be advantageous compared to bringing the concrete body to the flat element and can also be particularly advantageously integrated into concrete block production.

[0032] It has proven suitable and sufficient if the adhesive is applied to at least a portion of the underside of the flat element. While it is generally possible for the adhesive to be applied to the entire underside of the flat element, this is not absolutely necessary for creating a firm and permanent bond between the flat element and the concrete body, nor is it necessarily advantageous, as will be explained in more detail below.

[0033] Within the scope of the method according to the invention, it has also been found advantageous if the adhesive is applied only to the underside of the planar element and not additionally to the upper side of the concrete body intended for bonding to the planar element. In contrast to the teaching according to EP 3 216 775 B1, it is considered advantageous in the present case if the adhesive is applied only to one side, i.e., if the adhesive is applied only to at least a partial area of ​​the underside of the planar element.

[0034] The method according to the invention is not only suitable for connecting a concrete body to a tile body or a ceramic plate, but it has been shown that the method is suitable for connecting a concrete body to any flat element, which is preferably made of a different material or a different material from the concrete body.

[0035] In the context of the invention, a composite body is a body which, in addition to the concrete body, has at least one planar element which is preferably made of another material.

[0036] The composite body is preferably a composite stone formed from the concrete body and a flat element, in particular a plate.

[0037] According to the invention, it can be provided that the planar element is designed as a plate, in particular as a ceramic plate, rubber plate, vinyl plate, checkered plate, stainless steel plate or metal plate, in particular with a structured upper side and / or as a tile, as natural stone or as a laminate.

[0038] The method according to the invention is particularly suitable if the flat element is designed as a ceramic plate, in particular as a tile.

[0039] The composite bodies according to the invention preferably have vertically extending spacers formed by the concrete body in a generally known manner. Such spacers are known, for example, from EP 2 401 432 B1.

[0040] According to the invention, it can further be provided that a mineral adhesive is used as the adhesive.

[0041] It has been shown that the use of a mineral adhesive can achieve a particularly strong and permanently reliable bond between the flat element and the concrete body. It is advantageous if the flat element is pressed onto the concrete body while the concrete body is in its green state, in which the concrete body is deformable but not yet set.

[0042] A concrete body in its green state is also referred to in the art as a "green" concrete blank. The green state of the concrete body means that the concrete body has already hardened to such an extent that it retains its shape when it leaves the production mold, the casting mold, or the filling mold, or when it is removed from the mold.

[0043] The flat element coated with adhesive is preferably pressed onto the top of the concrete body when it is still wet.

[0044] It has been shown that this process can achieve a solid and permanently reliable connection between the flat element and the concrete body, even in the face of weather conditions, in particular moisture and temperature fluctuations.

[0045] According to the invention, it can further be provided that the flat element is moved plane-parallel and / or orthogonally relative to the upper side of the concrete body during the pressing onto the concrete body.

[0046] It has proven particularly advantageous if the flat element is moved plane-parallel and / or orthogonally (vertically) relative to the top surface of the concrete body during the pressing process. Preferably, the flat element is moved during the pressing process. However, it is also possible to move the concrete body or both elements while the flat element is being pressed onto the concrete body.

[0047] Within the scope of the method according to the invention, it has proven particularly advantageous if the concrete body is not moved during the pressing on of the planar element, but the plane-parallel and / or orthogonal movement, preferably an oscillating and / or vibrating movement, is generated only by the planar element.

[0048] It has been shown that by moving the flat element while it is being pressed onto the concrete body, the adhesive can be activated in a particularly advantageous manner and a firm and reliable connection can be created between the flat element and the concrete body.

[0049] In contrast to the prior art, in which compaction and vibration are only performed after the concrete material has been poured into the mold containing the flat element, it has proven advantageous if, while the flat element is being pressed onto the concrete body, the flat element is moved plane-parallel and / or orthogonally relative to the top surface of the concrete body. It is advantageous if the flat element is moved in a vibrating and / or oscillating manner relative to the top surface of the concrete body during the pressing process.

[0050] It has proven particularly suitable if the flat element is moved in a vibrating and / or oscillating manner relative to the upper side during the pressing process.

[0051] The vibration and / or oscillation occurs at such an intensity that the preferably green-stable concrete body or its shape is not destroyed.

[0052] It has been found to be particularly advantageous if the vibrating and / or oscillating movement has an amplitude of less than 3 mm.

[0053] A movement of the flat element relative to the top of the concrete body has proven particularly suitable for activating the adhesive and creating a strong and permanent bond.

[0054] It has been shown that by pressing the flat element onto the concrete body, the adhesive is distributed in a suitable manner and, through vibration and / or oscillation, the adhesive bonds with the concrete body in a particularly advantageous manner, in particular penetrating into the pores of the concrete body.

[0055] It has been shown that a particularly advantageous composite body can be produced if the concrete body has a water-cement ratio (water-cement ratio, in short: w / c ratio) of 0.25 to 0.45, i.e. a water content of between 25% and 45% of the weight of the cement, when the flat element is pressed onto the concrete body, in particular a water-cement ratio of 0.35 to 0.45 has proven to be particularly suitable.

[0056] It has been shown that a particularly advantageous composite body can be produced if the concrete body has a water-to-binder ratio (water-to-binder ratio, in short: w / b value) of 0.25 to 0.45, i.e. a water content of between 25% and 45% of the weight of the binder when the flat element is pressed onto the concrete body, in particular a water-to-binder ratio of 0.35 to 0.45 has proven to be particularly suitable.

[0057] It has been found to be advantageous if the concrete body contains 10% to 25% natural sand 0 to 4 mm, preferably 14% to 22%, in particular 16% to 20% natural sand 0 to 4 mm.

[0058] It has also proven particularly suitable if the adhesive is applied automatically to the underside of the flat element by brushing and / or spraying. It is advantageous if the adhesive is applied to the underside of the flat element in sections, preferably leaving a peripheral edge of the underside of the flat element free.

[0059] Within the scope of the method according to the invention, it can be provided that the adhesive is applied over the entire underside of the sheet-like element. However, it has proven advantageous if the adhesive is not applied over the entire surface, but preferably only in sections or to a partial area of ​​the underside, preferably in sections over the entire underside. It has proven particularly suitable if a peripheral edge of the underside of the sheet-like element is left free, i.e. adhesive is only applied to a partial area of ​​the underside. It has proven advantageous if, when the sheet-like element is pressed onto the concrete body, no adhesive is squeezed out over the edge of the underside of the sheet-like element.This can be achieved advantageously, for example, by leaving a peripheral edge of the underside of the flat element free when applying the adhesive or by scraping off the adhesive already applied there.

[0060] It is advantageous if the flat element is transported underneath an adhesive application device in such a way that the adhesive is applied from above, preferably with a toothed spatula structure onto the underside of the flat element, wherein the adhesive application device preferably has an adjustable stripping element in order to strip the adhesive applied to the underside of the flat element from the underside of the flat element as required, in particular in the region of the two edges of the flat element running transversely to the feed direction.

[0061] It has been shown that the adhesive is applied to the underside of the flat element in a particularly advantageous manner by transporting the flat element beneath an adhesive application device. The adhesive application device can preferably comprise or consist of an adhesive filling carriage.

[0062] The adhesive application device can be designed in such a way, in particular having a corresponding dispensing opening, e.g. a dispensing slot, through which it is possible to apply the adhesive, preferably with a notched trowel structure, partially over the entire underside, particularly preferably leaving a peripheral edge free, to the underside of the flat element.

[0063] The adhesive application device, in particular the adhesive filling carriage, preferably has a dispensing opening for the adhesive, the longitudinal axis of which extends orthogonally to the feed direction of the planar elements. Alternatively or additionally to the planar elements being transported underneath the adhesive application device, it can also be provided that the adhesive application device is movable, so that the adhesive application device and the planar element are moved relative to each other in such a way that the planar element is transported underneath the adhesive application device, in particular the dispensing opening for the adhesive.

[0064] Further advantageous measures to ensure that no adhesive leaks out when the flat element is pressed onto the concrete body are described in more detail below, whereby these measures can also be used in combination with leaving free or stripping off a peripheral edge area so that no adhesive is present there when pressed onto the concrete body, and / or as alternatives to this.

[0065] Using the scraper element, adhesive already applied to the underside of the flat element can be scraped off from a specific edge (starting from the corresponding edge). This has proven advantageous for later bonding the flat element to the concrete body.

[0066] It is advantageous if the adhesive is applied to the underside of the flat element with a notched trowel structure, wherein the adhesive is preferably applied in such a way that the adhesive has a thickness of 3 mm to 10 mm, preferably 4 mm to 8 mm, in particular 5 mm to 7 mm, in the areas in which it has a greater thickness on the underside of the flat element.

[0067] It has proven particularly advantageous if the adhesive is applied using a notched trowel structure. The notched trowel structure can be designed in such a way that an adhesive is provided both in the heights (elevations) and in the depths of the structure created by the notched trowel. However, it has proven particularly advantageous to have no adhesive in the valleys of the notched trowel structure. By pressing the flat element onto the top side of the concrete body, the adhesive is then distributed over the underside of the flat element, preferably over the entire surface, preferably leaving a peripheral edge free.

[0068] According to the invention, it can be provided that the upper side of the concrete body is structured, in particular roughened, and / or provided with grooves and / or with ribs and / or a notched trowel structure before the flat element is pressed on.

[0069] To create a strong and permanently reliable connection between the flat element and the concrete body, it has proven particularly suitable if the upper side of the concrete body is structured, in particular roughened, before the flat element is pressed on. Additionally or alternatively, it can also be provided that grooves and / or ribs are incorporated into the upper side of the concrete body and / or the upper side of the concrete body has a notched trowel structure. The aforementioned design of the upper side of the concrete body before the flat element is pressed on can be provided as an alternative, but can also be carried out in conjunction with the adhesive being applied to the underside of the flat element with a notched trowel structure.It is advantageous if the top side of the concrete body is structured by a stamp pressed onto the top side of the concrete body during the manufacture of the concrete body, preferably a stamp used to compact the concrete body.

[0070] It has proven particularly suitable to achieve the structuring and / or the grooves and / or the ribs and / or the notched trowel structure in the upper surface of the concrete body by structuring the upper surface of the concrete body using a stamp pressed onto the upper surface of the concrete body during its manufacture. Preferably, the stamp used for this purpose can be the one used in a generally known manner for compacting the concrete body. Such a stamp is typically pressed onto the concrete body while it is still in the casting mold to compact the concrete body.

[0071] According to the invention, it can further be provided that the edge region of the upper side of the concrete body, preferably circumferentially around the upper side of the concrete body, is provided with pockets and / or depressions and / or impressions and / or a chamfer, which are suitable for receiving adhesive displaced by the pressing on of the flat element.

[0072] It has proven particularly advantageous if the upper surface of the concrete body has pockets and / or depressions and / or indentations and / or a chamfer that are suitable for absorbing adhesive displaced by the pressing of the flat element. The pockets, depressions, indentations, or the chamfer can thus serve as a reservoir to absorb adhesive displaced when the flat element is pressed onto the concrete body.

[0073] It is advantageous if the pockets and / or the depressions and / or the indentations and / or the chamfer are introduced by a stamp pressed onto the upper side of the concrete body during the manufacture of the concrete body, preferably a stamp that is used to compact the concrete body.

[0074] It has proven particularly suitable if the pockets and / or the depressions and / or the indentations and / or the chamfer are already introduced into the concrete body during its manufacture, in particular by pressing a stamp onto the top of the concrete body. Preferably, as already described above with regard to structuring, a stamp can be used for this purpose, which is already used to compact the concrete body at a time when the concrete body is still in the casting mold or a production mold, in particular a casting mold of a production mold, wherein the stamp serves to compact the concrete body in a fundamentally known manner.

[0075] The casting molds of a production mold are also referred to as formwork molds. According to the invention, the position of the concrete body can be determined, preferably measured, before the flat element is pressed onto it.

[0076] In principle, known methods can be used for this purpose. The position can also be determined using optical sensors. In contrast to the solution known from the generic document, in which the tile is located in a defined position within the casting mold, it is advantageous for automated production of the composite body if the position of the concrete body is determined before the flat element is pressed onto it, thus ensuring high production quality.

[0077] It is advantageous if the position of an entire production layer of concrete bodies is measured, preferably by measuring two diagonally opposite corner points of the production layer.

[0078] It has proven particularly efficient to measure the position of an entire production layer of concrete bodies. The production layer is preferably defined by a production mold used in the manufacture of the concrete bodies and into which the concrete mass is poured to form the concrete bodies. The production mold may have only one casting mold, which then corresponds to the production mold, or the production mold may have multiple casting molds, which then preferably define a production layer of the concrete bodies.

[0079] The measurement of a production layer can preferably be carried out by measuring two diagonally opposite corner points of the production layer or determining their position. From these positions, the position of all concrete bodies in the production layer can then be determined or derived. The position of the concrete bodies in a production layer relative to one another, after the concrete bodies have left the casting mold, is generally not arbitrary, but results from the casting mold or can be derived from it. It has been shown that it is sufficient if two diagonally opposite corner points of the production layer are measured or determined using appropriate sensors.

[0080] To measure a single concrete body, but especially to measure the entire production layer, appropriate measuring instruments can be used within the scope of the method according to the invention, in particular optical sensors that measure the entire layer at once, preferably by measuring opposite points or corner points of the production layer. The position and orientation of the production layer are preferably determined by determining only two points.

[0081] According to the invention, it can further be provided that the underside of the flat element is cleaned of dust, in particular by blowing and / or brushing, before the adhesive is applied. It has proven particularly suitable if the underside of the flat element is cleaned of dust before the adhesive is applied. Blowing or brushing has proven particularly suitable for this purpose. Tiles or ceramic slabs in particular are usually sanded down, so that dust is present on the tile or ceramic slab. Such dust can be removed particularly advantageously with the aid of a blower or a brushing tool, thereby improving the bond between the flat element and the concrete body.

[0082] According to the invention, it can further be provided that, after the flat element has been bonded on, the concrete body is fed to a setting area, preferably a setting chamber, with a higher temperature in which the concrete body sets.

[0083] It has proven particularly suitable if the concrete body, after the flat element has been bonded, i.e., the resulting composite body, is fed into a setting area, preferably a setting chamber. In the setting area or chamber, the concrete body can then harden accordingly, especially if it is a concrete body that has not yet hardened. It has also been shown that this measure also improves the bond between the flat element and the concrete body and the curing of the adhesive.

[0084] It is advantageous if the dimensions of the underside of the planar element substantially correspond to the dimensions of the top side of the concrete body, wherein preferably the extension of the top side of the planar element in a longitudinal direction and a width direction is in each case 1 mm to 40 mm, preferably 2 mm to 30 mm, in particular 3 mm to 20 mm, particularly preferably 4 mm to 10 mm, less than an extension of the top side of the concrete body in the respective direction.

[0085] The aforementioned dimensions have proven particularly suitable for the production of a composite body. It has proven particularly suitable when the extension of the flat element in a longitudinal and a width direction is less than the extension of the top side of the concrete body in the respective direction.

[0086] It can be advantageous if the flat element is glued to the concrete body while the concrete body is still in a production mold or a casting mold in which the concrete body is compacted, or if the flat element is glued to the concrete body after the concrete body has left a production mold or a casting mold in which the concrete body is compacted.

[0087] It has proven particularly advantageous if the flat element is only bonded to the concrete body once the concrete body has left the production mold or the casting mold in which the concrete body is compacted. In this case, it is preferably a green-stable concrete body or a freshly produced and already de-formed concrete body or concrete block. The concrete body is thus located outside the production mold or the casting mold. However, the concrete body is preferably not yet set or is preferably not yet in the setting area or the setting chamber. In this state, the flat element can be applied in a particularly suitable technical and economical manner.

[0088] Alternatively, it is also possible for the flat element to be bonded to the concrete body while the concrete body is still in the production mold or casting mold, where the concrete body is being compacted. The compaction of the concrete body has already taken place, meaning the concrete body is in a green-stable state, but still in the production mold or casting mold. It may be particularly suitable for special applications to bond the flat element to the concrete body in this state.

[0089] One advantage of applying the flat element to the concrete body while it is still in the production mold or casting mold can be that the flat element can be placed precisely, since the position of the concrete body in the production mold or casting mold is still precisely defined. However, pressing and positioning the flat element requires more time than if the concrete body has already left the production mold or casting mold.

[0090] It is advantageous if the flat element is bonded to the concrete body in a state in which it is already dimensionally stable, i.e., after the completion of the main compaction process but not yet fully set. Preferably, the concrete body is no longer in the production mold or casting mold in which it was compacted.

[0091] According to the invention, it can be provided that, after the adhesive has been applied to the underside of the planar element and the planar element has been turned over in such a way that the underside of the planar element is oriented downwards, the planar element is picked up by a feeding device, in particular a multi-axis robot, in particular a 6-axis robot, is brought to the concrete body and is pressed onto the concrete body.

[0092] It has proven particularly suitable if the flat element, after it has been turned in such a way that the underside of the flat element provided with the adhesive is oriented downwards, is picked up by a feeding device, in particular a multi-axis robot, and is brought to the concrete body in one operation and pressed onto the upper side of the concrete body with the aid of the feeding device, in particular the multi-axis robot.For this purpose, it is preferably provided that a concrete body supply device, in which the concrete bodies are located, preferably in a green state, and the unit, preferably a lifting and turning unit, which lifts and turns the flat element after the adhesive has been applied, are spatially positioned to one another, preferably immediately adjacent, in such a way that the feeding device, in particular the multi-axis robot, can pick up the flat element and press it onto the upper side of one of the concrete bodies.According to the invention, it can further be provided that the planar element is provided as part of a package of similar planar elements which are stacked one on top of the other and arranged together in a package, after which the package is placed on an unpacking station, preferably by means of a third multi-axis robot, in particular a 6-axis robot, after which the package is cut open and removed in the unpacking station and the uppermost planar element is removed, preferably by means of a further transport device, in particular a first multi-axis robot, in particular a 6-axis robot, and placed on the base, preferably a conveyor belt, in such a way that the underside of the planar element is oriented upwards.

[0093] It has proven particularly suitable for technically and economically advantageous production of the composite body if the planar element is provided as part of a package of similar planar elements arranged together in a package. The planar elements can preferably be tiles or ceramics, and the package can be a tile package or a ceramic package. The package can be placed on the unpacking station, preferably automatically, by means of a further transport device, preferably a multi-axis robot, in particular a 6-axis robot. In the unpacking station, the packaging can then be cut open and removed, preferably automatically.

[0094] The packaging is preferably cardboard.

[0095] The packaging is preferably cut open in the unpacking station in such a way that the packaging is cut on the underside of the package in the direction of the vertically running corners of the package (wherein the vertically running corners run orthogonally to the top or bottom of the flat elements). For this purpose, the packing station can preferably have four cutting tools, preferably knives. The packaging is preferably cut along the underside of the package at least up to, preferably up to, the vertically running corners. The unpacking station can furthermore have a support or a platform on which a package of the flat elements, which are still in the packaging, is placed. The unpacking station preferably has a vacuum device which is suitable for attracting the package or holding it on the support.Alternatively or additionally, the third multi-axis robot can be provided to hold the package in position while the packaging is being cut open.

[0096] The cut-off packaging is preferably removed by the third multi-axis robot and transported to a collection point, e.g., a transport trolley. The third multi-axis robot preferably has pick-up elements, e.g., suction cups, for this purpose.

[0097] After removing the packaging, the topmost flat element can be removed and placed on the base with the underside of the flat element facing upwards. An adhesive can then be applied to at least a portion of the underside of the flat element. The base is preferably a conveyor belt that transports the flat element beneath the adhesive application device.

[0098] A multi-axis robot, particularly a 6-axis robot, can preferably be provided to pick up the topmost flat element from the packing station. A multi-axis robot has proven particularly suitable for picking up the topmost flat element of a package lying on the unpacking station and placing it on the base.

[0099] Preferably, the package of flat elements, still in packaging, is placed on the unpacking station in such a way that the underside of the flat elements is oriented upwards. In this orientation, the multi-axis robot can pick up the topmost flat element in a particularly simple manner and place it on the base without the need to turn the flat element. Preferably, however, the further transport device, in particular the first multi-axis robot, is designed to turn the flat element as needed, in particular because the flat elements in a package can be arranged in different orientations (in particular bottom to bottom or top to top), so that at least some of the flat elements of a package must be turned.

[0100] Preferably, two or more unpacking stations are provided. The method is preferably carried out in such a way that the further transport device, in particular the first multi-axis robot, removes the flat elements from one unpacking station, while the third multi-axis robot places them on another unpacking station and preferably assists in removing the packaging.

[0101] An advantageous device according to the invention for producing a composite body is defined in claim 14.

[0102] The device according to the invention for producing a composite body comprising a composite body and a planar element, wherein an underside of the planar element is bonded to an upper side of the concrete body by means of an adhesive, and an upper side of the planar element forms an upper side of the composite body, has a base on which the planar element is arranged such that the underside of the planar element is oriented upwards. The device according to the invention further comprises an adhesive application device which subsequently applies an adhesive to at least a partial area of ​​the upwardly oriented underside of the planar element. The device according to the invention further comprises a lifting and turning device in order to subsequently lift the planar element from the base and turn it such that the underside of the planar element is oriented downwards.The device according to the invention further comprises a feed device for subsequently transferring the flat element provided with the adhesive to the concrete body and pressing the underside of the flat element onto the top side of the concrete body. The device according to the invention enables a particularly advantageous production of a composite body comprising a concrete body and a flat element.

[0103] It has been shown that, with regard to a technically and economically advantageous production of the composite body, it is advantageous if the device has a base on which the planar element can be arranged such that the underside of the planar element is oriented upwards. With the planar element oriented in this manner, the adhesive application device can apply an adhesive to at least a portion of the underside of the planar element in a particularly simple manner.

[0104] A cycle time of 3 seconds to 10 seconds, preferably 4 seconds to 6 seconds, is preferably provided for the application of the adhesive.

[0105] It has also proven advantageous for the device to have a lifting and turning device for both lifting the flat element after the adhesive has been applied to the underside of the flat element and turning it so that the underside of the flat element is oriented downwards. In this orientation, the flat element can then be picked up in a particularly advantageous manner by the device's feed device, moved to the concrete body, and pressed onto the top side of the concrete body.

[0106] The device according to the invention enables effective production of the composite body and can be integrated in a particularly advantageous manner into the production process of the concrete body, or the usual production process of the concrete body and the usual concrete body production device can remain unchanged.

[0107] According to the invention, it can further be provided that a concrete body supply device is provided, in which the concrete body is preferably in a green state, in which the concrete body is dimensionally stable but not yet hardened, and wherein the feed device is positioned relative to the lifting and turning device and the concrete body supply device in such a way that the flat element can be picked up by the feed device from the lifting and turning device and can be pressed from above onto the preferably green state-stable concrete body provided by the concrete body supply device.

[0108] The concrete body onto which the planar element is pressed is preferably located in a concrete body supply device in which the concrete body is preferably in a green state.

[0109] The feed device and the concrete body supply device are preferably positioned relative to each other such that the flat element can be pressed onto the concrete body, preferably in a single operation. The feed device can preferably comprise or be designed as a multi-axis robot, preferably a 6-axis robot.

[0110] The concrete body supply facility can receive the concrete bodies, preferably a production layer of concrete bodies, from a concrete body manufacturing facility. The concrete bodies can still be in the production mold or a casting mold of the production mold, or preferably have already been removed from the production mold or a casting mold of the production mold.

[0111] The production of the concrete bodies in the concrete body production plant can, in principle, be carried out in a known manner. The device according to the invention can thus also be combined in a particularly advantageous manner with existing concrete body production facilities in which a pourable concrete material is filled into a production mold or casting mold.

[0112] It is advantageous if an activation device is provided which moves the flat element relative to the top side of the concrete body while it is being pressed onto the concrete body in order to activate the adhesive.

[0113] It has proven particularly suitable if the flat element is moved relative to the top side of the concrete body during pressing onto the concrete body. However, it is also possible in principle for the concrete body onto which the flat element is pressed to be moved during pressing. It is also possible for the device to be designed in such a way that both the flat element and the concrete body are moved when the flat element is pressed onto the concrete body.

[0114] The activation device may preferably comprise a vibration device and / or an oscillation device which causes the planar element to vibrate or oscillate relative, preferably substantially plane-parallel and / or orthogonal, to the upper side of the concrete body.

[0115] It has been shown that the bonding between the concrete body and the flat element is particularly good when the flat element is pressed onto the top of the concrete body with a slight vibration.

[0116] It is advantageous if a bottom side of a stamp of a concrete body manufacturing device intended for compacting the concrete body is designed in such a way that the stamp structures the top side of the concrete body, in particular roughens it, and / or the stamp introduces pockets and / or depressions and / or impressions and / or a chamfer in the edge region of the top side of the concrete body.

[0117] It has been shown that designing the upper side of the concrete body in such a way that it is structured, in particular roughened, results in the flat element being able to be bonded particularly well to the concrete body. Furthermore, it has been shown that it can also be advantageous if pockets and / or depressions and / or indentations and / or a chamfer are introduced into the edge region of the upper side of the concrete body. The pockets, depressions, indentations or the chamfer can in particular serve as a reservoir to hold material of the adhesive when this is displaced by the pressing on of the flat element. The pockets, depressions, indentations and / or the chamfer are preferably designed in such a way that the adhesive is not forced beyond the upper side of the concrete body.

[0118] Both the structuring and the pockets, depressions, indentations, or chamfers are preferably created using a stamp pressed onto the surface of the concrete body before the concrete body has fully cured. It is advantageous to use the stamp of a concrete body production facility, which is already available to compact the concrete body during production in the production mold.

[0119] The chamfer, which is introduced into the upper side of the concrete body at the edge of the concrete body, can preferably have a width (extension plane-parallel to the upper side) of 2 mm to 8 mm and a depth (extension orthogonal to the upper side) of 2 mm to 8 mm, particularly preferably a width of 5 mm and a depth of 5 mm.

[0120] According to the invention, it can be provided that a cleaning device is provided to clean the underside of the planar element before applying the adhesive and / or the upper side of the concrete body before pressing on the planar element, in particular to blow off or brush off dust.

[0121] It has proven particularly suitable to provide a cleaning device designed such that the underside of the flat element can be cleaned before the adhesive is applied, in particular to blow or brush off dust from it. For this purpose, the cleaning device can be designed as a blower or a brushing tool, for example, a rotating brush, or can comprise a blower or a brushing tool. Alternatively or additionally, the cleaning device can also be designed such that the upper side of the concrete body can be cleaned before the flat element is pressed onto the concrete, in particular to blow or brush off dust therefrom.

[0122] For this purpose, the cleaning device can be designed as a blower or as a brushing tool, for example as a rotating brush, or can have a blower or a brushing tool.

[0123] The cleaning device can in particular also be designed in two parts or have two or more cleaning modules in order to clean both the underside of the flat element and the top side of the concrete body.

[0124] According to the invention, a measuring device can further be provided to determine, in particular to measure, the position of the concrete body on the concrete body supply device. It has proven advantageous if the device according to the invention comprises a measuring device which, with the aid of sensors, preferably optical sensors, determines or measures the position of the concrete body onto which the flat element is pressed. It can also be provided that the measuring device is designed to determine, in particular to measure, the position of an entire production layer of concrete bodies. For this purpose, it can be sufficient if the measuring device determines or measures the position of two defined points of the production layer, for example two diagonally opposite corners, so that, supported by a computing device, the position of the individual concrete bodies in the production layer can be determined or calculated accordingly.This is possible because the position of the individual concrete bodies in a production layer relative to each other is usually known or determined by the production form.

[0125] According to the invention, a setting area, in particular a setting chamber, with a higher temperature can be provided, into which the composite body can be brought after the flat element has been bonded to the concrete body.

[0126] It has proven advantageous if the concrete body or the composite body is only moved into a setting area, in particular a setting chamber or a drying chamber, in which a higher temperature prevails, in particular a higher temperature than in the concrete body preparation facility, after the flat element has been applied or bonded to the concrete body, so that the preferably green-stable concrete body or the green concrete body and / or the adhesive can harden. Such setting chambers or drying chambers are generally known from the prior art. High-bay warehouses are particularly suitable as drying chambers.

[0127] It is advantageous if the flat element is a plate, in particular a ceramic plate, a rubber plate, a vinyl plate, a checkered plate, a stainless steel plate or a metal plate, in particular with a structured upper side, and / or the flat element is a tile, a natural stone or a laminate.

[0128] It has been shown that the device according to the invention can be used to bond any type of slab, in particular ceramic slabs or tiles, to a concrete body in a particularly advantageous manner. However, the device according to the invention is also particularly suitable for bonding a flat element, such as a rubber slab, a vinyl slab, a checkered sheet, a stainless steel slab, a metal slab, particularly one with a textured surface, a natural stone, or a laminate, to a concrete body.

[0129] It has proven particularly suitable when the adhesive is a mineral adhesive.

[0130] It has been shown that a flat element can be bonded particularly effectively to a concrete body, preferably a concrete body with green strength, using a mineral adhesive. It has been shown that if the flat element is bonded to the concrete body in a green strength state, i.e., while the concrete body is still "wet," less adhesive is required. In this case, an adhesive thickness of 1 mm may be sufficient.

[0131] It has also been shown that prior cleaning of the concrete body and / or the flat element from dust significantly improves bonding and, in particular, results in less adhesive being required.

[0132] It has also been shown that talc on the underside of the flat element, particularly when it is made of ceramic, is detrimental to the bonding process. It can therefore be advantageous to remove talc from the underside of the flat element before applying the adhesive, preferably by mechanical action, in particular tapping, beating or brushing. The use of a device for ageing concrete blocks, as known in particular from EP 1 893 391 B1, can be advantageous in this case. The impact bodies can act on the underside of the flat element. Instead of the paving stones to be aged, the flat elements to be freed of talc, in particular ceramic tiles, can be transported underneath the impact bodies. The device according to EP 1 893 391 B1 can be operated as described for ageing the paving stones.

[0133] It has also proven advantageous if the two surfaces to be bonded together have a rough surface. The upper side of the concrete body has already proven to be suitable for this purpose. To achieve a roughness on the underside of the flat element as well, it may be advantageous if the underside of the flat element has been treated or roughened using a method or device according to EP 1 893 391 B1 before applying the adhesive.

[0134] It is advantageous if the concrete body has lateral spacer elements formed on the side walls of the concrete body and extending at least over part of the height of the side walls from the underside of the concrete body toward the top of the concrete body. The spacer elements preferably extend in a direction orthogonal to the underside or top of the concrete body.

[0135] It may be sufficient if the spacers are designed in the form of a bead and have a width or thickness of 1 mm to 5 mm, preferably 1 mm to 2 mm.

[0136] According to the invention, it can be provided that, for applying the adhesive to the underside of the planar element, the base and the adhesive application device are designed to transport the planar element beneath the adhesive application device and, in doing so, to apply the adhesive to the upwardly oriented underside of the planar element. The adhesive application device preferably has an adjustable stripping element to strip the adhesive applied to the underside of the planar element from the underside of the planar element as needed, particularly in the region of the two edges of the planar element running transversely to the feed direction. The stripping element can be designed as a bulkhead.

[0137] It has been shown that by a relative movement of the base and the adhesive application device to each other in such a way that the flat element lying on the base is transported underneath the adhesive application device, the adhesive can be applied particularly advantageously to the upwardly oriented underside of the flat element.

[0138] The adhesive application device can have a dispensing opening which preferably extends orthogonally to the direction of movement in which the flat element is transported beneath the adhesive application device. The dispensing opening preferably extends over the entire width (= extension transverse to the feed direction) of the flat element to be transported beneath the adhesive application device. It can also be provided that the extension of the dispensing opening transverse to the feed direction is 10 mm to 50 mm less than the width of the flat element and that the flat element is passed beneath the dispensing opening in such a way that the two edge regions of the underside of the flat element which extend in the longitudinal direction (= extension longitudinal to the feed direction) are not provided with adhesive. The edge regions have a depth of preferably 5 mm to 25 mm, starting from the adjacent edges.

[0139] It has proven advantageous for the support to transport the flat element underneath the adhesive application device. Alternatively or additionally, the adhesive application device can also be designed such that it can be moved in or against the feed direction of the flat elements.

[0140] It is advantageous if the base is designed as a transport belt or conveyor belt in order to transport the flat elements underneath the adhesive application device.

[0141] It has been shown that it is advantageous if a circumferential edge region of the underside of the flat element does not have any adhesive or is not provided with any adhesive. Along the edges of the flat element which extend in the direction of travel or push-through of the flat element below the adhesive application device, this can preferably be achieved by appropriately limiting the dispensing opening. In order to prevent adhesive from being applied adjacent to the edges (i.e. the front edge and the rear edge) of the flat element which extend transversely to the direction of travel or push-through of the flat element, a preferably adjustable stripping element can be used. The stripping element is adjusted as required in such a way that the adhesive applied to the underside of the flat element in the edge region which extends transversely to the direction of travel or push-through of the flat element.The edges of the flat element extending in the feed direction are stripped off again after application. This makes it possible to transport the tiles, preferably seamlessly adjacent to one another, beneath the adhesive application device while still ensuring that an edge area on the underside of the flat element is free of adhesive. The edge area on the underside, which preferably remains free of adhesive, can preferably have a depth of 5 mm to 20 mm, preferably 8 mm to 15 mm, starting from the adjacent edge.

[0142] The adjustable stripping element, which can preferably assume a first position in which the notched trowel structure is exposed, and a second position in which the notched trowel structure is closed, allows the adhesive to be stripped off the edges of the flat element particularly easily. The stripping element can be designed like a bulkhead and, in the second position, close the passage openings in the notched trowel structure. The bulkhead can be moved up or down to assume the first (upper) position or the second (lower) position. The travel path of the bulkhead can preferably be 3 mm to 30 mm, in particular 3 mm to 20 mm, between the first and second positions.

[0143] In addition or as an alternative to the adhesive being scraped off after application by a suitable positioning (second position) of the scraping element, it can also be provided to close the dispensing opening so that no adhesive or less adhesive is applied to the surrounding edge area.

[0144] According to the invention, a storage station can further be provided in which the planar element is or will be made available as part of a package of similar planar elements which are stacked on top of one another and arranged together in a package, wherein an unpacking station is provided and the package is moved from the storage station to the unpacking station, preferably by means of a multi-axis robot, in particular a 6-axis robot, and is or will be placed on a support of the unpacking station, wherein the unpacking station is set up to remove the packaging and wherein a further transport device, preferably a multi-axis robot, in particular a 6-axis robot, is provided to pick up the respective uppermost planar element of the package and place it on the base, preferably a conveyor belt, in such a way that the underside of the planar element is oriented upwards.

[0145] It has proven particularly advantageous if the device according to the invention has a storage station in which the flat element is made available as part of a package of similar flat elements that are arranged together in a package. In addition, but also independently of the storage station, an unpacking station can be provided in which the flat element is placed as part of a package of similar flat elements that are arranged together in a package. The package can preferably be removed from the storage station, but can also be made available elsewhere. The package can preferably be placed on the unpacking station by means of a multi-axis robot, in particular a 6-axis robot. For this purpose, the unpacking station can preferably have a support or a platform.The package with the flat elements is preferably placed on the unpacking station, in particular a support or a platform of the unpacking station, in such a way that the undersides of the flat elements of the package are oriented upwards.

[0146] The unpacking station can be set up to remove the packaging. For this purpose, the unpacking station can have a cutting device. The cutting device can have one or more cutting elements, in particular knives. The knives can preferably each be designed such that the cutting edge of the knives opens at an angle of 30 degrees to 90 degrees, preferably 40 degrees to 50 degrees. The cutting elements are preferably provided to cut into the packaging of the package in such a way that the packaging can be removed. The cutting device of the unpacking station is preferably designed to cut into the packaging along the underside of the package up to one, several or preferably all of the vertical corners / edges. For this purpose, a corresponding number of cutting elements, preferably four cutting elements, can be provided. The vertical corners / edges of the packaging run orthogonally to the underside orTop side of the flat elements.

[0147] It is advantageous if a further transport device is provided as part of the device according to the invention in order to pick up the topmost flat element of the package, after the packaging has been cut or removed accordingly, and to place it on the base in such a way that the underside of the flat element is oriented upwards. In this orientation, the flat element can then be fed to the adhesive application device, or the adhesive application device can be brought close to the flat element. The base is preferably designed as a conveyor belt, so that it is preferably provided that the conveyor belt transports the lying flat element to the adhesive application device.

[0148] The further transport device, which picks up the topmost flat element of a package and transports it to the base, can preferably be a multi-axis robot, in particular a 6-axis robot.

[0149] The further transport device can be configured to turn the topmost flat element resting on the unpacking station so that the flat element can be placed on the base with the underside facing upward. Preferably, however, the flat elements of the package are already oriented at the unpacking station so that the underside of the flat element is facing upward, so that turning the flat element by means of the further transport device is not necessary. This has proven advantageous. However, turning may be necessary if the flat elements are arranged in different orientations in the package.

[0150] Preferably, the conveyor belt onto which the multi-axis robot places the flat element so that it can subsequently be conveyed to the adhesive application device is designed as a belt conveyor belt, preferably with two belt units arranged at a distance from one another, between which the distance is selected such that the head of the multi-axis robot which places the flat element can move downwards.

[0151] The following describes a particularly advantageous lifting and turning device, in particular for use in the method according to the invention and / or in the device according to the invention. However, the lifting and turning device can also be used advantageously independently of the method according to the invention or the device according to the invention. The lifting and turning device is designed such that it is suitable for receiving a flat element, in particular a tile, which is oriented with the underside upwards and preferably resting on a base, lifting it by a lifting movement and turning it such that the underside of the flat element is oriented upwards. The turning process can preferably be carried out simultaneously with the lifting movement.

[0152] The lifting and turning device can preferably have a gripping device with a plurality of gripping units or gripping hands for receiving the flat element. The gripping device can preferably have a horizontally extending horizontal support on which the gripping units or gripping hands are formed, preferably such that the gripping device has two gripping units or gripping hands, preferably movable towards or away from each other, which can engage two opposite edges or side edges of the flat element in order to receive the flat element. The gripping units or gripping hands are preferably movable relative to each other along a longitudinal axis of the horizontal support. The gripping units can be designed as clamping jaws.

[0153] The lifting and turning device can preferably further comprise a lifting unit for lifting the flat element. The lifting and turning device can preferably comprise a vertically extending vertical support or a vertically extending tower. Preferably, the horizontal support which carries the gripping unit or the gripping hands can be moved longitudinally along the vertical support or the vertical tower in the vertical direction by means of the lifting unit, i.e. the horizontal support can be moved at least along a section between the upper and lower ends of the vertical support or the vertical tower. Furthermore, the lifting and turning device can preferably comprise a rotating unit for rotating the gripping device or the horizontal support by 180°, so that the underside of the flat element, which was originally oriented upwards, is oriented downwards.The rotating unit can preferably be designed such that it is arranged at an end region of the horizontal support and connected to it in such a way that the rotating unit rotates the horizontal support by 180°. The rotating unit can also be designed such that it can rotate the horizontal support by 360°. The rotating unit can preferably be designed as a rotating ring or as a rolling bearing, in particular as a slewing bearing, on which the horizontal support is arranged. The rotating ring can preferably have a toothing on its outer side and / or on its inner side, into which a drive element, preferably a drive pinion, engages in order to set the rotating ring in rotation and thereby rotate the gripping device or the horizontal support. The rotating unit is preferably connected to the lifting unit so that the rotating unit can be moved or raised and lowered in a vertical direction along the vertical support.The lifting device can be equipped with threaded rods and / or lifting cylinders to raise and lower the rotating unit.

[0154] The gripping device can have a clamping device to clamp the gripping units or gripping hands to each other.

[0155] The lifting-turning device is preferably designed such that the planar element is oriented at a lower travel position of the lifting-turning device such that the underside is oriented upwards and in an upper travel position such that the underside of the planar element is oriented downwards due to the rotating unit.

[0156] The lifting and turning device, together with a feeding device, which is preferably designed as a multi-axis robot, in particular as a 6-axis robot, can form a picking and placing device. The feeding device and the lifting and turning device are spatially positioned relative to one another in such a way that the feeding device can pick up the flat element, whose underside is oriented downwards, from the lifting and turning device, transfer it to a concrete body, and press the underside of the flat element onto the top side of the concrete body. A concrete body supply device can also be part of the picking and placing device. The feeding device preferably picks up the flat element from above from the lifting and turning device and then places the flat element onto the concrete body from above.

[0157] The invention also relates to an unpacking station which can be used in particular with the method or the device according to the invention, but also independently thereof. The unpacking station is designed such that it is suitable for receiving a package of similar, stacked flat elements, in particular tiles, which are arranged together in a package. The unpacking station can have a support or a platform on which the package can be placed. The unpacking station can have a cutting device suitable for cutting open the package. The cutting device can preferably be designed as already disclosed in the context of the device according to the invention. The unpacking station cuts open the packaging in particular such that the uppermost flat element of the package is exposed.

[0158] The unpacking station can have a cutting device which preferably has one, in particular several, preferably four arms or linear units which preferably run below the support or the platform, preferably in a star shape in a horizontal plane plane-parallel to the underside of the package or the flat elements and which are suitable for each receiving a cutting element which can be moved along the underside to a corner or edge of the packaging or a corner or edge of the package in such a way that the cutting element cuts into the packaging on the underside up to the corner or edge. It has been shown that it is sufficient if the cutting elements only cut into the packaging on the underside, preferably in such a way that the packaging is cut towards all corners on the underside by means of a corresponding number of cutting elements.

[0159] The unpacking station may preferably comprise a vertical column, at the upper end of which the support or platform is formed.

[0160] The multi-axis robots, if present, are preferably part of the device or process.

[0161] It should be noted that the unpacking station, the lifting and turning device, and the adhesive application device each represent independent inventions that can also be used independently of the method or device according to the invention. The lifting and turning device, the unpacking station, and the adhesive application device can be defined accordingly by the respective claims 23, 24, and 25, preferably in conjunction with the further features mentioned in the application for the respective device or station, which can be used individually or in any combination to define or refine the inventions.

[0162] An advantageous protection claim for the lifting and turning device is that the lifting and turning device is suitable for automatically picking up a flat element, in particular a tile, lying on a base with the underside facing upwards, from the base, lifting it by a lifting movement and turning it in such a way that the underside of the flat element is oriented downwards.

[0163] An advantageous protection claim for the unpacking station is that the unpacking station is suitable for receiving a package of similar, stacked flat elements, in particular tiles, which are arranged together in a package, wherein the flat element is part of the package, and wherein the unpacking station is set up to automatically cut open and remove the packaging so that the uppermost flat element of the package is exposed.

[0164] An advantageous protection claim for the adhesive application device is that the adhesive application device has an adhesive receiving space and a dispensing opening and is designed such that the planar element can be transported through in an automated manner below the adhesive application device in order to apply the adhesive from the dispensing opening during the transport of the planar element, preferably with a toothed spatula structure, to the upwardly oriented underside of the planar element, wherein the adhesive application device preferably has an adjustable stripping element in order to strip the adhesive applied to the underside of the planar element from the underside of the planar element as required, in particular in the region of the two edges of the planar element running transversely to the feed direction.The present invention also relates to a composite body comprising a concrete body and a planar element, wherein the composite body is produced by a method according to one of claims 1 to 13 and / or a device according to one of claims 14 to 22.

[0165] Features described in connection with one of the subject matters of the invention, namely the method according to the invention, the device according to the invention, the lifting-turning device, the unpacking station, or the adhesive application device, can also be advantageously implemented for the other subject matters of the invention. Likewise, advantages mentioned in connection with one of the subject matters of the invention can also be understood to apply to the other subject matters of the invention.

[0166] It should also be noted that terms such as "comprising," "having," or "with" do not exclude other features or steps. Furthermore, terms such as "a" or "the," which refer to a singular number of steps or features, do not exclude a plurality of features or steps—and vice versa.

[0167] It should be noted that terms such as “first” or “second” etc. are used primarily for reasons of distinguishing between respective device or process features and are not necessarily intended to indicate that features are mutually dependent or related to one another.

[0168] The invention is described in more detail below with reference to the drawing and an embodiment.

[0169] The figures each show preferred embodiments in which individual features of the present invention are illustrated in combination with one another. Features of one embodiment can also be implemented independently of the other features of the same embodiment.

[0170] In the figures, functionally identical elements are provided with the same reference numerals.

[0171] It shows:

[0172] Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of a device according to the invention or a method according to the invention for producing a composite body;

[0173] Figure 2 is a schematic representation of Figure 1 from a second perspective;

[0174] Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of a part of the device according to the invention or of the method according to the invention with a storage station and an unpacking station;

[0175] Figure 4 is a perspective view of an unpacking station and a third multi-axis robot; Figure 5 is a further perspective view of the unpacking station according to Figure 4;

[0176] Figure 6 is a further perspective view of the unpacking station according to Figure 4;

[0177] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a part of the device according to the invention or of the method according to the invention for applying an adhesive to an underside of a planar element, with a diagram of a first multi-axis robot for placing the planar element on a base;

[0178] Figure 8 is a representation according to Figure 7, wherein instead of a first multi-axis robot for placing the flat elements, a lifting-turning device for lifting a flat element from the base is shown, wherein a lifting unit of the lifting-turning device is in a lower position;

[0179] Figure 9 is a view according to Figure 8, with the lifting unit in an upper position;

[0180] Figure 10 is a perspective view of the lifting and turning device according to Figure 8;

[0181] Figure 11 is a perspective view of the lifting and turning device according to Figure 9;

[0182] Figure 12 is a top view of the lifting and turning device according to Figure 8;

[0183] Figure 13 is a schematic diagram of a part of the device according to the invention or of the method according to the invention for pressing a flat element onto a concrete body, with a diagram of a lifting and turning unit;

[0184] Figure 14 is a perspective view of an adhesive application device;

[0185] Figure 15 is a further perspective view of an adhesive application device according to Figure 14;

[0186] Figure 16 is a detailed view of a front side of the adhesive application device with a stripping element in an upper, open first position;

[0187] Figure 17 is a detailed view of a front side of the adhesive application device with a stripping element in a lower, closed second position;

[0188] Figure 18 shows a schematic cross-section through a production mold with an exemplary representation of five casting molds, in each of which a concrete body is formed or is being formed, and with a representation of stamps that press down on the concrete body from above in order to compact it and, if necessary, to structure it or to provide it with a chamfer; and

[0189] Figure 19 is a schematic representation of a composite body comprising a concrete body and a planar element, wherein the underside of the planar element is bonded to a underside of the concrete body and a top side of the planar element forms a top side of the concrete body.

[0190] The following exemplary embodiment serves to disclose an advantageous method for producing a composite body and to disclose an advantageous device for producing a composite body. A composite body 1 produced according to the method or with the aid of the device is shown in principle in Figure 19.

[0191] The following exemplary embodiment also serves to disclose a lifting and turning device, an adhesive application device and an unpacking station, each of which is preferably intended for use in a method or device for producing a composite body, but which can also be used independently thereof. The lifting and turning device can be used to lift and turn a flat element, in particular a tile or a ceramic. The unpacking station can generally be used to pick up a package of similar flat elements, in particular tiles or ceramics, which are arranged together in a package, to cut open the packaging and to remove it so that the uppermost flat element of the package is exposed. The adhesive application device can generally be used to automatically apply adhesive to the underside of a flat element, in particular a tile or ceramic.

[0192] The composite body 1 comprises a concrete body 2 and a flat element 3.

[0193] The concrete body 2 has a bottom side 2a and a top side 2b.

[0194] The flat element 3 has a bottom side 3a and a top side 3b.

[0195] The underside 3a of the flat element 3 is or will be glued to the upper side 2b of the concrete body 2 to form the composite body.

[0196] As shown in Figure 19, the upper side 3b of the planar element 3 forms an upper side of the composite body 1.

[0197] In the exemplary embodiment, an adhesive 4 is applied to at least a partial area of ​​the underside 3a of the planar element 3. The adhesive 4 is shown (enlarged) in the schematic diagram in Figure 19. The application of the adhesive 4 to the planar element 3 can be seen, for example, in Figure 7.

[0198] In the exemplary embodiment, the adhesive 4 is provided as a mineral adhesive.

[0199] In a manner not shown in detail, the exemplary embodiment provides that the adhesive 4 is applied in sections, if necessary over the entire surface, to the underside 3a of the flat element 3, preferably leaving a peripheral edge free.

[0200] It can further be provided that the adhesive 4 is applied to the underside 3a of the planar element 3 with a notched trowel structure, wherein the adhesive 4 is preferably applied in such a way that the adhesive 4 has a thickness of 3 mm to 10 mm, preferably 4 mm to 8 mm, in particular 5 mm to 7 mm, in the areas in which it has a greater thickness on the underside 3a of the planar element 3.

[0201] Furthermore, the exemplary embodiment can provide for the upper side 2b of the concrete body 2 to be structured, in particular roughened, and / or provided with grooves and / or ribs and / or a notched trowel structure before the flat element 3 is pressed on. In the exemplary embodiment, a possible structuring of the upper side 2b of the concrete body 2 is not shown in more detail. Structuring of the upper side 2b of the concrete body 2 can be achieved particularly advantageously using a stamp 7, which is described in more detail below and shown as an example in Figure 18. The exemplary embodiment can further provide for the edge region of the upper side 2b of the concrete body 2, preferably circumferentially around the upper side 2b of the concrete body 2, to be provided with pockets and / or depressions and / or impressions and / or a chamfer 6, which are suitable for absorbing adhesive 4 displaced by the pressing on of the flat element 3.In the exemplary embodiment, Figure 19 shows an exemplary circumferential chamfer 6, which can serve as a reservoir for receiving a displaced adhesive 4.

[0202] In the exemplary embodiment, it can be provided that an underside of a stamp 7 is designed such that the stamp 7 provides the upper side 2b of the concrete body 2 with a chamfer 6 or introduces a chamfer 6 into the upper side 2b of the concrete body 2. Alternatively or additionally, the stamp 7 can also be designed such that it structures the upper side 2b of the concrete body 2, in particular roughens it and / or introduces pockets and / or depressions and / or impressions in the edge region of the upper side 2b of the concrete body 2.

[0203] The stamp 7 may preferably be a stamp 7 which is used for compacting the concrete body in a concrete body production device 8.

[0204] A stamp 7 of a concrete body manufacturing device 8 is shown as an example in Figure 18. The

[0205] Figure 18 shows that the stamp 7 compacts the concrete body 2 or a concrete material located in a production mold 5. The number of casting molds that the production mold 5 has can be arbitrary. The production mold 5 can also have only one casting mold. The production mold 5 is preferably rectangular, in particular square, and preferably has a plurality of casting molds in both the longitudinal and width directions, e.g., an arrangement of 2 x 2, 2 x 3, 2 x 4, 2 x 5, 3 x 3, 3 x 4, 3 x 5, 4 x 4, 4 x 5, 5 x 5 casting molds.

[0206] The basic structure of a concrete body production facility 8 is well known. Figure 18 shows only a section of the concrete body production facility 8, showing the production mold 5 with the individual casting molds and the stamps 7. The concrete body production facility 8 is also shown in Figure 13 in dashed lines and as an example.

[0207] During the production of the concrete body 2 or a concrete block, fresh concrete made from cement, aggregate, and water is typically poured into the individual casting molds of the production mold. The casting molds or the production mold 5 are generally made of metal or plastic. The poured fresh concrete solidifies in the casting molds and is compacted using one of the stamps 7. Subsequently, the rigid but not yet hardened concrete body 2 is removed from the production mold 5 or the casting mold and fed to the concrete body supply device 16, which is described in more detail below (see Figures 1, 2, and 13).

[0208] In the exemplary embodiment, it is provided that the position of the concrete body 2 is determined, preferably measured, before the flat element 3 is pressed on. For this purpose, the exemplary embodiment preferably provides that the position of an entire production layer 200 of concrete bodies 2 is measured, preferably by measuring two diagonally opposite corner points of the production layer 200.

[0209] Figures 1, 2, and 13 illustrate several production layers 200 of concrete bodies 2 by way of example. Each production layer 200 is represented by way of example by four concrete bodies 2, which are positioned in a 2 x 2 arrangement.

[0210] For measurement purposes, Figure 13 shows an exemplary measuring device 9 for determining, in particular measuring, the position of the concrete body 2 or a production layer 200. The measuring device 9 is preferably an optical measuring device. The dashed lines in Figure 13 indicate that the measuring device 9 measures two diagonally opposite corners of the production layer 200.

[0211] In the exemplary embodiment, it is preferably provided that the underside 3a of the planar element 3 is cleaned of dust before the adhesive 4 is applied. Figure 7 shows an example of a cleaning device 10, which can be designed such that it cleans the underside 3a of the planar element 3 before the adhesive 4 is applied. In the exemplary embodiment, the cleaning device 10 is preferably designed as a blower. Alternatively, the cleaning device 10 can also be designed as a brushing tool. Alternatively or additionally, the cleaning device 10 can also be provided to clean the upper side 2b of the concrete body 2 before the planar element 3 is pressed on, in particular to blow or brush off dust there. For this purpose, the cleaning device 10 can, if necessary, have two or more, preferably independently operable, cleaning modules.

[0212] In the exemplary embodiment, it is provided that the concrete body 2, after the bonding of the flat element 3, i.e., the resulting composite body 1, is fed to a setting area, preferably a setting chamber 11. A higher temperature prevails in the setting chamber 11, so that the concrete body 2 can harden or set. The setting chamber 11 also assists the hardening of the adhesive 4. A setting chamber 11 is shown in dashed lines and is shown as an example in Figure 13.

[0213] In the exemplary embodiment, it is preferably provided that the dimensions of the underside 3a of the planar element 3 substantially correspond to the dimensions of the upper side 2b of the concrete body 2.

[0214] The planar element 3 can preferably have a size of at least 10 cm x 10 cm and preferably of at most 120 cm x 120 cm, whereby the planar element 3 does not have to be square in plan view, but can also have rectangular shapes or other polygonal shapes; round or oval shapes are also possible if necessary. The shape of the concrete body 2 and the composite body created by the bonding is designed accordingly. The extension of the underside 3a of the planar element 3 in a longitudinal direction and a width direction is preferably 1 mm to 40 mm, preferably 2 mm to 30 mm, in particular 3 mm to 20 mm, particularly preferably 4 mm to 10 mm less than an extension of the top side 2b of the concrete body 2 in the respective direction.

[0215] In the exemplary embodiment, Figures 1, 2, and 13 illustrate a particularly preferred method step for bonding the planar element 3 to the concrete body 2. It is provided that the planar element 3 is bonded to the concrete body 2 after the concrete body 2 has left the production mold 5 in which the concrete body 2 is compacted.

[0216] Alternatively, in a manner not shown in more detail, it can also be provided that the planar element 3 is glued onto the concrete body 2 while the concrete body 2 is still in the production mold 5, which is shown by way of example in Figure 15. The gluing of the planar element 3 onto a concrete body 2 that is still in the production mold 5 preferably takes place when the concrete body 2 is in a state in which it is green-stable. In principle, however, it would also be possible, for special embodiments, for the planar element 3 to be pressed, in particular by vibrating, onto a concrete material that is in the production mold 5, before a green-stable concrete body 2 has been created from the concrete material. The planar element 3 shown in the exemplary embodiment is preferably a plate, in particular a ceramic plate or a tile.However, the flat element 3 can also be another plate, for example a rubber plate, a vinyl plate, a checkered plate, a stainless steel plate, or a metal plate, especially with a textured surface. Alternatively, the flat element 3 can also be formed from natural stone or laminate.

[0217] As can be seen from Figures 1, 2, 7 to 9 and 14 to 17, an adhesive application device 12 is provided in the exemplary embodiment, which is designed to apply an adhesive 4 to at least a partial area of ​​the underside 3a of the planar element 3.

[0218] Figures 1, 2 and 7 show by way of example that the planar element 3 is placed on a base, preferably a conveyor belt 14, preferably with the aid of a further transport device 13, in particular a first multi-axis robot 13, preferably a 6-axis robot. The planar element 3 is placed in such a way that the underside 3a of the planar element 3 is oriented upwards. With the aid of the optional cleaning device 10, the underside 3a of the planar element 3 can be blown off. In the embodiment according to Figures 1, 2 and 7, the conveyor belt 14 is set up in such a way that it transports the placed planar elements 3 beneath the adhesive application device 12. During the transport, the adhesive 4 is applied by the adhesive application device 12, preferably with a notched trowel structure, preferably as described above and below.

[0219] To apply the adhesive 4 to the underside 3a of the planar element 3, the support or conveyor belt 14 and the adhesive application device 12 are preferably designed such that the planar element 3 is transported underneath the adhesive application device 12, preferably in an automated manner, and the adhesive 4 is applied to the upwardly oriented underside 3a of the planar element 3. The planar elements 3 are preferably transported underneath the adhesive application device 12, adjacent to one another without gaps.

[0220] It should be mentioned that the application of the adhesive 4 can also be carried out using a differently designed adhesive application device 12, for example by spraying or spreading, in particular in any orientation of the flat element 3.

[0221] In the exemplary embodiment, instead of a conveyor belt 14, another transport device or base can also be provided. The conveyor belt 14 is preferably designed such that the first multi-axis robot 13 can place the flat element 3 on it and move it downwards. The conveyor belt 14 is preferably designed as a belt conveyor, in particular with two belt units arranged at a distance from one another, the distance between which is selected such that a head of the multi-axis robot 13, which places the flat element 3, can move downwards. In the exemplary embodiment, it is provided that the flat element 3 is arranged on the base or conveyor belt 14 such that the underside 3a of the flat element 3 is oriented upwards for the application of the adhesive 4.The adhesive 4 is then automatically applied to at least a partial area of ​​the underside 3a of the planar element 3 and the planar element 3 is then automatically lifted from the base or the conveyor belt 14 and turned in such a way that the underside 3a of the planar element 3 is oriented downwards.

[0222] In the following, a particularly advantageous embodiment of the adhesive application device 12 is described, in particular with reference to Figures 7 to 9 and Figures 14 to 17, which also represents an independent invention for applying adhesive 4 to the underside 3a of a flat element 3, in particular a tile.

[0223] The adhesive application device 12 is particularly advantageously suitable for the device according to the invention and the method according to the invention.

[0224] The adhesive application device 12 has an adhesive receiving space 120 provided for receiving the adhesive 4. Furthermore, the adhesive application device 12 has a dispensing opening 121 or a dispensing slot at the bottom of the adhesive receiving space 120. The dispensing opening 121 preferably has an extension in the width direction that corresponds to the width of the flat element 3 to be conveyed through, but is particularly preferably 10 mm to 50 mm less, so that no adhesive is applied in the edge region of the underside of the flat element 3 or in the edge region of the two lateral edges (in the longitudinal direction of the feed direction), and an edge region of 5 mm to 25 mm remains adhesive-free there.

[0225] The adhesive application device 12 preferably has a toothed spatula structure 122 at the front in the direction of passage of the flat elements 3. The toothed spatula structure 122 is preferably formed in a sheet metal, which is preferably adjustable in height.

[0226] The inventors have recognized that it is advantageous if the underside 3a of the flat element 3 is not completely provided with the adhesive 4, but rather a circumferential edge region remains free. The edge region of the flat element 3, which runs laterally in the feed direction of the flat element 3 on the conveyor belt 14, can preferably remain free in that the dispensing opening 121 has a smaller extension in the width direction, i.e. transversely to the feed direction, than the flat element 3. In order to ensure that an edge region on the underside 3a, which borders on the front edge or the rear edge, remains free in the feed direction of the flat element 3, it has proven advantageous to provide a closing element and / or a stripping element 123, which strips off the adhesive 4 applied with the aid of the dispensing opening 121 from the underside 3a of the flat element 3.In the exemplary embodiment, this is preferably achieved in that a stripping element designed as a scraper plate 123 can be moved downwards, parallel to the sheet in which the notched trowel structure 122 is introduced, in the direction of the underside 3a of the flat element 3 or in the direction of the conveyor device 14. The scraper plate 123 is preferably moved so far that the notched trowel structure 122 or the through openings of the notched trowel structure 122 are completely closed. For this purpose, a closing mechanism 124 can be provided, which is shown in a preferred embodiment in Figures 16 and 17 and which has a linear unit, preferably a linear cylinder, which acts on the scraper plate 123 via preferably two lever devices and displaces it parallel to the sheet in which the notched trowel structure 122 is introduced.

[0227] Preferably, the stripping element 123 is adjusted downwards so far that the adhesive 4 is completely or almost completely stripped from the underside 3a of the planar element 3. Figure 16 shows an upper, open first position of the stripping element 123, and Figure 17 shows a lower, closed second position of the stripping element 123.

[0228] For the automated lifting of the flat element 3 from the base or the conveyor belt 14, a lifting and turning device 50 is preferably provided in the exemplary embodiment, for which reference is made to Figures 1, 2 and 8 to 13.

[0229] The lifting and turning device 50 is particularly advantageously suitable for use with the method according to the invention or the device according to the invention for producing a composite body 1, but can also be used independently thereof to automatically lift a flat element, preferably from a base or a conveyor belt, and to turn it in such a way that the originally upwardly oriented side of the flat element, in particular an underside of the flat element, is oriented downwards after lifting and turning.

[0230] Advantageous embodiments and features of the lifting and turning device 50 are described in more detail below, particularly with reference to Figures 8 to 13.

[0231] After lifting and turning the flat element 3, preferably using the lifting-turning device 50, the flat element 3 is brought to the concrete body 2 and pressed from above onto the top side 2b of the concrete body 2 in an orientation in which the underside of the flat element 3 is oriented downwards. In this regard, particular reference is made to the illustration in Figures 1, 2, and 13.

[0232] In the exemplary embodiment, it is provided that the pressing of the flat element 3 onto the concrete body 2 is preferably carried out in a green state of the concrete body 2, in which the concrete body 2 is dimensionally stable but not yet set.

[0233] In the exemplary embodiment shown in Figures 1, 2, and 13, a feed device 15 picks up the flat element 3 provided with the adhesive 4 after the adhesive 4 has been applied to the underside 3a of the flat element 3. In the exemplary embodiment, this occurs after the lifting and turning device 50 has lifted and rotated the flat element 3. Alternatively, however, picking up can also take place directly after the adhesive application device 12 or directly from the conveyor belt 14 or another transport device.

[0234] In the exemplary embodiment, the feed device 15 is designed as a second multi-axis robot. It should be noted that the use of the term "second multi-axis robot" does not imply that a first multi-axis robot must be provided. In the exemplary embodiment, the second multi-axis robot is preferably designed as a 6-axis robot.

[0235] The feed device 15 brings the flat element 3 to the concrete body 2 and presses the underside 3a of the flat element 3 onto the top side 2b of the concrete body 2. The concrete body 2 is located, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 13, on a concrete body supply device 16. In the exemplary embodiment, the concrete body supply device 16 is designed as a transport device, for example as a conveyor belt or conveyor table. The concrete bodies 2 are transported on the concrete body supply device 16 from a concrete body production device 8 in the direction of the setting chamber 11 (see direction of the arrow in Figure 13). The concrete body production device 8 and the setting chamber 11 are shown only as examples and by dashed lines and can, in particular, be positioned spatially significantly apart from one another.

[0236] The concrete body supply device 16 contains concrete bodies 2, which are preferably in a green state, i.e., dimensionally stable but not yet hardened. The feed device 15 is positioned relative to the concrete body supply device 16 such that the flat element 3 can be picked up by the lifting and turning device 50 in one operation, or optionally immediately after the application of the adhesive 4, and pressed onto the green state-stable concrete body 2 by means of the feed device 15.

[0237] In the exemplary embodiment, an activation device 17 is provided, which moves the flat element 3 during pressing onto the concrete body 2 relative to the upper side 2b, preferably plane-parallel and / or orthogonal to the upper side 2b of the concrete body 2, preferably vibrating and / or oscillating, in order to activate the adhesive 4. In the exemplary embodiment, the activation device 17 is preferably designed as part of the feed device 15, for example, as the head of the multi-axis robot. The movement of the flat element 3 during pressing onto the concrete body 2 can also be generated directly by the mobility inherent in a multi-axis robot.

[0238] The activation device 17 can preferably be designed as a vibration and / or oscillation unit.

[0239] The pressing of the planar element 3 onto the concrete body 2 is shown in principle in Figures 1, 2 and 13. When the planar element 3 is pressed onto it, the concrete body 2 is preferably in a green state, ie the pressing of the planar element 3 onto the concrete body 2 preferably takes place in a green state of the concrete body 2, in which the concrete body 2 is dimensionally stable but not yet set.

[0240] Figures 1 and 2 show advantageous aspects of the method and device according to the invention from two different perspectives.

[0241] Also shown is a storage station 18 in which the planar elements 3 are or are made available as part of a package 300 of similar planar elements 3, which are arranged together in a packaging 301.

[0242] Part of the storage station 18 can also be a pallet station 19, in which the pallets with which the packages 300 were transported are taken. Also shown by way of example is a collection station, e.g., a transport trolley 20, which can be part of the storage station 18 and which can be provided, in particular, to receive the packaging 301 after the package 300 has been unpacked.

[0243] As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 and in detail in Figures 4 to 6, the device according to the invention and the method according to the invention can also comprise one, preferably several, in particular two unpacking stations 70.

[0244] From the storage station 18 (or from another station), a package 300 can be placed onto the unpacking station 70, preferably by means of a multi-axis robot, which in the exemplary embodiment is referred to as the third multi-axis robot 21. However, the placement of a package 300 can also be carried out in another way, preferably automatically, but optionally also manually.

[0245] The storage station 18 preferably has a conveyor device 22 suitable for receiving a plurality of pallets, each of which contains a plurality of packages 300 of planar elements 3. In the exemplary embodiment, it is shown by way of example that two stacks of packages 300 are located on each pallet.

[0246] The conveyor device 22 preferably has a support area on which a pallet with the stacks of packages 300 is placed, for example with the aid of a forklift truck. The conveyor device 22 preferably has a work area in which a pallet with one or more stacks of packages 300 is located. It is provided that the third multi-axis robot 21 removes one package 300 from each of the stacks of packages 300 located in the work area on the conveyor device 22 and places it on one of the unpacking stations 70. The conveyor device 200 preferably also has a removal area in which a third pallet, from which the stacks of packages 300 have already been removed, is located. From this area, the pallet can then be moved manually, but preferably automatically, to the pallet station 19.The pallet is preferably inserted into the pallet station 19 in such a way that it is fed from below into the stack of pallets already located there.

[0247] The preferred configuration of the storage station 18 is shown in Figures 1 to 3. Also shown is the transport carriage 20, which serves to hold the packaging 301 of the packages 300. The third multi-axis robot 21 can fill the transport carriage 20.

[0248] As can be seen from Figures 1 and 2, the device according to the invention or the method according to the invention in the exemplary embodiment preferably has two unpacking stations 70. Furthermore, exactly one third multi-axis robot 21 is preferably provided to place a package 300 onto each of the unpacking stations 70. Furthermore, exactly one first multi-axis robot 13 is preferably provided to remove the uppermost flat element 3 from each unpacking station 70 when the packaging 301 has been removed from the package 300.

[0249] It is particularly advantageous if the third multi-axis robot 21 places a package 300 on an unpacking station 70 and, after the unpacking station 70 has cut into the packaging, removes the packaging 301 and places it in the transport carriage 20, while the first multi-axis robot 13 removes the topmost flat element 3 of the package 300 from the other unpacking station 70, which contains a package 300 with the packaging 301 already removed, and places it on the conveyor belt 14 or the base. This allows cycle times to be optimized.

[0250] The multi-axis robots 13, 15, 21 can have suitable gripping devices, preferably each with two gripping elements or clamping jaws that can be clamped against each other to pick up the package 300 or the flat element 3. Alternatively or additionally, the gripping devices can also be designed as a suction device, in particular with a vacuum device, with the aid of which the flat elements 3 are sucked in and lifted.

[0251] For picking up the flat element 3 from the unpacking station 70, it has proven particularly advantageous if the first multi-axis robot 13 has a suction device with the aid of which the flat element 3 can be sucked up.

[0252] The unpacking station 70 is designed to remove the packaging 301 from the package 300. For this purpose, the unpacking station 70 is designed such that the packaging 301 can be cut open and removed in the unpacking station 70, so that the uppermost flat element 3 of the package 300 can be removed. The uppermost flat element 3 of the package 300 is removed from the unpacking station 70 and placed on the base or conveyor belt 14 such that the underside 3a of the flat element 3 is oriented upwards.

[0253] In the exemplary embodiment, the first multi-axis robot 13 is used to remove the respective uppermost planar element 3 of the package 300. Instead of a multi-axis robot 13, any other further transport device can also be provided in order to pick up the respective uppermost planar element 3 of the package 300.

[0254] Placing the flat element 3 of the package 300 on the base or conveyor belt 14 such that the underside 3a of the flat element 3 is oriented upwards can be achieved by the further transport device or the multi-axis robot rotating or turning the flat element 3 accordingly after it has been picked up by the unpacking station 70. However, it is preferable for the package 300 with the flat element 3 to be placed on the unpacking station 70 such that the underside 3a of the flat element 3 is oriented upwards, so that the further transport device or the multi-axis robot 13 can place the flat element in this orientation on the base or conveyor belt 14.

[0255] The package 300, which the multi-axis robot 21 places on the unpacking station 70, typically has two to ten, in particular two to four, planar elements 3. The number of planar elements 3 in a package 300 is not limited. In most cases, the planar elements 3 of a package 300 are not arranged in a uniform orientation in the tile pack, but rather such that the top side 3b of some of the planar elements 3 and the bottom side 3a of another part of the planar elements 3 are oriented upwards. The first multi-axis robot 13 is therefore preferably designed such that it can turn the planar element 3 by 180° if necessary, so that the planar element 3 can be placed on the conveyor belt 14 or the base in such a way that the bottom side 3a of the planar element 3 is oriented upwards.

[0256] A particularly advantageous construction of the unpacking station 70 is shown in Figures 4 to 6.

[0257] The unpacking station 70 has a cutting device 71 suitable for cutting into the packaging 301. The cutting device 71 is designed to cut into the packaging 301 at the bottom of the package 300. In the exemplary embodiment, the cutting device 71 preferably has two, in particular four cutting tools 72, preferably knives, which cut into the packaging 300 at the bottom of the package 300, respectively in the region of the corners or the vertically extending edges. Figure 6 shows a particularly suitable shape of the knives 72, to which reference is hereby explicitly made. The knives 72 can each have a cutting edge that preferably opens at an angle of 30 degrees to 90 degrees, preferably 40 degrees to 50 degrees.

[0258] In the exemplary embodiment, each of the knives 72 is attached to a linear unit 73, which is preferably operated pneumatically, electrically, or hydraulically, in particular as shown in detail in Figures 4 to 6. The knives 72 can each be moved radially outward using the linear units 73. The radial movement of the knives 72 is relative to the center point of a support 74 or to the center point of the flat element 3, which is placed on the support 74 of the unpacking station 70. The linear units 73 are preferably each arranged at an angle of 90° to the adjacent linear units 73, so that the knives 72 are moved radially outward at an angle of 90°. The movement of the knives 72 runs plane-parallel to the support 74 or the top side 3b or the bottom side 3a of the flat element 3.The knives 72 preferably move below the packaging 301 into an area between the bottom of the package 300 and the packaging 301 and cut open the packaging 301.

[0259] A particularly advantageous design of the third multi-axis robot 21 is shown in particular in Figures 3 and 4. It is shown that the multi-axis robot 21 has a plurality of receiving elements 23 which are suitable for receiving or holding the packaging 301. The receiving elements 23 can be designed as plungers or as suction cups. Preferably, six suction cups can be provided, which are suitable for lifting the packaging 301 by suction. It is also possible to design the receiving elements 23 such that they mechanically pick up the packaging 301. It is provided that the third multi-axis robot 21 lifts the packaging 301 from the package 300 with the aid of the receiving elements 23 after the knives 72 have cut into the packaging 301. The multi-axis robot 21 then moves the packaging 301, preferably to the transport carriage 20 or another container or collection point in whichin which the packaging 301 can be collected and then disposed of.

[0260] The third multi-axis robot 21 is preferably designed such that it has a gripping device 24. The gripping device 24 preferably has two grippers 25 that can be moved or clamped linearly relative to one another and between which a tile pack 300 can be picked up and secured. The grippers 25 are preferably designed such that they each grip the pack 300 on its top and bottom.

[0261] The unpacking station 70 preferably has a vacuum unit 75 which holds the package 300 in position after it has been placed on the support 74.

[0262] The unpacking station 70 preferably has a vertical column 76, which is preferably tubular and has a support 74 at its upper end. Below the support 74, the linear units 73 protrude in the radial direction relative to the horizontally extending longitudinal axis of the vertical column 76, each offset by 90°.

[0263] The vacuum unit 75 is preferably arranged or configured such that a suction opening or a suction plate is formed at the upper end of the vertical column 76, which is part of the support 74 or forms the support 74. The suction effect is preferably generated inside the tubular vertical column 76.

[0264] It should be mentioned again that the unpacking station 70 represents an independent invention for removing a package 301 from a package 300 comprising a plurality of flat elements 3, in particular tiles. This is particularly true in conjunction with the multi-axis robot 21. The lifting and turning device 50 preferably has a gripping device 51 for picking up the flat element 3. The gripping device 51 has a horizontally extending horizontal support 52. Two gripping units 53 are arranged on the horizontal support 52 and can be moved linearly towards and away from one another. A common drive is preferably provided for moving the two gripping units 53. The gripping device 51 is preferably designed such that the two gripping units 53 can be moved symmetrically, in particular strictly symmetrically, to one another.The gripping units 53 are designed and arranged such that they are suitable for gripping the flat element 3, clamping it between them, and centering it. The gripping device 51 preferably has, as shown in particular in Figure 12, a lever 54 that can be moved by means of a linear unit 55, in particular pneumatically, hydraulically, or electrically. The linear unit 55 can in particular be designed as a pneumatic cylinder. Two gripping arms 56 are attached to the lever 54 such that a movement of the lever 54 causes the gripping arms 56, each of which is connected to a gripping unit 53, to move the gripping units 53 towards or away from each other, in particular to clamp the flat element 3 between the gripping units 53. The gripping units 53 are preferably moved by a common drive.

[0265] The gripping device 51 or the horizontal support 52 is mounted in a rotating unit 57. The rotating unit 57 is preferably designed to allow a rotation of the horizontal support 52 by 180°. For this purpose, the rotating unit 57 has a rotatable ring, in particular a rolling bearing, preferably a slewing bearing 58, as shown in Figures 8 to 12. The horizontal support 52 is arranged within the slewing bearing 58.

[0266] It has proven advantageous if the large roller bearing 58 only allows a rotation of 180° and in particular not a complete rotation of 360° and also not a rotation of up to 270°, so that in particular pneumatic or hydraulic connections for operating the gripping device 51 can be supplied without any problems.

[0267] The lifting and turning device 50 further comprises a lifting unit 59, which enables the gripping device 51 or the rotating device 57 to be moved vertically, so that the gripping device 51 can lift a flat element 3 resting on the conveyor belt 14. Figures 9 to 11 show the gripping device 51 in a raised position, in which the feed device, in particular the second multi-axis robot 15, can then pick up the flat element 3. The lifting unit 59 preferably has one, two, or more than two linear axes or ball screws to lift the gripping device 51 or the rotating device 57.

[0268] In the exemplary embodiment, the rotating device 57 causes the flat element 3 to rotate by 180°, while the lifting device 59 performs a lifting movement or while the lifting device 59 lifts the flat element 3. This reduces the cycle time. In Figures 9 to 11, the flat element 3 is shown with the underside 3a facing downwards, i.e., the turning process is complete. The flat element 3 is raised to the upper position of the lifting unit 59 and is available for the second multi-axis robot 15. The flat element 3 can be picked up from above by the second multi-axis robot 15, preferably with the aid of suction cups.

[0269] It should be pointed out again that the lifting and turning device 50 represents an independent invention for receiving a planar element 3 and lifting it and turning it by 180°, so that an originally upwardly oriented side of the planar element 3, in the exemplary embodiment the underside 3a of the planar element 3, is oriented downwards after the turning process.

[0270] To produce a composite body 1, it is preferably provided that a package 300 with flat elements 3 is delivered to the storage station 18. From the storage station 18, the third multi-axis robot 21 can then preferably pick up one of the packages 300 and place it on the unpacking station 70. This is illustrated in principle in Figures 1 to 3.

[0271] In the unpacking station 70, the packaging 301 of the package 300 is cut, preferably only along the underside of the package up to the vertical corners or the vertical edges, and removed.

[0272] The package 300 with the planar element 3 is preferably placed on the unpacking station 70 in such a way that a bottom side 3a of the planar element 3 is oriented upwards.

[0273] The unpacking station 70 is shown in detail in Figures 4 to 6.

[0274] Figure 4 shows an example of a package 300 resting on the unpacking station 70, in which an uppermost tile 3 is oriented with the underside 3a facing upwards.

[0275] Figures 1, 2, and 7 show a first multi-axis robot 13 (or generally a further transport device) which is suitable for picking up the uppermost planar element 3 of a package 300 resting on the unpacking station 70 and placing it on a base, preferably the conveyor belt 14. The planar element 3 is placed on the conveyor belt 14 in such a way that an underside 3a of the planar element 3 is oriented upwards.

[0276] The further transport device, in particular the multi-axis robot 13, is positioned such that it can pick up a flat element 3 from the unpacking station 70 and place it on the conveyor belt 14.

[0277] The multi-axis robot 13 picks up the topmost planar element 3 from the package 300 until all planar elements 3 of the package 300 have been placed on the conveyor belt 14.

[0278] As can be seen from Figures 7 and 8, the flat element 3 is conveyed beneath the adhesive application device 12 by means of the conveyor belt 14. The adhesive application device 12 applies the adhesive 4 to the underside 3a of the flat element 3. After the flat element 3 has been conveyed beneath the adhesive application device 12, the flat element 3 is preferably picked up by the lifting and turning device 50, lifted, and rotated by 180° so that the underside 3a of the flat element 3 is oriented downward.

[0279] The lifting and turning device 50 is shown in detail in Figures 8 to 12.

[0280] After the lifting and turning device 50 has lifted the flat element 3 and rotated it such that the underside 3a of the flat element 3 is oriented downwards, the feed device, which is preferably designed as a second multi-axis robot 15, picks up the flat element 3 and transports it to the concrete body supply device 16, in which preferably green-stable concrete bodies 2 are located. The upper sides 2b of the concrete bodies 2, which are located in the concrete body supply device 16, are oriented upwards. Figures 1, 2 and 13 show how the second multi-axis robot 15 presses the underside 3a of the flat element 3 onto the upper side 2b of one of the concrete bodies 2.

[0281] As shown by way of example in Figure 13, the concrete body supply device 16 is supplied with concrete bodies 2 which originate from a concrete body production device 8 or are transported from there.

[0282] After the flat element 3 has been glued onto the concrete body 2 and a composite body 1 has thus been created, the concrete body 2 or the composite body 1 thus created is preferably fed to a setting area, in particular a setting chamber 11, which is shown only as an example in Figure 13.

[0283] The multi-axis robots 13, 16, 21 are preferably 6-axis robots.

[0284] It should be noted that other handling devices may also be provided instead of multi-axis robots. Furthermore, it should be noted that two or more multi-axis robots may be used instead of one multi-axis robot, e.g., two first multi-axis robots may be provided.

[0285] It should also be noted that the exemplary embodiment is to be understood in such a way that individual process steps or stations can be configured differently or omitted. For example, the storage station 18 can be omitted, and the packages 300 can be placed directly on the unpacking station 70.

[0286] Furthermore, it should be noted that multiple unpacking stations 70, preferably two (as shown in the exemplary embodiment) or more than two unpacking stations 70, may also be provided. Furthermore, it should be noted that multiple adhesive application devices 12, preferably two or three adhesive application devices 12, may also be provided, as well as a corresponding number of lifting and turning devices 50 and conveyor belts 14.

Claims

Patent claims Method for producing a composite body (1) comprising a concrete body (2) and a planar element (3), after which a bottom side (3a) of the planar element (3) is glued to a top side (2b) of the concrete body (2) by means of an adhesive (4), and wherein a top side (3b) of the planar element (3) forms a top side of the composite body (1), characterized in that the planar element (2) is arranged on a base (14) in such a way that the bottom side (3a) of the planar element (3) is oriented upwards for the application of the adhesive, after which the adhesive (4) is automatically applied to at least a partial area of ​​the bottom side (3a) of the planar element (3), and the planar element (3) is then automatically lifted from the base (14) and turned in such a way that the bottom side (3a) of the planar element (3) is oriented downwards,after which the flat element (3) is brought to the concrete body (2) and, in this orientation, pressed from above onto the upper side (2b) of the concrete body (2). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressing of the flat element (3) onto the concrete body (2) is carried out in a green state of the concrete body (2), in which the concrete body (2) is dimensionally stable but not yet set. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the flat element (3) is moved plane-parallel and / or orthogonally relative to the upper side (2b) of the concrete body (2) during the pressing onto the concrete body (2). Method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the flat element (3) is moved in a vibrating and / or oscillating manner relative to the surface (2b) of the concrete body (2) during the pressing. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4,characterized in that the flat element (3) is transported underneath an adhesive application device (12) in such a way that the adhesive (4) is applied from above, preferably with a toothed spatula structure (122) to the underside (3a) of the flat element (3), wherein the adhesive application device (12) preferably has an adjustable stripping element (123) in order to strip the adhesive (4) applied to the underside (3a) of the flat element (3) from the underside (3a) of the flat element (3) as required, in particular in the region of the two edges of the flat element (3) running transversely to the feed direction. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the underside (3a) of the flat element (3) is cleaned of dust, in particular blown off and / or brushed off, before the adhesive (4) is applied. Method according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the position of the concrete body (2) is determined, preferably measured, before the flat element (3) is pressed on. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the position of an entire production layer (200) of concrete bodies (2) is measured, preferably by measuring two diagonally opposite corner points of the production layer (200).Method according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that after the adhesive (4) has been applied to the underside (3a) of the planar element (3) and the planar element (3) has been turned such that the underside (3a) of the planar element (3) is oriented downwards, the planar element (3) is picked up by a feeding device (15), in particular a second multi-axis robot, in particular a 6-axis robot, brought to the concrete body (2) and pressed onto the concrete body (2). Method according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the planar element (3) is glued onto the concrete body (2) while the concrete body (2) is still in a production mold in which the concrete body (2) is compacted, or the planar element (3) is glued onto the concrete body (2) after the concrete body (2) has left a production mold in which the concrete body (2) is compacted.Method according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that, after the bonding of the flat element (3), the concrete body (2) is fed to a setting area, preferably a setting chamber (11), at a higher temperature, in which the concrete body (2) sets. Method according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that. the planar element (3) is provided as part of a package (300) of similar planar elements (3) which are stacked one on top of the other and arranged together in a package (301), after which the package (300) is placed on an unpacking station (70), preferably by means of a third multi-axis robot (21), in particular a 6-axis robot, after which the package (301) is cut open and removed in the unpacking station (70) and the uppermost planar element (3) of the package (300) is removed, preferably by means of a further transport device, in particular a first multi-axis robot (13), in particular a 6-axis robot, and placed on the base (14), preferably a conveyor belt, in such a way that the underside (3a) of the planar element (3) is oriented upwards. Method according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the flat element (3) is designed as a plate, in particular as a ceramic plate, rubber plate,Vinyl plate, checkered sheet, stainless steel plate, or metal plate, in particular with a structured upper surface, and / or as a tile, as natural stone, or as a laminate. A device for producing a composite body (1) comprising a concrete body (2) and a planar element (3), wherein a bottom side (3a) of the planar element (3) is bonded to a top side (2b) of the concrete body (2) by means of an adhesive (4), and a top side (3b) of the planar element (3) forms an upper side of the composite body (1), characterized by a base (14) on which the planar element (3) is arranged such that the bottom side (3a) of the planar element (3) is oriented upwards, and by an adhesive application device (12) which subsequently applies an adhesive (4) to at least a partial area of ​​the upwardly oriented bottom side (3a) of the planar element (3).and with a lifting and turning device (50) for subsequently lifting the planar element (3) from the base (14) and turning it such that the underside (3a) of the planar element (3) is oriented downwards, and with a feeding device (15) for subsequently transferring the planar element (3) provided with the adhesive (4) to the concrete body (2) and pressing the underside (3a) of the planar element (3) onto the top side (2b) of the concrete body (2). Device according to claim 14, characterized in that a concrete body supply device (16) is provided, in which the concrete body (2) is preferably in a green state, in which the concrete body (2) is dimensionally stable but not yet hardened, and wherein the feeding device (15) is positioned relative to the lifting and turning device (50) and the concrete body supply device (16) in such a way thatthat the flat element (3) can be picked up by the feeding device (15) from the lifting and turning device (50) and can be pressed from above onto the preferably green-stable concrete body (2) provided by the concrete body providing device (16).

16. Device according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that an activation device (17) is provided which moves the flat element (3) relative to the surface (2b) of the concrete body (2) during the pressing onto the concrete body (2).

17. Device according to one of claims 14 to 16, characterized in that a cleaning device (10) is provided to clean the underside (3a) of the flat element (3) before applying the adhesive (4) and / or the upper side (2b) of the concrete body (2) before pressing on the flat element (3), in particular to blow off or brush off dust.

18. Device according to one of claims 14 to 17, characterized in that a measuring device (9) is provided in order to determine, in particular to measure, the position of the concrete body (2) on the concrete body supply device (16).

19. Device according to one of claims 14 to 18, characterized in that a setting area (11), in particular a setting chamber, with a higher temperature is provided, into which the composite body (1) can be brought after the flat element (3) has been glued onto the concrete body (2).

20. Device according to one of claims 14 to 19, characterized in that for applying the adhesive (4) to the underside (3a) of the flat element (3), the base (14) and the adhesive application device (12) are designed to transport the flat element (3) underneath the adhesive application device (12) and to apply the adhesive (4), preferably with a toothed spatula structure (122), to the upwardly oriented underside (3a) of the flat element (3), wherein the adhesive application device (12) preferably has an adjustable stripping element (123) in order to strip the adhesive (4) applied to the underside (3a) of the flat element (3) from the underside (3a) of the flat element (3) as required, in particular in the region of the two edges of the flat element (3 running transversely to the feed direction.

21. Device according to one of claims 14 to 20, characterized in that a storage station (18) is provided in which the planar element (3) is stored as part of a package (300) of similar planar elements (3) which are stacked together in a Packaging (301) are arranged, wherein an unpacking station (70) is provided and the package (300), preferably by means of a third multi-axis robot (21), in particular a 6-axis robot, can be brought from the storage station (18) to the unpacking station (70) and is placed on a support (74) of the unpacking station (70), wherein the unpacking station (70) is set up to remove the packaging (301), and wherein a further transport device (13), preferably a first multi-axis robot, in particular a 6-axis robot, is provided in order to pick up the respective uppermost planar element (3) of the package (300) and to place it on the base (14), preferably a conveyor belt, in such a way that the underside (3a) of the planar element (3) is oriented upwards.

22. Device according to one of claims 14 to 21, characterized in that the flat element (3) is a plate, in particular a ceramic plate, a rubber plate, a vinyl plate, a checkered plate, a stainless steel plate or a metal plate, in particular with a structured upper side, and / or the flat element (3) is a tile, a natural stone or a laminate.

23. Lifting and turning device (50), in particular for use in a method according to one of claims 1 to 13 and / or a device according to one of claims 14 to 22, wherein the lifting and turning device (50) is suitable for automatically picking up a flat element (3), in particular a tile, resting on a base (14) with the underside (3a) facing upwards, from the base (14), lifting it by a lifting movement and turning it in such a way that the underside (3a) of the flat element (3) is oriented downwards.

24. Unpacking station (70) in particular for use in a method according to one of claims 1 to 13 and / or a device according to one of claims 14 to 22, wherein the unpacking station (70) is suitable for receiving a package (300) of similar, stacked flat elements (3), in particular tiles, which are arranged together in a package (301), wherein the flat element (3) is part of the package (300), and wherein the unpacking station (70) is set up to cut open and remove the packaging (301) so that the uppermost flat element (3) of the package (300) is exposed.

25. Adhesive application device (12) in particular for use in a method according to one of claims 1 to 13 and / or a device according to one of claims 14 to 22, wherein the adhesive application device (12) has an adhesive receiving space (120) and a dispensing opening (121) and is designed such that the planar element (3) can be transported through underneath the adhesive application device (12) in order to apply the adhesive (4) from the dispensing opening (121) during the transport of the planar element (3), preferably with a toothed spatula structure (122), to the upwardly oriented underside (3a) of the planar element (3), wherein the adhesive application device (12) preferably has an adjustable stripping element (123) in order to to strip off the adhesive (4) applied to the underside (3a) of the planar element (3) from the underside (3a) of the planar element (3) as needed, in particular in the region of the two edges of the planar element (3) running transversely to the feed direction.

26. Composite body (1) comprising a concrete body (2) and a planar element (3), wherein the composite body (1) is produced by a method according to one of claims 1 to 13 and / or a device according to one of claims 14 to 22.

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