System with insulation elements

Abstract

A system (1) comprising: a plurality of identical insulation elements (16) for insulating a structural element (12, 14) in a motor vehicle, wherein each insulation element (16) has a carrier (11) and an expandable material (13) which is arranged on the carrier (11), wherein adjacent insulation elements (16) lie on one another via contact points and are arranged substantially parallel to one another and, as a result, form a stack (2) and define a stack direction (19); at least one binding element (8) which exerts a force (9) on an uppermost insulation element (16) of the stack (2) in a direction counter to the stack direction (19), and exerts a force (9) on a lowermost insulation element (16) of the stack (2) in a direction in the stack direction (19), with the result that the stack (2) is bound together by way of the at least one binding element (8).

Description

[0001] SYSTEM WITH INSULATION ELEMENTS

[0002] The invention relates to a system with insulation elements for insulating structural elements in a motor vehicle. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for attaching such insulation elements to structural elements.

[0003] Components such as the bodies and / or frames of means of transport and locomotion, particularly waterborne or land-based vehicles or aircraft, often have structures with cavities to enable lightweight construction. However, these cavities cause a variety of problems. Depending on the type of cavity, it must be sealed to prevent the ingress of moisture and contaminants, which can lead to corrosion of the components. It is often also desirable to significantly reinforce the cavities and thus the component, while maintaining a low weight. It is also often necessary to stabilize the cavities and thus the components in order to reduce noise that would otherwise be transmitted along or through the cavity.Many of these cavities are irregular in shape or narrow in size, making them difficult to properly seal, reinforce, and dampen.

[0004] Particularly in automotive engineering, but also in aircraft and boat building, sealing elements (baffles) are used to seal cavities and / or acoustically insulate them, or reinforcing elements (reinforcers) are used to reinforce cavities.

[0005] Fig. 1 schematically illustrates the body of an automobile. The body 10 comprises various structures with cavities, such as pillars 14 and supports or struts 12. Such structural elements 12, 14 with cavities are typically sealed or reinforced with insulating elements 16. Stacking such insulating elements 16 is already known from WO2021 / 069120. Figs. 2a and 2b show an example of such a known stackable insulating element 16. This insulating element 16 has a support 11 and an expandable material 13 arranged on this support 11. The insulating element 16 is not completely flat, but rather has various elevations and stepped shoulders, in particular a steep step 5.

[0006] The insulating element 16 has a top side 17 and a bottom side 18. In this exemplary embodiment, the insulating element 16 also has two fixing elements 3, each designed as a clip, as well as two spacer elements 4, each aligned on different sides. The insulating element 16 also has a support element 6, which in this exemplary embodiment is arranged on the top side 17 of the insulating element 16.

[0007] Fig. 2b shows a stack 2 with several insulation elements 16 according to Fig. 2a. The insulation elements 16 are stacked one on top of the other in a stacking direction 19. The stacked insulation elements 16 are arranged parallel to one another and rest on one another at the contact points on their top and bottom sides.

[0008] A disadvantage of these known stackable insulation elements, however, is that such stacks are often not sufficiently stable during transport or handling and individual insulation elements or several insulation elements together can fall off the stack, especially in the case of insulation elements which are not very nested due to their shape.

[0009] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved system with insulation elements for insulating structural elements in a motor vehicle, which avoids the disadvantages of the prior art. The system is intended, in particular, to improve the transportability and manipulation of the insulation elements.

[0010] This object is initially achieved by a system comprising: a plurality of identical insulation elements for insulating a structural element in a motor vehicle, wherein each insulation element has a carrier and an expandable material which is arranged on the carrier, wherein adjacent insulation elements rest on one another via contact points and are arranged substantially parallel to one another and thereby form a stack and define a stacking direction; at least one binding element which exerts a force on an uppermost insulation element of the stack in a direction opposite to the stacking direction, and exerts a force on a lowermost insulation element of the stack in a direction in the stacking direction, such that the stack is bound together by the at least one binding element.

[0011] The system proposed here offers the advantage of significantly improving the stability of the stack through the use of an additional binding element. This allows for more efficient packing and unpacking of such stabilized stacks into and out of a container for transport, for example. Furthermore, potential disintegration of a stack during transport can be effectively prevented.

[0012] A further advantage is that the systems proposed here can be handled as stand-alone units without additional aids such as containers or the like, both by robots in automated systems and by operators in non-automated systems. For example, the bound systems can be stored or transported directly on pallets or molded trays, thus requiring less packaging material.

[0013] Another advantage of using such binding elements is that the binding element itself can serve as an information carrier. This can reduce the risk of confusion. For example, it sometimes happens that similarly shaped insulation elements are installed in different locations on a car body. In particular, there are situations where a mirrored insulation element is used on the left and right sides of the car body. In these and similar situations, there is a risk that the wrong insulation element is installed in a specific location or that the left- and right-side insulation element is confused. The additional information option on the binding element can largely prevent such incorrect handling.

[0014] The claimed system offers a simple solution to a complex problem that has long been attempted to be solved. The system can support and advance the automated use of stacked insulation elements.

[0015] In the context of this invention, the term "insulating element" encompasses elements for partitioning and / or insulating and / or closing and / or reinforcing and / or insulating a structural element. These various properties of such an insulating element can occur individually or in combination with one another. In particular, the insulating element can also be used as a baffle (sealing and / or acoustically sealing cavities) or as a reinforcing element (reinforcing cavities).

[0016] In the context of this invention, the terms “top side” and “bottom side” refer to the two main surfaces and the two largest side surfaces of the insulating element, respectively. Since the insulating elements are designed to close off a cross-section in a structural element, this means that the top side and the bottom side are each located essentially in one plane of a cross-section to be insulated in an application state. The top side and the bottom side can also have a stepped character, i.e. the top side and the bottom side do not have to be completely flat. In the context of this invention, the term “parallel” in relation to the arrangement of insulating elements in a stack of several identical insulating elements means that the same surfaces and / or edges of the identical insulating elements are arranged essentially parallel to one another.

[0017] In an exemplary embodiment, the insulation elements each comprise: a carrier; and an expandable material arranged on the carrier; wherein the insulation element has a top side and a bottom side, which in a use state are aligned substantially in a plane of a cross-section of the structural element to be insulated.

[0018] In an exemplary embodiment, several systems with interconnected insulation elements are arranged in a container.

[0019] In a first embodiment, the multiple systems each comprise identical insulation elements. In an alternative second embodiment, the multiple systems each comprise different insulation elements.

[0020] In one embodiment, the container is designed as a box or as a crate or as a case.

[0021] In an exemplary embodiment, the insulating element has at least one, at least two, or at least three contact points on each of the top and bottom sides. These contact points are designed such that, when several identical insulating elements are stacked, adjacent insulating elements rest on one another via these contact points and are thus arranged parallel to one another. In an exemplary embodiment, the insulating element has exactly three contact points on each of the top and bottom sides, which rest on one another when adjacent insulating elements are stacked.

[0022] In an alternative development, the insulation element has exactly four or at least four such contact points on the top and bottom.

[0023] In a further alternative embodiment, the insulating element has exactly five or at least five such contact points on the top and bottom.

[0024] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one contact point on the upper side and a contact point associated therewith on the lower side are designed such that adjacent insulation elements are secured against horizontal displacement when stacked in the vertical direction.

[0025] In an exemplary further development, at least one contact point on the upper side and a contact point associated therewith on the underside are designed in such a way that, when stacked, a mechanical locking is created between the corresponding contact points.

[0026] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one contact point is located in a region of a fixing element.

[0027] In the context of this invention, the term “region of a fixation element” refers to the fixation element itself, a base of the fixation element, and the expandable material at the base of the fixation element, which is required to dam the opening in the structural element into which the fixation element is inserted.

[0028] In one exemplary embodiment, the fixing element is designed as a clip. In an alternative embodiment, the fixing element is designed as a tab, weld tab, clamp, hook, or rivet.

[0029] In an exemplary embodiment, the fixing element is made of plastic, in particular polyamide, or of metal.

[0030] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one contact point is designed as a spacer element, wherein the spacer element serves to support and / or position the insulation element on the structural element in a state of use of the insulation element in the structural element.

[0031] In an exemplary further development, the spacer element is designed to be stackable, wherein two spacer elements stacked one inside the other have a total height in the stacking direction of at most 170% or at most 160% or at most 150% or at most 140% or at most 130% of a height of an individual spacer element.

[0032] In an exemplary embodiment, steps of the carrier form an angle to the stacking direction of at least 35° or at least 40° or at least 45° or at least 50° or at least 55°.

[0033] The advantage of this type of step design is that insulation elements with shallower steps can be stacked more easily than with steeper steps. Steeper steps pose a particular problem: adjacent insulation elements cannot be stacked vertically without a horizontal offset.

[0034] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one contact point is designed as a support element that protrudes from a general surface of the top or bottom of the insulation element in the stacking direction. In an exemplary embodiment, all or individual contact points are formed by the carrier.

[0035] In an alternative embodiment, all or individual contact points are formed by the expandable material.

[0036] In a further embodiment, at least one contact point is formed by the carrier, and at least one contact point is formed by the expandable material.

[0037] Since the carrier can usually be manufactured with smaller tolerances than the expandable material, it can be advantageous to form the contact points through the carrier if possible.

[0038] In an exemplary embodiment, the binding element has a modulus of elasticity of at least 0.5, in particular of at least 1 GPa. Therefore, the binding element is not highly elastic, like rubber, for example, which has a modulus of elasticity of 0.01-0.1 GPa.

[0039] The elastic modulus is also called Young's modulus or tensile modulus. The elastic modulus, specifically the tensile modulus, can be determined according to ASTM Re-003-F using specimens measuring 25 x 25 x 9 mm³, ISO 527-1, or ISO 37 at a temperature of 23°C, a humidity of 50% RH, and a speed of 1 mm / min. The elastic modulus is a measure of the stiffness of an elastic material. It is used to describe the elastic properties of objects such as ribbons as a binding element when they are stretched or compressed. The elastic modulus is defined as the "ratio of stress (force per unit area) along an axis to strain (ratio of deformation over the initial length) along that axis." It can be used to predict the stretching or compression of an object (binding element) as long as the stress is less than the yield strength of the material.

[0040] In an exemplary embodiment, the binding element is weldable, in particular weldable to itself. This allows the length of the binding element to be individually adapted to the size of the stack. The binding element can be cut to length according to the circumference of the stack. After cutting to length, the binding elements can be placed on top of each other with an overlap. The overlap is heated, thereby welding the overlap. An automatic wrapping machine can also be used for welding, which cuts the binding element to length according to the stack size, places the overlap on top of each other, and heats the overlap.

[0041] In one embodiment, the bound stack can be removed from the container by the binding element. The binding element must have low elasticity so that the stack can be removed from the container essentially without rocking movements. The elastic modulus of the binding element can be at least 0.5 GPa or greater.

[0042] In an exemplary embodiment, the insulating element has at least one securing element which is designed such that, when insulating elements are stacked on top of one another, one insulating element is secured by the securing element of an adjacent insulating element against displacement transversely to the stacking direction and / or against rotation of the insulating element about the stacking direction.

[0043] In an exemplary embodiment, the securing element is designed such that, when the insulation elements are stacked on top of one another, the securing elements of two adjacent insulation elements overlap in the stacking direction. In an exemplary further development, the securing elements overlap in the stacking direction by at least 3 mm, by at least 5 mm, or by at least 7 mm.

[0044] In an exemplary embodiment, the securing element has at least one guide surface which is designed such that, during stacking, the guide surface guides an insulation element to be stacked, so that the newly stacked insulation element is arranged substantially congruently in the stacking direction on the insulation element.

[0045] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one spacer element is designed as a securing element.

[0046] In an exemplary embodiment, the spacer element is essentially Y-shaped. For example, individual surfaces of the legs of the Y-shaped spacer element can be designed as guide surfaces.

[0047] In an alternative embodiment, the spacer element is essentially U-shaped or V-shaped. Individual surfaces of the legs of the U-shaped or V-shaped spacer element can again be designed as guide surfaces.

[0048] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one step is designed as a securing element.

[0049] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one region of a fixing element is designed as a securing element.

[0050] In an exemplary development, a base of the fixing element is designed as a securing element. This base can, for example, be substantially U-shaped. Individual surfaces of the legs of the U-shaped base of the fixing element can also be designed as guide surfaces. In an exemplary embodiment, all or individual securing elements are formed by the carrier.

[0051] In an alternative embodiment, all or individual securing elements are formed by the expandable material.

[0052] In a further embodiment, at least one securing element is formed by the carrier, and at least one securing element is formed by the expandable material.

[0053] Since the carrier can usually be manufactured with smaller tolerances than the expandable material, it can be advantageous to form the securing elements through the carrier if possible.

[0054] The insulation element has a stacking height which corresponds to an additional height in the stacking direction of a stack of insulation elements by which the stack grows when another insulation element is stacked on top of the stack.

[0055] In an exemplary embodiment, a stacking height of the insulating element is at most 80%, preferably at most 70%, preferably at most 60%, preferably at most 50%, preferably at most 40%, preferably at most 30%, of a total height of an individual insulating element in the stacking direction.

[0056] This has the advantage that the insulation elements can be arranged in a stack in a more space-saving manner. Increased vertical nesting of adjacent insulation elements in a stack also improves the stability of the overall stack. In an exemplary embodiment, with stacked insulation elements, each additional insulation element increases the stack height by a maximum of 20 mm, particularly preferably by a maximum of 18 mm, particularly preferably by a maximum of 16 mm, particularly preferably by a maximum of 14 mm, particularly preferably by a maximum of 12 mm, and particularly preferably by a maximum of 10 mm.

[0057] Stacking insulation elements closely together has the advantage that the insulation elements can be packaged and transported more efficiently.

[0058] In an exemplary embodiment, a stack comprises at least ten or at least fifteen or at least twenty or at least twenty-five or at least thirty stacked insulation elements.

[0059] In a further exemplary embodiment, a stack comprises at most 150 or at most 120 or at most 100 or at most 80 or at most 60 stacked insulation elements.

[0060] In an exemplary embodiment, the binding element on the lowest and / or the highest insulation element rests against a surface area of ​​an outwardly oriented surface of the stack, which is oriented substantially orthogonally to the stacking direction.

[0061] This has the advantage that the binding element can be positioned at a predefined location and in a repeatable manner for each system, and that slipping or sliding of the binding element on inclined surfaces can be avoided.

[0062] In an exemplary embodiment, the binding element is attached to an outwardly oriented surface of the stack at a location that forms a depression relative to adjacent locations on this surface. This has the advantage that the binding element can be secured against slipping or sliding. In an exemplary embodiment, the binding element defines a sectional plane through the stack, which runs through contact points of the binding element and which also runs such that the stacking direction extends in this sectional plane, wherein contact points between adjacent insulation elements are distributed such that such contact points are present on both sides of this sectional plane.

[0063] This has the advantage of further improving the stability of the system. The provision of contact points on both sides of the cutting plane effectively prevents the stack of insulation elements from tilting due to the binding force of the binding element.

[0064] In an exemplary embodiment, the binding element applies force to the top and bottom insulation elements of the stack only at one point and / or along a line.

[0065] In an alternative embodiment, the system comprises at least two binding elements, wherein the uppermost and / or the lowermost insulation element of the stack are each subjected to force at at least two separate locations.

[0066] Depending on the shape of the insulation element and the stack height or number of insulation elements on a stack, a suitable variant can be selected with regard to the number and support of the binding elements.

[0067] In an exemplary embodiment, the at least one binding element is designed as a band.

[0068] This has the advantage that such tapes are cost-effective, that little waste is generated, that such tapes can be used universally and for a wide variety of insulation element shapes, and that information about the product and / or its use can easily be printed or affixed to such tapes.

[0069] In an alternative embodiment, the at least one binding element is designed as a clamp.

[0070] This has the advantage that such clips can be designed as reusable elements that are not destroyed when removed from the stack. This provides an environmentally friendly and resource-saving option.

[0071] In a further alternative embodiment, the at least one binding element is designed as a box. In an exemplary further development, surfaces on the inner walls or on the inside of the lid, and / or additional force-applying elements such as springs and / or projections, serve as force-transmitting elements to the bottom or top insulation element of a stack.

[0072] This has the advantage that a container can be used as a binding element, so that, for example, no additional container needs to be used to transport the stacked insulation elements.

[0073] In an exemplary embodiment, at least one piece of information relating to the bound insulation elements is provided on the binding element.

[0074] This has the advantage of ensuring correct logistics during the use of the insulation elements. Since the insulation elements cannot be removed individually due to the binding element, accidental mix-ups that can occur when individual insulation elements are removed can be avoided. For example, a barcode can be printed on the binding element so that a robot and / or an operator can correctly identify and reuse the insulation elements in a system.

[0075] In principle, various materials can be used as expandable materials that can be foamed. The material may or may not have reinforcing properties. Typically, the expandable material is expanded thermally, by moisture, or by electromagnetic radiation.

[0076] Such an expandable material typically contains a chemical or physical blowing agent. Chemical blowing agents are organic or inorganic compounds that decompose under the influence of temperature, humidity, or electromagnetic radiation, with at least one of the decomposition products being a gas. Physical blowing agents can be compounds that transform into a gaseous state upon increasing temperature. Therefore, both chemical and physical blowing agents are capable of creating foam structures in polymers.

[0077] The expandable material is preferably thermally foamed using chemical blowing agents. Suitable chemical blowing agents include azodicarbonamides, sulfohydrazides, bicarbonates, or carbonates.

[0078] Suitable blowing agents are also commercially available, for example, under the trade name Expancel® from Akzo Nobel, Netherlands, or under the trade name Celogen® from Chemtura Corp., USA.

[0079] The heat required for foaming can be introduced by external or internal heat sources, such as an exothermic chemical reaction. The foamable material is preferably foamable at a temperature of <250°C, in particular from 100°C to 250°C, preferably from 120°C to 240°C, preferably from 130°C to 230°C. Suitable expandable materials include, for example, single-component epoxy resin systems that do not flow at room temperature, which, in particular, exhibit increased impact strength and contain thixotropic agents such as Aerosils or nanoclays. For example, such epoxy resin systems comprise 20 to 50 wt.% of an epoxy liquid resin, 0 to 30 wt.% of an epoxy solid resin, 5 to 30 wt.% toughness modifiers, 1 to 5 wt.% physical or chemical blowing agents, 10 to 40 wt.% fillers, 1 to 10 wt.% thixotropic agents and 2 to 10 wt.% heat-activated hardeners.Suitable toughness modifiers are reactive liquid rubbers based on nitrile rubber or derivatives of polyether polyol polyurethanes, core-shell polymers and similar systems known to the person skilled in the art.

[0080] Other suitable expandable materials are blowing agent-containing, one-component polyurethane compositions composed of crystalline, OH-containing polyesters mixed with other polyols, preferably polyether polyols, and polyisocyanates with blocked isocyanate groups. The melting point of the crystalline polyester should be > 50 °C. The isocyanate groups of the polyisocyanate can be blocked, for example, with nucleophiles such as caprolactam, phenols, or benzoxalones. Blocked polyisocyanates, such as those used in powder coating technology and commercially available from Degussa GmbH, Germany, under the trade names Vestagon® BF 1350 and Vestagon® BF 1540, are also suitable. Also suitable as isocyanates are so-called encapsulated or surface-deactivated polyisocyanates, which are known to those skilled in the art and are described, for example, in EP 0204 970.

[0081] Further suitable expandable materials are two-component epoxy / polyurethane compositions containing blowing agents, as described, for example, in WO 2005 / 080524 A1. Further suitable expandable materials are ethylene-vinyl acetate compositions containing blowing agents.

[0082] Likewise suitable expandable materials are sold, for example, under the trade names SikaBaffle® 240, SikaBaffle® 250, or SikaBaffle® 255 by Sika Corp., USA, and are described in patents US 5,266,133 and US 5,373,027. Such expandable materials are particularly preferred for the present invention.

[0083] Preferred expandable materials with reinforcing properties include those sold under the trade name SikaReinforcer® 941 by Sika Corp., USA. These materials are described in US Pat. No. 6,387,470.

[0084] In an exemplary embodiment, the expandable material has an expansion rate of 800% to 5000%, preferably 1000% to 4000%, particularly preferably 1500% to 3000%. Expandable materials with such expansion rates offer the advantage of reliably sealing or insulating the structural element against liquids and sound.

[0085] In an exemplary embodiment, the expandable material is formed as a temperature-induced material.

[0086] This has the advantage that the oven can be used to bake the dip coating fluid, expand the expandable material, and thus seal the cavity. Thus, no additional work step is necessary.

[0087] The carrier can be made of any desired material. Preferred materials are plastics, especially polyurethanes, polyamides, polyesters, and polyolefins, preferably high-temperature-resistant polymers such as poly(phenylene ethers), polysulfones, or polyethersulfones, which are also foamed; metals, especially aluminum and steel; or natural organic materials, especially wood or other (pressed) fiber materials or glass-like or ceramic materials; especially foamed materials of this type; or any desired combination of these materials. Particular preference is given to using polyamide, especially polyamide 6, polyamide 6,6, polyamide 11, polyamide 12, or a mixture thereof.

[0088] Furthermore, the carrier can be solid, hollow, or foamed, for example, or have a lattice-like structure. The surface of the carrier can typically be smooth, rough, or textured.

[0089] For insulation elements in which the expandable material is mounted on a carrier, the manufacturing process differs depending on whether the carrier is made of a material that can be processed by injection molding or not. If this is the case, a two-component injection molding process is typically used. A first component, in this case the carrier, is injected first. After this first component has solidified, the cavity in the mold is enlarged or adjusted, or the manufactured injection-molded part is placed in a new mold, and a second component, in this case the expandable material, is injected onto the first component using a second injection unit.

[0090] If the carrier is made of a material that cannot be manufactured using the injection molding process, such as metal, the carrier is placed in a suitable mold and the expandable material is molded onto the carrier. Of course, it is also possible to attach the expandable material to the carrier using special fastening devices or processes.

[0091] Furthermore, supports can also be produced by other methods, for example by extrusion. The aforementioned object is also achieved by a method for attaching insulation elements to structural elements of motor vehicles, the method comprising the steps of: providing a system with stacked and bound insulation elements; transferring the system to a removal location; removing the binding element(s); removing an individual insulation element from the stack; and attaching the insulation element to the structural element of the motor vehicle.

[0092] In an exemplary embodiment, the method is performed with a system described above.

[0093] The removal of the binding element or elements can take place before or after transfer or removal.

[0094] In an exemplary embodiment, the providing and / or transferring and / or removing and / or withdrawing and / or attaching is carried out by an application robot.

[0095] This has the advantage that individual steps of this process, or the entire process, can be automated, making the entire process more cost- and time-efficient.

[0096] In an exemplary embodiment, the application robot manipulates several systems with different insulation elements.

[0097] In an exemplary embodiment, the insulation elements are arranged during transfer in at least one frame, which can accommodate several insulation elements and which can hold the insulation elements in a predefined removal position. In an exemplary further development, the frame has at least one guide element, which is at least partially shaped to the outline of an insulation element.

[0098] In an exemplary further development, the at least one guide element or the plurality of guide elements are designed such that the insulation elements can be accommodated therein in only one spatial position.

[0099] In one exemplary embodiment, a separate frame is provided for each different type of insulation element intended for the process. In particular, each frame has guide elements designed such that only the intended type of insulation element can be arranged therein.

[0100] Providing separate, type-specific racks has the advantage of preventing incorrect handling. It also saves space, as such racks take up less space than, for example, open containers.

[0101] In an exemplary embodiment, the robot comprises a multi-jointed robot arm and a gripper arranged thereon.

[0102] In an exemplary embodiment, the structural element is present as a single sheet, or as a plurality of interconnected sheets, in particular pillars or supports or struts, or as a component of a body, or as a body.

[0103] In an exemplary embodiment, the structural element has at least one opening, and the insulating element has at least one fixing element, wherein these two elements are configured such that the fixing element can be snapped into the opening. In an exemplary embodiment, a fixing element of the insulating element is snapped into an opening of the structural element during installation.

[0104] In an exemplary embodiment, a system described above is designed such that a method described above can be carried out therewith.

[0105] Details and advantages of the invention are described below using exemplary embodiments and with reference to schematic drawings. They show:

[0106] Fig. 1 is an exemplary representation of a body;

[0107] Fig. 2a and 2b show a schematic representation of an exemplary insulation element or a stack with several such insulation elements;

[0108] Fig. 3a to 3i show a schematic representation of an exemplary system of interconnected insulation elements;

[0109] Fig. 4a to 4f show a schematic representation of an exemplary stack of insulation elements with exemplary points of action of forces of a binding element;

[0110] Fig. 5a to 5c show a schematic representation of an exemplary method for attaching insulating elements to structural elements in motor vehicles; and Fig. 6a and 6b show a schematic representation of an exemplary method for attaching insulating elements to structural elements in motor vehicles.

[0111] In Figs. 3 a to 3i, various exemplary systems 1 of interconnected insulation elements 16 are shown.

[0112] Fig. 3a shows a first exemplary embodiment of a binding element 8. Here, the binding element 8 is designed as a clamp that clamps the stack of insulation elements 16 by exerting a force on the top and bottom insulation elements 16 of the stack.

[0113] Fig. 3b shows a second exemplary embodiment of a binding element 8. Here, the binding element 8 is designed as a threaded rod with a nut, which clamps the stack of insulation elements 16 by exerting a force on the top and bottom insulation elements 16 of the stack through the screwed-on nuts.

[0114] Fig. 3c shows a third exemplary embodiment of a binding element 8. Here, the binding element 8 is designed as a band that clamps the stack of insulation elements 16 by exerting a force on the top and bottom insulation elements 16 of the stack. In this embodiment, the band additionally secures the insulation elements 16 against lateral slippage.

[0115] Figs. 3d to 3f show various variants of a fourth exemplary embodiment of a binding element 8. Here, the binding element 8 is designed as a box that clamps the stack of insulation elements 16 by exerting a force on the top and bottom insulation elements 16 of the stack. Inner surfaces of the box can exert a force directly on the insulation elements, or additional elements such as springs or projections can be provided that specifically exert a force on the top and bottom insulation elements 16 of the stack.

[0116] Fig. 3g shows another exemplary embodiment of a binding element 8. Here, the binding element 8 is designed as a clamp that clamps the stack of insulation elements 16 by exerting a force on the top and bottom insulation elements 16 of the stack. In this embodiment, the clamp has specifically shaped contact points, each of which engages in complementarily shaped points on the bottom and top insulation elements 16, respectively. This prevents the clamp from accidentally slipping or sliding.

[0117] Fig. 3h shows another exemplary embodiment of a binding element 8. Here, the binding element 8 is designed as a band that clamps the stack of insulation elements 16 by exerting a force on the topmost and bottommost insulation elements 16 of the stack. In this embodiment, the band rests on the topmost insulation element 16 in a recess relative to adjacent areas of the surface. This prevents the band from accidentally slipping or falling off.

[0118] Fig. 3i shows another exemplary embodiment of a binding element 8. Here, the binding element 8 is again designed as a band. In this embodiment, the band rests in a recess in the lateral areas of the insulating elements 16. This guides the band in a lateral area of ​​the stack and secures it against accidental slipping or sliding.

[0119] Figs. 4a to 4f schematically and exemplarily show stacks 2 of insulation elements 16 with exemplary points of action of forces 9 of a binding element. In Figs. 4a to 4c, a force 9 of the binding element (not shown in these figures) acts only at one point on the bottommost and topmost insulation elements 16, respectively.

[0120] In Figs. 4d to 4f, more than one force 9 acts on at least one of the insulating elements 16 at more than one point on the insulating element 16. This can be achieved, for example, by multiple binding elements or by a binding element with multiple support points.

[0121] In all embodiments according to Figures 4a to 4f, the binding element (not shown) defines a sectional plane through the stack 2, which runs through attachment points of the binding element and which also runs in such a way that the stacking direction extends in this sectional plane, wherein contact points between adjacent insulation elements 16 are distributed in such a way that such contact points are present on both sides of this sectional plane.

[0122] In Figs. 5a to 5c, a first method for attaching insulating elements 16 to structural elements 12, 14 in motor vehicles is shown schematically and by way of example.

[0123] Fig. 5a shows the provision of systems 1 with stacked and bound insulation elements 16. In this example, the systems 1 are arranged in a container 7.

[0124] Fig. 5b illustrates the transfer of the systems 1 to a removal location and the removal of the binding elements. In this example, the systems 1 are transferred by an application robot 30, and the same application robot 30 also removes the binding elements. At the removal location, there are several racks 31 that hold the stacks 2 of insulation elements 16.

[0125] Finally, Fig. 5c shows the removal of individual insulation elements 16 from stack 2 and the attachment of the insulation elements 16 to the structural element 12, 14 or the body 10 of the motor vehicle. Again, both the removal and attachment are performed by an application robot 30.

[0126] Fig. 6a schematically illustrates, by way of example, a second method for attaching insulation elements 16 to structural elements 12, 14 in motor vehicles. Again, the systems 1 are provided in a container 7 and transferred by an application robot 30. At the removal location, individual insulation elements 16 are removed from the stack 2 by a second application robot 30 and attached to a structural element 12, 14. In contrast to, for example, Figures 5a to 5c, no racks are used in this example.

[0127] Fig. 6b schematically illustrates, by way of example, a third method for attaching insulation elements 16 to structural elements 12, 14 in motor vehicles. Here, racks 31 are again used at the removal location, and unlike the previous examples, the systems 1 are transferred to the removal location by an operator 20, and the removal of the binding elements is also performed by the operator 20.

[0128] List of reference symbols

[0129] 1 system

[0130] 2 stacks

[0131] 3 Fixing element

[0132] 4 spacer element

[0133] 5th level

[0134] 6 support element

[0135] 7 containers

[0136] 8 binding element

[0137] 9 Power

[0138] 10 Body

[0139] 11 carriers

[0140] 12 Structural element

[0141] 13 expandable material

[0142] 14 Structural element

[0143] 15 Stacking height of an insulation element

[0144] 16 Insulating element

[0145] 17 Top

[0146] 18 Bottom

[0147] 19 Stacking direction

[0148] 20 operators

[0149] 30 application robots

[0150] 31 frame

Claims

Patent claims 1. A system (1) comprising: a plurality of identical insulation elements (16) for insulating a structural element (12, 14) in a motor vehicle, each insulation element (16) having a carrier (11) and an expandable material (13) arranged on the carrier (11), adjacent insulation elements (16) resting on one another via contact points and being arranged substantially parallel to one another, thereby forming a stack (2) and defining a stacking direction (19); at least one binding element (8) exerting a force (9) on an uppermost insulation element (16) of the stack (2) in a direction opposite to the stacking direction (19), and exerting a force (9) on a lowermost insulation element (16) of the stack (2) in a direction in the stacking direction (19), such that the stack (2) is bound together by the at least one binding element (8).

2. System (1) according to claim 1, wherein the binding element (8) has a modulus of elasticity of at least 0.5 GPa.

3. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each insulating element (16) has at least one securing element which is designed such that, when insulating elements (16) are stacked on top of one another, one insulating element (16) is secured by the securing element of an adjacent insulating element (16) against displacement transversely to the stacking direction (19) and / or against rotation of the insulating element (16) about the stacking direction (19), in particular wherein at least one spacer element (4) and / or at least one step (5) and / or at least one region of a fixing element (3) is designed as a securing element.

4. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one contact point is located in a region of a fixing element (3), and / or wherein the region of the fixing element (3) is designed as a securing element.

5. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the binding element (8) on the lowermost and / or uppermost insulating element (16) rests on a surface area of an outwardly oriented surface of the stack (2) which is oriented substantially orthogonal to the stacking direction.

6. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the binding element (8) rests against an outwardly oriented surface of the stack (2) at a location which forms a depression relative to adjacent locations on this surface.

7. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the binding element (8) defines a sectional plane through the stack (2), which runs through contact points of the binding element (8) and which also runs such that the stacking direction (19) extends in this sectional plane, wherein contact points between adjacent insulation elements (16) are distributed such that such contact points are present on both sides of this sectional plane.

8. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the binding element (8) applies force (9) to the uppermost and the lowermost insulation element (16) of the stack (2) only at one point and / or along a line.

9. System (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the system (1) comprises at least two binding elements (8), wherein the uppermost and / or the lowermost insulation element (16) of the stack (2) are each subjected to force (9) at at least two separate locations.

10. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one binding element (8) is designed as a band or as a clip or as a box.

11. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one piece of information relating to the bound insulation elements (16) is provided on the binding element (8).

12. System (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein each additional insulation element (16) increases the stack in the stacking direction (19) by a maximum of 20 mm, and / or wherein a stacking height of an individual insulation element (16) is a maximum of 50% of a total height of an individual insulation element (16) in the stacking direction (19).

13. A method for attaching insulating elements (16) to structural elements (12, 14) in motor vehicles, the method comprising the steps: Providing a system (1) with stacked and bonded insulation elements (16) according to one of claims 1 to 12; Transferring the system (1) to a collection point; Removing the binding element (8) or the binding elements (8); Removing a single insulation element (16) from the stack (2); and attaching the insulation element (16) to the structural element (12, 14) of the motor vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the providing and / or transferring and / or removing and / or withdrawing and / or attaching is carried out by an application robot (30).

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the application robot (30) manipulates several systems (1) with different insulation elements (16).

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