Method of installing an insert attached to a panel, or the like, which is preformed, a panel fitted with such an insert and device for the implementation of this method

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un procédé de mise en place d'un médaillon rapporté sur un panneau, ou analogue, préformé, un panneau muni d'un tel médaillon et un dispositif pour la mise en œuvre de ce procédé. Procédé caractérisé en ce qu'il consiste essentiellement à centrer le médaillon (1) formé par un ensemble tissu à pourcentage d'allongement important et mousse, le périmètre de cette dernière étant situé en retrait par rapport à celui du tissu, sur le panneau de support (2), à appuyer ce complexe dans le fond d'une gorge (6) concentrique intérieurement au pourtour du médaillon (1), dans la zone comportant la mousse, au moyen d'un poinçon (7), puis à presser et à souder les bords du tissu formant le médaillon (1) dans le fond d'une gorge périphérique extérieure (8) du panneau (2) au moyen d'un poinçon de soudage (9).

Description

The main patent relates to a method of setting up a medallion attached to a panel, or similar, pre-formed, which essentially consists of introducing the periphery of the medallion into a groove of small section, of a shape corresponding to that of the perimeter of said medallion, and fixing said periphery in the bottom of said groove by thermal welding, by induction, or otherwise, so as to obtain an invisible weld joint between the medallion and the panel. The main patent also relates to a pre-formed panel, or similar, equipped with a medallion connected, at its periphery, to the panel, by an invisible weld joint located at the bottom of a groove of small section with a shape corresponding to that of the periphery of the medallion. The purpose of this application for a certificate of addition is to describe alternative implementations of this process. According to the invention, the process essentially consists of centering the medallion formed by an assembly of fabric with a high percentage of elongation and foam, the perimeter of the latter being located inset relative to that of the fabric, on the support panel, pressing this complex into the bottom of a groove concentric internally to the perimeter of the medallion, in the area containing the foam, by means of a punch, then pressing and welding the edges of the fabric forming the medallion into the bottom of a peripheral groove external to the panel by means of a welding punch. The value of the foam shrinkage relative to the fabric varies depending on the surface area and volume of the medallion. According to one embodiment of the invention, the final operation of pressing and welding the edges of the fabric in the outer peripheral groove is carried out in two phases, respectively by means of a fabric pressing punch at the bottom of the groove, and then by means of a welding punch. The invention also relates to a preformed panel, or similar, equipped with a medallion, characterized in that the medallion is connected, by the periphery of the fabric constituting it and exceeding the periphery of the foam, to the panel provided with two concentric grooves, the outer groove of which corresponds to the periphery of the foam constituting the medallion, by an invisible welding joint disposed at the bottom of the groove of greater development. Finally, the invention relates to a device for implementing the process described above, characterized in that it essentially consists of a forming and welding punch comprising a centering element for the fabric and foam complex forming the medallion, mounted with displacement against the action of springs on vertical guide axes and on which the receiving die for the panel to be fitted with the medallion is fitted, by at least one pressing punch for the complex or the fabric with a high percentage of elongation in one of the concentric grooves of the panel, mounted concentrically in the centering element with the possibility of displacement, against the action of springs, towards a support plate which simultaneously serves to mount the guide axes of the centering element of the complex, and by a welding punch arranged concentrically between the pressing punch(s) and the centering element and mounted in a fixed manner on the support plate. The invention will be better understood from the following description, which relates to a preferred embodiment, given by way of non-limiting example, and explained with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which Figures la to ld are partial lateral elevation and cross-sectional views of the various phases of implementation of the process according to the invention; Figure 2 is a partial lateral elevation and cross-sectional view of a panel fitted with a medallion according to the invention, and Figure 3 is a larger-scale lateral elevation and cross-sectional view of the device for implementing the process. In accordance with the invention and as shown more particularly, by way of example, in figures 1a to 1c of the attached drawings, the method of setting up a medallion 1 attached to a panel 2, or similar, preformed, consists essentially of centering the medallion 1 made up of a fabric assembly with a high percentage of elongation and foam, the perimeter of the latter being located in recess relative to that of the fabric, on the support panel 2, of pressing this complex into the bottom of a groove 6 concentric internally to the perimeter of the medallion 1, in the area containing the foam, by means of a punch 7, then of pressing and welding the edges of the fabric forming the medallion 1 into the bottom of an external peripheral groove 8 of the panel 2 by means of a welding punch 9.Thus, it is possible to achieve perfect centering of the medallion 1 on the panel 2 by means of the punch 7, the welding punch 9 simultaneously performing the introduction and welding of the edges of the fabric to the bottom of the outer peripheral groove 8. According to another feature of the invention, the final operation of pressing and welding the fabric edges in the outer peripheral groove is carried out in two phases, first by means of a pressing punch 10 of the fabric at the bottom of said outer peripheral groove 8, and then by means of a welding punch 11 (Figure 1d). In this embodiment of the process, the welding punch 9 according to the first process (Figure 1c) is replaced by a second pressing punch 10, and the welding of the fabric edge in the outer groove 8 is carried out, with the punch 11, only after the fabric edge has been applied to the bottom of said groove 8. This embodiment further improves the centering of the medallion 1 on the panel 2 and improves the precision of the insertion of the fabric edges into the outer groove 8. The invention also relates to a device for implementing the process described above, which essentially consists of a forming and welding punch comprising a centering element 12 for the fabric and foam complex forming the medallion 1 mounted for displacement, against the action of springs 13, on vertical guide axes 14. The receiving die 15 for the panel 2 to be fitted with the medallion 1 is fitted onto this element 12. The device further comprises at least one punch 7 for pressing the complex or the fabric with a high percentage of elongation into one, 6, of the concentric grooves of the panel 2, mounted concentrically in the centering element 12 with the possibility of displacement, against the action of springs 16, towards a support plate 17 which simultaneously serves to mount the guide axes 14 of the centering element 12 of the complex. Finally, a welding punch 18 is arranged concentrically between the pressing punch 7 and the centering element 12 and is fixedly mounted on the support plate 17. In the constitution described above, the device allows the implementation of the process according to the first embodiment, namely, it allows the pressing of the fabric and foam complex by means of the punch 7 in the inner groove 6 and the welding by means of the punch 18 which corresponds, in this embodiment, to the punch 9 of figure lc. According to another feature of the invention, the device is advantageously provided with two concentric pressing punches, namely an inner punch 7 and an outer punch 10, supporting the guide shafts 19 and the elastic mounting springs 16 of the punch 7, and itself mounted concentrically in the welding punch 18, sliding against the action of springs 21 with guidance on shafts 22 In this conformation, the device allows the implementation of the variant of the process, in which the complex is first pressed by the punch 7 in the groove 6 and then the edge of the fabric is pressed in the groove 8 before welding in the latter, the welding punch 18 corresponding, in this case, to the welding punch 11 according to figure ld. As shown in Figure 3 of the attached drawings, panel 2 is placed on a peripheral support of element 12 allowing its pre-centering, said element 12 moving and fitting into the matrix 15 with the complex intended to form the medallion 1 and the various punches 7, 10 and 18. Of course, in a known manner, the different elements constituting the medallion 1 are pre-equipped, on their contact faces with each other and with the panel 2, with a polymerizable adhesive which is reactivated or not by high frequency after welding the edges of the fabric in the peripheral groove 8. Said adhesive, located on the face of the foam turned towards the panel, must not be placed in the area between the two peripheral pressing and welding grooves. The invention also relates to a preformed panel, or similar, equipped with a medallion 1 connected, by the periphery of the fabric constituting it and exceeding the periphery of the foam, to the panel 2 provided with two concentric grooves 6 and 8, the outer groove 8 of which corresponds to the periphery of the foam constituting the medallion 1, by an invisible welding joint disposed at the bottom of the groove of greater development 8 (figure 2). Thanks to the method and device according to the invention, it is possible to use a wide range of fabrics for making the medallion, since the complex forming said medallion can be centered with particular precision and held in position, especially during welding, in such a way that harmful foam interposition between the fabric and the bottom of the outer peripheral groove is avoided. Furthermore, the method and device according to the invention allow adaptation to all panel shapes, namely convex, flat, etc. The process according to the invention is simple and quick to implement, allows for significant material savings compared to the processes used to date, and allows for the production of parts with an impeccable appearance. Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and shown in the accompanying drawings. Modifications remain possible, particularly with regard to the composition of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without departing from the scope of protection of the invention.

Claims

DEMANDS 1. Method of setting up a medallion attached to a panel, or similar, preformed, according to any one of claims 1 and 2 of the main patent, characterized in that it essentially consists of centering the medallion (1) formed by an assembly of fabric with a high percentage of elongation and foam, the perimeter of the latter being located inset with respect to that of the fabric, on the support panel (2), pressing this complex into the bottom of a groove (6) concentric internally to the perimeter of the medallion (1), in the area containing the foam, by means of a punch (7), then pressing and welding the edges of the fabric forming the medallion (1) into the bottom of an external peripheral groove (8) of the panel (2) by means of a welding punch (9).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the final operation of pressing and welding the edges of the fabric in the outer peripheral groove (8) is carried out in two phases, respectively by means of a punch (10) for pressing the fabric at the bottom of the groove (8), then by means of a welding punch (11).

3. Device for implementing the method according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it essentially consists of a forming and welding punch comprising a centering element (12) for the fabric and foam complex forming the medallion (1) mounted for displacement, against the action of springs (13), on vertical guide axes (14) and on which the receiving die (15) for the panel (2) to be fitted with the medallion (1) is fitted, by at least one punch (7) for pressing the complex or the fabric with a high percentage of elongation in one (6) of the concentric grooves of the panel, mounted concentrically in the centering element (12) with the possibility of displacement, against the action of springs (16), towards a support plate (17) serving simultaneously for mounting the guide axes (14) of the centering element (12) of the complex,and by a welding punch (18) arranged concentrically between the (7) or pressing punches and the centering element (12) and fixedly mounted on the support plate (17).

4. Device, according to claim 3, characterized in that it is advantageously provided with two concentric pressing punches, namely an inner punch (7) and an outer punch (10), supporting the guide axes (19) and the elastic mounting springs (16) of the punch (7), and itself mounted concentrically in the welding punch (18), sliding against the action of springs (21) with guidance on axes (22).

5. Device, according to any one of claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the panel (2) is disposed on a peripheral support of the element (12) allowing its pre-centering, said element (12) moving and fitting into the die (15) with the complex intended to form the medallion (1) and the various punches (7, 10 and 18).

6. Panel, or similar, preformed, equipped with a medallion, obtained by implementing the process according to any one of claims 1 and 2 by means of the device according to any one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the medallion (1) is connected, by the periphery of the fabric constituting it and exceeding the periphery of the foam, to the panel (2) provided with two concentric grooves (6, 8), the outer groove (8) of which corresponds to the periphery of the foam constituting the medallion (1), by an invisible welding joint disposed at the bottom of the groove of greater development (8).