GUIDING DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLE WHITE BOX MOVING SYSTEM

Abstract

Title: GUIDING DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE BODY MOVING SYSTEM This device comprises said device (1) having two straight and substantially parallel longitudinal members (3) and cross members (4) connecting said longitudinal members (3) so as to form a straight passage (2) between said longitudinal members (3) and between said cross members (4). Figure for the abbreviation: [Fig 4]

Description

Title of the invention: GUIDING DEVICE FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE WHITE BOX MOVING SYSTEM technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the systems for moving a body-in-white of a motor vehicle, that is to say a motor vehicle structure at a stage of vehicle manufacturing in which all the sheets constituting the structure of the vehicle have been assembled by chain welding after their stamping.

[0002] The invention relates in particular to the movement of the crate in white when it is on a sled, that is to say a metal platform on which the crate in white is positioned to be moved.

[0003] The present invention aims to provide a guidance device for a sled movement system which facilitates and secures the movement of the sled by a lifting device. Previous techniques

[0004] To transport the crates in white in an assembly workshop, forklift drivers must slide the forks of the forklift into ring-shaped slots provided for the forks on the sleds, and this without visibility of these rings, in particular when the crates in white are fitted with their privacy covers which mask these rings.

[0005] It is therefore necessary for a second operator to position themselves between the crate in white to be moved and the forklift to guide the driver.

[0006] This maneuver clearly compromises the safety of this second operator.

[0007] No known system allows the forks of a handling machine, in particular a forklift, to be guided while being removably mounted on a sled. Description of the invention

[0008] The invention aims to provide a guidance device for the forks of a handling machine, in particular a forklift, which is mounted in a removable manner on a sled, to guide the lifting of this sled by the machine.

[0009] The invention also proposes a displacement system comprising this device, and a method for manufacturing a vehicle using such a system.

[0010] The guidance device is capable of combining advantages of speed, simplicity and reliability for its implementation.

[0011] In view of the foregoing, the invention relates to a guidance device for guiding a fork of a handling device, said device comprising two straight and substantially parallel longitudinal members and cross members connecting said longitudinal members so as to form a straight passage between said longitudinal members and between said cross members.

[0012] Preferably, the device further comprises a stop which is on at least one of the two longitudinal members and projecting outwards from said longitudinal member, said stop being adapted to butt against a ring of a body-in-white displacement sled of a motor vehicle when the said device is inserted into said ring.

[0013] For example, the stop is located about one third of an end of at least one of the longitudinal members.

[0014] Advantageously, the longerons have substantially the same length and there are three cross members, distributed along the longerons, two of the three cross members being placed at the end of said longerons, and one of the three cross members being placed substantially in the center of said longerons.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the stop is placed on a first side of the stringers and at least the two cross members placed at the end of said stringers are placed on a second side of the stringers opposite the first side.

[0016] Advantageously, the longerons have a length between one hundred and twenty and two hundred and fifty centimeters.

[0017] The invention also relates to a transport system for a motor vehicle body-in-white, comprising a transport sled for a motor vehicle body-in-white, said transport sled comprising rings and two guide devices as described above and inserted in the rings.

[0018] The system may further include a tarpaulin, said tarpaulin covering the entire crate in white by being stretched up to the sled, and the lengths of the crossbars are configured to extend laterally from under said tarpaulin by about one third of their length when the two guide devices are inserted into two of the rings up to the stop.

[0019] The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a motor vehicle, said method comprising a step of moving a body-in-white of said vehicle using a system as described above, comprising the steps of providing a sled having at least two rings, a body-in-white placed on said sled and a handling device having two parallel lifting forks, placing the two guide devices in a retractable manner in the two rings of the sled, inserting a lifting fork into each of the two guide devices substantially simultaneously, moving the sled at the same time as the body-in-white by driving the forks by a handling device having said forks.

[0020] For example, in the process, the handling device is a forklift, and the step of moving the sled at the same time as the blank case involves lifting said sled by said forklift. Brief description of the drawings

[0021] The invention will be better understood upon detailed study of an embodiment taken by way of non-limiting example and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0022] [Fig. 1] represents the XYZ coordinate system which will be used for the purposes of the description.

[0023] [Fig.2] represents the guidance device.

[0024] [Fig.3] represents a sled on which is placed a vehicle crate in white automobile to be moved using the sled and a lifting device.

[0025] [Fig.4] represents two guide devices inserted up to their stop in a a sled supporting a covered white crate, with the forks of the lifting device slightly inserted into said devices.

[0026] [Fig.5] represents the devices of [Fig.4] with the forks fully inserted in the devices.

[0027] [Fig.6] represents the transport system of a vehicle body-in-white to mobile

[0028] [Fig.7] represents the system of [Fig.6] in view from below. Detailed description

[0029] Fig. 1 represents the XYZ coordinate system which will be used for the purposes of the description.

[0030] Reference will be made to a direct orthonormal XYZ coordinate system classically used in automotive design, in which the X axis designates the front-to-rear longitudinal direction of the vehicle, oriented towards the rear, the Y axis designates the transverse direction and is oriented towards the right of the vehicle, the Z axis designates the vertical direction, and is oriented upwards.

[0031] The vehicle axes are the same for the body-in-white of the motor vehicle, that is to say the vehicle structure at a stage of vehicle manufacturing in which all the sheets constituting the structure have been assembled by welding in a chain of body-in-white after their stamping.

[0032] The crate in white when it is placed on a sled, that is to say a metal platform on which the crate in white is positioned to move it.

[0033] The white box is therefore intended to be under the sled, that is to say below along the Z axis.

[0034] Figure [Fig. 2] illustrates a guidance device 1 according to the invention.

[0035] The device 1 comprises two straight and substantially parallel longitudinal members 3.

[0036] As illustrated by [Fig.2], the longitudinal members 3 extend along the transverse axis Y, because they are intended to be used from one side of the white crate 6 placed on the sled 7 to move, in particular to lift, both the sled 7 and the white crate 6.

[0037] The longitudinal members 3 have, for example, a length of between one hundred and twenty and two hundred and fifty centimeters, which allows the driver to see the devices 1 and to very easily place the forks 9 directly in the right place to insert them into the passage 2 parallel to the transverse axis up to the opposite ring of the sled 7.

[0038] The longitudinal members 3 are for example made of metal comprising aluminum or steel.

[0039] The longerons 3 can be solid or tubular so as to optimize the weight of the device 1 and / or its mechanical resistance.

[0040] The device 1 further comprises cross members 4 connecting said longitudinal members 3 so as to form a straight passage 2 between said longitudinal members 3 and between said cross members 4.

[0041] The cross members 4 allow the longitudinal members 3 to be kept at a fixed and continuous distance from each other for the regularity of the straight passage 2.

[0042] Thus, a guide device 1 is formed in which a straight passage 2 allows the guidance of a fork of a handling device such as a forklift, which allows the device 1 to be placed removably on a sled 7 on which is the white box 6 to be moved, and then the movement step, in particular the lifting of the sled 7, to be carried out safely with only one operator.

[0043] The only operator is therefore the driver of the handling equipment, which eliminates the risk of crushing another operator during the movement stage.

[0044] In addition, the guidance device 1 saves the operator time during the manufacturing process of the motor vehicle, since they constitute means of guiding the forks 9 which are easy to insert onto the sled 7 without needing to place the forks blindly from the handling equipment.

[0045] As illustrated by [Fig.3], the device 1 may include a stop 5 which is on at least one of the two longitudinal members 3 and projecting outwards from said longitudinal member 3.

[0046] The stop 5 is adapted to butt against a ring 8 of a displacement slide 7 of a body-in-white of a motor vehicle 6 when the said device 1 is inserted into the said ring 8.

[0047] Thus, it is very easy for an operator to position a guide device 1 in a ring 8 in a repeatable and error-free manner without having to calculate the insertion distance.

[0048] It is also easier to place several guide devices 1 simultaneously on the same sled 7 so that the two forks 9 of the handling equipment 10 are inserted in the same way under the sled 7.

[0049] The guide device 1 protrudes from the sled 7 under the white body 6 into the rings 8 provided for this purpose and located in the lower part of the sled 7.

[0050] The rings 8 are for example recesses forming locations in which to place a device 1 for the proper lifting of the sled 7, and which are usually used to do this lifting without a guide device 1.

[0051] The guide devices 1 are, for example, inserted manually into the rings 8, or in a robotic or mechanically assisted manner.

[0052] Each guide device 1 passes for example through two rings 8 located on two opposite sides of the sled 7 and aligned along the transverse axis Y, so as to distribute the lifting force between the two lateralities of the sled 7.

[0053] Each guide device 1 is inserted into the recesses 8 provided for the forks on the sleds and are sufficiently wide and high for the forks to slide inside.

[0054] The guides have stops 5 which allow the operator to place them correctly in a repeatable manner.

[0055] Each stop 5 also prevents the device 1 from shifting along its Y axis when a fork 9 is inserted into the passage 2, which could cause the device to be pushed back by friction of the fork 9 against the longitudinal members 3.

[0056] The rings 8 have for this purpose a width greater than that of the guiding device 1.

[0057] For example, the stop 5 is located about one third from one end of at least one of the stringers 3, so as to make about one third of the guide device 1 protrude along the lateral axis Y, which allows both a reduced footprint and a sufficient size of the stringers 3 to be made visible to the operator from the handling equipment, even when the white crate is covered with a privacy tarpaulin.

[0058] The invention also relates to a transport system for a motor vehicle body-in-white, comprising a transport sled 7 for a motor vehicle body-in-white 6, said transport sled 7 comprising rings 8 and two guide devices 1 inserted in the rings 8.

[0059] As illustrated by [Fig.4], the white box 6 can be covered with a tarpaulin 11, in particular a privacy tarpaulin.

[0060] The transport system for a body-in-white of a motor vehicle may then further include a tarpaulin 11, said tarpaulin 11 covering the body-in-white 6 entirely by being stretched up to the sled 7, and the lengths of the crossbeams 4 being configured to extend laterally from under said tarpaulin 11 by about one third of their length when the two guide devices 1 are inserted into two of the rings 8 up to the stop 5.

[0061] As illustrated by the same Figure, the longitudinal members 3 advantageously have substantially the same length, which allows the handling equipment to reach the stop of its fork 9 at the same time in each of the guide devices 1 when there are two devices 1 on the sled 7 and two forks 9 on the handling equipment 10.

[0062] The cross members 4 are for example three in number, distributed along the longitudinal members 3, two of the three cross members 4 being placed at the end of said longitudinal members 3, and one of the three cross members 4 being placed substantially in the center of said longitudinal members 3.

[0063] As illustrated by Figures 5 and 6, the stop 5 is for example placed on a first side of the stringers 3 and at least the two cross members 4 placed at the end of said stringers 3 are placed on a second side of the stringers 3 opposite to the first side.

[0064] The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a motor vehicle.

[0065] The method includes a step of moving a body-in-white 6 of said vehicle using a motor vehicle body-in-white transport system as described above.

[0066] The step of moving the crate in white includes the steps of providing a sled 7 having at least two rings 8, a crate in white 6 placed on said sled 7 and a handling device 10 having two parallel lifting forks 9, placing in a retractable manner the two guide devices 1 in the two rings 8 of the sled 7, inserting a lifting fork 9 into each of the two guide devices 1 substantially simultaneously, moving the sled 7 at the same time as the crate in white 8 by driving the forks 9 by a handling device 10 having said forks 9.

[0067] Thus, two guide devices 1 are for example put in place on the sled 7, at the front and at the rear, in four rings 8 placed in front and behind the sled 7, and the operator, for example the driver of the handling equipment 10, therefore makes this quick and error-free operation thanks to the stop 5, before using the handling equipment 10 to lift the sled 7.

[0068] Once the guide devices 1 are in place under the sled 7 and inserted to the stop position, one end remains visible outside the protective cover 11, from the driver's seat of the handling equipment.

[0069] The forklift operator can therefore safely place the forks 9 under the sled 7 and then move the assembly, in particular to another assembly area for the continuation of the manufacture of the motor vehicle from the body-in-white 6.

[0070] The guide devices 1 are for example placed by hand, then retracted after use, and are not fixed either on the sled 7 or on the handling equipment 10.

[0071] In the process, the handling device 10 is, for example, a forklift, and the step of moving the sled 7 at the same time as the crate in white 8 includes a lifting of said sled 7 by said forklift.

[0072] A guidance device 1 is thus made which allows the operator of a handling machine to safely lift an assembly comprising a sled 7 and a white crate 6 in order to move them, even if this operator is alone and without special assistance for guidance.

Claims

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8. Demands Guiding device (1) for guiding a fork (9) of a handling device (10), said device (1) comprising two straight and substantially parallel longitudinal members (3) and cross members (4) connecting said longitudinal members (3) so as to form a straight passage (2) between said longitudinal members (3) and between said cross members (4). Device according to claim 1, further comprising a stop (5) which is on at least one of the two longitudinal members (3) and projecting outwards from said longitudinal member (3), said stop (5) being adapted to butt against a ring (8) of a displacement slide (7) of a body-in-white of a motor vehicle (6) when said device (1) is inserted into said ring (8). Device according to claim 2, wherein the stop (5) is located approximately one third from one end of at least one of the longitudinal members (3). Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the stringers (3) have substantially the same length and the cross members (4) are three in number, distributed along the stringers (3), two of the three cross members (4) being placed at the end of said stringers (3), and one of the three cross members (4) being placed substantially in the center of said stringers (3). Device according to claim 4 and any one of claims 2 and 3, wherein the stop (5) is placed on a first side of the stringers (3) and at least the two cross members (4) placed at the end of said stringers (3) are placed on a second side of the stringers (3) opposite the first side. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the stringers (3) have a length between one hundred and twenty and two hundred and fifty centimeters. A transport system for a motor vehicle body-in-white, comprising a transport sled (7) for a motor vehicle body-in-white (6), said transport sled (7) comprising rings (8) and two guide devices (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 6 inserted in the rings (8). System according to claim 7, further comprising a tarpaulin (11), said tarpaulin (11) completely covering the white crate (6) by being stretched up to the sled (7), and the lengths of the crossbars (4) are configured to extend laterally from under said tarpaulin (11) of about one third of their length when the two guide devices (1) are inserted into two of the rings (8) up to the stop (5).

9. A method for manufacturing a motor vehicle, said method comprising a step of moving a body-in-white (6) of said vehicle using a system according to any one of claims 7 and 8, comprising the steps of providing a sled (7) having at least two rings (8), a body-in-white (6) placed on said sled (7) and a handling apparatus (10) having two parallel lifting forks (9), retractably placing the two guide devices (1) in the two rings (8) of the sled (7), inserting a lifting fork (9) into each of the two guide devices (1) substantially simultaneously, moving the sled (7) at the same time as the body-in-white (8) by driving the forks (9) by a handling apparatus (10) having said forks (9).

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the handling device (10) is a forklift, and the step of moving the sled (7) at the same time as the blank case (8) comprises a lifting of said sled (7) by said forklift.

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