Automated and safe system for folding and assembling parts of an airbag

The automated airbag folding system addresses inefficiencies and safety concerns by using robots to dynamically fold and assemble airbags in three stations, ensuring precise and rapid folding that meets safety standards and enhances passenger protection.

WO2025104545A1PCT designated stage expired Publication Date: 2025-05-22GAV SISTEMI SRL

Patent Information

Application Number
PCT/IB2024/060956
Authority / Receiving Office
WO · WO
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2023-11-16
Filing Date
2024-11-06
Publication Date
2025-05-22

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing airbag folding systems are inefficient and pose safety risks due to reliance on static mobilizations and manual interventions, which can result in incorrect folding and delayed deflation, compromising the airbag's protective function.

Method used

An automated and safe system comprising three main stations: a preparation area for initial folding, an automation area where robots dynamically fold and assemble the airbag, and a picking area for final sealing and quality control, ensuring precise and efficient folding that meets safety and engineering standards.

Benefits of technology

The system significantly increases folding speed and safety while ensuring the airbag opens correctly and deflates rapidly after impact, adhering to precise timing and dimensions, thus enhancing passenger protection.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

Automated and safe system for folding and assembling parts of an airbag adapted to fold at least an airbag (100) effectively, i.e., respecting all the safety and engineering standards required by law, before its installation inside vehicles; said automated and safe system for folding airbags in which all the manipulations and folding are carried out dynamically and in an automated manner avoiding the direct intervention of the operator; said automated and safe system for folding airbags comprises: a rotary table (15); a fixed division structure (17) and closable doors (16); a preparation area (200) adapted to carry out the first folding and manipulations; an automation area (300) in which at least a support robot (20) and at least a folding robot (30) manipulate and fold said airbag (100) so as to obtain the assembly ready for final closure and make the finished product; a picking area (400).
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Description

[0001] “Automated and safe system for folding and assembling parts of an airbag”

[0002] Description

[0003] Field of the invention

[0004] The present invention relates to the field of vehicle airbag safety technologies, in particular an automated system which ensures an effective folding of the airbag itself. Even more specifically, the system is characterized by three main stations, one of which is completely automated, which not only ensure high levels of safety for operators, but at the same time ensure that the folding of the airbag satisfies all the criteria linked to its correct operation after installation on a vehicle.

[0005] Prior art

[0006] Nowadays it is very clear how important the airbag is in terms of passive safety for motor vehicles; in fact, airbags protect the driver and passengers in the event of a vehicle collision and accident.

[0007] Such a factor causes there to be a huge demand for airbags, which must be supplied not only during the production of the vehicle, but also following any accidents, causing inevitable stress for the companies which produce them.

[0008] To deal with such problems, various evolutions of devices have been made which increasingly improve the quantity and quality of airbags produced and folded efficiently. One example is offered by patent application CN 1 11169418 (A). Such a patent describes a new folding device and a folding process for an airbag. The device comprises a rack, a loading disk, a compression mechanism and a plate. There is a particularity in the compression mechanism, which comprises a plurality of first and second compressed air cylinders. The first compression cylinders and the second compression cylinders, equal in number, are arranged circularly in an alternating manner.

[0009] Another example is given by patent CN 1 16330683 (A) which relates in particular to a tiltable integral cover plate and a pressure adaptation fitting mechanism with heat setting for folding an airbag for cars. The integral tilting cover plate and the pressure adaptation mechanism with heat setting comprises a tilting mechanism and a body of the pressure adaptation mechanism with heat setting. The tilting mechanism comprises an integral cover plate and a side connection plate hinged together by a further plate. The thermally regulated pressing mechanism comprises a mounting plate and a movable plate connected by means of a lifting mechanism, while the lower end of the movable plate is connected to two pneumatic cylinder mounting plates and an outer sleeve. In addition, the heating rod is arranged in the pressing head so that the dimensions of the folded airbag are reduced as much as possible and the airbag is subjected to heat setting so that the shape can be maintained.

[0010] All these developments describe standard systems and devices which in any case exploit pneumatic and / or electric grippers and cylinders for folding; such a factor generates almost static mobilizations, in which the cylinders themselves very often, for some types of folding, cannot be used for the dynamics of the folding itself.

[0011] There are numerous patents which relate to robotic arms, such as US20220134537 or WO2022232186, but none are specific to the field of airbags.

[0012] Added to all this is the delicate issue of the safety standards which airbags must possess, which translate into its correct folding and efficient preparation before being installed inside a vehicle.

[0013] The object of the present patent application is to overcome the aforesaid problems, proposing an automated and safe system for folding airbags, capable not only of increasing the folding speed while maintaining a high degree of safety for the operator, but also of achieving an efficient folding thereof. In particular, since the airbag is a system composed of different subassemblies (cushion, inflater, housing, covers, etc.), the present inventive concept not only folds the cushion but inserts it inside a cover. Efficient folding herein means that the airbag is manipulated and folded effectively so that, when it explodes, it opens in the shortest time possible and after impact it deflates rapidly: in other words, the airbag must open in compliance with a specific timing which is linked to the fraction of time it takes for the person to reach the cushion when an accident occurs; the perfect time is that in which when the passenger ends up "on top”, the airbag must start to deflate. All this translates into a correct execution of the folds and a correct shape and size, also in terms of millimeters, of the finished product.

[0014] Description of the invention

[0015] The object of the present invention is an innovative system capable of folding airbags effectively before their installation inside vehicles. The term "effectively" refers to an airbag which complies with all the safety and engineering standards required by law and which, thanks to the folds made during the process and its definitive folding, ensures that, following an impact, it opens correctly and that, once it comes into contact with a passenger, it still deflates quickly: in fact, if a cushion does not fold in compliance with the specifications it could open badly and also slow down the deflation. The present paper refers to a system which allows to obtain an effective and correct folding of any airbag model, brand and material. The present system allows all the folds to be carried out correctly, precisely because if even one of them is incorrect, in addition to modifying the opening time of the cushion, it could compromise the total opening of the cushion itself (some parts could remain folded, closed); in fact in both cases the airbag could become an harmful instrument rather than a protective instrument.

[0016] The folding design is sent directly by the customer which produces the airbags; such a design becomes the specification to define the tools necessary to fold a cushion in different cases.

[0017] The folding methods and the type of manipulation, which can indeed vary from airbag model to model, can be set before starting the system by a convenient internal PLC engaged in the electrical panel of the preparation area: thereby, all the components will act according to what is dictated, and present as information, within the internal PLC memory; the different types of folding and manipulation of the airbag, according to legal regulations and obtained through engineering innovations, are present in the memory of the internal PLC. Such an internal PLC, accessible and usable by means of a touch screen or a control panel, allows to record new and different folding and manipulation programs sent by customers: specifically, such folding designs are provided directly by the customer's server, connected to the same internal PLC in which they are recorded. The invention is advantageously also safe since all the manipulations and folding are carried out dynamically and in an automated manner by precise components, which through the synergy achieved by the synchronism to carry out the different operations, ensure that the intervention of the operator is not required: if instead required, the operator's intervention can be requested only for the insertion of the airbag inside the device and / or for its final picking.

[0018] The use of the terms ”operator(s)" and "staff indicates the same role carried out.

[0019] It should be noted that, according to the prior art, the text does not describe in detail some technical characteristics of some machinery present in our system precisely because they are already known and obvious to a person skilled in the art: all this translates into the focus on the salient and innovative features of the present patent application.

[0020] The system presented herein can advantageously comprise a safety module which, by identifying component malfunctions and / or an incorrect folding or manipulation of the airbag, blocks the entire system, allowing the operator to intervene in total safety. What has just been described occurs because the safety module, preferably a remote PLC, is connected by means of wireless networks to each of the system components, and by sending a signal to the internal PLC, it causes the system to block, communicating such a block to the operator by means of the touch screen, i.e., the control panel of the internal PLC.

[0021] The present inventive concept is divided into three main areas:

[0022] - a preparation area, in which the airbag which will have to be folded and manipulated is housed and where the first folds occur, namely the creation of one and / or two lateral pockets using modules with blades;

[0023] - an automation area, in which robots manipulate and fold the airbag so as to obtain the assembly ready for the final closure and make the finished product;

[0024] - a picking area, in which the sealing of the assembly occurs, i.e., the folded airbag according to current regulations, and is made available for picking. The passage of the airbag, placed on a support plate, or technically called "laying", between the preparation area and the automation area occurs by means of the rotation of a rotary table: such a rotary table is formed by of two mirrored portions, so that each end portion has a support plate on which the airbag can be placed; such a rotary table performs, synchronizing with the operations performed by the other components, rotations of 180° clockwise or anticlockwise from time to time, so as to ensure the correct passage between the preparation area and the automation area. Such a step also occurs thanks to automatic closable doors which allow the rotation of the rotary table: specifically, after the airbag has undergone the first folding and mobilizations in the preparation area, it will be suitable for the subsequent steps; at that point, following the lowering of the automatic closable doors, the rotary table will perform a rotation of 180° bringing the airbag to the automation area and bringing the end with the free support plate to the preparation area; at that point the automatic closable doors will return to position, safely separating the two areas, and an operator will thereby be able to engage, in total safety, a new airbag on the free support plate present in the preparation area, while the robots will complete the folding of the airbag in the automation area. Once the robots have completed the folding, a support robot will pick up the assembly and take it to the picking area, making the support plate present in the automation area, previously occupied by the airbag, free and ready to pass again in the preparation area by means of a 180° rotation of the rotary table.

[0025] Preferably the airbag, i.e., the assembly, once it has reached the picking area, is pushed inside a containment tube and wrapped in a casing, preferably a soft cover.

[0026] In one of the preferred embodiments of the invention, such a picking area is internally provided with vision systems and / or laser sensors, both connected by means of wireless networks to the internal PLC, which not only allow the image of the assembly to be captured, but also to obtain data about the size measurements (thickness, length and width) of the assembly and to compare them with the data present in the memory of the internal PLC itself: such a verification process has a tolerance of + / - 0-5 mm with respect to the data recorded in the memory, beyond which the same vision systems and / or laser sensors will send an alarm input to the internal PLC, signaling that the assembly has anomalies: at that point the operator, viewing by means of information such as a warning message error on the internal PLC screen, will be able to decide whether to stop the system and / or proceed with discarding the defective / anomalous assembly; preferably the internal PLC, once it receives such an alarm input, automatically stops the system according to the present invention. Preferably each airbag is provided with an identification code, for example a passive RFID label, previously recorded in the memory of the internal PLC: such an identification code contains all the data related to the qualities of the airbag and information regarding its correct type of folding and manipulation according to the law. Thereby the internal PLC, after the first reading of the identification code, is capable of automatically setting the correct folding and manipulation information for all the components of the present system. Even more advantageously, such an identification code allows following the airbag during the entire chain of operations performed inside the system. Specifically, there is a reader engaged on the press in the preparation area, another reader is present on the support robot of the automation area and, finally, a last reader is present at the exit of the picking area. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the picking area can have a collection tank near the exit, so as to accumulate several finished airbags and therefore requiring fewer interventions by the staff.

[0027] In the preparation area, once the airbag has been positioned on the support plate, an air inlet device, engaged on the rotary table near its rotation fulcrum and therefore near the rotation motor, adapted to be connected to the nozzle of the airbag, inflating it: in fact, during the operations which occur in the preparation area, the airbag is inflated so that the modules with blades, performing movements on the X or Y axis and coming into contact with the airbag, can create folds, known in the prior art as "lateral pockets". Subsequently the press, engaged above the support plate present in the preparation area, performs a downward movement, going to deflate the airbag after the creation of one or both lateral pockets; the airbag thus manipulated and folded in the preparation area is thereby ready for the passage to the automation area. Preferably the air inlet device can comprise a support tube; such a support tube, being mobilized by a mechanical arm, synchronized with the rest of the system components, so as to:

[0028] • be inserted in the airbag nozzle when it is located on the support plate in the preparation area, and therefore allowing the inflation thereof; alternatively such a support tube can be inserted manually by the operator;

[0029] • be disengaged when the airbag arrives in the automation area before being manipulated by the robots, i.e., once the rotary table enters the automation area.

[0030] Such a support tube ensures that manipulation by the operator is no longer necessary: i.e., the connection of the inlet device to the airbag nozzle.

[0031] In one of the preferred embodiments of the invention the support robot provided, in its basic version, with gripping elements, can comprise a catch: such a hollow parallelepiped-shaped element is made so as to contain an airbag of standard dimensions required by law; in fact, such a catch is adapted to pick up the assembly once it has been created; if the catch is unable to pick up the assembly, due to the larger size of the assembly obtained with a tolerance of + / - 0-5 mm, it will intervene by sending a signal, by means of wireless connection and / or wiring, to the internal PLC so as to block the entire system and therefore reporting the anomaly of the assembly obtained. If the catch instead manages to pick up the assembly, it will transport it within the picking area.

[0032] Preferably such a catch is provided at the ends with measurement sensors adapted to calculate the exact measurement of the assembly which must be picked; such measurement sensors will collect data regarding the folding and manipulation progress actuated by the present system, which will flow into the memory of the internal PLC: such data can be processed by the same internal PLC to obtain statistical and error prediction data; all this connected to modern machine learning techniques leads to a substantial improvement in the synchronization and automation of the different components of the system presented. The advantages offered by the present invention are evident in the light of the description presented thus far and will be even clearer thanks to the atached figures and the related detailed description.

[0033] Description of the figures

[0034] The invention will be described below in at least a preferred embodiment for explanatory and non- limiting purposes, with the aid of the attached figures, in which:

[0035] - FIGURE 1 shows a schematic plan view of an automated and safe airbag folding system according to one of the embodiments of the present patent application;

[0036] - FIGURE 2 illustrates a perspective view of the preparation area 200 of the automated and safe system for folding airbags according to one of the embodiments of the present patent application;

[0037] - FIGURE 3 shows a further perspective view of the preparation area 200 of the automated and safe system for folding airbags according to one of the embodiments of the present patent application;

[0038] - FIGURE 4 shows in perspective view the movement of the rotary table 15 between the preparation area 200 and the automation area 300 of the automated and safe system for folding airbags according to one of the embodiments of the present patent application;

[0039] - FIGURE 5 illustrates a perspective view of the automation area 300 of the automated and safe system for folding airbags according to one of the embodiments of the present patent application;

[0040] - FIGURE 6 illustrates shows a further perspective view of the automation area 300 of the automated and safe system for folding airbags according to one of the embodiments of the present patent application;

[0041] - FIGURE 7 shows a further perspective view of the automation area 300 of the automated and safe system for folding airbags according to one of the embodiments of the present patent application; - FIGURE 8 shows a further perspective view of the automation area 300 of the automated and safe system for folding airbags according to one of the embodiments of the present patent.

[0042] Detailed description of the invention

[0043] The present invention will now be illustrated by way of a purely non-limiting or binding example, resorting to the figures which illustrate some embodiments with respect to the present inventive concept.

[0044] FIGS. 1 to 8 show the components, and their respective operation, of an automated and safe system for folding airbags according to the present invention.

[0045] It should be noted that in the text and in the subsequent claims the presence of the term "airbag" in the title of the invention or "automated and safe system for folding airbags" does not condition the presence of numbering as it is associated with the generic product; while in the text of the detailed description the wording "airbag 100" will be present, when reference is made strictly to the airbag 100 inserted inside the automated and safe airbag folding system so as to be folded and manipulated.

[0046] Specifically, through a schematic view in FIG. 1 it is possible to see how the preparation area 200 and the automation area 300 are divided from each other by means of a fixed division structure 17, in addition to the positioning of the picking area 400.

[0047] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the preparation area 200, when the airbag 100 has been positioned on the support plate 101 of the rotary table 15, while it is held by a gripping system 1 1 and the air inlet device 18 has been connected to the nozzle of the airbag 100.

[0048] In FIG. 3 a perspective view illustrates how the airbag 100 has been inflated by the air inlet device 18, while a first folding device 12 is performing mobilizations with its upper blade 12' and its lower blade 12" for the creation of a lateral pocket of the airbag 100 retained by the press 10.

[0049] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the moment in which the airbag 100 has obtained the lateral pocket and has been deflated by the press 10 and, through the rotation of the rotary table 15 and the opening of the closable doors 16, is reaching the automation area 300.

[0050] In FIG. 5, through a perspective view, the moment in which said airbag 100, having arrived in the automation area 300, is folded in half according to its longitudinal axis by a folding robot 30 is illustrated.

[0051] In FIG. 6 the same folding robot 30, aided by the retention of the support robot 20 and by means of its rotation clamps 30', performs the negative winding of said airbag 100 previously folded in half.

[0052] FIG. 7 shows the advancement of the negative winding of said airbag 100 made by the folding robot 30 starting from the end portion of the rotary table 15 towards the fixed division structure 17.

[0053] In FIG. 8 the winding of the airbag 100, which has now become and is known in the prior art as an assembly, is picked up, after the folding robot 30 has removed its rotation clamps 30', from the support robot 20 by means of gripping elements 20' and is ready to be carried to the picking area 400.

[0054] Specifically, the present automated and safe system for folding airbags is divided into different operating areas, terms which indicate actual "stations" in which the airbag 100 undergoes different folding and / or mobilizations until it becomes a finished product installable in a vehicle.

[0055] The first of these stations or operating areas is the preparation area 200 where the first folds and mobilizations of the airbag 100 occur. The airbag 100 is positioned above a support plate 101 and its nozzle is connected to the air inlet device 18. Subsequently, further components intervene within the same preparation area 200, including:

[0056] - a first folding device 12, provided with an upper blade 12' and a lower blade 12", and a second folding device 13, provided with an upper blade 13' and a lower blade 13", installed so as to be able to perform folding and / or mobilizations laterally with respect to the airbag 100 itself; such a first folding device 12 and second folding device 13, once the airbag 100 has been inflated by the air inlet device 18 and the same is kept stationary by both the press 10 and by the gripping device 1 1 through grippers 1 1', thanks to the approach B of the respective upper blades 12'- 13' and lower blades 12"- 13" and their mobilization on both the X axis and on the Y axis are adapted to generate lateral pockets, i.e., negative folds; the mobilization of the upper blades 12'- 13' and the lower blades 12"- 13" on the Y axis ensures that the maximum extension of said airbag 100 is reached; such first folding device 12 and second folding device 13 can act simultaneously, alternately or in cases where only one of them acts, generating, in this case, a single lateral pocket;

[0057] - a press 10 adapted to keep the airbag 100 stationary during the folding and mobilization performed by the first folding device 12 and second folding device 13 and to perform the deflation of the same airbag 100 after such folding and mobilization performed by the first folding device 12 and second folding device 13 have been completed; such actions are ensured by a downward movement A;

[0058] - the aforementioned gripping device 1 1 adapted to keep the airbag 100 stationary during the folding and mobilization performed by the first folding device 12 and second folding device 13 and during the deflation actuated by the press 10; such a gripping device 11 is adapted to release the airbag 100 before the rotary table 15 performs a rotation thereof.

[0059] The passage of the just described airbag 100 from the preparation area 200 to the automation area 300 is ensured by the rotary table 15. Such a passage occurs as soon as the following conditions occur, namely:

[0060] - the support plate 101 present in the automation area 300 is made free following the picking of an assembly (not depicted and therefore already previously produced) by the support robot 20;

[0061] - the airbag 100 has undergone both the folding and mobilization by at least one among the first folding device 12 and the second folding device 13, and has been deflated by the press 10;

[0062] - the closable doors 16 lower, disengaging from the fixed division structure 17.

[0063] During the passage, all the components, excluding the rotary table 15 and its respective rotation motor 14, remain in a stalled phase. The rotation motor 14 is positioned in the center of the rotary table 15 and also acts as the rotation axis.

[0064] Once such a passage is performed, therefore a rotation of 180° of the rotary table 15 clockwise or counter-clockwise, the airbag 100 arrives in the automation area 300 and the free support plate 101 reaches the preparation area 200; at the same time the closable doors 16 rise, engaging with the fixed division 17 and isolating the preparation area 200 and the automation area 300.

[0065] In the automation area 300, a folding robot 30, sliding on tracks 30" to cover the entire automation area 300 in width, performs two folds and / or mobilizations on the airbag 100 through its rotation clamps 30', in particular:

[0066] - a median fold (FIG. 5) of the airbag 100, i.e., the airbag 100 is folded in half according to its longitudinal axis;

[0067] - and, subsequently, the negative winding (FIGG. 6 and 7) of the airbag 100 which underwent the median fold; such a negative winding occurs starting from a gripping by the rotation clamps 30' of the portion of the airbag 100 which is farthest away with respect to the fixed division 17, and proceeds with the winding towards the rotation motor 14 until the airbag 100 is completely rolled, becoming an assembly.

[0068] The rotation clamps 30' are designed and motorized to perform the complex movements described above.

[0069] The support robot 20, characterized equally to the folding robot 30 as a mechanical arm, not only holds the airbag 100 stationary with the gripping elements 20' after the median fold has been performed and until the negative winding begins, but is adapted to pick up, by means of the same gripping elements 20', the completely rolled airbag 100, i.e., the assembly.

[0070] Once the rolled airbag 100 has been picked up, the support robot 20 transports it within the picking area 400, precisely on a slide; at that point a cylinder and / or piston pushes the finished airbag 100, i.e., the assembly, inside a containment tube, which has dimensions identical to those of the hand gripping the cushion: this allows pushing the assembly inside the soft cover, without making it lose compactness. It should be noted that the soft cover, in masked time, was engaged by an operator on the containment tube to ensure that the assembly is fitted automatically. Such latter processes ensure that the airbag 100 itself is completely blocked, making it ready for picking and suitable to undergo the assembly processes, arriving, later, as the actual finished product which will be installed in the car.

[0071] Having reached the unloading area, the operator picks the finished airbag 100, i.e., the assembly, extracting it from the machine now folded and ready for the subsequent manual operations.

[0072] Finally, it is clear that modifications, additions or variations that are obvious to a person skilled in the art can be made to the invention described so far, without thereby departing from the scope of protection provided by the attached claims.

Claims

Claims1. Automated and safe system for folding and assembling parts of an airbag capable of folding at least an airbag (100) before its installation inside vehicles; in which all manipulations and folding are carried out dynamically and automatically, avoiding the direct intervention of the operator; said automated and safe system for folding airbags being characterized in that it comprises:- at least a rotary table (15) capable of ensuring the passage of the airbag (100) between the preparation area (200) and the automation area (300) via rotations of 180° clockwise or anti-clockwise; said rotary table ( 15) being formed by two mirrorimage portions, such that each end portion is equipped with a support plate (101) on which said airbag (100) can be placed; said rotary table (15) comprising on each side an air inlet device (18) capable of being connected to the inlet of said airbag (100) and inflating it; said rotary table (15) comprising a rotation motor (14) at its rotation center;- at least a fixed division structure (17) and closable doors (16) suitable for completely isolating said preparation area (200) and said automation area (300); said closable doors (16) capable of lowering, disengaging from said fixed division structure (17), allowing the rotation of said rotary table (15);- at least a said preparation area (200) suitable to allow the engagement of an airbag (100) within said automated and safe system for folding airbags and to carry out the first folding and manipulations thereof; said preparation area (200) comprising at least an internal PLC equipped with internal memory in which the different folding methods and types of manipulation are recorded; said preparation area (200) comprising a first folding device (12), equipped with an upper blade (12’) and a lower blade (12”), and a second folding device (13), equipped with an upper blade (13’) and lower blade (13”), installed in such a way as to be able to cariy out negative bending and / or mobilization laterally with respect to said airbag (100); said first folding device (12) and said second folding device (13) by bringing together (B) the respective upper blades (12’- 13’) and lower blades (12”- 13”) and their mobilization on both the X and Y axis generate lateral pockets; said preparation area (200) comprising at least a press (10) capable of keeping said airbag (100) stationary during the folding and mobilization carried out by said first folding device (12) and said second folding device (13) and to carry out the deflation of said airbag (100)after such folding and mobilization have been carried out; said preparation area comprising at least a grip (1 1) suitable for keeping said airbag (100) stationary during the folding and mobilization carried out by said first folding device (12) and said second folding device (13) and during the deflation carried out by said press (10); said gripping device (11) capable of releasing said airbag (100) before said rotary table (15) carries out its rotation;- at least a said automation area (300) in which at least a support robot (20) and at least a folding robot (30) manipulate and fold said airbag (100) in order to obtain the assembly ready for final closure and make the finished product; said folding robot (30), sliding on tracks (30”) to cover the entire automation area (300) in width, through its rotation clamps (30’) capable of carrying out, first, a median bend of said airbag (100), and, subsequently, the negative winding of said airbag (100) until it is completely rolled up becoming together; said support robot (20) capable of holding said airbag (100) stationary with gripping elements (20’) after the median folding has been carried out and until the negative winding begins; said support robot (20) capable of picking up, using said gripping elements (20’), said airbag (100) when it is completely rolled up, and transporting it within the picking area (400);- at least a said picking area (400) including a slide on which said support robot (20) places said airbag ( 100); said picking area (400) comprising at least a cylinder and / or piston capable of pushing said airbag (100), or the assembly, from said slide into a taping machine which blocks said airbag (100), making it ready for the withdrawal.

2. Automated and safe system for folding and assembling parts of an airbag, according to the preceding claim 1, characterized in that the mobilization on the Y axis of said upper blades (12’-13’) and of said blades lower (12”-13”) ensures that the maximum extension of said airbag (100) is reached.

3. Automated and safe system for folding and assembling parts of an airbag, according to preceding claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said first folding device (12) and said second folding device (13) act simultaneously, alternately or only one of them acts.

4. Automated and safe system for folding and assembling parts of an airbag, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said air inlet device (18) includes a support tube; said support tube, being mobilized by a mechanical arm, synchronized with the rest of the components of the system, which inserts said support tube into the inlet of said airbag (100) when it is located on said support plate (101) in said area of preparation(200), and to defuse the same when said airbag (100) arrives in said automation area (300).

5. Automated and safe system for folding and assembling parts of an airbag, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said picking area (400) is internally equipped with vision systems and / or laser sensors, connected via wireless networks to said internal PLC; said vision systems and / or laser sensors being able to capture the image of said airbag (100) and to obtain data regarding the size measurements by comparing them with the data present in said memory of said internal PLC by carrying out a check.

6. Automated and safe system for folding and assembling parts of an airbag, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said internal PLC is accessible and usable via a touch screen, allowing to record new and different programming programs folding and handling.

7. Automated and safe system for folding and assembling parts of an airbag, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a safety module which, by identifying malfunctions of the components and / or incorrect folding or manipulation of said airbag (100), said safety module, preferably a remote PLC, being connected via wireless networks to each of the components, and sending signals to said internal PLC.

8. Automated and safe system for folding and assembling parts of an airbag, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said airbag (100) is equipped with an identification code previously recorded in said memory of said internal PLC; said identification code, containing all the data relating to the qualities of said airbag (100) and information regarding its correct type of folding and handling according to the law; said identification code being readable by a reader engaged on said press (10), by a reader engaged on said support robot (20) and by a last reader present at said picking area (400); said internal PLC, following the first reading of said identification code, being capable of automatically setting itself and sending the correct folding and handling information to all the components.

9. Automated and safe system for folding and assembling parts of an airbag, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said picking area (400) has a collection tank, suitable for accumulating multiple airbags (100) finished.

10. Automated and safe system for folding and assembling parts of an airbag, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that said support robot (20) comprises a catch of such dimensions as to contain said airbag (100) bentover; said grip being suitablefor picking up said airbag (100), or the assembly; said catch if it is prevented from picking up said airbag (100), due to the larger size of the assembly obtained with a tolerance of + / - 0-5 mm, being capable of sending a signal, via wireless connection, to said internal PLC in order to blocking the entire system and therefore reporting the anomaly.

11. Automated and safe system for folding and assembling parts of an airbag, according to the preceding claim 10, characterized in that said catch is equipped at the ends with measurement sensors suitable for calculating the exact size of said airbag (100) which must be collected; said measurement sensors suitable for sending the data collected to said memory of said internal PLC.

Citation Information

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