Method and device for smoothing pasty compounds

Abstract

In order to smooth pasty sticky compounds, the outer surface of the compound is acted upon by a rotating rod (8) of a tool (7). In the process, the tool (7) is moved along the pasty compound. The rotational speed during the rotation (arrow 11) of the rod (8) is selected in such a way that the region of the rod (8) acting on the pasty sticky compound moves in the direction of the movement (arrow 12) of the tool (7) at a speed which is greater than the speed at which the tool (7) is moved forwards (arrow 12). The preferred field of application is the smoothing of a sealing compound (4) introduced into the edge joint (3) of an insulating glass blank (1).

Description

[0001] METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SMOOTHING PASTY MASSES

[0002] The invention relates to a method and a device for smoothing pasty (plastic) masses.

[0003] Smoothing pasty masses, especially when the pasty masses are sticky, is a problem for which there are several proposals for a solution.

[0004] The problem arises particularly when sealing insulating glass blanks, which consist of at least two glass panes and spacers arranged between them. A pasty, sticky compound (usually a hardening polysulfide-based sealant) is injected into the edge joint using a sealing nozzle. The problem is that the sealant protrudes beyond the outer circumference of the insulating glass blank, especially at the corners, and must be smoothed.

[0005] From DE 34 08 688 A it is known to use cover and wiper plates which, after filling the respective edge joint (after sealing), are peeled off from a layer covering the end edges of the glass panes transversely to the surface extent of the insulating glass element.

[0006] To smooth sealant applied to the edge joint of insulating glass blanks, it has also been proposed (AT 395 710 Bl) to use smoothing rollers, which, after the edge joint has been filled with sealant, are moved around the corner of the insulating glass blank to smooth any sealant protruding beyond the edge. These smoothing rollers can be moistened with liquid to prevent the sealant from adhering. From AT 514 796 Bl it is known to use a tool when processing sticky masses, in particular deformable sticky masses (for example, sealing masses), which at least on working surfaces that attack the material to be processed consists of a material that melts under the conditions prevailing during processing, so that a liquid film is formed on the tool which prevents the pasty mass from sticking.

[0007] Further state of the art can be found in US 2014 / 0201969 Al and US 6,250,358 Bl.

[0008] The invention is based on the objective of proposing a method and a device with which the known problems of smoothing pasty, especially sticky, masses no longer occur.

[0009] This problem is solved according to the invention by a method having the features of claim 1 on the one hand, and an arrangement having the features of the claim directed to the arrangement on the other hand.

[0010] Surprisingly, it has been shown that the adhesion of the mass is prevented by moving the area of ​​the tool that attacks the pasty, possibly also sticky, mass in the direction of movement of the tool along the mass to be smoothed.

[0011] For example, a rod-shaped tool of the device is rotated around its axis so that the area in contact with the mass to be smoothed moves in a direction that corresponds to the direction in which the tool moves along the mass to be smoothed (e.g.

[0012] The smoothing process is particularly successful when the speed at which the area (surface) of the tool in contact with the pasty mass moves is greater than the speed at which the tool is moved along the mass to be smoothed.

[0013] It has proven particularly advantageous to use a rotationally symmetrical, rotating body (rod) as a tool, which is moved along the pasty mass while constantly rotating.

[0014] For example, the tool, during which its rotationally symmetric body (rod) is rotated, is moved along the edge joint of an insulating glass blank that has been filled with sealing compound.

[0015] Especially if the tool is a rotationally symmetrical body (rod), it can be rotated at a speed of up to 10000 or 12000 revolutions per minute.

[0016] Steel, especially stainless steel, has proven to be a suitable material for the tool.

[0017] The tool can be arranged on a sealing head with (at least) one nozzle from which sealing compound is introduced into the edge joint of an insulating glass unit blank. It is preferred that the tool is arranged trailing the nozzle in relation to the direction of movement of the sealing head and thus of the at least one nozzle along the circumference of an insulating glass unit blank.

[0018] The outer shape of the rod of the tool according to the invention can be selected according to the desired shape of the outer surface of the pasty mass (sealing compound). Further details and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments with reference to the drawings. The drawings show:

[0019] Fig. 1 shows a sealing head with a tool according to the invention during the processing of insulating glass,

[0020] Fig. 2 schematically shows a first embodiment of a tool according to the invention, and

[0021] Fig. 3 shows another embodiment of a tool according to the invention.

[0022] Insulating glass blanks 1 comprise at least two glass panes 2, between which a spacer is arranged such that at least one continuous edge joint 3 is formed. During the manufacturing process of insulating glass, the edge joint(s) 3 of the insulating glass blanks 1 are filled with sealant 4. Sealant 4 is a pasty-adhesive mass that hardens, for example, a polysulfide-based mass.

[0023] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, the insulating glass blank 1 comprises three glass panes 2 and thus two circumferential edge joints 3.

[0024] To fill at least one edge joint 3 with sealing compound 4 (sealing), a nozzle 5, which is arranged on a sealing head 6, is moved along the edge joint 3, whereby the sealing head 6 and thus the nozzle 5 pivots in the area of ​​the corners of the insulating glass blank 1 in order to fill the next section of the edge joint 3 with sealing compound 4.

[0025] The sealing head 6 is associated with a drive which - optionally in combination with (linear) movements of the insulating glass blank 1 - ensures that the nozzle 5 is moved along the entire circumference of the insulating glass blank 1 in order to fill the edge joint 3 - or in the illustrated embodiment two edge joints 3 and a double nozzle 5 - with sealing compound.

[0026] In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, a tool 7 is arranged on the sealing head 6. In the simplest case, the tool 7 has a rotationally symmetrical rod 8 (see Fig. 2) with a cylindrical circumferential surface 9.

[0027] The rod 8 of the tool 7 is set in rotation (arrow 11) by a drive 10. The rotational speed of the rod 8 of the tool 7 can reach up to 10,000–15,000 revolutions per minute if the rod 9 of the tool 7 has a diameter on the order of 10 mm.

[0028] The direction of rotation of the rod 8 of the tool 7 (arrow 11) is chosen such that the area of ​​the rod 8 of the tool 7 in contact with the sealing compound 4 poured into the edge joint 3 moves in the direction of movement (arrow 12) of the sealing head 6 and thus of the nozzle 5 along the edge joint 3 (arrow 11). The direction of rotation of the rod 8 is therefore opposite to the direction of rotation of a body rolling along the insulating glass blank 1.

[0029] By moving the tool 7 along the sealing compound 4 in the edge joint 3 and by rotating the rod 8 of the tool 7 about its axis 13, sealing compound 4 builds up in front of the tool 7 (see Fig. 1), so that the sealing compound 4 in the edge joint 3 is smoothed. This also achieves the effect that the tool 7 distributes the sealing compound 4 in the edge joint 3, resulting in a uniformly filled edge joint 3 with a smooth outer surface. If it is desired that the outer surface of the sealing compound 4 in the edge joint 3 of the insulating glass blank 1 be concavely curved and formed in the manner of a cove, a tool 7 can be used whose rod 8 has a shape that is shown schematically in Fig. 3. The rod 8 of this tool 7 has a convex area 14 in a cylindrical circumferential surface 9.Thus, when the tool 7 acts on the sealing compound 4 in the edge joint 3 of the insulating glass blank 1, a concave curved outer surface of the sealing compound 4 is created.

[0030] The inventive method and the device used for it with the tool 7 have the advantage that the rapid rotation of the rod 8 prevents the pasty-sticky sealing compound 4 from adhering to the tool 7.

[0031] Furthermore, the (continuous) forward movement (arrow 12) of the rotating tool 7 presses excess pasty mass into the edge joint 3, so that a clean edge is obtained.

[0032] When the tool 7 according to the invention approaches a corner of the insulating glass blank 1 during the execution of the inventive method, the advantageous effect occurs that any bead of sealing compound 4 that may have formed is pressed into the edge joint 3 by the rotating rod 8 of the tool 7. This prevents the edge joint 3 from being insufficiently filled with sealing compound in the area of ​​the corners of the insulating glass blank 1.

[0033] As a result, the inventive method and the inventive device with tool 7 achieve a smooth seal. The tool 7 (more precisely, the rotating rod 8) remains clean because no sealing compound 4 adheres to it.

[0034] It should be noted that the inventive method and the inventive device (tool 7) are not only suitable for smoothing sealing compound 4 in the edge joint 3 of an insulating glass blank 1, but can also be used in general for smoothing pasty-sticky masses when successful smoothing is desired and when it is desirable that no pasty-sticky mass adheres to the tool 7.

[0035] The rotationally symmetrical rod 8 used as tool 7 in the device according to the invention can itself be made of any material. (Stainless) steel, whose outer circumferential surface is polished, is preferred as the material.

[0036] When using the tool 7 of the device according to the invention in the course of manufacturing insulating glass, the aim is that the rotating rod 8 does not contact the edges of the glass panes 2 of the insulating glass blank 1, or does so without pressure. This prevents chips from occurring in the edges of the glass panes 2.

[0037] In summary, an exemplary embodiment of the invention can be described as follows:

[0038] To smooth pasty-sticky masses, a rotating rod 8 of a tool 7 is used to act on the outer surface of the mass. The tool 7 is moved along the pasty mass. The rotational speed (arrow 11) of the rod 8 is selected such that the portion of the rod 8 in contact with the pasty-sticky mass moves in the direction of movement (arrow 12) of the tool 7 at a speed greater than the speed at which the tool 7 is moved forward (arrow 12). A preferred application is the smoothing of sealing compound 4 applied to the edge joint 3 of an insulating glass unit 1.

Claims

Claims:

1. Method for smoothing a pasty, in particular pasty-sticky, mass, characterized in that a tool (7) is used on the surface of the mass to be smoothed, that the tool (7) is moved along the mass to be smoothed (arrow 12) and that the surface of the tool (7) in contact with the mass to be smoothed is moved in the direction of the movement (arrow 12) of the tool (7) along the mass to be smoothed (arrow 11).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the area of ​​the tool (7) in contact with the mass to be smoothed is moved in the direction of the movement (arrow 12) of the tool (7) along the pasty mass at a speed (arrow 11) which is higher than the speed at which the tool (7) is moved along the pasty mass (arrow 12) .

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a rotationally symmetrical rod (8) is used as the tool (7) and that the rod (8) is rotated about its axis (13) (arrow 11).

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the rod (8) is set in rotation (arrow 11) at a speed of up to 12000 revolutions / minute.

5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the tool (7) of a nozzle (5) is introduced from the sealing compound (4) into at least one edge joint (3) of an insulating glass blank (1), is moved following along the edge joint (3) of the insulating glass blank (1).

6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the rod (8) of the tool (7) is moved in contact with the outer edges of the glass panes (2) of the insulating glass blank (1) when moving along the edge joint (3).

7. Method according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that a rod (8) of the tool (7) is used which has a cylindrical circumferential surface (9).

8. Method according to one of claims 3 to 7, characterized in that a tool (7) is used to produce a concave surface of the pasty mass, the rod (8) of which has a convex area (14) in its circumferential surface (9).

9. Device for smoothing pasty, in particular pasty-sticky masses, in particular for carrying out the method according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized by a tool (1) which is moved along the mass to be smoothed by means of a first drive (arrow 12) , and which is moved by means of a second drive (10) is set into a movement (arrow 11), wherein the direction of movement (arrow 11) of the tool (7) and the direction of movement (arrow 12) of the area of ​​the tool (7) in contact with the mass to be smoothed are in the same direction along the mass to be smoothed.

10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that the tool (7) has a rotationally symmetrical rod (8) to which a rotary drive (10) is assigned.

11. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that the rod (8) has a cylindrical circumferential surface (9).

12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that the rod (8) has at least one convex area (14) in its cylindrical circumferential surface (9).

13. Device according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the tool (7) is arranged on a sealing head (6) with a nozzle (5) for introducing sealing compound into at least one edge joint (3) of an insulating glass blank (1).

14. Device according to claim 13, characterized in that the tool (7) is arranged trailing the nozzle (5) along the edge joint (3) of the insulating glass blank (1) with respect to the direction of movement (arrow 12) of the sealing head (6).

15. Device according to one of claims 9 to 14, characterized in that the rod (8) of the tool (7) is driven at a speed at which the area of ​​the rod (8) in contact with the mass to be smoothed moves faster than the tool (7) along the mass to be smoothed.

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