Seam Bonding and Sealing Using Viscosity-Staged Polyurethane Beads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Automated adhesive bonding and sealing of motor vehicle components often fail to fully penetrate cavities and stepped formations, necessitating manual follow-up work to ensure complete sealing.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method where a high-viscosity, solvent-free, liquid-curing polyurethane adhesive material is applied in a compact bead over a lower-viscosity, elastic sealing material, allowing the sealing material to flow into and fill cavities at seams and joints, ensuring complete sealing without manual intervention.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automated adhesive bonding and sealing is used, then productivity increases and manual work decreases, but sealing completeness deteriorates due to incomplete penetration into cavities and stepped formations
Solution Approach 1:
The sealing process is divided into two distinct phases: first applying a flowable sealing material to fill cavities and stepped formations, then applying an adhesive material that presses the sealing material into the cavities. This segmentation allows each material to perform its specific function optimally without manual intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the viscosity difference between the flowable sealing material (lower viscosity) and the adhesive material (higher viscosity) to achieve complete sealing. The sealing material's lower viscosity allows it to flow into cavities, while the adhesive material's higher viscosity enables it to press and distribute the sealing material effectively during automated application.
2Device complexity
If a single material is used for both sealing and adhesive bonding, then device complexity decreases, but functional performance deteriorates due to inability to simultaneously achieve filling and bonding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite approach by applying two different materials (sealing material and adhesive material) in sequence. The sealing material provides filling and sealing functionality, while the adhesive material provides bonding and pressing functionality. This composite material strategy achieves complete sealing and strong bonding without requiring complex manual follow-up work.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the sealing and adhesive bonding operations into a single automated process by applying both materials in one continuous operation. The adhesive material is applied over the sealing material, combining the sealing function (from the first material) and the bonding function (from the second material) into one integrated automated process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables fully automated adhesive bonding and sealing of motor vehicle components, eliminating the need for manual follow-up work by using the adhesive material to distribute and press the sealing material into all cavities, ensuring effective and complete sealing.
Implementation Method 1
The adhesive material is a material of higher viscosity than the sealing material, which is an elastic, solvent-free, liquid-curing material based on polyurethane, with a viscosity which is lower than that of the adhesive material
Implementation Method 2
allowing the sealing material to flow into and fill cavities at seams and joints
Implementation Method 3
the adhesive material to distribute the sealing material in the spaces which are to be sealed at the seams and joints
Data Source
AI summary
The adhesive bonding and sealing by application of adhesive material and sealing material at corresponding seams and joints, wherein the adhesive material is arranged to rest directly, at least in part, on the sealing material.