METHOD AND DEVICE FOR PRODUCING AN EDGEFOLD

Abstract

A device for producing an edgefold on a component is suggested, wherein the component includes a support and a cover layer. The component may be an inner lining part of a motor vehicle, without limitation thereto. The device comprises an elastic body, which is set up to pull the cover layer over an edge of the support by deforming the elastic body.

Claims

1.-13. (canceled)

14. A method to produce an edgefold on a component, which comprises a support and a cover layer, the method comprising: providing the component, wherein the support has a front side and a rear side and the cover layer is laminated to the front side of the support, wherein the support is rigid relative to the cover layer, positioning the component relatively to an elastic body, such that a boundary of the elastic body lies adjacent an edge of the support to have the edgefold, deforming the elastic body, such that material of the elastic body is pressed outwards in a direction of the edge and forms a material bulge and the material bulge pulls or pushes the cover layer from a front side of the support over the edge of the support and/or presses the cover layer in a direction of a rear side of the support.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the elastic body is clamped between two pressure plates and the two pressure plates are moved relatively to one another for deforming the elastic body.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the elastic body in a plane, which extends perpendicularly to a height of the elastic body centrally between a top surface of the elastic body and a base surface of the elastic body, has a first cross-sectional area A1 in a relaxed state, a second cross-sectional area A2 upon exertion of a first pressure P1, wherein the material bulge protrudes from the top surface and the base surface by a first dimension B1, and a third cross-sectional area A3 upon exertion of a second pressure P2 greater than first pressure P1, wherein the material bulge protrudes from the top surface and the base surface by a second dimension B2, wherein A1<A2<A3 and wherein B1<B2.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the pressure plates are initially set to a first spacing, in order to exert the first pressure P1 on the elastic body, and then the material bulge of the elastic body is moved from the front side of the support, past the edge of the support, in the direction of the rear side of the support, such that the material bulge pulls or pushes the cover layer along the edge of the support, from the front side of the support in the direction of the rear side of the support.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the pressure plates are subsequently set to a second spacing less than the first spacing, in order to exert the second pressure P2 on the elastic body, and the material bulge of the elastic body, forced outwards while changing the spacing, pulls or pushes the cover layer in the direction of the rear side of the support and presses the cover layer against the rear side of the support.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein: the edge of the support is also and an edge of an opening in the support, the elastic body is configured to produce the edgefold at the edge of an opening in the support, and a contour of the elastic body is adapted to a contour of the opening, the elastic body is guided at least to some extent through the opening, in order to pull the cover layer along the edge of the support, from the front side of the support in the direction of the rear side of the support, and the elastic body is deformed, in order to form the material bulge at a plurality of sides of the elastic body or at part of a periphery of the elastic body or an entire periphery of the elastic body, wherein the material bulge presses the cover layer along a part of the edge of the opening or along an entirety of the edge of the opening in the direction of the rear side of the support.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the elastic body is deformed prior to being guided through the opening, and further deformed after being guided through the opening to press the cover layer against the rear side of the support, and is relaxed after the pressing of the cover layer against the rear side of the support, in order to move the elastic body out of the opening, at which the edgefold was produced, without contact of the component.

21. A method to produce an edgefold on a component, which comprises a support and a cover layer, the method comprising: providing the component, wherein the support has a front side and a rear side and the cover layer is laminated to the front side of the support, wherein the support has an opening defined by an edge and the cover layer comprises a protrusion which overlies a portion of the opening of the support, providing an elastic body, deforming the elastic body, such that a bulge is formed in the elastic body which is passable through the opening, after the bulge is formed in the elastic body, moving the elastic body and/or the component relative to each other, such that the bulge in the elastic body contacts the protrusion of the cover layer which overlies the portion of the opening and moves the protrusion towards the back side of the support as the elastic body and/or the component move relative to each other, after the bulge in the elastic body contacts the protrusion of the cover layer which overlies the portion of the opening and moves the protrusion towards the back side of the support, further deforming the elastic body, such that the bulge in the elastic body increases and, as the bulge increases, the bulge further moves the protrusion towards the back side of the support such that the protrusion contacts the back side of the support surrounding the opening whereby the protrusion forms the edgefold over the edge of the support defining the opening.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein moving the elastic body and/or the component relative to each other, such that the bulge in the elastic body contacts the protrusion of the cover layer which overlies the portion of the opening and moves the protrusion towards the back side of the support as the elastic body and/or the component move relative to each other further comprises moving the elastic body relative to the component, such that the bulge in the elastic body contacts the protrusion of the cover layer which overlies the portion of the opening and moves the protrusion towards the back side of the support as the elastic body moves relative to the component.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein moving the elastic body and/or the component relative to each other, such that the bulge in the elastic body contacts the protrusion of the cover layer which overlies the portion of the opening and moves the protrusion towards the back side of the support as the elastic body and/or the component move relative to each other further comprises moving the elastic body relative to the opening, such that the bulge in the elastic body contacts the protrusion of the cover layer which overlies the portion of the opening and moves the protrusion towards the back side of the support as the elastic body moves relative to the opening.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein moving the elastic body relative to the opening, such that the bulge in the elastic body contacts the protrusion of the cover layer which overlies the portion of the opening and moves the protrusion towards the back side of the support as the elastic body moves relative to the opening further comprises moving the elastic body within the opening, such that the bulge in the elastic body contacts the protrusion of the cover layer which overlies the portion of the opening and moves the protrusion towards the back side of the support as the elastic body moves within the opening.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising relaxing the elastic body, after forming the edgefold, to eliminate or reduce the bulge in the elastic body such that the elastic body is passable through the opening.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising moving the elastic body, after relaxing the elastic body, through the opening without contacting the component.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the back side of the support surrounding the opening and/or the protrusion which contacts the back side of the support surrounding the opening includes an adhesive which bonds the protrusion to the back side of the support.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the adhesive bonds the protrusion to the back side of the support when the protrusion contacts the back side of the support.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein deforming the elastic body, such that a bulge is formed in the elastic body is performed while the elastic body is positioned at the front side of the support remote from the opening.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising moving the elastic body and/or the component relative to each other, such that the elastic body occupies the opening.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein deforming the elastic body, such that a bulge is formed in the elastic body further comprises compressing the elastic body in a compression direction, such that the bulge is formed in the elastic body in a bulge direction which is transverse to the compression direction.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein the elastic body is arranged between two pressure plates, and the elastic body is deformed by a relative movement of at least one of the two pressure plates towards each other.

33. The method of claim 21, wherein the elastic body has a periphery and the bulge is formed completely around the periphery of the elastic body.

Description

[0023] The FIGS. 1 to 6 schematically show various stages of production of an edgefold with a device according to an example;

[0024] FIGS. 7 and 8 schematically show two different examples of an elastic body.

[0025] In the description, the same reference numbers are used for corresponding parts. To the extent that certain features are described in relation to one of the figures, this description also applies for the corresponding features in the other figures. Furthermore, the above description of various features and variations also applies for the further examples. A repetition of the features and variations should be dispensed with, so as to not make reading unnecessarily harder. For the sake of better clarity, a portion of the reference numbers are also omitted in a few figures. Nevertheless, the description of the features also applies for these figures.

[0026] In FIG. 1, an inner lining part 10 of a motor vehicle is illustrated schematically in section. In its simplest form, the inner lining part 10 comprises a relatively rigid support 12 and a cover layer 14. The support 12 may include a relatively rigid support component, e.g. made from plastic or a composite material, such as a fibre composite material, which determines the contour of the inner lining part. The support component can be laminated with a cover layer, e.g. with a cover layer made from a textile fabric, such as a weaved or knitted material or knitted fabrics, made from smooth leather, suede or artificial leather, Alcantara or Dinamica®, microfibre material or from various types of plastic films. An intermediate layer, e.g. a foam layer or a spacer fibre layer, can be provided between the support component and the cover layer, or as a constituent of the cover layer.

[0027] Without limitation thereof, it is assumed in the following example that the support is a plastic injection moulded part and that the cover layer is produced from leather, artificial leather or a cloth material. In FIG. 1, the inner lining part is illustrated with an opening 16, and at the opening boundary 16′, the cover layer 14 has a protrusion 14′ which is used for forming the edgefold. In the figures, the front side of the inner lining part 10 faces downwards and the rear side faces upwards.

[0028] In FIG. 1, an elastic body 20, also only termed body 20 in the following, is further illustrated in a sectional view. The body 20 is held between a top plate 22 and a base plate 24. FIG. 1 shows the elastic body 20 in the relaxed state when no pressure is exerted on the plates. The contour of the elastic body 20 and the two plates 22, 24 viewed from above in the drawing (see the arrow K in FIG. 1), corresponds to the contour of the opening 16, wherein the contour is somewhat smaller in terms of diameter (perpendicularly to the drawing plane of the figures), e.g. 1 to 2 mm smaller.

[0029] In this example, the height H of the body 20 (in the drawing plane; see FIG. 1) is between 3 and 6 cm, e.g. approximately 4 or 5 cm. The Shore A hardness is between 2 and 20, more specifically between 3 and 15, e.g. approximately 12.

[0030] FIGS. 7 and 8 schematically show two examples of elastic bodies 30 and 40, which are clamped between a top plate 32, 42 and a base plate 24, 34 in each case. The respective top surfaces of the bodies 30, 40 determine the contour K thereof, which can be adapted to the edge of the inner lining part or opening thereof. FIG. 8 shows a cuboidal body 40, wherein the height H, width B, and length L of the elastic body 40 are illustrated in the figure. FIG. 7 shows a cylindrical body 30, wherein the height H of the elastic body 30 is illustrated. Instead of the shapes shown, any desired other shapes adapted to the contour of the inner lining part or an opening thereof can be designed. The cylinder does not have to be a circular cylinder for example, but rather can have a freely shaped contour K. The cuboid may be varied not only in terms of the dimensions thereof, the side surfaces of the cuboid may also be modified as three-dimensionally shaped surfaces in accordance with the contour of the inner lining part or an opening thereof.

[0031] In a first processing step, which is shown in FIG. 1, the relaxed body 20 is aligned in such a manner that it is flush with the opening 16, or a boundary 20′ of the body 20 is aligned to a boundary 16′ of the opening (or to a different boundary of the inner lining part, if the edgefold is not formed at an opening). The positioning can take place in a positioning tool which is not shown.

[0032] In a further processing step, which is shown in FIG. 2, the top plate 22 and the base plate 24 are moved towards one another, so that the body 20 is slightly compressed and forms a first material bulge 20a, which protrudes by a few millimetres compared to the contour of the plates 22, 24, e.g. by 1 to 3 mm on all sides of the contour of the body 20. The first material bulge 20a is identified in FIG. 2 by means of a dashed line relatively to the rest of the body 20. The lateral extent of the body is thus enlarged in such a manner that the body no longer passes through the opening without contact. This state is termed a prestressed body 20 in the following. The plates 22, 24 can be compressed by means of an automatic pressing device.

[0033] In a next processing step, which is shown in FIG. 3, the prestressed body 20 is moved from the front side of the inner lining part 10 into the opening, wherein this can take place by moving the body 20 and/or the inner lining part 10. In this case, the first material bulge 20a comes into contact with the protruding part 14′ of the cover layer 14 and pulls or pushes the same through the opening 16 and to the rear side of the support 12. Owing to the elasticity of the body 20, air and creases which may be present may be pressed or pulled out of the cover layer during this movement and the cover layer can be virtually ironed, so that it rests in a smooth and bubble-free manner on the opening edge 16′. During this processing step, the whole or essentially the whole body 20 can pass through the opening 16, so that at the end of the processing step, the lower edge of the elastic body 20, i.e. the boundary surface between the body 20 and the base plate 24 lies at the height or approximately at the height of the opening edge 16′.

[0034] In a subsequent processing step, which is shown in FIG. 4, the top plate 22 and the base plate 24 are moved further towards one another, so that the body 20 is more strongly compressed and forms a second material bulge 20b, which protrudes by a considerable amount compared to the contour of the plates 22, 24, e.g. by 10 to 25 mm or by approximately 20 mm on all sides of the contour of the body 20. The second material bulge 10b is identified in FIG. 4 by means of a dashed line relative to the rest of the body 20. The lateral extent of the body 20 is enlarged significantly as a result, and the body “bulges” forwards between the plates 22, 24, so that it presses against the protruding part 14′ of the cover layer 14 and presses the same over the opening edge 16′ away from the opening 16 and against the rear side of the support 12. This state is termed a pressed body 20 in the following. The plates 22, 24 can in turn be compressed by means of the automatic pressing device.

[0035] As a result, the pressed body 20 exerts a controlled pressure against the protruding part 14′ of the cover layer 14 and the rear side of the support 12, which is used to connect the protruding part 14′ of the cover layer 14 to the rear side of the support 12 and thus to produce the edgefold 18. Owing to the elasticity of the body 20, air and creases which may still be present may also be pressed or pulled out of the edgefold 14′ of the cover layer 14 during this movement and the cover layer can be virtually ironed onto the rear side of the support, so that it rests in a smooth and bubble-free manner on the rear side of the support 12, in order to form the edgefold 18.

[0036] To produce a permanent connection, an adhesive can be applied in the region of the opening 16 onto the rear side of the support 12 and/or the protruding part 14′ of the cover layer 14, or the same can be heated for activating an adhesive or an inherent adhesive action of the materials used, for example by means of the melting of thermoplastics.

[0037] Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 5, the elastic body 20 is relaxed, so that the contour thereof returns back to a periphery which is slightly smaller than the contour of the opening, so that the body can then be pulled out of the opening without contact, as shown in FIG. 6. As a result, any risk of the damage of the just produced edgefold 18 can be prevented.

[0038] In a variant, at the end of the processing step shown in FIG. 5, a laminating rim (not shown) can be applied onto the edgefold 18, in order to fix the edgefold 18 more strongly by applying additional pressure and/or additional heat.

[0039] An edgefold can also be produced in a similar manner at an outer boundary of a lining part.