METHOD AND DEVICE FOR FILLING HOLLOW PROFILE STRIPS

Abstract

A device for filling spacer frames with hollow-section strips has a storage tank for free-flowing, hygroscopic fill material, such as a molecular sieve. A line that leads to the spacer frame to be filled extends from the storage tank and empties into a fill opening in the wall of the spacer frame. The amount of the fill material poured into the spacer frame is determined by the amount of the fill material removed from the storage tank being detected. The amount of the fill material removed from the storage tank is detected by measuring the travel of a piston that rests with pressure on the fill material in the storage tank. The degree of filling is verified by the amount of the fill material removed from the storage tank being compared to the preset amount of the fill material that is to be poured into the spacer frame.

Claims

1. Method for filling hollow-section strips, wherein free-flowing fill material is introduced from a storage tank into the hollow-section strips, the method comprising detecting the amount of the fill material that is introduced into the hollow-section strips by detecting the amount of the fill material removed from the storage tank.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the change in the level of fill material in the storage tank is detected.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein pressure is exerted on the top of the fill material contained in the storage tank.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein pressure is exerted using a piston that can move in the storage tank.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the piston is loaded pneumatically.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the drop in the level of fill material in the storage tank is determined by detecting the travel of the piston in the storage tank.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the degree of filling of the hollow-section strip is verified by a calculated threshold value for the degree of filling of the hollow-section strip being compared to the amount of the fill material removed from the storage tank as an actual value.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein underpressure is generated in the storage tank in order to suction off fill material in the storage tank.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein fill material is prevented from exiting from the outlet opening after the filling process is completed by closing the lines in the manner of a pinch valve.

10. Device for implementing the method according to claim 1, further comprising a storage tank for fill material, by a piston that can move in the storage tank, by a system for loading the piston with a preset pressure, by a line, which connects the storage tank to the hollow-section strip that is to be filled, and by a system for detecting the travel distance that pushes the piston back in the storage tank when fill material is removed.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein a line to which underpressure can be applied is connected to the storage tank for generating underpressure in the storage tank.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein a line is connected to the outlet opening of the storage tank and in that the line is assigned to a shut-off valve.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein there is play between the piston and the inside of the wall of the storage tank.

14. The device according to claim 10, wherein the piston stops when the actual amount of the fill material has been poured into the hollow-section strip.

15. The device according to claim 10, wherein the system for detecting the travel distance, by which the piston is moved in the storage tank, is a measuring guide.

16. The device according to claim 10, wherein the line, which runs from the storage tank to the hollow-section strip that is to be filled is a flexible hose, and wherein the free end of the fill line can be closed in the manner of a pinch valve.

17. The device according to claim 16, wherein a nozzle to which compressed air can be applied is provided in order to close the line in the manner of a pinch valve.

18. The device according to claim 10, wherein an underpressure line is connected to the line, which underpressure line runs to a source for underpressure.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein a filter is provided in the underpressure line.

20. The device according to claim 10, wherein two storage tanks are provided that are connected in parallel and wherein a line for filling a spacer frame extends from each storage tank.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Further details and features of the invention follow from the description below of preferred embodiments based on the drawings. Here:

[0031] FIG. 1 shows diagrammatically a storage tank in the starting position,

[0032] FIG. 2 shows the storage tank from FIG. 1 after the filling of a spacer frame,

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a unit for implementing the method according to the invention, and

[0034] FIG. 4 shows another unit for implementing the method according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0035] In a storage tank 5 that is shown diagrammatically in FIGS. 1 and 2, fill material 20 (e.g., desiccant in the form of a molecular sieve) is stored up, which is to be poured into a spacer frame 11 for insulating glass.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 1, a piston 12 rests on the top of the fill material 20, which piston is pressed with a preset force F on the surface of the fill material 20.

[0037] After a spacer frame 11 is filled, the piston 12 has been moved downward by the distance ΔH (FIG. 2). The amount of the fill material 20 (e.g., molecular sieve) that is actually introduced into the spacer frame 11 can be determined from the distance ΔH, by which the piston 12 has been moved, and the surface area of the piston 2.

[0038] To this end, it can be provided, for example, that the stroke of the piston 12, i.e., the distance ΔH, is detected using a measuring system, as will be further described below.

[0039] In the unit (device) for filling a spacer frame 11 that is shown in FIG. 3, two storage tanks 5 are provided. In each of the storage tanks 5, a piston 12 is provided, which piston is pressed onto the top of the fill material 20. To this end, the piston 12 is connected to a piston rod of a pneumatic cylinder 1, so that the piston 12 is pressed onto the fill material 20 in the storage tank 5.

[0040] In order to detect the travel distance (A H) by which the piston 12 is moved when fill material 20 is removed from the storage tanks 5, a measuring guide 2 is provided. Instead of a measuring guide 2, any system can be provided that directly or indirectly detects the movements of the piston.

[0041] Lines are connected to the storage tank 5, which lines lead to a vacuum pump 3, so that underpressure can be generated in the storage tanks 5. This underpressure facilitates the feeding of fill material 20 (in particular free-flowing or pourable granular material in the form of a hygroscopic substance, such as a molecular sieve) via a line 4.

[0042] In the storage tanks 5, an outlet opening 6 is provided below, to which opening a line 7 in the form of a hose is connected. Fill material 20 is introduced into a spacer frame 11 through the line 7, by the line 7 being introduced into fill openings, which were generated previously in the outer wall of a spacer frame 11 that consists of hollow-section strips or a hollow-section strip that is bent to form a frame. The free end 10 of the line 7 can be closed using a nozzle 9 in the manner of a pinch valve, when compressed air is fed to the nozzle 9 via a compressed air hose 8. The line 7 can thus be closed if the filling of a spacer frame 11 was completed. This makes it possible to remove the spacer frame 11 and to close the openings in the spacer frame 11 by introducing a plastic, hardening material.

[0043] The embodiment, shown in FIG. 4, of a unit for implementing the method according to the invention corresponds except for the difference, cited below, of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3.

[0044] Underpressure lines 25 extend from the lines 7 in the area of their free ends 10, which when spacer frames 11 are used for filling, are connected to the latter. Filters 26 are provided in the underpressure lines 25. The underpressure lines 25 are connected to—shown only symbolically in FIG. 4—jet pumps 27 in the area of bottlenecks 28. In the medium (for example, air) that flows through the jet pumps 27, underpressure is produced in the area of the bottleneck 28, which keeps fill material 20 (desiccant) from exiting from the free ends of the lines 7. As soon as this is achieved, the spacer frame 11 can be removed from the unit. In addition, fill material 20 is prevented from exiting from the lines 7 by closing pins 30 when the latter have been moved by their drives 31 into their closing position, in which they rest on the ends 10 of the lines 7.

[0045] In summary, an embodiment of the invention can be described as follows:

[0046] A device for filling spacer frames 11 that consist of hollow-section strips has a storage tank 5 for free-flowing, hygroscopic fill material 20, such as a molecular sieve. A line 7 that leads to the spacer frame 11 that is to be filled extends from the storage tank 5 and empties into a fill opening in the wall of the spacer frame 11. The amount of the fill material 20 that is poured into the spacer frame 11 is determined by the amount of the fill material 20 removed from the storage tank 5 being detected. The amount of the fill material 20 removed from the storage tank 5 is detected by measuring the travel (ΔH) of a piston 12 that rests with pressure on the fill material 20 in the storage tank 5. The degree of filling is verified by the amount of the fill material 20 removed from the storage tank 5 being compared to the preset amount of the fill material 20 that is to be poured into the spacer frame 11.