METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MOUNTING A HEADREST FOR A VEHICLE SEAT

Abstract

A method for the semi-automated assembly of a headrest for a vehicle seat, including the following method steps: feeding a cover stretched in a holder of the headrest to a conveying device, which cover includes an opening, such that an edge region of the opening is held open by the holder in such a way that a head box can be inserted into an inner space of the cover; transporting the holder in the conveying device to at least one workstation; feeding and mounting of an upholstered part; orienting seam edges of the cover; automatic assembly of a head box assembly in an inner space of the pocket-like cover; closing the opening of the cover; removing the headrest from the holder; removing the holder from the conveying device; and performing an ironing process.

Claims

1-24. (canceled)

25. A method for semi-automated assembly of a headrest for a vehicle seat, comprising the steps of: feeding a cover stretched in a holder of the headrest to a conveying device, which cover comprises an opening, so that an edge region of the opening is held open by the holder so that a head box is insertable into an inner space of the cover; transporting the holder in the conveying device to at least one workstation; automatically assembling a head box assembly in the inner space of the cover; closing the opening of the cover; removing the headrest from the holder; and removing the holder from the conveying device.

26. The method according to claim 25, including arranging the cover in the holder and the conveying device so that the opening is directed upwards in a vertical direction.

27. The method according to claim 25, further including arranging an upholstered part in the inner space before mounting to the head box assembly.

28. The method according to claim 27, including arranging the upholstered part on the head box assembly or on a separate support prior to assembly.

29. The method according to claim 27, including reducing volume of the upholstered part by vacuumizing or mechanical compression before mounting in the cover.

30. The method according to claim 25, further including orienting at least one seam of the cover using a tool.

31. The method according to claim 25, further including mounting closure strips adjacent to the opening at oppositely arranged edge regions of the opening, and closing the opening by bringing closure means of the closure strips into engagement.

32. The method according to claim 31, including mounting the closure strips on the cover before the cover is mounted on the holder.

33. The method according to claim 25, including mounting an actuating means to a head part of the headrest after the head box assembly is mounted.

34. The method according to claim 25, further including subjecting the fully-assembled headrest to an ironing process.

35. A device for assembly of a headrest, comprising: a conveying device for transporting a workpiece to at least one workstation with a holder for fastening a cover; an apparatus for keeping an opening of the cover open; at least one first feeding device for feeding the holder equipped with the cover from a storage into an intended position of the conveying device; at least a second feeding device for feeding a pre-assembled head box assembly to the conveying device and for mounting in an inner space of the cover; at least one closing device for closing the opening of the cover; and at least one transport device by which the headrest is separated from the holder and the holder and the headrest are placed on at least one transport device.

36. The device according to claim 35, wherein the holder is arranged in the conveying device so that the opening of the cover is directed substantially upwards.

37. The device according to claim 35, further comprising an upholstered part feeding and mounting device operatively configured to position an upholstered part in the inner space of the cover.

38. The device according to claim 37, wherein the upholstered part feeding and mounting device is configured to position the upholstered part on a head box assembly prior to being mounted in the cover.

39. The device according to claim 37, further comprising a vacuum device or a mechanical deflation device operative to reduce volume of the upholstered part.

40. The device according to claim 35, further comprising a seam orientation device configured to lay at least one cover edge of a seam of the cover in a defined direction.

41. The device according to claim 35, further comprising an actuating means mounting station configured to latch an actuator to a head box through an opening formed in the cover.

42. The device according to claim 35, further comprising an ironing device configured to apply heat, steam and pressure for a defined time to a head part of the fully-assembled headrest so as to smooth a surface of the head part.

43. The device according to claim 35, wherein the cover on at least one region adjacent to the opening comprises strips for stiffening.

44. The device according to claim 43, wherein the strips have closure means.

45. The device according to claim 44, wherein the strips comprise means for fastening to the holder.

46. The device according to claim 45, wherein the means for fastening to the holder are also the closure means.

47. The device according to claim 35, wherein the holder comprises fastening means for the cover.

48. The device according to claim 47, wherein the fastening means are configured so that the cover is held open when accommodated in the holder.

Description

[0055] The schematic figures show in:

[0056] FIG. 1 a top view of an assembly line for automatic assembly of a headrest,

[0057] FIG. 2a a perspective view of a cover of the headrest,

[0058] FIG. 2b a perspective view of a holder of the assembly device for holding the cover, and a cover,

[0059] FIG. 3 a perspective view of the holder with mounted cover,

[0060] FIG. 4a a perspective view of a first embodiment of the assembly station for the assembly of the upholstered part, wherein the upholstered part is vacuumed in a deflation device,

[0061] FIG. 4b a perspective view of a second embodiment of a mechanical deflation device, wherein an ejector is not shown,

[0062] FIG. 4c in relation to FIG. 4b, the deflation device with an ejector,

[0063] FIG. 4d the device according to FIG. 4c, wherein a cover is attached to the device,

[0064] FIG. 5 a schematic top view of a seam with non-oriented seam edges,

[0065] FIG. 6 a top view of the seam according to FIG. 9, wherein the seam edges are oriented,

[0066] FIG. 7 a perspective illustration of an assembly comprising a head box with locking device and support rods,

[0067] FIG. 8 a perspective illustration of the assembly according to FIG. 5, with the assembly in an assembly position,

[0068] FIG. 9 a perspective view of an ironing device,

[0069] An assembly device for automatically assembling a headrest 50 as a whole is denoted by reference character 10 in the Figures.

[0070] According to FIG. 1, the assembly device 10 comprises a first feeding device 11 with which a holder 12 for holding a cover 13 is taken out of a storage 27 and inserted into a free receptacle 22 of a conveying device 15. The storage 27 already contains pre-assembled holders 12 to which the cover 13 is already attached. In the present example, the holder 12 is initially arranged on a transport device 28 by a machine arm 30 and starting therefrom, is transported to a pick-off position 29, a machine arm 31 can pick up the holder 12 with the cover 13 attached to it from the pick-off position 29 and insert it into the receptacle 22.

[0071] FIG. 2a shows the cover 13 and FIG. 2b shows the holder 12 with the cover 13 not yet attached. FIG. 3 shows the assembly group of holder 12 and cover 13 attached to it.

[0072] As can be seen in FIGS. 2a, 2b and 3, the cover 13 comprises an opening 16. The cover 13 comprises a plurality of cuttings connected to one another by at least one seam 17 to form a pocket shape with an inner space 18, into which a pre-assembled head box assembly, comprising a head box provided with support rods 19a and 19b and a locking device can be inserted through the opening 16.

[0073] Adjacent to the opening 16, strips 21 are secured to the cover 13 and are configured for stiffening edge regions of the cover 13 adjacent to the opening 16 and further include closure means 25 adapted to close the opening 16. In the present example, strips 14a and 14b are attached to the cover 13 on opposite longitudinal sides of the opening 16 and strips 14c and 14d are attached to the cover 13 on opposite narrow sides of the opening 16.

[0074] The holder 12 comprises fastening means 24a and 24b opposite one another with respect to a recess 23, with which the closure means 25 of the strips 14a and 14b can be fastened to the holder 12. Fastening elements 24c and 24d are also formed on side regions 26 of the holder 12, which can be engaged with the closure means 25 of the strips 14c and 14d.

[0075] The fastening means 24a and 24b are spaced from one another by a length 11 and the fastening means 24c and 24d are spaced from one another by a length 12. The lengths 11 and 12 are selected to span the opening 16 sufficiently wide open to allow the head box 20 of the headrest 50 to be displaced through the opening 16 into the inner space 18.

[0076] The cover 13 is fixed in the holder 12, for example, in such a way that the opening 16 points upwards in the direction z1. In this way, the components of the headrest 10 that are arranged within the cover 13 can be mounted more easily.

[0077] The recess 23 in the holder 12 is formed in such a way that the head box 20 can pass through it during assembly. The conveying device 15 transports the holder 12 in the direction x to a station 32 for the mounting of an upholstered part 33. In an alternative embodiment of the method, the mounting step of mounting an upholstered part 33 can as well be omitted. This is the case, for example, if the upholstered part 33 has been mounted in advance on the head box 20 or the head box 20 has been previously foamed over, for example. Alternatively, the head box 20 could also comprise an expandable polypropylene (EPP), so that no upholstered part or foam is necessary.

[0078] By means of a feeding device 70, upholstered parts 33 are taken out from a storage 34 and brought into a pre-assembly position 36. In this exemplary embodiment, pre-produced upholstered parts 33 are fed from the storage 34 to a transport device 35 by means of a machine arm 60, which conveys the upholstered part 33 into the position 36. In position 36, the upholstered part 33 can be applied to a support 37 movable by means of a machine arm 61 (see FIG. 4a), e.g. by moving the support 37 into an inner space 69 of the upholstered part 33. An opening 72 to the inner space 69 of the upholstered part 33 points in the position 36, e.g. upwards in the direction z1. According to an alternative embodiment, the support may also be formed by a head box assembly 45 comprising the head box, support rods 19a and 19b, and optionally a locking device.

[0079] For example, the support 37 includes a suction device 59 that allows to deflate the upholstered part 33 so that its volume is reduced and assembly in the cover 13 is facilitated. The machine arm 61 is used for picking up the support 37 with the upholstered part 33 from the assembly position 36, and the support 37 is partially inserted into the inner space 18 in the direction z2 in such a way that the upholstered part 33 is arranged in the cover 13 and arranged in the desired position. Thereupon, the deflation of the upholstered part 33 is terminated, whereupon it assumes its original volume due to its elastic restoring force. The support 37 can then for example be moved in the direction z1, wherein the upholstered part 33 remains in the cover 13.

[0080] Alternatively, the vacuumizing of the upholstered part can also be carried out at a in a stationary vacuumizing device, wherein a machine arm removes the vacuumed upholstered part 33 from the device and inserts it into the inner space 18 of the cover 13.

[0081] According to an alternative embodiment, the upholstered part 33 could also be compressed by means of a mechanical compression device and then automatically inserted into the cover 13 by means of a machine arm (see FIGS. 4b, 4c and 4d). For example, a mechanical deflator 74 comprises a chamber 75 with a lid 76 and an opening 77 (see FIG. 4b). The upholstered part 33 is inserted into an inner space 78 of the chamber 75. When the lid 76 is closed, the upholstered part 33 is compressed (see FIG. 4c). Alternatively, instead of using the lid 76 to reduce the volume of the upholstered part 33, other means may be used to reduce the inner space 78 of the chamber while compressing the upholstered part 33.

[0082] The chamber 75 can be arranged relative to the opening 16 of the cover 13 by means of a machine arm (not shown), wherein the opening 16 points upwards in the direction z1 according to the direction arrows in FIG. 4d. The compressed upholstered part 33 is displaced through the opening 77 into the inner space 18 of the cover 13 by means of an ejector 79.

[0083] According to a further alternative, also mechanical compression of the upholstered part 33 by machine is considered, wherein the compressed upholstered part 33 is removed from the locally fixed compressing device by means of a machine arm and mounted in the cover 13.

[0084] To prevent the free fabric edges 38a and 38b of the cover 13, which were created by the seams 17, from lying in an uncontrolled manner, which may be visible from the outside, with the free fabric edges 38a and 38b are oriented at a station 39 by means of a tool (not illustrated) by a machine arm 66 (see FIGS. 9 and 10)

[0085] In a following working step, the assembly 45 (see FIGS. 7 and 8) of the head box 20 together with the support rods 19a and 19b and the locking device is inserted into the inner space 18 of the cover 13 in the direction z2 by a machine arm 41 through the opening 16 in such a way that the head box 20 is located inside the upholstered part 33 and the support rods 19a and 19b project out of the opening 16.

[0086] The assembly 45 is pre-assembled and provided in a storage 42 and moved to a pick-off position 68 by a feeding device 71. In this example, a machine arm 43 picks-off the assembly 45 from the storage 42 and places it in a predetermined orientation in which, for example, the head box 20 is directed downwards and the support rods 19a and 19b are directed upwards in the direction z1 (see FIG. 8), on a transport device 44. In the pick-off position 68, the machine arm 41 can pick up the assembly 45 and mount it in the cover 13 as described above.

[0087] The assembly 62, comprising the assembly 45, the upholstered part 33 and the cover 13, is then conveyed by the conveying device 15 to a station 46, at which the opening 16 is closed by means of the closure strips 21 by bringing the closure means 25 of oppositely-arranged strips 14a and 14b into engagement. In the present exemplary embodiment, a machine arm 47 is provided for closing the opening 16, but alternatively multiple machine arms 47 may be present at one station 46 or at multiple stations for this purpose.

[0088] The assembly 62 is then conveyed by the conveying device 15 to a station 49, at which an actuating means 51 is inserted into the assembly 62 by means of a machine arm 58 to actuate the locking device. The actuating means 51 is picked-off from a storage 52. In this example, the actuating means 51 is formed by a pre-assembled button device, which is guided through a recess 65 of the cover 13 (see FIG. 2a) and into a recess 83 in the head box 20 and latched.

[0089] By means of the conveying device 15, the headrest 50 including the pushbutton 51 is conveyed to a station 67. A machine arm 53 picks off the headrest 10 from the holder 12 and places it on a transport device 48. The empty holder 12 is placed on a transport device 54 by the machine arm 53.

[0090] For a subsequent ironing process in which a head part 73 of the fully-assembled headrest 50 is subjected to heat treatment, a machine arm 55 picks-off the headrest 10 from the transport device 48 and places it in an ironing device 56. The ironing device 56 (see FIG. 9) comprises, for example, a mold 80 with mold parts 81a and 81b and a recess 82 which is formed in both mold parts 81a and 81b and in which the headrest 50 can be at least partially accommodated. In the ironing device 56 the head part 73 can in each case be applied with pressure, steam and temperature for a predetermined time for smoothing. The operating parameters temperature, time of ironing treatment, contact pressure between the mold parts 81a and 81b, and steam are thereby adjustable for optimizing the result. After completion of the ironing process, the finished headrest 10 is placed in a storage 57 by the machine arm 55.

[0091] A machine arm 63 removes the empty holders 12 from the conveying device 54 and places them in a storage 64.

[0092] The storage 64 is then moved to a station (not illustrated), at which the cover 13 is mounted in the holder 12. From there, the covers 13 mounted in the holder 12 are returned to the storage 27 again.